Contextually switching from a wireless communication to human body near-field communication for power savings

• US 10,321,406 B2
• Filed: 02/21/2017
• Issued: 06/11/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Bostick, James E., Ganci, Jr., John M., Keen, Martin G., Rakshit, Sarbajit K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rachedine, Mohammed
• Application Number:
  US15/437,548
• Publication Number:
  US 20180242254A1
• Time in Patent Office: 840 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 13/005 Transmission systems in which the medium consists of the human body
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0251 using monitoring of local events, e.g. events related to user activity
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Embodiments include techniques for contextual switch from a wireless communication to human body near-field communication for power savings, the technique includes determining, via a processor, a configuration of devices for a user, the devices include wearable devices and mobile devices. The techniques include identifying a cluster of the devices, and determining a current activity and location of the user based on an indication from at least one of the devices. The techniques also include determining a proximity of the devices to the user, and based on the current activity, the location, and the proximity of devices, switching one or more connections to of the devices from a wireless communication technology to a human body near-field communication. The techniques include storing the configuration and the activity of the user.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for contextually switching from a wireless communication to human body near-field communication for power savings, the method comprising:

determining, via a processor, a configuration of devices for a user, the devices include wearable devices and mobile devices;

identifying a cluster of the devices, wherein the cluster of the devices are paired to each other and have active applications, wherein the cluster of the devices include three or more devices;

determining a current activity and a location of the user based on an indication from at least one of the devices;

determining a proximity of the devices to the user;

switching one or more connections of the wearable devices and the mobile devices from a wireless communication technology to a human body near-field communication based on the current activity, the location of the user, and the proximity of the devices, wherein each of the one or more connections of the cluster of devices is switched selectively and independently of the other devices of the cluster to the human body near-field communication; and

storing the configuration and the activity of the user.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprises determining the wireless communication technology used for each connection between the devices;

determining active applications associated with each connection;

determining the proximity of the devices having active applications that are within a threshold range; and

selectively switching one or more connections to a human body near-field communication based on the proximity of the devices and activity of the user.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the proximity is based on at least one of a location awareness, a signal strength of each connection, and sensor data indicating contact with the user.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the threshold range is based on a signal strength between the wearable devices and the mobile devices, the threshold range is defined by at least one of the user and learned based on historical instances.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the activity of the user is determined by sensor data from the wearable devices and the mobile devices.

6. A system for contextually switching from a wireless communication to human body near-field communication for power savings, the system comprising:

a storage medium, the storage medium being coupled to a processor;

the processor configured to;

determine a configuration of devices for a user, the devices include wearable devices and mobile devices;

identify a cluster of the devices, wherein the cluster of the devices are paired to each other and have active applications, wherein the clusters of the devices include three or more devices;

determine a current activity and a location of the user based on an indication from at least one of the devices;

determine a proximity of the devices to the user;

switch one or more connections of the wearable devices and the mobile devices from a wireless communication technology to a human body near-field communication based on the current activity, the location of the user, and the proximity of the devices, wherein each of the one or more connections of the cluster of the devices is switched selectively and independently of the other devices of the cluster to the human body near-field communication; and

store the configuration and the activity of the user.

7. The system of claim 6, further comprising the processor configured to determine the wireless communication technology used for each connection between the devices;

determine active applications associated with each connection;

determine the proximity of the devices having active applications that are within a threshold range; and

selectively switch one or more connections to a human body near-field communication based on the proximity of the devices and activity of the user.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the proximity is based on at least one of a location awareness, a signal strength of each connection, and sensor data indicating contact with the user.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the threshold range is based on a signal strength between the wearable devices and the mobile devices, the threshold range is defined by at least one of the user and learned based on historical instances.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein the activity of the user is determined by sensor data from the wearable devices and the mobile devices.

11. A computer program product for contextually switching from a wireless communication to human body near-field communication for power savings, the computer program product comprising:

a computer readable storage medium having stored thereon first program instructions executable by a processor to cause the processor to;

determine a configuration of devices for a user, the devices include wearable devices and mobile devices;

identify a cluster of the devices, wherein the cluster of the devices are paired to each other and have active applications, wherein the clusters of the devices include three or more devices;

determine a current activity and a location of the user based on an indication from at least one of the devices;

determine a proximity of the devices to the user;

switch one or more connections of the wearable devices and the mobile devices from a wireless communication technology to a human body near-field communication based on the current activity, the location of the user, and the proximity of the devices, wherein each of the one or more connections of the cluster of the devices is switched selectively and independently of the other devices of the cluster to the human body near-field communication; and

store the configuration and the activity of the user.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to cause the processor to determine the wireless communication technology used for each connection between the devices;

determine active applications associated with each connection;

determine the proximity of the devices having active applications that are within a threshold range; and

selectively switch one or more connections to a human body near-field communication based on the proximity of the devices and activity of the user.

13. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the proximity is based on at least one of a location awareness, a signal strength of each connection, and sensor data indicating contact with the user.

14. The computer program produce of claim 12, wherein the threshold range is based on a signal strength between the wearable devices and the mobile devices, the threshold range is defined by at least one of the user and learned based on historical instances.

15. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the activity of the user is determined by sensor data from the wearable devices and the mobile devices.