Sensor-initiated exchange of information between devices

• US 8,339,363 B2
• Filed: 05/13/2005
• Issued: 12/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Krum, David Michael, Schmidt, Hauke
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Chanh
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pham, Long D
• Application Number:
  US11/128,548
• Publication Number:
  US 20060256074A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,783 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-184, 715856-864
• US Class Current: 345/158
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1681 Details related solely to hinges hinge details related to the transmission of signals or power are classified in G06F1/1683
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1637 Sensing arrangement for detection of housing movement or orientation, e.g. for controlling scrolling or cursor movement on the display of an handheld computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2757 by data transmission, e.g. downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/64 file transfer between terminals download of applications H04M1/72406; transfer of messages, e.g. SMS, e-mail or MMS H04M1/7243
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/50 Secure pairing of devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/68 Gesture-dependent or behaviour-dependent
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/21 for social networking applications

Abstract

Information exchange systems and methods (“IES”) are described that allow users of portable devices to initiate exchanges of information with a simple gesture. Detection of this gesture causes the host device to perform a number of actions including one or more of selecting data for an exchange transaction, identifying one or more destination devices to receive the selected data, transferring the selected data to the destination devices, and receiving complementary or corresponding data from the destination devices. The IES thus avoids the requirement for users to perform time consuming and error prone interactions involving complex operations with a device interface in order to initiate data exchanges.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a sensor system that senses motion of the device produced by a user of the device making an affirmative gesture using the device to simulate a throwing motion performed by the user of the device;

a data storage storing a plurality of motion signatures, wherein each motion signature includes signal information of a unique pattern of movement over an interval of time and including information identifying data for transfer in a data exchange, and wherein the plurality of motion signatures comprise motion signatures corresponding to a device motion of the device indicating a desire by the user to initiate the data exchange with a compatible local device and motion signatures corresponding to a matching movement of the compatible local device relative to the device indicating a desire to receive the data exchange by a receiving user of the compatible local device;

a first information exchange system (IES) component coupled to the sensor system to detect the presence of the compatible local device within a defined vicinity of the device by wirelessly searching for one or more local devices having the matching movement corresponding to a complementary gesture performed by the receiving user of the compatible local device, wherein the complementary gesture is in a direction at least partially opposite to the affirmative gesture, and simulates a catching motion performed by the receiving user of the compatible local device, wherein the affirmative gesture and the complementary gesture do not involve physical contact between the device and the compatible local device; and

a second IES component coupled to the sensor system, wherein the second IES component identifies a motion signature of the sensed motion, wherein the motion signature comprises a timestamp of the sensed motion and a description of the sensed motion and a description of the matching movement, transfers the identified motion signature to the compatible local device, receives a corresponding motion signature from the compatible local device with the corresponding motion signature comprising a timestamp of the matching movement and a description of the matching movement of the compatible local device, compares the transferred and received motion signatures to identify corresponding motion signatures of the compatible local device as part of a motion signature exchange, selects data in response to the corresponding motion signatures, and automatically initiates exchange of the selected data between the device and the compatible local device to cause the exchange of the selected data.

2. The device of claim 1, further comprising a communication system configured to communicate with the compatible local device, wherein the communication system is at least one of a wireless communication system, a wired communication system, and a hybrid wireless and a wired communication system.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the data storage is coupled to the first information exchange system and includes a database including information of the motion patterns and the selected data, and storing the plurality of motion signatures in a catalog or group format.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the motion signature comprises a signal representing the sensed motion, and the corresponding motion signature comprises a signal representing the matching movement of the compatible local device, and wherein the sensed motion is complementary to the motion of the compatible local device.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the IES further associates data stored in a memory with at least one motion signature.

6. A method comprising:

storing a plurality of motion signatures, wherein each motion signature includes signal information of a unique pattern of movement over an interval of time and including information identifying data for transfer in a data exchange, and wherein the plurality of motion signatures comprise motion signatures corresponding to a device motion of a first device indicating a desire by a user to initiate a data exchange with a local device and motion signatures corresponding to a matching movement of the local device relative to the first device indicating a desire to receive the data exchange by a receiving user of the local device;

detecting a motion associated with a movement of the first device by the user of the first device making an affirmative gesture using the first device to simulate a throwing motion performed by the user of the first device;

automatically detecting the presence of the local device within a defined vicinity of the first device by wirelessly searching for one or more local devices having the matching movement corresponding to a complementary gesture performed by the receiving user of the local device, wherein the complementary gesture is in a direction at least partly opposite to the affirmative gesture and simulates a catching motion performed by the receiving user of the local device, wherein the affirmative gesture and the complementary gesture do not involve physical contact between the device and the local device;

detecting a motion associated with a movement of the local device;

identifying a motion pattern that corresponds to the motion of the first device;

transmitting a motion signature comprising a timestamp of the motion pattern and a description of the detected motion and a description of a matching motion pattern to the local device;

receiving a corresponding motion signature from the local device with the corresponding motion signature comprising a timestamp of the motion of the local device and a description of the motion of the local device;

comparing the transferred and received motion signatures to identify the corresponding motion signatures of the local device including identifying at least two matching motion patterns associated with a movement of the device and the motion of the local device as part of a motion signature exchange; and

exchanging the selected information with the identified local device having the matching movement that corresponds to the movement of the first device, causing the exchanging of the selected information.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein identifying at least one local device further comprises transmitting a motion signature.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein identifying at least one local device further comprises determining a correspondence between a motion signature of the device and a motion signature of the identified local device.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the transmitted motion signature is transmitted to the identified local device.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein identifying the local device further comprises receiving a motion signature.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the received motion signature is received from the identified local device.

12. The method of claim 6, further comprising associating information stored at the first device with at least one motion pattern.

13. The method of claim 6 further comprising storing the plurality of motion signatures in a catalog or group format in a database maintained by the device.

14. The method of claim 6, further comprising providing feedback to a user of the first device, the feedback indicating a successful exchange of the selected information.

15. A system comprising:

means for storing a plurality of motion signatures, wherein each motion signature includes signal information of a unique pattern of movement over an interval of time and including information identifying data for transfer in a data exchange, and wherein the plurality of motion signatures comprise motion signatures corresponding to a device motion of a device indicating a desire by a user to initiate a data exchange with a compatible local device and motion signatures corresponding to a matching movement of the compatible local device relative to the device indicating a desire to receive the data exchange by a receiving user of the compatible local device;

means for sensing motion of the device produced by the user of the device making an affirmative gesture using the device to simulate a throwing motion performed by the user of the device;

means for detecting the presence of a compatible local device within a defined vicinity of the device by wirelessly searching for one or more local devices having the matching movement corresponding to a complementary gesture performed by the receiving user of the compatible local device, wherein the complementary gesture is in a direction at least partially opposite to the affirmative gesture and simulates a catching motion performed by the receiving user of the compatible local device, wherein the affirmative gesture and the complementary gesture do not involve physical contact between the device and the compatible local device;

means for identifying a motion signature of the sensed motion, wherein the motion signature comprises a timestamp of the sensed motion and a description of the sensed motion and a description of the matching movement, transfers the identified motion signature to the compatible local device;

means for receiving a corresponding motion signature from the compatible local device with the corresponding motion signature comprising a timestamp of the matching movement and a description of the matching movement of the compatible local device; and

means for comparing the transferred and received motion signatures to identify corresponding motion signatures of the compatible local device as part of a motion signature exchange, selects data in response to the corresponding motion signatures, and automatically initiates exchange of the selected data between the device and the compatible local device to cause the exchange of the selected data.