Electronic device performing operations based on movement direction of external electronic device and method therefor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11100734-B2
Application number	US-201916527375-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 31, 2019
Priority date	Aug 16, 2018
Publication date	Aug 24, 2021
Grant date	Aug 24, 2021

Abstract

Provided are an electronic device and an operation method thereof. The electronic device may include: first and second antennas to receive a signal output by an external electronic device; a communication circuit configured to control the first antenna and the second antenna; and a processor. The processor may be configured to: receive the signal through the first antenna and the second antenna; measure a first distance between the first antenna and the external electronic device using the signal received by the first antenna; measure a second distance between the second antenna and the external electronic device using the signal received by the second antenna; determine a movement direction of the external electronic device based on a change in a difference between the first distance and the second distance; and perform a preset operation corresponding to the movement direction of the external electronic device. Other embodiments are also possible.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic device comprising:
a first antenna and a second antenna to receive a signal output by an external electronic device;
a communication circuit configured to control the first antenna and the second antenna; and
a processor, wherein the processor is configured to:
receive the signal through the first antenna and the second antenna;
measure a first distance between the first antenna and the external electronic device using the signal received by the first antenna;
measure a second distance between the second antenna and the external electronic device using the signal received by the second antenna;
determine a movement direction of the external electronic device based on a change in a difference between the first distance and the second distance; and
perform a preset operation corresponding to the movement direction of the external electronic device.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
identify, based on the difference between the first distance and the second distance, an angle between an imaginary line connecting the external electronic device and the electronic device and a preset reference line; and
determine the movement direction of the external electronic device based on a change in the angle.

3. The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
identify a distance between the external electronic device and the electronic device; and
determine the movement direction of the external electronic device based on a change in the distance between the external electronic device and the electronic device and a change in the angle.

4. The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine whether the external electronic device enters or exits an area corresponding to where the electronic device is installed based on the change in the angle or the movement direction of the external electronic device.

5. The electronic device of claim 4 , wherein the communication circuit is further configured to exchange data with an external server that controls other external electronic devices arranged in the area corresponding to where the electronic device is installed, and wherein the processor is further configured to transmit information indicating entry or exit of the external electronic device to the external server.

6. The electronic device of claim 5 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
determine whether to change an operation mode of the other external electronic devices based on the movement direction of the external electronic device; and
transmit information indicating a change of the operation mode to the external server.

7. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
determine the first distance based on a difference between a first time at which the signal is received via the first antenna and a second time at which the signal was emitted by the external electronic device as indicated by a time stamp included in the signal; and
determine the second distance based on a difference between a third time at which the signal is received via the second antenna and the second time at which the signal was emitted by the external electronic device as indicated by the time stamp included in the signal.

8. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
determine a first phase of the signal received via the first antenna and a second phase of the signal received via the second antenna; and
determine the movement direction of the external electronic device based on a change in a difference between the first phase and the second phase.

9. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
detect that the external electronic device has entered a first area; and
perform the preset operation in response to detecting that the external electronic device has entered the first area.

10. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
identify a distance between the external electronic device and a ground surface; and
adjust a second area for detecting the external electronic device based on the distance between the external electronic device and the ground surface.

11. The electronic device of claim 10 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
determine that the external electronic device is located at a designated location;
measure a distance between the external electronic device and the electronic device; and
determine the distance between the external electronic device and the electronic device as the distance between the electronic device and the ground surface.

12. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the signal is an ultra-wideband (UWB) signal.

13. A method of operation for an electronic device, the method comprising:
receiving a signal output by an external electronic device via a first antenna and a second antenna;
determining a first distance between the first antenna and the external electronic device based on the signal received via the first antenna;
determining a second distance between the second antenna and the external electronic device based on the signal received via the second antenna;
determining a movement direction of the external electronic device based on a change in a difference between the first distance and the second distance; and
performing a preset operation corresponding to the movement direction of the external electronic device.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein determining the movement direction of the external electronic device further comprises:
measuring, based on the difference between the first distance and the second distance, an angle between an imaginary line connecting the external electronic device and the electronic device and a preset reference line; and
determining the movement direction of the external electronic device based on a change in the angle.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
identifying a distance between the external electronic device and the electronic device; and
determining the movement direction of the external electronic device based on a change in the distance between the external electronic device and the electronic device and a change in the angle.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein performing the preset operation further comprises:
transmitting information indicating entry or exit of the external electronic device to an external server.

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein performing the preset operation further comprises:
determining whether to change an operation mode of another external electronic device based on a change in the angle; and
transmitting information indicating whether to change the operation mode to an external server.

18. The method of claim 13 , wherein determining the movement direction of the external electronic device further comprises:
determining the first distance based on a difference between a first time at which the signal is received via the first antenna and a second time at which the signal was emitted by the external electronic device as indicated by a time stamp included in the signal; and
determining the second distance based on a difference between a third time at which the signal is received via the second antenna and the second time at which the signal was emitted by the external electronic device as indicated by the time stamp included in the signal.

19.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Ahn Jungho
• Oh Saegee
• Kim Chulkwi
• Son Yongjun
• Yoo Jun
• Joo Jaeil

Classifications

• G06K19/0723

  the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs · CPC title

• G07C9/00309 Primary

  operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks · CPC title

• G07C2009/0038

  whereby the wake-up circuit is situated in the keyless data carrier · CPC title

• G07C9/00571

  operated by interacting with a central unit · CPC title

• G07C2009/00793

  by Hertzian waves · CPC title