Ad-hoc connection between electronic devices

• US 20050198029A1
• Filed: 02/05/2004
• Published: 09/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Hietasarka, Juha, Pohja, Seppo, Hussmann, Holger
• Granted Patent: US 8,639,819 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/21 for social networking applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

The invention relates to a method of creating an ad-hoc connection between two electronic devices. In order to enable a particularly user-friendly creation of such a connection, it is proposed that a first device detects a hugging state between the first device and a second device, in which the first device and the second device are in close vicinity and a piece of information is received at the first device directly from the second device. In case a hugging state is detected, a handle is obtained proceeding from the received piece of information. The handle comprises an address of some device other than the first device. Finally, a communication channel is established between the first device and the other device using the address included in the handle. The invention relates equally to a corresponding device, to an expandable framework for such a device, and to a corresponding software program product.

Claims

1. A method of creating an ad-hoc connection between at least two electronic devices for enabling an interaction between said at least two electronic devices, said method comprising at a first one of said electronic devices:

detecting a hugging state between said first electronic device and a second one of said electronic devices, a hugging state being assumed to be given if said first electronic device and said second electronic device are at least in close vicinity to each other and a piece of information is received by said first electronic device directly from said second electronic device;

in case a hugging state is detected, obtaining a handle proceeding from said received piece of information, said handle comprising at least an address of at least one other of said at least two electronic devices than said first electronic device; and

establishing a communication channel between said first electronic device and said at least one other of said electronic devices using said address included in said handle.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein detecting said hugging state requires at least one of detecting a physical touch between said first electronic device and said second electronic device, detecting a short distance between said first electronic device and said second electronic device and detecting a pointing of one of said first electronic device and said second electronic device to the respective other one of said first electronic device and said second electronic device.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein detecting said hugging state requires receiving a content of a radio frequency identification tag of said at least one other of said electronic devices as said piece of information from said second electronic device.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein said first device obtains said handle by retrieving a stored address which is mapped to a received radio frequency identification.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said received piece of information comprises an address of said at least one other of said electronic devices and wherein said first device obtains said handle by using said address at least as part of said handle.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said first device obtains said handle by exchanging further pieces of information with said second device.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein said handle comprises further information for at least one of establishing said communication channel and using an established communication channel.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein said communication channel is set up according to one of predefined user preferences and a user input.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising monitoring conditions on said established communication channel and updating said communication channel in case said conditions are detected to be worse than predetermined conditions.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein said communication channel uses one of a direct link between said first electronic device and said at least one other of said electronic devices and an indirect link between said first electronic device and said at least one other of said electronic devices.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein said communication channel uses a link between said first electronic device and said at least one other of said electronic devices enabling an interaction via said communication channel over any distance, at least as soon as said first electronic device and said at least one other of said electronic devices reach a distance to each other which does not permit a use of another type of link for an interaction via said communication channel.

12. The method according to claim 1, further comprising performing a security operation for determining at least one of whether said communication channel is allowed to be established between said first electronic device and said at least one other of said electronic devices and whether said communication channel is allowed to be used for a specific data transmission.

13. The method according to claim 1, further comprising preventing the existence of parallel communication channels created by said at least one other of said electronic devices and said first electronic device.

14. The method according to claim 1, further comprising notifying at least one application in at least one of said first electronic device and said at least one other of said electronic devices about said communication channel.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein a notified application starts an automatic interaction via said communication channel with another application.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein said at least one application is an application currently used by a user of said first electronic device or of said at least one other of said electronic devices.

17. The method according to claim 1, further comprising invoking at least one application or at least one function of at least one application in at least one of said first electronic device and said at least one other of said electronic devices, in order to enable said at least one invoked application or at least one invoked function to interact via said communication channel with another application.

18. The method according to claim 1, wherein establishing said communication channel is followed by a context dependent interaction via said communication channel with said at least one other of said electronic devices.

19. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of a copy-and-paste functionality, a cut-and-paste functionality and a drag-and-drop functionality in said first device makes use of said established communication channel for interacting with said at least one other of said electronic devices.

20. The method according to claim 1, wherein said first electronic device receives from said second electronic device during a hugging state in addition to said piece of information an application specific information.

21. The method according to claim 1, wherein said at least one other of said electronic devices via the established communication channel an application specific information.

22. The method according to claim 1, further comprising determining a direction in which data is allowed to be transmitted via said established communication channel between applications of said first device and of said at least one other of said electronic devices.

23. The method according to claim 1, further comprising measuring external influences to said first electronic device by means of at least one sensor, and adapting the behavior of an application of said first electronic device to results of said measurements.

24. The method according to claim 1, further comprising selecting a suitable data format for data which is to be transmitted via said communication channel.

25. The method according to claim 1, further comprising terminating said established communication channel in case of at least one of a predetermined period during which said communication channel is not used for some interaction between said first electronic device and said at least one other of said electronic devices, an application using said communication channel causes said communication channel to be terminated, and a hugging state is detected for a second time.

26. The method according to claim 1, wherein said at least one other of said electronic devices comprises said second electronic device.

27. The method according to claim 1, wherein said at least one other of said electronic devices is different from said second electronic device.

28. An electronic device comprising:

a touch detection portion, which touch detection portion is adapted to detect a hugging state between said electronic device and a further electronic device, a hugging state being assumed to be given if said electronic device and said further electronic device are at least in close vicinity to each other and a piece of information is received by said electronic device directly from said further electronic device, and which touch detection portion is adapted to obtain a handle proceeding from a piece of information received from a further electronic device in case a hugging state is detected, said handle comprising at least an address belonging to at least one electronic device other than said electronic device; and

a link creation portion which is adapted to establish a communication channel to at least one other electronic device using an address included in a handle provided by said touch detection portion for enabling an interaction with said at least one other electronic device.

29. The electronic device according to claim 28, wherein said touch detection portion and said link creation portion are integrated into an expandable framework including an additional control portion, wherein said touch detection portion and said link creation portion are connected to said additional control portion, wherein said additional control portion is adapted to be supplemented by functional blocks supporting a respective service, and wherein said additional control portion comprises at least one interface for enabling an input to functional blocks added to said additional control portion.

30. Expandable framework for an electronic device, said expandable framework comprising a touch detection portion, a link creation portion and an additional control portion,

wherein said touch detection portion is adapted to detect a hugging state between said electronic device and a further electronic device, a hugging state being assumed to be given if said electronic device and said further electronic device are at least in close vicinity to each other and a piece of information is received by said electronic device directly from said further electronic device, and which touch detection portion is adapted to obtain a handle proceeding from a piece of information received from a further electronic device in case a hugging state is detected, said handle comprising at least an address belonging to at least one electronic device other than said electronic device;

wherein said link creation portion is adapted to establish a communication channel to at least one other electronic device using an address included in a handle provided by said touch detection portion for enabling an interaction with said at least one other electronic device;

wherein said touch detection portion and said link creation portion are connected to said additional control portion; and

wherein said additional control portion is adapted to be supplemented by functional blocks supporting a respective service, and comprises at least one interface for enabling an input to functional blocks added to said additional control portion.

31. A software program product in which a software code for creating an ad-hoc connection between at least two electronic devices for enabling an interaction between said at least two electronic devices is stored, said software code realizing the following steps when running in a first one of said electrical devices:

detecting a hugging state between said first electronic device and a second one of said electronic devices, a hugging state being assumed to be given if said first electronic device and said second electronic device are at least in close vicinity to each other and a piece of information is received by said first electronic device directly from said second electronic device;

in case a hugging state is detected, obtaining a handle proceeding from said received piece of information, said handle comprising at least an address of at least one other of said at least two electronic devices than said first electronic device; and

establishing a communication channel between said first electronic device and said at least one other of said electronic devices using said address included in said handle.

32. A method of creating an ad-hoc connection between at least two electronic devices for enabling an interaction between said at least two electronic devices, said method comprising at a first one of said electronic devices:

detecting a hugging state between said first electronic device and a second one of said electronic devices, a hugging state being assumed to be given if said first electronic device and said second electronic device are at least in close vicinity to each other and a piece of information is received by said first electronic device directly from said second electronic device;

in case a hugging state is detected, obtaining a handle proceeding from said received piece of information, said handle comprising at least an address of at least one other of said at least two electronic devices than said first electronic device;

establishing a communication channel between said first electronic device and said at least one other of said electronic devices using said address included in said handle; and

causing a context dependent interaction between said first electronic device and said at least one other of said electronic devices.

33. The method according to claim 32, wherein detecting said hugging state requires at least one of detecting a physical touch between said first electronic device and said second electronic device, detecting a short distance between said first electronic device and said second electronic device and detecting a pointing of one of said first electronic device and said second electronic device to the respective other one of said first electronic device and said second electronic device.

34. The method according to claim 32, wherein detecting said hugging state requires receiving a radio frequency identification tag associated to said at least one other of said electronic devices as said piece of information from said second electronic device.

35. The method according to claim 34, wherein said first device obtains said handle by retrieving a stored address which is mapped to a received radio frequency identification.

36. The method according to claim 32, wherein said received piece of information comprises an address of said at least one other of said electronic devices and wherein said first device obtains said handle by using said address at least as part of said handle.

37. The method according to claim 32, wherein said first device obtains said handle by exchanging further pieces of information with said second device.

38. The method according to claim 32, wherein said handle comprises further information for at least one of establishing said communication channel and using an established communication channel.

39. The method according to claim 32, wherein said communication channel is set up according to one of predefined user preferences and a user input.

40. The method according to claim 32, further comprising monitoring conditions on said established communication channel and updating said communication channel in case said conditions are detected to be worse than predetermined conditions.

41. The method according to claim 32, wherein said communication channel uses one of a direct link between said first electronic device and said at least one other of said electronic devices and an indirect link between said first electronic device and said at least one other of said electronic devices.

42. The method according to claim 32, wherein said communication channel uses a link between said first electronic device and said at least one other of said electronic devices enabling an interaction via said communication channel over any distance, at least as soon as said first electronic device and said at least one other of said electronic devices reach a distance to each other which does not permit a use of another type of link for an interaction via said communication channel.

43. The method according to claim 32, further comprising performing a security operation for determining at least one of whether said communication channel is allowed to be established between said first electronic device and said at least one other of said electronic devices and whether said communication channel is allowed to be used for a specific data transmission.

44. The method according to claim 32, further comprising preventing the existence of parallel communication channels created by said at least one other of said electronic devices and said first electronic device.

45. The method according to claim 32, further comprising notifying at least one application in at least one of said first electronic device and said at least one other of said electronic devices about said communication channel.

46. The method according to claim 45, wherein a notified application starts an automatic interaction via said communication channel with another application.

47. The method according to claim 45, wherein said at least one application is an application currently used by a user of said first electronic device or of said at least one other of said electronic devices.

48. The method according to claim 32, further comprising invoking at least one application or at least one function of at least one application in at least one of said first electronic device and said at least one other of said electronic devices, in order to enable said at least one invoked application or at least one invoked function to interact via said communication channel with another application.

49. The method according to claim 32, wherein at least one of a copy-and-paste functionality, a cut-and-paste functionality and a drag-and-drop functionality in said first device makes use of said established communication channel for interacting with said at least one other of said electronic devices.

50. The method according to claim 32, wherein said first electronic device receives from said second electronic device during a hugging state in addition to said piece of information an application specific information.

51. The method according to claim 32, wherein said at least one other of said electronic devices via the established communication channel an application specific information.

52. The method according to claim 32, further comprising determining a direction in which data is allowed to be transmitted via said established communication channel between applications of said first device and of said at least one other of said electronic devices.

53. The method according to claim 32, further comprising measuring external influences to said first electronic device by means of at least one sensor, and adapting the behavior of an application of said first electronic device to results of said measurements.

54. The method according to claim 32, further comprising selecting a suitable data format for data which is to be transmitted via said communication channel.

55. The method according to claim 32, further comprising terminating said established communication channel in case of at least one of a predetermined period during which said communication channel is not used for some interaction between said first electronic device and said at least one other of said electronic devices, an application using said communication channel causes said communication channel to be terminated, and a hugging state is detected for a second time.

56. The method according to claim 32, wherein said at least one other of said electronic devices comprises said second electronic device.

57. The method according to claim 32, wherein said at least one other of said electronic devices is different from said second electronic device.

58. An electronic device comprising:

a touch detection portion, which touch detection portion is adapted to detect a hugging state between said electronic device and a further electronic device, a hugging state being assumed to be given if said electronic device and said further electronic device are at least in close vicinity to each other and a piece of information is received by said electronic device directly from said further electronic device, and which touch detection portion is adapted to obtain a handle proceeding from a piece of information received from a further electronic device in case a hugging state is detected, said handle comprising at least an address belonging to at least one electronic device other than said electronic device;

a link creation portion which is adapted to establish a communication channel to at least one other electronic device using an address included in a handle provided by said touch detection portion for enabling an interaction with said at least one other electronic device; and

a component which is adapted to cause a context dependent interaction of said electronic device with at least one other electronic device using a communication channel established by said link creation portion.

59. The electronic device according to claim 58, wherein said touch detection portion and said link creation portion are integrated into an expandable framework including an additional control portion, wherein said touch detection portion and said link creation portion are connected to said additional control portion, wherein said additional control portion is adapted to be supplemented by functional blocks supporting a respective service, and wherein said additional control portion comprises at least one interface for enabling an input to functional blocks added to said additional control portion.

60. Expandable framework for an electronic device, said expandable framework comprising a touch detection portion, a link creation portion and an additional control portion,

wherein said touch detection portion is adapted to detect a hugging state between said electronic device and a further electronic device, a hugging state being assumed to be given if said electronic device and said further electronic device are at least in close vicinity to each other and a piece of information is received by said electronic device directly from said further electronic device, and which touch detection portion is adapted to obtain a handle proceeding from a piece of information received from a further electronic device in case a hugging state is detected, said handle comprising at least an address belonging to at least one electronic device other than said electronic device;

wherein said link creation portion is adapted to establish a communication channel to at least one other electronic device using an address included in a handle provided by said touch detection portion for enabling an interaction with said at least one other electronic device;

wherein said touch detection portion and said link creation portion are connected to said additional control portion; and

wherein said additional control portion is adapted to be supplemented by functional blocks supporting a respective service, and comprises at least one interface for enabling an input to functional blocks added to said additional control portion, said additional control portion comprising at least one functional block adapted to cause a context dependent interaction of said electronic device with at least one other electronic device using a communication channel established by said link creation portion.

61. A software program product in which a software code for creating an ad-hoc connection between at least two electronic devices for enabling an interaction between said at least two electronic devices is stored, said software code realizing the following steps when running in a first one of said electrical devices:

detecting a hugging state between said first electronic device and a second one of said electronic devices, a hugging state being assumed to be given if said first electronic device and said second electronic device are at least in close vicinity to each other and a piece of information is received by said first electronic device directly from said second electronic device;

in case a hugging state is detected, obtaining a handle proceeding from said received piece of information, said handle comprising at least an address of at least one other of said at least two electronic devices than said first electronic device;

establishing a communication channel between said first electronic device and said at least one other of said electronic devices using said address included in said handle; and

causing a context dependent interaction between said first electronic device and said at least one other of said electronic devices.