Wireless transfer of data
View Patent ↗The invention relates to a method of initiating a wireless transfer of data between two electronic devices. In order to make the initiation particularly user friendly, it is proposed that a concept called “hugging” is employed. A hugging state between two electronic devices is assumed to be given if a first electronic device and a second electronic device are determined to undergo a specific motion pattern relative to each other while being at least in close vicinity to each other. Only in case such a hugging state is detected at a first device, a data transfer channel is opened for transferring data between the first device and some other device, e.g. the second device. The invention relates equally to a corresponding device and to a software program product with a corresponding software code.
1. A method of initiating a wireless transfer of data between at least two of at least two electronic devices, said method comprising at a first one of said electronic devices:
detecting a hugging state between said first electronic device and a second one of said electronic devices, a hugging state being assumed to be given if said first electronic device and said second electronic device are determined to undergo a specific motion pattern relative to each other while being at least in close vicinity to each other, wherein said detecting a hugging state comprises:
opening a polling channel as a local wireless link of said first electronic device;
transmitting signals on said polling channel and receiving signals on said polling channel; and
determining whether said first electronic device is in a hugging state with a corresponding second electronic device by evaluating data measured by said first device and signals received via said polling channel; and
opening a data transfer channel as a local wireless link of said first electronic device for transferring data between said first electronic device and another than said first one of said electronic devices, when it has been detected that said first electronic device is in a hugging state with a second one of said electronic devices.
2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein a hugging state between said first electronic device and a second electronic device is detected by a detection of at least one of a mechanical and an electrical interaction between said first electronic device and a second electronic device.
3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said polling channel is opened by said first electronic device upon initiation by a user.
4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said first electronic device performs a regular sampling on said polling channel, and wherein said polling channel is opened automatically by said first electronic device, when said regular sampling of said polling channel shows that a second electronic device located in the vicinity is transmitting signals on said polling channel.
5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said polling channel is opened automatically by said first electronic device, when proximity measurements performed by said first electronic device indicate that a second electronic device is in the vicinity.
6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said polling channel is opened automatically by said first electronic device, when data of a predetermined type is currently uniquely identified in said first electronic device.
7. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising performing at said first electronic device proximity measurements using a proximity sensor for detecting close objects when said polling channel is opened, wherein said first electronic device transmits a proximity indication on said polling channel in case a close object is detected by said proximity sensor, and wherein said first electronic device determines that it is in a hugging state with a second electronic device which has equally opened said polling channel, in case said first electronic devices receives basically at the time of transmission of said proximity indication a proximity indication transmitted by a second electronic device on said polling channel.
8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said first electronic device emits infrared signals of a specified intensity on said polling channel, polls for received infrared signals on said polling channel and determines the intensity of received infrared signals, and wherein said first electronic device determines that it is in a hugging state with a second electronic device which has equally opened said polling channel, in case the intensity of received infrared signals corresponds to a predefined intensity, which can be expected if said first electronic device and said second electronic device undergo said specific motion pattern relative to each other.
9. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising determining the acceleration of said first electronic device using an acceleration sensor in said first electronic device when said polling channel is opened, wherein said first electronic device transmits an acceleration indication on said polling channel in case said acceleration sensor detects a predefined acceleration-deceleration profile which can be expected for said first electronic device in case said first electronic device and said second electronic device undergo said specific motion pattern relative to each other, and wherein said first electronic device determines that it is in a hugging state with a second electronic device which has equally opened said polling channel, in case said first electronic device receives basically at the time of transmission of said acceleration indication a corresponding acceleration indication transmitted by a second electronic device on said polling channel.
10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said first electronic device measures the intensity of signals received on said polling channel, and wherein said first electronic device determines that it is in a hugging state with a second electronic device which has equally opened said polling channel, in case a measured intensity of signals received on said polling channel behaves according to a predefined function of time which can be expected in case said first and said second electronic device undergo said specific motion pattern relative to each other.
11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said first electronic device determines based on at least one of the following approaches whether it is in a hugging state with a second electronic device which has equally opened said polling channel: an audio-based proximity sensing, a detection which is based on the sound of a contact, a detection using application-specific contact sensors, and a visual identification of said specific motion pattern.
12. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said first electronic device only determines that it is in a hugging state with a second electronic device, in case a plurality of conditions are met which indicate that said first electronic device is in a hugging state with a second electronic device.
13. The method according to claim 1 , wherein fuzzy reasoning is employed for determining whether said first electronic device is in a hugging state with a second electronic device.
14. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said data is transferred in form of virtual objects.
15. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said other than said first one of said electronic devices is the same as said second one of said electronic devices.
16. The method according to claim 1 , where said other than said first one of said electronic devices is a third one of said electronic devices, said second electronic device functioning only as a medium for opening a data transfer channel for transferring data between said first electronic device and said third electronic device.
17. An electronic device comprising:
at least one interface for establishing a local wireless link to other electronic devices;
a processing component for opening a polling channel via said at least one interface;
a processing component for causing a transmission of signals on said polling channel and a reception of signals on said polling channel;
a processing component for determining whether said first electronic device is in a hugging state with a corresponding second electronic device, a hugging state being assumed to be given if said first electronic device and said second electronic device are determined to undergo a specific motion pattern relative to each other while being at least in close vicinity to each other, wherein said processing component for determining whether said first electronic device is in a hugging state with a corresponding second electronic device evaluates data measured by said first device and signals received via said polling channel; and
a processing component for opening a data transfer channel via said at least one interface for enabling a transfer of data between said first electronic device and another than said first one of said electronic devices, when it has been determined that said first electronic device is in a hugging state with a second electronic device.
18. A software program product in which a software code for initiating a wireless transfer of data between at least two of at least two electronic devices is stored in a machine readable medium said software code realizing the following steps when running in a processing unit of a first one of said electronic devices:
determining whether said first electronic device is in a hugging state with a corresponding second one of said electronic devices, a hugging state being assumed to be given if said first electronic device and said second electronic device are determined to undergo a specific motion pattern relative to each other while being at least in close vicinity to each other, wherein said determining whether said first electronic device is in a hugging state with a corresponding second one of said electronic devices comprises:
opening a polling channel as a local wireless link of said first electronic device;
transmitting signals on said polling channel and receiving signals on said polling channel; and
determining whether said first electronic device is in a hugging state with a corresponding second electronic device by evaluating data measured by said first device and signals received via said polling channel; and
opening a data transfer channel as a local wireless link of said first electronic device for transferring data between said first electronic device and another than said first one of said electronic devices when it has been determined that said first electronic device is in a hugging state with a second electronic device.