Data collection using a headset jack of an electronic device

• US 8,928,491 B2
• Filed: 02/04/2011
• Issued: 01/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nexleaf Analytics
• Original Assignee: Nexleaf Analytics
• Inventors: Ramanathan, Nithya, Lukac, Martin Ladislav
• Primary Examiner(s): Zimmerman, Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): MCCORMACK, THOMAS S
• Application Number:
  US13/021,619
• Publication Number:
  US 20120038488A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,432 Days
• Field of Search: 340/573.1, 340/539.26, 340/870.11, 381/74, 455/67.11
• US Class Current: 340/870.07
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/75 by polling or interrogating the sub-stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom

Abstract

To collect data, an electronic device transmits a signal on an output channel of the headset jack to provide an excitation signal to a sensor for measuring a physical quantity. A signal from the sensor is received via an input channel of the headset jack of the electronic device. Data based on the received signal may be sent from the electronic device to a remote location for further processing. The data may be used to detect a physical condition, e.g., a temperature, humidity, soil moisture, sound, vibration, pressure, motion, and/or pollutants.

Claims

1. A computer-enabled method of collecting data, the method comprising:

providing an excitation signal to a temperature sensor by transmitting a first signal through a headset jack of a first device, wherein the temperature sensor is coupled to a second device;

receiving a second signal from the temperature sensor through the headset jack;

detecting a temperature associated with the second device based on the second signal; and

determining a time period during which the second device is turned on based on the detected temperature, wherein the temperature sensor is coupled to the second device.

2. The computer-enabled method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the first signal through the headset jack comprises playing a first audio signal through the headset jack.

3. The computer-enabled method of claim 1, wherein receiving the second signal from the sensor through the headset jack comprises recording a second audio signal through the headset jack.

4. The computer-enabled method of claim 1, wherein detecting the temperature comprises detecting the temperature based on the amplitude of the second signal.

5. The computer-enabled method of claim 1, further comprising sending data to a remote location, wherein the data is based on the second signal.

6. The computer-enabled method of claim 1, wherein the second signal comprises a signal having the same frequency as the first signal and having a different amplitude as the first signal.

7. The computer-enabled method of claim 1, further comprising detecting a temperature above or below a predetermined value based on the amplitude of the second signal.

8. The computer-enabled method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the first signal and receiving the second signal comprise transmitting the first signal and receiving the second signal via a connector plugged into the headset jack.

9. The computer-enabled method of claim 8, wherein the connector is selected from the group consisting of a TRS (tip, ring, sleeve) connector and a TRRS (tip, ring, ring, sleeve) connector.

10. The computer-enabled method of claim 1, wherein the first signal is a tone.

11. The computer-enabled method of claim 1, wherein the headset jack is located on a wireless handheld device.

21. The computer-enabled method of claim 1, wherein the device comprises a cooker.

12. A computer system for collecting data, the system comprising:

a temperature sensor, the temperature sensor coupled to the computer system via a headset jack, the temperature sensor operable to detect the temperature of a device;

memory configured to store data; and

one or more processors configured to;

provide an excitation signal to the temperature sensor by transmitting a first signal through the headset jack;

receive a second signal from the temperature sensor through the headset jack;

detect a temperature associated with the device based on the second signal; and

determine a time period during which the device is turned on based on the detected temperature, wherein the device is coupled to the sensor.

13. The computer system of claim 12, the one or more processors further configured to detect the temperature based on the amplitude of the second signal.

14. The computer system of claim 12, the one or more processors further configured to send the data to a remote location.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising computer-executable instructions for collecting data, the computer-executable instructions comprising instructions for:

providing an excitation signal to a temperature sensor by transmitting a first signal through a headset jack of a first device, wherein the temperature sensor is operable to be coupled to a second device;

receiving a second signal from the temperature sensor through the headset jack;

detecting a temperature of the second device based on the second signal; and

determining a time period during which the second device is turned on based on the detected temperature, wherein the device is coupled to the sensor.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, the computer-executable instructions for detecting the temperature comprises instructions for detecting the temperature based on the amplitude of the second signal.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, the computer-executable instructions further comprising instructions for sending data to a remote location, wherein the data is based on the second signal.

18. An apparatus for collecting data, the apparatus comprising:

a temperature sensor;

a connector to a headset jack of a first device; and

wherein an output from the headset jack is coupled to the temperature sensor as an excitation signal for the temperature sensor, and wherein a signal from the temperature sensor is coupled to the headset jack as an input for detecting a temperature of a second device when coupled to the first device, and wherein a time period during which the second device is turned on is determined from the detected temperature when the second device is coupled to the sensor.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the connector is selected from the group consisting of a TRS (tip, ring, sleeve) connector and a TRRS (tip, ring, ring, sleeve) connector.

20. A computer-enabled method of collecting data, the method comprising:

providing an excitation signal to a temperature sensor by transmitting a first signal through a headset jack;

receiving a second signal from the temperature sensor through the headset jack;

detecting a temperature of a cooker based on the second signal; and

determining a time period during which the cooker is turned on based on the detected temperature, wherein the temperature sensor is coupled to the cooker.