Method of and system for positioning first and second devices relative to each other

• US 8,249,461 B2
• Filed: 08/12/2008
• Issued: 08/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oticon A/S (William Demant Fonden)
• Original Assignee: Oticon A/S (William Demant Fonden)
• Inventors: Vaerndal, Rune
• Primary Examiner(s): Sedighian, M. R.
• Application Number:
  US12/190,303
• Publication Number:
  US 20090060517A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,470 Days
• Field of Search: 398/115, 398/116, 398/118, 398128-137, 398/119, 398/122, 398/107, 398/108, 398/109, 398/127, 398/117, 381/312, 381/315
• US Class Current: 398/118
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/46 Indirect determination of position data

Abstract

The invention relates to a method of locating a first device for wirelessly communicating with a second device relative to each other. The invention further relates to a system comprising a first device and a second device adapted for wirelessly communicating with each other. The object of the present invention is notify a user of an appropriate position of a first device relative to a second device with a view to ensuring proper wireless communication between them. The problem is solved in that one or more light sources are used to notify the user of appropriate locations of the two devices relative to each other according to a predefined correspondence scheme between appropriate beam patterns and distances between the devices The invention has the advantage of assisting a user in attaining a correct or appropriate distance between a first device (e.g. a programming device) and a second device (e.g. a device to be programmed). The invention may e.g. be used for programming or uploading data from a programming or server device to a portable audio device (e.g. a hearing aid) or to an entertainment device (e.g. a music player or a head set).

Claims

1. A method of locating a first device for wirelessly communicating with a second device relative to each other, the method comprising

a) providing at least one light source for generating at least one light beam;

b) locating the at least one light source on the first device having regard to its appropriate orientation relative to the second device;

c) defining a set of range criteria for acceptable locations of the first and second devices relative to each other with a view to acceptable wireless transmission conditions;

d) defining a set of beam criteria for the at least one light beam corresponding to the set of criteria for acceptable locations of the first and second devices relative to each other;

e) directing the at least one light beam from the at least one device towards the second device; and

f) moving the first and second devices relative to each other, substantially along a direction of the at least one light beam until the two devices are within the predefined acceptable locations as determined by the beam criteria;

wherein the light source is located on an outer surface of the first device relative to an antenna of the first device for wirelessly communicating with the second device in such a way that the quality of the wireless transmission is optimized when the light from the light source is directed towards the second device.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein one light source for generating a focused light beam is used and wherein the range criteria for acceptable locations of the two devices relative to each other is related to the corresponding beam criteria through predefined focus patterns.

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein a helping surface located adjacent to the light exposed device is used to receive the light beam(s) from the light source carrying device.

4. A method according to claim 1 wherein the antenna of the first device is located relative to the outer surface of the first device to make it invisible for a user.

5. A method of locating a first device for wirelessly communicating with a second device relative to each other, the method comprising:

a) providing at least one light source for generating at least one light beam;

b) locating the at least one light source on the first device having regard to its appropriate orientation relative to the second device;

c) defining a set of range criteria for acceptable locations of the first and second devices relative to each other with a view to acceptable wireless transmission conditions;

d) defining a set of beam criteria for the at least one light beam corresponding to the set of criteria for acceptable locations of the first and second devices relative to each other;

e) directing the at least one light beam from the at least one device towards the second device; and

f) moving the first and second devices relative to each other, substantially along a direction of the at least one light beam until the two devices are within the predefined acceptable locations as determined by the beam criteria;

wherein two spatially separated light sources are used, and where their focused light beams are oriented and directed at an angle to each other to meet at a predetermined distance relating to the predefined criteria for acceptable locations of the two devices relative to each other;

wherein the two light beams in a cross section with substantially equal distance to the two light sources generating the beams have different cross-sectional areas, thereby enabling an easy range-interpretation of the acceptable locations; and

wherein the criteria for acceptable locations are defined by the range of distances where the relatively smaller beam area is located within the relatively larger beam area when viewed in a plane through the light exposed device.

6. A method of locating a first device for wirelessly communicating with a second device relative to each other, the method comprising

a) providing at least one light source for generating at least one light beam;

b) locating the at least one light source on the first device having regard to its appropriate orientation relative to the second device;

c) defining a set of range criteria for acceptable locations of the first and second devices relative to each other with a view to acceptable wireless transmission conditions;

d) defining a set of beam criteria for the at least one light beam corresponding to the set of criteria for acceptable locations of the first and second devices relative to each other;

e) directing the at least one light beam from the at least one device towards the second device; and

f) moving the first and second devices relative to each other, substantially along a direction of the at least one light beam until the two devices are within the predefined acceptable locations as determined by the beam criteria;

wherein the light source carrying device is a programming unit for a hearing aid and the light exposed device is a hearing aid.

7. A method of locating a first device for wirelessly communicating with a second device relative to each other, the method comprising

a) providing at least one light source for generating at least one light beam;

b) locating the at least one light source on the first device having regard to its appropriate orientation relative to the second device;

c) defining a set of range criteria for acceptable locations of the first and second devices relative to each other with a view to acceptable wireless transmission conditions;

d) defining a set of beam criteria for the at least one light beam corresponding to the set of criteria for acceptable locations of the first and second devices relative to each other;

e) directing the at least one light beam from the at least one device towards the second device; and

f) moving the first and second devices relative to each other, substantially along a direction of the at least one light beam until the two devices are within the predefined acceptable locations as determined by the beam criteria;

wherein the wireless communication between the first and second devices is based on near field transmission of inductive loop type.

8. A system comprising a first device and a second device adapted for wirelessly communicating with each other,

the first device having an outer enclosure with a number of outer faces and comprising

a) at least one light source for generating at least one light beam radiating from a first outer face of the outer enclosure;

b) an antenna or coil for electromagnetic interaction with an antenna or coil of the second device and located in and oriented relative to the first outer face of the first device to provide a substantial amount of its electromagnetic energy in substantially the same direction as the at least one light beam;

wherein the antenna or coil of the first device is optimized for wirelessly communicating with the antenna or coil of the second device over a predefined range of distances, and wherein said at least one light source is adapted to provide that said at least one light beam fulfils predefined criteria when directed towards the second device and said first device and said second device are within said predefined range of each other.

9. A system according to claim 8 wherein the first device comprises two light sources located on the first outer face at an angle to each other so that their light beams intersect at a distance from the light sources.

10. A system according to claim 8 wherein the antenna or coil of the first device is located within the outer enclosure making it invisible to a user.

11. A system according to claim 8 wherein the orientation of the antenna or coil of the first device is adapted to provide that wireless communication between the antenna or coils of the first and second devices, respectively, is optimized when the at least one light beam of the first device is directed towards the second device.

12. A system according to claim 8 wherein appropriate distances between the first and second devices are in a range from 0.1 m to 10 m.

13. A system according to claim 8 wherein the first and second devices are adapted to provide that the wireless communication between them is based on near field transmission.

14. A system according to claim 8 wherein the first, light source carrying device is a programming unit for a portable device and the second, light exposed device is a portable device.

15. A system according to claim 14 wherein the portable device is a head worn audio device.

16. A system according to claim 15 wherein the head worn audio device is a hearing aid.

17. A system according to claim 8 wherein appropriate distances between the first and second devices are in a range from 0.2 m to 5 m.

18. A system according to claim 8 wherein appropriate distances between the first and second devices are in a range from 0.3 m to 2 m.

19. A system according to claim 8 wherein the first and second devices are adapted to provide that the wireless communication between them is based on near field transmission of the inductive loop type.