Granted Patent B2

US 9,301,124 · App. 14/179,094 · Granted Mar 29, 2016

Abstract

Claims (52)

1. A method comprising:

detecting, at a first device including an audio detector and a transceiver, an audio command;

recording, at the first device, a first timestamp representative of when the audio command was detected;

sending, by the first device via the transceiver, one or more packets to discover one or more other devices;

detecting, by the first device, at least one response to the sent one or more packets, the at least one response including a second timestamp representative of when the audio command was detected by a second device and a second transceiver; and

triggering, by the first device, an action based on a comparison of the first time stamp and the second time stamp, wherein the triggered action comprises initiating, by the first device a connection establishment with the second device including the second transceiver, when the first time stamp and the second time stamp indicate the first and second devices are at about the same distance from a source of the audio command.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the response comprises an extended inquiry response.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the connection establishment is initiated when a difference between the first time stamp and the second time stamp indicates the first and second devices are at about the same distance from the source of the audio command.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first timestamp is based on at least a first Bluetooth™ clock at the first device, and wherein the second timestamp is based on at least a second Bluetooth™ clock at the second device.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first transceiver and the second transceiver each comprise a short-range transceiver configured in accordance with at least one of a Bluetooth™, a Bluetooth™ Low Energy, and a ZigBee.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the predefined action represents a pairing of the first device and the second device.

7. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one processor, the at least one memory, and the computer program code configured to cause the apparatus to at least:

detect, at the apparatus including an audio detector and a transceiver, an audio command;

record, at the apparatus, a first timestamp representative of when the audio command was detected;

send, by the apparatus via the transceiver, one or more packets to discover one or more other devices;

detect, by the apparatus, at least one response to the sent one or more packets, the at least one response including a second timestamp representative of when the audio command was detected by a second device and a second transceiver; and

trigger, by the first device, an action based on a comparison of the first time stamp and the second time stamp, wherein the triggered action comprises initiating, by the first device a connection establishment with the second device including the second transceiver, when the first time stamp and the second time stamp indicate the first and second devices are at about the same distance from a source of the audio command.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the response comprises an extended inquiry response.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the connection establishment is initiated when a difference between the first time stamp and the second time stamp indicates the first and second devices are at about the same distance from the source of the audio command.

10. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the first timestamp is based on at least a first Bluetooth™ clock at the apparatus, and wherein the second timestamp is based on at least a second Bluetooth™ clock at the second device.

11. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the first transceiver and the second transceiver each comprise a short-range transceiver configured in accordance with at least one of a Bluetooth™, a Bluetooth™ Low Energy, and a ZigBee.

12. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the predefined action represents a pairing of the apparatus and the second device.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium encoded with instructions that, when executed by at least one processor in an apparatus, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following:

detecting an audio command;

recording a first timestamp representative of when the audio command was detected;

sending one or more packets to discover one or more other devices;

detecting at least one response to the sent one or more packets, the at least one response including a second timestamp representative of when the audio command was detected by a second device and a second transceiver; and

triggering an action based on a comparison of the first time stamp and the second time stamp, wherein the triggered action comprises initiating, by the first device a connection establishment with the second device including the second transceiver, when the first time stamp and the second time stamp indicate the first and second devices are at about the same distance from a source of the audio command.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the connection establishment is initiated when a difference between the first time stamp and the second time stamp indicates the first and second devices are at about the same distance from the source of the audio command.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the first timestamp is based on at least a first Bluetooth™ clock at the first device, and wherein the second timestamp is based on at least a second Bluetooth™ clock at the second device.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the predefined action represents a pairing of the first device and the second device.

17. A method comprising:

detecting, at a first device including an audio detector and a transceiver, an audio command;

recording, at the first device, a first timestamp representative of when the audio command was detected;

sending, by the first device via the transceiver, one or more packets to discover one or more other devices;

detecting, by the first device, at least one response to the sent one or more packets, the at least one response including a second timestamp representative of when the audio command was detected by a second device and a second transceiver; and

initiating, by the first device, a connection establishment with the second device including the second transceiver, when the first time stamp and the second time stamp indicate the first and second devices are at about the same distance from a source of the audio command.

18. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one processor, the at least one memory, and the computer program code configured to cause the apparatus to at least:

detect, at the apparatus including an audio detector and a transceiver, an audio command;

record, at the apparatus, a first timestamp representative of when the audio command was detected;

send, by the apparatus via the transceiver, one or more packets to discover one or more other devices;

detect, by the apparatus, at least one response to the sent one or more packets, the at least one response including a second timestamp representative of when the audio command was detected by a second device and a second transceiver; and

initiating, by the first device, a connection establishment with the second device including the second transceiver, when the first time stamp and the second time stamp indicate the first and second devices are at about the same distance from a source of the audio command.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable medium encoded with instructions that, when executed by at least one processor in an apparatus, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following: detecting, at a first device including an audio detector and a transceiver, an audio command;

recording, at the first device, a first timestamp representative of when the audio command was detected;

sending, by the first device via the transceiver, one or more packets to discover one or more other devices;

detecting, by the first device, at least one response to the sent one or more packets, the at least one response including a second timestamp representative of when the audio command was detected by a second device and a second transceiver; and

initiating, by the first device, a connection establishment with the second device including the second transceiver, when the first time stamp and the second time stamp indicate the first and second devices are at about the same distance from a source of the audio command.

Assignments (10)