Contactless connector location systems and methods

• US 10,405,316 B2
• Filed: 10/19/2015
• Issued: 09/03/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Molex LLC (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Keyssa Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Kersjes, Theo, Wolcott, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Rutkowski, Jeffrey M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ma, Basil
• Application Number:
  US14/886,354
• Publication Number:
  US 20170111943A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,415 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• 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 4/026 using orientation information, e.g. compass
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/003 locating network equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/046 the resource being in the space domain, e.g. beams
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/11 Allocation or use of connection identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

Embodiments discussed herein refer to systems, methods, and circuits for locating obfuscated EHF contactless connectors so that a contactless communication link can be established between two devices. When connector interfaces are not readily ascertainable, a user may rely on the location embodiments discussed herein to quickly and correctly orient his or her device with respect to another device to establish the contactless communication link.

Claims

1. A base device operative to contactlessly communicate with a user device, the base device comprising:

a housing characterized as having a major surface and a minor surface, wherein the minor surface is substantially perpendicular to the major surface;

at least one obfuscated contactless communication transceiver unit (OCCTU) disposed along one of the major surface and the minor surface, the at least one OCCTU operative to;

emit a beaconing signal that alerts presence of a RF field to the user device and that includes identifying information specifying whether the base device has its at least one OCCTU disposed along its major surface or minor surface such that when the user device receives the beaconing signal, the user device provides alignment instructions for the user to position the user device with respect to the base device such that at least one CCTU associated with the user device is optimally aligned with the at least one OCCTU disposed along the major surface or the minor surface of the base device; and

establish a contactless link with a contactless communication unit (CCU) associated with the user device when the user device is positioned in a connection alignment position with respect to the base device, wherein the CCTU and the OCCTU contactlessly communicate with each other in an approximate 60 GHz frequency domain; and

an I/O component that provides alignment instructions that guide a user to position the user device with respect to the base device.

2. The base device of claim 1, further comprising a touchpad arranged on the major surface, wherein the at least one OCCU is located adjacent to the touchpad.

3. A base device operative to contactlessly communicate with a user device, the base device comprising:

a housing characterized as having a major surface and a minor surface, wherein the minor surface is substantially perpendicular to the major surface;

at least one obfuscated contactless communication transceiver unit (OCCTU) disposed along one of the major surface and the minor surface, the at least one OCCTU operative to;

emit a beaconing signal that alerts presence of a RF field to the user device and that includes identifying information specifying whether the base device has its at least one OCCTU disposed along its major surface or minor surface such that when the user device receives the beaconing signal, the user device provides alignment instructions for the user to position the user device with respect to the base device such that at least one CCTU associated with the user device is optimally aligned with the at least one OCCTU disposed along the major surface or the minor surface of the base device; and

establish a contactless link with a contactless communication unit (CCU) associated with the user device when the user device is positioned in a connection alignment position with respect to the base device, wherein the CCTU and the OCCTU contactlessly communicate with each other in an approximate 60 GHz frequency domain; and

a sensor that detects whether the user device is placed adjacent to the base device, whereupon detection, the beaconing signal is transmitted.

4. A base device operative to contactlessly communicate with a user device, the base device comprising:

a housing characterized as having a major surface and a minor surface, wherein the minor surface is substantially perpendicular to the major surface; and

at least one obfuscated contactless communication transceiver unit (OCCTU) disposed along one of the major surface and the minor surface, the at least one OCCTU operative to;

emit a beaconing signal that alerts presence of a RF field to the user device and that includes identifying information specifying whether the base device has its at least one OCCTU disposed along its major surface or minor surface such that when the user device receives the beaconing signal, the user device provides alignment instructions for the user to position the user device with respect to the base device such that at least one CCTU associated with the user device is optimally aligned with the at least one OCCTU disposed along the major surface or the minor surface of the base device; and

establish a contactless link with a contactless communication unit (CCU) associated with the user device when the user device is positioned in a connection alignment position with respect to the base device, wherein the CCTU and the OCCTU contactlessly communicate with each other in an approximate 60 GHz frequency domain, wherein the user device provides alignment guidance instructions based on the RF field and the identifying information.