Device capable of being operated within a network, network system, method of operating a device within a network, program element, and computer-readable medium

• US 8,253,693 B2
• Filed: 02/13/2006
• Issued: 08/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Buil, Vincent P., Van De Sluis, Bartel Marinus, Baldus, Heribert, Falck, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Lao, Lun-Yi
• Assistant Examiner(s): MERKOULOVA, OLGA VLADIMIROVNA
• Application Number:
  US11/816,283
• Publication Number:
  US 20080259043A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,388 Days
• Field of Search: 345173-174, 345/1.1, 345/1.2, 345/3.1, 345/156, 345/158, 345/169, 345/175, 340/5.8, 713/168, 713/193, 178 1801- 1807, 463/35, 463/36
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 13/005 Transmission systems in which the medium consists of the human body

Abstract

A device (A) is described, which is capable of being operated within a network comprising a touch interface (2) which is adapted to detect that a user (3) touches the touch interface (2) and simultaneously touches a touch interface (6) of another device (B) capable of being operated within a network, and a communication unit (1) adapted to communicate with a communication unit (5) of the other device (B) via a communication network established between the device (A) and the other device (B) when detecting that the user touches the touch interface (2) of the device (A) and simultaneously touches the touch interlace (6) of the other device (B).

Claims

1. A device (B1) capable of being operated within a network, the device (B1) comprising:

a touch interface for detecting that a user touches the touch interface and simultaneously touches a touch interface of another device (A2) capable of being operated within a said network; and

a communication unit for communicating with a communication unit of the another device (A2) via a communication network, separate from the body of the user, established between the device (B1) and the another device (A2) when the touch interface detects that the user touches the touch interface of the device (81) and simultaneously touches the touch interface of the another device (A2),

wherein the another device (A2) is adapted to reproduce acoustic and/or visual content,

wherein the device (B1) is adapted to store reproducible acoustic and/or visual content to be reproduced by a further device (A1),

and wherein the further device (A1) is controlled to terminate reproducing acoustic and/or visual content stored in the device (B1) and start reproducing acoustic and/or visual content which is currently being reproduced in the another device (A2) when the touch interface detects that the user touches the touch interface of the another device (A2) and simultaneously touches the touch interface of the device (B1), said acoustic and/or visual content being reproduced in the another device (A2) being communicated from the another device (A2) to the further device (A1) via the communication unit in the another device (A2), the communication network and the communication unit in the device (B1).

2. The device (B1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the touch interface, when detecting that the user touches the touch interface and simultaneously touches the touch interface of the another device (A2), exchanges data (MIS) with the touch interface of the another device (A2), said data (MIS) being required for establishing the communication network.

3. The device (B1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the touch interface, when detecting that the user touches the touch interface and simultaneously touches the touch interface of the another device (A2), exchanges data (MIS) with the touch interface of the another device (A2), said data (MIS) being required for establishing the network via intra-body communication.

4. The device (B1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the touch interface, exclusively when detecting that the user touches the touch interface and simultaneously touches the touch interface of the another device (A2), starts sending data (MIS) to the touch interface of the other device (B), said data (MIS) being required for establishing the network.

5. The device (B1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the touch interface periodically sends data (MIS), said data (MIS) being required for establishing the network, in such a manner that said data (MIS) are receivable by the touch interface of the another device (A2) only when the user touches the touch interface and simultaneously touches the touch interface of the another device (A2).

6. The device (B1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the communication unit communicates with the communication unit of the another device (A2) in a wireless manner.

7. The device (B1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the communication unit communicates with the communication unit of the another device (A2) according to a communication protocol selected from the group consisting of:

a Wireless Local Area Network, a Wireless Personal Area Network, a Bluetooth Network and a ZigBee Network.

8. The device (B1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the communication unit communicates with the communication unit of the another device (A2) to exchange application data.

9. The device (B1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said device (B1) further comprises:

a connector unit coupled to the touch interface and to the communication unit, said connector unit activating the communication unit only when the touch interface detects that the user touches the touch interface of the device (B1) and simultaneously touches the touch interface of the another device (A2).

10. The device (B1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said device (B1) automatically establishes the communication network when the touch interface detects that the user touches the touch interface of the device (B1) and simultaneously touches the touch interface of the another device (A2).

11. The device (B1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said device (B1) joins an existing communication network in which the another device (A2) has already been operated before, when detecting that the user touches the touch interface of the device (B1) and simultaneously touches a touch interface of the another device (A2).

12. The device (B1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said device (B1) joins an existing communication network in which the another device (A2) has already been operating as a master before, when detecting that the user touches the touch interface of the device (B1) and simultaneously touches the touch interface of the another device (a2).

13. The device (B1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said device (B1) joins an existing communication network in which the another device (A2) has already been operating as a slave before, when detecting that the user touches the touch interface of the device (B1) and simultaneously touches the touch interface of the another device (A2).

14. The device (B1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the touch interface of the further device (A1) and/or of the device (B1) comprises a user-identifying sensor for identifying a user touching the touch interface of the further device (A1) and simultaneously touching the touch interface of the device (B1).

15. The device (B1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said device (B1) implements at least one functionality of the group consisting of:

a portable audio player;

a portable video player;

a headphone;

a head-mounted display;

a mobile phone;

a body-worn device;

a medical sensor;

a DVD player;

a CD player;

a hard disk-based media player;

an internet radio device;

a public entertainment device; and

an MP3 player.

16. The network system according to claim 15, comprising a fourth device (B2), comprising a touch interface (2) adapted to detect that a user (3) touches the touch interface (2) and simultaneously touches a touch interface (6) of another device (B) capable of being operated within a network and a communication unit (1) adapted to communicate with a communication unit (5) of the other device (B) via a communication network established between the device (A) and the other device (B) when detecting that the user touches the touch interface (2) of the device (A) and adapted to store reproducible acoustic and/or visual content to be reproduced by the second device (A2);

wherein acoustic and/or visual content to be reproduced by the first device (A1) is transmitted from the communication unit of the fourth device (B2) to the communication unit of the first device (A1) when detecting that a user (3) touches the touch interface of the second device (A2) and simultaneously touches the touch interface of the third device (B1).

17. The device (B1) as claimed in claim 16, wherein the further device (A1) terminates reproducing acoustic and/or visual content stored in the fourth device (B2) and start reproducing acoustic and/or visual content stored in the device (B1) when detecting that the user (3) touches the touch interface of the further device (A1) and simultaneously touches the touch interface of the device (B1).

18. The device (B1) as claimed in claim 16, wherein the further device (A1) and the device (B1) are coupled via a wired communication path or via a wireless communication path.

19. A method of operating a device (B1) within a network, the method comprising the steps of:

detecting that a user touches the device (B1) and simultaneously touches another device (A2) capable of being operated within a network;

communicating with the another device (A2) via a communication network, separate from the body of the user, established between the device (B1) and the another device (A2) when detecting that the user touches the device (B1) and simultaneously touches the another device (A2),

wherein the another device (A2) reproduces acoustic and/or visual content, the device (B1) stores reproducible acoustic and/or visual content to be reproduced by a further device (A1), and that the method further comprises;

terminating reproducing acoustic and/or visual content stored in the device (B1) at the further device (A1); and

starting reproducing acoustic and/or visual content, at the further device (A1), which is currently being reproduced in the another device (A2) when detecting that the user touches the touch interface of the another device (A2) and simultaneously touches the touch interface of the device (B1),

wherein, said acoustic and/or visual content being reproduced in the another device (A2) is communicated from the another device (A2) to the further device (A1) via the communication network.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable medium, in which a computer program is stored which, when being executed by a processor of a device (B1), controls a method of operating the device (B1) within a network, the method comprising the steps of:

detecting that a user touches the device (B1) and simultaneously touches another device (A2) capable of being operated within a network;

communicating with the another device (A2) via a communication network, separate from the body of the user, established between the device (B1) and the another device (A2) when detecting that the user touches the device (B1) and simultaneously touches the another device (A2);

terminating reproducing acoustic and/or visual content stored in the device (B1) at a further device (A1); and

starting reproducing acoustic and/or visual content, at the further device (A1), which is currently being reproduced in the another device (A2) when detecting that the user touches the touch interface of the another device (A2) and simultaneously touches the touch interface of the device (B1),

wherein, said acoustic and/or visual content being reproduced in the another device (A2) is communicated from the another device (A2) to the further device (A1) via the communication network.