DYNAMIC RANGE WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS ACCESS POINT

• US 20140247822A1
• Filed: 05/15/2014
• Published: 09/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zhigu Holdings Limited
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Kirovski, Darko, Abel, Miller, Brenner, Craig, Blank, William, Herron, Jeffrey, DeJean, Gerald II
• Granted Patent: US 8,971,810 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/10 Services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/14 Reselecting a network or an air interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/10 adapted for operation in multiple networks, e.g. multi-mode access points

Abstract

The claimed subject matter provides for systems and/or methods for a dynamic range wireless access point to initiate deliberate and/or selective communications with one or more wireless devices over a short range radio path. One embodiment of an access point system comprises a processor that transfers one or more wireless devices to a long range radio path once a transition condition has been met. In another embodiment, an access point system may affect transactions between user/customer'"'"'s smart devices and a commercial place of business where the access point system and the smart devices initiate communications when the smart devices are deliberately placed within the proximity of the access point antenna and/or the smart devices are brought within the vicinity of the access point antenna such as by passing through the entrance or exit to the place of business.

Claims

1. A wireless access point system, said wireless access point system deployed within a place of business capable of connecting and communicating with one or more wireless devices of customers for enabling point-of-sale transactions with said customers, said access point system comprising:

a first short range radio, said first short range radio having a first effective communication range, said first effective communication range comprising a first operating volume;

a second long range radio, said second long range radio having a second effective communication range greater than said first effective communication range;

a processor, said processor sending data and control signals to said first short range radio and to said second long range radio and further receiving data signals from said first short range radio and said second long range radio;

wherein said wireless access point system being capable of initiating selective and deliberate Bluetooth communications by discovering and pairing with at least one wireless device of a customer, alerting said customer of the existence of said wireless access point system and receiving a signal from said at least one wireless device, said signal representing a deliberate gesture from a customer to effect communications with said wireless access point system to engage in point-of-sale transactions;

and wherein further said deliberate gesture comprises one of a group, said group comprising;

touching said wireless device to said access point system, actuating a physical switch on said wireless device and actuating a soft switch on said wireless device.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said signal to engage in point-of-sale transactions received from said at least one wireless device comprises a signal via said first short range radio when said at least one wireless device is within the first operating volume of said first short range radio.

3. The access point system of claim 2 wherein said first short range radio comprises a Bluetooth radio.

4. The access point system of claim 3 wherein said system is capable of pairing with a Bluetooth-enable wireless device upon receiving a pairing request from one of a plurality of devices with diverse MAC addresses, wherein said MAC addresses are not known in advance to the access point, and wherein the access point MAC address is one of a plurality of MAC addresses known in advance to the device initiating the pairing request, replying to said pairing request to accept the request and establish communications.

5. The access point system of claim 4 wherein said plurality of MAC addresses known in advance are pre-assigned to said access point system and stored in said access point system and said wireless device.

6. The access point system of claim 1 wherein said first operating volume comprises a proximity wherein initial communications between said one or more wireless devices and said first short range antenna are affected by a deliberate gesture.

7. The access point system of claim 6 wherein said first operating volume of said first effective communication range comprises the dimensions of an entrance to an environment through which users of said one or more wireless devices pass.

8. The access point of claim 1 wherein said wireless access point system being capable of transferring communications with said at least one wireless device to said second long range radio when said processor detects a transition condition.

9. The access point system of claim 8 wherein said transition condition comprising one of a group, said group comprising:

a device-out-of-range condition, a communications-initiation condition and a time-out condition.

10. A method for enabling communications for point-of-sale transactions within a place of business between one or more customer Bluetooth-enabled wireless devices and a access point system deployed within said place of business, said access point system comprising a first short range Bluetooth radio, said first short range Bluetooth radio having an effective communication range comprising a first operating volume, a second long range radio having an effective communication range comprising a second operating volume, a processor connected to both said first short range radio and said second long range radio;

the steps of said methods comprising;

discovering said one or more customer wireless devices within said first operating volume of said first short range radio;

pairing said one or more wireless devices to said access point system by comparing MAC address that are pre-assigned to said access point system and stored in said one or more wireless devices; and

effecting communications upon receipt of a deliberate gesture from said one or more customer wireless devices to engage in point-of-sale transactions.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said deliberate gesture is one of a group, said group comprising:

touching said wireless device to said access point system, actuating a physical switch on said wireless device and actuating a soft switch on said wireless device.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein said method further comprises:

upon satisfying a transition condition, transferring one or more wireless devices to said second long range radio within said second operating volume of said second long range radio

13. The method of claim 12 wherein said transition condition comprises comprising one of a group, said group comprising:

a device-out-of-range condition, a communications-initiation condition and a time-out condition.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein said transition condition comprises a transition policy set in accordance with environment in which said access point system is implemented.

15. The method of claim 10 wherein said first operating volume of said first short range radio comprises the entrance of a space through which users of said one or more wireless devices pass.

16. A access point system for enabling transactions between one or more wireless devices and a commercial place of business, said access point system comprising:

a Bluetooth radio subsystem, said Bluetooth radio subsystem capable of affecting short range wireless communication and long range wireless communications, said short range wireless communications defining a first operating volume, said first operating volume further comprising an entrance to said commercial place of business;

a processor connected to said radio subsystem and capable of sending data and control signals to said radio subsystem and receiving data and control signals from said radio subsystem;

an interface, said interface connected to said processor capable of transmitting transaction data and commands between said commercial place of business and said one or more wireless devices;

wherein said access point system being capable of initiating deliberate and selective communications with said one of more wireless devices via said short range wireless communications and receiving a signal from said at least one wireless device, said signal representing a deliberate gesture from a customer to effect communications with said wireless access point system to engage in point-of-sale transactions.

17. The access point system of claim 16 wherein further said deliberate gesture is one of a group, said group comprising:

touching said wireless device to said access point system, actuating a physical switch on said wireless device and actuating a soft switch on said wireless device

18. The access point system of claim 16 wherein said access point system being capable of transferring communications with said one or more wireless devices to said second long range radio when said processor detects a transition condition.