Method and apparatus for location-based wireless connection and pairing

• US 20080146265A1
• Filed: 12/18/2006
• Published: 06/19/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: UNM Rainforest Innovations (f/k/a STC.UNM) (The University of New Mexico)
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Valavi, John J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,571,598 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/550.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/002 Monitoring the patient using a local or closed circuit, e.g. in a room or building A61B5/0017 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1698 the I/O peripheral being a sending/receiving arrangement to establish a cordless communication link, e.g. radio or infrared link, integrated cellular phone details of antennas disposed inside a computer H01Q1/2266
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/45 Network directories; Name-to-address mapping
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/50 Secure pairing of devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/21 for social networking applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A method for wireless communication between a first device and a peripheral device comprises providing a storage device adapted to store communication information for the peripheral device and being readable by the first device, the storage device being spatially separated from the peripheral device. The method also comprises positioning the device so that the first device can read communication information for the peripheral device before communicating with the peripheral device. An apparatus comprises a storage device including data for wireless communication between a first device and a peripheral device within a location, the apparatus being positioned in or near the location and adapted for storing communication information for the peripheral device. The communication information can be read by the first device, allowing the first device to communicate with the peripheral device.

Claims

1. A method for wireless communication between a first device and a peripheral device, the method comprising:

providing a storage device adapted to store communication information for the peripheral device and being readable by the first device, the storage device being spatially separated from the peripheral device; and

positioning the device so that the first device can read communication information for the peripheral device before communicating with the peripheral device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the storage device stores communication information for two peripheral devices and the first device reads the communication information for communicating with the peripheral devices.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first device and the peripheral device are in the same location when communication between the first device and the peripheral device takes place.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the storage device is positioned in the location.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the location is a room.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the room is in a hospital or medical clinic.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication information includes connection and pairing information.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the device is an RFID tag and the first device can read the RFID tag.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the peripheral device and the first device are Bluetooth-enabled and communication is accomplished using Bluetooth protocols.

10. A method for location-based wireless communication between a first device and a peripheral device, the method comprising:

moving the first device to a location within range of a peripheral device;

retrieving communication information for the peripheral device from a device other than the peripheral device; and

using the communication information to communicate with the peripheral device so that information can be retrieved from the peripheral device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first device is moved to a location within range of two peripheral devices and retrieves communication information for the peripheral devices from a single device other than the peripheral device.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the first device and the peripheral device are in the same location when communication between the first device and the peripheral device takes place.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the device is positioned in the location.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the location is a room.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the room is in a hospital or medical clinic.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the communication information includes connection and pairing information.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the device is an RFID tag and the first device can read the RFID tag.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein the peripheral device and the first device are Bluetooth-enabled and communication is accomplished using Bluetooth protocols.

19. An apparatus comprising a storage device including data for wireless communication between a first device and a peripheral device within a location, the apparatus being positioned in or near the location and adapted for storing communication information for the peripheral device,

wherein the communication information can be read by the first device, allowing the first device to communicate with the peripheral device.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the apparatus is adapted to store communication information for two peripheral devices,

wherein the communication information can be read by the first device, allowing the first device to communicate with the peripheral devices.

21. A method for location-based wireless communication between a first device and a peripheral device, the method comprising:

obtaining communication information for a peripheral device;

storing the communication information on a storage device;

moving the first device to a location within range of the peripheral device and the storage device, the peripheral device and the storage device being spatially separated;

retrieving communication information for the peripheral device from the storage device; and

using the communication information to communicate with the peripheral device so that information can be retrieved wirelessly from the peripheral device.