Sensing proximity utilizing a wireless radio subsystem
In one embodiment, a method includes by an RF transceiver of a wireless communications device associated with a first user of an online system, receiving an RF reference signal from each antenna of a plurality of antennas coupled to the RF transceiver. The method also includes, by a processor of the wireless communications device, determining, for each antenna of the plurality of antennas, at least one characteristic of the RF reference signal. The method further includes, by the processor of the wireless communications device, characterizing, based on the at least one determined characteristic, at least one aspect of an environment around the device to determine that an object is approaching the device. The method also includes, by the processor of the wireless communications device, retrieving from the online system, based on determining that the object is approaching the device, information associated with the first user.
1. A method comprising:
by an RF transceiver of a wireless communications device associated with a first user of an online system, receiving an RF reference signal from each antenna of a plurality of antennas coupled to the RF transceiver;
by a processor of the wireless communications device, determining, for each antenna of the plurality of antennas, at least one characteristic of the RF reference signal;
by the processor of the wireless communications device, characterizing, based on the at least one determined characteristic, at least one aspect of an environment around the wireless communications device to determine that an object is approaching the device; and
by the processor of the wireless communications device, retrieving from the online system, based on determining that the object is approaching the wireless communications device, information associated with a social graph maintained by the online system, wherein:
the social graph comprises a plurality of nodes and a plurality of edges connecting the nodes, each of the nodes representing a user or a concept, and each edge between two nodes representing a single degree of separation between the two nodes; and
the first user is represented by a first user node in the social graph.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one determined characteristic comprises an amplitude, phase, dispersion, waveform shape, or distortion.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the object approaching the wireless communications device comprises a body part.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the retrieved information comprises a newsfeed item, image, video, link, music, communication, article, or blog.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the retrieved information comprises one or more content objects, and further comprising prioritizing the content objects based at least in part on an affinity between the first user and each of the one or more content objects.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining a location of the wireless communications device; and
if the determined location corresponds to a known location, then presenting for display to the first user at least a portion of the retrieved information, else authenticating the first user prior to presenting the portion of the retrieved information for display.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the known location comprises a location associated with the first user or a particular wireless network.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the retrieved information is associated with the first user node or with another node within a threshold degree of separation from the first user node.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the retrieved information comprises an indication that a second user is located within proximity of the first user, the second user being represented in the social graph by a second user node that is within a threshold degree of separation from the first user node.
10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising prioritizing the retrieved information based at least in part on a proximity of one or more second users associated with the first user.
11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
measuring, for each antenna of the plurality of antennas, a time between transmitting and receiving the RF reference signal; and
based on the measured time for each antenna, determining a distance or a location of the object relative to the wireless communications device.
12. One or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media embodying software that is operable when executed to:
receive an RF reference signal from each antenna of a plurality of antennas coupled to the RF transceiver;
determine, for each antenna of the plurality of antennas, at least one characteristic of the RF reference signal;
characterize, based on the at least one determined characteristic, at least one aspect of an environment around the wireless communications device to determine that an object is approaching the device; and
retrieve from the online system, based on determining that the object is approaching the wireless communications device, information associated with a social graph maintained by the online system, wherein:
the social graph comprises a plurality of nodes and a plurality of edges connecting the nodes, each of the nodes representing a user or a concept, and each edge between two nodes representing a single degree of separation between the two nodes; and
the first user is represented by a first user node in the social graph.
13. The media of claim 12 , wherein the at least one determined characteristic comprises an amplitude, phase, dispersion, waveform shape, or distortion.
14. The media of claim 12 , wherein the object approaching the wireless communications device comprises a body part.
15. The media of claim 12 , wherein the retrieved information comprises a newsfeed item, image, video, link, music, communication, article, or blog.
16. The media of claim 12 , wherein the retrieved information comprises one or more content objects, and the software is further operable when executed to prioritize the content objects based at least in part on an affinity between the first user and each of the one or more content objects.
17. The media of claim 12 , wherein the software is further operable when executed to:
determine a location of the wireless communications device; and
if the determined location corresponds to a known location, then present for display to the first user at least a portion of the retrieved information, else authenticate the first user prior to presenting the portion of the retrieved information for display.
18. The media of claim 12 , wherein the known location comprises a location associated with the first user or a particular wireless network.
19. The media of claim 12 , wherein the retrieved information is associated with the first user node or with another node within a threshold degree of separation from the first user node.
20. The media of claim 12 , wherein the retrieved information comprises an indication that a second user is located within proximity of the first user, the second user being represented in the social graph by a second user node that is within a threshold degree of separation from the first user node.
21. The media of claim 12 , further comprising prioritizing the retrieved information based at least in part on a proximity of one or more second users associated with the first user.
22. The media of claim 12 , wherein the software is further operable when executed to:
measure, for each antenna of the plurality of antennas, a time between transmitting and receiving the RF reference signal; and
based on the measured time for each antenna, determine a distance or a location of the object relative to the wireless communications device.
23. A system comprising: one or more processors; and a memory coupled to the processors comprising instructions executable by the processors, the processors being operable when executing the instructions to:
receive an RF reference signal from each antenna of a plurality of antennas coupled to the RF transceiver;
determine, for each antenna of the plurality of antennas, at least one characteristic of the RF reference signal;
characterize, based on the at least one determined characteristic, at least one aspect of an environment around the wireless communications device to determine that an object is approaching the device; and
retrieve from the online system, based on determining that the object is approaching the wireless communications device, information associated with a social graph maintained by the online system, wherein:
the social graph comprises a plurality of nodes and a plurality of edges connecting the nodes, each of the nodes representing a user or a concept, and each edge between two nodes representing a single degree of separation between the two nodes; and
the first user is represented by a first user node in the social graph.
24. The system of claim 23 , wherein the at least one determined characteristic comprises an amplitude, phase, dispersion, waveform shape, or distortion.
25. The system of claim 23 , wherein the object approaching the wireless communications device comprises a body part.
26. The system of claim 23 , wherein the retrieved information comprises a newsfeed item, image, video, link, music, communication, article, or blog.
27. The system of claim 23 , wherein the retrieved information comprises one or more content objects, and the software is further operable when executed to prioritize the content objects based at least in part on an affinity between the first user and each of the one or more content objects.
28. The system of claim 23 , wherein the software is further operable when executed to:
determine a location of the wireless communications device; and
if the determined location corresponds to a known location, then present for display to the first user at least a portion of the retrieved information, else authenticate the first user prior to presenting the portion of the retrieved information for display.
29. The system of claim 23 , wherein the known location comprises a location associated with the first user or a particular wireless network.
30. The system of claim 23 , wherein the retrieved information is associated with the first user node or with another node within a threshold degree of separation from the first user node.
31. The system of claim 23 , wherein the retrieved information comprises an indication that a second user is located within proximity of the first user, the second user being represented in the social graph by a second user node that is within a threshold degree of separation from the first user node.
32. The system of claim 23 , further comprising prioritizing the retrieved information based at least in part on a proximity of one or more second users associated with the first user.
33. The system of claim 23 , wherein the software is further operable when executed to:
measure, for each antenna of the plurality of antennas, a time between transmitting and receiving the RF reference signal; and
based on the measured time for each antenna, determine a distance or a location of the object relative to the wireless communications device.