Bluetooth connection quality indicator

• US 20020094778A1
• Filed: 01/18/2001
• Published: 07/18/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Johanson, James A., Cannon, Joseph M.
• Application Number:
  US09/761,774
• Publication Number:
  US 20020094778A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.3
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/309 Measuring or estimating channel quality parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

A wireless piconet device such as a BLUETOOTH conforming wireless piconet device includes a piconet connection quality determiner function and a corresponding visible or audible connection quality indication to a user, assisting the user in achieving optimal placement of individual devices in a piconet network. The connection quality indicator may be integrated into a BLUETOOTH device, or provided separately as a portable unit (e.g., hand held unit). In a preferred embodiment, the connection quality indicator provides a user with information relating to a quality of a connection, based on, e.g., RSSI and/or link quality.

Claims

1. A wireless piconet device, comprising:

a piconet front end;

a piconet connection quality determiner; and

a user link quality indicator;

wherein said piconet connection quality determiner determines at least one aspect relating to a quality of connection achieved through said piconet front end, and controls said user link quality indicator based on said determined at least one aspect.

2. The wireless piconet device according to claim 1, wherein:

said piconet front end conforms to BLUETOOTH standards.

3. The wireless piconet device according to claim 1, wherein:

said user link quality indicator indicates audibly.

4. The wireless piconet device according to claim 1, wherein:

said user link quality indicator indicates visibly.

5. The wireless piconet device according to claim 4, wherein said visible user link quality indicator comprises:

an LED.

6. The wireless piconet device according to claim 4, wherein said visible user link quality indicator comprises:

a graphical display.

7. A method of optimizing link quality of a wireless piconet device to a user, comprising:

firstly determining at least one aspect of a link quality of a wireless connection to a short range network; and

providing a first indication of compliance of said at least one aspect of said link quality to said user.

8. The method of optimizing link quality of a wireless piconet device to a user in accordance with claim 7, further comprising:

allowing said user to physically move said wireless piconet device;

secondly determining said at least one aspect of said link quality; and

providing a second indication of compliance of said at least one aspect of said link quality to said user.

9. The method of optimizing link quality of a wireless piconet device to a user in accordance with claim 7, wherein said determining comprises:

generating a Read_RSSI command; and

retrieving an RSSI value returned in response to said generated Read_RSSI command.

10. The method of optimizing link quality of a wireless piconet device to a user in accordance with claim 7, wherein said determining comprises:

generating a Get_Link_Quality command; and

retrieving a link quality value returned in response to said generated Get_Link_Quality command.

11. The method of optimizing link quality of a wireless piconet device to a user in accordance with claim 7, wherein:

said wireless connection is a piconet connection.

12. The method of optimizing link quality of a wireless piconet device to a user in accordance with claim 7, wherein:

said wireless connection is a scatternet connection.

13. The method of optimizing link quality of a wireless piconet device to a user in accordance with claim 7, wherein:

said indication is audible.

14. The method of optimizing link quality of a wireless piconet device to a user in accordance with claim 7, wherein:

said indication is visible.

15. The method of optimizing link quality of a wireless piconet device to a user in accordance with claim 7, wherein:

said compliance is determined by a comparison of said determined at least one aspect to a pre-configured threshold value allowing optimal communications quality.

17. The apparatus for optimizing link quality of a wireless piconet device to a user in accordance with claim 16, further comprising:

means for allowing said user to physically move said wireless piconet device;

means for secondly determining said at least one aspect of said link quality; and

means for providing a second indication of compliance of said at least one aspect of said link quality to said user.

18. The apparatus for optimizing link quality of a wireless piconet device to a user in accordance with claim 16, wherein said means for determining comprises:

means for generating a Read_RSSI command; and

means for retrieving an RSSI value returned in response to said generated Read_RSSI command.

19. The apparatus for optimizing link quality of a wireless piconet device to a user in accordance with claim 16, wherein said means for determining comprises:

means for generating a Get_Link_Quality command; and

means for retrieving a link quality value returned in response to said generated Get_Link_Quality command.

20. The apparatus for optimizing link quality of a wireless piconet device to a user in accordance with claim 16, wherein:

said wireless connection is a piconet connection.

21. The apparatus for optimizing link quality of a wireless piconet device to a user in accordance with claim 16, wherein:

said wireless connection is a scatternet connection.

22. The apparatus for optimizing link quality of a wireless piconet device to a user in accordance with claim 16, wherein:

said indication is audible.

23. The apparatus for optimizing link quality of a wireless piconet device to a user in accordance with claim 16, wherein:

said indication is visible.

24. The apparatus for optimizing link quality of a wireless piconet device to a user in accordance with claim 16, wherein:

said compliance is determined by means for comparing said determined at least one aspect to a pre-configured threshold value allowing optimal communications quality.

16. Apparatus for optimizing link quality of a wireless piconet device to a user, comprising:

means for firstly determining at least one aspect of a link quality of a wireless connection to a short range network; and

means for providing a first indication of compliance of said at least one aspect of said link quality to said user.