Interacting with devices based on physical device-to-device contact

• US 8,482,403 B2
• Filed: 01/11/2008
• Issued: 07/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Mobile Communications AB (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: THORN, Ola Karl
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehmood, Jennifer
• Assistant Examiner(s): GIRMA, FEKADESELASS
• Application Number:
  US11/972,712
• Publication Number:
  US 20090153342A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,006 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.11
• US Class Current: 340/539.11
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1694 the I/O peripheral being a single or a set of motion sensors for pointer control or gesture input obtained by sensing movements of the portable computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1698 the I/O peripheral being a sending/receiving arrangement to establish a cordless communication link, e.g. radio or infrared link, integrated cellular phone details of antennas disposed inside a computer H01Q1/2266
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1636 Sensing arrangement for detection of a tap gesture on the housing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/64 file transfer between terminals download of applications H04M1/72406; transfer of messages, e.g. SMS, e-mail or MMS H04M1/7243
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/21 for social networking applications

Abstract

A first device may receive a signal from a sensor coupled to the first device, determine whether the first device is tapped one or more times against a second device, send a message to the second device when it is determined that the first device has been tapped one or more times against the second device, determine if the one or more taps are valid user input based on a response from the second device, and perform an application specific action when the one or more taps are valid user input.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a signal corresponding to one or more taps on the first device against a second device from a sensor coupled to a first device;

comparing the received signal with predetermined signal patterns;

identifying an application specific action associated with one of the predetermined signal patterns based on a result of the comparison;

determining whether the first device is tapped one or more times against the second device based on the result of the comparison;

broadcasting information regarding the one or more taps when it is determined that the first device has been tapped one or more times against the second device;

receiving, from the second device, a response identifying the second device and indicating that the one or more taps are valid user input; and

performing the application specific action and interacting with the second device, when the one or more taps are valid user input.

2. The method of claim 1, where receiving a signal includes:

receiving the signal from an accelerometer.

3. The method of claim 2, where comparing the received signal with predetermined signal patterns includes:

determining whether samples of the signal match a predetermined acceleration pattern.

4. The method of claim 1, where broadcasting information includes:

obtaining parameters regarding the one or more taps; and

broadcasting the parameters.

5. The method of claim 4, where obtaining parameters includes:

obtaining locations of the one or more taps on a surface of the first device;

determining time between two consecutive taps;

or

determining time of occurrence of at least one of the one or more taps.

6. The method of claim 4, where

the response indicates whether the broadcast parameters match parameters that are obtained from one or more taps on the second device.

7. The method of claim 1, where receiving a response includes:

receiving parameters associated with one or more taps on the second device in response to the information;

determining if the received parameters match parameters that are extracted from the signal when the first device is tapped one or more times against the second device; and

determining whether the one or more taps are valid by comparing the received parameters to the extracted parameters.

8. The method of claim 1, where performing the application specific action includes:

coordinating at least one of an audio task or a visual task with the second device.

9. The method of claim 1, where performing the application specific action includes one of:

sending an audio signal to the second device for output by a speaker;

or

sending a video signal to the second device for display.

10. The method of claim 1, where performing the application specific action includes at least one of:

receiving personal contact information from the second device;

conducting a commercial transaction with the second device;

or

receiving a video clip, audio clip, image, or text from the second device.

11. A device comprising:

a sensor; and

a processor configured to;

receive a signal corresponding to one or more taps on the device against a second device from the sensor;

detect taps based on the signal;

compare the received signal with predetermined signal patterns;

identify an application specific action associated with one of the predetermined signal patterns based on a result of the comparison;

extract parameters that are associated with the detected taps;

send a request to the second device to verify if the extracted parameters match

parameters that correspond to taps on the second device;

determine if the detected taps are valid user input based on a response from the second device; and

perform the application specific action, interacting with the second device when the one or more taps are determined as being valid user input and it is verified that the extracted parameters match parameters that correspond to taps on the second device.

12. The device of claim 11, where the parameters include at least one of:

time between consecutive taps;

or

time of occurrence of a tap.

13. The device of claim 11, where the sensor includes at least one of:

an accelerometer;

or

an electric field sensor.

14. The device of claim 11, where the second device includes at least one of:

a cell phone with a display or a speaker;

a headset;

or

a laptop.

15. The device of claim 11, where the device comprises:

a cell phone.

16. The device of claim 11, where the communication channel includes:

a Bluetooth communication channel.

17. The device of claim 11, where the request includes the extracted parameters and the response includes information that indicates whether the extracted parameters match parameters that correspond to taps on the second device.

18. The device of claim 11, where the response includes parameters that are obtained from taps by the second device.

19. A device comprising:

means for sensing an acceleration of the device and outputting acceleration values;

means for receiving the acceleration values from the means for sensing the acceleration;

means for detecting taps that are produced by a first device and a second device based on the acceleration values;

means for broadcasting information regarding the taps when the taps are detected;

means for comparing the acceleration values with predetermined acceleration patterns;

means for receiving, from the second device, a response identifying the second device and indicating that the one or more taps are valid user input; and

means for performing the application specific action corresponding to the one or more taps and interacting with the second device, when the one or more taps are determined as being valid user input.

20. The device of claim 19, where the information includes:

time of occurrence of at least one of the detected taps.