CONTEXT AWARENESS PROXIMITY-BASED ESTABLISHMENT OF WIRELESS COMMUNICATION CONNECTION

• US 20120317194A1
• Filed: 06/10/2011
• Published: 12/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm Atheros Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Inventors: Tian, Dan
• Granted Patent: US 8,732,319 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/14 Multichannel or multilink protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/24 Negotiation of communication capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals

Abstract

A mechanism for context awareness proximity-based establishment of wireless communication connections can be implemented in Bluetooth-compatible devices for simplifying procedures for device discovery, connection, service discovery, and content exchange. In response to determining to execute a context task associated with an application associated with a first communication device, the first communication device can determine whether a second communication device is within a threshold detection distance from the first communication device. If the second communication device is within the threshold detection distance from the first communication device, the first communication device can establish a communication link with the second communication device based, at least in part, on one or more connection parameters associated with the second communication device. The first communication device can determine whether to execute the context task based, at least in part, on a service list associated with the second communication device and the context task.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining, at a first communication device, to execute a context task associated with an application associated with the first communication device;

determining whether a second communication device is within a threshold detection distance from the first communication device in response to determining to execute the context task associated with the application associated with the first communication device;

establishing a communication link with the second communication device based, at least in part, on one or more connection parameters associated with the second communication device in response to determining that the second communication device is within the threshold detection distance from the first communication device;

determining whether to execute the context task associated with the first communication device based, at least in part, on a service list associated with the second communication device and the context task; and

executing the context task via the communication link between the first communication device and the second communication device in response to determining to execute the context task associated with the first communication device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said determining to execute the context task associated with the application associated with the first communication device comprises:

identifying the context task based, at least in part, on the application associated with the first communication device; and

determining parameters associated with the context task that comprise at least one of an identifier of the application associated with the context task, an identifier associated with the context task, a preferred communication channel for executing the context task, and a preferred communication protocol for executing the context task.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said determining that the second communication device is within the threshold detection distance of the first communication device comprises:

receiving, at the first communication device, a notification signal from a sensor associated with the first communication device indicating that the second communication device is within the threshold detection distance of the first communication device, or

determining that the second communication device is within the threshold detection distance of the first communication device based on executing near field communication (NFC) techniques at the first communication device.

4. The method of claim 1,

wherein said determining that the second communication device is within the threshold detection distance of the first communication device further comprises:

determining detection parameters associated with said determining that the second communication device is within the threshold detection distance of the first communication device, wherein the detection parameters comprise at least one of a time interval for which the second communication device was within the threshold detection distance of the first communication device, one or more tags associated with the first communication device with which the second communication device was within the threshold detection distance, and a pattern in accordance with which the second communication device was within the threshold detection distance of the one or more tags; and

generating a detection notification message to indicate that the second communication device is within the threshold detection distance of the first communication device and comprising the detection parameters; and

wherein said establishing the communication link with the second communication device is based, at least in part, on the one or more connection parameters associated with the second communication device and the detection parameters associated with the detection notification message.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the connection parameters comprise at least one of an indication of one or more radio units associated with the second communication device, an indication of whether the one or more radio units associated with the second communication device are enabled, an indication of one or more communication protocols associated with the second communication device, and an indication of one or more identifiers associated with the second communication device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said establishing the communication link with the second communication device further comprises at least one of:

transmitting a request message to the second communication device to indicate that the communication link between the first communication device and the second communication device is established;

receiving, from the second communication device, a confirm message that acknowledges receipt of the request message at the second communication device; and

transmitting an exchange message that identifies the context task associated with the first communication device.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, at the first communication device, to execute a plurality of context tasks associated with one or more applications associated with the first communication device, wherein the plurality of context tasks comprise the context task associated with the application; and

determining a priority associated with each of the plurality of context tasks to determine a sequence in which to execute the plurality of context tasks.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said establishing the communication link with the second communication device further comprises:

receiving, at the first communication device, the service list associated with the second communication device that indicates one or more services and functionality associated with the second communication device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said determining whether to execute the context task associated with the first communication device comprises:

determining one or more context task execution parameters associated with said executing the context task based, at least in part, on the context task and the application associated with the context task, wherein the context task execution parameters comprise at least one of a communication protocol and a service associated with the context task; and

determining whether the second communication device supports the one or more context task execution parameters associated with said executing the context task based, at least in part, on the service list associated with the second communication device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first communication device comprises a first Bluetooth device and the second communication device comprises a second Bluetooth device.

11. A method comprising:

providing, from a second communication device to a first communication device, one or more connection parameters associated with the second communication device;

determining that a communication link is established between the first communication device and the second communication device based, at least in part, on the one or more connection parameters associated with the second communication device;

determining whether the second communication device comprises data or services to be provided to the first communication device for executing a context task associated with an application associated with the first communication device based, at least in part, on the context task;

determining whether to execute the context task associated with the first communication device based, at least in part, on a service list associated with the first communication device and the context task in response to determining that the second communication device comprises data or services to be provided to the first communication device for executing the context task; and

executing the context task via the communication link between the first communication device and the second communication device in response to determining to execute the context task associated with the first communication device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said providing the one or more connection parameters associated with the second communication device is in response to:

receiving, from the first communication device, a request for the one or more connection parameters associated with the second communication device, or

determining that the first communication device is within a threshold detection distance from the second communication device.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein in response to determining that the first communication device comprises data or services to be provided to the second communication device for executing the context task, the method further comprises:

providing a service list associated with the second communication device to the first communication device.

14. The method of claim 11,

wherein said determining whether to execute the context task associated with the first communication device comprises:

determining one or more context task execution parameters associated with said executing the context task based on at least one of the context task, the services to be provided to the first communication device, and the data to be provided to the first communication device, wherein the context task execution parameters comprise at least one of a communication protocol associated with the context task and communication services associated with the context task; and

determining whether the first communication device supports the one or more context task execution parameters associated with said executing the context task based, at least in part, on the service list associated with the first communication device; and

wherein said executing the context task via the communication link between the first communication device and the second communication device comprises;

providing the data or the services to the first communication device in accordance with the context task.

15. A communication device comprising:

a context awareness unit operable to;

determine to execute a context task associated with an application associated with the communication device;

a device detection unit operable to;

determine whether a second communication device is within a threshold detection distance from the communication device in response to the context awareness unit determining to execute the context task associated with the application associated with the communication device;

a connection establishment unit operable to;

establish a communication link with the second communication device based, at least in part, on one or more connection parameters associated with the second communication device in response to the device detection unit determining that the second communication device is within the threshold detection distance from the communication device;

the context awareness unit further operable to;

determine whether to execute the context task associated with the communication device based, at least in part, on a service list associated with the second communication device and the context task; and

cause the context task to be executed via the communication link between the communication device and the second communication device in response to the context awareness unit determining to execute the context task associated with the communication device.

16. The communication device of claim 15, wherein the context awareness unit operable to determine to execute the context task associated with the application associated with the communication device comprises the context awareness unit operable to:

identify the context task based, at least in part, on the application associated with the communication device; and

determine parameters associated with the context task that comprise at least one of an identifier of the application associated with the context task, an identifier associated with the context task, a preferred communication channel for executing the context task, and a preferred communication protocol for executing the context task.

17. The communication device of claim 15, wherein the device detection unit operable to determine that the second communication device is within the threshold detection distance of the communication device comprises the device detection unit operable to:

receive a notification signal from a sensor associated with the communication device indicating that the second communication device is within the threshold detection distance of the communication device, or

determine that the second communication device is within the threshold detection distance of the communication device based on executing near field communication (NFC) techniques at the communication device.

18. The communication device of claim 15,

wherein the device detection unit operable to determine that the second communication device is within the threshold detection distance of the communication device further comprises the device detection unit operable to:

determine detection parameters associated with the device detection unit determining that the second communication device is within the threshold detection distance of the communication device, wherein the detection parameters comprise at least one of a time interval for which the second communication device was within the threshold detection distance of the communication device, one or more tags associated with the communication device with which the second communication device was within the threshold detection distance, and a pattern in accordance with which the second communication device was within the threshold detection distance of the one or more tags; and

generate a detection notification message to indicate that the second communication device is within the threshold detection distance of the communication device and comprising the detection parameters; and

wherein the connection establishment unit operable to establish the communication link with the second communication device is based, at least in part, on the one or more connection parameters associated with the second communication device and the detection parameters associated with the detection notification message.

19. The communication device of claim 15, wherein the connection parameters comprise at least one of an indication of one or more radio units associated with the second communication device, an indication of whether the one or more radio units associated with the second communication device are enabled, an indication of one or more communication protocols associated with the second communication device, and an indication of one or more identifiers associated with the second communication device.

20. The communication device of claim 15, wherein the connection establishment unit operable to establish the communication link with the second communication device further comprises at least one of:

the connection establishment unit operable to transmit a request message to the second communication device to indicate that the communication link between the communication device and the second communication device is established;

the connection establishment unit operable to receive, from the second communication device, a confirm message that acknowledges receipt of the request message at the second communication device; and

the connection establishment unit operable to transmit an exchange message that identifies the context task associated with the communication device.

21. The communication device of claim 15, wherein the context awareness unit is further operable to:

determine to execute a plurality of context tasks associated with one or more applications associated with the communication device, wherein the plurality of context tasks comprise the context task associated with the application; and

determine a priority associated with each of the plurality of context tasks to determine a sequence in which to execute the plurality of context tasks.

22. One or more machine-readable storage media having instructions stored therein, which when executed by one or more processors causes the one or more processors to perform operations that comprise:

determining to execute a context task associated with an application associated with a first communication device;

determining whether a second communication device is within a threshold detection distance from the first communication device in response to said operation of determining to execute the context task associated with the application associated with the first communication device;

establishing a communication link with the second communication device based, at least in part, on one or more connection parameters associated with the second communication device in response to determining that the second communication device is within the threshold detection distance from the first communication device;

determining whether to execute the context task associated with the first communication device based, at least in part, on a service list associated with the second communication device and the context task; and

executing the context task via the communication link between the first communication device and the second communication device in response to determining to execute the context task associated with the first communication device.

23. The machine-readable storage media of claim 22, wherein said operation of determining to execute the context task associated with the application associated with the first communication device comprises:

identifying the context task based, at least in part, on the application associated with the first communication device; and

determining parameters associated with the context task that comprise at least one of an identifier of the application associated with the context task, an identifier associated with the context task, a preferred communication channel for executing the context task, and a preferred communication protocol for executing the context task.

24. The machine-readable storage media of claim 22,

wherein said operation of determining that the second communication device is within the threshold detection distance of the first communication device further comprises:

determining detection parameters associated with said operation of determining that the second communication device is within the threshold detection distance of the first communication device, wherein the detection parameters comprise at least one of a time interval for which the second communication device was within the threshold detection distance of the first communication device, one or more tags associated with the first communication device with which the second communication device was within the threshold detection distance, and a pattern in accordance with which the second communication device was within the threshold detection distance of the one or more tags; and

generating a detection notification message to indicate that the second communication device is within the threshold detection distance of the first communication device and comprising the detection parameters; and

wherein said operation of establishing the communication link with the second communication device is based, at least in part, on the one or more connection parameters associated with the second communication device and the detection parameters associated with the detection notification message.

25. The machine-readable storage media of claim 22, wherein said operation of determining whether to execute the context task associated with the first communication device comprises:

determining one or more context task execution parameters associated with executing the context task based, at least in part, on the context task and the application associated with the context task, wherein the context task execution parameters comprise at least one of a communication protocol and a service associated with the context task; and

determining whether the second communication device supports the one or more context task execution parameters associated with said executing the context task based, at least in part, on the service list associated with the second communication device.