Method and system for ultrasonic proximity service

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018198535-A1
Application number	US-201715400173-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 6, 2017
Priority date	Jan 6, 2017
Publication date	Jul 12, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A network service can detect an ultrasonic signal by an ultrasonic receptive component of a first device. The ultrasonic signal can be based on an ultrasonic output signal transmitted from an audio output component. In response to the detected ultrasonic signal, the network service can perform a network service operation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for operating a device in connection with a network service, the method comprising:
detecting, by an ultrasonic receptive component of a first device, a first ultrasonic signal based on a first ultrasonic output signal outputted from an audio output component; and performing a network service operation using the detected first ultrasonic signal.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first device includes the audio output component.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a second device includes the audio output component.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the ultrasonic receptive component is a gyroscope.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the ultrasonic receptive component is an electro-acoustic transducer.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the ultrasonic receptive component is an accelerometer.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining one or more features of the first ultrasonic signal.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein performing the network service operation includes:
based on the determined one or more features of the first ultrasonic signal, determining whether the one or more features of the first ultrasonic signal match one or more features of a known device in a database of known devices, wherein each known device in the database of known devices is associated with an account.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein performing the network service operation includes:
determining that one or more features of the first ultrasonic signal match one or more features of a known device associated with a blocked account; and based on the determination that the one or more features of the first ultrasonic signal match one or more features of a known device associated with a blocked account, restricting a second device from associating an account of the second device with an account of the first device.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein performing the network service operation includes:
determining the first device is associated with a new account; and suspending the new account of the first device.

11 . The method of claim 8 , wherein performing the network service operation includes:
determining that one or more features of the first ultrasonic signal does not match any features of a known device associated with a blocked account; receiving account data associated with the first device; and associating account data of the first device with the one or more features of the first ultrasonic signal.

12 . The method of claim 8 , wherein performing the network service operation includes:
determining that one or more features of the first ultrasonic signal matches one or more features of a known device associated with an authorized account; and authorizing a second device to associate an account of the second device with an account of the first device.

13 . The method of claim 8 , wherein performing the network service operation includes:
determining that one or more features of the first ultrasonic signal match one or more features of a known device, the account of the known device being associated with data corresponding to a redeemed code; and preventing the redeemed code from being applied to the account of the first device.

14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein performing the network service operation includes:
prior to detecting the first ultrasonic signal:
detecting, by the ultrasonic receptive component of the first device, a previous ultrasonic signal;
determining that the previous ultrasonic signal is transmitted for a first duration of time within a second frequency range extending from a first frequency to a second frequency; and
based on the second frequency range and the first duration of time, determining that the previous ultrasonic signal is a preamble of a binary code.

15 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
determining the first ultrasonic signal was transmitted for a second duration of time within a second frequency range extending from a first frequency to a second frequency; subsequently detecting a set of ultrasonic signals; for each ultrasonic signal in the set, determining that the ultrasonic signal in the set of ultrasonic signals were transmitted for a duration of time within a frequency range; based on the second frequency range and first duration of time, the first frequency range and the second duration of time, the frequency ranges of each ultrasonic signal in the set of ultrasonic signals, and the duration of time each ultrasonic signal was transmitted, determining that the first ultrasonic signal and each of the ultrasonic signals in the set of ultrasonic signals corresponds to a bit state; based on each bit state of the first ultrasonic signal and each of the ultrasonic signals in the set of ultrasonic signals, determining a matching match code; and based on the match, authorizing an account of the first device to be associated with an account of a second device.

16 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
transmitting, from an audio output component, the first ultrasonic output signal, the first ultrasonic output signal including a first frequency range extending from a first frequency to a second frequency.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein performing the network service operation includes:
determining a first timestamp of transmission of the first ultrasonic output signal; determining a second timestamp of detection of the first ultrasonic signal; detecting a second ultrasonic signal; determining a third timestamp of detection of the second ultrasonic signal; and based on the first timestamp, second timestamp and third timestamp inferring the first ultrasonic signal originates from a first body and the second ultrasonic signal originates from a second body.

18 . The method of claim 16 wherein performing the network service operation includes:
transmitting, from the audio output component, a second ultrasonic output signal;
detecting, by the ultrasonic receptive component of the first device, a second ultrasonic signal;
determining, a time of transmission of the first ultrasonic output signal, a time of transmission of the second ultrasonic output signal, a time of detection of the first ultrasonic signal and a time of detection of the second ultrasonic signal; and
based on the determined time of transmission of the first ultrasonic output signal, time of transmission of the second ultrasonic output signal, time of detection of the first ultrasonic signal and time of detection of the second ultrasonic signal, determining, location data about the first device, the location data including whether the first device is indoors or outdoors.

19 . The method of claim 1 , wherein performing the network service operation includes:
based on the first ultrasonic signal, determining a first time of transmission of the first ultrasonic output signal and a first distance of the first device relative to a second device; detecting, by the ultrasonic receptive component of the first device, a second ultrasonic signal from the first device, the second ultrasonic signal based on a second ultrasonic output signal transmitted from the audio output component of the second device; based on the second ultrasonic signal, determining a second time of transmission of the second ultrasonic output signal and a second distance of the first device relative to the second device; and based on determined first time of transmission, second time of transmission, first di

Assignees

• Uber Technologies Inc

Inventors

• Cirit Fahrettin Olcay

Classifications

• H04W12/12

  Detection or prevention of fraud · CPC title

• H04B11/00 Primary

  Transmission systems employing ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves · CPC title

• H04L63/0853

  using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234) · CPC title

• H04W4/80

  Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication · CPC title

• G01S5/18 Primary

  using ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves · CPC title