System, an object and a method for grouping of objects in a body area network

• US 9,674,883 B2
• Filed: 08/27/2014
• Issued: 06/06/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Mobile Communications Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Thrn, Ola, Midholt, Magnus
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Wesley
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHAKRABORTY, RAJARSHI
• Application Number:
  US14/470,007
• Publication Number:
  US 20160029422A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,014 Days
• Field of Search: 455 39
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 13/005 Transmission systems in which the medium consists of the human body
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/11 Allocation or use of connection identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A method, performed in a Body Area Network (BAN) enabled communication device, for grouping of at least one BAN enabled object. A connection between at least one BAN enabled object and the BAN enabled communication device is created by using BAN and grouping of the at least one BAN enabled object and the BAN enabled communication device is initiated by creating a group of the at least one BAN enabled object.

Claims

1. A method, performed in a Body Area Network (BAN) enabled communication device associated with a user, for grouping of at least one BAN enabled object, the method comprising the steps of:

establishing a BAN connection via the body of said user between said at least one BAN enabled object and said BAN enabled communication device by sending a userID of said BAN enabled communication device to said at least one BAN enabled object when said user touches said at least one BAN enabled object;

receiving a requested objectID and position data of said at least one BAN enabled object by using said established BAN connection, wherein the position data comprises location data indicating a user-settable intended location of the BAN enabled object;

initiating grouping of said at least one BAN enabled object by creating a group identification data, groupID, based on said received objectID and position data of said at least one BAN enabled object;

confirming said grouping of said at least one object by transmitting said created groupID data to said at least one BAN enabled object by using said established BAN connection; and

storing said groupID within said communication device.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprising the step of:

sending a request for identification data, objectID, of said at least one object by using said established BAN connection.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of receiving said objectID further comprising the step of:

receiving and adding further data of said at least one object.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the further data comprises property data of said at least one object.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises the step of:

tracing said at least one object by using said groupID.

6. A method performed in a Body Area Network, BAN, enabled object, associated with a BAN enabled communication device, for grouping of said object, the method comprising the steps of:

establishing a BAN connection via the body of the user between said BAN enabled object and said BAN enabled communication device receiving a userID from by said BAN enabled communication device when said user touches said BAN enabled object;

sending identification data, objectID, and position data of said object to said communication device by using a communication interface of said object by using said established BAN connection, wherein the position data comprises location data indicating a user-settable intended location of the BAN enabled object;

receiving groupID from said communication device confirming grouping of said object and said communication device by using said established BAN connection; and

storing said received groupID in a storing unit of said object.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the step of sending said objectID further comprising the step of:

sending further data of said object.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein said further data comprises property data of said object.

9. A Body Area Network, BAN, enabled object configured for being grouped with at least one further BAN enabled object, wherein said BAN enabled object comprising:

detector unit circuitry configured for detecting the presence of a human body within a prescribed distance of the detector unit circuitry;

radio communication interface circuitry configured to communicate with a BAN enabled communication device;

a processing circuitry configured to;

i. broadcast a signal, indicating an ability to group, when said detector unit circuitry detects the presence of a human body;

ii. transmit identification data, objectID, and position data associated with said BAN enabled object to said BAN enabled communication device, when a request for objectID is received, wherein the position data comprises location data indicating a user-settable intended location of the BAN enabled object;

iii. receive, using the radio communication interface circuitry, groupID from said communication device, when a groupID is created;

iv. store, in a data storage, the received groupID.

10. The object according to claim 9, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to transmit property data to the communication device.

11. The object according to claim any of claim 9, wherein said object comprises an electronic module.

12. The object according to claim 11, wherein said electronic module comprises said detector circuitry unit, said radio communication interface circuitry, said processing circuitry and said data storage.

13. The object according to claim 11, wherein said electronic module further comprises a battery.

14. A system comprising at least one Body Area Network, BAN, enabled object and a Body Area Network, BAN, enabled communication device, wherein said system is configured for grouping of said at least one BAN enabled object with said BAN enabled communication device, wherein said BAN enabled object comprises:

detector unit circuitry configured for detecting the presence of a human body within a prescribed distance of the detector unit circuitry;

radio communication interface circuitry configured to communicate with said BAN enabled communication device;

a processing circuitry configured to;

i. broadcast a signal, indicating an ability to group, when said detector unit circuitry detects the presence of a human body;

ii. transmit identification data, objectID, and position data associated with the BAN enabled object to the BAN enabled communication device, when a request for objectID is received, wherein the position data comprises location data indicating a user-settable intended location of the BAN enabled object;

iii. receive, using the radio communication interface circuitry, groupID from said BAN enabled communication device, when a groupID is created;

iv. store, in a data storage, the received groupID.