Facilitating use of a device based on short-range wireless technology

• US 7,734,299 B2
• Filed: 03/20/2007
• Issued: 06/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Panabaker, Ruston, DeMaio, Pasquale
• Primary Examiner(s): Chang; Kent
• Assistant Examiner(s): Siddiqui; Kashif
• Application Number:
  US11/725,960
• Publication Number:
  US 20080233971A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,176 Days
• Field of Search: 4555501-5759
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0247 Determining attitude
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0284 Relative positioning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1431 using a single graphics controller

Abstract

Various devices may include a short-range wireless transmitter and/or one or more short-range wireless readers. When a first device including the transmitter is placed near a second device including the one or more readers, a relative location of the first device may be determined. Information regarding the relative location of the first device, may be used to facilitate use of the first device with a processing device. In one embodiment, the processing device may automatically configure itself, such that the first device may be used with the processing device. In another embodiment, the processing device may provide feedback, such as, for example, step-by-step instructions to facilitate setup and use of the first device with the processing device. In some embodiments, an application program interface may provide information about the device to an application executing on the processing device.

Claims

1. A processing device comprising:

at least one processor;

a memory including instructions for the at least one processor; and

a bus to provide communications between the at least one processor and the memory, the memory further comprising;

instructions for determining a relative location of a first device based, at least in part, on a strength of a short-range wireless signal received through a plurality of reader devices associated with the processing device;

instructions for identifying a type of the first device based on information included in the received short-range wireless signal;

instructions for determining an orientation of the first device; and

instructions for using the identified type of the first device and the determined relative location of the first device to facilitate use of the first device with the processing device, the instructions for using the identified type of the first device and the determined relative location of the first device to facilitate use of the first device with the processing device further comprising

instructions for automatically configuring the processing device to work with the first device and a previously-configured first device taking into account the relative location of the first device and the orientation of the first device.

2. The processing device of claim 1, wherein the memory further comprises:

instructions for authenticating a user based on the information included in the received short-range wireless signal.

3. The processing device of claim 1, wherein the first device includes a display monitor.

4. The processing device of claim 1, wherein:

the first device includes a display monitor, and

the previously-configured first device includes a previously-configured display monitor.

5. The processing device of claim 1, wherein the instructions for using the identified type of the first device and the determined relative location of the first device to facilitate use of the first device with the processing device further comprises:

instructions for providing step-by-step instructions to a user for configuring the processing device to work with the first device, the provided step-by-step instructions taking into account the determined relative location of the first device.

6. The processing device of claim 1, wherein the short-range wireless signal is a Near Field Communication signal or a Radio Frequency Identification signal.

7. The processing device of claim 1, wherein the memory further comprises:

instructions for coordinating use of the first device with a second device, connected to a second processing device.