User interface based on magnetic induction

Abstract

A receiving and transmitting node for a wireless data network, and a wireless data network based on magnetic induction. The receiving node includes an antenna receive module for receiving one or more data signals emitted from the transmitting node and a calculation module adapted to calculate one or more distances between the receiving node and the transmitting node, and/or adapted to calculate the position of the transmitting node in relation to the position of the receiving node, and/or adapted to calculate the orientation of the transmitting node in relation to the orientation of the receiving node. The reception of the data signal is based on magnetic induction and the calculation of the one or more distances, and the position of the transmitting node and/or the orientation of the transmitting node is based on the one or more data signals.

1 - 21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . A receiving node for a wireless communication network comprising:
 an antenna receive module that receives one or more data signals emitted from a transmitting node of the wireless communication network; and   a calculation module that calculates an orientation of the transmitting node in relation to an orientation of the receiving node,   wherein said calculation of said orientation of said transmitting node is based on said one or more data signals,   said one or more data signals comprise one or more preamble portions and said calculation of said orientation of said transmitting node is based on said one or more preamble portions,   said wireless communication network comprises a node that controls an output device,   said receiving node further comprises a user interface module that provides, in cooperation with said transmitting node and said output device, a user interface functionality, said provided user interface functionality being based on the calculated orientation of said transmitting node,   the output device displays information on a display surface, and   said user interface module calculates a position on a reference surface based on the calculated orientation of said transmitting node, and the position on said reference surface corresponds to a position on display surface.   
     
     
         23 . The receiving node according to  claim 22 , wherein said antenna receive module determines one or more received signal strength indication (RSSI) values, whereby an RSSI value indicates a strength of one of said one or more received data signals, and said calculation of said orientation of said transmitting node is based on said one or more RSSI values. 
     
     
         24 . A receiving node for a wireless communication network, said wireless communication network comprising:
 a node that controls an output device that displays information on a display surface, and   said receiving node comprising:   an antenna receive module that receives one or more data signals emitted from a transmitting node of the wireless communication network;   a calculation module that calculates one or more distances between the receiving node and the transmitting node, and/or calculates a position of the transmitting node in relation to a position of the receiving node, and/or calculates an orientation of the transmitting node in relation to an orientation of the receiving node; and   a user interface module that provides, in cooperation with said transmitting node and said output device, a user interface functionality, whereby said provided user interface functionality is based on the calculated one or more distances, the calculated position of said transmitting node, and/or the calculated orientation of said transmitting node, and that calculates a position on a reference surface based on the calculated one or more distances and/or the calculated position of said transmitting node, the position on said reference surface corresponding to a position on said display surface, wherein said calculation of said one or more distances, said position of said transmitting node, and/or said orientation of said transmitting node is based on said one or more data signals.   
     
     
         25 . A receiving node for a wireless communication network comprising:
 an antenna receive module that receives one or more data signals emitted from a transmitting node of the wireless communication network, wherein said antenna receive module determines one or more received signal strength indication (RSSI) values, whereby an RSSI value indicates a strength of one of said one or more received data signals; and   a calculation module that calculates one or more distances between the receiving node and the transmitting node, and/or calculates a position of the transmitting node in relation to a position of the receiving node, and/or calculates an orientation of the transmitting node in relation to an orientation of the receiving node, wherein   said calculation of said one or more distances, said position of said transmitting node, and/or said orientation of said transmitting node is based on said one or more data signals and said one or more RSSI values,   said antenna receive module comprises two antenna devices that receive said one or more data signals,   said two antenna devices lie on an X-axis of an orthogonal coordinate system defined by said X-axis, a Y-axis, and a Z-axis,   the calculated position of said transmitting node is the position of a reference point of said transmitting node,   the calculated position of said transmitting node is described by one or more coordinate values comprising a first coordinate value,   a reference plane parallel to a X-Y-plane is defined,   a normal orientation of the transmitting node is defined in which a straight line defined by said reference point and a second point of the transmitting node which is lying between said reference plane and said reference point is parallel to the Z-axis, and   moving said transmitting node in positive X-direction while keeping said transmitting node in said normal orientation and tilting said transmitting node out of said normal orientation in a way that said second point is moved in positive X-direction while keeping the position of said transmitting node constant both increase said first coordinate value.   
     
     
         26 . The receiving node according to  claim 24 , wherein said antenna receive module determines one or more received signal strength indication (RSSI) values, an RSSI value indicating a strength of one of said one or more received data signals, and said calculation of said one or more distances, said position of said transmitting node, and/or said orientation of said transmitting node is based on said one or more RSSI values. 
     
     
         27 . The receiving node according to  claim 24 , wherein
 said wireless communication network comprises a node that controls an output device, and   said receiving node further comprises a user interface module that provides, in cooperation with said transmitting node and said output device, a user interface functionality, said provided user interface functionality being based on the calculated one or more distances, the calculated position of said transmitting node, and/or the calculated orientation of said transmitting node.   
     
     
         28 . The receiving node according to  claim 25 , wherein
 said wireless communication network comprises a node that controls an output device, and   said receiving node further comprises a user interface module that provides, in cooperation with said transmitting node and said output device, a user interface functionality, whereby said provided user interface functionality is based on the calculated one or more distances, the calculated position of said transmitting node, and/or the calculated orientation of said transmitting node.   
     
     
         29 . The receiving node according to  claim 24 , wherein said one or more data signals comprise one or more preamble portions and said calculation of said one or more distances, said position of said transmitting node, and/or said orientation of said transmitting node is based on said one or more preamble portions. 
     
     
         30 . The receiving node according to  claim 22 , wherein
 said transmitting node has an associated pointing direction,   said user interface module calculates said pointing direction based on the calculated orientation of said transmitting node, and   said position on said reference surface is based on said pointing direction.   
     
     
         31 . The receiving node according to  claim 30 , wherein said calculated position on said reference surface corresponds to an intersection of said reference surface with a straight line that is defined by said position of said transmitting node and said pointing direction of said transmitting node. 
     
     
         32 . The receiving node according to  claim 22 , wherein a size of a pointer icon that is provided as a component of said user interface functionality is based on the distance between the calculated position of said transmitting node and said position on said reference surface. 
     
     
         33 . The receiving node according to  claim 25 , wherein said two antenna devices of said antenna receive module are coplanar. 
     
     
         34 . The receiving node according to  claim 25 , wherein said two antenna devices of said antenna receive module are parallel. 
     
     
         35 . The receiving node according to  claim 25 , wherein each of said two antenna devices is orthogonal to the X-Y plane. 
     
     
         36 . The receiving node according to  claim 25 , wherein said straight line defined by said reference point and said second point corresponds to a direction where the strength of a data signal emitted by said transmitting node has a local or a global maximum. 
     
     
         37 . The receiving node according to  claim 25 , wherein
 said one or more coordinate values describing said calculated position of said transmitting node comprise a second coordinate value, and   moving said transmitting node in a positive Z-direction while keeping said transmitting node in said normal orientation increases said second coordinate value, and tilting said transmitting node out of said normal orientation in a way that said second point is moved in a Y-direction while keeping the position of said transmitting node constant either increases or decreases said second coordinate value.   
     
     
         38 . The receiving node according to  claim 37 , further comprising:
 a user interface module that provides user interface logic operable to control a size of a pointer icon depicted by a display device based on said second coordinate value.   
     
     
         39 . The receiving node according to  claim 38 , wherein said user interface logic controls selection and deselection of objects displayed by said display device based on said second coordinate value. 
     
     
         40 . The receiving node according to  claim 25 , wherein
 said one or more coordinate values describing said calculated position of said transmitting node comprise a second coordinate value, and   moving said transmitting node in a positive Y-direction while keeping said transmitting node in said normal orientation and tilting said transmitting node out of said normal orientation in a way that said second point is moved in the positive Y-direction while keeping the position of said transmitting node constant both increase said second coordinate value.   
     
     
         41 . The receiving node according to  claim 25 , wherein said reference plane is the X-Y plane. 
     
     
         42 . The receiving node according to  claim 40 , wherein said transmitting node is located in the X-Y plane.