Approaches for device location and communication

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9232353-B2
Application number	US-201313842546-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 15, 2013
Priority date	Apr 19, 2010
Publication date	Jan 5, 2016
Grant date	Jan 5, 2016

Abstract

An electronic device can utilize image capture technology to detect the presence and location of another device. Using this information, the electronic device can display, in a user interface, a graphical element representing a detected device, along with identity information and the location of the detected device relative to the electronic device. The location of each detected device relative to the electronic device can be tracked and thus the graphical element can be updated in the user interface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:
under the control of one or more computer systems configured with executable instructions,
capturing, using at least one image capture element of a first device, a first image;
detecting a presence of at least a portion of a second device in the first captured image;
determining, from the first image, a location of the second device relative to the first device;
capturing, using the at least one image capture element of the first device, a second image;
identifying, from the second image, a change in the location of the second device with respect to the first device; and
updating the location of the second device relative to the first device, based at least in part upon the change in the location of the second device with respect to the first device as represented in the second image;
wherein the first device is configured to communicate data with the second device.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one image capture element is a camera.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
establishing communication between the first and second devices; and
determining a communication protocol for communicating between the first and second devices.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3 , wherein the communication protocol is determined using at least one of the identity information associated with the second device or the at least one captured image.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the identity information associated with the second device includes at least one of a second device identifier, a user associated with the second device, or an ability to communicate with the second device.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
providing a graphical element for display on a user interface of the first device, the graphical element representing the identity information associated with the second device and the determined location of the second device.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6 , wherein the graphical element displayed in the user interface of the first device is selectable to initiate communication between the first device and the second device when the first device has an ability to communicate with the second device.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 6 , further comprising:
displaying a second graphical element representing a location of the first device on the display element.

9. A computing device, comprising:
a processor;
at least one image capture element;
a display element; and
a memory element including instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the computing device to:
capture, using at least one capture element in communication with the computing device, at least one image;
detect a presence of at least a portion of a second device in the at least one captured image;
determine, from the at least one image, a location of the second device with respect to the computing device;
determine an ability to communicate between the computing device and second device;
capture, using the at least one image capture element of the first device, a second image;
identify, from the second image, a change in the location of the second device with respect to the first device; and
update the location of the second device relative to the computing device, based at least in part upon the change in the location of the second device with respect to the computing device as represented in the second image;
wherein the computing device is configured to communicate data with the second device.

10. The computing device of claim 9 , wherein the instructions, when executed further, cause the computing device to:
display a second graphical element representing a location of the computing device on the display element.

11. The computing device of claim 9 , wherein the identity information associated with the second device includes at least one of a second device identifier, a user associated with the second device and an ability to communicate with the second device.

12. The computing device of claim 9 , wherein the computing device includes a housing, the at least one image capture device comprises a plurality of image capture devices operable to capture images from substantially any direction from the housing.

13. The computing device of claim 9 , wherein the instructions, when executed further, cause the computing device to:
establish communication between the computing device and the second device; and
determine a communication protocol for communicating between the computing device and the second device.

14. The computing device of claim 13 , wherein the communication protocol is determined using at least one of the identity information associated with the second device or the at least one captured image.

15. A computing device, comprising:
a processor;
a display element;
a first image capture element located in a first corner region of the computing device;
a second image capture element located in a second corner region of the computing device;
a memory element including instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the computing device to:
capture, using at least one of the first image capture element or the second image capture element, a first image;
detect a presence of at least a portion of an object in the first image;
determine, from the first image, a location of the object with respect to the computing device;
capture, using the at least one image capture element of the first device, a second image;
identify, from the second image, a change in location of the object with respect to the computing device; and
update the location of the object relative to the computing device, based at least in part upon the change in the location of the object with respect to the computing device as represented in the second image;
wherein the first device is configured to communicate data with the object in the first image.

16. The computing device of claim 15 wherein the first image capture element and the second image capture element are both located on a front surface of the computing device.

17. The computing device of claim 15 further comprising:
a third image capture element located in a third corner region of the computing device; and
a fourth image capture element located in a fourth corner region of the computing device.

18. The computing device of claim 17 wherein each of the first image capture element, the second image capture element, the third image capture element, and the fourth image capture element are located on a front surface of the computing device and have respective fields of view directed away from the front surface of the computing device.

19. The computing device of claim 15 wherein at least one of the first image capture element is operable to capture images using ambient visible light and the second image capture element is operable to capture images using infrared radiation.

20. The computing device of claim 15 wherein the first image capture element has an angular field of view different from an angular field of view of the second image capture element.

21. The computing device of claim 15 wherein the object is another computing device.

22. The computing device of claim 15 wherein the object is a second computing device, and wherein the instructions that, when executed by the p

Assignees

• Amazon Tech Inc

Inventors

• Bozarth Bradley J
• Karakotsios Kenneth M
• Hart Gregory M
• Freed Ian W
• Bezos Jeffrey P

Classifications

• G06T2207/10016

  Video; Image sequence · CPC title

• H04W8/005

  Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals · CPC title

• H04M1/7253

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04M1/72572

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04W4/023 Primary

  using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds · CPC title