Patent · US Active

Method and apparatus for determining the presence of a device for executing operations

US9170607B2 · kind B2 · utility

115Cited by
1References
22Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateOct 17, 2011
Grant dateOct 27, 2015
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 14, 2032

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04M2250/22
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

An apparatus, method, and computer program product are described that can detect the presence of a tangible object without using computer vision. The apparatus receives a signal from a device proximate the apparatus, where the signal includes at least one of a proximity component and an orientation component, and also receives a touch input from the associated display. The apparatus then determines whether there is an association between the signal and the touch input based on the proximity component and/or the orientation component. If the signal and the touch input are associated, it is an indication that the device is disposed on the display, operations may be executed, such as to facilitate interaction between the apparatus and the device. As a result, any object capable of providing a signal having a proximity component or an orientation component can be detected (e.g., without the use of cameras or fiducial markers).

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