Methods of communicating identification information and a responsive command via short-range communications, and related devices

• US 9,820,016 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2013
• Issued: 11/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Mobile Communications Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Ljung, Peter, Wadman, Johan
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, PABLO N
• Application Number:
  US13/795,424
• Publication Number:
  US 20130210360A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,708 Days
• Field of Search: 455 412, 4554042, 455 413, 4554142, 455415, 455418-420, 455423, 455425, 4554321, 4554351, 455440, 4554563, 455461
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/24 for communication between two or more posts wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• 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: H04Q 2209/40 using a wireless architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/79 Radio fingerprint
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user

Abstract

Methods of operating a short-range Radio Frequency (RF) device are provided. The methods may include transmitting identification information that identifies the short-range RF device and/or sensor information generated by a sensor associated with the short-range RF device, using a short-range RF communication protocol. The methods may include receiving a command, responsive to the identification information and/or the sensor information, from a server via a first device using the short-range RF communication protocol to control a second device associated with the short-range RF device. Related devices are also provided.

Claims

1. A method of operating a short-range Radio Frequency (RF) device, comprising:

transmitting, to an anonymous portable electronic device that is anonymous to the short-range RF device, identification information that identifies the short-range RF device, using a short-range RF communication protocol; and

receiving a command, responsive to the identification information, from a server via a first device or the anonymous portable electronic device using the short-range RF communication protocol to control a second device associated with the short-range RF device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the identification information comprises:

transmitting sensor information generated by a sensor associated with the short-range RF device and encrypted identification information that identifies the short-range RF device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the identification information comprises:

transmitting, from the short-range RF device, encrypted identification information that identifies the short-range RF device at least twice before receiving the command from the server.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the first device comprises a first portable electronic device communicating with the short-range RF device using a first short-range RF communication link; and

transmitting the identification information comprises transmitting encrypted identification information that identifies the short-range RF device to a second portable electronic device, comprising the anonymous portable electronic device, using a second short-range RF communication link.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein:

at least one of the first and second short-range RF communication links with the short-range RF device is initiated and used independently of any user input at a respective one of the first and second portable electronic devices; and

receiving the command comprises receiving the command via the second portable electronic device and the first portable electronic device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the identification information comprises:

transmitting encrypted identification information that identifies the short-range RF device and an unencrypted indication to at least one device to directly forward the encrypted identification information to the server or another server without buffering the encrypted identification information in the at least one device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the identification information is destined for the server and/or another server.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the command from the server comprises identification information that identifies the short-range RF device and a control command to be executed by the second device.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the identification information received from the server comprises a plurality of identities of the short-range RF device.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein receiving the command from the server comprises:

receiving a command identifier associated with the command, the method the further comprising;

verifying, using the command identifier, that the command has not previously been received and/or executed since transmitting the identification information.

11. The method of claim 2, wherein transmitting the encrypted identification information comprises:

indiscriminately broadcasting the encrypted identification information, using the short-range RF communication protocol, such that at least the anonymous portable electronic device will receive the encrypted identification information.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the short-range RF device comprises a tag;

the anonymous portable electronic device comprises an anonymous tag reader;

transmitting comprises transmitting, from the tag to the anonymous tag reader, the identification information that identifies the tag, using the short-range RF communication protocol; and

receiving comprises receiving the command, responsive to the identification information, from the server via the first device or the anonymous tag reader using the short-range RF communication protocol to control the second device associated with the tag.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the anonymous portable electronic device comprises one anonymous portable electronic device among a plurality of anonymous portable electronic devices in an anonymous network;

the identification information comprises one identity among a plurality of identities of the short-range RF device; and

transmitting comprises transmitting the plurality of identities of the short-range RF device from the short-range RF device to the anonymous network in a predetermined order, using the short-range RF communication protocol.

14. A short-range Radio Frequency (RF) device, comprising:

a transmitter configured to transmit, to an anonymous portable electronic device that is anonymous to the short-range RF device, identification information that identifies the short-range RF device, using a short-range RF communication protocol; and

a receiver configured to receive a command, responsive to the identification information, from a server via a first device or the anonymous portable electronic device using the short-range RF communication protocol to control a second device associated with the short-range RF device.

15. The short-range RF device of claim 14, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit sensor information generated by a sensor associated with the short-range RF device and encrypted identification information that identifies the short-range RF device.

16. The short-range RF device of claim 14, wherein the transmitter is configured to indiscriminately broadcast the identification information using the short-range RF communication protocol.

17. The short-range RF device of claim 14, wherein:

the first device comprises a first portable electronic device configured to communicate with the short-range RF device using a first short-range RF communication link; and

the transmitter is configured to transmit the identification information to a second portable electronic device, comprising the anonymous portable electronic device, configured to communicate with the short-range RF device using a second short-range RF communication link.

18. The short-range RF device of claim 14, wherein:

the short-range RF device comprises a tag;

the anonymous portable electronic device comprises an anonymous tag reader;

the transmitter is configured to transmit, from the tag to the anonymous tag reader, the identification information that identifies the tag, using a short-range RF communication protocol; and

the receiver is configured to receive the command, responsive to the identification information, from the server via the first device or the anonymous tag reader using the short-range RF communication protocol to control the second device associated with the tag.

19. The short-range RF device of claim 14, wherein:

the anonymous portable electronic device comprises one anonymous portable electronic device among a plurality of anonymous portable electronic devices in an anonymous network;

the identification information comprises one identity among a plurality of identities of the short-range RF device; and

the transmitter is configured to transmit the plurality of identities of the short-range RF device from the short-range RF device to the anonymous network in a predetermined order, using the short-range RF communication protocol.