System and method for enabling a wireless device to communicate with a portable computer over an inductive link

• US 20160072557A1
• Filed: 08/20/2015
• Published: 03/10/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Suunto Oy (Anta International Group Holdings Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Suunto Oy (Anta International Group Holdings Ltd.)
• Inventors: Ahola, Tom
• Granted Patent: US 11,316,559 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/24 Inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• 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 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

Abstract

The invention relates to a system and a method for enabling a wireless device to communicate with a portable computer over an inductive link. The portable computer is provided with a receiving unit for receiving data over said inductive link, and with a proximity detector for detecting proximity of a wireless device sending data over said inductive link. The processing of the data sent from the wireless device in said portable computer is enabled by a signal indicating a detected proximity of said wireless device. The portable computer may be a dive computer which includes a receiver unit capable of receiving sensor information from a pressure sensor an inductive link, and a proximity detector capable of sensing the proximity of the pressure sensor over the inductive link.

Claims

1. A system for enabling a wireless device to communicate with a portable computer over an inductive link, wherein the portable computer is provided with a receiving unit for receiving data over said inductive link, and a proximity detector for detecting proximity of a wireless device sending data over said inductive link, and wherein processing of said data sent from said wireless device is in said portable computer enabled by a signal indicating a detected proximity of said wireless device.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said portable computer includes a display and is adapted to display data received over said inductive link from a proximity-detected wireless device.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein said portable computer includes a user interface providing means for enabling a user to pair a proximity-detected wireless device with said portable computer for communicating with the wireless device within the range of said inductive link periodically or continuously.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein said portable computer is adapted to allow pairing of said wireless device with said portable computer when the time of the detected proximity falls within a period of time when data was received from said proximity-detected wireless device over said inductive link.

5. The system according to claim 3, wherein said portable computer is adapted to perform pairing of said wireless device if at least one parameter from a list of parameters stored in the memory of said portable computer and relating to properties of said wireless device is selected.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein said portable computer is adapted to pair a proximity-detected wireless device with said portable computer if a code identifying said wireless device is stored in a list of prioritized devices in the memory of said portable computer.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein said wireless device is a pressure sensor functionally connected to a gas tank which is transmitting at least pressure data to said portable computer over said inductive link.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein said portable computer is a dive computer and includes a receiver unit capable of receiving sensor information from a pressure sensor over said inductive link, and a proximity detector capable of sensing the proximity of said pressure sensor over said inductive link.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein said portable computer is a dive computer comprising:

a transmitter unit capable of transmitting an inductive excitation signal,

a proximity detector capable of sensing a response from a pressure sensor over an inductive link, indicating the proximity of said pressure sensor, and

a receiver unit capable of receiving sensor information from a pressure sensor over said inductive link.

10. The system according to claim 5, wherein said at least one parameter is one is the gas content.

11. The system according to claim 8, wherein said dive computer is adapted to allow proximity detection only above water.

12. The system according to claim 8, wherein said dive computer is adapted to allow proximity detection above and under water but to allow pairing of said pressure sensor only above water.

13. A method for enabling a wireless device to communicate with a portable computer over an inductive link, the method comprising the steps of:

sending data from said wireless device over said inductive link to a receiving unit of said portable computer;

detecting proximity of said wireless device by a proximity detector of said portable computer; and

processing said data in said portable computer if a signal indicating proximity of said wireless device is detected.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the method includes the step of immediately displaying data received over said inductive link from a proximity-detected wireless device on a display of said portable computer.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein the method includes the step of having a user to pair a proximity-detected wireless device with said portable computer for periodic or continuous communication with the wireless device within the range of said inductive link.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein said portable computer allows pairing of said wireless device with said portable computer when the time of the detected proximity falls within a period of time when data was received from said proximity-detected wireless device over said inductive link.

17. The method according to claims 15, wherein said portable computer allows pairing of said wireless device with said portable computer if at least one parameter from a list of parameters, stored in the memory of said portable computer and relating to properties of said wireless device is selected.

18. The method according to claim 13, wherein said portable computer allows pairing of said wireless device with said portable computer if a code identifying said wireless device is stored in a list of prioritized devices in the memory of said portable computer.

19. The method according to claim 13, Further comprising the step of wherein said wireless device is a pressure sensor functionally connected to a gas tank which is transmitting at least pressure data to said portable computer over said inductive link.

20. The method according to claim 13, wherein said portable computer is a dive computer, said wireless device is a pressure sensor being functionally connected to a gas tank, said sensor sending pressure data readable by said portable computer over said inductive link, whereby a proximity detector in said dive computer is being capable of sensing the proximity of said pressure sensor over said inductive link.

21. The method according to claim 13, wherein said portable computer is a dive computer and said wireless device is a pressure sensor being functionally connected to a gas tank, and wherein:

said computer is sending an inductive excitation signal detectable by a proximity sensor in said pressure sensor,

said pressure sensor sending in response to said excitation signal pressure data measured by said pressure sensor that is readable by said portable computer over said inductive link, and

sensing the proximity of said pressure sensor by a proximity detector in said dive computer over said inductive link.

22. The method according to claim 20, wherein said dive computer is detecting the proximity of said pressure sensor over said inductive link only above water.

23. The method according to claim 20, wherein said dive computer is allowing proximity detection above and under water but allows pairing of said pressure sensor only above water.