Apparatus and method for managing device operation using near field communication

• US 9,641,222 B2
• Filed: 05/29/2014
• Issued: 05/02/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Symbol Technologies, LLC (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Symbol Technologies, LLC (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Cheng, Hughes, Yang, Tsung-Hsien, Lee, Ching-Rung, Tramontano, Michael A
• Primary Examiner(s): Trinh, Tan H
• Application Number:
  US14/290,047
• Publication Number:
  US 20150349848A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,069 Days
• Field of Search: 4554563, 455 411, 4554561, 455 412, 455 631, 715 48, 370254, 370329, 370349, 345633, 345156, 345174, 345173, 719320, 381 17, 381 79, 381 74
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/026 using orientation information, e.g. compass
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup

Abstract

A device may include a memory for storing a set of instructions associated with at least one of an orientation and a position of the device. The device may also include a near field communication (NFC) transceiver for pairing the device with a second device. A processor in the device determines that the device is paired with the second device via the NFC transceiver; determines at least one of the orientation and the position of the device; and executes the set of instructions associated with at least one of the determined orientation and position of the device.

Claims

1. A device, comprising:

a memory operating to store a set of instructions to modify an operational parameter of the device associated with an orientation and a position of the device with respect to an orientation and a position of a second device;

a transceiver operating to pair the device with the second device;

a processor operating to;

determine that the device is paired with the second device via the transceiver;

determine the orientation and the position of the device with respect to the orientation and the position of the second device;

access the set of instructions stored in the memory; and

execute the set of instructions to modify the operational parameter of the device associated with the determined orientation and position of the device with respect to the orientation and the position of the second device,

wherein the operational parameter comprises a selection of a payment account for a payment operation among a plurality of payment accounts associated with the device.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the processor determines at least one of the orientation and the position of the device based on a signal generated by at least one motion sensor in the device.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the processor determines at least one of the orientation and the position of the device based on a signal received from the second device.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the operational parameter further comprises at least one of a connection status of the device and a lock status of the device.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the determined orientation and position of the device is at a predefined angle.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the processor transmits at least one of the determined orientation and position of the device to the second device.

7. A system, comprising;

a first device and a second device paired via a communication protocol, wherein at least one of the first device and the second device;

determines an orientation and a position of at least one of the first device and the second device;

retrieves a set of instructions to modify an operational parameter of at least one of the first device and the second device associated with the determined orientation and position of at least one of the first device and the second device; and

executes the set of instructions to modify the operational parameter of at least one of the first device and the second device associated with the determined orientation and position of at least one of the first device and the second device,

wherein the operational parameter comprises a selection of a payment account for a payment operation among a plurality of predetermined payment accounts.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the first device determines at least one of the orientation and the position of the first device based on a signal generated by at least one motion sensor in the first device.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the first device determines at least one of the orientation and the position of the second device based on a signal received from the second device.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the first device:

receives information indicating at least one of the orientation and the position of the second device; and

determines at least one of the orientation and the position of the first device in relation to at least one of the orientation and the position of the second device.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the operational parameter further comprises at least one of a connection status and a lock status of at least one of the first device and the second device.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the first device determines at least one of the orientation and the position of the first device at a predefined angle.

13. The system of claim 7, wherein the first device transmits least one of the determined orientation and position of the first device to the second device.

14. A method, comprising;

pairing a first device and a second device via a communication protocol;

determining, by the first device, an orientation and a position of the first device;

retrieving, by the first device, a set of instructions to modify an operational parameter of the first device associated with the determined orientation and the position of the first device; and

executing, by the first device, the set of instructions to modify the operational parameter of the first device associated with the determined orientation and the position of the first device,

wherein the operational parameter comprises a selection of a payment account for a payment operation among a plurality of payment accounts associated with the first device.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising determining, by the first device, at least one of the orientation and the position of the first device based on a signal generated by at least one motion sensor in the first device.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising determining, by the first device, at least one of the orientation and the position of the first device based on a signal received from the second device.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

receiving, by the first device, information indicating at least one of an orientation and a position of the second device; and

determining, by the first device, at least one of the orientation and the position of the first device in relation to at least one of the orientation and the position of the second device.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the operational parameter further comprises at least one of a connection status and a lock status of the first device.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising transmitting, by the first device, least one of the determined orientation and the position of the first device to the second device.