Ad-hoc connection between electronic devices

• US 9,794,133 B2
• Filed: 12/06/2013
• Issued: 10/17/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Pohja, Seppo, Hietasarka, Juha, Hussmann, Holger
• Primary Examiner(s): Nabi, Reza
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rodriguez, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US14/098,807
• Publication Number:
  US 20140101558A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,411 Days
• Field of Search: 715736
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/21 for social networking applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

The invention relates to a method of creating an ad-hoc connection between two electronic devices. In order to enable a particularly user-friendly creation of such a connection, it is proposed that a first device detects a hugging state between the first device and a second device, in which the first device and the second device are in close vicinity and a piece of information is received at the first device directly from the second device. In case a hugging state is detected, a handle is obtained proceeding from the received piece of information. The handle comprises an address of some device other than the first device. Finally, a communication channel is established between the first device and the other device using the address included in the handle. The invention relates equally to a corresponding device, to an expandable framework for such a device, and to a corresponding software program product.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a user interface configured to allow a user of the apparatus to provide user input to a currently selected foreground application;

an RFID chip configured to detect a mobile device in close proximity to the apparatus independently of the foreground application; and

a link creation portion configured to cause establishment of a wireless communication channel, via at least one of a wireless short-range communication technology chip or a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) chip, with the mobile device in response to receiving information regarding the detected mobile device from the RFID chip indicating that the mobile device is in close proximity to the apparatus while a particular application of the apparatus is currently selected as a foreground application to receive user input and a user input via the user interface to transmit one or more user-selected files associated with the foreground application to the detected mobile device via the communication channel, wherein the communication channel is configured to enable transfer of the one or more files associated with the foreground application, and wherein the link creation portion is further configured to, after the mobile device has moved beyond being in close proximity to the apparatus, cause termination of the existing wireless communication channel in response to receiving from the RFID chip subsequent information regarding the mobile device with which the apparatus is connected via the existing wireless communication channel, wherein the receiving from the RFID chip of subsequent information regarding the mobile device with which the apparatus is connected is indicative of the mobile device and the apparatus being in close proximity to each other.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising terminating said established communication channel in response to at least one of cease of interaction between the apparatus and the detected mobile device, or receipt of communication channel termination from the foreground application.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the communication channel comprises a wireless short-range communication channel.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the communication channel comprises a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) communication channel.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an operating system configured to control operation of the apparatus, wherein the operating system is configured to register the particular application as the foreground application to receive user input via the user interface.

6. A method comprising:

allowing a user of an apparatus to provide user input to a currently selected foreground application;

detecting, by the apparatus, via an RFID chip, a mobile device in close proximity to the apparatus independently of the foreground application;

causing, by the apparatus, establishment of a wireless communication channel, via at least one of a wireless short-range communication technology chip or a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) chip, with the mobile device in response to receiving information regarding the detected mobile device from the RFID chip indicating that the mobile device is in close proximity to the apparatus while a particular application of the apparatus is currently selected as a foreground application to receive user input and a user input via the user interface to transmit one or more user-selected files associated with the foreground application to the detected mobile device via the communication channel, wherein the communication channel is configured to enable transfer of the one or more files associated with the foreground application, and wherein the link creation portion is further configured to, after the mobile device has moved beyond being in close proximity to the apparatus, cause termination of the existing wireless communication channel in response to receiving from the RFID chip subsequent information regarding the mobile device with which the apparatus is connected via the existing wireless communication channel, wherein the receiving from the RFID chip of subsequent information regarding the mobile device with which the apparatus is connected is indicative of the mobile device and the apparatus being in close proximity to each other.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising terminating said established communication channel in response to at least one of cease of interaction between the apparatus and the detected mobile device, or receipt of communication channel termination from the foreground application.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the communication channel comprises a wireless short-range communication channel.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the communication channel comprises a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) communication channel.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising controlling, by an operating system of the apparatus, operation of the apparatus, and registering, by the operating system, the particular application as the foreground application to receive user input via the user interface.

11. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium having computer executable program code stored thereon, which when executed by a processor causes an apparatus to perform:

allowing a user of the apparatus to provide user input to a currently selected foreground application;

detecting, via an RFID chip, a mobile device in close proximity to the apparatus independently of the foreground application;

causing establishment of a wireless communication channel, via at least one of a wireless short-range communication technology chip or a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) chip, with the mobile device in response to receiving information regarding the detected mobile device from the RFID chip indicating that the mobile device is in close proximity to the apparatus while a particular application of the apparatus is currently selected as a foreground application to receive user input and a user input via the user interface to transmit one or more user-selected files associated with the foreground application to the detected mobile device via the communication channel, wherein the communication channel is configured to enable transfer of the one or more files associated with the foreground application, and wherein the link creation portion is further configured to, after the mobile device has moved beyond being in close proximity to the apparatus, cause termination of the existing wireless communication channel in response to receiving from the RFID chip subsequent information regarding the mobile device with which the apparatus is connected via the existing wireless communication channel, wherein the receiving from the RFID chip of subsequent information regarding the mobile device with which the apparatus is connected is indicative of the mobile device and the apparatus being in close proximity to each other.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the computer executable program code, when executed by a processor, further causes the apparatus to perform:

terminating said established communication channel in response to at least one of cease of interaction between the apparatus and the detected mobile device, or receipt of communication channel termination from the foreground application.

13. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the communication channel comprises a wireless short-range communication channel.

14. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the communication channel comprises a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) communication channel.

15. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the computer executable program code, when executed by a processor, further causes the apparatus to perform:

registering the particular application as the foreground application to receive user input via the user interface.