Techniques for wireless communication of proximity based content

Abstract

A system and method for communication of proximity based content is disclosed between a mobile computing device having a Short Range Communication (SRC) device and a Proximity Short Range Communication (PSRC) device associated with a location or object using near field magnetic induction. The SRC device and/or the PSRC device can include at least two antennas to provide magnetic induction diversity. The method comprises defining a proximity boundary with dimensions defined by a magnetic induction diversity communication range of at least one of the SRC and PSRC devices. A proximity signal is communicated in the proximity boundary between the SRC device and the PSRC device. At least one action is performed by the mobile computing device or the PSRC device when the proximity signal is detected between the SRC device and the PSRC device.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for the wireless communication of proximity based content, the method comprising:
 defining a proximity boundary with dimensions defined by a magnetic induction diversity communication range of one of the SRC device and the PSRC device, wherein
 the SRC device and the PSRC device are configured to communicate using magnetic induction; 
 at least one of the SRC device and the PSRC device include at least two substantially orthogonal antennas to provide magnetic induction diversity; 
 the SRC device is coupled to a mobile computing device; and 
 the PSRC device is associated with at least one of a location and an object; 
   communicating a proximity signal in the proximity boundary from the at least one selected antenna between the SRC device and the PSRC device; and   performing at least one action by at least one of the mobile computing device and the PSRC device when the proximity signal is detected between the SRC device and the PSRC device.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 setting at least one rule for a proximity based communication filter module, which is associated with the mobile computing device, regarding the wireless communication of proximity based content, the at least one rule identifying the at least one action performed by the mobile computing device when the proximity signal is detected between the SRC device and the PSRC device,   wherein the at least one action is performed by the mobile computing device based on the at least one rule when the proximity signal is detected between the SRC device and the PSRC device.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 setting at least one rule for a proximity based communication filter module, which is associated with a proximity computing device that includes the PSRC device and is associated with at least one of the location and the object, regarding the wireless communication of proximity based content, the at least one rule identifying at least one action performed by the proximity computing device when the proximity signal is detected between the SRC device and the PSRC device,   wherein the at least one action is performed by the proximity computing device based on the at least one rule when the proximity signal is detected between the SRC device and the PSRC device.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising storing the at least one rule for the proximity based communication filter module on the mobile computing device to increase a user's privacy. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein no information is communicated from the SRC device to the PSRC device to increase a user's privacy. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the communicating of the proximity signal in the proximity boundary between the SRC device and the PSRC device comprises one of transmitting the proximity signal from the PSRC device to the SRC device and transmitting the proximity signal from the SRC device to the PSRC device. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the performing of the at least one action by one of the mobile computing device and the PSRC device comprises communicating content to the mobile computing device related to the location or object associated with the PSRC device. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the content related to the location or object associated with the PSRC device is communicated from the PSRC device to the mobile computing device via the SRC device. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the content related to the location or object associated with the PSRC device is communicated to the mobile computing device using a media communication device that does not communicate using near field magnetic induction. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the performing of the at least one action by one of the mobile computing device and the PSRC device further comprises storing the received content in a memory of the mobile computing device. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the performing of the at least one action by one of the mobile computing device and the PSRC device comprises communicating content to the PSRC device from the mobile computing device. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the content is communicated from the mobile computing device to the PSRC device via the SRC device. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the content is communicated from the mobile computing device to the PSRC device via a media communication device that does not communicate using near field magnetic induction. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the PSRC device is a Near Field Communication (NFC) compliant device, and:
 wherein the SRC device is a Multi-Mode Magnetic Induction Communication (MMMIC) device having magnetic induction diversity.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the MMMIC device includes a Near Field Communication (NFC) compliant mode to transmit and receive with an NFC compliant device within a distance of less than approximately 10 centimeters. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the MMMIC device includes a close proximity communication mode to transmit and receive with an close proximity communication device within a distance of less than approximately 30 centimeters. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the MMMIC device is configured to communicate simultaneously with at least two NFC compliant devices. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising detecting the proximity signal at the SRC device that is transmitted by the PSRC device at a distance of greater than about 10 centimeters (cm). 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising determining that the at least one of the location and the object is located within a range corresponding to dimensions of the proximity boundary. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a range of the proximity signal is a distance that is less than λ/2pi meters between the SRC device and the PSRC device, where λ is a wavelength of the proximity signal in meters.