System for transmitting object related data from a base unit to a mobile unit through a person's body

A system, comprising:

• a base unit comprising:
• a capacitive coupling element located at, or proximate, a human-selectable actuator;
• a touch/proximity detection device comprising:
• a detection element located at, or proximate, the human-selectable actuator;
• and
• touch/proximity detection circuitry to detect touch/proximity events at the detection element, including a respective touch/proximity event comprising a person physically touching, or proximate, the detection element without actuating the human-selectable actuator;
• and
• a processor to initiate a communication sequence with a mobile unit in response to the detection of the touch/proximity event by the touch/proximity detection device, the communication sequence including a transmission to the mobile unit, via a data transmission connection including a capacitive coupling between the capacitive coupling element and the person, of actuator function information identifying an actuator function associated with the human-selectable actuator.

A method, comprising:

• detecting, by a touch/proximity detection device of a base unit associated with a human-selectable actuator, a touch/proximity event by a person the touch/proximity event occurring at or proximate the human-selectable actuator but not actuating the human-selectable actuator;
• in response to detecting the touch/proximity event, the base unit initiating a communication sequence including transmitting actuator related data from the base unit to a mobile unit via a data transmission connection between the base unit and the mobile unit, the actuator related data comprising information identifying an actuator function associated with the human-selectable actuator;
• wherein the data transmission connection includes (a) a base unit-human capacitive coupling between the base unit and the person and (b) a mobile unit-human capacitive coupling between the mobile unit and the person, and passes through the person's body;
• the mobile unit receiving the actuator related data transmitted via the data transmission connection;
• and
• the mobile unit causing an output device to output human-perceptible signals indicating the actuator function associated with the human-selectable actuator based on the received actuator related data.