Tag for facilitating interaction with a wireless communication device

• US 7,433,649 B2
• Filed: 09/10/2004
• Issued: 10/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Caine, Michael E., Tagliabue, Roberto, Toulis, Tadeo T., Park, Joonwoo, Chang, Angela, Yong, Lisa Y., Kumpf, Adam A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Trinh; Sonny
• Application Number:
  US10/937,915
• Publication Number:
  US 20060058018A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,488 Days
• Field of Search: 455/422.1, 455/434, 455/41.1, 455/41.2, 455/456.1, 455/456.6, 455/456.7, 340/10.1, 340/10.41, 340/10.4, 340/825.72, 340/825.69, 340/539.15, 340/539.11
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72406 by software upgrading or downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location

Abstract

A tag is provided, which can be associated with one or more individuals and/or a connection to a predetermined network resource, and which can be used to facilitating interaction of the wireless communication device with the corresponding individual(s) and/or resource. The tag includes a transmitter and a storage element including an ID value, which associates the tag with the individual(s) and/or resource. In at least some instances the tag will additionally include a trigger element, such as a user actuatable switch, which will enable an action to be initiated in the nearby wireless communication device, relative to the associated individual(s) and/or resource, in response to an actuation of the trigger element in the tag.

Claims

1. A tag associated with one or more individuals other than the user of the tag and a radio telephone for facilitating interaction with the radio telephone relative to the one or more individuals, said tag comprising:

a transmitter;

a storage element including an ID value, associated with the one or more individuals;

a receiver adapted for detecting transmissions from the radio telephone corresponding to the associated one or more individuals; and

an alert indicator;

wherein when the tag interacts with the radio telephone, the activities initiated through the resulting interactions with the radio telephone are affiliated with the associated one or more individuals; and

wherein when a transmission corresponding to the associated one or more individuals is received, which matches a predefined condition, the alert indicator is actuated.

2. A tag in accordance with claim 1 for use in a system including a data structure, which associates at least a portion of the ID value with the one or more individuals.

3. A tag in accordance with claim 2, wherein the data structure is comprised as part of the radio telephone.

4. A tag in accordance with claim 2, further comprising a server communicatively coupled to the radio telephone, where the data structure is comprised as part of the server.

5. A tag in accordance with claim 1 further comprising one or more trigger elements.

6. A tag in accordance with claim 5 wherein said one or more trigger elements includes a user actuatable switch.

7. A tag in accordance with claim 6 wherein the tag additionally includes an antenna and a wireless transmitter, and wherein the user actuatable switch selectively couples the antenna to the wireless transmitter.

8. A tag in accordance with claim 6 wherein the tag additionally includes a transmitter and a power source, and wherein the user actuatable switch selectively couples the power source to the transmitter.

9. A tag in accordance with claim 5 wherein said one or more trigger elements includes a power circuit adapted for deriving power from received electromagnetic waves.

10. A tag in accordance with claim 1 further comprising a hub, which is worn by the user of the radio telephone, wherein the one or more tags communicate with the radio telephone via the hub.

11. A tag in accordance with claim 10 wherein the tag is communicatively coupled to the hub via a wired connection.

12. A tag in accordance with claim 10 wherein the tag is communicatively coupled to the hub via a wireless connection.

13. A tag in accordance with claim 10 wherein the tag is inductively coupled to the hub.

14. A tag in accordance with claim 1 wherein the ID value is stored in a storage element associated with the tag, which can be reprogrammed with an updated ID value.

15. A tag in accordance with claim 1 wherein the alert indicator includes a light emitting element.

16. A tag in accordance with claim 1 wherein the alert indicator includes a sound emitting element.

17. A tag in accordance with claim 1 wherein the alert indicator is adapted for producing a tactile response.

18. A tag in accordance with claim 1 wherein the transmission corresponding to the associated one or more individuals includes presence information.

19. A tag in accordance with claim 1 wherein the transmission corresponding to the associated one or more individuals includes proximity information.

20. A tag in accordance with claim 1 wherein the transmission corresponding to the associated one or more individuals includes identity information relative to a call received by the wireless communication device.

21. A tag in accordance with claim 5 wherein the one or more trigger elements includes a user actuatable switch.

22. A tag in accordance with claim 21 wherein when the user actuatable switch is actuated the tag interacts with the wireless communication device to initiate communication with the associated one or more individuals via the wireless communication device.

23. A tag in accordance with claim 1 wherein the tag includes an adhesive backing along at least one of the tag surfaces for affixing the tag to another surface.

24. A tag in accordance with claim 1 wherein at least one of the tag surfaces is adapted to mate with a corresponding structure on another surface.

25. A tag in accordance with claim 1 further comprising a passage which extend through the tag.

26. A tag in accordance with claim 1 wherein the tag has a visually distinct appearance relative to other tags.

27. A tag for initiating the execution of an action in a nearby radio telephone, said tag comprising:

a transmitter;

one or more trigger elements; and

a storage element including an ID value, associated with the action to be executed;

wherein when said radio telephone is located within a predetermined proximity of the tag and the associated one or more trigger elements are activated, the ID value, which is associated with an activity to be performed by the radio telephone, is adapted to be conveyed to the radio telephone via the transmitter;

wherein the action to be executed includes an initiation of a data connection to a predetermined network resource, which is associated with the ID value; and

wherein the data connection includes downloadable content.

28. A tag in accordance with claim 27 wherein the action to be executed includes a check of one or more qualifying conditions.

29. A tag in accordance with claim 27 wherein the action to be executed includes an initiation of a telephone call connection using a predefined telephone number, which is associated with the ID value.

30. A tag in accordance with claim 27 wherein the downloadable content is presented to the user via the nearby radio telephone.

31. A tag in accordance with claim 27 wherein the downloadable content is encrypted and wherein the key for decryption is associated with ID value stored in the tag.

32. A tag in accordance with claim 27 wherein access to the downloadable content is managed by a rights manager and wherein the key for access is associated with the ID value stored in the tag.

33. A tag in accordance with claim 27 wherein the data connection includes uploadable content.

34. A method for interacting with a radio telephone relative to one or more individuals, comprising:

associating an ID value with a tag, such that the tag has the ID value;

linking the ID value of the tag with one or more individuals other than a user of the tag and the radio telephone, wherein at least some of the interaction with the radio telephone relative to the linked one or more individuals is facilitated through interaction with the tag.

35. A method in accordance with claim 34, wherein the ID value associated with the tag is a tag identification value.

36. A method in accordance with claim 35, wherein the tag identification value is exclusively associated with the one or more individuals other than the user of the tag and the radio telephone.