Method to use acoustic signals for computer communications
View Patent ↗A method of communicating with an electronic device, comprising: providing a computer having an audible sound receiving and generating sub-system including a microphone; transmitting from a source at least one ultrasonic acoustic signal, encoded with information to the computer; and receiving said at least one signal by said microphone, to be detected by said computer. Preferably, the ultrasonic frequency used is below 50 kHz.
1. A method of communicating between an electronic device and a computer, the method comprising:
providing said computer with an audible sound receiving and generating sub-system including a microphone and a loudspeaker;
transmitting from the electronic device at least one first acoustic signal, encoded with information, to said computer;
receiving said at least one first acoustic signal by said microphone, to be detected by said computer;
processing said at least one first acoustic signal, by the computer, to extract said encoded information; and
transmitting to said electronic device from the computer, using said loudspeaker, at least a second acoustic signal, encoded with information, in response to said detected at least one first acoustic signal.
2. A method according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of said at least one first acoustic signal and at least a second acoustic signal comprises an ultrasonic signal.
3. A method according to claim 2 , wherein said ultrasonic signal has a main frequency below 50 kHz.
4. A method according to claim 2 , wherein said ultrasonic signal has a main frequency below 35 kHz.
5. A method according to claim 2 , wherein said ultrasonic signal has a main frequency below 25 kHz.
6. A method according to claim 2 , wherein said ultrasonic signal has a main frequency of about 21 kHz.
7. A method according to claim 2 , wherein said ultrasonic signal has a main frequency of about 20 kHz.
8. A method according to claim 2 , wherein said ultrasonic signal has a main frequency of about 19 kHz.
9. A method according to claim 2 , wherein said ultrasonic signal has a main frequency of below 18 kHz.
10. A method according to claim 2 , wherein said at least one ultrasonic signal comprises a stand alone signal not overlaid on a human tangible signal.
11. A method according to claim 2 , wherein the at least one first acoustic signal, is digitally encoded with information.
12. A method according to claim 1 , wherein said computer comprises a PDA, personal digital assistant.
13. A method according to claim 1 , wherein said computer comprises a portable computer.
14. A method according to claim 1 , wherein said computer comprises a desk-top computer.
15. A method according to claim 1 , wherein said processing comprises determining a distance between said microphone and said electronic device.
16. A method according to claim 1 , wherein said processing comprises determining movement of said microphone relative to said electronic device.
17. A method according to claim 14 , wherein said movement comprises angular movement.
18. A method according to claim 14 , wherein said movement comprises translation.
19. A method according to claim 1 , wherein said processing comprises determining a spatial position of said microphone relative to said electronic device.
20. A method according to claim 17 , wherein said spatial position is a one-dimensional spatial position.
21. A method according to claim 17 , wherein said spatial position is a two-dimensional spatial position.
22. A method according to claim 17 , wherein said spatial position is a three-dimensional spatial position.
23. A method according to claim 1 , comprising controlling at least one action of a toy, responsive to said received at least one audible sound.
24. A method according to claim 1 , wherein said electronic device comprises a toy.
25. A method according to claim 22 , wherein said information comprises stored player input.
26. A method according to claim 1 , wherein said electronic device comprises a smart card.
27. A method according to claim 1 , wherein said electronic device comprises a wireless communication device.
28. A method according to claim 1 , wherein said electronic device comprises a computer.
29. A method according to claim 1 , wherein said electronic device comprises a computer peripheral.
30. A method according to claim 1 , wherein said encoded information comprises personal information.
31. A method according to claim 1 , comprising logging into said computer responsive to said at least one first acoustic signal.
32. A method according to claim 1 , wherein said acoustic signal comprises human audible sound.
33. A method according to claim 30 , wherein said human audible sound has a main frequency over 10 kHz.
34. A method according to claim 1 , wherein said first acoustic signal has a main frequency which is infra-sonic.
35. A method according to claim 1 , wherein said audible sound sub-system comprises a sound card.
36. A method according to claim 33 , wherein said sound card comprises a SoundBlaster compatible sound card.
37. A method according to claim 1 , wherein said sound sub-system is designed for audible sound communication with a human operator.
38. A method according to claim 1 , wherein said electronic device comprises a telephone.
39. A method according to claim 1 , wherein said information comprises e-commerce information.
40. A method according to claim 2 , comprising responding by the computer to the at least one first acoustic signal, as if the computer received an input from a pointing device or a touch screen.
41. A method according to claim 1 , wherein processing the at least one first acoustic signal comprises performing one or more of:
demodulating the encoded information into bits; and
error checking using an error detection code.
42. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second acoustic signals are encoded according to a digital binary code.
43. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second acoustic signals are encoded using one or more of AM, PSK, QPSK, pulse length encoding, frequency modulation, Pulse Width Modulation and On-Off Keying.
44. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second acoustic signals include an error detection code.
45. A method according to claim 1 , wherein transmitting the at least one first acoustic signal comprises transmitting at least one first acoustic signal encoded with information on a carrier thereof.
46. A method of communicating with a computer, the method comprising:
providing a computer having a sound receiving and generating sub-system including a microphone;
transmitting from a source at least one acoustic signal, encoded with information, to said computer;
receiving said at least one acoustic signal by said microphone of the computer; and
forwarding an indication of said encoded information to a remote computer, over an Internet,
wherein, said at least one acoustic signal comprises a stand alone signal not overlaid on a human tangible signal.
47. A method according to claim 39 , wherein said indication comprises a sound file.
48. A method according to claim 39 , wherein said indication comprises a data file.
49. A method according to claim 39 , wherein said acoustic signal comprises an ultrasonic signal.
50. A method according to claim 39 , wherein said source comprises a telephone.
51. A method according to claim 39 , wherein said information comprises e-commerce information.
52. A method according to claim 46 , comprising processing by the computer the received at least one acoustic signal, before forwarding the indication, the processing including one or more of:
demodulating the encoded information into bits; and
error checking using an error detection code.