Patent · US Active

Method and system for enabling device functions based on distance information

US7574219B2 · kind B2 · utility

33Cited by
18References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 12, 2005
Grant dateAug 11, 2009
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 19, 2027

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04W80/02
  • WIPO fieldDigital communication
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method, device and computer readable medium for enabling and blocking communications with a remote device based on a distance of the remote device. The method on which the device and computer readable medium are based includes transmitting a message from a local device to a remote device via an ultra wide band (UWB) wireless medium and receiving a response from the remote device via the UWB wireless medium. The transmitting and receiving steps are preferably performed in accordance with a Media Access Control (MAC) protocol. A distance between the local device and the remote device is then determined based on a time between the transmitting of the message and the receiving of the response and a function, such as communicating with the remote device, is performed in the local device based on the distance determined. The communication between the local device and the remote device may be enabled or disabled depending on the distance that the remote device is from the local device. In addition, the distance information for a remote device may be continually updated, or updated only if communication to the remote device are blocked. A positional map may be generated based on distance…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.