Establishing wireless links via orientation

• US 8,260,324 B2
• Filed: 06/12/2007
• Issued: 09/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Jantunen, Joni Jorma Marius, Kalliola, Kimmo Heikki Juhana, Kainulainen, Antti Paavo Tapani
• Primary Examiner(s): Hu, Jinsong
• Assistant Examiner(s): Georgewill, Opiribo
• Application Number:
  US11/761,803
• Publication Number:
  US 20080311957A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,911 Days
• Field of Search: 455/560, 455/456.1, 455/456.2, 455/456.3, 455/456.4, 455/456.5, 455/456.6, 455/457, 342/418, 342/442, 342/417, 342/443, 342/423, 342/433
• US Class Current: 455/456.6
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals

Abstract

A system for establishing a wireless link from a wireless communication device (WCD) to at least one target device. The process of both identifying the target device and establishing a link to this device may incorporate the orientation and/or movement of the WCD into the procedure in lieu of the extensive use of traditional menu interfaces. A WCD may interpret a combination of orientation and/or movement as an approximate target device location that may be utilized to narrow the total population of all located devices into a subset containing those devices located within of near the approximate target device location. The subset of devices may be formulated and displayed as potential target devices for selection by a user. If any of the potential target devices are known by the WCD, a link may be established automatically.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

defining a target selection vector, the target selection vector being defined based on at least a direction from a wireless communication device towards a target device and a distance component corresponding to the distance from the wireless communication device to the target device, the distance component being defined by a distance that the wireless communication device is moved from the time the target selection vector determination is initiated until the time the target selection vector determination is completed;

computing location information for devices within communication range of the wireless communication device prior to establishing wireless networks including any of the devices within communication range and the wireless communication device, the location information including at least a target location vector for each device, based on a direction-of-arrival estimation determined with an antenna array in the wireless communication device;

determining a subset of potential target devices by comparing the target selection vector to the target location vector for each device; and

establishing a wireless network including at least one of the devices in the subset of potential target devices and the wireless communication device wherein the direction from the wireless communication device towards the target device is defined by a distance that the wireless communication device is rotated from the time the target selection vector determination is initiated until the time the target selection vector determination is completed.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein defining a target selection vector is a process initiated by pressing a button on the wireless communication device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the direction from the wireless communication device towards the target device is defined by direction in which the wireless communication device is pointing during the target selection vector determination.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the target selection vector indicates an approximate location of a target device based on the wireless communication device orientation information.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein computing location information for devices within communication range of the wireless communication device location includes calculating the target location vector of each device based on a direction-of-arrival estimation.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the direction-of-arrival estimation determines the discovered potential target devices in a two-dimensional approximate target area.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the direction-of-arrival estimation determines the discovered potential target devices in a three-dimensional approximate target area.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying the subset on the wireless communication device in a listing, wherein the devices are displayed in order by proximity to a target location defined by the target selection vector.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein establishing a wireless link to at least one of the devices in the subset of potential target devices occurs automatically.

10. A computer program product comprising a tangible, non-transitory computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied in said medium, comprising:

a computer readable program code configured to define a target selection vector, the target selection vector being defined based on at least a direction from a wireless communication device towards a target device and a distance component corresponding to the distance from the wireless communication device to the target device, the distance component being defined by a distance that the wireless communication device is moved from the time the target selection vector determination is initiated until the time the target selection vector determination is completed;

a computer readable program code configured to compute location information for devices within communication range of the wireless communication device prior to establishing wireless networks including any of the devices within communication range and the wireless communication device, the location information including at least a target location vector for each device, based on a direction-of-arrival estimation determined with an antenna array in the wireless communication device;

a computer readable program code configured to determine a subset of potential target devices by comparing the target selection vector to the target location vector for each device; and

a computer readable program code configured to establish a wireless network including at least one of the devices in the subset of potential target devices and the wireless communication device wherein the direction from the wireless communication device towards the target device is defined by a distance that the wireless communication device is rotated from the time the target selection vector determination is initiated until the time the target selection vector determination is completed.

11. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein defining a target selection vector is a process initiated by pressing a button on the wireless communication device.

12. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the direction from the wireless communication device towards the target device is defined by direction in which the wireless communication device is pointing during the target selection vector determination.

13. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the target selection vector indicates an approximate location of a target device based on the wireless communication device orientation information.

14. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein computing location information for devices within communication range of the wireless communication device location includes calculating the target location vector of each device based on a direction-of-arrival estimation.

15. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the direction-of-arrival estimation determines the discovered potential target devices in a two-dimensional approximate target area.

16. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the direction-of-arrival estimation determines the discovered potential target devices in a three-dimensional approximate target area.

17. The computer program product of claim 10, further comprising displaying the subset on the wireless communication device in a listing, wherein the devices are displayed in order by proximity to a target location defined by the target selection vector.

18. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein establishing a wireless link to at least one of the devices in the subset of potential target devices occurs automatically.

19. A wireless communication device, comprising:

at least one processor;

at least one communication module coupled to the at least one processor;

at least one sensor for determining device orientation coupled to the at least one processor;

at least one set of hardware required for direction-of-arrival determination coupled to the processor;

wherein the device is configured to;

define a target selection vector, the target selection vector being defined based on at least a direction from the wireless communication device towards a target device and a distance component corresponding to the distance from the wireless communication device to the target device, the distance component being defined by a distance that the wireless communication device is moved from the time the target selection vector determination is initiated until the time the target selection vector determination is completed;

compute location information for devices within communication range of the wireless communication device prior to establishing wireless networks including any of the devices within communication range and the wireless communication device, the location information including at least a target location vector for each device, based on a direction-of-arrival estimation determined with an antenna array in the wireless communication device;

determine a subset of potential target devices by comparing the target selection vector to the target location vector for each device; and

establish a wireless network including at least one of the devices in the subset of potential target devices and the wireless communication device wherein the direction from the wireless communication device towards the target device is defined by a distance that the wireless communication device is rotated from the time the target selection vector determination is initiated until the time the target selection vector determination is completed.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein initiating a target location vector determination includes pressing a button on the device.

21. A circuit, comprising:

at least one processor;

at least one communication module coupled to the at least one processor;

at least one sensor for determining circuit orientation coupled to the at least one processor;

at least one set of hardware required for direction-of-arrival determination coupled to the processor;

wherein the circuit is configured to;

define a target selection vector, the target selection vector being defined based on at least a direction from the circuit towards a target device and a distance component corresponding to the distance from the circuit to the target device, the distance component being defined by a distance that the circuit is moved from the time the target selection vector determination is initiated until the time the target selection vector determination is completed;

compute location information for devices within communication range of a wireless communication device including the circuit via direction-of arrival determination and prior to establishing wireless networks including any of the devices within communication range and the wireless communication device, the location information including at least a target location vector for each device, based on a direction-of-arrival estimation determined with an antenna array in the wireless communication device;

determine a subset of potential target devices by comparing the target selection vector to the target location vector for each device; and

establish a wireless network including at least one of the devices in the subset of potential target devices and the wireless communication device wherein the direction from the wireless communication device towards the target device is defined by a distance that the wireless communication device is rotated from the time the target selection vector determination is initiated until the time the target selection vector determination is completed.

22. The circuit of claim 21, wherein the circuit is a sub-part of a wireless communication device.

23. The circuit of claim 21, wherein the direction-of-arrival estimation determines the discovered potential target devices in a two-dimensional approximate target area.

24. The circuit of claim 21, wherein the direction-of-arrival estimation determines the discovered potential target devices in a three-dimensional approximate target area.

25. The circuit of claim 21, further comprising a display, coupled to the at least one processor, for displaying the subset on the wireless communication device in a listing, wherein the devices are displayed in order by proximity to a target location defined by the target selection vector.

26. A wireless communication device, comprising:

means for defining a target selection vector, the target selection vector being defined based on at least a direction from the wireless communication device towards a target device and a distance component corresponding to the distance from the wireless communication device to the target device, the distance component being defined by a distance that the wireless communication device is moved from the time the target selection vector determination is initiated until the time the target selection vector determination is completed;

means for computing location information for devices within communication range of the wireless communication device prior to establishing wireless networks including any of the devices within communication range and the wireless communication device, the location information including at least a target location vector for each device, based on a direction-of-arrival estimation determined with an antenna array in the wireless communication device;

means for determining a subset of potential target devices by comparing the target selection vector to the target location vector for each device; and

means for establishing a wireless network including at least one of the devices in the subset of potential target devices and the wireless communication device wherein the direction from the wireless communication device towards the target device is defined by a distance that the wireless communication device is rotated from the time the target selection vector determination is initiated until the time the target selection vector determination is completed.

27. The device of claim 26, wherein the target selection vector indicates an approximate location of a target device based on the wireless communication device orientation information.

28. The device of claim 26, wherein computing location information for devices within communication range of the wireless communication device location includes calculating the target location vector of each device based on a direction-of-arrival estimation.

29. A circuit, comprising:

at least one sensor and at least one processor configured for defining a target selection vector, the target selection vector being defined based on at least a direction from the circuit towards a target device and a distance component corresponding to the distance from the circuit to the target device, the distance component being defined by a distance that the circuit is moved from the time the target selection vector determination is initiated until the time the target selection vector determination is completed;

at least one direction-of-arrival module configured for computing location information for devices within communication range of a wireless communication device including the circuit prior to establishing wireless networks including any of the devices within communication range and the wireless communication device, the location information including at least a target location vector for each device, based on a direction-of-arrival estimation determined with an antenna array in the wireless communication device;

the at least one processor further configured for determining a subset of potential target devices by comparing the target selection vector to the target location vector for each device; and

at least one wireless communication module configured for establishing a wireless network including at least one of the devices in the subset of potential target devices and the wireless communication device wherein the direction from the wireless communication device towards the target device is defined by a distance that the wireless communication device is rotated from the time the target selection vector determination is initiated until the time the target selection vector determination is completed.

30. The circuit of claim 29, wherein the circuit is a sub-part of a wireless communication device.

31. A wireless communication device, comprising:

means configured for defining a target selection vector, the target selection vector being defined based on at least a direction from the wireless communication device towards a target device and the distance from the wireless communication device to the target device, the distance being defined by a distance that the wireless communication device is moved from the time the target selection vector determination is initiated until the time the target selection vector determination is completed;

means configured for computing location information for devices within communication range of the wireless communication device prior to establishing wireless networks including any of the devices within communication range and the wireless communication device, the location information including at least a target location vector for each device, based on a direction-of-arrival estimation determined with an antenna array in the wireless communication device;

means configured for determining a subset of potential target devices by comparing the target selection vector to the target location vector for each device; and

means configured for establishing a wireless network including at least one of the devices in the subset of potential target devices and the wireless communication device wherein the direction from the wireless communication device towards the target device is defined by a distance that the wireless communication device is rotated from the time the target selection vector determination is initiated until the time the target selection vector determination is completed.