MECHANISM FOR PROXIMITY DETECTION BASED ON WI-FI SIGNALS

• US 20130229928A1
• Filed: 10/13/2010
• Published: 09/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Lipman, Justin, Pering, Trevor, Zhao, Chengxue, Lyons, Kenton Michael
• Granted Patent: US 8,824,316 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/252
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 11/06 using intensity measurements
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 11/14 using ultrasonic, sonic, or infrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor

Abstract

A mechanism is described for proximity detection based on Wi-Fi signals. A method of embodiments of the invention includes determining strength of one or more signals being communicated between one or more antennae of a first device and two or more antennae of a second device. The one or more signals are associated with a broadcast packet. The method further includes determining proximity of the first device and the second device based on the determined strength of the one or more signals.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining strength of one or more signals being communicated between one or more antennae of a first device and two or more antennae of a second device, wherein the one or more signals are associated with a broadcast packet; and

determining proximity of the first device and the second device based on the determined strength of the one or more signals.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the determined strength is based on Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) between an antenna of the first device and an antenna of the second device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the proximity includes determining physical placement of the first device with respect to the second device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising detecting an embedded time within a Wi-Fi signal being communicated between an access point and the first device.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising communicating an audio signal between the first device and the second device, and determining a reception time of the audio signal.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising determining the proximity of the first and second devices based on the reception time and the speed of sound.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining Wi-Fi interference caused by a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) backlight.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising determining the proximity of the first and second devices based on the determined interference.

9. An apparatus comprising:

a first logic to determine strength of one or more signals being communicated between one or more antennae of a first device and two or more antennae of a second device, wherein the one or more signals are associated with a broadcast packet; and

a second logic to determine proximity of the first device and the second device based on the determined strength of the one or more signals.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the determined strength is based on Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) between an antenna of the first device and an antenna of the second device.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein determining the proximity includes determining physical placement of the first device with respect to the second device.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising a third logic to detect an embedded time within a Wi-Fi signal being communicated between an access point and the first device.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a fourth logic to communicate an audio signal between the first device and the second device, and determining a reception time of the audio signal.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising a fifth logic to determine the proximity of the first and second devices based on the reception time and the speed of sound.

15. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising a sixth logic to determine Wi-Fi interference caused by a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) backlight.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising a seventh logic to determine the proximity of the first and second devices based on the determined interference.

17. A system comprising:

a first computing device having one or more antennae to emit one or more signals to two or more antennae of a second computing device, wherein the one or more signals are associated with a broadcast packet;

the first computing device to determine proximity based on strength of the one or more signals being communicated between the one or more antennae of the first device and the two or more antennae of the second device.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the determined strength is based on Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) between an antenna of the first device and an antenna of the second device.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the first device to further detect an embedded time within a Wi-Fi signal being communicated between an access point and the first device, determine a reception time of an audio signal being communicated between the first device and the second device, and determine the proximity of the first and second devices based on the reception time and the speed of sound.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the first device to further determine Wi-Fi interference caused by a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) backlight, and determine the proximity of the first and second devices based on the determined interference.