Detection of Physical Movement For Document Sharing

• US 20080244752A1
• Filed: 03/27/2007
• Published: 10/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Gudan, Kenneth F., Piersol, Kurt W., Chemishkian, Sergey, Barrus, John W.
• Granted Patent: US 8,155,121 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/27
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 370/912 Packet communications

Abstract

A system for using accelerometer-based detection of physical movement for document sharing provides easy and intuitive ways to securely share documents, even without passwords, between computing devices. The system of the present invention includes: at least two computing devices that each have a motion detection device capable of detecting sudden movements and generating a unique signature. The unique signature can then be used to generate signatures or shared secrets for controlling the transfer of data between devices. The motion detection device is capable of detecting sudden movement such as the tapping of the two computing devices together, tapping a stack of computing devices, tossing a computing device in the air. The system may optionally include an intermediary device such as a server for transferring the documents or files between computing devices such that only a small decryption key and file pointer is needed to share records between computing devices. The present invention also includes a novel method for accelerometer-based detection of movement for transferring data between computing devices.

Claims

1. An apparatus for enabling sharing of files by a computing device based on physical movement of the apparatus, the apparatus comprising:

an interface for coupling and communicating data to the computing device;

an accelerometer having and generating an output providing information about acceleration of the accelerometer;

an analog-to-digital converter having an input and an output, the input coupled to the output of the accelerometer;

a processor for generating a signature of the movement of the apparatus, the processor coupled to receive the output of the analog-to-digital converter and the processor coupled to the interface to output the signature of movement.

2. An apparatus for enabling sharing of files by a computing device based on physical movement of the apparatus, the apparatus comprising:

an interface for coupling and communicating data to the computing device;

an accelerometer having and generating an output providing information about acceleration of the accelerometer;

an analog-to-digital converter having an input and an output, the input coupled to the output of the accelerometer, and the output coupled to the interface to provide the information about acceleration; and

a dongle housing the accelerometer and the analog-to-digital converter with the interface mounted for coupling to the computing device.

3. A method for sending documents from a first device, the method comprising:

receiving selection of data for transfer at a first device;

detecting an event producing a detected signature at the first device;

identifying a second device to which to transfer the data using the signature; and

making the data for transfer available to the second device.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising providing a cue at the first device to indicate completion of the data transfer.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein the event is one from the group of contacting the first device with the second device, or providing a sound detectable by the first device and the second device.

6. The method of claim 3, further comprising automatically connecting the first device to a network.

7. The method of claim 3, further comprising automatically identifying a local environment of the first computing device.

8. The method of claim 3, wherein identifying the second device to which to transfer the data using the signature comprises determining whether the second device has a matching signature similar to the detected signature.

9. The method of claim 3, wherein identifying the second device to which to transfer the data using the signature comprises requesting signature over a secure communication channel.

10. The method of claim 3, wherein identifying the second device to which to transfer the data using the signature comprises receiving a response message including the detected signature.

11. The method of claim 3, wherein making the data for transfer available comprises sending the data from the first device to the second device.

12. The method of claim 3, wherein making the data for transfer available comprises:

linking the data to a server; and

sending a document identifier to the second device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein making the data for transfer available comprises sending an encryption key from the first device to the second device.

14. The method of claim 3, wherein the first computing device is a portable computing device and the second computing device is not portable.

15. The method of claim 3, wherein the second computing device is a portable computing device and the first computing device is not portable.

16. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

positioning a plurality of devices in physical contact with each other; and

contacting the first device with at least one of the plurality of devices to cause the event.

17. A method for receiving data from a first device and at a second device, the method comprising:

detecting an event producing a detected signature at the second device;

identifying the first device from which to transfer the data from a timing signal; and

retrieving the data to the second device.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising providing a cue at the second device to indicate completion of the data transfer.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the event is one from the group of contacting the first device with the second device, or providing a sound detectable by the first device and the second device.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising automatically connecting the second device to a network.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein identifying the first device from which to transfer the data using the timing signal comprises determining which device transmitted the timing signal.

24. The method of claim 17, wherein identifying the first device from which to transfer the data using the signature comprises establishing a secure communication channel with the first device and transmitting the signature to the first device.

25. The method of claim 17, wherein retrieving the data to the second device comprises receiving the data from the first device.

26. The method of claim 17, wherein retrieving the data to the second device comprises:

receiving a document identifier from the first device; and

using the document identifier to retrieve the data from a server.

27. The method of claim 17, wherein retrieving the data to the second device further comprises:

receiving an encryption key from the first device; and

using the encryption key to decrypt the data retrieved from the server.

28. The method of claim 17, wherein:

the event is movement of the second device; and

the first device is a fixed host computer.