AD-HOC CONNECTIVITY SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20080125041A1
• Filed: 01/19/2007
• Published: 05/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications USA Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications USA Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Camp, William, Angelhag, Anders
• Granted Patent: US 7,769,348 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/10 using broadcasted information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

The invention includes a method for a wireless connection of a wireless portable device 10 to a selected wireless device 10a in a group of nearby wireless devices 10a-10c, which device 10 is provided with a short-range-unit 50 for a wireless communication with said group of nearby devices 10a-10c, a substantially omnidirectional antenna 52 connected to said short-range-unit 50 for a substantially omnidirectional communication, and at least one directional communication device 54, 24 for a directional communication, which method includes the steps of: activating the directional communication device 54, 24; directing the directional communication device 54, 24 towards a nearby device 10a; connecting the portable device 10 to the selected device 10a using the directional communication device 54, 24; communicating with the selected device 10a via said substantially omnidirectional antenna 52 after said connecting.

Claims

1-22. -22. (canceled)

23. In a communication device including a short-range unit configured to communicate with nearby wireless devices, a substantially omnidirectional antenna connected to the short-range unit, and at least one directional communication device connected to the short-range unit, a method for wireless connection of the communication device to at least one of the nearby wireless devices, the method comprising:

activating the at least one directional communication device;

directing the directional communication device toward the at least one nearby wireless device;

connecting to the at least one nearby wireless device using the directional communication device; and

communicating with the at least one nearby wireless device via the substantially omnidirectional antenna after the connecting.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the activating the at least one directional communication device comprises using a directional antenna connected to the short-range unit.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the directing the at least one directional communication device comprises using a camera unit of the communication device for directional communication by recording information received using light.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the using the camera unit for directional communication comprises recording light emitted from the at least one nearby wireless device and identifying the at least one nearby wireless device based on the light.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the using the camera unit for directional communication comprises recording an image of the at least one nearby wireless device and identifying the at least one nearby wireless device based on the image.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the identifying the at least one nearby wireless device comprises determining connection information from one or more markings in the image and comparing the connection information to stored information.

29. The method of claim 23, wherein the activating the at least one directional communication device occurs upon at least one of receiving an input from a user of the communication device, detecting a presence of a number of the nearby wireless devices, or activation of an associated software application.

30. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

activating the substantially omnidirectional antenna and measuring respective signal strengths of the nearby wireless devices;

measuring, upon the activation of the directional antenna, signal strength from at the least one nearby wireless device when the directional antenna is directed toward the at least one nearby wireless device; and

connecting the communication device to the at least one nearby wireless device, where the at least one nearby wireless device has substantially a same signal strength in the omnidirectional measuring and the directional measuring or a higher signal strength in the directional measuring.

31. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

activating the substantially omnidirectional antenna and measuring respective signal strengths of the nearby wireless devices;

measuring, upon the activation of the directional antenna, signal strength from at the least one nearby device when the directional antenna is directed toward the least one nearby device; and

connecting the communication device to the at least one nearby wireless device, where the at least one nearby wireless device exhibits a ratio of decrease in signal strength from the omnidirectional measuring to the directional measuring that is lowest among the nearby wireless devices.

32. The method according to claim 24, further comprising:

reducing a transmission power of the communication device upon the activation of the directional antenna.

33. A wireless device configured to operatively connect to a selected wireless device of a group of nearby wirelessly devices, the wireless device comprising:

a short-range unit to wireless communicate with the group of nearby wireless devices;

a substantially omnidirectional antenna connected to the short-range unit to communicate with the nearby wireless devices; and

at least one substantially directional communication device connected to the short-range unit to be operatively directed toward the selected wireless device and to operatively communicate connection information with the selected wireless device when the directional communication device is directed toward the selected wireless device.

34. The wireless device of claim 33, wherein the at least one substantially directional communication device is a directional antenna connected to the short-range unit to directionally communicate using electromagnetic radiation.

35. The wireless device of claim 33, wherein the at least one substantially directional communication device is a camera unit of the wireless device configured to directionally communicate by recording information received using light.

36. The wireless device of claim 35, wherein the light is emitted from the selected wireless device and the wireless device is configured to identify the selected wireless device based on the light.

37. The wireless device of claim 35, wherein the camera unit is configured to record an image of the selected wireless device and the wireless device is configured to identify the selected wireless device based on the image.

38. The wireless device of claim 37, wherein the short-range unit is configured to determine connection information from one or more markings in the image.

39. The wireless device of claim 33, wherein the at least one substantially directional communication device is activated upon at least one of a receiving an input from a user of the wireless device, detection of one or more of the nearby wireless devices by the wireless device, or activation of a software application associated with the wireless device.

40. The wireless device of claim 34, wherein the short-range unit is configured to:

activate the omnidirectional antenna and execute a measuring of signal strengths from the nearby wireless devices;

activate the directional antenna and execute a measuring of signal strength from the selected wireless device when the directional antenna is directed toward the selected wireless device; and

connect the wireless device to the selected wireless device, when the selected wireless device has substantially a signal strength in the omnidirectional measuring that is similar to a signal strength in the in the directional measuring or has a higher signal strength in the directional measuring.

41. The wireless device of claim 34, wherein the short-range unit is configured to:

activate the omnidirectional antenna and execute a measuring of signal strengths from the nearby wireless devices;

activate the directional antenna and execute a measuring of signal strength from the selected wireless device when the directional antenna is directed toward the selected wireless device; and

connect the wireless device to the selected wireless device, when the selected wireless device has a ratio of decrease in signal strength from the omnidirectional measuring to the directional measuring that is lowest among the nearby wireless devices.

42. The wireless device of claim 34, wherein the short-range unit is configured to reduce transmission power of wireless device upon activation of the directional antenna.

43. A computer program product stored on a computer usable medium, including a readable program which, when the readable program is loaded in a communication device including a short-range unit for a wireless communication with a group of nearby wireless devices;

a substantially omnidirectional antenna connected to the short-range unit; and

at least one directional communication device, causes the communication device to;

activate the at least one directional communication device;

connect to a selected nearby wireless device using the at least one directional communication device when the at least one directional communication device is directed toward the selected nearby wireless device; and

communicate with the selected nearby wireless device via the substantially omnidirectional antenna after the connecting.

44. A computer program element having a program recorded thereon, where the program includes instructions which, when the program is loaded in a communication device including a short-range unit for a wireless communication with the group of nearby wireless devices;

a substantially omnidirectional antenna connected to the short-range-unit; and

at least one directional communication device;

cause the communication device to;

activate the at least one directional communication device; and

connect to a one of the nearby wireless devices using the at least one directional communication device when the at least one directional communication device is directed toward the one nearby wireless device; and

communicate with the one nearby wireless device via the substantially omnidirectional antenna after the connecting.