Device Capable of Being Operated Within a Network, Network System, Method of Operating a Device Within a Network, Program Element, and Computer-Readable Medium

• US 20080259043A1
• Filed: 02/13/2006
• Published: 10/23/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Falck, Thomas, Baldus, Heribert, Van De Sluis, Bartel Marinus, Buil, Vincent P.
• Granted Patent: US 8,253,693 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 13/005 Transmission systems in which the medium consists of the human body

Abstract

A device (A) is described, which is capable of being operated within a network comprising a touch interface (2) which is adapted to detect that a user (3) touches the touch interface (2) and simultaneously touches a touch interface (6) of another device (B) capable of being operated within a network, and a communication unit (1) adapted to communicate with a communication unit (5) of the other device (B) via a communication network established between the device (A) and the other device (B) when detecting that the user touches the touch interface (2) of the device (A) and simultaneously touches the touch interlace (6) of the other device (B).

Claims

1. A device (A) capable of being operated within a network,

the device (A) comprising

a touch interface (2) adapted to detect that a user (3) touches the touch interface (2) and simultaneously touches a touch interface (6) of another device (B) capable of being operated within a network;

and

a communication unit (1) adapted to communicate with a communication unit (5) of the other device (B) via a communication network established between the device (A) and the other device (B) when detecting that the user touches the touch interface (2) of the device (A) and simultaneously touches the touch interface (6) of the other device (B).

2. The device (A) according to claim 1,

wherein the touch interface (2), when detecting that a user (3) touches the touch interface (2) and simultaneously touches the touch interface (6) of the other device (B), is adapted to exchange data (MIS) with the touch interface (6) of the other device (B), which data (MIS) are required for establishing the network.

3. The device (A) according to claim 1,

wherein the touch interface (2), when detecting that a user (3) touches the touch interface (2) and simultaneously touches the touch interface (6) of the other device (B), is adapted to exchange data (MIS) with the touch interface (6) of the other device (B), which data (MIS) are required for establishing the network via intra-body communication.

4. The device (A) according to claim 1,

wherein the touch interface (2), exclusively when detecting that a user (3) touches the touch interface (2) and simultaneously touches the touch interface (6) of the other device (B), is adapted to start sending data (MIS) to the touch interface (6) of the other device (B), which data (MIS) are required for establishing the network.

5. The device (A) according to claim 1,

wherein the touch interface (2) is adapted to periodically send data (MIS), which data (MIS) are required for establishing the network, in such a manner that these data (MIS) are receivable by the touch interface (6) of the other device (B) only when a user (3) touches the touch interface (2) and simultaneously touches the touch interface (6) of the other device (B).

6. The device (A) according to claim 1,

wherein the communication unit (1) is adapted to communicate with the communication unit (5) of the other device (B) in a wireless manner.

7. The device (A) according to claim 1,

wherein the communication unit (1) is adapted to communicate with the communication unit (5) of the other device (B) according to a communication protocol selected from the group consisting of a Wireless Local Area Network, a Wireless Personal Area Network, a Bluetooth Network and a ZigBee Network.

8. The device (A) according to claim 1,

wherein the communication unit (1) is adapted to communicate with the communication unit (5) of the other device (B) to exchange application data.

9. The device (A) according to claim 1,

further comprising a connector unit (4) coupled to the touch interface (2) and to the communication unit (1) and adapted to activate the communication unit (1) only when detecting that a user (3) touches the touch interface (2) of the device (A) and simultaneously touches the touch interface (6) of the other device (B).

10. The device (A) according to claim 1,

adapted to automatically establish the communication network when detecting that the user touches the touch interface (2) of the device (A) and simultaneously touches the touch interface (6) of the other device (B).

11. The device (C′

) according to claim 1,

adapted to join an existing communication network in which the other device (A′

) has already been operated before, when detecting that a user (3) touches the touch interface (2) of the device (C′

) and simultaneously touches a touch interface (6) of the other device (A′

).

12. The device according to claim 1,

adapted to join an existing communication network in which the other device has already been operated as a master before, when detecting that a user (3) touches the touch interface of the device and simultaneously touches a touch interface of the other device.

13. The device (C′

) according to claim 1,

adapted to join an existing communication network in which the other device (A′

) has already been operated as a slave before, when detecting that a user (3) touches the touch interface of the device (C′

) and simultaneously touches a touch interface of the other device (A′

).

14. The device (A) according to claim 1,

adapted to implement at least one functionality of the group consisting of

a portable audio player;

a portable video player;

a headphone;

a head-mounted display;

a mobile phone;

a body-worn device;

a medical sensor;

a DVD player;

a CD player;

a hard disk-based media player;

an internet radio device;

a public entertainment device; and

an MP3 player.

15. A network system (100), comprising

a first device (A) according to claim 1, capable of being operated within a network;

and

a second device (B) according to claim 1, capable of being operated within the network.

16. The network system according to claim 15,

wherein the first device (A1, B1) and/or the second device (A2, B2) is or are adapted to reproduce acoustic and/or visual content and/or store reproducible acoustic and/or visual content.

17. The network system according to claim 15,

wherein the first device (A1) is adapted to reproduce acoustic and/or visual content;

wherein the second device (A2) is adapted to reproduce acoustic and/or visual content;

comprising a third device (B1), comprising

a touch interface (2) adapted to detect that a user (3) touches the touch interface (2) and simultaneously touches a touch interface (6) of another device (B) capable of being operated within a network; and

a communication unit (1) adapted to communicate with a communication unit (5) of the other device (B) via a communication network established between the device (A) and the other device (B) when detecting that the user touches the touch interface (2) of the device (A) and simultaneously touches the touch interface (6) of the other device (B), said third device being adapted to store reproducible acoustic and/or visual content to be reproduced by the first device (A1);

wherein the first device (A1) is adapted to terminate reproducing acoustic and/or visual content stored in the third device (B1) and start reproducing acoustic and/or visual content which is currently reproduced in the second device (A2) when detecting that a user (3) touches the touch interface of the second device (A2) and simultaneously touches the touch interface of the third device (B1).

18. The network system according to claim 17,

comprising a fourth device (B2), comprising

a touch interface (2) adapted to detect that a user (3) touches the touch interface (2) and simultaneously touches a touch interface (6) of another device (B) capable of being operated within a network and

a communication unit (1) adapted to communicate with a communication unit (5) of the other device (B) via a communication network established between the device (A) and the other device (B) when detecting that the user touches the touch interface (2) of the device (A) and adapted to store reproducible acoustic and/or visual content to be reproduced by the second device (A2);

wherein acoustic and/or visual content to be reproduced by the first device (A1) is transmitted from the communication unit of the fourth device (B2) to the communication unit of the first device (A1) when detecting that a user (3) touches the touch interface of the second device (A2) and simultaneously touches the touch interface of the third device (B1).

19. The network system according to claim 18,

wherein the first device (A1) is adapted to terminate reproducing acoustic and/or visual content stored in the fourth device (B2) and start reproducing acoustic and/or visual content stored in the third device (B1) when detecting that a user (3) touches the touch interface of the first device (A1) and simultaneously touches the touch interface of the third device (B1).

20. The network system according to claim 18,

wherein the first device (A1) and the third device (B1) are coupled via a wired communication path or via a wireless communication path.

21. The network system according to claim 15,

wherein the touch interface (2, 6) of the first device (A) and/or of the second device (B) comprises a user-identifying sensor adapted to identify a user touching the touch interface (2) of the device (A) and simultaneously touching the touch interface (6) of the other device (B).

22. The network system according to claim 21,

adapted in such a manner that a direction of transmitting application data between the first device (A) and the second device (B) is determined on the basis of the identified user identity.

23. A method of operating a device (A) within a network,

the method comprising the steps of:

detecting that a user (3) touches the device (A) and simultaneously touches another device (B) capable of being operated within a network;

communicating with the other device (B) via a communication network established between the device (A) and the other device (B) when detecting that the user (3) touches the device (A) and simultaneously touches the other device (B).

24. A program element,

which, when being executed by a processor of a device (A), is adapted to control a method of operating the device (A) within a network, the method comprising the steps of:

detecting that a user (3) touches the device (A) and simultaneously touches another device (B) capable of being operated within a network;

communicating with the other device (B) via a communication network established between the device (A) and the other device (B) when detecting that the user (3) touches the device (A) and simultaneously touches the other device (B).

25. A computer-readable medium,

in which a computer program is stored which, when being executed by a processor of a device (A), is adapted to control a method of operating the device (A) within a network, the method comprising the steps of:

detecting that a user (3) touches the device (A) and simultaneously touches another device (B) capable of being operated within a network;

communicating with the other device (B) via a communication network established between the device (A) and the other device (B) when detecting that the user (3) touches the device (A) and simultaneously touches the other device (B).