Computer communications using acoustic signals

• US 20060136544A1
• Filed: 01/25/2006
• Published: 06/22/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonixio, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Beepcard, Inc.
• Inventors: Cohen, Moshe, Antebi, Amit, Lev, Zvi, Altman, Nathan, Atsmon, Alon
• Granted Patent: US 7,480,692 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/200
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1012 involving biosensors worn by the player, e.g. for measuring heart beat, limb activity
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/206 Game information storage, e.g. cartridges, CD ROM's, DVD's, smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/402 Communication between platforms, i.e. physical link to protocol
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6063 for sound processing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/8029 Fighting without shooting
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 2200/00 Computerized interactive toys, e.g. dolls
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 3/28 Arrangements of sound-producing means in dolls; Means in dolls for producing sounds
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 30/04 using wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 33/00 Other toys
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 11/16 using difference in transit time between electrical and acoustic signals
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/74 Systems using reradiation of acoustic waves, e.g. IFF, i.e. identification of friend or foe
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/22 Position of source determined by co-ordinating a plurality of position lines defined by path-difference measurements G01S5/28 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/003 Transmission of data between radar, sonar or lidar systems and remote stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/35 communicating wirelessly
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0723 the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0728 the arrangement being an optical or sound-based communication interface
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/045 using payment protocols involving tickets
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/32 using wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/327 Short range or proximity payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/326 : Game play aspects of gaming systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 11/00 : Transmission systems employing sonic, ultrasonic or infrasonic waves

Abstract

A method of communicating with an electronic device. The method includes providing an electronic device having an audible sound receiving and generating sub-system including a microphone, transmitting from a source at least one acoustic signal encoded with information, receiving said at least one acoustic signal by said microphone and determining a spatial position, distance or movement of the microphone relative to the source, responsive to the received at least one signal.

Claims

1. A method of communicating with an electronic device, comprising:

providing an electronic device having an audible sound receiving and generating sub-system including a microphone;

transmitting from a source at least one acoustic signal encoded with information;

receiving said at least one acoustic signal by said microphone; and

determining at least one of a spatial position, distance or movement of the microphone relative to the source, responsive to the received at least one signal.

2. A method according to claim 1, comprising transmitting to said source, using a loudspeaker associated with the electronic device, at least a second acoustic signal, encoded with information, in response with said detected signal.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein at least one of said at least one first signal and at least a second signal comprise an ultrasonic signal.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein said electronic device comprises a computer.

5. A method according to claim 4, wherein said source comprises a computer peripheral.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein said peripheral comprises a printer.

7. A method according to claim 4, wherein said computer comprises a personal digital assistant (PDA) or a portable computer.

8. A method according to claim 1, comprising extracting said encoded information by the electronic device.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein determining a spatial position, distance or movement comprises determining a distance between said microphone and said source.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein determining a spatial position, distance or movement comprises determining movement of said microphone relative to said source.

11. A method according to claim 9, wherein said movement comprises angular movement.

12. A method according to claim 1, wherein determining at least one of a spatial position, distance or movement comprises determining a spatial position of said microphone relative to said source.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein said spatial position is a one-dimensional spatial position.

14. A method according to claim 12, wherein said spatial position is a two-dimensional spatial position.

15. A method according to claim 12, wherein said spatial position is a three-dimensional spatial position.

16. A method according to claim 1, wherein the source comprises a pointing implement and comprising emulating a touch screen or pointing device behavior on a screen of the electronic device responsive to the received at least one acoustic signal.

17. A method according to claim 1, wherein said source comprises a toy.

18. A method according to claim 17, comprising controlling at least one action of the toy, responsive to said received at least one acoustic signal.

19. A method according to claim 1, wherein said information comprises music.

20. A method according to claim 1, wherein said information comprises personal information.

21. A method according to claim 1, wherein said source comprises a smart card.

22. A method according to claim 1, wherein said source comprises a computer.

23. A method according to claim 1, comprising logging into a computer system responsive to said received at least one signal.

24. A method according to claim 1, wherein said acoustic signal comprises human audible sound.

25. A method according to claim 24, wherein said acoustic signal has a main frequency over 10 kHz.

26. A method according to claim 1, wherein said acoustic signal has a main frequency which is infra-sonic.

27. A method according to claim 1, wherein said information is encoded on the acoustic signal using below human-threshold amplitudes.

28. A method according to claim 1, wherein said information is encoded using below human-threshold amplitude variations.

29. A method according to claim 1, wherein said acoustic signal has a main frequency below 50 kHz.

30. A method according to claim 1, wherein said acoustic signal has a main frequency below 25 kHz.

31. A method according to claim 1, comprising retransmitting said acoustic signal to a remote computer which analyses said received acoustic signal to determine information encoded by said acoustic signal.

32. A method of attaching a peripheral to a computer, comprising:

providing a general purpose computer including a sound generating and receiving subsystem;

analyzing, at said computer, sounds received by said subsystem to detect acoustic transmissions from said peripheral; and

transmitting, from said computer and using said subsystem, information to said peripheral using encoded sound transmissions.

33. A method according to claim 32, wherein said sound transmissions are audible.

34. A method of determining a status of an electronic device, comprising:

receiving information-encoding acoustic signals generated by said device; and

analyzing said signals, automatically by a computer, to determine an operational status associated with said device responsive to said information.

35. A method according to claim 34, wherein said status comprises a status of said device.

36. A method according to claim 34, wherein said status comprises a status of a second device attached by computer communications with said device.