Ad-hoc connectivity system and method

• US 7,769,348 B2
• Filed: 01/19/2007
• Issued: 08/03/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications USA Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications USA Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Angelhag, Anders, Camp, William
• Primary Examiner(s): Urban; Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sorowar; Golam
• Application Number:
  US11/625,143
• Publication Number:
  US 20080125041A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,292 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.2, 455/411
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/10 using broadcasted information
• 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 includes a method for a wireless connection of a wireless portable device 10 to a selected wireless device 10a in a group of nearby wireless devices 10a-10c, which device 10 is provided with a short-range-unit 50 for a wireless communication with said group of nearby devices 10a-10c, a substantially omnidirectional antenna 52 connected to said short-range-unit 50 for a substantially omnidirectional communication, and at least one directional communication device 54, 24 for a directional communication, which method includes the steps of: activating the directional communication device 54, 24; directing the directional communication device 54, 24 towards a nearby device 10a; connecting the portable device 10 to the selected device 10a using the directional communication device 54, 24; communicating with the selected device 10a via said substantially omnidirectional antenna 52 after said connecting.

Claims

1. A method, performed by a communication device including a short-range unit to communicate with nearby wireless devices, a multi-directional antenna connected to the short-range unit, and at least one directional communication device connected to the short-range unit, where the at least one directional communication device includes a camera arrangement, the method comprising:

detecting, using the multi-directional antenna, at least two of the nearby wireless devices within a communication range of the communication device;

activating, when the multi-directional antenna detects the at least two of the nearby wireless devices, the at least one directional communication device;

directing, upon the activation, the camera arrangement in a direction of a first one of the at least two of the nearby wireless devices;

detecting, by the camera arrangement, light emitted from the first nearby wireless device, where the light includes connection information;

establishing, based on the connection information, a connection to the first nearby wireless device; and

communicating, upon establishing the connection, with the first nearby wireless device via the multi-directional antenna.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one of demodulating or decoding the detected light to obtain the connection information.

3. The method of claim 1, where the directing the camera arrangement comprises projecting a defined light sensing area, of a selected scope, relative to the communication device.

4. The method of claim 1, where the connection information includes at least one of a frequency band associated with the first nearby wireless device, a channel of the frequency band, an indication whether the connection is open or private, or tariffs associated with the connection.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

recording, by the camera arrangement, an image of the first nearby wireless device, and

identifying the first nearby wireless device based on the recorded image.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

determining the connection information from one or more markings in the recorded image, and

comparing the connection information to stored information in the communication device.

7. The method of claim 1, where the multi-directional antenna comprises an omnidirectional antenna.

8. A communication device comprising:

a short-range unit to wirelessly communicate with a plurality of nearby wireless devices;

a multi-directional antenna, connected to the short-range unit, to detect at least two of the nearby wireless devices within a communication range of the wireless device;

at least one directional communication device to activate upon detection of the at least two nearby wireless devices; and

a camera arrangement, associated with the at least one directional communication device, to detect light, including connection information, emitted from a selected one of the at least two of the nearby wireless devices, where the at least one directional communication device establishes a connection to the selected wireless device based on the connection information, and communication is maintained with the selected wireless device via the multidirectional antenna.

9. The wireless communication device of claim 8, where the communication device at least one of demodulates or decodes the detected light to obtain the connection information.

10. The communication device of claim 8, where the camera arrangement projects a defined light sensing area, of a selected scope, relative to the communication device.

11. The communication device of claim 8, where the connection information includes at least one of a frequency band associated with the selected communication device, a channel of the frequency band, an indication whether the connection is open or private, or tariffs associated with the connection.

12. The communication device of claim 8, where the camera arrangement records an image of the selected wireless device and the communication device identifies the selected wireless device based on the recorded image.

13. The communication device of claim 12, where the short-range unit determines the connection information from one or more markings in the recorded image.

14. The communication device of claim 8, where the multi-directional antenna comprises an omnidirectional antenna.

15. A computer program product stored on a computer usable medium, including a readable program which, when the readable program is loaded in a communication device including a short-range unit for a wireless communication with a group of communication devices;

a multi-directional antenna connected to the short-range unit; and

at least one directional communication device including a camera arrangement, causes the communication device to;

detect, using the multi-directional antenna, at least two communication devices within a communication range of the communication device;

activate, when the multi-directional antenna detects the at least two of the communication devices, the at least one directional communication device; and

direct, upon the activation, the camera arrangement in a direction of a selected one of the at least two of the communication devices;

detect, by the camera arrangement, light emitted from the selected communication device, where the light includes connection information;

connect, based on the connection information, to the selected communication device; and

communicate, via the connection, with the selected communication device via the multi-directional antenna.

16. A computer program element having a program recorded thereon, where the program includes instructions which, when the program is loaded in a communication device including a short-range unit for a wireless communication with a group of communication devices;

a multi-directional antenna connected to the short-range-unit; and

at least one directional communication device including a camera arrangement;

cause the communication device to;

detect, using the multi-directional antenna, at least two of the communication devices within a communication range of the communication device;

activate, when the multi-directional antenna detects the at least two of the communication devices, the at least one directional communication device; and

direct, upon the activation, the camera arrangement in a direction of a selected one of the at least two communication devices;

detect, by the camera arrangement, light emitted from the selected communication device, where the light includes connection information;

connect, based on the connection information, to selected communication device; and

communicate, via the connection, with the selected communication device via the multi-directional antenna.