Portable electronic device with proximity sensors and identification beacon
First Claim
1. An electronic device, comprising:
- a housing;
one or more processors;
at least one proximity sensor component operable with the one or more processors and comprising an infrared signal receiver receiving an infrared emission from an object external to the housing without a corresponding transmitter; and
at least one proximity detector component operable with the one or more processors and comprising a signal emitter and a corresponding signal receiver;
the one or more processors actuating the at least one proximity detector component when the at least one proximity sensor component receives the infrared emission from the object, thereby causing the signal emitter to transmit a beacon having a unique identifier encoded therein; and
the one or more processors monitoring the corresponding signal receiver for a response transmission from another electronic device in response to transmission of the beacon, and upon failing to receive the response transmission, causing the signal emitter to transmit a request signal requesting identification credentials from the another electronic device.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An electronic device includes a housing, a user interface, and one or more processors operable with the user interface. At least one proximity sensor component is operable with the one or more processors and can include an infrared signal receiver to receive an infrared emission from an object external to the housing. At least one proximity detector component can be operable with the one or more processors and can include a signal emitter and a corresponding signal receiver. The one or more processors can actuate the at least one proximity detector component when the at least one proximity sensor component receives the infrared emission from the object, thereby causing the signal emitter to transmit a beacon having a unique identifier encoded therein. The beacon allows the device to determine the number and identity of other devices or persons within a thermal detection radius.
24 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. An electronic device, comprising:
-
a housing; one or more processors; at least one proximity sensor component operable with the one or more processors and comprising an infrared signal receiver receiving an infrared emission from an object external to the housing without a corresponding transmitter; and at least one proximity detector component operable with the one or more processors and comprising a signal emitter and a corresponding signal receiver; the one or more processors actuating the at least one proximity detector component when the at least one proximity sensor component receives the infrared emission from the object, thereby causing the signal emitter to transmit a beacon having a unique identifier encoded therein; and the one or more processors monitoring the corresponding signal receiver for a response transmission from another electronic device in response to transmission of the beacon, and upon failing to receive the response transmission, causing the signal emitter to transmit a request signal requesting identification credentials from the another electronic device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. A method, comprising:
-
determining, with at least one proximity sensor component comprising an infrared signal receiver to receive an infrared emission from an object external to a housing, that the object is within a thermal detection radius of the electronic device; and in response to detecting the object within the thermal detection radius, causing a signal emitter of at least one proximity detector component comprising the signal emitter and a corresponding signal receiver to transmit a beacon having a unique identifier encoded therein; the transmitting comprising multiplexing the beacon having the unique identifier encoded therein with one or more proximity detection beams. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
-
-
20. An electronic device, comprising:
-
a housing; one or more processors; at least one proximity sensor component operable with the one or more processors and comprising an infrared signal receiver receiving an infrared emission from an object external to the housing without a corresponding transmitter; and at least one proximity detector component operable with the one or more processors and comprising a signal emitter and a corresponding signal receiver; the one or more processors actuating the at least one proximity detector component when the at least one proximity sensor component receives the infrared emission from the object, thereby causing the signal emitter to transmit a beacon having a unique identifier encoded therein; the one or more processors, upon failing to identify the another electronic device from the another unique identifier, causing the signal emitter to transmit a request signal requesting identification credentials from the another electronic device; and the one or more processors, in response to transmitting the request signal, receiving another response transmission from the another electronic device having at least some of the identification credentials encoded therein.
-
Specification