Method and apparatus for determining direction information for a wireless device

• US 9,549,290 B2
• Filed: 01/08/2014
• Issued: 01/17/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Smith, Dwight R.
• Primary Examiner(s): SAMS, MATTHEW C
• Application Number:
  US14/150,047
• Publication Number:
  US 20150181388A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,105 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/38 using adjustment of real or effective orientation of directivity characteristic of an antenna or an antenna system to give a desired condition of signal derived from that antenna or antenna system, e.g. to give a maximum or minimum signal G01S3/16, G01S3/28 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0072 of resource information of target access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/08 Reselecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/026 using orientation information, e.g. compass

Abstract

A method performed by an apparatus includes scanning at least one of multiple radio frequencies using at least two beamforming antennas of a plurality of beamforming antennas coupled to the eyewear and detecting, on a first scanned radio frequency, first externally emitted radio energy. The method further includes identifying a first wireless device using the detected first externally emitted radio energy and determining a first direction of the first wireless device relative to the eyewear.

Claims

1. A method for determining direction information for one or more wireless devices relative to eyewear by using a plurality of beamforming antennas, the method comprising:

scanning, using a detection beam, at least a first radio frequency of multiple radio frequencies using at least a first beamforming antenna and a second beamforming antenna of the plurality of beamforming antennas that are mechanically integrated with, and communicatively coupled to, the eyewear;

detecting, on the first scanned radio frequency, first externally emitted radio energy using the first and second beamforming antennas;

identifying a first wireless device using the detected first externally emitted radio energy; and

determining a first direction and estimated distance of the first wireless device relative to the eyewear based on a signal strength of the detected first externally emitted radio energy detected using the first and second beamforming antennas.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising establishing a connection to the first wireless device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first wireless device is a first wireless access point and establishing a connection to the first wireless device includes aiming the first beamforming antenna of the plurality of beamforming antennas in the first direction, the method further comprising:

scanning, using a detection beam, at least a second radio frequency and a third radio frequency of the multiple radio frequencies using the second beamforming antenna of the plurality of beamforming antennas;

detecting, on the second radio frequency and the third radio frequency, second and third externally emitted radio energy using the second beamforming antenna;

identifying a second wireless access point using the detected second externally emitted radio energy, and identifying a third wireless access point using the detected third externally emitted radio energy;

determining a second direction of the second wireless access point relative to the eyewear and a third direction of the third wireless access point relative to the eyewear based on the detected second and third externally emitted radio energy detected using the second beamforming antenna;

determining a direction of travel for the eyewear; and

selecting, based on the second and third directions relative to the direction of travel, the second wireless access point instead of the third wireless access point for a handoff, by the eyewear, of the network connection from the first wireless access point to the second wireless access point.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising displaying the first direction of the first wireless device on the eyewear.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing the first direction of the first wireless device to a mobile device communicatively coupled to the eyewear for establishing a connection between the mobile device and the first wireless device.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising maintaining direction information for the first wireless device, wherein the maintaining comprises:

determining, at a first time, a second direction of the first wireless device relative to the eyewear by using at least the first beamforming antenna to electronically detect a change in the signal strength of the signal from the first wireless device, the second direction being a direction that restores the signal strength of the signal from the first wireless device;

aiming the first beamforming antenna of the plurality of beamforming antennas in the second direction;

determining, at a second time after the first time, a third direction of the first wireless device relative to the eyewear by using at least the first beamforming antenna to electronically detect another change in the signal strength of the signal from the first wireless device, the third direction being another direction that restores the signal strength of the signal from the first wireless device; and

changing the aiming of the first beamforming antenna from the second direction to the third direction.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the third direction is determined in response to at least one of:

rotational motion of the eyewear;

or

translational motion of the eyewear relative to the first wireless device.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the first wireless device is a first wireless access point, the method further comprising:

aiming the first beamforming antenna of the plurality of beamforming antennas at the first wireless access point;

scanning, using a detection beam, at least a second and third radio frequency of the multiple radio frequencies using the second beamforming antenna of the plurality of beamforming antennas;

detecting, on the second and third radio frequency, second and third externally emitted radio energy using the second beamforming antenna;

identifying a second wireless access point using the detected second externally emitted radio energy, and identifying a third wireless access point using the detected third externally emitted radio energy; and

selecting the second wireless access point instead of the third wireless access point for a handoff, by the mobile device, of a network connection, between the mobile device and the first wireless access point, from the first wireless access point to the second wireless access point.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

determining a second direction of the second wireless access point relative to the eyewear; and

determining a third direction of the third wireless access point relative to the eyewear, wherein the selecting is based on the second direction as compared to the third direction.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising determining a direction of travel for the eyewear, wherein the second wireless access point is selected over the third wireless access point for the handoff based on the second direction being more closely aligned with the direction of travel than the third direction.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein determining the direction of travel for the eyewear comprises using a set of beamforming antennas of the plurality of beamforming antennas to determine a change in a first direction of the first wireless access point relative to the eyewear over an interval of time, and wherein scanning the at least one of the multiple radio frequencies is based on the eyewear traveling away from the first wireless device.

12. The method of claim 5 further comprising receiving an indication of a probe request sent by the mobile device on the first scanned radio frequency, wherein the detecting on the first scanned radio frequency is in response to the probe request.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein scanning multiple radio frequencies using at least two beamforming antennas comprises a second beamforming antenna of the plurality of beamforming antennas scanning a first channel of a first band contemporaneously with a third beamforming antenna of the plurality of beamforming antennas scanning a second channel of a second and different band.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the first band is a 2.4 Gigahertz band for communicating using at least one Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers 802.11 standard and the second band is a 5 Gigahertz band for communicating using the at least one Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers 802.11 standard.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the first wireless device comprises identifying a peer device.

16. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

identifying a retail establishment using the detected first externally emitted radio energy; and

determining a direction of the retail establishment relative to the eyewear using a set of beamforming antennas of the plurality of beamforming antennas.

17. Eyewear configured for determining direction information for a wireless device relative to the eyewear by using a plurality of beamforming antennas, the eyewear comprising:

an eyewear frame;

an antenna arrangement comprising the plurality of beamforming antennas mechanically integrated with the eyewear frame and communicatively coupled to an antenna control module, which is configured to control the plurality of beamforming antennas;

a transceiver coupled to the antenna arrangement and configured to receive radio signals using the plurality of beamforming antennas; and

a processing element coupled to the antenna arrangement and the transceiver, the processing element configured to cooperatively operate with the antenna arrangement and the transceiver to;

scan, using a detection beam, at least a first radio frequency of multiple radio frequencies using at least a first beamforming antenna and a second beamforming antenna of the plurality of beamforming antennas;

detect, on the first scanned radio frequency, first externally emitted radio energy using the first and second beamforming antennas;

identify a first wireless device using the first externally emitted radio energy; and

determine direction information for a first direction and an estimated distance for the first wireless device based on a signal strength of the detected first externally emitted radio energy detected using the first and second beamforming antennas.

18. The eyewear of claim 17 further comprising a display coupled to the processing element and configured to display the direction information for the first wireless device.

19. The eyewear of claim 17 further comprising a transceiver coupled to the processing element and configured to establish a wireless connection to a mobile device to at least provide to the mobile device the direction information for the first wireless device.

20. The eyewear of claim 19, wherein the processing element is further configured to control the transceiver to:

send a first message to the mobile device indicating a scanned radio frequency containing initially detected radio energy in a frequency band also containing the first scanned radio frequency; and

receive a second message from the mobile device indicating the mobile device is transmitting a probe request on the first scanned radio frequency; and

wherein the processing element is further configured to control the antenna control module and at least one of the beamforming antennas of the plurality of beamforming antennas to receive, on the first scanned radio frequency, a probe response contained within the detected first externally emitted radio energy, wherein the first wireless device is identified using the probe response.