Interacting with devices based on physical device-to-device contact

Abstract

A device may receive a signal from a sensor coupled to a first device, determine whether the first device is tapped against a second device based on the signal, send a message to the second device when the first device is tapped against the second device, determine if the taps are valid user input based on a response from the second device, and perform an application specific action when the taps are valid user input.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 23 , where receiving a signal includes:
 receiving the signal from an accelerometer,   the method further comprising:   determining whether the first device is tapped against the second device,   where determining whether the first device is tapped against the second device includes:   determining if samples of the signal match a predetermined acceleration pattern.   
     
     
         3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 23 , where sending the message includes:
 sending the extracted parameters to the second device.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 23 , where extracting the parameters includes:
 obtaining locations of the taps on a surface of the first device;   determining time between consecutive taps; or   determining time of occurrence of at least one of the taps.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , where determining if the detected taps are valid user input includes:
 receiving the response, the response indicating whether the extracted parameters match the parameters that are obtained from the taps on the second device.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 23 , where determining if the detected taps are valid user input includes:
 determining if the parameters, included in the response, match the parameters that are extracted from the signal, when the first device is tapped against the second device; and   determining whether the taps are valid by comparing the parameters, included in the response, to the extracted parameters.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising:
 performing an application specific action when the taps are determined to be valid user input; and   performing a second application specific action in response to one or more subsequent taps between the first device and the second device, where the second application specific action includes:
 coordinating at least one of an audio task or a visual task with the second device. 
   
     
     
         9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising:
 performing an application specific action when the taps are determined to be valid user input; and   performing a second application specific action in response to one or more subsequent taps between the first device and the second device, where the second application specific action includes at least one of:
 receiving personal contact information from the second device, 
 conducting a commercial transaction with the second device, or 
 receiving a video clip, audio clip, image, or text from the second device. 
   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising:
 performing an application specific action when the taps are determined to be valid user input; and   performing a second application specific action in response to subsequent taps between the first device and the second device, where performing the second application specific action includes at least one of:
 terminating a communication session that has been established based on taps between the first device and the second device; or 
 causing the first device to terminate a communication session that has been established prior to taps between the first device and a third device. 
   
     
     
         12 . A device comprising:
 a sensor; and   a processor configured to:
 receive a signal from the sensor; 
 detect taps based on the signal; 
 extract parameters that are associated with the detected taps; 
 send a request to a second device to verify if the extracted parameters match parameters that are obtained from taps by the second device; 
 determine if the detected taps are valid user input based on a response from the second device, the response including parameters that are obtained from taps by the second device; and 
   interact with the second device over a communication channel when the taps are valid user input.   
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 12 , where the parameters include at least one of:
 time between consecutive taps; or   time of occurrence of a tap.   
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 12 , where the sensor includes at least one of:
 an accelerometer; or   an electric field sensor.   
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 12 , where the second device includes at least one of:
 a cell phone with a display or a speaker;   a headset; or   a laptop.   
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 12 , where the device comprises:
 a cell phone.   
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 12 , where the communication channel includes:
 a Bluetooth communication channel.   
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 12 , where the request includes the extracted parameters, and the response includes information that indicates whether the extracted parameters match the parameters that are obtained from taps by the second device. 
     
     
         19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 12 , where the processor is further configured to at least one of:
 cause the second device to terminate a communication session that has been established prior to detected taps between the second device and a third device; or   terminate a communication session that has been established based on detected taps between the first device and the second device.   
     
     
         21 . A method comprising:
 receiving, at a first device, a signal from a sensor coupled to the first device;   determining, by the first device, whether the first device is tapped against a second device based the signal;   obtaining, by the first device, when the first device is determined to be tapped against the second device, parameters regarding taps that are detected based on the signal,   where obtaining parameters includes:
 obtaining locations of the taps on a surface of the first device, 
 determining time between consecutive taps, or 
 determining time of occurrence of at least one of the taps; 
   sending, by the first device, a first message from the first device to the second device, the message including the parameters;   receiving, at the first device, a second message from the second device;   determining, by the first device, whether the taps are valid user input based on the second message from the second device; and   terminating, by the first device, a communication link between the second device and the first device when the taps are valid user input.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 determining whether the first device is tapped against a third device;   receiving a message from the third device when the first device is tapped against the third device;   determining whether the taps are valid user input based on the message from the third device; and   establishing a communication link between the third device and the first device when the taps are valid user input.   
     
     
         23 . A method comprising:
 receiving, at a first device, a signal from a sensor associated with the first device;   detecting, by the first device, taps based on the signal;   extracting, by the first device, parameters that are associated with the detected taps;   sending, by the first device, a request to a second device to verify if the extracted parameters match parameters that are obtained from taps by the second device;   determining, by the first device, if the detected taps are valid user input based on a response from the second device, the response including parameters that are obtained from taps by the second device; and   interacting, using the first device, with the second device over a communication channel, when the taps are determined to be valid user input.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising:
 performing an application specific action when the taps are valid user input, where the performing the application specific action includes one of:
 sending an audio signal to the second device for output by a speaker, or 
 sending a video signal to the second device for display.