Collision-initiated automatic information transmission

Abstract

The collision-started automatic information transmission method comprises the following steps: performing physical contact between first equipment and second equipment, and determining incremental acceleration experienced by the first equipment in the physical contact process according to a movement vector provided by a sensor module arranged in the first equipment; the determined incremental acceleration is compared to predefined ranges of positive and negative incremental acceleration values, which represent acceleration variations in the direction of gravity and in the direction opposite the direction of gravity, respectively. The second device is configured to wirelessly receive the data set from the first device if the incremental acceleration is found opposite the direction of gravity, or to transmit the data set from the second device to the first device if the incremental acceleration is found in the direction of gravity.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Application No. 18 / 214,592, filed on June 27, 2023, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference into this application. Technical Field

[0003] The present invention relates generally to the field of communications. More particularly, the present invention relates to data transfer initiated by physical contact between two devices. Background Art

[0004] Data transfer between electronic devices often requires multiple user inputs from one or both devices. Traditionally, such data transfer may require multiple steps involving user interaction. For example, user input may be required to establish a connection between devices, to select the direction of data transfer, and to authorize the transmission and reception of data. Sometimes, these steps may not be easy to follow for many users. If the user interface of the device transferring data is small (which is a common scenario in mobile devices), the data transfer process becomes more tedious for the user.

[0005] In order to make the data transfer process between two nearby devices easy and fast, near field communication (NFC) technology is being widely used. This short-range high-frequency wireless communication technology exchanges data between devices within a short distance, such as only a few centimeters, and its use can reduce the number of steps required to transfer data. However, NFC itself cannot alleviate cumbersome user interaction. To this end, some methods have been proposed to initiate data transmission by triggering physical contact (e.g., tapping one device on another device). However, none of these methods enable the user to set the direction of the data flow without interacting with the device through a user interface. In addition, if the device transmitting the data and the device receiving the data are not within close range of each other, or if the devices are too bulky to move for physical contact, then the short-range communication technology cannot work in the absence of an intermediary device.

[0006] Therefore, there is a need for a system and method that can overcome the above-mentioned problems associated with real-time data transmission.

[0007] Purpose of the Invention

[0008] An object of the present invention is to provide a system and method for instant communication between devices.

[0009] Another object of the present invention is to provide a system and method for data transmission with minimized user interaction.

[0010] Another object of the present invention is to provide a system and method for initiating communication only through physical contact.

[0011] Another object of the present invention is to provide a system and method for setting a data transmission direction without using a user interface.

[0012] Another object of the present invention is to provide a system and method for single-step data transmission. Summary of the invention

[0013] The following is a simplified summary that is intended to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the disclosed invention. This summary is not a comprehensive overview and is not intended to identify key / critical elements or delineate its scope. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts in a simplified form to pave the way for a more detailed description later.

[0014] The present invention relates to a system and method for collision-activated automatic information transmission between two electronic devices. The method includes moving a first device and / or a second device to make physical contact between the two. After detecting the physical contact, the first device determines the incremental acceleration, i.e., the change in acceleration experienced by it due to the physical contact, based on the movement vector provided by a sensor module arranged in the first device. The incremental acceleration value is then compared with a predefined negative incremental acceleration value range (indicating a change in acceleration along the direction of gravity) and also with a predefined positive incremental acceleration value range (indicating a change in acceleration in the direction opposite to the direction of gravity). If the determined incremental acceleration value falls within the predefined positive incremental acceleration value range, the first device is defined as an upper device located above the second device, or, if the determined incremental acceleration value falls within the predefined negative incremental acceleration value range, the first device is defined as a lower device located below the second device.

[0015] The first device and the second device are then automatically configured to wirelessly transmit the data set based on the relative position of the devices with respect to each other, without any further input from the user. In a preferred embodiment, data transmission always occurs from the upper / upper device to the lower / lower device, with the upper device being located substantially vertically above the lower device.

[0016] The selection of data to be transferred from the upper device to the lower device occurs automatically based on a set of rules. These rules may be based on the type of data set, the type of upper and lower devices, the time at which physical contact was made, the order of physical contact, and the relative positions of the devices. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] In order to describe the manner in which the features and other aspects of the present disclosure can be obtained, a more particular description of a subject matter will be given by reference to specific embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that these drawings depict only typical embodiments and are therefore not to be considered limiting of scope, nor are all embodiments drawn to scale. Various embodiments will be described and explained with additional uniqueness and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0018] Figure 1A is a schematic diagram of a computing device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0019] Figure 1B Another embodiment of a computing device incorporating the present invention is illustrated;

[0020] Figure 1C illustrates three mutually perpendicular lines about a coordinate system shown with respect to a computing device incorporating the present invention;

[0021] Figure 2A An example scenario in which a first device moves toward a second device located above the first device according to an embodiment of the present invention is illustrated;

[0022] Figure 2B An example scenario in which a first device is in physical contact with a second device located above the first device according to an embodiment of the present invention is illustrated;

[0023] Figure 2C An example scenario of a first device communicating with a second device according to an embodiment of the present invention is illustrated;

[0024] Figure 2D illustrates the direction of movement or acceleration experienced by the first device before and during / after a collision caused by physical contact when the first device is below the second device;

[0025] Figure 3A An example scenario in which a first device moves toward a second device located below the first device according to an embodiment of the present invention is illustrated;

[0026] Figure 3B An example scenario in which a first device is in physical contact with a second device located below the first device according to an embodiment of the present invention is illustrated;

[0027] Figure 3C An example scenario of a first device communicating with a second device according to an embodiment of the present invention is illustrated;

[0028] Figure 3D illustrates the direction of movement or acceleration experienced by the first device before and during / after a collision caused by physical contact when the first device is positioned over the second device;

[0029] Figure 4is a flow chart illustrating an exemplary process of collision-initiated information transmission between two devices where each device independently determines a relative position, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 5 is a flow chart illustrating an example process of information transmission initiated by a collision between two devices when only one of the two devices uses sensor data to determine their relative position, according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

[0031] Figure 6 Examples of rule update instructions and actions according to an embodiment of the present invention are illustrated. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0032] The following description is presented to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the invention, and is provided in the context of the specific application of the invention and its requirements. Various modifications to the disclosed embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be applied to other embodiments and applications without departing from the scope of the invention. Therefore, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown, but should be given the widest scope consistent with the principles and features disclosed herein. Therefore, it is intended that the present invention covers modifications and variations that fall within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

[0033] In the following detailed description, many specific details are listed to provide a comprehensive understanding of the present invention. However, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the present invention can be implemented without these specific details. In other cases, some well-known methods, procedures and components are not described in detail to avoid obscuring the present invention.

[0034] Specific embodiments of the present invention are now described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals represent identical or functionally similar elements. The terms "tap," "tap," "touch," "strike," "impact," and "contact" may be used interchangeably to refer to physical contact or collision between two or more devices described herein. The physical contact or collision is believed to result in a sufficient change in the momentum of the touching device to enable a sensor (e.g., an accelerometer or other similar sensor) to detect the change in acceleration.

[0035] FIG1 shows a schematic diagram of an exemplary computing device 100, which may be implemented in any form of computing and / or electronic device, and in which embodiments of the above method may be implemented. The computing device 100 may have different forms, such as a dedicated intermediate device customized for implementing the present invention, a mobile phone, a printing device, a personal computer, a portable computing device, etc. In devices such as desktop computers, printers, microwave ovens, etc., these devices may not be equipped with factory-provided accelerometers, but these devices can be retrofitted with accelerometers to be included in the present invention.

[0036] The device 100 includes a processor 105, a communication module 108, a power source 110, a sensor module 112, and a device memory 114, all of which are communicatively coupled to one another.

[0037] Processor 105 can be a microprocessor, a controller, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a programmable logic device, a chipset, a field programmable gate array (FPGA), or any other suitable type of component for processing computer executable instructions to control the operation of the device to transmit or receive data when physical contact is detected according to a rule set.

[0038] Computer executable instructions may be provided using any computer readable medium, such as memory 114, which may also store any software / applications, such as collision initiated automatic information transmission application 116. Memory 114 may include, for example, internal tables of data associated with rule sets, or other data structures for receiving, sending, maintaining, and manipulating data used by application 116. Memory 114 may store data corresponding to simple or complex data structures. The term "computer readable medium" as used herein refers to any medium that participates in providing instructions to a processor for execution. Computer readable media may take a variety of forms, including, but not limited to, non-volatile media, volatile media, and transmission media. Non-volatile media include, for example, optical disks, magnetic disks, and magneto-optical disks, such as hard disks or removable media drives.

[0039] The communication module 108 enables the device 100 to communicate wirelessly with other devices, networks, and / or systems. For example, the communication module 108 may include a transmitter and a receiver (or transceiver) for sending and receiving data according to various protocols / technologies (such as near field communication (NFC), wireless application protocol (WAP), ultra-wideband (UWB) communication, Bluetooth, wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi), transmission control protocol / Internet protocol (TCP / IP), Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.X, or any other type of wireless and / or wired protocol or standard).

[0040] The sensor module 112 is configured to detect physical contact and provide data related to a movement vector corresponding to the movement experienced by the sensor module 112 or the device 100 during or after the device 100 makes physical contact with another object / device. The sensor module 112 may include an accelerometer that can generate a set of readings, including multiple acceleration values ​​on multiple axes (e.g., X, Y, and Z axes) about the acceleration corresponding to the movement made by the device 100. The accelerometer may include hardware or a combination of hardware and software for determining the acceleration of the device 100. The accelerometer may be a micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) accelerometer, a piezoelectric accelerometer, or other types of accelerometers. The sensor module 112 may also include a magnetometer that can obtain information about the strength of a magnetic field in different directions. In some embodiments, the sensor module 112 may not include an accelerometer and / or a magnetometer, but may include a contact-sensitive sensor (e.g., an electric field sensor, a surface conductive sensor, a pressure / force sensor, a vibration-sensitive sensor, etc.) to detect physical contact.

[0041] Figure 1C A mobile device 102 is illustrated, which includes components of the computing device 100 of the present invention. A spatial coordinate system is also shown, including an X-axis (identified as 122), a Y-axis (identified as 124), and a Z-axis (identified as 126) relative to the mobile device 102. A gravity vector "G" (identified by 128) represents the direction of gravity, i.e., the direction pointing toward the center of the earth. The sensor module 112 is configured to detect acceleration relative to the device 100 in each of the three axes.

[0042] For various purposes, it is necessary to transfer data or information from one device to another. Figure 2A to Figure 2C and Figures 3A to 3C In an exemplary scenario, a document displayed on an active window of a desktop computer 104 is required to be printed out via a printer 106, and these devices are not necessarily connected via any wired or wireless network. The present invention enables data transfer even in this case. In this exemplary scenario, a mobile device 102 is used as an intermediary device to transfer document data to be printed from the desktop computer 104 to the printer 106.

[0043] First, data is transferred from the desktop computer 104 to the intermediary device (in this example, the mobile device) 102. Then, the data is transferred from the intermediary device 102 to the printer 106. In the following description, the mobile device 102 in both steps is referred to as the first device 102, and the desktop computer 104 is referred to as the second device 104 in the first step, and the printer is referred to as the second device 106 for the second step.

[0044] Initially, computer executable instructions for collision-initiated automatic information transmission are loaded into devices 102, 104, and 106, and processor 105 executes the instructions to perform default initialization, such as Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown in steps 402 and 426. These computer executable instructions can be downloaded and installed on the device by methods known in the art.

[0045] Since the present invention does not require a user interface or user input to enable the transfer of data from one device to another, the device must know how the device should act when it detects physical contact. The rule set stored in memory 114, as shown in steps 404 and 428, solves this problem by determining the actions that the device will take to transfer data after a physical collision. Some exemplary behaviors are shown in Figure 6 For example, if the latest rule instruction 602 specifies that all information should be deleted 1 hour after the last use, the receiving / lower device will perform this action after it receives the data from the upper device. For another example, if instruction 604 is to sleep for the next 6 hours after downloading, the receiving / lower device will put itself in sleep mode for the next 6 hours after receiving the data.

[0046] In order to enable the second device 104 to transmit the data set to the first device 102, that is, in this example, from the desktop computer to the mobile device, as in the embodiment of the present invention, Figure 2A As shown, the first device 102 must be located below the second device 104. Then, the first device 102 moves toward the second device 104, from which Figure 2A The initial position shown is moved to Figure 2B The final position shown in the figure is to make physical contact with the second device 104. Therefore, when the user causes one or both of the first device 102 and the second device 104 to make a first movement, so that the distance between the first device 102 and the second device 104 changes from a first distance to a second distance closer to each other and the two finally touch each other, physical contact occurs between the first device 102 and the second device 104. Figure 2A to Figure 2B , the first movement made by the first device 102 is in a direction 202 opposite to the direction of gravity "G".

[0047] Objects in the Earth's field are subject to gravity, and the resulting acceleration is called gravitational acceleration or acceleration caused by gravity. The value of gravitational acceleration defined by the standard is approximately 9.8 m / s 2 The accelerometer measures the appropriate acceleration and can take into account this gravitational acceleration. Therefore, in order to obtain the acceleration value experienced by the object under the action of the external force, the gravity factor in the correction direction (i.e. 9.8m / s) must be subtracted from the acceleration vector measured by the accelerometer.2 ). In the context of the present invention, this change in acceleration experienced by an object during physical contact is hereinafter referred to as "incremental acceleration". Further, the terms "positive incremental acceleration" and "negative incremental acceleration" are hereinafter used to refer to "incremental acceleration" having positive and negative values, respectively.

[0048] According to the laws of motion, the forces experienced by the first device 102 and the second device 104 during the collision are equal in magnitude and opposite in direction, so the first device 102 is subjected to a force opposite to the direction of movement before the first device 102 physically contacts the second device 104 during the collision. Figure 2D A second acceleration is shown in a direction 204 that is opposite to the direction 202 of the first movement experienced by the first device 102 prior to the physical contact.

[0049] Once the device detects physical contact, as shown in steps 406 and 430, relying on the data received by its respective sensor module 112, with the help of techniques known in the art, such as Figure 2C The devices are shown establishing wireless communication with each other, as shown in steps 408 and 432. In some embodiments, devices 102 and 104 also exchange information, which may include information about their respective defined rule sets.

[0050] Each sensor module 112 generates a motion vector that corresponds to the change in movement experienced by the respective device. In one embodiment, the motion vector so generated is an acceleration vector that includes a plurality of acceleration values ​​associated with a plurality of acceleration axes corresponding to the movement of the device. In this example, a three-axis accelerometer generates measurements representing acceleration values ​​corresponding to coordinate axes X, Y, and Z. Thus, if Figure 4 As shown in steps 410 and 434 of , the incremental acceleration values ​​of devices 102 and 104 are determined by using the outputs of the respective sensor modules 112 of devices 102 and 104 .

[0051] As a vector quantity, acceleration has two characteristics: magnitude and direction. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the movement / acceleration vector caused by physical contact is in the approximate direction of gravity (e.g. Figure 1C A change in the "G" direction (as shown) is defined as a negative delta acceleration or negative delta movement, while a change in the movement / acceleration vector due to physical contact in a direction generally opposite to the direction of gravity is defined as a positive delta acceleration or positive delta movement. For example, in Figure 2A to Figure 2C During the physical contact, the first device 102 experienced -2 ​​m / s 2 (negative acceleration), while the second device 104 experienced an acceleration change of 1 m / s during the same physical contact. 2In this case, the acceleration values ​​measured by the respective accelerometers will be 7.8 m / s for the first device 102. 2 and 10.8 m / s for the second device 104 2 (Considering that the acceleration due to gravity is 9.8m / s 2 ). Therefore, when the device calculates its own delta acceleration value, it subtracts 9.8 m / s from the measured acceleration value given by the accelerometer for the applicable axis. 2 Therefore, in this example, the determined incremental acceleration value of the first device 102 will be -2 m / s 2 (7.8m / s 2 -9.8m / s 2 ), and the determined incremental acceleration value of the second device 104 will be 1m / s 2 (10.8m / s 2 -9.8m / s 2 ), both of which are substantially aligned with the direction of gravity but in opposite directions. A description of such an incremental acceleration vector, including a first range of incremental acceleration values ​​and a second range of incremental acceleration values, is predefined and included in a set of rules stored in the memory 114. In a preferred embodiment, the first predefined incremental acceleration value range is a predefined positive incremental acceleration value range, and the second predefined incremental acceleration value range is a predefined negative incremental acceleration value range.

[0052] exist Figure 4 In step 412 and step 436, the incremental acceleration value / vector corresponding to the sensor module 112 is compared with the predefined description / range of incremental acceleration vectors. If the determined incremental acceleration vector of the device is found to fall within the predefined range of positive incremental acceleration vectors, then the position of the device relative to the other device is defined as an upper device, located above the second device, as shown in steps 414 and 438. Similarly, if the determined incremental acceleration vector of the device is found to fall within the predefined range of negative incremental acceleration vectors, then the position of the device relative to the other device is defined as a lower device, located below the second device, as shown in steps 418 and 440.

[0053] refer to Figure 2A to Figure 2CIn this example, since the first device 102 is located below the second device 104 and the first device 102 and the second device 104 are in physical contact through a trajectory that is almost completely along the axis of gravity "G", the first device 102 is subjected to incremental acceleration in the direction of gravity "G" during and sometimes after the collision. Therefore, when the incremental acceleration corresponding to the sensor module 112 of the first device 102 is compared with the description of the predefined incremental acceleration vector, it is found to fall within the predefined negative incremental acceleration vector range, and therefore, the first device 102 is defined as the lower device in step 418. On the other hand, during the collision / physical contact, the acceleration direction experienced by the second device 104 is opposite to "G", that is, opposite to the direction of gravity. Therefore, when the incremental acceleration vector generated by the sensor module 112 of the second device 104 is compared with the predefined incremental acceleration vector description, it is found to be within the positive incremental acceleration vector range, and therefore, the second device 104 is defined as the upper device in step 438. If the device has no significant vertical movement (e.g., along the "G" axis shown in Figure 1D) before physical contact is made, then the acceleration vectors so generated by the device during physical contact will not be in the vertical direction. Therefore, these physical contacts will be ignored by the device. In one embodiment, the predefined incremental acceleration vector range may not necessarily be completely vertical, but may include multiple incremental movement / acceleration vectors representing movement / acceleration in directions within a certain angle to the absolute vertical direction.

[0054] In certain embodiments, the magnetometer of sensor module 112 may be used to determine whether the direction of movement / acceleration is toward the center of the earth or in the opposite direction.

[0055] Once the devices know their positions relative to each other, they will act according to the set of rules defined for them. In one embodiment, by executing the rules, the upper device (in this example Figures 2A-2C The second device 104 in the example is configured to send data, while the lower device (in this example Figures 2A-2C The first device 102 in the example is configured to receive data. The data selected by the device for transmission depends on rules (which are either stored in the device or updated based on the received data set). The rule set may include rules for selecting data sets based on the type of device participating. For example, for the following types of devices, there are many possible data sets for transmission; the rules enable the upper device to select which of these data sets to send.

[0056] i. For a thermostat or furnace, the data to be transmitted may include time and temperature

[0057] ii. For a car, the data to be transmitted might include information about seat position, temperature, favorite radio stations

[0058] iii. For laboratory equipment, the data to be transferred may include machine settings

[0059] The rule set may also include rules for selecting data sets based on the type of data available in the upper device, the duration of physical contact, and the relative orientation / position of the devices (upper or lower). In the case where there are multiple data types available for transmission, the data selection is determined by whether the device is located upper or lower. For example:

[0060] i. For a printer, when located below, the data to be received may include the last document stored for printing

[0061] ii. For a printer, when located above, the data to be transmitted may include the printer name and the Uniform Resource Locator (URL) to be used by the computer.

[0062] For some devices, there may be multiple different types of data that can be sent or received. In these cases, the applicable rules apply not only to the type of data, but also to the timing or sequence of physical contact and the relative positions of the devices. Here are some examples of such situations:

[0063] a. When a computer is at the bottom, i.e. the lower device, and information is being sent to it from the upper device, the upper device sends the last information it received from the other device. For example:

[0064] i. If the device from which the mediating device (ie, the current upper device) received the last transmission is a printer, the name and URL of the printer will be transmitted from the mediating device to the computer.

[0065] ii. However, if the device from which the intermediary device (ie, the current upper device) received the last transmission is also a computer (eg, a Word document from a desktop), the intermediary device will send relevant data (in this case, data related to the Word document) instead of identification information.

[0066] a. When the computer is located at the top and information is sent from the computer to the lower device, the information displayed in the computer's active window is downloaded. In this case, the upper device's relevant rules for data transmission may include the following:

[0067] i. If the active window of the computer is a Microsoft application (such as Word, Excel, Outlook), the document (e.g., the entire contents in Word, a specific table in Excel, a specific message in Outlook) is sent.

[0068] ii. Otherwise, if the computer's active window is a web browser, then:

[0069] 1. The web page and its URL are downloaded.

[0070] 2. If the web page contains any TAP-XML (an instantiation of the extensible markup language (XML) using feeds designed for information transfer of the present invention) code, then in addition to the web page and its URL being sent, the TAP-XML instructions follow, i.e., the rules are updated, and the updated rules then follow. In some embodiments, the page on the display of the upper device (e.g., the web page to be downloaded to the lower device) can be configured to present a form for receiving user input indicating a request to define / edit a rule. If multiple TAP-XML structures are contained in a single web page, all of them will be followed. For example:

[0071] 3. Example 1 - The first structure instructs the receiving device to sleep for 6 hours.

[0072] 4. Example 2—The second structure instructs the receiving device to delete any URL information currently stored on the device.

[0073] 5. Example 3 - The third structure changes the rules of the receiving device: the receiving device will no longer receive and store URL information.

[0074] Continuing with the current example, when the first device 102 is defined as a lower device and the second device 104 is defined as an upper device, the second device 104 sends data related to the active window thereon according to the rule set, as shown in step 448. As a lower device, the first device 102 receives data from the second device 104, as shown in step 420. The data is stored in the lower device 102, and if necessary, the lower device 102 can take one or more actions based on the received data, as shown in step 422.

[0075] In some embodiments, the received data may include one or more instructions to update the rules stored in the lower device. Thus, if any such rule update instructions are found in step 424, the rule set stored in the device is updated. For example, a web page downloaded from the upper device to the lower device may include instructions (e.g., expressed in TAP-XML) for updating the rule set present in the lower device. Examples of rules received with the data set may include instructions for the lower / receiving device, such as "do not accept any new data without further notice", "restore default behavior", "delete all stored information and then save only the latest items in memory", "be inoperable for the next 12 hours", etc. Figure 6Some exemplary instructions are illustrated that are sent by the upper device to the lower device to update the rule set in the lower device. For example, in the case of a web page, the web page may also contain a special code or password so that only a specific lower / receiving device can implement these changes. Then, when the upper device downloads the information to the lower device, these new rules can be implemented. In the context of the current example, in step 424, the first device 102 checks for any updates to the rules and takes appropriate actions accordingly.

[0076] Now, the first device 102 acts as a carrier or an intermediary device to transfer data to the third device. FIG. 3A to FIG. 3C , device 106, i.e., a printer, is incorporated in the present invention and is hereinafter referred to as second device 106. Since data is automatically downloaded to a device from another device located at a relatively upper position when physical contact is made, the first device 102 must be placed above the second device 106 this time in order to download the stored data from the first device 102 to the second device 106. Then, the first device 102 moves downward in direction 302 until it makes physical contact with the second device 106, as shown in FIG. Figure 3A and 3B Reference Figure 4 and Figure 5 , the two devices then perform the same subsequent steps as when data transfer occurs from the desktop 104 to the mobile device 102. However, this time, in order to make physical contact, the first device 102 travels a certain distance from above, i.e., the first movement / acceleration vector 302 is in the direction of gravity "G", and therefore, the first device 102 experiences movement / acceleration 304 in the direction opposite to gravity "G" during / after the physical contact, as shown in FIG. Figure 3D As shown in step 412, the incremental movement / acceleration vector generated by the sensor module 112 of the first device 102 is found to fall within the predefined positive incremental acceleration vector range. Therefore, the first device 102 is defined as the upper device, as shown in step 414. On the other hand, in step 436, the movement / acceleration vector generated by the sensor module 112 of the second device 106 is found to fall within the predefined negative incremental acceleration vector range. Therefore, the second device is defined as the lower device, as shown in step 440.

[0077] Once the devices know their relative positions relative to each other, the first device 102 automatically transmits stored data, i.e., data related to the active window on the desktop computer 104, to the second device 106 according to the rules, as shown in step 416. In this example, because the second device 106 is a printer, as long as it receives data from the first device 102, as shown in step 442, it stores the data and / or takes appropriate action (printing the data in this example), as shown in step 444, which originally came from the desktop computer 104. In addition, the second device 106 examines the received data to determine whether the rules stored therein need to be updated, as shown in step 446, and takes appropriate action. In this example, if the first device 102 is in physical contact with the upper device printer 106 as the lower device, the data downloaded from the printer 106 may include the printer name and its URL address. If the first device 102 then touches the computer from above, the printer information is added to the printer list of the computer.

[0078] As can be seen in the exemplary embodiments of the present invention described above, for data transfer to occur in the desired direction, only physical contact of the devices generally in the direction of gravity or in the opposite direction thereof is required. Other than moving one of the devices to bring them into physical contact, no other user input is required to complete the data transfer process. In fact, in some embodiments, a device incorporating the present invention can be customized without any user interface and still function in the same intended manner. Figure 1B Such an embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in the form of a wearable ring 101. Some other exemplary use cases of the present invention are given below. In these scenarios, a mobile phone or similar Figure 1B The custom ring shown can be used as an intermediary device to receive data from one or more devices, store the data in its memory, and then transmit the data to one or more other devices (assuming that all relevant devices include the present invention).

[0079] Use case A: Instantly adjust an air conditioner to the same settings as another air conditioner.

[0080] Steps to be followed by the user:

[0081] 1. Putting on the ring 101

[0082] 2. Go to the thermostat of the air conditioning system in the room

[0083] 3. Touch the bottom of the thermostat with Ring 101

[0084] Effect: Thermostat (upper device) downloads information (time and temperature) to the ring (lower device)

[0085] 4. Go to the thermostat in another room

[0086] 5. Touch the top of the thermostat with Ring 101

[0087] Effect: Ring 101 (upper device) downloads information (time and temperature) to the thermostat (lower device)

[0088] 6. Go to other people’s thermostats

[0089] 7. Touch the top of the thermostat with Ring 101

[0090] Effect: The ring (upper device) downloads information (time and temperature) to the thermostat (lower device)

[0091] 8. Drive to a hotel and stay in a room equipped with a thermostat incorporating the present invention. To set the temperature to the home setting, touch the top of the hotel thermostat with the ring 101

[0092] Effect: The ring downloads the information (time and temperature) to the hotel's thermostat.

[0093] Use Case B: Instantly set the oven to the desired recipe.

[0094] Steps to be followed by the user:

[0095] 1. Pick up a cell phone in which the present invention is implemented

[0096] 2. Go to the computer showing the recipe from the website

[0097] 3. Touch the bottom of the computer with your phone

[0098] The only reasonable content to download from the website shown is the entire web page and the cooking time and temperature encoded, for example, via TAP-XML

[0099] Effect: The computer downloads the entire web page and content (cooking time and temperature) to the phone

[0100] 4. Go to the oven

[0101] 5. Touch the top of the oven with your phone

[0102] Effect: Phone downloads information (cooking time and temperature) and starts cooking cycle Use Case C: Set car configuration in an instant.

[0103] Steps to be followed by the user:

[0104] 1. Wear the ring

[0105] 2. Walk up to the car with the desired configuration

[0106] 3. Touch the bottom of the car dashboard with Ring 101

[0107] Effect: The car downloads information (e.g., seat position, radio channel settings, temperature, and fan settings) to the environment.

[0108] 4. Walk in front of another car

[0109] 5. Touch the ring to the top of the dashboard of your new car

[0110] Effect: Download the recorded car information

[0111] 6. Drive to a friend's house, walk up to their thermostat, and touch the ring to the top of their thermostat. The ring downloads the information that was previously stored in Use Case A.

[0112] Note that the ring is a mediating device that stores information from multiple contexts simultaneously and persistently.

[0113] Use Case D: Set device configuration in an instant.

[0114] Experiments performed in a chemistry lab involve programming a variety of machines (e.g., a machine may have 50 heating and cooling cycles for different lengths of time and at different temperatures), and instructions on how to perform the experiments can be found on the Internet. Without the implementation of the present invention, the user would have to learn the user interface of each device, copy the experimental information from the Internet, and then input the information into each device using its user interface to complete the experiment. However, with the present invention implemented in each device and computer, the user only needs to follow the following steps to complete the experiment.

[0115] 1. Put on the ring or pick up your mobile device

[0116] 2. Tap the bottom of the computer that displays the desired information or has the desired information with the ring or mobile device.

[0117] Effect: Ring or move the device now "saves" all the relevant information of the device

[0118] 1. Walk up to each device and tap the top of that device with your ring or mobile device.

[0119] Effect: Each device gets the information it needs to perform the test.

[0120] The present invention does not necessarily require that the sending and receiving devices determine their relative positions separately. Instead, one of the devices can determine its relative position (upper or lower) and let the other device in physical contact with it know the relative position. The other device can then define itself as the opposite position of the relative position of the first device. In the above-mentioned data transmission from the desktop computer 104 to the printer 106 using the mobile device 102 as an intermediary device, the present invention can still work even if the desktop computer 104 and the printer 106 are only capable of detecting physical contact and do not have any accelerometers or similar sensors. Figure 5 The steps of such an embodiment of the present invention are shown. Here, the second device 104 / 106 receives information about the relative position of the first device 102 from the first device 102, as determined in step 414 or 418. After receiving this information, the second device 104 / 106 attempts to determine its own position (upper or lower) relative to the first device 102, as shown in step 504. To this end, the second device 104 / 106 finds out whether the first device 102 has been defined as an "upper device" or a "lower device", as shown in step 506. If it is found in step 440 that the first device 102 is defined as an upper device, the second device 104 / 106 is defined as a lower device. Similarly, if the first device 102 is found to have been defined as a lower device in step 438, the second device 104 / 106 is defined as an upper device. The rest of the process is the same as Figure 4 Same as shown.

[0121] The flowchart is used to describe the steps of the present invention. Although the steps in the flowchart are presented and described sequentially, some or all of the steps may be performed in a different order, may be combined or omitted, and some or all of the steps may be performed in parallel. In addition, in one or more embodiments of the present invention, one or more of the steps described above may be omitted, repeated, and / or performed in a different order. In addition, other steps omitted in the flowchart may be included when performing this method. Therefore, Figure 4 and Figure 5 The particular arrangement of steps shown should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A method for collision-initiated automatic information transmission, the method comprising: bringing the first device into physical contact with the second device; determining an incremental acceleration value of the first device based on a movement vector provided by a sensor module provided in the first device after detecting the physical contact; comparing the determined incremental acceleration value to a first predefined incremental acceleration value range and a second predefined incremental acceleration value range; and The first device and the second device are configured so that if the determined incremental acceleration value falls within the first predefined incremental acceleration value range, a data set is wirelessly sent from the first device to the second device, or if the determined incremental acceleration value falls within the second predefined incremental acceleration value range, a data set is wirelessly sent from the second device to the first device. 2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the movement vector is an acceleration vector including a plurality of acceleration values ​​relative to a plurality of acceleration axes.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first predefined incremental acceleration value range is a predefined positive incremental acceleration value range in a direction substantially opposite to a direction of gravity, and the second predefined incremental acceleration value range is a predefined negative incremental acceleration value range in a direction substantially along the direction of gravity.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second predefined incremental acceleration value range is a predefined positive incremental acceleration value range in a direction substantially opposite to the direction of gravity, and the first predefined incremental acceleration value range is a predefined negative incremental acceleration value range in a direction substantially along the direction of gravity. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first device and the second device are integrated therein without a user interface.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the first device and the second device comprises at least one processor and a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium having a rule set stored therein, the rule set determining the data set when executed by the at least one processor. The method of claim 6 , wherein the rule set is updated based on the data set. The method of claim 6 , wherein the data set comprises one or more rules of the rule set. 9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first device or the second device is configured to take one or more actions upon receiving the data set.

10. A method for collision-initiated automatic information transmission, the method comprising: detecting physical contact between the first device and the second device; establishing wireless communication between the first device and the second device upon detecting the physical contact; determining a first incremental acceleration value corresponding to the first device during the physical contact; comparing the determined first incremental acceleration value with a predefined range of negative incremental acceleration values ​​representing a change in acceleration in a direction of gravity and a predefined range of positive incremental acceleration values ​​representing a change in acceleration in a direction opposite to the direction of gravity; as well as The first device is defined as an upper device located above the second device if the determined first incremental acceleration value falls within the predefined positive incremental acceleration value range, or the first device is defined as a lower device located below the second device if the determined first incremental acceleration value falls within the predefined negative incremental acceleration value range.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the upper device comprises at least one processor and a non-volatile machine-readable storage medium having a rule set stored therein, the rule set selecting a data set from the upper device when executed by the at least one processor.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the lower device comprises at least one processor and a non-volatile machine-readable storage medium having the rule set stored therein, the rule set, when executed by the at least one processor, configuring the lower device to take one or more actions.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the upper device is configured to wirelessly transmit the data set according to the rule set.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the lower device is configured to receive the data set from the upper device according to the rule set. The method of claim 11 , wherein the data set comprises one or more rules in the rule set. The method of claim 11 , wherein the rule set in the lower device is updated based on the data set.

17. A method according to claim 11, wherein the rule set includes rules for selecting the data set based on the type of the data set, the type of the upper device and the lower device, the time of the physical contact, the order of the physical contact, and the relative position of the first device and the second device.

18. The method according to claim 10, further comprising: determining a second incremental acceleration value corresponding to the second device during the physical contact; comparing the determined second incremental acceleration value with the predefined negative incremental acceleration value range and the predefined positive incremental acceleration value range; as well as The second device is defined as an upper device located above the first device if the determined second incremental acceleration value falls within the predefined positive incremental acceleration value range, or the second device is defined as a lower device located below the first device if the determined second incremental acceleration value falls within the predefined negative incremental acceleration value range.

19. A system for collision-initiated automatic information transmission, the system comprising: a first device and a second device, each of the first device and the second device comprising at least one processor and a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium having a rule set stored therein; as well as a sensor module disposed in the first device, configured to generate an acceleration vector upon detecting physical contact between the first device and the second device, the acceleration vector being used to determine an incremental acceleration value by subtracting an acceleration value due to gravity from the acceleration vector; Wherein, the incremental acceleration value is compared with a predefined negative incremental acceleration value range representing the acceleration change in the direction of gravity and a predefined positive incremental acceleration value range representing the acceleration change in the direction opposite to the direction of gravity, and if the determined incremental acceleration value falls within the predefined positive incremental acceleration value range, the first device is defined as an upper device located above the second device, or if the determined incremental acceleration value falls within the predefined negative incremental acceleration value range, the first device is defined as a lower device located below the second device.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the upper device is configured to wirelessly transmit the data set in accordance with the set of rules.

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