AN APPARATUS AND RELATED METHOD FOR PROXIMITY AWARENESS

Abstract

An apparatus for enabling proximity awareness, including: a proximity assessing unit having an Ultra-Wide Band interface to determine a distance between said apparatus and a neighbouring device and/or an orientation of said apparatus with respect to a neighbouring device; a first determining unit determining one or more apparatus parameters; a second determining unit determining one or more neighbouring device parameters; a stimulus generating unit generating a stimulus; and a selecting unit selecting a type and/or an intensity of said stimulus in function of a combination of said distance and/or said orientation, said one or more apparatus parameters and said one or more neighbouring device parameters.

Claims

1.-15. (canceled)

16. An apparatus for enabling proximity awareness, wherein said apparatus comprises: a proximity assessing unit comprising an Ultra-Wide B and interface, wherein said proximity assessing unit is configured to determine a distance between said apparatus and a neighbouring device and/or an orientation of said apparatus with respect to a neighbouring device; a first determining unit configured to determine one or more apparatus parameters comprising at least one of: a noise level in the vicinity of said apparatus; an activity level of said apparatus; an identifier of said apparatus; a user group associated with said apparatus; presence of one or more certificates on said apparatus; a second determining unit configured to determine one or more neighbouring device parameters comprising at least one of: an activity level of said neighbouring device; an identifier of said neighbouring device; a user group associated with said neighbouring device; a type of said neighbouring device; presence of one or more neighbouring certificates on said neighbouring device; a stimulus generating unit configured to generate a stimulus; and a selecting unit configured to select a type and/or an intensity of said stimulus in function of a combination of said distance and/or said orientation, said one or more apparatus parameters and said one or more neighbouring device parameters.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said apparatus further comprises a third determining unit configured to: determine a duration since a previous determination of a distance and/or an orientation between said apparatus and said neighbouring device; and determine a change in distance and/or in orientation between said previous determination and said determination by said proximity assessing unit; and wherein said selecting unit is further configured to adapt said type and/or said intensity of said stimulus based on a combination of said change in distance and/or in orientation, said one or more apparatus parameters and said one or more neighbouring device parameters.

18. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said proximity assessing unit is configured to determine said distance between said apparatus and said neighbouring devices and/or said orientation of said apparatus with respect to said neighbouring devices with a frequency in function of a combination of said type and/or said intensity of said stimulus and/or in function of a combination of said distance and/or said orientation, said one or more device parameters and said one or more neighbouring device parameters.

19. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said type of said stimulus corresponds to one or more of the following: sound; light; vibration; signaling; activating a stimulus on another device.

20. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said intensity of said stimulus corresponds to one or more of the following: sound level; sound frequency; light intensity; wavelength; light source selection; vibration frequency; vibration amplitude; frequency of signaling; content of signaling.

21. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said apparatus further comprises a rule engine configured to obtain one or more predetermined rules, wherein each of said predetermined rules defines a correspondence between a type and/or an intensity of said stimulus and a predetermined combination of said distance and/or said orientation, said one or more apparatus parameters and said one or more neighbouring device parameters; and wherein said selecting unit is further configured to select said type and/or said intensity of said stimulus in function of one or more of said predetermined rules.

22. The apparatus according to claim 21, wherein said predetermined rules comprise predetermined thresholds for said apparatus parameters and/or for said neighbouring device parameters.

23. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said proximity assessing unit is configured to assess said distance and/or said orientation between said apparatus and said neighbouring device from one or more of the following: a signal strength of a signal received by said apparatus; a timestamp of reception of said signal by said apparatus; phase information comprised in said signal.

24. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said apparatus further comprises a saving unit configured to generate a neighbour table and further configured to store said neighbouring device parameters in said neighbour table.

25. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said apparatus further comprises a discovery unit configured to broadcast a discovery signal.

26. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said saving unit is further configured to store in said neighbour table at least one or more of the following: said duration since a previous determination of a distance between said apparatus and said neighbouring devices and/or orientation of said apparatus with respect to said neighbouring devices; said change in distance and/or in orientation determined between said previous determination and said determination by said proximity assessing unit; a broadcasting duration since broadcasting a previous discovery signal.

27. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said apparatus further comprises an accelerometer configured to determine acceleration data for said apparatus; and wherein said first determining unit is further configured to determine said activity level of said apparatus from at least said acceleration data.

28. A computer-implemented method for enabling proximity awareness for an apparatus comprising a proximity assessing unit comprising an Ultra-Wide Band interface, wherein said method comprises the steps of: determining with said proximity assessing unit a distance between said apparatus and a neighbouring device and/or an orientation of said apparatus with respect to a neighbouring device; determining one or more apparatus parameters comprising at least one of: a noise level in the vicinity of said apparatus; an activity level of said apparatus; an identifier of said apparatus; a user group associated with said apparatus; presence of one or more certificates on said apparatus; determining one or more neighbouring device parameters comprising at least one of: an activity level of said neighbouring device; an identifier of said neighbouring device; a user group associated with said neighbouring device; a type of said neighbouring device; presence of one or more neighbouring certificates on said neighbouring device; selecting a type and/or an intensity of said stimulus in function of a combination of said distance and/or said orientation, said one or more apparatus parameters and said one or more neighbouring device parameters; and generating said stimulus of said selected type and/or said intensity.

29. A computer program product comprising computer-executable instructions for causing an apparatus comprising a proximity assessing unit comprising an Ultra-Wide Band interface to perform at least the following: determining with said proximity assessing unit a distance between said apparatus and a neighbouring device and/or an orientation of said apparatus with respect to a neighbouring device; determining one or more apparatus parameters comprising at least one of: a noise level in the vicinity of said apparatus; an activity level of said apparatus; an identifier of said apparatus; a user group associated with said apparatus; presence of one or more certificates on said apparatus; determining one or more neighbouring device parameters comprising at least one of: an activity level of said neighbouring device; an identifier of said neighbouring device; a user group associated with said neighbouring device; a type of said neighbouring device; presence of one or more neighbouring certificates on said neighbouring device; selecting a type and/or an intensity of said stimulus in function of a combination of said distance and/or said orientation, said one or more apparatus parameters and said one or more neighbouring device parameters; and generating said stimulus of said selected type and/or said intensity.

30. A computer readable storage medium comprising computer-executable instructions for performing the following steps when the program is run on a computer: determining with a proximity assessing unit comprising an Ultra-Wide Band interface a distance between an apparatus comprising said proximity assessing unit and a neighbouring device and/or an orientation of said apparatus with respect to a neighbouring device; determining one or more apparatus parameters comprising at least one of: a noise level in the vicinity of said apparatus; an activity level of said apparatus; an identifier of said apparatus; a user group associated with said apparatus; presence of one or more certificates on said apparatus; determining one or more neighbouring device parameters comprising at least one of: an activity level of said neighbouring device; an identifier of said neighbouring device; a user group associated with said neighbouring device; a type of said neighbouring device; presence of one or more neighbouring certificates on said neighbouring device; selecting a type and/or an intensity of said stimulus in function of a combination of said distance and/or said orientation, said one or more apparatus parameters and said one or more neighbouring device parameters; and generating said stimulus of said selected type and/or said intensity.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0123] Some example embodiments will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0124] FIG. 1 depicts an example embodiment of an apparatus according to the present disclosure.

[0125] FIG. 2 depicts an example embodiment of a computer-implemented method according to the present disclosure.

[0126] FIG. 3 shows an example embodiment of a suitable computing system for performing one or several steps in embodiments of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENT(S)

[0127] FIG. 1 schematically illustrates an example embodiment of an apparatus 1 according to the present disclosure. The apparatus 1 is used for enabling proximity awareness. The apparatus 1 comprises: [0128] a proximity assessing unit 100 comprising an Ultra-Wide Band interface, wherein the proximity assessing unit 100 is configured to determine a distance 10 between the apparatus 1 and a neighbouring device 2;3 and/or an orientation 11 of the apparatus 1 with respect to a neighbouring device 2;3; [0129] a first determining unit 101 configured to determine one or more apparatus parameters 12 comprising at least one of: [0130] a noise level in the vicinity of the apparatus; [0131] an activity level of the apparatus; [0132] an identifier of the apparatus; [0133] a user group associated with the apparatus; [0134] presence of one or more certificates on the apparatus; [0135] a second determining unit 102 configured to determine one or more neighbouring device parameters 13 comprising at least one of: [0136] an activity level of the neighbouring device; [0137] an identifier of the neighbouring device; [0138] a user group associated with the neighbouring device; [0139] a type of the neighbouring device; [0140] presence of one or more neighbouring certificates on the neighbouring device; [0141] a stimulus generating unit 104 configured to generate a stimulus 40; and [0142] a selecting unit 105 configured to select a type 50 and/or an intensity 51 of the stimulus 40 in function of a combination of the distance 10 and/or the orientation 11, the one or more apparatus parameters 12 and the one or more neighbouring device parameters 13.
Optionally, the apparatus 1 further comprises a third determining unit 103 configured to: determine a duration 30 since a previous determination of a distance 10 and/or an orientation 11 between the apparatus 1 and the neighbouring device 2;3; and determine a change in distance 31 and/or in orientation 32 between the previous determination and the determination by the proximity assessing unit 100. The selecting unit 105 is further configured to adapt the type 50 and/or the intensity 51 of the stimulus 40 based on a combination of the change in distance 31 and/or in orientation 32, the one or more apparatus parameters 12 and the one or more neighbouring device parameters 13. The proximity assessing unit 100 is configured to determine the distance 10 between the apparatus 1 and the neighbouring devices 2;3 and/or the orientation 11 of the apparatus 1 with respect to the neighbouring devices 2;3 with a frequency based on a combination of the type 50 and/or the intensity 51 of the stimulus 40 in function of a combination of the distance 10 and/or the orientation 11, the one or more device parameters 12 and the one or more neighbouring device parameters 13. The type 50 of the stimulus 40 corresponds to one or more of the following: sound; light; vibration; signaling; activating a stimulus on another device. The intensity 51 of the stimulus 40 corresponds to one or more of the following: sound level; sound frequency; light intensity; wavelength; light source selection; vibration frequency; vibration amplitude; frequency of signaling; content of signaling. Optionally, the apparatus 1 further comprises a rule engine 106 configured to obtain one or more predetermined rules 60, wherein each of the predetermined rules 60 defines a correspondence between a type 50 and/or an intensity 51 of the stimulus 40 and a predetermined combination of the distance 10 and/or the orientation 11, the one or more apparatus parameters 12 and the one or more neighbouring device parameters 12. The selecting unit 105 is further configured to select the type 50 and/or the intensity 51 of the stimulus 40 in function of one or more of the predetermined rules 60. The predetermined rules 60 comprise predetermined thresholds for the apparatus parameters 12 and/or for the neighbouring device parameters 13. The proximity assessing unit 100 is configured to assess the distance 10 and/or the orientation 11 between the apparatus 1 and the neighbouring devices 2;3 from one or more of the following: a signal strength of a signal received by the apparatus 1; a timestamp of reception of the signal by the apparatus 1; phase information comprised in the signal 1. Optionally, the apparatus 1 further comprises a saving unit 107 configured to generate a neighbour table 70 and further configured to store the neighbouring device parameters 13 in the neighbour table 70. The apparatus 1 further comprises a discovery unit 108 configured to broadcast a discovery signal 80. The saving unit 107 is further configured to store in the neighbour table 70 at least one or more of the following: the duration 30 since a previous determination of a distance 10 between the apparatus 1 and the neighbouring devices 2;3 and/or orientation 11 of the apparatus 1 with respect to the neighbouring devices 2;3; the change in distance 31 and/or in orientation 32 determined between the previous determination and the determination by the proximity assessing unit 100; a broadcasting duration 81 since broadcasting a previous discovery signal 80. The apparatus further comprises a receiver configured to receive signals generated by the neighbouring devices 2;3. For example, the receiver of the apparatus is configured to receive signals emitted by the devices 2;3 as reply to the discovery signal 80 sent by the apparatus 1. Optionally, the apparatus further comprises a battery to ensure energetically independence to the apparatus 1 up to for example several days, with a recharging time of only a few hours. For example, the apparatus 1 is for example comprised in a for example compact casing of for example 9.5×4.8×1.8 cm weighing for example only tens of grams, for example 57 grams, which makes it very easy of use and lightweight.

[0143] FIG. 2 schematically illustrates an example embodiment of a computer-implemented method according to the present disclosure for enabling proximity awareness for an apparatus comprising a proximity assessing unit comprising an Ultra-Wide Band interface. In a first step 601, a distance 10 between the apparatus 1 and a neighbouring device 2;3 and/or an orientation 11 of the apparatus 1 with respect to a neighbouring device 2;3 is determined by the proximity assessing unit of the apparatus. In a second step 602 consequent to the first step 601, one or more apparatus parameters 12 are determined, wherein the apparatus parameters 12 comprise at least one of: a noise level in the vicinity of the apparatus; an activity level of the apparatus; an identifier of the apparatus; a user group associated with the apparatus; presence of one or more certificates on the apparatus. In a third step 603 consequent to the second step 602, one or more neighbouring device parameters 13 are determined, wherein the one or more neighbouring device parameters 13 comprise at least one of: an activity level of the neighbouring device; an identifier of the neighbouring device; a user group associated with the neighbouring device; a type of the neighbouring device; presence of one or more neighbouring certificates on the neighbouring device. In a fourth step 604 consequent to the third step 603, a type 50 and/or an intensity 51 of the stimulus 40 are selected in function of a combination of the distance 10 and/or the orientation 11, the one or more apparatus parameters 12 and the one or more neighbouring device parameters 13. In a final step 605 consequent to the fourth step 604, the stimulus 40 of the type 50 and/or of the intensity 51 is generated. Optionally, the apparatus 1 further comprises an accelerometer, not depicted on FIG. 2 for clarity reasons, wherein the accelerometer determines a rate of change in velocity of the apparatus and provides this rate of change in velocity of the apparatus to the first determining unit 101. This way, the first determining unit 101 determines an activity level of the apparatus.

[0144] FIG. 3 shows a suitable computing system 800 enabling to implement embodiments of the system. Computing system 800 may in general be formed as a suitable general-purpose computer and comprise a bus 810, a processor 802, a local memory 804, one or more optional input interfaces 814, one or more optional output interfaces 816, a communication interface 812, a storage element interface 806, and one or more storage elements 808. Bus 810 may comprise one or more conductors that permit communication among the components of the computing system 800. Processor 802 may include any type of conventional processor or microprocessor that interprets and executes programming instructions. Local memory 804 may include a random-access memory (RAM) or another type of dynamic storage device that stores information and instructions for execution by processor 802 and/or a read only memory (ROM) or another type of static storage device that stores static information and instructions for use by processor 802. Input interface 814 may comprise one or more conventional mechanisms that permit an operator or user to input information to the computing device 800, such as a keyboard 820, a mouse 830, a pen, voice recognition and/or biometric mechanisms, a camera, etc. Output interface 816 may comprise one or more conventional mechanisms that output information to the operator or user, such as a display 840, etc. Communication interface 812 may comprise any transceiver-like mechanism such as for example one or more Ethernet interfaces that enables computing system 800 to communicate with other devices and/or systems, for example with other computing devices 881, 882, 883. The communication interface 812 of computing system 800 may be connected to such another computing system by means of a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN) such as for example the internet. Storage element interface 806 may comprise a storage interface such as for example a Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA) interface or a Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) for connecting bus 810 to one or more storage elements 808, such as one or more local disks, for example SATA disk drives, and control the reading and writing of data to and/or from these storage elements 808. Although the storage element(s) 808 above is/are described as a local disk, in general any other suitable computer-readable media such as a removable magnetic disk, optical storage media such as a CD or DVD, -ROM disk, solid state drives, flash memory cards, . . . could be used. Computing system 800 could thus correspond to the apparatus 1 in the embodiment illustrated by FIG. 1.

[0145] As used in this application, the term “circuitry” may refer to one or more or all of the following:

[0146] (a) hardware-only circuit implementations such as implementations in only analog and/or digital circuitry and

[0147] (b) combinations of hardware circuits and software, such as (as applicable): [0148] (i) a combination of analog and/or digital hardware circuit(s) with software/firmware and [0149] (ii) any portions of hardware processor(s) with software (including digital signal processor(s)), software, and memory(ies) that work together to cause an apparatus, such as a mobile phone or server, to perform various functions) and

[0150] (c) hardware circuit(s) and/or processor(s), such as microprocessor(s) or a portion of a microprocessor(s), that requires software (e.g. firmware) for operation, but the software may not be present when it is not needed for operation.

[0151] This definition of circuitry applies to all uses of this term in this application, including in any claims. As a further example, as used in this application, the term circuitry also covers an implementation of merely a hardware circuit or processor (or multiple processors) or portion of a hardware circuit or processor and its (or their) accompanying software and/or firmware. The term circuitry also covers, for example and if applicable to the particular claim element, a baseband integrated circuit or processor integrated circuit for a mobile device or a similar integrated circuit in a server, a cellular network device, or other computing or network device.

[0152] Although the present invention has been illustrated by reference to specific embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention is not limited to the details of the foregoing illustrative embodiments, and that the present invention may be embodied with various changes and modifications without departing from the scope thereof. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the scope of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

[0153] It will furthermore be understood by the reader of this patent application that the words “comprising” or “comprise” do not exclude other elements or steps, that the words “a” or “an” do not exclude a plurality, and that a single element, such as a computer system, a processor, or another integrated unit may fulfil the functions of several means recited in the claims. Any reference signs in the claims shall not be construed as limiting the respective claims concerned. The terms “first”, “second”, third”, “a”, “b”, “c”, and the like, when used in the description or in the claims are introduced to distinguish between similar elements or steps and are not necessarily describing a sequential or chronological order. Similarly, the terms “top”, “bottom”, “over”, “under”, and the like are introduced for descriptive purposes and not necessarily to denote relative positions. It is to be understood that the terms so used are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances and embodiments of the invention are capable of operating according to the present invention in other sequences, or in orientations different from the one(s) described or illustrated above.