Patent application number | Description | Published |
20110097996 | Data Communication and Object Localization Using Inductive Coupling - An apparatus and method are disclosed for a software and hardware configuration that uses inductive coupling to allow a physical object to determine information describing another physical object. An inductor capacitor circuit acts as a transmitter as well as a receiver of inductive field. A voltage signal provided to an inductor in an object causes the inductor to generate inductive field received by another inductor in a second object. An object receiving inductive field from another object analyzes the inductive field to receive arbitrary data, including but not limited to data that can allow the receiving object to determine the identity of the object transmitting the inductive field. The object receiving the inductive field can also determine the distance between the receiving object and the transmitting object based on the strength of a signal generated by the inductive field. | 04-28-2011 |
20130143491 | Data Communication and Object Localization Using Inductive Coupling - An apparatus and method are disclosed for a software and hardware configuration that uses inductive coupling to allow a physical object to determine information describing another physical object. An inductor capacitor circuit acts as a transmitter as well as a receiver of inductive field. A voltage signal provided to an inductor in an object causes the inductor to generate inductive field received by another inductor in a second object. An object receiving inductive field from another object analyzes the inductive field to receive arbitrary data, including but not limited to data that can allow the receiving object to determine the identity of the object transmitting the inductive field. The object receiving the inductive field can also determine the distance between the receiving object and the transmitting object based on the strength of a signal generated by the inductive field. | 06-06-2013 |
20130189925 | Pairing Wireless Device Using Multiple Modalities - The protocols necessary to establish a communication relationship between two wireless devices is established by first boot-strapping a configuration message using a first communication means to establish a temporary communicative state so that the two devices can thereafter explore, authenticate and thereafter establish a formal communication relationship using a second communication means. A transceiver can be used to determine the proximity of one device to another can also be used to establish and convey a configuration message providing the necessary information for the establishment of a communication relationship. Using signals generated by modulated electro-magnetic fields, a configuration message can be sent from one device to another device once the second device comes within a certain proximity of the first. Using this message, the second device can be informed as to the steps necessary to configure a high-bandwidth wireless transceiver for reception of pairing information. Once received, an authentication message containing unique information can be transmitted back to the first device establishing a formal communication relationship. Thus, as presented above, two devices can be wirelessly paired with minimal user interaction and with minimal gap in the perception as to which two devices are targeted. | 07-25-2013 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090273560 | Sensor-based distributed tangible user interface - A distributed tangible user interface comprises compact, self-powered, tangible user interface manipulative devices having sensing, display, and wireless communication capabilities, along with one or more associated digital content or other interactive software management applications. The manipulative devices display visual representations of digital content or program controls and can be physically manipulated as a group by a user for interaction with the digital information or software application. A controller on each manipulative device receives and processes data from a movement sensor, initiating behavior on the manipulative and/or forwarding the results to a management application that uses the information to manage the digital content, software application, and/or the manipulative devices. The manipulative devices may also detect the proximity and identity of other manipulative devices, responding to and/or forwarding that information to the management application, and may have feedback devices for presenting responsive information to the user. | 11-05-2009 |
20090307592 | Tangible Social Network - A tangible social network system comprises at least two interactive physical objects adapted for communicatively linking with each other, a visualization application for providing a visual representation of a user's tangible social network, and an object communication frame. An interactive physical object comprises a controller for forming a communicatively linked relationship with another interactive physical object and for receiving and responding to commands and data received from a linked object, and an audio or visual response subsystem. An object communication frame comprises a housing adapted to receive interactive physical objects, a communications subsystem for managing communications with installed objects and with interactive physical objects communicatively linked with installed objects, a controller, and a power subsystem for powering installed objects. The frame or objects may interact with a visualization application, comprising subsystems for receiving information about the user's tangible social network and deriving a representation of it, and a graphical user interface for providing the visual representation to the user. | 12-10-2009 |
20110215998 | PHYSICAL ACTION LANGUAGES FOR DISTRIBUTED TANGIBLE USER INTERFACE SYSTEMS - A system and a method are disclosed for a software configuration for use with distributed tangible user interfaces, in which the software is manipulated via a set of individual actions on individual objects, and in which such individual actions across one or more objects may be combined, simultaneously and/or over time, resulting in compound actions that manipulate the software. These actions and compound actions may be interpreted and acted upon by the software differently depending on its design, configuration, and internal state. | 09-08-2011 |
20120270497 | Manipulable Cubes Base Station - A mobile and autonomous base station facilitating wireless electronic games embodying one or more tangible user interface manipulable devices (cubes) is comprised of at least one wireless communication device, a power source, an output device, a memory, and controller/processor. The base station is operable to receive from, and transmit data to plurality of manipulable devices including motion, proximity and arrangement information. In addition the base station includes the ability to sense the proximity and orientation of nearby manipulable devices. | 10-25-2012 |