Enhanced wireless handset, including direct handset-to-handset communication mode
DCFirst Claim
1. A wireless handset with enhanced operating features, the enhanced operating features comprising find features for locating objects, including other wireless handsets, that are within range of the wireless handset, the wireless handset comprising:
- a system that initiates a find feature to determine if at least one specified object is within range of the wireless handset;
a detector that detects a message from the at least one specified object;
an indicator that, based on the message being detected by the detector, indicates that at least one specified object is within range of the wireless handset;
a find list comprising a plurality of entries, each of the entries including information specifying at least one object, the system that initiates initiating a find feature based on the information of at least one entry of the find list; and
a selector that selects an entry in the find list to specify an object, the system that initiates initiating a specific find feature based on the object specified by the entry of the find list selected with the selector to determine if the specific object is within range of the wireless handset;
wherein the system that initiates, when no entry in the find list is selected with the selector, initiates a general find feature based on each object of the plurality of entries of the find list to determine which objects of the find list are within range of the wireless handset.
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Abstract
A wireless handset is provided with enhanced features and capabilities. The wireless handset may be embodied as a full-featured handset that is capable of operating either within a wireless network (such as a cellular or PCS network) or in a direct handset-to-handset communication mode that is independent of the wireless network. Alternatively, the wireless handset may be embodied as a special purpose handset, that is capable of simply operating in a direct handset-to-handset communication mode. The wireless handset may additionally include features for supporting and enhancing direct communication between handsets. Such features may include a find feature that permits a user to determine which objects, including other wireless handset users, are located within a predetermined operating range of the wireless handset. A memorize feature may also be provided to permit handsets and other objects exchange information by wireless transmission.
224 Citations
10 Claims
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1. A wireless handset with enhanced operating features, the enhanced operating features comprising find features for locating objects, including other wireless handsets, that are within range of the wireless handset, the wireless handset comprising:
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a system that initiates a find feature to determine if at least one specified object is within range of the wireless handset;
a detector that detects a message from the at least one specified object;
an indicator that, based on the message being detected by the detector, indicates that at least one specified object is within range of the wireless handset;
a find list comprising a plurality of entries, each of the entries including information specifying at least one object, the system that initiates initiating a find feature based on the information of at least one entry of the find list; and
a selector that selects an entry in the find list to specify an object, the system that initiates initiating a specific find feature based on the object specified by the entry of the find list selected with the selector to determine if the specific object is within range of the wireless handset;
wherein the system that initiates, when no entry in the find list is selected with the selector, initiates a general find feature based on each object of the plurality of entries of the find list to determine which objects of the find list are within range of the wireless handset.
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2. A wireless handset with enhanced operating features, the enhanced operating features comprising find features for locating objects, including other wireless handsets, that are within range of the wireless handset, the wireless handset comprising:
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a system that initiates a find feature to determine if at least one specified object is within range of the wireless handset;
a detector that detects a message from the at least one specified object; and
an indicator that, based on the message being detected by the detector, indicates that at least one specified object is within range of the wireless handset, the indicator comprising a recorder that records information to a found list based on the message, and a display that displays the found list to indicate each object that is within range of the wireless handset.
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3. A wireless handset with enhanced operating features, the enhanced operating features comprising find features for locating objects, including other wireless handsets, that are within range of the wireless handset, the wireless handset comprising:
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a system that initiates a find feature to determine if at least one specified object is within range of the wireless handset;
a generator that generates a query message based on the initiation of the find feature;
a detector that detects a positive response message from the at least one specified object in reply to the query message; and
an indicator that, based on the positive response message being detected by the detector, indicates that at least one specified object is within range of the wireless handset;
wherein the at least one specified object is a non-transmitting clip device, the query message generated by the generator which includes a beep request, and further wherein the non-transmitting clip device is adapted to emit an audible beep signal in response to the beep request.
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4. A method for locating objects that are within range of a wireless handset, the objects including other wireless handsets capable of communicating with the wireless handset, the method comprising:
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initiating a find feature to determine if at least one specified object is within range of the wireless handset;
detecting a message from the at least one specified object;
recording information to a found list based on the message to indicate that the at least one specified object is within range of the wireless handset;
providing a find list comprising a plurality of entries, each of the entries including information specifying at least one object, the initiating including initiating a find feature based on the information of at least one entry of the find list;
selecting an entry in the find list to specify an object, the initiating further including initiating a specific find feature based on the object specified by a selected entry of the find list to determine if the selected object is within range of the wireless handset; and
detecting when no entry in the find list is selected, the initiating further including initiating, when it is detected that no entry in the find list is selected, a general find feature based on each object of the plurality of entries of the find list to determine which objects of the find list are within range of the wireless handset.
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5. A wireless handset with enhanced operating features, the enhanced operating features comprising find features for locating objects, including other wireless handsets, that are within range of the wireless handset, the wireless handset comprising:
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initiating a find feature to determine if at least one specified object is within range of the wireless handset;
detecting a message from the at least one specified object;
indicating, based on the message being detected by the detector, that at least one specified object is within range of the wireless handset;
recording information to a found list based on the message; and
displaying the found list to indicate each object that is within range of the wireless handset.
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6. A wireless handset with enhanced operating features, the enhanced operating features comprising find features for locating objects, including other wireless handsets, that are within range of the wireless handset, the wireless handset comprising:
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an initiating system that initiates a find feature to determine if at least one specified object is within range of the wireless handset;
a tuner that tunes to a registry channel based on the initiation of the find feature;
a receiver that receives a registry message on the registry channel from the at least one specified object;
a first recorder that records information based on the registry message received from the at least one specified object; and
an indicator that indicates, based on the message being detected by the detector, that the at least one specified object is within range of the wireless handset, the indicator comprising a second recorder that records a found list based on the message and a display that displays the found list to indicate that the at least one specified object is within range of the wireless handset;
wherein the information that is recorded by the first recorder comprises at least one of an ID associated with the at least one specified object and a channel for contacting the at least one specified object, the first recorder temporarily recording the information in the wireless handset.
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7. A wireless handset with enhanced operating features, the enhanced operating features comprising find features for locating objects, including other wireless handsets, that are within range of the wireless handset, the wireless handset comprising:
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an initiating system that initiates a find feature to determine if at least one specified object is within range of the wireless handset;
a tuner that tunes to a registry channel based on the initiation of the find feature;
a receiver that receives a registry message on the registry channel from the at least one specified object;
a recorder that records information based on the registry message received from the at least one specified object; and
a find list comprising a plurality of entries, each of the entries including information specifying at least one object, the information of any entry of the find list comprising an ID of an object;
wherein the initiating system initiates, when no entry in the find list is selected with the selector, a general find feature based on each object of the plurality of entries of the find list to determine which objects of the find list are within range of the wireless handset.
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8. A method for locating objects that are within range of the wireless handset, the objects comprising other wireless handsets, the method comprising:
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initiating a find feature to determine if at least one specified object is within range of the wireless handset;
tuning to a registry channel based on the initiation of the find feature;
receiving a registry message on the registry channel from the at least one specified object;
recording information based on the registry message received from the at least one specified object, the recorded information comprising at least one of an ID associated with the at least one specified object and a channel for contacting the at least one specified object, the recording including recording the information to a temporary list of the wireless handset; and
indicating, based on a positive message being detected, that the at least one specified object is within range of the wireless handset, the indicating comprising recording information to a found list based on the positive message and displaying the found list to indicate that the at least one specified object is within range of the wireless handset.
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9. A method for locating objects that are within range of the wireless handset, the objects comprising other wireless handsets, the method comprising:
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initiating a find feature to determine if at least one specified object is within range of the wireless handset;
tuning to a registry channel based on the initiation of the find feature;
receiving a registry message on the registry channel from the at least one specified object;
recording information based on the registry message received from the at least one specified object;
providing a find list comprising a plurality of entries, each of the entries including information specifying at least one object, the information of an entry of the find list comprising an ID of an object; and
detecting when no entry in the find list is selected, the initiating including initiating, when no entry in the find list is detected as being selected, a general find feature based on each object of the plurality of entries of the find list to determine which objects of the find list are within range of the wireless handset.
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10. In a wireless handset with enhanced operating features, a method for performing a memorize feature for exchanging information with objects, including other wireless handsets that are capable of operating in a communication mode with the wireless handset, the method comprising:
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initiating a memorize feature with at least one object;
generating a query message based on the initiation of the memorize feature to request a response from the at least one object;
receiving a positive response message from the at least one object in reply to the query message;
recording information based on the positive response message received from the at least one object, the information comprising an ID associated with the at least one object; and
generating the query message at a reduced power level when the at least one object is in close proximity to the wireless handset.
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Specification