Identification of proximate mobile devices

• US 20090176505A1
• Filed: 12/18/2008
• Published: 07/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke KPN NV, Nederlandse Organisatie Voor Toegepast-Natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek Tno
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke KPN NV, Nederlandse Organisatie Voor Toegepast-Natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek Tno
• Inventors: Jager, Edsger Jan, Van Deventer, Mattijs Oskar, Selgert, Franklin
• Application Number:
  US12/317,040
• Publication Number:
  US 20090176505A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.100
• 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 1/1686 the I/O peripheral being an integrated camera
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1636 Sensing arrangement for detection of a tap gesture on the housing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2755 by optical scanning
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/52 including functional features of a camera constructional features concerning the integration of cameras in portable phones H04M1/0264

Abstract

A method for a first mobile device to identify a second mobile device. The method comprises a) detecting at least one sensory identifier (ID1), and b) determining a stamp for each detected sensory identifier (ID1). The method further comprises c) searching for a second mobile device 2 via a first communication channel and d) opening a first communication channel. Furthermore e) exchanging parts of the at least one stamp with the second mobile device 2 and f) verifying received parts of the at least one stamp. Finally the method comprises g) opening a second communication channel between the first mobile device 1 and the second mobile device 2 if a predetermined amount of the received parts of the at least one stamp equal the corresponding parts of the at least one stamp as determined by the first mobile device 1.

Claims

1. Method for a first mobile device (1), comprising

a) detecting at least one sensory identifier (ID1);

and

performing predetermined functionality in response to the detected sensory identifier (ID1).

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein the sensory identifier is one of an acoustic identifier and a visual identifier.

3. Method according to claim 1, wherein the sensory identifier is generated by tapping the first mobile telephone to a suitable object.

4. Method according to claim 1 to identify a second mobile device, the method comprising:

a) detecting at least one sensory identifier (ID1);

b) determining a stamp for each detected sensory identifier (ID1);

c) searching for a second mobile device via a first communication channel and when found;

d) opening a first communication channel with the second mobile device 2;

e) exchange parts of the at least one stamp with the second mobile device via the first communication channel;

f) verifying if received parts of the at least one stamp equal the corresponding parts of the at least one stamp as determined by the first mobile device; and

g) opening a second communication channel between the first mobile device 1 and the second mobile device if a predetermined amount of the received parts of the at least one stamp equal the corresponding parts of the at least one stamp as determined by the first mobile device.

5. Method according to claim 4, wherein the second mobile device is a proximate mobile device.

6. Method according to claim 4, wherein the at least one sensory identifier is produced by the first mobile device.

7. Method according to claim 4, wherein the stamp comprises a time stamp based on a time the at least one sensory identifier (ID1) is detected.

8. Method according to claim 4, wherein the time stamp is determined by using clock information from at least one of:

clock of the first mobile device, network clock of a provider associated with the first mobile device, positioning system.

9. Method according to claim 4, wherein the sensory identifier comprises an acoustic (audio) identifier.

10. Method according to claim 4, wherein the sensory identifier is generated by tapping the first mobile telephone and the second mobile telephone to each other.

11. Method according to claim 10, wherein the sensory identifier is detected using at least one of the following techniques:

an acceleration measurement device, a microphone, a button, galvanic sensor, magnetic sensor, inductive sensor, electrostatic sensor.

12. Method according to claim 4, wherein the sensory identifier comprises a visual identifier.

13. Method according to claim 4, wherein the stamp comprises fingerprint information of the sensory identifier.

14. Method according to claim 4, wherein the sensory identifier is an acoustic identifier and the stamp comprises an acoustic fingerprint.

15. Method according to claim 4, wherein sensory identifier is a visual identifier and the stamp comprises a visual fingerprint.

16. Method according to claim 4, wherein the first communication channel is a direct communication channel, e.g., a radio communication channel based on Bluetooth or computer-to-computer WIFI technology.

17. Method according to claim 4, wherein actions c) or d) comprises waiting a random time.

18. Method according to claim 4, wherein action e) comprises exchanging the least significant part of the stamp first.

19. Method according to claim 4, further comprising performing a time synchronization action.

20. Mobile device adapted to perform the method according to claim 1.

21. Mobile device according to claim 20, wherein the mobile device is arranged to produce at least one sensory identifier.

22. Mobile device according to claim 20, the mobile device comprises a clock or has access to a network clock of a provider associated with the first mobile device or positioning system to generate clock information.

23. Mobile device according to claim 20, comprising at least one of:

an acceleration measurement device, a microphone, a button, galvanic sensor, magnetic sensor, inductive sensor, electrostatic sensor to detect a sensory identifier.

24. System comprising at least two mobile devices according to claim 20.

25. Computer program loadable into a processing unit of a mobile device, the computer program comprising portions of software code adapted to perform the method according to claim 1.

26. Computer-readable medium product comprising a computer program according to claim 25.