A device location finding method and system

Abstract

Embodiments of the present application provide a device position searching method and system. The method comprises: when a first electronic device is disconnected from a second electronic device, the first electronic device can acquire a first position, and send the first position to a third electronic device, wherein the first position represents a position of the second electronic device when the first electronic device is disconnected from the second electronic device; after the third electronic device receives the first position, the third electronic device can display the first position in response to an input operation acting on the third electronic device. Thus, one electronic device shares the position of another electronic device with another electronic device, so that the position of the other electronic device can be viewed on another electronic device, and the probability of the other electronic device being lost is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of communication technology, and in particular to a method and system for locating device locations. Background Technology

[0002] With the continuous development of electronic device technology, the types and numbers of electronic devices are also constantly increasing. A user can own multiple electronic devices simultaneously, such as smartphones, smartwatches, smart glasses, smart bracelets, earphones, and so on. However, when users take these electronic devices out, they often get lost. When an electronic device goes missing, if it lacks location tracking capabilities, it is difficult to pinpoint its location, making it hard to find. For example, if a user takes a smartphone and earphones out, and the earphones go missing, because earphones do not have location tracking capabilities, it is difficult to pinpoint their location, and therefore difficult to find them. Therefore, how to effectively determine the location of electronic devices for retrieval is a pressing technical problem that needs to be solved. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This application provides a device location locator method, system, electronic device, computer storage medium, and computer program product containing instructions, which can share the location of other electronic devices from one electronic device to another, enabling the location of other electronic devices to be viewed from another electronic device, thereby reducing the probability of other electronic devices going missing.

[0004] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a device location locator method, which can be applied to a first electronic device. The method may include: the first electronic device disconnecting from a second electronic device; the first electronic device acquiring a first location, the first location representing the location of the second electronic device when the first electronic device disconnects from the second electronic device; and the first electronic device sending the first location to a third electronic device.

[0005] Therefore, when the second electronic device disconnects from the first electronic device, the first electronic device can obtain the location of the second electronic device and send the location to the third electronic device, so that the location of the second electronic device can be viewed on the third electronic device, thereby reducing the probability of the second electronic device going missing.

[0006] For example, the first electronic device can be an electronic device without positioning functionality, such as headphones, headphone cases, or glasses; the second electronic device can be an electronic device with positioning functionality, such as a smartwatch or smart bracelet; and the third electronic device can be an electronic device with a display screen and location viewing functionality, such as a mobile phone or computer. Furthermore, the first electronic device can also be an electronic device with positioning functionality, and the second electronic device can also be an electronic device without positioning functionality.

[0007] In one possible implementation, the first location is the location obtained by the second electronic device based on its own positioning function. For example, the second electronic device can be a smartwatch, smart bracelet, or similar device with positioning capabilities. When the first electronic device and the second electronic device are disconnected, the first electronic device can obtain the first location obtained by the second electronic device based on its own positioning function, thereby providing more accurate location information when the second electronic device is missing.

[0008] In one possible implementation, before the first electronic device disconnects from the second electronic device, the first electronic device receives a second location sent by the third electronic device, which is the location obtained by the third electronic device based on its own positioning function.

[0009] Therefore, the first electronic device can obtain the location of the third electronic device, store the location, and share the location with other electronic devices. For example, when the second electronic device does not have location tracking capabilities, it can use the second location sent by the third electronic device as its own location.

[0010] In one possible implementation, before the first electronic device disconnects from the second electronic device, the first electronic device sends a second location to the second electronic device; wherein the second location is obtained by the third electronic device based on its own positioning function and sent to the first electronic device.

[0011] For example, the first electronic device can be an electronic device without positioning function, such as headphones or glasses; the second electronic device can be an electronic device without positioning function, such as a headphone case or glasses case; the third electronic device is an electronic device with a display screen and location viewing function, such as a mobile phone or computer. The first electronic device can establish connections with the second and third electronic devices respectively, but the second and third electronic devices cannot establish connections. The third electronic device sends a second location obtained based on its own positioning function to the first electronic device, and the first electronic device then sends the second location to the second electronic device. Thus, both the first and second electronic devices can locate themselves based on the positioning function of the third electronic device. When the first electronic device disconnects from the second electronic device, the first electronic device has already obtained the location of the second electronic device at that time, so the first electronic device sends the location to the third electronic device, thereby allowing the location of the second electronic device when it disconnected to be viewed on the third electronic device.

[0012] In one possible implementation, the first position is the same as the second position.

[0013] In one possible implementation, the first electronic device sends a first location to the third electronic device, specifically including: the first electronic device establishing a connection with the third electronic device; and the first electronic device sending the first location to the third electronic device.

[0014] Therefore, when establishing a connection, the location of the second electronic device when it was disconnected from the first electronic device can be shared with the third electronic device.

[0015] In one possible implementation, the connection is a short-range communication connection.

[0016] Secondly, embodiments of this application provide a device location locator method, which can be applied to a system including a first electronic device, a second electronic device, and a third electronic device. The method may include: the first electronic device disconnecting from the second electronic device; the first electronic device acquiring a first location, the first location representing the location of the second electronic device when the first electronic device disconnects from the second electronic device; the first electronic device sending the first location to the third electronic device; and the third electronic device, upon receiving the first location, displaying first information in response to an input operation performed on the third electronic device, the first information including the first location.

[0017] Therefore, when the second electronic device disconnects from the first electronic device, the first electronic device can obtain the location of the second electronic device and send this location to the third electronic device. The third electronic device can then view the location of the second electronic device, thus reducing the probability of the second electronic device going missing. Thus, through location sharing among the various electronic devices in the system, each electronic device can be viewed on any electronic device with location viewing capabilities, thereby reducing the probability of electronic devices going missing.

[0018] For example, the first electronic device can be an electronic device without positioning functionality, such as headphones, headphone cases, or glasses; the second electronic device can be an electronic device with positioning functionality, such as a smartwatch or smart bracelet; and the third electronic device can be an electronic device with a display screen and location viewing functionality, such as a mobile phone or computer. Furthermore, the first electronic device can also be an electronic device with positioning functionality, and the second electronic device can also be an electronic device without positioning functionality.

[0019] In one possible implementation, the second electronic device has a positioning function; the first location is the location obtained by the second electronic device based on its own positioning function.

[0020] For example, the second electronic device can be a smartwatch, smart bracelet, or other device with positioning capabilities. When the first electronic device and the second electronic device are disconnected, the first electronic device can obtain the first location obtained by the second electronic device based on its own positioning function, thereby providing more accurate location information when the second electronic device is missing.

[0021] In one possible implementation, before the first electronic device disconnects from the second electronic device, the first electronic device receives a second location sent by the third electronic device, which is the location obtained by the third electronic device based on its own positioning function.

[0022] Therefore, the first electronic device can obtain the location of the third electronic device, store the location, and share the location with other electronic devices. For example, when the second electronic device does not have location tracking capabilities, it can use the second location sent by the third electronic device as its own location.

[0023] In one possible implementation, before the first electronic device disconnects from the second electronic device, the first electronic device sends a second location to the second electronic device. This second location is obtained by the third electronic device using its own positioning function and then sent to the first electronic device.

[0024] For example, the first electronic device can be an electronic device without positioning function, such as headphones or glasses; the second electronic device can be an electronic device without positioning function, such as a headphone case or glasses case; the third electronic device is an electronic device with a display screen and location viewing function, such as a mobile phone or computer. The first electronic device can establish connections with the second and third electronic devices respectively, but the second and third electronic devices cannot establish connections. The third electronic device sends a second location obtained based on its own positioning function to the first electronic device, and the first electronic device then sends the second location to the second electronic device. Thus, both the first and second electronic devices can locate themselves based on the positioning function of the third electronic device. When the first electronic device disconnects from the second electronic device, the first electronic device has already obtained the location of the second electronic device at that time, so the first electronic device sends the location to the third electronic device, thereby allowing the location of the second electronic device when it disconnected to be viewed on the third electronic device.

[0025] In one possible implementation, the first position is the same as the second position.

[0026] In one possible implementation, the first electronic device sends a first location to the third electronic device, specifically including: the first electronic device establishing a connection with the third electronic device; and the first electronic device sending the first location to the third electronic device.

[0027] Therefore, when establishing a connection, the location of the second electronic device when it was disconnected from the first electronic device can be shared with the third electronic device.

[0028] In one possible implementation, the connection is a short-range communication connection.

[0029] In one possible implementation, the first information may also include one or more of the following: the source of the first location, the update time of the first location, or the recommended first location.

[0030] Thirdly, embodiments of this application provide a device discovery system, including: a first electronic device, a second electronic device, and a third electronic device. Each of the first, second, and third electronic devices includes: at least one memory for storing a program; and at least one processor for executing the program stored in the memory. When the program stored in the memory is executed, the processor executes the method provided in the second aspect.

[0031] In one possible implementation, at least one memory of the first electronic device is used to store the first location.

[0032] In one possible implementation, the first electronic device is a headset.

[0033] Fourthly, embodiments of this application provide an electronic device, including: at least one memory for storing a program; and at least one processor for executing the program stored in the memory, wherein when the program stored in the memory is executed, the processor is used to execute the method provided in the first aspect.

[0034] Fifthly, embodiments of this application provide a computer storage medium storing instructions that, when executed on a computer, cause the computer to perform the method provided in the first aspect.

[0035] In a sixth aspect, embodiments of this application provide a computer program product containing instructions that, when executed on a computer, cause the computer to perform the method provided in the first aspect. Attached Figure Description

[0036] Figure 1a This is a schematic diagram of an application scenario provided by an embodiment of this application;

[0037] Figure 1b This is a schematic diagram of an application scenario provided by an embodiment of this application;

[0038] Figure 2a This is a schematic diagram of the system architecture of a device location locator system provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0039] Figure 2b This is a schematic diagram of the system architecture of a device location locator system provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0040] Figure 2c This is a schematic diagram of the system architecture of a device location locator system provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0041] Figure 2d This is a schematic diagram of the system architecture of a device location locator system provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0042] Figure 2e This is a schematic diagram of the system architecture of a device location locator system provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0043] Figure 3a This is a schematic diagram of a trust network composed of electronic devices in a device location locator system provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0044] Figure 3b This is a schematic diagram of a trust network composed of electronic devices in a device location locator system provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0045] Figure 4a This is a schematic diagram illustrating the storage location of an electronic device according to an embodiment of this application;

[0046] Figure 4b This is a schematic diagram illustrating the storage location of an electronic device according to an embodiment of this application;

[0047] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of a data structure for information exchange between electronic devices provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0048] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the hardware structure of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0049] Figure 7a This is a schematic diagram of an application scenario provided by an embodiment of this application;

[0050] Figure 7b This is a schematic diagram of an application scenario provided by an embodiment of this application;

[0051] Figure 7c This is a schematic diagram of an application scenario provided by an embodiment of this application;

[0052] Figure 7d This is a schematic diagram of an application scenario provided by an embodiment of this application;

[0053] Figure 7e This is a schematic diagram of the display interface of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0054] Figure 7f This is a schematic diagram of the display interface of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0055] Figure 7g This is a schematic diagram of the display interface of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0056] Figure 7h This is a schematic diagram of the display interface of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0057] Figure 7i This is a schematic diagram of the display interface of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0058] Figure 8a This is a schematic diagram of an application scenario provided by an embodiment of this application;

[0059] Figure 8b This is a schematic diagram of the display interface of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0060] Figure 8c This is a schematic diagram of the display interface of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0061] Figure 8d This is a schematic diagram of the display interface of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0062] Figure 8e This is a schematic diagram of the display interface of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0063] Figure 8f This is a schematic diagram of the display interface of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0064] Figure 9a This is a schematic diagram of an application scenario provided by an embodiment of this application;

[0065] Figure 9b This is a schematic diagram of an application scenario provided by an embodiment of this application;

[0066] Figure 9c This is a schematic diagram of the display interface of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0067] Figure 9d This is a schematic diagram of the display interface of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0068] Figure 9e This is a schematic diagram of the display interface of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0069] Figure 9f This is a schematic diagram of the display interface of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0070] Figure 9g This is a schematic diagram of the display interface of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0071] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of an application scenario provided by an embodiment of this application;

[0072] Figure 11 This is a schematic flowchart of a device search method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0073] Figure 12 This is a flowchart illustrating another device search method provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0074] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this application clearer, the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0075] The terminology used in the following embodiments is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of this application. As used in the specification and appended claims of this application, the singular expressions “a,” “an,” “the,” “the,” “the,” and “this” are intended to also include expressions such as “one or more,” unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It should also be understood that in the following embodiments of this application, “at least one” and “one or more” refer to one or more (including two). The term “and / or” is used to describe the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist; for example, A and / or B can indicate: A alone, A and B simultaneously, or B alone, where A and B can be singular or plural. The character “ / ” generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects are in an “or” relationship.

[0076] References to "one embodiment" or "some embodiments" as used in this specification mean that one or more embodiments of this application include a specific feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment. Therefore, the phrases "in one embodiment," "in some embodiments," "in other embodiments," "in still other embodiments," etc., appearing in different parts of this specification do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, but rather mean "one or more, but not all, embodiments," unless otherwise specifically emphasized. The terms "comprising," "including," "having," and variations thereof mean "including but not limited to," unless otherwise specifically emphasized. The term "connection" includes both direct and indirect connections, unless otherwise stated.

[0077] Hereinafter, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature.

[0078] In the embodiments of this application, the words "exemplarily" or "for example" are used to indicate examples, illustrations, or explanations. Any embodiment or design described as "exemplarily" or "for example" in the embodiments of this application should not be construed as being more preferred or advantageous than other embodiments or design solutions. Specifically, the use of the words "exemplarily" or "for example" is intended to present the relevant concepts in a specific manner.

[0079] To facilitate determining the location of electronic devices, electronic devices with location positioning capabilities can be used in combination with those without. For example... Figure 1a As shown, electronic device A has location tracking capabilities, while electronic device B does not. Electronic device A can establish a connection with electronic device B. When determining the location of electronic device B, the location of electronic device A can be used as the location of electronic device B. Therefore, when electronic device B goes missing, the location of electronic device A when it disconnects from electronic device B can be used as the location of electronic device B when it goes missing, thus determining the location of electronic device B when it goes missing. However, if electronic device A goes missing, because electronic device B is difficult to locate, it is difficult to determine the location of electronic device B when it disconnects from electronic device A, and thus difficult to determine the location of electronic device A when it goes missing. For example, electronic device A can be a smartphone, and electronic device B can be a Bluetooth-enabled headset; the smartphone and headset can establish a connection via Bluetooth.

[0080] In addition, such as Figure 1bAs shown, electronic devices A and C have location tracking capabilities, while electronic device B does not. Electronic devices A, B, and C can establish connections with each other. In this case, when determining the location of electronic device B, the location located by electronic device A can be used as the location of electronic device B, or the location located by electronic device C can be used as the location of electronic device B. In this scenario, if electronic device A has internet access while electronic device C does not, and electronic devices A and C are disconnected while electronic device A is connected to B, and electronic device B is connected to C, then when electronic device C goes missing, because its location is only stored in its local memory and it lacks internet access, only electronic device C itself knows its missing location. Electronic devices A and B cannot know the location of electronic device C when it went missing, making it difficult to determine the location of electronic device C. For example, electronic device A can be a smartphone, electronic device B can be a Bluetooth-enabled headset, and electronic device C can be a smartwatch; a smartphone and headset can connect via Bluetooth, a smartphone and a smartwatch can connect via Bluetooth, and a smartwatch and headset can connect via Bluetooth.

[0081] Furthermore, to effectively determine the location of electronic devices for retrieval, this scheme is proposed. This scheme establishes trust relationships between electronic devices, enabling them to share their own locations and the locations of trusted devices. This forms a trust network, allowing each electronic device in the network to directly or indirectly obtain the locations of other electronic devices within the network. This allows any electronic device in a viewable location to view the locations of other electronic devices in the network, thus effectively determining their positions and retrieval, reducing the probability of missing electronic devices within the trust network.

[0082] Next, the device location locating scheme involved in this plan will be described in detail.

[0083] First, this solution provides a device location locator system. This system can include multiple electronic devices. At least one electronic device in the system has a location positioning function for location determination. At least one electronic device in the system has a network connection function to convert the located latitude and longitude information into a visible location on a map, which can then be used to locate the electronic device using search software. Each electronic device in the system has a data storage function to store the location information of all other electronic devices in the system. Each electronic device in the system has a data communication function to exchange location information.

[0084] In one example, such as Figure 2a As shown, the device location locating system provided in this solution can include electronic devices A and B. Electronic devices A and B can be connected via wireless communication technologies, such as short-range or long-range wireless connections, or via physical connections, such as pin connections. Once connected, electronic devices A and B establish a trust relationship and can share their locations. Specifically, electronic devices A and B can share their locations with each other when location sharing conditions are met. After location sharing, either electronic device A or B can store its own location and the other's location. For example, location sharing conditions can include: the moment the connection is established, the moment the connection is broken, the moment the location of at least one device is updated, or the moment a preset period is reached, etc. For example, short-range wireless connection technologies can include Bluetooth, ZigBee, etc.; long-range wireless connection technologies can include Wireless Fidelity (WIFI), etc.

[0085] Furthermore, such as Figure 2b As shown, the system may also include electronic device C. Electronic device C can establish a connection with electronic device B via the wireless communication technology described above. Once connected, electronic devices B and C establish a trust relationship, allowing them to share locations. Specifically, when location sharing conditions are met, electronic device B can share its own location and the location of electronic device A stored within it with electronic device C. Then, electronic device C can store its own location, as well as the locations of electronic devices A and B. Furthermore, when location sharing conditions are met, electronic device C can also share its own location with electronic device B. Subsequently, electronic device B can store the location of electronic device C and, when location sharing conditions are met, share the location of electronic device C with electronic device A. Thus, in the trust network composed of electronic devices A, B, and C, each electronic device can store the locations of all other electronic devices in the network. Subsequently, the locations of all electronic devices in the trust network can be viewed from any accessible electronic device, effectively determining their positions and facilitating their retrieval, thereby reducing the probability of missing electronic devices within the trust network.

[0086] In addition, such as Figure 2cAs shown, the system may also include electronic devices D, E, etc. The way electronic devices D and E share their locations, or between electronic devices D and E and other devices in the system, is similar to the way electronic devices A, B, and C share their locations as described above, and will not be elaborated further here.

[0087] It is understood that any two electronic devices in this system can establish a direct connection. For example, such as... Figure 2d As shown, electronic devices A and B can establish a direct connection, and electronic devices A and D can also establish a direct connection.

[0088] In one example, each electronic device in the system can have a direct trust list and an indirect trust list. The direct trust list records electronic devices directly connected to that electronic device, while the indirect trust list records electronic devices indirectly connected to that electronic device. See also the example section. Figure 2d The direct trust list of electronic device A is: electronic devices B and D, and the indirect trust list is: electronic devices C and E; the direct trust list of electronic device B is: electronic devices A and C, and the indirect trust list is: electronic devices D and E; the direct trust list of electronic device C is: electronic devices B and D, and the indirect trust list is: electronic devices A and E; the direct trust list of electronic device E is: electronic device D, and the indirect trust list is: electronic devices A, B, and C.

[0089] Furthermore, in Figure 2d In the above, when electronic device A disconnects from electronic device D and establishes a connection with electronic device E, a situation can be formed as follows: Figure 2e The system architecture shown is illustrated. Figure 2e In this scenario, the direct trust list of electronic device A can be changed to include electronic devices B and E, and the indirect trust list can be changed to include electronic devices C and D. As another possible implementation, since electronic device D was previously present in the direct trust list of electronic device A, therefore... Figure 2e In the direct trust list of electronic device A, electronic device D can still be retained, that is, in Figure 2e The direct trust list for electronic device A is: electronic devices B, D, and E, while the indirect trust list can be: electronic device C.

[0090] Next, with Figure 2d and 2e Taking the system architecture as an example, this paper describes the trust network composed of electronic devices in the device location search system of this solution. For example... Figure 3a As shown in the figure, this diagram illustrates... Figure 2dA network of trust is formed by electronic devices, in which each device trusts the others. For example, electronic device A has direct trust with electronic devices B and D, and indirect trust with electronic devices C and E. Figure 3b As shown in the figure, this diagram illustrates... Figure 2e A trust network is formed by electronic devices, in which each electronic device trusts the others. For example, electronic device A has direct trust with electronic devices B and E, and electronic device A has indirect trust with electronic devices C and D.

[0091] Understandably, in this solution, when electronic devices in the device location locator system mark their own location, those with location positioning capabilities can prioritize using their own located location to mark their own position; those without location positioning capabilities can use the most recently received location of a directly connected electronic device to mark their own position. Furthermore, for accuracy, electronic devices without location positioning capabilities can prioritize using the location of a directly connected electronic device with location positioning capabilities to mark their own position. For example, please refer to [link to example]. Figure 2d Assume that electronic devices A, B, and C do not have location positioning capabilities, while electronic device D does. In this case, electronic device D can mark its own location using its own located location. Electronic device A can use the location of electronic device D to mark its own location, and electronic device C can also use the location of electronic device D to mark its own location. If electronic device B recently receives the location of electronic device A, then electronic device B can use the location of electronic device A to mark its own location. If electronic device B recently receives the location of electronic device C, then electronic device B can use the location of electronic device C to mark its own location.

[0092] When storing the locations of other electronic devices in a device location locator system, electronic devices can prioritize storing the locations of those other electronic devices themselves; that is, they should prioritize storing the locations of electronic devices with location tracking capabilities. For an example, please refer to [link to documentation]. Figure 2d Assume that electronic device A has a location positioning function, while electronic devices B, C, and D do not. In this case, electronic device D can obtain the location of electronic device A from electronic device A, or it can obtain the location of electronic device A from electronic device C. Since electronic device A has a location positioning function, electronic device D will preferentially use the location of electronic device A obtained from electronic device A to mark electronic device A.

[0093] Furthermore, considering the possibility of positioning errors in electronic devices with location tracking capabilities, when storing the locations of other electronic devices with location tracking capabilities, an electronic device can use the location of the device it receives from other electronic devices as a reference. If the distance between the two locations is large, it indicates that the device with location tracking is misaligned; therefore, the location of the device it receives from other electronic devices can be used to mark the location of the device with location tracking. If the distance between the two locations is small, it indicates that the device with location tracking is not misaligned; therefore, the location located by the device itself can be used for marking. For example, see [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 2d If electronic device D has a location positioning function, electronic device A can use the location of electronic device D itself to mark the location when marking the location of electronic device D; at the same time, electronic device A can also refer to the location of electronic device D received from electronic device B; when the two locations are close to each other, electronic device A can use the location of electronic device D itself to mark the location of electronic device D; when the two locations are far apart, electronic device A can use the location of electronic device D sent by electronic device B to mark the location of electronic device D.

[0094] Understandably, in this solution, when storing the locations of other electronic devices, the electronic device can also store the location of a specific electronic device shared by all the other electronic devices. Then, when the electronic device needs to locate the location of a specific electronic device, it selects a location from the stored locations of the electronic devices to be located, i.e., the recommended location of the electronic device to be located. The selection criteria can refer to the principles described above for storing electronic device locations, and will not be repeated here. For example, please refer to... Figure 2d When electronic device A stores the location of electronic device C, it can simultaneously store the location of electronic device C shared by electronic devices B and D. When electronic device A needs to locate the location of electronic device C, it selects a location from its stored locations of electronic device C (such as the location of electronic device C shared by electronic device D) as the required location.

[0095] In one example, an electronic device can store its own location and the locations of other electronic devices separately to distinguish its own location from the locations of other electronic devices. For instance, the electronic device stores its own location in area one of its memory and the locations of other electronic devices in area two of its memory.

[0096] In one example, when storing its own location and the locations of other electronic devices, the electronic device can overwrite its previous location with its latest location, or it can overwrite the previous location of a corresponding electronic device with the latest location it has received from other electronic devices, thereby saving storage space. For example, such as... Figure 4a As shown, if the current time is 2021.04.22, 8:30 AM, then the electronic device's own location and the locations of other electronic devices stored at this time will only have the latest current location.

[0097] Furthermore, when storing its own location and the locations of other electronic devices, the electronic device can retain its location at various points in time, as well as the locations of other electronic devices it receives at various points in time. This allows for the viewing of the electronic device's own movement trajectory or the movement trajectory of other electronic devices. For example, such as... Figure 4b As shown, if the current time is 2021.04.22, 8:30 AM, and the connection between electronic devices A, B and C is established at 2021.04.22, 8:00 AM, then the electronic devices store their own positions at various points in time and the positions of other electronic devices at various points in time.

[0098] In one example, in this solution, the information shared between electronic devices in the device location locator system may include: the electronic device's identifier, its location, a timestamp, and whether the electronic device has location tracking capabilities. See also the following example. Figure 2d The information shared by electronic device A with electronic device B may include: the identifier of electronic device A, the location of electronic device A, a timestamp, and whether electronic device A has a location tracking function. Similarly, the information shared by electronic device A with electronic device B regarding electronic device D may include: the identifier of electronic device D, the location of electronic device D, a timestamp, and whether electronic device D has a location tracking function. It is understood that in this scheme, the identifier of the electronic device facilitates identification of which electronic device's location it is, the location of the electronic device represents its current location, the timestamp represents the time when the electronic device's location was sent, and whether the electronic device has a location tracking function helps determine whether it can be located.

[0099] For example, such as Figure 5 As shown, the data structure for information exchanged between electronic devices in a device location locator system can contain four parts: field 0, indicating the identifier of the electronic device; field 1, indicating the location of the electronic device; field 2, indicating the time of the current location transmission; and field 3, indicating whether the electronic device has a location tracking function. It is understandable that... Figure 5The data structure of the information shown does not constitute a limitation on the information exchanged between electronic devices in the device location locator system of this solution. In other embodiments of this solution, the information exchanged between electronic devices in the device location locator system may include more than […]. Figure 5 More or less of the middle.

[0100] The above is an introduction to the device location locator system provided in this solution. Next, the hardware structure of the electronic equipment involved in this solution will be described.

[0101] It is understood that the electronic devices involved in this solution can be mobile phones, tablets, desktop computers, laptops, handheld computers, laptops, ultra-mobile personal computers (UMPCs), netbooks, as well as cellular phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), augmented reality (AR) devices, virtual reality (VR) devices, artificial intelligence (AI) devices, wearable devices, in-vehicle devices, smart home devices, and / or smart city devices. This application embodiment does not impose any special restrictions on the specific type of electronic device.

[0102] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the hardware structure of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of this application. For example... Figure 6 As shown, the electronic device may include: a processor 110, an external memory interface 120, an internal memory 121, a universal serial bus (USB) interface 130, a charging management module 140, a power management module 141, a battery 142, an antenna 1, an antenna 2, a mobile communication module 150, a wireless communication module 160, an audio module 170, a speaker 170A, a receiver 170B, a microphone 170C, a headphone jack 170D, a sensor module 180, buttons 190, a motor 191, an indicator 192, a camera 193, a display screen 194, and a subscriber identification module (SIM) card interface 195, etc. The sensor module 180 may include a pressure sensor 180A, a gyroscope sensor 180B, a barometric pressure sensor 180C, a magnetic sensor 180D, an accelerometer sensor 180E, a distance sensor 180F, a proximity sensor 180G, a fingerprint sensor 180H, a temperature sensor 180J, a touch sensor 180K, an ambient light sensor 180L, a bone conduction sensor 180M, etc.

[0103] It is understood that the structures illustrated in the embodiments of the present invention do not constitute a specific limitation on the electronic device. In other embodiments of this application, the electronic device may include more or fewer components than illustrated, or combine some components, or split some components, or have different component arrangements. The illustrated components may be implemented in hardware, software, or a combination of software and hardware.

[0104] Processor 110 may include one or more processing units, such as application processors (APs), modem processors, graphics processing units (GPUs), image signal processors (ISPs), controllers, video codecs, digital signal processors (DSPs), baseband processors, and / or neural network processing units (NPUs). These different processing units may be independent devices or integrated into one or more processors.

[0105] The controller can generate operation control signals based on the instruction opcode and timing signals to complete the control of instruction fetching and execution.

[0106] The processor 110 may also include a memory for storing instructions and data. In some embodiments, the memory in the processor 110 is a cache memory. This memory can store instructions or data that the processor 110 has just used or that are used repeatedly. If the processor 110 needs to use the instruction or data again, it can retrieve it directly from the memory. This avoids repeated accesses, reduces the waiting time of the processor 110, and thus improves the efficiency of the system.

[0107] USB port 130 is a USB standard compliant interface, which can be a Mini USB port, Micro USB port, USB Type-C port, etc. USB port 130 can be used to connect a charger to charge electronic devices, and can also be used for data transfer between electronic devices and peripheral devices. It can also be used to connect headphones for audio playback. This interface can also be used to connect other electronic devices, such as AR devices.

[0108] The charging management module 140 receives charging input from a charger. The charger can be a wireless charger or a wired charger. In some wired charging embodiments, the charging management module 140 receives charging input from the wired charger via a USB interface 130. In some wireless charging embodiments, the charging management module 140 receives wireless charging input via the wireless charging coil of the electronic device. While charging the battery 142, the charging management module 140 can also supply power to the electronic device via the power management module 141.

[0109] The power management module 141 connects the battery 142, the charging management module 140, and the processor 110. The power management module 141 receives input from the battery 142 and / or the charging management module 140, providing power to the processor 110, internal memory 121, display screen 194, camera 193, and wireless communication module 160, etc. The power management module 141 can also monitor parameters such as battery capacity, battery cycle count, and battery health status (leakage current, impedance). In some other embodiments, the power management module 141 may also be located within the processor 110. In other embodiments, the power management module 141 and the charging management module 140 may be located in the same device.

[0110] The wireless communication function of electronic devices can be realized through antenna 1, antenna 2, mobile communication module 150, wireless communication module 160, modem processor and baseband processor, etc.

[0111] Antenna 1 and antenna 2 are used to transmit and receive electromagnetic wave signals. Each antenna in the electronic device can be used to cover one or more communication frequency bands. Different antennas can also be reused to improve antenna utilization. For example, antenna 1 can be reused as a diversity antenna for a wireless local area network. In some other embodiments, the antennas can be used in conjunction with a tuning switch.

[0112] The mobile communication module 150 can provide solutions for wireless communication applications including 2G / 3G / 4G / 5G in electronic devices. The mobile communication module 150 may include at least one filter, switch, power amplifier, low noise amplifier (LNA), etc. The mobile communication module 150 can receive electromagnetic waves via antenna 1, and perform filtering, amplification, and other processing on the received electromagnetic waves before transmitting them to a modem processor for demodulation. The mobile communication module 150 can also amplify the signal modulated by the modem processor and convert it into electromagnetic waves for radiation via antenna 1. In some embodiments, at least some functional modules of the mobile communication module 150 may be housed in processor 110. In some embodiments, at least some functional modules of the mobile communication module 150 and at least some modules of the processor 110 may be housed in the same device.

[0113] The modem processor may include a modulator and a demodulator. The modulator modulates the low-frequency baseband signal to be transmitted into a mid-to-high frequency signal. The demodulator demodulates the received electromagnetic wave signal into a low-frequency baseband signal. The demodulator then transmits the demodulated low-frequency baseband signal to the baseband processor for processing. After processing by the baseband processor, the low-frequency baseband signal is transmitted to the application processor. The application processor outputs sound signals through an audio device (not limited to speaker 170A, receiver 170B, etc.) or displays images or videos through the display screen 194. In some embodiments, the modem processor may be a separate device. In other embodiments, the modem processor may be independent of the processor 110 and may be housed in the same device as the mobile communication module 150 or other functional modules.

[0114] The wireless communication module 160 can provide solutions for wireless communication applications in electronic devices, including wireless local area networks (WLANs) (such as wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) networks), Bluetooth (BT), global navigation satellite system (GNSS), frequency modulation (FM), near field communication (NFC), and infrared (IR) technologies. The wireless communication module 160 can be one or more devices integrating at least one communication processing module. The wireless communication module 160 receives electromagnetic waves via antenna 2, performs frequency modulation and filtering of the electromagnetic wave signal, and sends the processed signal to processor 110. The wireless communication module 160 can also receive signals to be transmitted from processor 110, perform frequency modulation and amplification, and convert them into electromagnetic waves for radiation via antenna 2. For example, an electronic device can use the wireless communication module 160 to send location information, such as its own location information and / or its stored location information, to other electronic devices, and can also use the wireless communication module 160 to receive location information sent by other electronic devices.

[0115] Electronic devices implement display functions through a GPU, a display screen 194, and an application processor. The GPU is a microprocessor for image processing, connecting the display screen 194 and the application processor. The GPU is used to perform mathematical and geometric calculations and for graphics rendering. The processor 110 may include one or more GPUs, which execute program instructions to generate or modify display information.

[0116] Display screen 194 is used to display images, videos, etc. Display screen 194 includes a display panel. The display panel can be a liquid crystal display (LCD), an organic light-emitting diode (OLED), an active-matrix organic light-emitting diode (AMOLED), a flexible light-emitting diode (FLED), a miniature LED, a microLED, a quantum dot light-emitting diode (QLED), etc. In some embodiments, the electronic device may include one or N displays 194, where N is a positive integer greater than 1. Exemplarily, display screen 194 can also be used to display the interface of an application for finding device locations, display the display window of the application, display the locations of various electronic devices in the device location finding system, etc.

[0117] The external storage interface 120 can be used to connect an external memory card, such as a Micro SD card, to expand the storage capacity of the electronic device. The external memory card communicates with the processor 110 through the external storage interface 120 to perform data storage functions. For example, music, video, and other files can be saved on the external memory card.

[0118] Internal memory 121 can be used to store executable program code, including instructions. Internal memory 121 may include a program storage area and a data storage area. The program storage area may store the operating system, at least one application program required for a function (such as sound playback, image playback, etc.), etc. The data storage area may store data created during the use of the electronic device (such as audio data, phonebook, etc.). Furthermore, internal memory 121 may include high-speed random access memory, and may also include non-volatile memory, such as at least one disk storage device, flash memory device, universal flash storage (UFS), etc. Processor 110 executes various functional applications and data processing of the electronic device by running instructions stored in internal memory 121 and / or instructions stored in memory disposed in the processor. For example, internal memory 121 may have multiple storage areas, one of which may store the location of the electronic device itself, and another storage area may store the locations of other electronic devices.

[0119] Electronic devices can implement audio functions such as music playback and recording through audio modules 170, speakers 170A, receivers 170B, microphones 170C, headphone jacks 170D, and application processors.

[0120] Buttons 190 include a power button, volume buttons, etc. Buttons 190 can be mechanical buttons or touch-sensitive buttons. The electronic device can receive button input and generate key signal inputs related to user settings and function control of the electronic device.

[0121] Motor 191 can generate vibration alerts. Motor 191 can be used for incoming call vibration alerts or for touch vibration feedback. For example, different vibration feedback effects can correspond to touch operations performed on different applications (such as taking photos, playing audio, etc.). Motor 191 can also correspond to different vibration feedback effects for touch operations performed on different areas of the display screen 194. Different application scenarios (such as time reminders, receiving messages, alarm clocks, games, etc.) can also correspond to different vibration feedback effects. The touch vibration feedback effect can also be customized.

[0122] Indicator 192 can be an indicator light, used to indicate charging status, power changes, or to indicate messages, missed calls, notifications, etc.

[0123] The SIM card interface 195 is used to connect a SIM card. The SIM card can be inserted into or removed from the SIM card interface 195 to achieve contact and separation with the electronic device. The electronic device can support one or N SIM card interfaces, where N is a positive integer greater than 1. The SIM card interface 195 can support Nano SIM cards, Micro SIM cards, SIM cards, etc. Multiple cards can be inserted into the same SIM card interface 195 simultaneously. The multiple cards can be of the same or different types. The SIM card interface 195 is also compatible with different types of SIM cards. The SIM card interface 195 is also compatible with external memory cards. The electronic device interacts with the network through the SIM card to achieve functions such as calls and data communication. In some embodiments, the electronic device uses an eSIM, i.e., an embedded SIM card. The eSIM card can be embedded in the electronic device and cannot be separated from it.

[0124] In addition, the electronic device may also include a positioning device (not shown in the figure). The positioning device can locate the position of the electronic device. For example, the positioning device may be a Global Positioning System (GPS).

[0125] Understandably, this plan Figure 6The illustrated structure does not constitute a specific limitation on the electronic device. In other embodiments of this solution, the electronic device may include more or fewer components than illustrated, or combine some components, or split some components, or have different component arrangements. The illustrated components may be implemented in hardware, software, or a combination of software and hardware. For example, at least one electronic device in the aforementioned device finding system may have networking capabilities. Furthermore, at least one electronic device in the aforementioned device finding system may have location capabilities.

[0126] The above is an introduction to the hardware structure of the electronic devices involved in this solution. For ease of understanding, examples will be provided in different scenarios below.

[0127] Scene 1

[0128] like Figure 7a As shown, the device location locator system includes a mobile phone 71, a watch 72, and an earphone 73. The mobile phone 71 and earphone 73 can establish a connection via Bluetooth, as can the watch 72 and earphone 73, but there is no connection between the watch 72 and the mobile phone 71. The mobile phone 71 has internet connectivity and location tracking capabilities, the watch 72 has location tracking capabilities, and the earphone 73 does not have location tracking capabilities. Neither the watch 72 nor the earphone 73 has internet connectivity.

[0129] If a user goes out carrying a watch 72 and earphones 73, but not a mobile phone 71, the watch 72 and earphones 73 can share their locations when location sharing conditions are met. At this time, the watch 72 can store its own location and the earphones 73's location, and the earphones 73 can store its own location and the watch 72's location. The location of the earphones 73 can be marked using the watch 72's location. Then, if... Figure 7b As shown, while out and about, the connection between mobile phone 71 and earphone 73 is lost, while the connection between watch 72 and earphone 73 remains intact.

[0130] Suppose that the user takes off watch 72 while out and about, resulting in the loss of watch 72, while earphone 73 remains intact. In this case, if... Figure 7c As shown, the watch 72 disconnects from the earphone 73, and the phone 71 also disconnects from the earphone 73. Since the watch 72 and earphone 73 could share their locations before the disconnection, after the disconnection, the earphone 73 stores the locations of both the earphone 73 and the watch 72 at the time the watch 72 was lost.

[0131] Then, when the user returns home, such as Figure 7dAs shown, the connection between the mobile phone 71 and the earphone 73 can be re-established. After the connection is re-established, the earphone 73 can share the location of the earphone 73 and the location of the watch 72 when the watch 72 was lost with the mobile phone 71, so that the mobile phone 71 can know the location of the watch 72 when it was lost.

[0132] After that, as Figure 7e As shown, the user can open the Find My Device application on phone 71 and see the information stored on phone 71 for watch 72 and earphone 73. The image shows that phone 71 and earphone 73 are both near the user, while watch 72 is 5 kilometers away. Phone 71 can also display the location of devices within a preset range (e.g., 2 kilometers) from the user. Figure 7e The location of mobile phone 71 shown in the image (i.e., building A). Additionally, as... Figure 7e As shown, the phone's icon can also be displayed in area 711 on the phone 71. A line connecting the phone's icon to its location guides the user to visually observe the phone's location on the map. Understandably, once the Find My Device application is enabled on the phone 71, it can display a preset area based on the user's location. Specifically, in... Figure 7e In the process, the area displayed to the user by the phone 71 may not include the area where the watch 72 was lost. Furthermore, users can zoom in and out of the area displayed by the Find My Device app to show a larger area. Understandably, to display the relationship between the phone 71 icon and its location, besides using... Figure 7e Besides the method shown, other methods can also be used, and no limitation is made here. For example, when displaying the location of phone 71, the icon of phone 71 can be placed above the location of phone 71; for example, as shown... Figure 7i As shown, when the location of mobile phone 71 is at building a, the icon of mobile phone 71 can be displayed on "building a" in area 717. In addition, since earphone 73 is in the same location as mobile phone 71, the icon of earphone 73 can also be displayed in area 717. It is understood that other methods can also be used to display the location of devices on the map in this embodiment of the application, and no limitation is made here.

[0133] Next, continue reading Figure 7e Users can tap area 712 on phone 71 to see the location of watch 72 when it was lost. After tapping area 712 on phone 71, phone 71 can display... Figure 7f The interface displayed. Figure 7fIn the display, mobile phone 71 can clearly show the location (i.e., park C) where watch 72 was lost. Furthermore, as... Figure 7f The watch icon can also be displayed in area 713 on the phone 71. A line connecting the watch icon to the location where the watch was lost can guide the user to visually locate the watch on the map. Understandably, after the user taps area 712 on the phone 71, the interface displayed on the phone 71 can only show within a preset size area, such as only showing... Figure 7f The watch icon was displayed at the location (i.e., Park C) where watch 72 was lost, and in area 713, but not at that location. Figure 7f The mobile phone's current location (i.e., Building A) and the mobile phone icon displayed in area 711.

[0134] In addition, after opening the Find My Device application on the phone 71, users can also see the following on the phone 71: Figure 7g The interface shown. The user is in... Figure 7g The displayed interface shows a list of currently searchable devices. Users can then tap area 714 on phone 71 to view the location where watch 72 was lost. After tapping area 714 on phone 71, the phone 71 will display... Figure 7h The interface displayed. Figure 7h In the image, area 715 on the phone 71 clearly displays the locations of the watch 72 when it was lost, as recorded by various devices, including the source of each location, the update time of each location, and the recommended location for use by the phone 71. Figure 7h The location of watch 72 shown (i.e., park c) can be the recommended location L1 for phone 71. It is understandable that... Figure 7h The watch icon can also be displayed in area 716 on the phone 71. By connecting the watch icon with the location where the watch was lost, users can be easily guided to intuitively observe the location where the watch was lost on the map.

[0135] In this scenario, not only can the lost watch 72 be found, but if the user accidentally loses the phone 71 while out and about with the phone 71 and earphones 73, the device locator provided in this application can also be used to obtain the location of the phone 71 when it was lost by using the watch 72 left at home (if the watch has a display screen and a Find My Device application), and send the location to the watch 72, so that the location of the phone 71 when it was lost can be viewed on the watch 72.

[0136] Scene 2

[0137] like Figure 8aAs shown, the device location system includes a mobile phone 81, a left earbud 82, a right earbud 83, and a charging case 84. The mobile phone 81 and the left earbud 82 can establish a connection via Bluetooth, as can the mobile phone 81 and the right earbud 83. The left earbud 82 and the charging case 84 can also be physically connected via Bluetooth. In this solution, the physical connection between the left earbud 82 or the right earbud 83 and the charging case 84 can be understood as the charging pin of the left earbud 82 or the right earbud 83 connecting to the charging pin of the charging case 84. In other words, when the left earbud 82 or the right earbud 83 is placed in the charging case 84, it can establish a connection with the charging case 84. In this solution, the left earbud 82 and the right earbud 83 can constitute a true wireless stereo (TWS) headset. Understandably, when the charging case 84 has Bluetooth functionality, the left earbud 82 or the right earbud 83 can also establish a connection with the charging case 84 via Bluetooth. The phone 81 is equipped with a positioning device, while the left earbud 82, right earbud 83, and charging case 84 are not equipped with positioning devices.

[0138] In this scenario, when the location sharing conditions are met, mobile phone 81 can share its location and the locations of other electronic devices it stores with left earphone 82 and right earphone 83. Left earphone 82, when the location sharing conditions are met, can share its location and the locations of other electronic devices it stores with mobile phone 81, right earphone 83, and charging case 84. Right earphone 83, when the location sharing conditions are met, can share its location and the locations of other electronic devices it stores with mobile phone 81, left earphone 82, and charging case 84. Charging case 84, when the location sharing conditions are met, can share its location and the locations of other electronic devices it stores with left earphone 82 and right earphone 83. Since left earphone 82, right earphone 83, and charging case 84 do not have location tracking capabilities, their respective stored locations can be considered as the location of mobile phone 81.

[0139] When the charging case 84 is lost, the left earbud 82 can save the location of the charging case 84 during its most recent contact with the charging case 84. After the left earbud 82 establishes a connection with the mobile phone 81, it can share the recorded location of the charging case 84 with the mobile phone 81. This allows the mobile phone 81 to know the location of the charging case 84 when it was lost. Similarly, the right earbud 83 can also save the location of the charging case 84 during its most recent contact with the charging case 84. After the right earbud 83 establishes a connection with the mobile phone 81, it can share the recorded location of the charging case 84 with the mobile phone 81.

[0140] After that, as Figure 8b As shown, the user can open the Find My Device application on phone 81 and see the information stored on phone 81 for the left earphone 82, right earphone 83, and charging case 84. The image shows that phone 81, left earphone 82, and right earphone 83 are all near the user, while the charging case 84 is 3 kilometers away. Phone 81 can also display the location of devices within a preset range (e.g., 2 kilometers) from the user. Figure 8b The location of phone number 81 is displayed in the image. Additionally, as shown... Figure 8b The icon of the phone can also be displayed in area 811 on the phone. By connecting the phone icon with the phone's location, the user can be easily guided to observe the phone's location intuitively from the map.

[0141] Next, continue reading Figure 8b Users can tap area 812 on phone 81 to see the location of the charging case 84 when it was lost. After tapping area 812 on phone 81, phone 81 will display... Figure 8c The interface displayed. Figure 8c In the image, phone 81 can clearly display the location (i.e., restaurant d) where the charging case 84 was lost. Furthermore, as... Figure 8c The charging case icon can also be displayed in area 813 on the phone 81. A line connecting the charging case icon to the location where the charging case was lost can guide the user to visually observe the location of the lost charging case on a map. Understandably, to display the relationship between the phone 81 icon and the location of the phone 81, besides using... Figure 8b Besides the method shown, other methods can also be used, and no limitation is made here. For example, when displaying the location of phone 81, the icon of phone 81 can be placed above the location of phone 81; for example, as shown... Figure 8f As shown, the icon of mobile phone 81 can be displayed in area 817. In addition, since the left earphone 82 and the right earphone 83 are both in the same position as mobile phone 81, the icons of the left earphone 82 and the right earphone 83 can also be displayed in area 817 at the same time.

[0142] In addition, after opening the Find My Device app on the phone, users can also see the following on the phone: Figure 8d The interface shown. The user is in... Figure 8d The displayed interface shows a list of currently searchable devices. Users can then tap area 814 on phone 81 to see the location of the lost charging case 84. After tapping area 814 on phone 81, the phone 81 will display... Figure 8e The interface displayed. Figure 8e In the image, area 815 on the phone 81 clearly displays the locations of the lost charging case 84 recorded by various devices, the source of each location, the update time of each location, and the recommended location for use by the phone 81, etc. Figure 8e The location of the charging case 84 shown can be the recommended location L1 (i.e., restaurant d) for the phone 81. Additionally, as... Figure 8e The icon of the charging case can also be displayed in area 816 on the phone. By connecting the icon of the charging case with the location where the charging case was lost, users can be easily guided to intuitively observe the location of the lost charging case on the map.

[0143] Understandably, when mobile phone 81 is lost, the left earpiece 82 and right earpiece 83 can also save the location of mobile phone 81 at the time of their most recent contact with mobile phone 81. Subsequently, when the left earpiece 82 or right earpiece 83 establishes a connection with other electronic devices that have device location tracking capabilities (such as another mobile phone, tablet, or laptop of the user), the left earpiece 82 or right earpiece 83 can share the location of mobile phone 81 at the time of their most recent contact with mobile phone 81 with these other electronic devices. This allows the location of mobile phone 81 at the time of its loss to be viewed on these other electronic devices.

[0144] In this scenario, not only can the lost mobile phone 81 or charging case 84 be located, but if either the left earbud 82 or the right earbud 83 (e.g., the left earbud 82) is lost, the device locator method provided in this application can also be used to obtain the location of the left earbud 82 when it was lost using the remaining earbud (e.g., the right earbud 83), and send that location to the mobile phone 81, where the location of the left earbud 82 when it was lost can be viewed. Similarly, if the charging case 84 can connect to the mobile phone 81 via Bluetooth, if both the left earbud 82 and the right earbud 83 are lost, the charging case 84 can be used to obtain the locations of the left earbud 82 and the right earbud 83 when they were lost, and send that location to the mobile phone 81, where the locations of the left earbud 82 and the right earbud 83 when they were lost can be viewed.

[0145] Scene 3

[0146] like Figure 9a As shown, the device location tracking system includes a mobile phone 91, glasses 92, and a glasses case 93. The mobile phone 91 and glasses 92 can establish a connection via Bluetooth, as can the glasses 92 and glasses case 93, but the glasses case 93 and mobile phone 91 are not connected. The mobile phone 91 is equipped with a positioning device, while the glasses 92 and glasses case 93 are not.

[0147] If a user goes out carrying a mobile phone 91, glasses 92, and glasses case 93, during the trip, the mobile phone 91 and glasses 92 can share their locations when location sharing conditions are met, and the glasses 92 and glasses case 93 can also share their locations when location sharing conditions are met. At this time, the mobile phone 91 can store its own location, the locations of glasses 92 and glasses case 93, the glasses 92 can store its own location, the locations of mobile phone 91 and glasses case 93, and the glasses case 93 can store its own location, the locations of mobile phone 91 and glasses 92. The locations of glasses 92 and glasses case 93 can both be marked using the location information from the mobile phone 91.

[0148] like Figure 9b As shown, suppose a user loses their glasses case 93 while out and about. At this point, the connection between the glasses 92 and the glasses case 93 is lost. Since the glasses 92 and the glasses case 93 can share their location, the glasses 92 stored the location of the glasses case 93—its location at the time of loss—before the connection was lost. When the glasses 92 shares its location with the mobile phone 91, it can share the location of the glasses case 93 with the mobile phone 91, at which point the mobile phone 91 also stores the location of the glasses case 93.

[0149] When a user discovers that their glasses case 93 is missing, such as Figure 9c As shown, the user can open the Find My Device application on phone 91 and see the information stored on phone 91 for glasses 92 and glasses case 93. The image shows that phone 91 and glasses 92 are both near the user, while glasses case 93 is 5 kilometers away. Phone 91 can also display the location of devices within a preset range (e.g., 2 kilometers) from the user. Figure 9c The location of mobile phone 91 shown in the image (i.e., building A). Additionally, as... Figure 9c The image also shows the phone's icon in area 911 on the phone. A line connecting the phone's icon and its location guides the user to visually observe the phone's position on the map. Understandably, to display the relationship between the phone's icon and its location, besides using... Figure 9cBesides the method shown, other methods can also be used, and no limitation is made here. For example, when displaying the location of phone 91, the icon of phone 91 can be placed above the location of phone 91; for example, as shown... Figure 9g As shown, when the location of mobile phone 91 is in building a, the icon of mobile phone 91 can be displayed on "building a" in area 917. In addition, since glasses 92 is in the same location as mobile phone 91, the icon of glasses 92 can also be displayed in area 917 at the same time.

[0150] Next, continue reading Figure 9c Users can tap area 912 on phone 91 to see the location of the lost glasses case 93. After tapping area 912 on phone 91, phone 91 will display... Figure 9d The interface displayed. Figure 9d In the image, mobile phone 91 can clearly display the location (i.e., park C) where the glasses case 93 was lost. Furthermore, as... Figure 9d The icon of the glasses case can also be displayed in area 913 on the phone. By connecting the icon of the glasses case with the location where the glasses case was lost, users can be easily guided to intuitively observe the location of the glasses case when it was lost on the map.

[0151] In addition, after opening the Find My Device application on the 91 phone, users can also see the following on the 91 phone: Figure 9e The interface shown. The user is in... Figure 9e The displayed interface shows a list of currently searchable devices. Users can then tap area 914 on phone 91 to see the location of the lost glasses case 93. After tapping area 914 on phone 91, the phone 91 will display... Figure 9f The interface displayed. Figure 9f In the image, area 915 on the phone 91 clearly displays the locations of the lost glasses case 93 recorded by various devices, the source of each location, the update time of each location, and the recommended location by the phone 91, etc. Figure 9f The location of the glasses case 93 shown in the image can be the recommended location L1 (i.e., park c) for mobile phone 91. Furthermore, as... Figure 9f The icon of the glasses case can also be displayed in area 916 on the phone. By connecting the icon of the glasses case with the location where the glasses case was lost, users can be easily guided to intuitively observe the location of the glasses case when it was lost on the map.

[0152] It will be understood by those skilled in the art that if the glasses case 93 can connect to the mobile phone 91 via Bluetooth, in the case of glasses 92, the glasses case 93 can be used to obtain the location of glasses 92 when it was lost, and send the location to the mobile phone 91, so that the location of glasses 92 when it was lost can be viewed on the mobile phone 91.

[0153] It is understood that the mobile phone display interface diagrams illustrated in Scenario 1, Scenario 2, and Scenario 3 above do not constitute a specific limitation on the mobile phone display interface. In other embodiments of this solution, the mobile phone display interface may include more or less content than illustrated in the diagrams.

[0154] To facilitate understanding of the solutions provided in the embodiments of this application, further examples are given below. For instance, as shown... Figure 10 As shown in (A), watch a and earphone b are connected and can share their location. Watch a has a location positioning function. Then, as... Figure 10 As shown in (B), when watch a goes missing (i.e., the connection between the two is lost), watch a can send its location n to earphone b. Then, as... Figure 10 As shown in (C), earphone b establishes a connection with mobile phone c, at which point earphone b can send location n to mobile phone c. Then, as... Figure 10 As shown in (D), when mobile phone c receives a location viewing operation from the user, it can display the location n of watch a when it was lost. Therefore, by sharing the location of other electronic devices from one electronic device to another, the location of other electronic devices can be viewed from the other electronic device, reducing the probability of other electronic devices going missing.

[0155] Next, based on the content described above, we will introduce a device discovery method provided by an embodiment of this application.

[0156] For example, Figure 11 This is a flowchart illustrating a device location method provided in an embodiment of this application. The method can be applied to a first electronic device, which can be an electronic device without positioning functionality, such as headphones, charging cases, or glasses; alternatively, the first electronic device can also be an electronic device with positioning functionality, such as a mobile phone or computer, etc., without limitation. Figure 11 As shown, the method may include:

[0157] S1101, The first electronic device is disconnected from the second electronic device.

[0158] Specifically, the first electronic device and the second electronic device can be connected via short-range communication. However, when the distance between the first electronic device and the second electronic device exceeds a preset distance, the connection can be broken.

[0159] For example, the first electronic device can be Figure 7a The earphone 73 shown, the second electronic device can be Figure 7a The mobile phone 71 or watch 72 shown.

[0160] For example, the first electronic device can be Figure 8a The left earphone 82 shown in the diagram, the second electronic device can be Figure 8a The mobile phone 81, right earphone 83, or charging case 84 shown are examples. Alternatively, the first electronic device could be... Figure 8a The right earphone 83 shown in the diagram, the second electronic device can be Figure 8a The mobile phone 81, left earphone 82, or charging case 84 shown are examples. Alternatively, the first electronic device could be... Figure 8a The charging box 84 shown can be used as a second electronic device. Figure 8a The left earphone 82 or the right earphone 83 shown.

[0161] For example, the first electronic device can be Figure 9a The glasses 92 shown, the second electronic device can be Figure 9a The mobile phone 91 or glasses case 93 shown. Alternatively, the first electronic device can be... Figure 9a The glasses case 93 shown may have a second electronic device. Figure 9a The glasses shown are 92.

[0162] S1102. The first electronic device obtains a first position, whereby the first position indicates the position of the second electronic device when the first electronic device is disconnected from the second electronic device.

[0163] Specifically, when the first electronic device disconnects from the second electronic device, the second electronic device can send its first location at the time of disconnection to the first electronic device, so that the first electronic device can obtain the first location.

[0164] In one example, when the second electronic device has a positioning function, the first location can be the location obtained by the second electronic device based on its own positioning function.

[0165] For example, see [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 7a When the first electronic device is an earphone 73 and the second electronic device is a watch 72, the first location can be the location obtained by the watch 72 based on its own positioning function. When the first electronic device is an earphone 73 and the second electronic device is a mobile phone 71, the first location can be the location obtained by the mobile phone 71 based on its own positioning function.

[0166] For example, see [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 8aWhen the first electronic device is the left earphone 82 and the second electronic device is the mobile phone 81, the first location can be the location obtained by the mobile phone 81 based on its own positioning function. When the first electronic device is the right earphone 83 and the second electronic device is the mobile phone 81, the first location can be the location obtained by the mobile phone 81 based on its own positioning function.

[0167] S1103, The first electronic device sends the first position to the third electronic device.

[0168] Specifically, after the first electronic device obtains the first location of the second electronic device, it can send the first location to the third electronic device so that the third electronic device can view the first location.

[0169] For example, see [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 7a When the first electronic device is an earphone 73, the second electronic device is a watch 72, and the third electronic device is a mobile phone 71, the earphone 73 sends the first location of the watch 72 to the mobile phone 71, so that the first location (i.e., the location of the watch 72 when it went missing) can be viewed on the mobile phone 71.

[0170] For example, see [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 8a When the first electronic device is the left earphone 82, the second electronic device is the charging case 84, and the third electronic device is the mobile phone 81, the left earphone 82 sends the first location of the charging case 84 to the mobile phone 81, so that the first location (i.e., the location of the charging case 84 when it went missing) can be viewed on the mobile phone 81. When the first electronic device is the right earphone 83, the second electronic device is the charging case 84, and the third electronic device is the mobile phone 81, the right earphone 83 sends the first location of the charging case 84 to the mobile phone 81, so that the first location (i.e., the location of the charging case 84 when it went missing) can be viewed on the mobile phone 81.

[0171] For example, see [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 9a When the first electronic device is glasses 92, the second electronic device is glasses case 93, and the third electronic device is mobile phone 91, glasses 92 sends the first location of glasses case 93 to mobile phone 91, so that the first location (i.e. the location of glasses case 93 when it went missing) can be viewed on mobile phone 91.

[0172] Therefore, when the second electronic device disconnects from the first electronic device, the first electronic device can obtain the location of the second electronic device and send the location to the third electronic device, so that the location of the second electronic device can be viewed on the third electronic device, thereby reducing the probability of the second electronic device going missing.

[0173] In one example, S1103 may specifically include: the first electronic device establishing a connection with the third electronic device; the first electronic device sending a first location to the third electronic device. In this way, when the connection is established, the location of the second electronic device when it disconnected from the first electronic device can be shared with the third electronic device.

[0174] In one example, before the first electronic device disconnects from the second electronic device, the first electronic device can receive a second location sent by the third electronic device. This second location is a location obtained by the third electronic device based on its own positioning function. In this way, the first electronic device can obtain the location of the third electronic device, store it, and share it with other electronic devices. For instance, when the second electronic device does not have a positioning function, it can use the second location sent by the third electronic device as its own location.

[0175] Furthermore, before the first electronic device disconnects from the second electronic device, the first electronic device can send a second location to the second electronic device. The first location is the same as the second location. This enables location sharing between the first and second electronic devices.

[0176] For example, the first electronic device can be an electronic device without positioning function, such as headphones or glasses; the second electronic device can be an electronic device without positioning function, such as a charging case or glasses case; the third electronic device is an electronic device with a display screen and location viewing function, such as a mobile phone or computer. The first electronic device can establish connections with the second and third electronic devices respectively, but the second and third electronic devices cannot establish connections. The third electronic device sends a second location obtained based on its own positioning function to the first electronic device, and the first electronic device then sends the second location to the second electronic device. Thus, both the first and second electronic devices can locate themselves based on the positioning function of the third electronic device. When the first electronic device disconnects from the second electronic device, the first electronic device has already obtained the location of the second electronic device at that time, so the first electronic device sends the location to the third electronic device, thereby allowing the third electronic device to view the location of the second electronic device when it disconnected from the first electronic device.

[0177] Next, based on the above description, another device discovery method provided by the embodiments of this application will be introduced.

[0178] For example, Figure 12This is a flowchart illustrating another device location method provided in this application. This method can be applied to a system comprising a first electronic device, a second electronic device, and a third electronic device. The first electronic device can be an electronic device without location functionality, such as headphones, a charging case, or glasses; the second electronic device can be an electronic device with location functionality, such as a smartwatch or a smart bracelet; and the third electronic device can be an electronic device with a display screen and location viewing functionality, such as a mobile phone or a computer. Furthermore, the first electronic device can also be an electronic device with location functionality, and the second electronic device can also be an electronic device without location functionality; this is not limited here.

[0179] like Figure 12 As shown, the method may include:

[0180] S1201, The first electronic device is disconnected from the second electronic device.

[0181] S1202, The first electronic device obtains a first position, whereby the first electronic device indicates the position of the second electronic device when the first electronic device is disconnected from the second electronic device.

[0182] S1203, The first electronic device sends the first position to the third electronic device.

[0183] S1204. After receiving the first position, the third electronic device displays first information in response to the input operation performed on the third electronic device. The first information includes the first position.

[0184] Specifically, after receiving the first location, the user can perform input operations on the third electronic device, such as checking the device's location. Upon receiving the user's input, the third electronic device can respond by displaying first information, including the first location. Thus, the location of the second electronic device when it went missing (i.e., the first location) can be viewed on the third electronic device.

[0185] For example, see [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 7a The first electronic device can be an earphone 73, the second electronic device can be a watch 72, and the third electronic device can be a mobile phone 71. In this case, the user can open the "Find My Device" application on the mobile phone 71 and select to view the location of the watch 72. Figure 7e As shown, after the user clicks on area 712 on phone 71, the screen on phone 71 will display... Figure 7f The interface shown in the image indicates the location of the watch 72 when it was lost.

[0186] For example, see [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 8aThe first electronic device can be the left earphone 82, the second electronic device can be the charging case 84, and the third electronic device can be a mobile phone 81. In this case, the user can open the Find My Device application on the mobile phone 81 and select to view the location of the charging case 84. Figure 8b As shown, after the user clicks on area 812 on phone 81, the screen on phone 81 will display... Figure 8c The interface shown shows the location of the charging case 84 when it was lost.

[0187] For example, see [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 9a The first electronic device can be glasses 92, the second electronic device can be glasses case 93, and the third electronic device can be mobile phone 91. At this time, the user can open the "Find My Device" application on mobile phone 91 and select to view the location of glasses case 93. Figure 9c As shown, after the user clicks on area 912 on phone 91, the following will be displayed on phone 91. Figure 9d The interface shown shows the location of the glasses case 93 when it was lost.

[0188] In one example, the first information may also include one or more of the following: the source of the first location, the update time of the first location, or the recommended first location.

[0189] For example, such as Figure 7h As shown, the first electronic device can be an earphone 73, the second electronic device can be a watch 72, and the third electronic device can be a mobile phone 71. The first information can include the location of the watch 72, the source of the location, the update time of the location, and the recommended location.

[0190] For example, such as Figure 8e As shown, the first electronic device can be the left earphone 82, the second electronic device can be the charging case 84, and the third electronic device can be the mobile phone 81. The first information can include the location of the charging case 84, the source of the location, the update time of the location, and the recommended location.

[0191] For example, such as Figure 9f As shown, the first electronic device can be glasses 92, the second electronic device can be glasses case 93, and the third electronic device can be mobile phone 91. The first information can include the location of glasses case 93, the source of the location, the update time of the location, and the recommended location.

[0192] It is understandable that S1201-S1203 can be referred to in the above description of S1101-S1103, and will not be repeated here.

[0193] In one example Figure 12The first electronic device, the second electronic device, and the third electronic device shown may each include: at least one memory for storing a program; and at least one processor for executing the program stored in the memory, wherein when the program stored in the memory is executed, the processor is used to execute... Figure 12 The method provided herein. For example, the memories in the first, second, and third electronic devices can all be used to store their own locations, or to store locations they receive from other electronic devices. For example, the memories can be... Figure 6 The internal memory 121 described herein can be a processor that can Figure 6 The processor 110 described herein.

[0194] It is understood that, in order to achieve the above functions, the electronic device includes the corresponding hardware structure and / or software module for performing each function. Those skilled in the art will readily recognize that, based on the algorithmic steps of the examples described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein, the present invention can be implemented in hardware or a combination of hardware and computer software. Whether a function is performed in hardware or by computer software driving hardware depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Those skilled in the art can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered beyond the scope of the present invention.

[0195] In this embodiment of the invention, the electronic device can be divided into functional modules according to the above method example. For example, each function can be divided into its own functional module, or two or more functions can be integrated into one processing module. The integrated module can be implemented in hardware or as a software functional module. It should be noted that the module division in this embodiment of the invention is illustrative and only represents one logical functional division; other division methods may be used in actual implementation.

[0196] It is understood that the processor in the embodiments of this application can be a central processing unit (CPU), or other general-purpose processors, digital signal processors (DSPs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), or other programmable logic devices, transistor logic devices, hardware components, or any combination thereof. A general-purpose processor can be a microprocessor or any conventional processor.

[0197] The method steps in the embodiments of this application can be implemented in hardware or by a processor executing software instructions. The software instructions can consist of corresponding software modules, which can be stored in random access memory (RAM), flash memory, read-only memory (ROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), registers, hard disks, portable hard disks, CD-ROMs, or any other form of storage medium known in the art. An exemplary storage medium is coupled to the processor, enabling the processor to read information from and write information to the storage medium. Of course, the storage medium can also be a component of the processor. The processor and the storage medium can reside in an ASIC.

[0198] In the above embodiments, implementation can be achieved entirely or partially through software, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof. When implemented using software, it can be implemented entirely or partially in the form of a computer program product. The computer program product includes one or more computer instructions. When the computer program instructions are loaded and executed on a computer, all or part of the processes or functions described in the embodiments of this application are generated. The computer can be a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a computer network, or other programmable device. The computer instructions can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium or transmitted through the computer-readable storage medium. The computer instructions can be transmitted from one website, computer, server, or data center to another website, computer, server, or data center via wired (e.g., coaxial cable, fiber optic, digital subscriber line (DSL)) or wireless (e.g., infrared, wireless, microwave, etc.) means. The computer-readable storage medium can be any available medium that a computer can access or a data storage device such as a server or data center that integrates one or more available media. The available medium can be a magnetic medium (e.g., floppy disk, hard disk, magnetic tape), an optical medium (e.g., DVD), or a semiconductor medium (e.g., solid-state disk (SSD)).

[0199] It is understood that the various numerical designations used in the embodiments of this application are merely for descriptive convenience and are not intended to limit the scope of the embodiments of this application.

Claims

1. A method for locating a device, characterized in that, The method is applied to a first electronic device, and the method includes: The first electronic device receives a second location sent by the third electronic device, where the second location represents the location of the third electronic device. The first electronic device sends the second location and the third location to the second electronic device, where the third location represents the location of the first electronic device. The first electronic device, the second electronic device, and the third electronic device belong to the same trust network. The first electronic device is disconnected from the second electronic device; The first electronic device acquires a first position, which represents the position of the second electronic device when the first electronic device is disconnected from the second electronic device; The first electronic device sends the first location to the third electronic device.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first location is the location obtained by the second electronic device based on its own positioning function.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The second location is the location obtained by the third electronic device based on its own positioning function.

4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that, The first position is the same as the second position.

5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first electronic device sends the first location to the third electronic device, specifically including: The first electronic device establishes a connection with the third electronic device; The first electronic device sends the first location to the third electronic device.

6. The method according to claim 1 or 5, characterized in that, The connection is a short-range communication connection.

7. A method for locating equipment, characterized in that, Applied to a system comprising a first electronic device, a second electronic device, and a third electronic device, wherein the first electronic device, the second electronic device, and the third electronic device belong to the same trust network, the method includes: The first electronic device receives a second location sent by the third electronic device, where the second location represents the location of the third electronic device. The first electronic device sends the second location and the third location to the second electronic device, wherein the third location represents the location of the first electronic device; The first electronic device is disconnected from the second electronic device; The first electronic device acquires a first position, which represents the position of the second electronic device when the first electronic device is disconnected from the second electronic device; The first electronic device sends the first location to the third electronic device; After receiving the first location, the third electronic device displays first information in response to an input operation performed on the third electronic device, the first information including the first location.

8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that, The second electronic device has a positioning function; the first location is the location obtained by the second electronic device based on its own positioning function.

9. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that, The second location is the location obtained by the third electronic device based on its own positioning function.

10. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that, The first position is the same as the second position.

11. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that, The first electronic device sends the first location to the third electronic device, specifically including: The first electronic device establishes a connection with the third electronic device; The first electronic device sends the first location to the third electronic device.

12. The method according to claim 7 or 11, characterized in that, The connection is a short-range communication connection.

13. The method according to any one of claims 7-11, characterized in that, The first information may also include one or more of the following: the source of the first location, the update time of the first location, or the recommended first location.

14. A device location system, characterized in that, include: First electronic device, second electronic device, and third electronic device; The first electronic device, the second electronic device, and the third electronic device each include: At least one memory for storing programs; At least one processor is configured to execute a program stored in the memory, wherein when the program stored in the memory is executed, the processor is configured to perform the method as described in any one of claims 7-13.

15. The device location system according to claim 14, characterized in that, At least one memory of the first electronic device is used to store the first location.

16. The device location system according to claim 14 or 15, characterized in that, The first electronic device is an earphone.

17. An electronic device, characterized in that, include: At least one memory for storing programs; At least one processor is configured to execute a program stored in the memory, wherein when the program stored in the memory is executed, the processor is configured to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1-6.

18. A computer storage medium storing instructions that, when executed on a computer, cause the computer to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1-6.

19. A computer program product comprising instructions that, when executed on a computer, cause the computer to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1-6.

Images