Establishing communication with wireless devices using orientation data

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10298281-B2
Application number	US-201514706544-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 7, 2015
Priority date	May 7, 2015
Publication date	May 21, 2019
Grant date	May 21, 2019

Abstract

Aspects of the present disclosure are directed to methods, apparatuses and systems involving establishing communication with wireless devices. According to an example embodiment, a system comprises orientation circuitry configured and arranged to obtain orientation data indicative of a physical orientation of the user, a communication circuit configured and arranged to wirelessly communicate data with a plurality of wireless devices, and processor circuitry. The processor circuitry is configured and arranged to: determine a direction of interest using the orientation data, select a wireless device from the plurality wireless devices based on the direction of interest, the selection being based on information indicating a location of the user relative to the plurality of wireless devices, and establish communication between the system and the selected wireless device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for use by a user, the system comprising:
a wearable electronic sensor that is configured and arranged to be disposed on a head of the user along a set direction with respect to the user, the wearable electronic sensor including orientation circuitry configured and arranged to obtain orientation data indicative of an orientation of the wearable electronic sensor in three-dimensional space and of a physical orientation of the user; and
an electronic communication device coupled to the wearable electronic sensor, including:
a communication circuit configured and arranged to wirelessly communicate data with a plurality of further wireless devices;
processor circuitry configured and arranged to:
generate and update, responsive to movement of the user, a location map of the plurality of further wireless devices relative to a location of the user based on strengths of wireless signals from the plurality of further wireless devices and the orientation data;
determine a direction of interest of the user using the orientation data, the direction of interest substantially coinciding with the set direction;
define a spatial zone surrounding the direction of interest, the spatial zone having a spatial projection along at least one of three mutually orthogonal directions;
select a wireless device from the plurality of further wireless devices disposed within the spatial zone based on the direction of interest indicating a location of the user relative to the plurality of further wireless devices;
automatically establish, without user input and in response to the selection of the selected wireless device, communication between the electronic communication device and the selected wireless device, commencing a communication session with the selected wireless device during which the electronic communication device controls the selected wireless device in response to user input and not establishing communication between the electronic communication device and the remaining of the plurality of further wireless devices, other than the selected wireless device.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor circuitry is further configured and arranged to determine the spatial zone surrounding the direction of interest relative to the plurality of further wireless devices using the signal strengths of wireless signals received from the plurality of wireless devices and wherein the established communication includes receiving pushed information from the selected wireless device at the electronic communication device.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor circuitry is further configured and arranged to:
identify the plurality of further wireless devices when the user is at a first location in response to receiving wireless signals from the plurality of further wireless devices;
generate the location map of the plurality of further wireless devices relative to the first location based on the strengths of the wireless signals; and
automatically establish the communication between the electronic communication device and the selected wireless device without additional user input responsive to the selected wireless device from the plurality of further wireless devices being within the spatial zone surrounding the direction of interest.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the system further includes location circuitry configured and arranged to obtain location data indicative of a location of the user, wherein the processor circuitry is further configured and arranged to:
determine a likelihood that the user is moving to a second location based on the location data and signal strengths of additional received wireless signals from the plurality of further wireless devices when the user is at the second location,
update the location map in response to the user moving to the second location with the system in response to the likelihood being outside a threshold,
define the spatial zone using the location map, and
not establish communication between the electronic communication device and the remaining of the plurality of further wireless devices, other than the selected wireless device.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the wearable electronic sensor further includes an additional communication circuit and the electronic communication device is a mobile device including the processor circuitry,
wherein the processor circuitry is configured and arranged to determine the direction of interest of the user using the orientation data based on where the user is looking.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the wearable electronic sensor includes a microphone and the additional communication circuit is connected via a cable to the mobile device, the mobile device including the processor circuitry.

7. The system of claim 5 , wherein the wearable electronic sensor includes a microphone, and the additional communication circuit that is further configured and arranged to communicate wirelessly with the mobile device and the plurality of further wireless devices.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the direction of interest of the user is indicative of an orientation of the electronic communication device, and wherein the processor circuitry is configured and arranged to determine the spatial zone based on the direction of interest and at least one direction of interest parameter and select the wireless device that is within the spatial zone, and wherein the processor circuitry configured and arranged to control the selected wireless device in response to the user input further includes controlling functions selected from a group consisting of: a volume, a channel, lights on, lights off, a temperature, and a combination thereof.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein another wireless device of the plurality of further wireless devices is within the spatial zone with a larger distance from the user than the selected wireless device, wherein the processor circuitry is configured and arranged to selected the another wireless device as an alternative candidate.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor circuitry is configured and arranged to select the wireless device of the plurality of further wireless devices without user input, and wherein the orientation circuitry includes a device selected from a group of devices consisting of a compass, a gyroscope, a gyrocompass, a magnetometer, an optical sensor, and a combination thereof.

11. The system of claim 1 , further include a user interface configured and arranged with the processor circuity to communicate data to the user, the processor circuitry configured and arranged to provide identification of the selected wireless device to the user using the user interface; and
wherein the processor circuitry is further configured and arranged to adjust a volume of the spatial zone in response to another user input, the adjustment including a change in an x, y, and z projection that defines the spatial zone.

12. A system for use by a user, the system comprising:
orientation circuitry configured and arranged to obtain orientation data indicative of an orientation of the user in three-dimensional space, the orientation circuitry being part of a wearable electronic sensor configured and arranged to be disposed on a head of the user along a set direction;
an electronic communication device communicatively coupled to the orientation circuitry, the electronic communication device being configured and arranged to operate in different communication modes including a push mode in which information is pushed to the electronic communication device from other devices in response to establishing communication and including:
location cir

Assignees

• Nxp Bv

Inventors

• Neumann Kai

Classifications

• H04B1/385 Primary

  Transceivers carried on the body, e.g. in helmets · CPC title

• H04W76/14

  Direct-mode setup · CPC title

• H04W64/00

  Locating users or terminals {or network equipment} for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management · CPC title

• H04W64/006

  with additional information processing, e.g. for direction or speed determination · CPC title

• H04W4/026 Primary

  using orientation information, e.g. compass · CPC title