Ultrasonic communications for wireless beacons

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9667352-B2
Application number	US-201514593971-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 9, 2015
Priority date	Jan 9, 2015
Publication date	May 30, 2017
Grant date	May 30, 2017

Abstract

Beacon devices transmit wireless beacon messages to alert an application on a mobile phone of the Beacon device's proximity. Contemplated beacon devices may also include an ultrasonic emitter and one or more microphones. The ultrasonic emitter may be used to complement other beacon operations, communicate information to a user mobile device, and monitor the beacon device's environment. Ultrasonic data may also be used to determine if a person or object is in proximity to the beacon device. Short echolocation travel times may be used to indicate that a user is “touching” the beacon device. Inter-beacon device communication may also be accomplished using the ultrasonic emitter.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A mobile device comprising:
at least one sonic-signal receiver;
at least one wireless-signal receiver;
at least one processor;
at least one memory configured to store instructions that when executed cause the at least one processor to perform a method comprising:
receiving, via the at least one sonic-signal receiver, a sonic signal from a beacon device, wherein the sonic signal received at the mobile device has a first sonic-signal strength;
comparing the first sonic-signal strength with a second sonic-signal strength so as to form a first result;
receiving, via the at least one wireless-signal receiver, a wireless signal from the beacon device, wherein the wireless signal received at the mobile device has a first wireless-signal strength;
comparing the first wireless-signal strength with a second wireless-signal strength so as to form a second result; and
determining, based on the first result and the second result, whether the beacon device is installed in compliance with installation guidelines associated with the beacon device;
wherein determining whether the beacon device is installed in compliance with the installation guidelines associated with the beacon device comprises:
determining that an enclosure positioned between the beacon device and the mobile device does not comply with the installation guidelines;
presenting a notification that the enclosure does not comply with the installation guidelines; and
disabling the beacon device.

2. The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein determining whether the beacon device is installed in compliance with the installation guidelines associated with the beacon device comprises:
determining a distance from the beacon device to the enclosure based on the first result and the second result; and
determining whether the distance complies with the installation guidelines associated with the beacon device.

3. The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein the first sonic-signal strength is scaled based upon a sensitivity of the mobile device.

4. The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein the mobile device is a testing mobile device, and wherein presenting the notification that the enclosure does not comply with the installation guidelines comprises:
transmitting a message to a configuration mobile device used to configure the beacon device.

5. The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein the first wireless-signal strength is scaled based upon a sensitivity of the mobile device.

6. The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein the second sonic-signal strength is an anticipated sonic signal strength.

7. The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein the second wireless-signal strength is an anticipated wireless signal strength.

8. A computer-implemented method for verifying a compliant beacon device installation comprising:
receiving, via at least one sonic-signal receiver at a beacon device, a sonic signal from a mobile device, wherein the sonic signal received at the beacon device has a first sonic-signal strength;
comparing, at the beacon device, the first sonic-signal strength to a second sonic-signal strength so as to form a first result;
receiving, via at least one wireless-signal receiver at the beacon device, a wireless signal from the mobile device, wherein the wireless signal received at the beacon device has a first wireless-signal strength;
comparing, at the beacon device, the first wireless-signal strength to a second wireless-signal strength so as to form a second result;
detecting, based on the first result and the second result, a presence of an enclosure; and
determining whether the enclosure complies with installation guidelines associated with the beacon device;
wherein determining whether the enclosure complies with the installation guidelines associated with the beacon device comprises:
determining that the enclosure is positioned between the beacon device and the mobile device and the enclosure does not comply with the installation guidelines;
presenting a notification that the enclosure does not comply with the installation guidelines; and
disabling the beacon device.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8 , wherein determining whether the enclosure complies with the installation guidelines associated with the beacon device comprises:
determining a distance from the beacon device to the enclosure based on the first result and the second result; and
determining whether the distance complies with the installation guidelines associated with the beacon device.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 8 , wherein the first sonic-signal strength is scaled based upon a sensitivity of the mobile device.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 8 , wherein the mobile device is a testing mobile device, and wherein presenting the notification that the enclosure does not comply with the installation guidelines comprises:
transmitting a message to a configuration mobile device used to configure the beacon device.

12. The method of claim 8 , further comprising scaling the first wireless-signal strength based upon a sensitivity of the mobile device.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that when executed cause at least one processor to perform a method comprising:
receiving, via at least one sonic-signal receiver at a beacon device, a sonic signal from a mobile device, wherein the sonic signal received at the beacon device has a first sonic-signal strength;
comparing, at the beacon device, the first sonic-signal strength with an anticipated sonic-signal strength so as to form a first result;
receiving, via at least one wireless-signal receiver at the beacon device, a wireless signal from the mobile device, wherein the wireless signal received at the beacon device has a first wireless-signal strength;
comparing, at the beacon device, the first wireless-signal strength to an anticipated wireless-signal strength so as to form a second result;
detecting, based on the first result and the second result, a presence of an enclosure; and
determining whether the detected enclosure complies with installation guidelines associated with the beacon device, the method further comprising instructions for determining whether the enclosure complies with the installation guidelines associated with the beacon device by:
determining that the enclosure is positioned between the beacon device and the mobile device and the enclosure does not comply with the installation guidelines;
presenting a notification that the enclosure does not comply with the installation guidelines; and
disabling the beacon device.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the instructions for determining whether the enclosure complies with the installation guidelines associated with the beacon device include instructions for:
determining a distance from the beacon device to the enclosure based on the first result and the second result; and
determining whether the distance complies with the installation guidelines associated with the beacon device.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , further comprising instructions for scaling the first sonic-signal strength-based upon a sensitivity of the mobile device.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the mobile device is a testing mobile device, and wherein the instructions for presenting the notification that the enclosure does not comply with the installation guidelines includes instructions for:
transmitting a message to a configuration mobile device used to configure the beaco

Assignees

• Facebook Inc

Inventors

• Niewczas Mateusz Marek
• Akhi Fraidun
• Shen Shizhe

Classifications

• H04B11/00 Primary

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