PROXIMITY DETECTION OF INTERNET OF THINGS (IoT) DEVICES USING SOUND CHIRPS

A method of facilitating proximity detection between a first Internet of Things (IoT) device and a second IoT device at the second IoT device, comprising:

• establishing a connection with the first IoT device;
• determining to execute a proximity detection procedure with the first IoT device;
• outputting, via an audio output device coupled to the second IoT device, an audio emission from the second IoT device over a first communication path in response to the determination;
• and
• transmitting, at substantially the same time as the outputting of the audio emission over the first communication path, a data packet to the first IoT device over a second communication path,
• wherein the audio emission and the data packet are configured to be correlated with each other at the first IoT device in conjunction with the proximity detection procedure for calculation of a distance estimate between the first and second IoT devices based upon correlation information, and
• wherein the correlation information includes (i) first correlation information that is contained within the audio emission and configured to help identify the data packet, and/or (ii) second correlation information that is contained within the data packet and configured to help identify the audio emission.

A first Internet of Things (IoT) device that is configured to determine a proximity to a second IoT device, comprising:

• means for establishing a connection with the second IoT device;
• means for determining to execute a proximity detection procedure with the second IoT device;
• means for monitoring, via a microphone coupled to the first IoT device, for an audio emission over a first communication path from the second IoT device in response to the determination;
• means for receiving, at a first time point, a data packet that is transmitted by the second IoT device over a second communication path at substantially the same time as the audio emission is emitted by the second IoT device over the first communication path;
• means for detecting, at a second time point, the audio emission based on the monitoring;
• means for correlating the detected audio emission with the data packet based upon (i) first correlation information that is contained within the detected audio emission and configured to help identify the data packet, and/or (ii) second correlation information that is contained within the data packet and configured to help identify the detected audio emission;
• and
• means for calculating a distance estimate between the first and second IoT devices based at least in part upon the second time point.

A second Internet of Things (IoT) device configured to facilitate proximity detection between a first Internet of Things (IoT) device and a second IoT device at the second IoT device, comprising:

• means for establishing a connection with the first IoT device;
• means for determining to execute a proximity detection procedure with the first IoT device;
• means for outputting, via an audio output device coupled to the second IoT device, an audio emission from the second IoT device over a first communication path in response to the determination;
• and
• means for transmitting, at substantially the same time as the outputting of the audio emission over the first communication path, a data packet to the first IoT device over a second communication path,
• wherein the audio emission and the data packet are configured to be correlated with each other at the first IoT device in conjunction with the proximity detection procedure for calculation of a distance estimate between the first and second IoT devices based upon correlation information, and
• wherein the correlation information includes (i) first correlation information that is contained within the audio emission and configured to help identify the data packet, and/or
• (ii) second correlation information that is contained within the data packet and configured to help identify the audio emission.

A first Internet of Things (IoT) device that is configured to determine a proximity to a second IoT device, comprising:

• logic configured to establish a connection with the second IoT device;
• logic configured to determine to execute a proximity detection procedure with the second IoT device;
• logic configured to monitor, via a microphone coupled to the first IoT device, for an audio emission over a first communication path from the second IoT device in response to the determination;
• logic configured to receive, at a first time point, a data packet that is transmitted by the second IoT device over a second communication path at substantially the same time as the audio emission is emitted by the second IoT device over the first communication path;
• logic configured to detect, at a second time point, the audio emission based on the monitoring;
• logic configured to correlate the detected audio emission with the data packet based upon (i) first correlation information that is contained within the detected audio emission and configured to help identify the data packet, and/or (ii) second correlation information that is contained within the data packet and configured to help identify the detected audio emission;
• and
• logic configured to calculate a distance estimate between the first and second IoT devices based at least in part upon the second time point.

A second Internet of Things (IoT) device configured to facilitate proximity detection between a first Internet of Things (IoT) device and a second IoT device at the second IoT device, comprising:

• logic configured to establish a connection with the first IoT device;
• logic configured to determine to execute a proximity detection procedure with the first IoT device;
• logic configured to output, via an audio output device coupled to the second IoT device, an audio emission from the second IoT device over a first communication path in response to the determination;
• and
• logic configured to transmit, at substantially the same time as the outputting of the audio emission over the first communication path, a data packet to the first IoT device over a second communication path,
• wherein the audio emission and the data packet are configured to be correlated with each other at the first IoT device in conjunction with the proximity detection procedure for calculation of a distance estimate between the first and second IoT devices based upon correlation information, and
• wherein the correlation information includes (i) first correlation information that is contained within the audio emission and configured to help identify the data packet, and/or (ii) second correlation information that is contained within the data packet and configured to help identify the audio emission.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by a first Internet of Things (IoT) device that is configured to determine a proximity to a second IoT device, causes the first IoT device to perform operations, the instructions comprising:

• at least one instruction to cause the first IoT device to establish a connection with the second IoT device;
• at least one instruction to cause the first IoT device to determine to execute a proximity detection procedure with the second IoT device;
• at least one instruction to cause the first IoT device to monitor, via a microphone coupled to the first IoT device, for an audio emission over a first communication path from the second IoT device in response to the determination;
• at least one instruction to cause the first IoT device to receive, at a first time point, a data packet that is transmitted by the second IoT device over a second communication path at substantially the same time as the audio emission is emitted by the second IoT device over the first communication path;
• at least one instruction to cause the first IoT device to detect, at a second time point, the audio emission based on the monitoring;
• at least one instruction to cause the first IoT device to correlate the detected audio emission with the data packet based upon (i) first correlation information that is contained within the detected audio emission and configured to help identify the data packet, and/or (ii) second correlation information that is contained within the data packet and configured to help identify the detected audio emission;
• and
• at least one instruction to cause the first IoT device to calculate a distance estimate between the first and second IoT devices based at least in part upon the second time point.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by a second Internet of Things (IoT) device configured to facilitate proximity detection between a first Internet of Things (IoT) device and a second IoT device at the second IoT device, causes the second IoT device to perform operations, the instructions comprising:

• at least one instruction to cause the second IoT device to establish a connection with the first IoT device;
• at least one instruction to cause the second IoT device to determine to execute a proximity detection procedure with the first IoT device;
• at least one instruction to cause the second IoT device to output, via an audio output device coupled to the second IoT device, an audio emission from the second IoT device over a first communication path in response to the determination;
• and
• at least one instruction to cause the second IoT device to transmit, at substantially the same time as the outputting of the audio emission over the first communication path, a data packet to the first IoT device over a second communication path,
• wherein the audio emission and the data packet are configured to be correlated with each other at the first IoT device in conjunction with the proximity detection procedure for calculation of a distance estimate between the first and second IoT devices based upon correlation information, and
• wherein the correlation information includes (i) first correlation information that is contained within the audio emission and configured to help identify the data packet, and/or (ii) second correlation information that is contained within the data packet and configured to help identify the audio emission.