Energy efficient electronic cards

Abstract

A method, computer system, and computer program product for energy-efficient data exchange are provided. The system may include a first electronic card device (ECD) including a first switch and a second switch. The system may include the first switch configured to power on the first ECD in response to the first ECD engaging a second ECD. The system may include the first ECD configured to exchange data with the second ECD. The system may include a docking component configured to receive the first ECD. The system may include a docking component including an actuator configured to engage the second switch to power on the first ECD when the first ECD is received in the docking component. The system may include the first ECD configured to transfer received data from the second ECD to a mobile device associated with the docking component.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates generally to the field of computing, and more particularly to portable electronic devices for exchanging information. [Background technology]

[0002] In a typical conference setting, people may meet and exchange contact information, for example by manually or electronically exchanging business cards or other identifying information. Although exchanging business cards or the like may enable persistent contact, it may be difficult to later remember which business cards are associated with which people, especially when exchanging business cards in a populous environment, such as a large conference, where meetings between people last only a short time. As another example, in such a large conference setting, it may not be possible to meet and exchange business cards with everyone, or everyone that one would ideally like to meet, in the first place. Summary of the Invention

[0003] An embodiment of the present invention discloses a computer system for energy efficient data exchange. The invention can include a first electronic card device (ECD) including a first switch and a second switch. The invention can include a first switch configured to power on the first ECD in response to the first ECD engaging with a second ECD. The invention can include a first ECD configured to exchange data with the second ECD. The invention can include a docking component configured to receive the first ECD. The invention can include a docking component including an actuator configured to engage the second switch to power on the first ECD in response to the first ECD being received by the docking component. The invention can include a first ECD configured to transfer received data from the second ECD to a mobile device associated with the docking component.

[0004] The present invention further discloses a method and computer program product for energy efficient data exchange. The present invention can include detecting activation of a first switch for powering on a first electronic card device (ECD). The present invention can include determining that a second ECD is within a threshold proximity range of the first ECD in response to detecting activation of the first switch. The present invention can include transmitting the accumulated information from the first ECD to a mobile device in response to determining that the first ECD is docked. The present invention can include storing the accumulated information in the first ECD in response to determining that the first ECD is undocked. The present invention can include detecting deactivation of a first switch for powering off the first ECD in response to the second ECD being outside of a threshold proximity range of the first ECD. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0005] These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments thereof, which is to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which various features are not drawn to scale for clarity of illustration in facilitating those skilled in the art to understand the present invention together with the detailed description.

[0006] [Figure 1] 1 illustrates a networked computing environment in accordance with at least one embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an electronic card system according to at least one embodiment. [Diagram 3] 1 is an operational flow diagram illustrating an energy-efficient data exchange process in accordance with at least one embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is an electrical diagram of an exemplary electronic card device according to at least one embodiment. [Diagram 5] 1 is a block diagram illustrating exemplary electronic card interactions in accordance with at least one embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of internal and external components of the components and server shown in FIG. 1 according to at least one embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an exemplary cloud computing environment including the computer system shown in FIG. 1, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a block diagram of functional layers of the exemplary cloud computing environment shown in FIG. 7, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0007] Although detailed embodiments of the claimed structures and methods are disclosed herein, it can be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the claimed structures and methods, which may be embodied in various forms. However, the present invention may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the exemplary embodiments described herein. Rather, these exemplary embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. In the description, details of well-known features and techniques may be omitted so as not to unnecessarily obscure the presented embodiments.

[0008] The present invention may be embodied as a system, method, or computer program product, or combination thereof, at any possible level of technical detail. The computer program product may include a computer readable storage medium or media having computer readable program instructions for causing a processor to carry out aspects of the present invention.

[0009] A computer readable storage medium may be any tangible device capable of holding and storing instructions for use by an instruction execution device. A computer readable storage medium may be, for example, but not limited to, an electronic storage device, a magnetic storage device, an optical storage device, an electromagnetic storage device, a semiconductor storage device, or any suitable combination of the above. A non-exhaustive list of more specific examples of computer readable storage media includes the following: portable computer diskettes, hard disks, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), static random access memory (SRAM), portable compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM), digital versatile disk (DVD), memory sticks, floppy disks, mechanically encoded devices such as punch cards or ridge structures in grooves having instructions recorded thereon, and any suitable combination of the above. As used herein, a computer-readable storage medium is not to be construed as a transitory signal per se, such as an electric wave or other freely propagating electromagnetic wave, an electromagnetic wave propagating through a waveguide or other transmission medium (e.g., light pulses through a fiber optic cable), or an electrical signal sent through a wire.

[0010] The computer readable program instructions described herein may be downloaded from a computer readable storage medium to each computing / processing device or to an external computer or storage device over a network, such as the Internet, a local area network, a wide area network, and / or a wireless network. The network may include copper transmission cables, optical transmission fiber, wireless transmission, routers, firewalls, switches, gateway computers, or edge servers, or combinations thereof. A network adapter card or network interface in each computing / processing device receives the computer readable program instructions from the network and transfers the computer readable program instructions for storage in a computer readable storage medium in the respective computing / processing device.

[0011] The computer readable program instructions for carrying out the operations of the present invention may be assembler instructions, instruction set architecture (ISA) instructions, machine instructions, machine dependent instructions, microcode, firmware instructions, state setting data, configuration data for an integrated circuit, or source or object code written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including object oriented programming languages ​​such as Smalltalk, C++, and traditional procedural programming languages ​​such as the "C" programming language or similar programming languages. The computer readable program instructions may be executed entirely on the user's computer, partly on the user's computer as a stand-alone software package, partly on the user's computer and partly on a remote computer, or entirely on a remote computer or server. In the last scenario, the remote computer may be connected to the user's computer through any type of network, including a local area network (LAN) or wide area network (WAN), or may be connected to an external computer (e.g., through the Internet using an Internet Service Provider). In some embodiments, electronic circuitry including, for example, a programmable logic circuit, a field programmable gate array (FPGA), or a programmable logic array (PLA) can execute computer readable program instructions to individualize the electronic circuitry by utilizing state information of the computer readable program instructions to perform aspects of the invention.

[0012] Aspects of the present invention are described with reference to flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems) and computer program products according to embodiments of the invention. It will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer readable program instructions.

[0013] These computer readable program instructions may be provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, whereby the instructions executed by the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus create means for performing the functions / operations specified in one or more blocks of the flowcharts and / or block diagrams. These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer readable medium capable of directing a computer, programmable data processing apparatus, or other device, or combination thereof, to function in a particular manner, whereby the instructions stored in the computer readable medium include an article of manufacture including instructions implementing aspects of the functions / operations specified in one or more blocks of the flowcharts and / or block diagrams.

[0014] The computer readable program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other device to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other device to produce a computer-implemented process, such that the instructions executing on the computer or other programmable apparatus perform the functions / operations specified in one or more blocks of the flowcharts and / or block diagrams.

[0015] The flowcharts and block diagrams in the figures illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods, and computer program products according to various embodiments of the present invention. In this regard, each block in the flowcharts may represent a module, segment, or portion of code, including one or more executable instructions for implementing the specified logical functions. In some alternative implementations, the functions shown in the blocks may occur in a different order than that shown in the figures. For example, two blocks shown in succession may in fact be executed substantially simultaneously, or these blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending on the functionality involved. It should also be noted that each block in the block diagrams and / or flowchart illustrations, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and / or flowchart illustrations, may be implemented by a dedicated hardware-based system that executes the specified functions or operations, or executes a combination of dedicated hardware and computer instructions.

[0016] Exemplary embodiments described below provide systems, methods, and program products for exchanging data with portable, energy-efficient electronic devices. Thus, the present embodiments have the ability to improve the field of portable electronic devices for exchanging information by providing a free-standing electronic card device and a card holder (e.g., a smartphone or other mobile device based card holder) configured to minimize power consumption by the electronic card device and facilitate convenient storage of the electronic card device. More specifically, the card holder can include a magnet that can engage with a magnet on the electronic card device when the electronic card device is docked (e.g., attached, placed, inserted) into the card holder. The electronic card device can automatically transfer one or more stored pieces of information to the user's smartphone if it knows that it is attached to the user's smartphone (e.g., docked in a card holder attached to the back of the user's smartphone). If the electronic card device knows that it is not attached to the user's smartphone (e.g., not docked in a card holder attached to the back of the user's smartphone), it may continue to store information until the electronic card device makes contact with the user's smartphone.

[0017] As mentioned above, in a typical conference setting, people may meet and exchange contact information, for example by manually or electronically exchanging business cards or other identifying information. Although exchanging business cards or the like may enable persistent contact, it may be difficult to later remember which business cards are associated with which people, especially when exchanging business cards in a populous environment, such as a large conference, where meetings between people last only a short time. As another example, in such a large conference setting, it may not be possible to meet and exchange business cards with everyone, or everyone that one would ideally like to meet, in the first place.

[0018] Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide, among other things, a method for exchanging information with an electronic card device (ECD). It would also be advantageous to provide a method for determining the presence of an ECD in a card holder (e.g., a smartphone-based holder) and, once that determination has been made, transferring information from the ECD to a user's smartphone. It would further be advantageous to provide a method for conveniently storing an electronic card device on a user's smartphone.

[0019] According to at least one embodiment, the ECD may also be referred to as, for example, an electronic business card device, business card device, card device, card, or device. The ECD may include two magnets and two reed switches arranged in pairs (of magnets, reed switches). One magnet-reed pair may be configured to provide power when the ECD is in the presence of another ECD (e.g., a partner electronic business card), allowing for the exchange of contact and potentially other information. Another magnet-reed pair may be configured to provide power when the ECD is docked in a card holder. The first and second reed switches may be arranged in parallel.

[0020] According to one embodiment, when the ECD is placed in a card holder on a user's smartphone, a second reed switch present on the ECD, independent of the first reed switch, may be engaged to power on the ECD. The ECD may then exchange information contained on the ECD with the smartphone if the information is available. Additionally, the ECD may register an indication in the device memory that the ECD is attached to the smartphone (e.g., docked in a card holder). Once this information has been exchanged and / or registered with the ECD, the software may automatically power off the ECD. Then, when the ECD comes into contact with another ECD, the first reed switch may be engaged and the ECD may exchange information. Again, once information has been exchanged and / or registered with the ECD, the software may automatically power off the ECD. Thereafter, if the ECD knows that it is attached to the user's smartphone, the ECD may immediately transfer the stored information to the user's smartphone. If the ECD knows that it is not attached to the smartphone, it can store the accumulated information for when the ECD contacts the smartphone.

[0021] According to at least one embodiment, a user can choose to only exchange information with the phone when the ECD is "docked" or whenever a Near Field Communication (NFC) signal is detected. The only-when-docked option is believed to be more energy efficient. NFC may be preferred over Bluetooth® (all Bluetooth and Bluetooth-based trademarks and logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of Bluetooth SIG, Inc. or its affiliates, or both) due to NFC's lower power consumption and lack of formal pairing requirements.

[0022] According to one embodiment, a user can avoid accidentally transmitting information from the user's ECD to someone else's phone or another NFC device other than the phone to which the ECD is docked (e.g., due to nearby NFC signal reception) by first connecting with the ECD in a secure area away from other NFC devices. During this initial docking "handshake", the user's phone can identify itself by exchanging a unique number / token with the ECD. Thereafter, when transmitting information, the electronic card device can use the token to encrypt the information being sent to the user's phone.

[0023] According to one embodiment, upon determining the presence of the ECD in the card holder, the ECD may store in its memory a record that it is docked with the smartphone. Upon release from the card holder, this record may be updated to reflect that the ECD is no longer adjacent to or docked with the smartphone.

[0024] According to one embodiment, contact information is stored by the ECD as a result of the interaction between the cards, and when the ECD is in the holder, that information can be transferred to the user's smartphone via NFC, Bluetooth, or any other proximity-based communication mechanism. Once the required transaction is completed, the ECD can automatically power itself off. As a result of the present disclosure, it is believed that the disclosed ECD will only need to be charged approximately once a year, even if used consistently.

[0025] In some embodiments, the electronic information shared may include basic contact information. Other information such as photos, areas of interest, and matching criteria may also be shared. In some embodiments, a computer-implemented agent may filter or negotiate the sharing or exchange of information based on one or more criteria. Examples of criteria may include, but are not limited to, areas or subjects of interest, titles or roles, individuals with one or more particular areas of expertise (e.g., technical expertise), or others. The computer-implemented agent may reside and execute on the ECD. In another aspect, the computer-implemented agent may execute on a remote computer system, such as, for example, a cloud computing environment, and communicate with and act on behalf of the ECD. In some embodiments, the exchange of information, such as telephone numbers, may require negotiation or authorization.

[0026] In some embodiments, information is shared with a fellow conference participant or attendee, who then exchanges information with someone else via their ECD, and if that other person has enough overlapping interests as specified by the match criteria, information about this new person may be sent to the original person, for example, with permission from the new person to send the information. Such permission or approval may be specified and included as part of the criteria. If this new person meets additional people with enough overlapping interests that exceed the match criteria of the first person, the contacts and interests of those people may be relayed to the first person, with the permission of the new person, and so on. In this way, any party to a meeting or conference can efficiently meet all people at the meeting or conference who match interests that exceed a predefined threshold. The individuals who are actually met may then be prioritized for tracking based on the number or amount of predefined match criteria.

[0027] In some embodiments, the match criteria need not be symmetrical. For example, one ECD may store very strict match criteria (e.g., specific or narrowly defined interests such as a particular technology area) associated with a party, while a second ECD associated with another meeting attendee may store general broad interest criteria that may include meeting every participant or attendee in person. In some embodiments, a person offering information is only willing to offer information if the overlap in interests exceeds its own threshold as well as that of the recipient. In other cases, a meeting attendee may not want to exchange his or her information unless he or she meets a given individual personally. Thus, each ECD may store and function according to different criteria associated with a particular user. The ECD and method may support all such users' criteria and their information exchange requirements. Furthermore, a given individual's criteria (and thus the criteria associated with the ECD associated with that individual) may specify that personal information be given in exchange for a micropayment, for example, to avoid bulk advertising.

[0028] In some embodiments, a business card device or ECD may include a processor, memory, and a power source such as a battery. A self-contained ECD may be initiated by detecting the addition of a new near field device and may immediately begin a continuous exchange of information. In some embodiments, a user may not need to remove the device from a pocket or bag to effect this exchange.

[0029] In some embodiments, to avoid accidentally collecting contacts due to proximity, the ECD can be implemented with a button or other actuator to initiate the contact exchange. The ECD can also be implemented with a sensor to detect an action, such as shaking the ECD, to initiate the contact exchange. For example, a user can shake the ECD to wake it up (potentially powering it in the process). In yet another aspect, the ECD can be implemented to detect tapping or being within millimeters of each other, or both, and initiate the contact exchange in response. In various embodiments, the device can sync with the user's smartphone via wireless technology (e.g., NFC, Bluetooth).

[0030] In another embodiment, the ECD can be implemented to exchange tokens. The tokens can then be communicated or returned to another computer or system that can act on the tokens, for example, sending contact information associated with the tokens to a device associated with the user of the ECD. For example, a business ECD can be implemented to distribute and exchange tokens to users attending a conference. In one aspect, the ECD can be implemented to exchange tokens within a defined boundary where the conference is taking place. When the ECD is returned to the conference registration disk, the reader device can download the collected tokens, cross-reference the tokens with a registration database, and then send the collected contacts, as well as other contacts that match the user's criteria, to the user. In one aspect, this final transfer can be via electronic mail (E-mail), short message service (SMS), an app, or another service or method.

[0031] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the ECD may include one or more power sources, such as, for example, lithium ion batteries. The ECD may be encoded with program instructions for exchanging information or tokens, or both. The ECD may include a sensor capable of detecting the proximity of another such ECD. The card may electronically transfer contact information and may also transfer other biographical information when in close contact with another ECD. For example, the degree of detail of information exchanged may be negotiated between the cards based on one or more criteria stored by or retrieved by the ECD. In one aspect, a quantity of contact information may be exchanged based on the degree of similarity of discovered interests of the users of the ECD. A processor on the ECD may execute a computer-implemented agent that may communicate with a neutral third party agent (e.g., running on a remote computer system) and provide the neutral third party agent with information associated with the user of the ECD. The neutral third party agent can determine the degree or level of commonality between a first ECD and another ECD or device in proximity and report the degree of commonality to an agent running on the ECD or on behalf of the ECD. Based on the level of commonality, the agent of the ECD can determine what information to share and provide the information to the neutral third party agent. The neutral third party agent can then communicate the shared information to another ECD or device in proximity. As noted above, in another embodiment, the computer-implemented agent can reside on behalf of the ECD, execute remotely, and communicate with a processor of the ECD. In yet another embodiment, a direct negotiation to share information can be performed between the computer-implemented agents of the respective ECDs, for example, without going through a third party agent.

[0032] According to one embodiment, the electronic transfer of contact and biographical information allows one party's contacts to be shared with another party based on the consent of those parties and further agent-based negotiations that establish common interests. In one aspect, the provision of information may be in exchange for payment.

[0033] In one aspect, in response to establishing proximity of the two devices, contact information contained within or linked to the physical ECD can be uploaded (to a paired smartphone or similar device) using, for example, wireless technology standards such as NFC or Bluetooth. In another aspect, contact information contained on a device such as a physical business card can be uploaded to another device as needed, for example, via wireless communication or another communication method.

[0034] Referring to FIG. 1, an exemplary networked computing environment 100 according to one embodiment is shown. The networked computing environment 100 can include a computer 102 having a processor 104, a data storage device 106 capable of executing a software program 108, and an electronic card program 110a. The networked computing environment 100 can also include a server 112 capable of executing an electronic card program 110b that can interact with a database 114, and a communication network 116. The networked computing environment 100 can include multiple computers 102 and servers 112, only one of which is shown. The communication network 116 can include various types of communication networks, such as a wide area network (WAN), a local area network (LAN), a telecommunications network, a wireless network, a public switched or satellite network, or combinations thereof. It should be understood that FIG. 1 provides only an example of one implementation and does not suggest any limitations with respect to the environments in which different embodiments may be implemented. Many modifications to the illustrated environment can be made based on design and implementation requirements.

[0035] The client computer 102 communicates with the server computer 112 via a communication network 116. The communication network 116 may include connections such as wired, wireless communication links, or fiber optic cables. As described with reference to FIG. 6, the server computer 112 may include internal components 902a and external components 904a, respectively, and the client computer 102 may include internal components 902b and external components 904b, respectively. The server computer 112 may also operate in a cloud computing service model such as Software as a Service (SaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), or Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS). The server 112 may also be located in a cloud computing deployment model such as a private cloud, a community cloud, a public cloud, or a hybrid cloud. The client computer 102 can be, for example, a mobile device, a phone, a personal digital assistant, a netbook, a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a desktop computer, or any type of computing device capable of executing a program, accessing a network, and accessing a database 114. According to various implementations of the present embodiment, the electronic card programs 110a, 110b can interact with a database 114 that can be embedded within various storage devices, such as, but not limited to, the computer / mobile device 102, a networked server 112, or a cloud storage service.

[0036] 2, a block diagram illustrating an exemplary electronic card system 200 according to at least one embodiment is shown. In one embodiment, the electronic card system 200 may be implemented in a networked computing environment similar to the networked computing environment 100 described with reference to FIG.

[0037] The electronic card system 200 can include devices such as electronic card devices (ECDs) 202 having the shape of a physical business card (or smart card or pocket-sized card or similarly sized card). In one embodiment, a first ECD 202 in the electronic card system 200 can be in proximity with another device, such as, for example, a second ECD 204 (e.g., a partner ECD) or a smartphone 206 (or similar mobile device such as, for example, a tablet or laptop). In response to the devices, e.g., the ECD 202 and the partner ECD 204, being within a threshold proximity range (e.g., a range of a few millimeters to about 25 centimeters) detectable by sensors on the respective devices (202, 204), the ECD 202 can pair with the partner ECD 204 and begin wirelessly exchanging data. For example, the ECD 202 can receive data, such as contact information associated with a user 204a of the partner ECD 204, and transmit the contact information associated with the user 202a of the ECD 202 to the partner ECD 204. In another aspect, a token having an identifier associated with a user 204a of the partner ECD 204 can be received and converted to contact information by another device, for example, by a computer system reading the token and extracting the contact information associated with the token from a database. The computer system can reside in the cloud, on another remote computer, or on the ECD 202, 204.

[0038] According to one embodiment, wireless technologies such as NFC may enable communication between devices 202, 204, 206, for example, when at least two of such devices are within sufficient proximity. In at least some embodiments, various other wireless technologies may alternatively or additionally be used, for example, Bluetooth, standard Wi-Fi as defined by the IEEE 802.11 protocol, etc. Such wireless technologies may enable pairing and exchange of information between devices, for example, ECDs 202, 204.

[0039] According to one embodiment, the ECD 202 and the partner ECD 204 may include one or more components as further detailed with reference to the ECD 202. In one embodiment, the ECD 202 may include one or more pieces of information 210 stored in a memory 212. The information 210 may include contact information, other biographical information, or a photo corresponding to the user 202a, or a combination thereof, that the user 202a may want to exchange with other people (e.g., the user 204a in a conference setting). In one embodiment, the information 210 may be preloaded into the ECD 202 for exchange with one or more other devices (e.g., the partner ECD 204). In another embodiment, the memory 212 may include a token 208 having a specific identifier associated with the ECD 202. The token 208 may be associated or linked to a record in a remote (e.g., cloud-resident) database-stored information (e.g., contact information, other biographical information, or a photo, or a combination thereof) of the user 202a.

[0040] In one aspect, the ECD 202 may include a smart card with an embedded microchip or integrated circuit (IC) 214. In at least one embodiment, the ECD 202 may include a microprocessor that executes the electronic card programs 110a, 110b (shown in FIG. 1). The electronic card programs 110a, 110b may include a single computer program or a set of program modules or instructions executed by one or more processors in a networked computing environment. The electronic card programs 110a, 110b may be implemented in a distributed cloud computing environment in which tasks may be performed by remote processing devices that may be linked through a communications network (e.g., communications network 116). In one embodiment, the electronic card programs 110a, 110b may include program instructions that may be collectively stored on one or more computer-readable storage media, such as, for example, memory 212 or other storage devices (e.g., storage device 106 and database 114 shown in FIG. 1). The electronic card programs 110a, 110b may include routines, objects, components, units, logic, data structures, and actions that can perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types.

[0041] According to one embodiment, the electronic card program 110a, 110b can be executed to act as an agent for negotiating the exchange of information between the ECD 202 and the partner ECD 204. For example, the electronic card program 110a, 110b (e.g., an agent component) executing on a microprocessor can determine whether information such as interests of a user 202a of the ECD 202 intersects with information such as interests of a user 204a of the partner ECD 204. In response to determining that a threshold level of interests intersects, the electronic card program 110a, 110b can be executed to exchange contact information between the ECD 202 and the partner ECD 204. The interests of each user 202a, 204a can be stored on the respective ECD 202, 204 and / or downloaded from a computer system that stores a database of such information.

[0042] In one embodiment, the electronic card program 110a, 110b can incorporate a current context when negotiating an exchange of information. The current context can include, for example, criteria that specify that the interests of a user 202a of an ECD 202 match the interests of a user 204a of a partner ECD 204. The current context can also include, for example, a current meeting setting, such as a conference or meeting, in which an individual associated with the ECD will be attending. The ECD 202 can verifiably establish that an individual associated with a partner ECD 204 is a participant of the meeting or meeting, for example, by querying a database of meeting participants, by obtaining or receiving an electronic signal from a badge associated with the meeting, or by other methods. In one example, only participants or attendees of a meeting or meeting can be given such an ECD, and thus an individual can be automatically determined to be an attendee of a fellow meeting or meeting by contact with another such ECD.

[0043] In one embodiment, the ECD 202 can be configured or programmed to communicate with the smartphone 206 and upload information stored within the ECD 202 (eg, received from a partner ECD 204 ) to the smartphone 206 .

[0044] In one embodiment, the ECD 202 may include a light emitting diode (LED) 216 configured for status indication. In one embodiment, the LED 216 may be illuminated at the initiation of negotiation between the ECD 202 and the partner ECD 204 (e.g., in response to negotiation being initiated). In one embodiment, the LED 216 may be turned off after negotiation fails or after information exchange between the ECD 202 and the partner ECD 204 is complete (e.g., negotiation ends). In various embodiments, different LED shading may be utilized. For example, the LED 216 may be configured to be yellow at the initiation of contact and during negotiation between the ECD 202 and the partner ECD 204. The LED 216 may then be configured to be green for a short period once negotiation is determined to be successful, or red for a short period if negotiation is determined to be unsuccessful. In other embodiments, different light negotiations may be employed by the LED 216. In another aspect, the ECD 202 may be configured to vibrate at the start of a negotiation and to stop vibrating after the negotiation fails or after the information exchange is complete.

[0045] According to one embodiment, as described in further detail below, the electronic card programs 110a, 110b can be executed to control the power cycling (e.g., powering on / off) of the ECD 202 so as to minimize the energy requirements of the battery 218 of the ECD 202.

[0046] In one embodiment, the ECD 202 may be initially (e.g., by default) completely powered off. In one embodiment, the ECD 202 may be powered off when disengaged from a partner ECD 204 and before docking with a smartphone 206, as described in further detail below. In at least one embodiment, the ECD 202 may be powered on by engaging with a partner ECD 204. In various embodiments, the ECD 202 may be powered on by docking with a smartphone 206, as described in further detail below. In one embodiment, the electronic card program 110a, 110b may have two different startup scripts based on whether the ECD 202 is powered on by contact with a partner ECD 204 or by contact with a smartphone 206. In another embodiment, the electronic card program 110a, 110b may have one startup script that includes a parameter indicating whether the ECD 202 is powered on by contact with a partner ECD 204 or by contact with a smartphone 206. Alternatively, the electronic card programs 110a, 110b may have a startup script and may implement a proximity-based communication mechanism (e.g., NFC, Bluetooth) to determine whether the ECD 202 is connected to a partner ECD 204 or smartphone 206.

[0047] In at least one embodiment, the ECD 202 may be automatically powered off in response to physically disengaging from the partner ECD 204, or the smartphone 206, or both, as described in further detail below. In various embodiments, the ECD 202 may be powered off along with the smartphone 206 via a setting on a companion app component of the electronic card program 110a, 110b running on the smartphone 206.

[0048] In one embodiment, powering the ECD 202, 204 on and off can be accomplished by coupling a magnet between the ECD and an associated reed device. In one embodiment, powering the ECD 202, 204 on and off can be accomplished by a physical mechanical switch.

[0049] The ECD 202 can include two magnets (first magnet 220a and second magnet 222a) and two switch devices (first switch device 220b and second switch device 222b). In various embodiments, the switch devices 220b, 222b can include one or more reed relays or reed switches, or both. In at least some embodiments, the two switch devices 220b, 222b can also include mechanical switches. Thus, embodiments of the present disclosure can use the term "switch" to include a reed relay, a reed switch, or a mechanical switch, or a combination thereof. In one embodiment, the two magnets and the two switch devices can be arranged in a magnet-switch pair, where the first magnet 220a and the first switch device 220b can provide a first magnet-switch pair, and the second magnet 222a and the second switch device 222b can provide a second magnet-switch pair. According to one embodiment, the first and second switch devices 220b, 222b may be arranged in parallel to provide two paths for completing a circuit (e.g., by turning on a mechanical switch or engaging a reed switch or relay) configured to power or activate the ECD 202.

[0050] The partner ECD 204 may similarly include a first magnet 224a and a first switch device 224b arranged in a first magnet-switch pair, and a second magnet 226a and a second switch device 226b arranged in a second magnet-switch pair.

[0051] According to one embodiment, a magnet may not be necessary if the first switch device 220b of the ECD 202 and the first switch device 224b of the partner ECD 204 are mechanical switches. In such an embodiment, the first mechanical switch (e.g., first switch device 220b) of the ECD 202 and the first mechanical switch (e.g., first switch device 224b) of the partner ECD 204 can be pressed together in opposite directions to complete the respective circuit paths and power on the respective ECDs.

[0052] In one embodiment, a first magnet-switch pair (e.g., first magnet 220a, first switch device 220b) of the ECD 202 can engage a first magnet-switch pair (e.g., first magnet 224a, first switch device 224b) of the partner ECD 204 such that interaction between the first magnet 220a of the ECD 202 and the first magnet 224a of the partner ECD 204 can actuate the first switch device 220b, 224b of the ECDs 202, 204, respectively. Thus, the first magnet 220a, 224a on each ECD 202, 204 can activate the associated switch device 220b, 224b to close a first circuit path (operably coupled to the switch device) and power on the respective ECD 202, 204. In one embodiment, the first magnet-switch pair of the ECD 202 can be configured to disengage from the corresponding first magnet-switch pair of the partner ECD 204 to power off the ECD 202. The switch devices 220b, 224b can spring back to the off position, allowing the switch devices 220b, 224b to re-engage in response to contact between the ECD 202 and the partner ECD 204.

[0053] According to other embodiments, where the first switch device 220b of the ECD 202 and the first switch device 224b of the partner ECD 204 are mechanical switches, the magnet can be paired with the mechanical switch (e.g., a magnet-mechanical switch pair). In such embodiments, interaction between the first magnet 220a of the ECD 202 and the first magnet 224a of the partner ECD 204 can activate the first mechanical switches of the ECDs 202, 204, respectively, completing the respective circuit paths and powering on the respective ECDs.

[0054] In at least one embodiment, the smartphone 206 of the first user 202a can include a docking component, such as a holder 228. In one embodiment, the holder 228 can be configured to receive the ECD 202 for storage and portability. The ECD 202 can be configured to dock with the smartphone 206 in the holder 228 and transfer or exchange data stored on the ECD 202 (e.g., data received from a partner ECD) to or with the smartphone 206. In one embodiment, the holder 228 can be removably attached to the smartphone 206. In one embodiment, the holder 228 can include an actuator, such as a third magnet 230, that can interact with the second magnet 222a of the ECD 202 when the ECD 202 is received (e.g., placed or docked) by the holder 228. Interaction between the third magnet 230 of the holder 228 and the second magnet 222a of the ECD 202 can activate a second switch device 222b of the ECD 202 and close a second circuit path (operably coupled to the switch device) configured to power on the ECD 202.

[0055] According to one embodiment, the second magnet 222a of the ECD 202 is optional when the second switch device 222b of the ECD 202 is a second mechanical switch. In such an embodiment, the third magnet 230 of the holder 228 can be configured to actuate the second mechanical switch to close a second circuit path (operably coupled to the mechanical switch) configured to power on the ECD 202. According to another embodiment, the holder 228 can include a mechanical actuator configured to engage (e.g., press) the second mechanical switch to close the second circuit path configured to power on the ECD 202. According to at least one embodiment, the actuator in the holder 228 can include a third mechanical switch. In such an embodiment, interaction between the second mechanical switch of the ECD 202 and the third mechanical switch of the holder 228 in the opposite direction (e.g., pressed together) may activate the second switch device 222b of the ECD 202 to close a second circuit path configured to power on the ECD 202. Additionally, activating the third mechanical switch may alert the docking component to communications from the ECD 202, allowing the docking component to devote more cycles to NFC or Bluetooth.

[0056] When the ECD 202 is placed or docked in the holder 228, a second switch device 222b included in the ECD 202 can be engaged to power on the ECD 202, independent of the first switch device 220b. The second switch device 222b can be activated in response to an interaction between a third magnet 230 of the holder 228 and a second magnet 222a of the ECD 202. Once the ECD 202 is docked in the holder 228 and powered on, the electronic card programs 110a, 110b can exchange information 210 with the smartphone 206 if new information is available. In one embodiment, the electronic card programs 110a, 110b can register the docking status in the memory 212 of the ECD 202. In various embodiments, once the information exchange between the ECD 202 and the smartphone 206 is completed or the docking state is registered in the memory 212, or both, the electronic card program 110a, 110b may execute a script to power off the ECD 202. According to one embodiment, when the ECD 202 contacts the partner ECD 204, the first switch device 220b may be engaged to power on the ECD 202, as previously described. The electronic card program 110a, 110b may then execute to exchange information 210 between the ECDs 202, 204. Thereafter, if the electronic card program 110a, 110b determines that the ECD 202 is docked with the smartphone 206, it may transmit the received information to the smartphone 206. Otherwise, the electronic card program 110a, 110b may store the received information in the memory 212 until the ECD 202 contacts the smartphone 206.

[0057] According to one embodiment, the electronic card program 110a, 110b can determine whether the ECD 202 is docked with the smartphone 206 by checking a docking status in the memory 212. In another embodiment, the electronic card program 110a, 110b can implement NFC or other communication methods (e.g., Bluetooth) to determine whether the ECD 202 is sufficiently close to the smartphone 206 to transmit information to the smartphone 206.

[0058] According to at least one embodiment, the electronic card program 110a, 110b may enable the user 202a to select (e.g., in a companion application running on the smartphone 206) a first option associated with exchanging information with the smartphone 206 only when the ECD 202 is docked in the holder 228. The electronic card program 110a, 110b may also provide a second option associated with exchanging information with the smartphone 206 whenever an NFC signal is detected from the smartphone 206 (e.g., when the ECD 202 is sufficiently close to the smartphone 206 but not docked in the holder 228). It is contemplated that selecting the first option (e.g., the docked only option) may be more energy efficient for the ECD 202 than selecting the second option (e.g., the NFC signal detection option).

[0059] According to one embodiment, the electronic card program 110a, 110b may implement NFC to perform wireless communication between the ECD 202 and the smartphone 206. NFC may be preferred compared to Bluetooth due to its low battery 218 power consumption and lack of formal pairing requirement between the ECD 202 and the smartphone 206. When the user 202a initially connects the ECD 202 to the smartphone 206, the smartphone 206 may exchange a unique number or identification token with the ECD 202. After this initial handshake operation, when sending information to the smartphone 206, the ECD 202 may use the unique number or identification token to encrypt the information being sent to the smartphone 206. In one embodiment, the user 202a may perform the initial handshake operation in a secure area far away from any other NFC devices to ensure that the unique number or identification token received by the ECD 202 is from the smartphone 206.

[0060] As a result of the initial handshake operation and encryption of the information with the smartphone 206's unique number or identification token, the problem of unintentionally transmitting information (e.g., contact information) to another user's smartphone rather than to the user's 202a's smartphone 206 (e.g., due to nearby NFC signals) can be avoided.

[0061] In some embodiments, the ECD 202 may include a physical switch configured to allow the user 202a to manually power on / off the ECD 202. For example, if the user 202a does not have the holder 228 attached to the smartphone 206, the user 202a may use the physical switch to manually power on the ECD 202 when approaching the smartphone 206 to exchange information. The user 202a may then use the physical switch to power off the ECD 202.

[0062] In yet another embodiment, the ECD 202 may be powered on by default, and the ability to power off and dock with the smartphone 206 may be controlled via settings on a companion application running on the smartphone 206. In such an embodiment, the next time the ECD 202 connects with the smartphone 206 (e.g., via docking), the ECD 202 may be updated with the latest configuration changes via NFC.

[0063] In another embodiment, when the ECD 202 is powered on by activating the first switch device 220b, the ECD 202 may be powered off until it first encounters a partner ECD 204. The ECD 202 may then remain powered on (e.g., even after it is no longer in contact with the partner ECD 204) until it uploads its accumulated information onto the smartphone 206. The electronic card program 110a, 110b may then, via software, power off the ECD 202. In this way, the ECD 202 may have its power turned off until it first captures new information from another ECD (e.g., the partner ECD 204), and the ECD 202 may then remain powered on until its accumulated information is uploaded to the paired smartphone 206.

[0064] According to this embodiment, a user using a client computer 102 or a server computer 112 can use an electronic card program 110a, 110b (respectively) to exchange information with another user using a portable, energy efficient electronic device, such as the ECD 202. The electronic card method is described in more detail below with respect to Figure 2 (discussed in more detail above) and Figures 3-5 (discussed in more detail below).

[0065] According to one embodiment, an electronic card method may generally include connecting a first ECD to another second ECD (e.g., a partner ECD). Then, the electronic card method may include powering on the ECD via a first switch device (e.g., a first reed switch / relay) in response to an interaction between a first magnet of the first ECD and a first magnet of the second ECD. Then, the electronic card method may include exchanging information with the second ECD via NFC or other wireless communication protocol. Thereafter, the electronic card method may include determining whether the first ECD is docked with a mobile device. If the electronic card method determines that the first ECD is docked with a mobile device, the electronic card method may include exchanging information with the mobile device (e.g., uploading stored information from the first ECD to the mobile device) via NFC or other wireless communication protocol. If the electronic card method determines that the first ECD is not docked with the mobile device, the electronic card method may include powering off the first ECD either by loss of contact with the second ECD (deactivating the first switch device) or via software instructions to power off after exchanging information with the second ECD.

[0066] In at least one embodiment, the electronic card method can include docking the first ECD with the mobile device after one or more information exchanges between the ECD and another second ECD. The electronic card method can then include powering on the first ECD via a second switch device (e.g., a second reed switch / relay) in response to an interaction between a second magnet of the first ECD and a third magnet of a card or ECD holder attached to the user's mobile device. Once docked with the mobile device, the electronic card method can include the first ECD exchanging information with the mobile device via NFC or other wireless communication protocol. The electronic card method can then include powering off the first ECD after the information exchange with the mobile device via software instructions for powering off.

[0067] Referring now to FIG. 3, an operational flowchart illustrating an exemplary energy-efficient data exchange process 300 used by the electronic card programs 110a and 110b described in connection with FIG. 2 in accordance with at least one embodiment is shown.

[0068] At 302, power is detected via a first switch device. According to one embodiment, a first ECD (e.g., ECD 202) can contact another second ECD (e.g., partner ECD 204) to exchange information stored on the respective ECDs. The electronic card program 110a, 110b can detect activation of a first switch device (e.g., a switch or relay) in the first ECD and power on the first ECD.

[0069] As previously described with reference to FIG. 2, an ECD may include two magnets and two switch devices arranged in a magnet-switch pair, where a first magnet and a first switch device provide a first magnet-switch pair and a second magnet and a second switch device provide a second magnet-switch pair. According to one embodiment, the first and second switch devices may be arranged in parallel to provide two paths for completing a circuit (e.g., via physically turning on a switch or engaging a switch relay) configured to power on or activate the ECD. In one embodiment, the first magnet-switch pair of an ECD may engage the first magnet-switch pair of a partner ECD such that an interaction between the first magnets on the respective ECDs may activate the associated first switch device to close the first circuit path and power on the respective ECD. The electronic card program 110a, 110b may determine that the second ECD is within a threshold proximity range of the first ECD in response to detecting activation of the first switch device. In one embodiment, the first ECD and the second ECD can snap together in response to a first magnet of the first ECD coupling with a corresponding first magnet of the second ECD.

[0070] Data is then exchanged with the partner ECD at 304. The first ECD may initiate communication in response to a first magnet-switch pair of the first ECD engaging a corresponding first magnet-switch pair of the second or partner ECD to power on the first ECD. The memory of the ECD may be loaded with information associated with a user of the ECD. In one embodiment, as described above with reference to FIG. 2, an electronic card program 110a, 110b executing on a microprocessor of the ECD may negotiate an exchange of data with the partner ECD based on a current context. The exchangeable data may include, for example, contact information, biographical information and / or a photo, and / or other information. In another aspect, the information loadable into the memory may include a token, which may be linked to a record in a database that stores information such as contact information, biographical information or a photo, or a combination thereof. The current context may include a criterion that the interests of a first user of the ECD match the interests of a second user of the partner ECD as identified by the ECD. The current context may also include the criteria that a first user of an ECD and a second user of a partner ECD are participants in a specified conference.

[0071] Next, at 306, the electronic card program 110a, 110b determines whether an ECD is docked on the mobile device. According to one embodiment, the user's mobile device (e.g., smartphone 206) can include a docking component or holder (e.g., holder 228) configured to receive the ECD for storage and portability. In one embodiment, the holder can include a third magnet that can interact with the second magnet of the ECD when the ECD is placed (e.g., docked) in the holder. Interaction between the third magnet of the holder and the second magnet of the ECD can activate a second switch device of the ECD and close a second circuit path configured to power on the ECD. In one embodiment, the electronic card program 110a, 110b can register a docking state or docking record in a memory of the ECD in response to detecting the second switch device closing the second circuit path to power on the ECD. Thus, the electronic card program 110a, 110b can determine whether the ECD is docked to the mobile device by checking the docking status in the memory of the ECD. In another embodiment, the electronic card program 110a, 110b can implement NFC or any other proximity based communication mechanism (e.g., Bluetooth) to determine whether the ECD is in sufficient proximity to the mobile device to allow the ECD to be docked in a holder.

[0072] If the electronic card program 110a, 110b determines that the ECD is docked at 306, then at 312, information is exchanged with the mobile device, as described further below. However, if the electronic card program 110a, 110b determines that the ECD is not docked at 306, then at 308, the ECD is powered off. According to one embodiment, the ECD can be powered off by loss of contact with the partner ECD. The electronic card program 110a, 110b can detect deactivation of a first switch device configured to power off the first ECD in response to the second ECD being outside a threshold proximity range of the first ECD. In such an embodiment, the first magnets of the respective ECDs cannot interact, resulting in deactivation of the first switch device and opening or interruption of the first circuit path. In at least one embodiment, the electronic card program 110a, 110b can execute a shutdown script to automatically power off the ECD upon completion of a transaction with a partner ECD. According to one embodiment, before the ECD is powered off, the electronic card program 110a, 110b can store in the memory of the ECD any data received or accumulated until the ECD contacted the mobile device (e.g., received in a holder). In one embodiment, the electronic card program 110a, 110b can update a record in the memory of the ECD to reflect that the ECD is not docked with the mobile device (e.g., by recording an undocked state).

[0073] In some examples, the ECD may connect with multiple other ECDs (e.g., multiple partner ECDs) to exchange information before the ECD is docked to transfer data to the mobile device. In such examples, the electronic card process 300 may return to 302 and power up via the first read device in response to connecting to another ECD.

[0074] Power is then detected at 310 via the second switch device. When the ECD is inserted (e.g., docked) into the holder, a second switch device (e.g., a reed switch / relay or mechanical switch) contained within the ECD may be engaged to power on the ECD, independent of the first switch device of the ECD. In one embodiment, the electronic card program 110a, 110b may detect activation of the second switch device to power on the ECD. As previously described with reference to FIG. 2, the second switch device may be activated in response to an interaction between a third magnet of the holder and a second magnet of the ECD. In one embodiment, the electronic card program 110a, 110b may detect closure of the second circuit path in response to an interaction between a third magnet of the holder and a second magnet of the ECD. In one embodiment, the electronic card program 110a, 110b may also register a docking status or docking record in the memory of the ECD in response to detecting activation of a second read device to power on the ECD.

[0075] The data is then transferred to the mobile device at 312. Once the ECD is docked in the holder and powered on, the electronic card program 110a, 110b can initiate the transfer of data to the mobile device if new information is available. In one embodiment, the data for transfer can include information stored in the ECD, for example, by receiving data from a partner ECD. In one embodiment, the electronic card program 110a, 110b executing on the microprocessor or microcontroller of the ECD can perform the transfer of data to the mobile device using NFC or other proximity based communication mechanism. In another aspect, a remote agent in communication with the microprocessor or microcontroller of the ECD can initiate the transfer of information to the mobile device.

[0076] The power is then turned off at 314. Once the data has been transferred or uploaded to the mobile device, the electronic card program 110a, 110b may implement a shutdown script to automatically power off the ECD.

[0077] According to one embodiment, while the ECD is docked on the mobile device and turned off via software (e.g., a shutdown script), it can interact with other partner ECDs to exchange data. In such an embodiment, the electronic card process 300 can return to 302 and power on via the first switch device in response to connecting to another partner ECD.

[0078] In various embodiments, when an ECD is held within a mobile device holder, the electronic card process can begin at 312 when the ECD is powered on via activation of a second switch device, as described above. This interaction is described further below with reference to FIG.

[0079] 4, an electrical schematic 400 of an exemplary electronic card device (ECD) 402 according to at least one embodiment is shown. According to one embodiment, the ECD 402 is similar to the ECD 202 and partner ECD 204 described above with reference to FIG.

[0080] According to one embodiment, as described with reference to FIG. 2, the ECD 402 can include a first magnet 404a capable of activating another such partner ECD and a second magnet 404b capable of interacting with a third magnet of the ECD holder. In one embodiment, the ECD 402 can include a microcontroller 406, such as, but not limited to, the ultra-low power microcontroller shown: MSP430-G2. In one embodiment, the microcontroller 406 can be connected to a switch circuit 408 that includes two switch devices (e.g., reed devices) connected in parallel. In one embodiment, a first reed relay 410a of the switch circuit 408 can complete a first circuit path 412a and a second reed relay 410b of the switch circuit 408 can complete a second circuit path 412b. In various embodiments, other switch devices (e.g., mechanical switches) are also contemplated, as previously discussed.

[0081] In one embodiment, the first reed relay 410a can be activated (e.g., switched on) in response to the first magnet 414 of another ECD being in proximity to the ECD 402. Similarly, the first reed relay 410a can be deactivated (e.g., switched off) when the first magnet 414 of another ECD is not in proximity. In one embodiment, the second reed relay 410a can be activated (e.g., switched on) in response to the second magnet 404b of the ECD 402 interacting with a third magnet (not shown) of the ECD holder. As previously mentioned, activation of the second reed relay 410b can automatically trigger the transmission or exchange of data with the mobile device. Although not specifically shown, in various embodiments, the ECD 402 can also include a push button that can be manually triggered to transmit or exchange data with the mobile device.

[0082] In at least one embodiment, the microcontroller 406 may also be coupled to an NFC module 416, which may enable the ECD 402 to communicate with another device, such as, for example, another partner ECD and / or a mobile device. Although not specifically shown, in various embodiments, the ECD 402 may also include a Wi-Fi module and other wireless communication modules, such as, for example, a Bluetooth module for proximity-based communication with another device.

[0083] In various embodiments, the ECD 402 may include an LED component 418. In one embodiment, the LED 418 may light up in different shades based on different functions being performed in the ECD 402. For example, the LED 418 may light up in red to indicate that the device is ready, the LED 418 may light up in yellow to indicate that information is being shared or exchanged with other devices, and the LED 418 may light up in green to indicate that an identification has been received. Other shade coding may also be utilized. Although not specifically shown, in various embodiments, the ECD 402 may also include a vibration component. In one embodiment, the vibration component may vibrate to indicate different functions or modes of the ECD 402. For example, the vibration component may vibrate in response to initiating a negotiation to share or exchange information and may stop vibrating after the negotiation fails or after the exchange of information is complete.

[0084] According to one embodiment, the ECD 402 may also include a programming port 420 to enable programming of the microcontroller 406. In one embodiment, the programming port 420 may enable the ECD 402 to be programmed with the electronic card programs 110a, 110b. In one embodiment, the electronic card programs 110a, 110b executing on the microcontroller 406 may enable the microcontroller 406 to function as an energy efficient agent that may provide data to, receive data from, and / or exchange data with another device (e.g., a partner ECD) in a manner configured to conserve energy of a battery 422 provided to power the ECD 402. The energy efficient agent may also function to upload accumulated data from the other device to another device, such as a mobile device (e.g., smartphone, tablet, laptop) or another computer system, or both, in a manner configured to conserve energy of the battery 422.

[0085] 5, a block diagram 500 is shown illustrating an exemplary electronic card interaction between a first ECD 502 and a second ECD 504, according to at least one embodiment. According to one embodiment, the first and second ECDs 502, 504 may be similar to the ECDs 202, 204, as described above with reference to FIG.

[0086] In one embodiment as shown in FIG. 5, the first ECD 502 can be disposed in a holder 506 (e.g., a docking component) attached to a mobile device 508. In one embodiment, the mobile device 508 can include a smartphone. In other embodiments, the mobile device 508 can include other user devices such as, for example, a tablet or laptop. The first ECD 502 can include two magnets (a first magnet 510a and a second magnet 512a) and two switch devices (a first reed device 510b and a second reed device 512b). In one embodiment, the two magnets and the two reed devices can be disposed in a magnet-lead pair, where the first magnet 510a and the first reed device 510b provide a first magnet-lead pair and the second magnet 512a and the second reed device 512b provide a second magnet-lead pair. According to one embodiment, the holder 506 can include a third magnet 518 configured to engage with the second magnet 512 a of the first ECD 502 .

[0087] According to one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, a first magnet-lead pair can be provided or disposed on a first end of each ECD 502, 504 and a second magnet-lead pair can be provided or disposed on a second end of each ECD 502, 504 opposite the first end such that the ECD 502 can simultaneously interact with the third magnet 518 of the holder 506 and the first magnet-lead pair (e.g., 514a, 514b) of the partner ECD 504.

[0088] According to one embodiment, the electronic card program 110a, 110b executing on the first ECD 502 can determine that the first ECD 502 is docked in the holder 506 based on detecting activation of the second lead device 512b (to power on the ECD) in response to an interaction between the second magnet 512a of the ECD 502 and the third magnet 518 of the holder 506. Upon inferring the presence of the first ECD 502 in the holder 506, the electronic card program 110a, 110b can register a docking state or record in the memory of the first ECD 502. The electronic card program 110a, 110b can then transfer any new data stored in the first ECD 502 to the mobile device 508 via NFC or any other proximity-based communication mechanism. Once the information has been transferred to the mobile device 508, the first ECD 502 may be automatically powered off via a shutdown script implemented by the electronic card program 110a, 110b.

[0089] The first ECD 502 can then be docked in the holder 506 of the mobile device 508 and interact with the second ECD 504 for the exchange of data while being powered off via software.

[0090] In one embodiment, the first magnet-lead pair (e.g., first magnet 510a, first lead device 510b) of the first ECD 502 can engage the first magnet-lead pair (e.g., first magnet 514a, first lead device 514b) of the second ECD 504 such that interaction between the first magnet 510a of the first ECD 502 and the first magnet 514a of the second ECD 504 can actuate the first lead devices 510a, 514b of the ECDs 502, 504, respectively. Thus, the first magnet 510a, 514b on each ECD 502, 504 can activate the associated lead device 510b, 514b to close a first circuit path and turn on the respective ECD 502, 504.

[0091] In one embodiment, the electronic card program 110a, 110b executing on the microprocessor of the first ECD 502 can negotiate an exchange of data with the second ECD 504 based on the current context, as described above with reference to FIG. 2. Once the exchange of data between the ECDs is complete, the electronic card program 110a, 110b can determine that the first ECD 502 is docked with the mobile device 508 based on a recorded docking state in the memory of the first ECD 502. In response to determining the docking state, the electronic card program 110a, 110b executing on the first ECD 502 can perform a transfer of the received data to the mobile device 508 using NFC or other proximity-based communication mechanism. The first ECD 502 can then automatically power off again via a shutdown script implemented by the electronic card program 110a, 110b.

[0092] The electronic card program 110a, 110b can improve the functionality of a computer because it can enable the computer to minimize the energy requirements of a portable ECD configured to exchange data with other electronic devices. Rather than relying on proximity-based communication mechanisms that may consume more energy, the electronic card program 110a, 110b can enable the computer to determine that another electronic device may be within wireless communication range by detecting how the ECD is powered on (e.g., the first read device or the second read device). The electronic card program 110a, 110b can also enable the computer to automatically power off the ECD upon completion of the required data exchange transaction.

[0093] It will be understood that Figures 2-5 provide only an illustration of one embodiment and do not imply any limitations on how different embodiments may be implemented. Many modifications to the illustrated embodiment can be made based on design and implementation requirements.

[0094] Figure 6 is a block diagram 900 of the internal and external components of the computer shown in Figure 1 in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the invention. It should be appreciated that Figure 6 is intended as only an illustration of one implementation and is not intended to imply any limitation with respect to the environments in which different embodiments may be implemented. Many modifications to the depicted environment may be made based on design and implementation requirements.

[0095] The data processing systems 902, 904 represent any electronic device capable of executing machine-readable program instructions. The data processing systems 902, 904 may represent a smart phone, a computer system, a PDA, or other electronic device. Examples of computer systems, environments, or configurations, or combinations thereof, that may be represented by the data processing systems 902, 904 include, but are not limited to, personal computer systems, server computer systems, thin clients, thick clients, handheld or laptop devices, multiprocessor systems, microprocessor-based systems, network PCs, minicomputer systems, and distributed cloud computing environments that include any of the above systems or devices.

[0096] The user client computer 102 and the network server 112 may include respective sets of internal components 902a,b and external components 904a,b as shown in Figure 6. Each set of internal components 902a,b includes one or more processors 906, one or more computer-readable RAMs 908, and one or more computer-readable ROMs 910 on one or more buses 912, as well as one or more operating systems 914 and one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices 916. The one or more operating systems 914, software programs 108, and electronic card programs 110a in the client computer 102 and electronic card programs 110b in the network server 112 may be stored on one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices 916 for execution by the one or more processors 906 via one or more RAMs 908 (typically including cache memory). 6, each of the computer-readable tangible storage devices 916 is an internal hard drive magnetic disk storage device, or alternatively, each of the computer-readable tangible storage devices 916 is a semiconductor storage device such as ROM 910, EPROM, flash memory, or any other computer-readable tangible storage device capable of storing computer programs and digital information.

[0097] Each set of internal components 902a,b also includes a R / W drive or interface 918 for reading from and writing to one or more portable, tangible, computer-readable storage devices 920, such as CD-ROMs, DVDs, memory sticks, magnetic tapes, magnetic disks, optical disks, or semiconductor storage devices. Software programs, such as software program 108 and electronic card programs 110a and 110b, may be stored on one or more of the respective portable, tangible, computer-readable storage devices 920 and read via the respective R / W drive or interface 918 and loaded onto the respective hard drive 916.

[0098] Each set of internal components 902a,b may also include a network adapter (or switch port card) or interface 922, such as a TCP / IP adapter card, a wireless wi-fi interface card, or a 3G or 4G wireless interface card, or other wired or wireless communication link. The software programs 108 and the electronic card program 110a in the client computer 102 and the electronic card program 110b in the network server computer 112 may be downloaded from an external computer (e.g., a server) via a network (e.g., the Internet, a local area network, or other wide area network) and the respective network adapter or interface 922. From the network adapter (or switch port adapter) or interface 922, the software programs 108 and the electronic card program 110a in the client computer 102 and the electronic card program 110b in the network server computer 112 are loaded onto the respective hard drives 916. The network may include copper wire, fiber optics, wireless transmissions, routers, firewalls, switches, gateway computers, or edge servers, or any combination thereof.

[0099] Each set of external components 904a,b may include a computer display monitor 924, a keyboard 926, and a computer mouse 928. The external components 904a,b may also include touch screens, virtual keyboards, touchpads, pointing devices, and other human interface devices. Each set of internal components 902a,b also includes a device driver 930 for interfacing to the computer display monitor 924, the keyboard 926, and the computer mouse 928. The device driver 930, the R / W drive or interface 918, and the network adapter or interface 922 may include hardware and software (stored in the storage device 916 or ROM 910, or both).

[0100] Although this disclosure includes detailed descriptions of cloud computing, it is understood that implementation of the teachings described herein is not limited to a cloud computing environment. Rather, embodiments of the invention may be practiced in connection with any other type of computing environment now known or later developed.

[0101] Cloud computing is a model of service delivery for enabling convenient, on-demand network access to a shared pool of configurable computing resources (e.g., networks, network bandwidth, servers, processing, memory, storage, applications, virtual machines, and services) that can be rapidly provisioned and released with minimal administrative effort or interaction with a service provider. The cloud model can include at least five characteristics, at least three service models, and at least four deployment models.

[0102] Its features are as follows: On-Demand Self-Service: Cloud consumers can automatically and unilaterally provision computing capacity, such as server time and network storage, as they need it, without the need for human interaction with the provider of the service. Pervasive Network Access: Functionality is available over the network and accessed through standard mechanisms that facilitate use by heterogeneous thin or thick client platforms (eg, cell phones, laptops, and PDAs). Resource Pooling: A provider's computing resources are pooled to serve multiple consumers using a multi-tenant model, with different physical and virtual resources dynamically allocated and reallocated on demand. Consumers are location independent in that they generally have no control or knowledge of the exact location of the resources provided to them, although they may be able to specify a location at a higher level of abstraction (e.g., country, state, or data center). Rapid Elasticity: Capabilities can be rapidly provisioned and rapidly scaled out, and rapidly released and rapidly scaled in, rapidly and elastically, sometimes automatically. To the consumer, the capabilities available for provisioning often appear unlimited, and can be purchased in any quantity at any time. Metered Services: Cloud systems automatically control and optimize resource usage by using metering capabilities at some level of abstraction appropriate to the type of service (e.g., storage, processing, bandwidth, and active user accounts). Resource usage can be monitored, controlled, and reported, providing transparency to both providers and consumers of the services being utilized.

[0103] The service model is as follows: Software as a Service (SaaS): The functionality provided to the consumer is the use of the provider's applications running on a cloud infrastructure. These applications are accessible from a variety of client devices through thin-client interfaces such as web browsers (e.g., web-based email). The consumer does not manage or control the underlying cloud infrastructure, including the network, servers, operating systems, storage, or individual application capabilities, with the expected exception of limited user-specific application configuration settings. Platform as a Service (PaaS): The functionality offered to the consumer is the deployment onto a cloud infrastructure of applications the consumer creates or acquires, written using programming languages ​​and tools supported by the provider. The consumer does not manage or control the underlying cloud infrastructure, including networks, servers, operating systems, or storage, but does control the deployed applications and, in some cases, the configuration of the environment that hosts the applications. Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS): The functionality provided to a consumer is to provision processing, storage, network, and other basic computing resources onto which the consumer can deploy and run any software, which may include operating systems and applications. The consumer does not manage or control the underlying cloud infrastructure, but has control over the operating systems, storage, deployed applications, and possibly limited control over the selection of network components (e.g., host firewalls).

[0104] The deployment model is as follows: Private Cloud: Cloud infrastructure is operated exclusively for an organization. It can be managed by that organization or a third party and can exist on-premise or off-premise. Community Cloud: Cloud infrastructure is shared by several organizations to support a specific community with common concerns (e.g., mission, security requirements, policies, and compliance considerations). It can be managed by those organizations or by a third party and can reside on-premise or off-premise. Public Cloud: The cloud infrastructure is available to the general public or large industry groups and is owned by organizations that sell cloud services. Hybrid Cloud: A cloud infrastructure is a blend of two or more clouds (private, community, or public) that remain unique entities but are tied together by standardized or proprietary technologies (e.g., cloud bursting for load balancing between clouds) that enable data and application portability.

[0105] Cloud computing environments are service-oriented and focus on statelessness, low coupling, modularity, and semantic interoperability. At the heart of cloud computing is an infrastructure that includes a network of interconnected nodes.

[0106] Referring now to FIG. 7, an exemplary cloud computing environment 1000 is shown. As shown, the cloud computing environment 1000 includes one or more cloud computing nodes 100 with which a local computing device used by a cloud consumer, such as, for example, a personal digital assistant (PDA) or cellular phone 1000A, a desktop computer 1000B, a laptop computer 1000C, or an automobile computer system 1000N, or a combination thereof, can communicate. The nodes 100 can communicate with each other. The nodes 100 can be physically or virtually grouped in one or more networks, such as a private cloud, a community cloud, a public cloud, or a hybrid cloud, or a combination thereof, as described above (not shown). This enables the cloud computing environment 1000 to provide Infrastructure as a Service, Platform as a Service, or Software as a Service, or a combination thereof, without the cloud consumer having to maintain resources on a local computing device. It will be understood that the types of computing devices 1000A-N shown in FIG. 7 are intended to be merely exemplary, and that the computing node 100 and cloud computing environment 1000 are capable of communicating with any type of computerized device (e.g., using a web browser) via any type of network or network-addressable connection or both.

[0107] Referring now to Figure 8, there is shown a set of functional abstraction layers 1100 provided by the cloud computing environment 1000. It should be understood in advance that the components, layers and functions shown in Figure 8 are intended to be merely illustrative, and that embodiments of the present invention are not limited thereto. As shown, the following layers and corresponding functions are provided:

[0108] Hardware and software layer 1102 includes hardware and software components. Example hardware components include mainframe 1104, RISC (Reduced Instruction Set Computer) architecture based server 1106, server 1108, blade server 1110, storage devices 1112, and network and networking components 1114. In some embodiments, software components include network application server software 1116 and database software 1118.

[0109] The virtualization layer 1120 provides an abstraction layer that can provide the following examples of virtual entities: virtual servers 1122, virtual storage 1124, virtual networks including virtual private networks 1126, virtual applications and operating systems 1128, and virtual clients 1130.

[0110] In one example, the management layer 1132 can provide the functionality described below. Resource provisioning 1134 provides dynamic procurement of computing and other resources utilized to execute tasks within the cloud computing environment. Metering and pricing 1136 provides cost tracking as resources are utilized within the cloud computing environment and billing or invoicing for the consumption of these resources. In one example, these resources may include application software licenses. Security provides identity verification for cloud consumers and tasks, as well as protection for data and other resources. User portal 1138 provides access to the cloud computing environment for consumers and system administrators. Service level management 1140 provides allocation and management of cloud computing resources such that required service levels are met. Service level agreement (SLA) planning and fulfillment 1142 provides pre-positioning and procurement of cloud computing resources for predicted future needs according to SLAs.

[0111] The workload layer 1144 provides examples of functionality that can utilize a cloud computing environment. Examples of workloads and functionality that can be provided from this layer include mapping and navigation 1146, software development and lifecycle management 1148, virtual classroom instructional delivery 1150, data analytics processing 1152, transaction processing 1154, and energy efficient data exchange 1156. The electronic card programs 110a, 110b provide a method for exchanging information using portable energy efficient electronic devices.

[0112] The description of various embodiments of the present disclosure has been presented for illustrative purposes, but they are not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the disclosed embodiments. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the described embodiments. The terms used in this specification have been selected to best explain the principles of the embodiments, practical applications, or technical improvements over the art found in the market, or to enable those skilled in the art to understand the embodiments disclosed herein.

Claims

1. 1. A computer system for energy efficient data exchange, comprising: a first electronic card device (ECD) including a first switch and a second switch, the first switch configured to power on the first ECD in response to the first ECD engaging a second ECD, and the first ECD configured to exchange data with the second ECD; a docking component configured to receive the first ECD, the docking component including an actuator configured to engage the second switch to power on the first ECD in response to the first ECD being received by the docking component, the first ECD configured to transfer received data from the second ECD to a mobile device associated with the docking component; Including, the system.

2. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first ECD further includes a first magnet-switch pair associated with the first switch and a second magnet-switch pair associated with the second switch, the first switch and the second switch being arranged in parallel.

3. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first ECD further includes a first magnet associated with the first switch and a second magnet associated with the second switch, and the actuator of the docking component further includes a third magnet configured to interact with the second magnet to activate the second switch when the first ECD is received by the docking component.

4. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first switch of the first ECD further includes a first mechanical switch, the second switch of the first ECD further includes a second mechanical switch, and the actuator of the docking component further includes a third mechanical switch, wherein interaction between the first mechanical switch of the first ECD and a corresponding first mechanical switch of the second ECD is configured to power on the first ECD, and interaction between the second mechanical switch of the first ECD and the third mechanical switch of the docking component is configured to power on the first ECD.

5. 3. The system of claim 2, wherein the first switch of the first ECD further comprises a first reed switch and the second switch of the first ECD further comprises a second reed switch.

6. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first switch of the first ECD is configured to engage a corresponding first switch of the second ECD to power on the first ECD and enable data exchange with the second ECD, and the first switch of the first ECD is configured to disengage from the corresponding first switch of the second ECD to power off the first ECD.

7. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first ECD is configured to be received in the docking component and powered off by executing a shutdown script, and the first switch of the first ECD is configured to engage a corresponding first switch of the second ECD to power on the first ECD and enable data exchange with the second ECD.

8. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the docking component further comprises a holder configured to be coupled to the mobile device, the holder including the actuator configured to engage the second switch of the first ECD when the first ECD is placed within the holder.

9. 2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a first circuit path operably coupled to the first switch, the first circuit path configured to close in response to an interaction between the first switch of the first ECD and a corresponding first switch of the second ECD to power on the first ECD.

10. 2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a second circuit path operably coupled to the second switch, the second circuit path configured to close in response to an interaction between the second switch of the first ECD and the actuator of the docking component to power on the first ECD.

11. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first ECD further includes a memory component, the first ECD configured to store a docking record in the memory component when the second switch of the first ECD is activated, and the first ECD configured to check the memory component for the docking record to determine whether the first ECD has been received by the docking component.

12. 4. The system of claim 3, wherein the first ECD is configured to transfer the received data from the second ECD to the mobile device in response to the third magnet of the docking component and the second magnet of the first ECD engaging the second switch to power on the first ECD.

13. 4. The system of claim 3, wherein the first magnet and the first switch are disposed on a first end of the first ECD, the second magnet and the second switch are disposed on a second end of the first ECD opposite the first end, and the first ECD is configured to interact with the second ECD and simultaneously be received by the docking component.

14. 13. The system of claim 12, wherein the first ECD is configured to execute a shutdown script to automatically power off the first ECD upon completion of transfer of the received data to the mobile device.

15. A method implemented by a computer-based information processing system, comprising the steps of: Detecting activation of a first switch in a first electronic card device (ECD) for powering on the first ECD; determining, in response to detecting the activation of the first switch, that a second ECD is within a threshold proximity range of the first ECD; exchanging data with the second ECD; in response to determining that the first ECD is docked with a mobile device, transmitting stored information from the first ECD to the mobile device; storing the accumulated information on the first ECD in response to determining that the first ECD is undocked with the mobile device; detecting a deactivation of the first switch to power off the first ECD in response to the second ECD being outside the threshold proximity range of the first ECD; A method comprising:

16. Detecting activation of a second switch at the first ECD to power on the first ECD; determining that the first ECD is docked with the mobile device in response to the detected activation of the second switch; transmitting the stored information from the first ECD to the mobile device; in response to completing the transmission of the stored information to the mobile device, executing a shutdown script to automatically power off the first ECD; The method of claim 15 further comprising:

17. Detecting the activation of the first switch to power on the first ECD includes:

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising detecting a closure of a first circuit path in response to an interaction between a first magnet of the first ECD and a corresponding first magnet of the second ECD.

18. 17. The method of claim 16, further comprising recording a docking state in a memory of the first ECD in response to the detected activation of the second switch to power on the first ECD.

19. in response to receiving at least one piece of information from the second ECD, checking the memory of the first ECD to determine if the first ECD is docked with the mobile device; transmitting the received at least one piece of information to the mobile device in response to identifying the recorded docking information in the memory of the first ECD; 20. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

20. A computer program comprising program instructions causing a computer to carry out a method according to any one of claims 15 to 19.

21. 21. One or more computer readable storage media having collectively stored thereon the computer program of claim 20.

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