Body contact communication optimization with link key exchange

• US 9,532,275 B2
• Filed: 02/03/2015
• Issued: 12/27/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Mobile Communications Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Rodzevski, Aleksandar, Mrtensson, Linus, Westenius, Erik
• Primary Examiner(s): Mushambo, Martin
• Application Number:
  US14/612,540
• Publication Number:
  US 20160227446A1
• Time in Patent Office: 693 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 13/005 Transmission systems in which the medium consists of the human body
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0022 for transferring data sessions between adjacent core network technologies

Abstract

The present disclosure relates generally to a method and a wireless communication device that optimizes communication between devices which is body contact initiated. The method, performed in the wireless communication device comprises pairing with another wireless communication device using a first communication technology, wherein the first communication technology is Body Coupled Communication, BCC, technology, exchanging, between the wireless communication device and the other wireless communication device, using BCC technology, device specific information associated with pairing in a second communication technology and connecting with the other wireless communication device, using the second communication technology, thereby performing a handover from BCC technology to the second communication technology.

Claims

1. A method, performed in a wireless communication device, for body contact initiated communication, comprising:

pairing with another wireless communication device using a first communication technology, wherein the first communication technology is Body Coupled Communication, BCC, technology;

exchanging, between the wireless communication device and the other wireless communication device, using BCC technology, device specific information associated with pairing in a second communication technology, wherein the device specific information associated with pairing in the second communication technology comprises a link key;

connecting with the other wireless communication device, using the second communication technology, thereby performing a handover from BCC technology to the second communication technology;

continuously pinging for the other wireless communication device using BCC technology; and

disconnecting the connection to the other wireless communication device with the second communication technology when a BCC contact to the other communication device is lost.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the exchanging comprises:

sending, using BCC technology, information specific for the wireless communication device associated with pairing in a second communication technology;

receiving, using BCC technology, information specific for the other wireless communication device associated with pairing in a second communication technology.

3. The method according to claim 1, comprising:

exchanging lists of available communication technology between the wireless communication device and the other wireless communication device.

4. The method according to claim 3, comprising:

selecting the second communication technology to be a communication technology which is available on both devices according to a predetermined priority list.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the second communication technology is any type of radio frequency communication technology or infrared communication technology.

6. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising executable instructions, which, when executed on a wireless communication device, causes the wireless communication device to perform the method according to claim 1.

7. A method, performed in a wireless communication device, for body contact initiated communication, comprising:

pairing with another wireless communication device using a first communication technology, wherein the first communication technology is Body Coupled Communication, BCC, technology;

exchanging, between the wireless communication device and the other wireless communication device, using BCC technology, device specific information associated with pairing in a second communication technology;

connecting with the other wireless communication device, using the second communication technology, thereby performing a handover from BCC technology to the second communication technology, wherein the handover is initiated by an impending transfer of data between the wireless communication device and the other wireless communication device, and wherein the amount of data is larger than a predetermined threshold amount.

8. A wireless communication device, comprising Body Coupled Communication, BCC, technology and technology for at least one second communication technology, comprising:

communication circuitry;

processing circuit configured to;

pair, using the communication circuitry, with another wireless communication device using a first communication technology, wherein the first communication technology is Body Coupled Communication, BCC, technology;

exchange, between the wireless communication device and the other wireless communication device, using BCC technology, device specific information associated with pairing in a second communication technology wherein the device specific information associated with pairing in the second communication technology comprises a link key;

connect with the other wireless communication device, using the second communication technology, thereby performing a handover from BCC technology to the second communication technology;

continuously ping for the other wireless communication device using BCC technology;

disconnect the connection to the other wireless communication device with the second communication technology when a BCC contact to the other communication device is lost.

9. The wireless communication device according to claim 8, wherein the second communication technology is any type of radio frequency communication technology or infrared communication technology.

10. The wireless communication device according to claim 8, wherein the device specific information associated with pairing in a second communication technology comprises a link key.