Device location discovery by sound
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorRobert Francis Squibbs
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Each device of a group of devices, in particular voice-controlled devices, is equipped with sound receivers and emitters and a short-range radio communication subsystem. Each device is caused to emit a test sound and, via its communications subsystem, a related timing-reference signal. Each device receiving a test sound and related timing-reference signal determines the transit time of the test sound. Using the measured transit times, the devices determine their distances one from another and, by exchanging these distances, the devices, or at least one of them, calculates the relative locations of all devices.
Claims43
A location discovery method for a plurality of devices equipped with respective electromagnetic communication subsystems, sound emitters and sound receivers;
- the method comprising the steps of:
- a) emitting from each device both a test sound and, via its communications subsystem, a timing-reference signal;
- b) receiving the test sound and timing-reference signal emitted by each device at at least two other said devices and determining respective measures of the transit times of the test sound between emitting and receiving devices, the timing-reference signal enabling the timing of emission of the test sound to be related to the timing of its receipt;
- and
- c) using the transit-time measures to determine the relative locations of the devices.
A device comprising:
- a sound emitter for emitting a test sound;
- a sound receiver for receiving a test sound;
- an electromagnetic communications subsystem for sending and receiving timing-reference signals;
- an emission control arrangement for sending a test sound via the sound emitter and a related timing-reference signal via the communications subsystem;
- a measurement arrangement operative upon the receipt of a test sound and related timing-reference signal from another device to determine a measure of the transit time of that test sound and thereby of the distance between the two devices;
- and
- a distribution arrangement for sending the determined measure to at least one other device via the communications subsystem.
A device comprising:
- a sound emitter for emitting a test sound;
- a sound receiver for receiving a test sound;
- an electromagnetic communications subsystem for sending and receiving timing-reference signals;
- an emission control arrangement for sending a test sound via the sound emitter and a related timing-reference signal via the communications subsystem;
- a measurement arrangement operative upon the receipt of a test sound and timing-reference signal from another device to determine a measure of the transit time of that test signal and thereby of the distance between the two devices;
- and
- a location-determination arrangement for receiving, via said communications subsystem, further measures that have been determined by other devices, and using these further measures and the measure determined by its own measurement arrangement to determine the relative locations of the devices.
A handheld device comprising:
- a sound emitter for emitting a test sound;
- an electromagnetic communications subsystem for sending and receiving signals;
- an emission control arrangement for sending a test sound via the sound emitter and a related timing-reference signal via the communications subsystem;
- and
- a location-determination arrangement for receiving, via said communications subsystem, measures of the transit time of the test sound to other devices, and data concerning the locations of those other devices relative to one another, the location-determination arrangement being operative to use the receive measures and data to determine the location of the handheld device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.