2639 results about "Short range wireless" patented technology

A novel system and methodology for conducting financial and other transactions using a wireless device. Credentials may be selectively issued by issuers such as credit card companies, banks, and merchants to consumers permitting the specific consumer to conduct a transaction according to the authorization given as reflected by the credential or set of credentials. The preferred mechanism for controlling and distributing credentials according to the present invention is through one or more publicly accessible networks such as the Internet wherein the system design and operating characteristics are in conformance with the standards and other specific requirements of the chosen network or set of networks. Credentials are ultimately supplied to a handheld device such as a mobile telephone via a wireless network. The user holding the credential may then use the handheld device to conduct the authorized transaction or set of transactions via, for example, a short range wireless link with a point-of-sale terminal.

When an ad hoc network is formed between short range wireless devices, at least one device assumes the role of an ad hoc network information provider for the new piconet. In this role, the device allocates a browsing hierarchy of service classes in its service registry. The service classes will provide a record to characterize the ad hoc network. When a new wireless device arrives within the communication range of any member of the ad hoc network, its inquiry signals are answered by the first member detecting the inquiry. If that first member is an ad hoc network information provider, it responds with information accessed from its service registry characterizing the ad hoc network. If, instead, an ordinary device in the ad hoc network is the first to respond to the inquiry signals of the arriving device, the device responds with the address of the ad hoc network information provider. The arriving device then pages the ad hoc network information provider to obtain information characterizing the ad hoc network.

A short-range wireless power transmission and reception system and method are provided. Power is transmitted from the electrical utility mains power supply to electrically powered appliances via electromagnetic radiation. The appliances are capable of receiving the transmitted power, converting it into electricity and storing it for subsequent use, as well as using it directly to power the appliances.

Devices, systems, and methods are disclosed for altering permitted settings of a vehicle according to a driver identified through short range wireless communication. The vehicle captures a unique identifier from a wireless communication device of the driver of the vehicle. This unique identifier is used to reference a database to determine the identity of the driver as well as settings for the driver created by a controlling authority. The controlling authority may be, for instance, a parent or employer of the driver. The settings may limit certain devices within the vehicle and/or the vehicle itself. Speed control settings, radio settings, wireless communication device settings, and various other settings are all possible to limit distractions to the driver. Further, the settings may be influenced by the number or identities of passengers within the vehicle.

The present invention details a novel application of wireless networking and digital music technologies to achieve coordinated and synchronized music playback among peer listeners connected by wireless ad-hoc networks. Two or more listeners in local proximity allowed by short-range wireless transmission can participate and listen to the same song at the same time. Moreover, the present invention allows listeners in the transmission range to discover each other through profile matching. A high matching score may indicate similar preference or taste to a certain music style thereby easily locating mutual interests, which would not have been possible.

A wireless communication system includes a number of controllable electronic devices and a mobile station for communication with one of the controllable electronic devices through a short-range wireless communication link, when in-range with the one controllable electronic device. The mobile station includes a display screen and a browser. The mobile station and the one controllable electronic device form a client-server pair. Through the short-range wireless communication link, the client requests the server to download a control interface stored at the server. Upon downloading, a browser is used to navigate through control menu pages included in the control interface, and to post control parameter settings to the server. In the server, a program runs to interpret received control parameter settings, to invoke a control action in accordance with the received control parameter settings, and to instruct the client what to do next.

A glucose meter module integrated into a holster device that can securely accommodate another device such as a portable server device or an insulin pump is described. The glucose measuring module and the health device communicate with each other by a short range wireless modality. In the case in which the accommodated device is a server, such as personal digital assistant or cell phone, the device stores data in a memory, displays data on a visual display, and can wirelessly transmit such data to other devices within a personal area network. In the case where the accommodated device is a cell phone, the phone can further transmit data to remote sites. In the case where the accommodated device is an insulin pump, wirelessly received data are stored in a memory, are available for visual display on the insulin pump, and can be incorporated into the electronic processes that regulate the performance of the pump.

A RF-ID based wireless terminal includes a reader device with transponder functionality implementing ECMA 340 standard for near field communication and has shortened session set-up and user identification. The reader device is operable in an active communication mode or a passive communication mode. During the active mode, one RF-ID tag reader simulates a RF-ID tag while the other simulates a RF-ID tag reader. The reader includes a transponder, which operates during periods of time when the reader is not energized. A radio frequency interface provides signal for operation of the reader in the reader operation mode or transponder mode of operation. An RF-ID reader upon receiving a response signal from a semi-passive or active RF-ID tag of reader emulating a tag informs the terminal CPU which instructs the short-range communication to enter e.g. a page scanning mode which shortens session set-up time and user identification.

The invention is a computerized mobile robot with an onboard internet web server, and a capability of establishing a first connection to a remote web browser on the internet for robotic control purposes, and a capability of establishing a second short range bi-directional digital radio connection to one or more nearby computerized digital radio equipped devices external to the robot. The short-range bi-directional digital radio connection will typically have a maximum range of about 300 feet. In a preferred embodiment, this short-range wireless digital connection will use the 2.4 gHz band and digital protocols following the IEEE 802.11, 802.15, or other digital communications protocol. By employing the proper set of external short-range digital radio devices capable of interfacing with the robot (such as sensors, mechanical actuators, appliances, and the like), a remote user on the internet may direct the robot to move within range of the external devices, discover their functionality, and send and receive commands and data to the external devices through the CGI interface on the robot's onboard web server.

There is provided systems and methods for to conducting wireless transactions using portable electronic devices. Specifically, for example, a method of conducting a wireless transaction is provided that includes initiating a wireless transaction using a short range wireless communication system of a portable electronic device. The method also includes obtaining security information via at least one secondary system of the portable electronic device and utilizing the security information obtained via the at least one secondary system to authenticate the portable electronic device for the wireless transaction.

Methods and systems are disclosed herein for managing content, including advertising content, delivered to various network-connected devices, including screens, mobile devices, computers, televisions, radios, and the like, based on usage profiles associated with device-specific identifiers for mobile devices, short-distance wireless technologies for transmission of content and detection of proximity, and content targeting and management techniques.

Restrictions on use of a cellular telephone in a vehicle, such as an automobile, are imposed using a global position system (GPS) device to determine the location of a vehicle in relation to geographic regions in which legal or customer restrictions on cellular telephone use are to be imposed. Network or local short-range wireless transmitters supply information to a cellular telephone describing potentially applicable restriction information retrieved from network databases. In response, a cellular telephone determines applicability of such restrictions and applies them to further use of the cellular telephone while such restrictions continue to apply. Alternative arrangements allow vehicle-based or network based processing of region and restrictions information to yield command messages to cellular telephones to control their further use.

A method and application for mobile phone users provides an ability to discover personal attributes including photo of other individuals in vicinity covered by a short range wireless network, such as Bluetooth or similar signals operating in a wireless free spectrum, such as WiFi. The users can elect to exchange, send or receive contact information with ones that are in the vicinity that includes photos.

A system and method for, by means of a mobile terminal, wireless hotel search and selection, reservation/booking, check-in, room access control, check-out and payment services for hotel customers is disclosed. The mobile terminal (1) comprises a mobile telephone and processing unit (23), operating with wireless applications, for wireless communication (2) with a hotel search and reservation server (12) and a reservation/IT system (7) of a selected hotel, and a short-range wireless device (25) for wireless communication (10) with wireless devices (9,16) of door locks (32) and user locating arrangements, respectively. By means of the wireless application of the mobile terminal (1), the user reserves a hotel room. A hotel room key token is transferred from the reservation/IT system (7) to the wireless device (35) of the mobile terminal, and hence to the wireless door lock (9,32). When the terminal (1) and the wireless door lock (9,31) are in-range, the hotel room key token is transferred from mobile terminal (1) to the wireless door lock (9,32), the door is unlocked and check-in is registered. On departure, exit or expiration of the reservation period, the system provides wireless check-out and electronic bill settlement.