SYSTEMS, METHODS, AND COMPUTER READABLE MEDIA FOR SHARING AWARENESS INFORMATION

• US 20170257427A1
• Filed: 05/22/2017
• Published: 09/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Rottler, Benjamin Andrew, Nadeau, Kyle Patrick, Mincey, Tyler, Nakajima, Taido L.
• Granted Patent: US 10,341,425 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0284 Relative positioning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72409 by interfacing with external accessories hands-free H04M1/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds

Abstract

Systems, methods, and computer readable media for sharing awareness information are provided. A non-aware electronic device can require awareness information including, for example, information about its environment or information about its status within its environment, in order to perform a particular device operation. When the non-aware device lacks an awareness component for detecting the required type of awareness information, the non-aware device can establish a communications path with an aware device that includes such an appropriate awareness component. The aware device can share the required type of awareness information as captured by its awareness component with the non-aware device. The distance between the non-aware device and the aware device can be less than a threshold distance to ensure that the shared awareness information is relevant to the non-aware device.

Claims

1. A portable device comprising:

an accelerometer configured to measure acceleration of the portable device as a user moves with the portable device;

wireless communications circuitry; and

control circuitry coupled to the accelerometer and the wireless communications circuitry, the control circuitry operative to;

receive a request for sensor information from a mobile phone,

determine the request is for acceleration information,

determine that the portable device has a sensor for providing the acceleration information,

detect the acceleration information using the accelerometer, and

transmit, via the wireless communications circuitry, the acceleration information to the mobile phone.

2. The portable device of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry is further operative to:

compare a linear output of the accelerometer with a gravity vector to calculate a tilt of the portable device with respect to a particular axis.

3. The portable device of claim 1, wherein the accelerometer is a three-axis accelerometer that is operative to detect linear acceleration in three directions.

4. The portable device of claim 1, wherein the accelerometer is a two-axis accelerometer that is operative to detect linear acceleration along each of two axes.

5. The portable device of claim 1, wherein the accelerometer is an electrostatic capacitance accelerometer.

6. The portable device of claim 5, wherein the electrostatic capacitance accelerometer includes a silicon micro-machined micro electro-mechanical system (“

MEMS”

), and wherein the MEMS includes a heat-based MEMS accelerometer, a piezoelectric accelerometer, or a piezoresistance accelerometer.

7. A system comprising:

the portable device of claim 1; and

the mobile phone, the mobile phone including second wireless communications circuitry and second control circuitry, the second control circuitry operative to;

monitor a progress of the user using the acceleration information.

8. A method comprising:

at a portable device having an accelerometer configured to measure acceleration of the portable device as a user moves with the portable device and wireless communications circuitry;

receiving a request for sensor information from a mobile phone,

determining the request is for acceleration information,

determining that the portable device has a sensor for providing the acceleration information,

detecting the acceleration information using the accelerometer, and

transmitting, via the wireless communications circuitry, the acceleration information to the mobile phone.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

comparing a linear output of the accelerometer with a gravity vector to calculate a tilt of the portable device with respect to a particular axis.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the accelerometer is a three-axis accelerometer that is operative to detect linear acceleration in three directions.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the accelerometer is a two-axis accelerometer that is operative to detect linear acceleration along each of two axes.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the accelerometer is an electrostatic capacitance accelerometer.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the electrostatic capacitance accelerometer includes a silicon micro-machined micro electro-mechanical system (“

MEMS”

), and wherein the MEMS includes a heat-based MEMS accelerometer, a piezoelectric accelerometer, or a piezoresistance accelerometer.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

at the mobile phone;

monitoring a progress of the user using the acceleration information.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the mobile phone identifies the first device before sending the request for location information, and wherein the first device is identified by the second device from one or more trusted devices.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the one or more trusted devices are defined by user input of selecting from a list, of entering identifying information of devices, or authorizing particular devices once communications paths with the devices are established.

17. A non-transitory computer readable medium for providing acceleration information from a portable device to a mobile phone, comprising computer readable program logic recorded thereon for:

receiving a request for sensor information from the mobile phone,

determining the request is for acceleration information,

determining that the portable device has a sensor for providing the acceleration information,

detecting the acceleration information using an accelerometer, and

transmitting, via wireless communications circuitry, the acceleration information to the mobile phone.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, further comprising computer readable program logic recorded thereon for:

comparing a linear output of the accelerometer with a gravity vector to calculate a tilt of the portable device with respect to a particular axis.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the accelerometer is a three-axis accelerometer that is operative to detect linear acceleration in three directions.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the accelerometer is an electrostatic capacitance accelerometer.