GB2419447A

GB2419447A - Apparatus for device customisation

Info

Publication number: GB2419447A
Application number: GB0503882A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Andrew Charles Fentem
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-10-20
Filing date: 2005-02-25
Publication date: 2006-04-26
Also published as: GB0503882D0; GB0423223D0

Abstract

A computer-based device 3 with a display screen optically transmits packets of data by modulating the graphics displayed in an area 4 on its screen. The data is transmitted by encoding different data values as different colours emitted by the area 4. The light radiated from the area 4 carries the data to another electronic device 2 such as a tag that contains a light sensor. When the light sensor is pointed towards the area 4 it is able to measure the light radiated by the area 4 and then extract the data packets from these measurements using techniques appropriate for the particular format of the transmission. The extracted data is then processed by the receiving device 2 and stored and/or used by the receiving device.

Description

24 1 9447 M1STH1)D AND APPARATUS FOR DEVICE CUSTOMISATION

Background of the invention

The present invention is a simple method and electronic apparatus that enables users to customise the fimctionality of certain electronic devices with the aid of a computer and internet browser software or similar apparatus. These electronic devices are customised/programmed by transferring data to them via the light generated by the display screen of the user's personal computer or other computer-based system. This data transfer technique is most suited to transferring the small amounts of data required to programme small wireless sensor devices, identification devices (e.g. 'REID tags'), and simple toys/entertainment devices. A fully-functional embodiment of this invention does not require the computer platform performing the programming of the device to have any special hardware and/or device drivers beyond those found on a standard personal computing system or many mobile computing devices or mobile telephones. The programming software associated with this technique can be run from within the window of an interact browser (or safely run in other ways) without potentially undermining the security of the user's personal computing system.

There are a number of technologies that enable computers to transfer data to other devices without them being directly physically connected by wires. Most of these wireless communication techniques use either radio or infrared electromagnetic waves to carry the data. To enable these kinds of data transfer a personal computer usually requires additional hardware and associated device driver software.

In the prior art there are a number of data transfer methods that use the visible light generated by a visual display screen to carry data. One of these methods encodes the data to be transferred onto the scan-lines of a raster-scan display screen in such a way that the resulting fluctuations in light levels can be detected by devices nearby, and the encoded data extracted. However, many personal computers do not (and probably no mobile phones) possess raster-scan visual display screens, but have other types of display devices such as liquid crystal display (LCD) screens instead.

A primitive data transfer technique, closely related to the data transfer technique that is an element of the present invention, has for some time been used as a means of creating temporary electronic interfaces to personal computers, as described in patent JPI 1015405.

This method involves securing a light sensor to a personal computer's visual display screen and then using the electrical signal output from the light sensor to directly control the activation of an electronic device conoccted by wires to the sensor. This technique transfers data at very low bit rates and does not usually allow the device being controlled to be used long distances from the computer that is doing the controlling.

Summary of the invention

The present invention is a method and apparatus for wirelessly customising the function of an electronic device. This customization is achieved by means of data transfer to the electronic device via customised graphical animations displayed by internet browser software (or similar). For the sake of clarity in this document, this customizable electronic device, and only this device, will be referred to as the 'tag'.

The customisation/programming of the tag is achieved by transferring (usually) small amounts of data from the user's personal computing (or mobile telephone) system to the tag. The transmission of the data is achieved by modulating or 'animating' graphics on the screen of the personal computing system's display screen. The graphics are modulated or animated' according to the values of the data bits to be transmitted to the tag. The animation causes the light level in the vicinity of the display screen to fluctuate and so the data is carried by the encoded light to the tag.

In the preferred form or 'embodiment' of the present invention, the user connects to a website using their personal computing system, and informs the website what functionality and/or identity they want programmed into their tag. For most applications this specification process would usually involve the user completing some kind of on-line form or questionnaire. The website responds to receipt of the user's request or specification by downloading onto the user's personal computing system data that enables the user's personal computing system to generate an appropriately customised graphical animation.

Such a graphical animation can be securely run or 'played' on the user's personal computer without it potentially compromising the integrity or security of the user's computer. In the preferred embodiment such animations are generated by programs written using either the Java programming language, or using Macromedia's FlashTM animation software. The data to be transferred to the tag from the website can be represented graphically within the animation in many different ways. This representation could be as simple as a large square that changes colour usually from white to black (or vice versa) depending upon the binary value of the current data bit to be transmitted. Alternatively, the data could be represented by some form of moving barcode (this gives the user more sense of the data transfer process, but has the drawback that the user has to make sure that the tag is kept very still while the data transfer process is underway).

The tag contains a light sensor. Before initiating the data transfer animation, the tag's light sensor is placed close to the visual display screen of the user's personal computing system.

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention the light sensor is placed over the section of the webpage (that is being displayed within the window of an internet browser) where the animation is to be played. When the user initiates the playing of the animation, the tag's light sensor senses the changes in light levels caused by the modulation of the graphics on the webpage.

The analogue voltage output from the light sensor is digitised (by an ADC (analogue-to digital converter)), and then this stream of data is analysed by a processor such as a digital signal processor or microcontroller in the tag. The tag's processor uses software algorithms well known in the prior art to analyse the changing light intensity represented by the output from the ADC. These algorithms enable the tag to extract any useful valid packets of transmitted data from the analogue- to-digital converter's fairly 'noisy' output. This received data is stored in the tag's memory, and can be used as necessary by the tag to change its functionality and/or its security and/or identification codes.

List of figures Fl(URE 1. illustrates a tag being programmed using a customised graphical animation playing within an internet browser window on the user's personal computing system.

FIGURE 2. shows a cross-section through a typical tag.

FIGURE 3. is a block diagram of the electronic circuitry within a typical tag.

Description of the preferred embodiment

There follows a detailed description of the preferred form or 'embodiment' of the present invention. Figure I illustrates a user 1 undertaking a typical tag programming procedure.

Using the internet browser software on their personal computer 3, the user connects to a website that can provide the appropriate data for programming the tag 2 according to the user's wishes. When the user has specified to the website how they would like the tag 2 to be programmed, the website downloads onto the user's computer the data necessary to specify an appropriate custom animation. The actual graphics for this animation 4 are generated by software either downloaded onto, or already residing on, the user's personal computer system. In the preferred embodiment of this invention, this animation generation software is either written in the Java programming language, or an animation player system such as the Macromedia FlashTM software is employed. The user 1 points the light sensor 1 1 of the tag 2 towards the area 4 on the display screen of the personal computing system where the animation will appear. While pressing the tag against the display screen, or holding it in close proximity to the screen, the user initiates the animation by pressing a key on the computer's keyboard 7. The graphical animation appears in the area 4 on a webpage displayed in the interact browser's window 6. Note that the 'transmit area' 4 of the display screen occupied by the graphical animation should be as large as is practical for the context of use. This transmit area could even occupy the entire screen - this arrangement would both enable the maximum fluctuations in light levels, and potentially provide room for more than one tag to be programmed at any one time.

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the data is transmitted by the transmit area 4 using a binary encoding scheme called Non-Return Zero (NRZ). In other words, the area 4 is turned white to represent a '1', and goes black to represent a '0'. In the preferred embodiment the period of one bit is 50mS, which results in a transmission baud rate of 20 bits per second. (Note that the baud rate of any kind of data transmission must always be l lower or equal to the maximum frequency at which the computing device 3 can completely refresh the graphics within the transmit area 4 of its screen, and therefore in some embodiments of the present invention the baud rate of the data transfer many need to be lowered for computing devices 3 with slow graphics update capabilities.) In alternative embodiments of the present invention other encoding schemes could be used such as Manchester encoding, but such using such a scheme would reduce the maximum baud rate that could be achieved.

In order to improve the reliability of the data transmission, parity bits are used, and known bit sequences are placed at the beginning and end of data packets. Also right at the start of a transmission a long known sequence of ones and zeroes is transmitted that the receiving tag 2 can look for to establish when a transmission sequence is about to start, and to help calibrate itself to the minimum and maximum lighting levels associated with zeroes and ones respectively.

Figure 2 shows a cross-section through the body of a typical tag. The tag's light sensor 11 (in the preferred embodiment this sensor is an LDR (light dependent resistor) connected in a simple voltage divider circuit so as to produce a voltage dependent on the intensity of light incident upon it) responds to fluctuations in the intensity of light passing through the clear translucent window 12 in the tag's opaque body-shell 10. These fluctuations in light intensity are caused by the playing of the graphical animation 4 on the display screen underneath the tag. (Note that these light intensity fluctuations are easiest to detect if the display screen is of the 'transmissive' variety such as a back-lit LCD screen, polymer LED screen, or even a cathode ray tube. If the display screen is of the 'reflective' type, then the tag will need a small (ideally white) LED light to illuminate the screen. This LED light should be positioned close to the light sensor, but point outward from the tag towards the display screen.) As illustrated in Figure 3, an analogue-to- digital converter 13 converts the fluctuating voltage levels 14 produced by the light sensor 1 1 and converts them into a stream of digital data 15. This data is fed into the tag's processor 16. In the case of the preferred embodiment this processor is a low-cost DSP (digital signal processor). The DSP 16 analyses the incoming data 15 and extracts from it by a filtering process the fluctuations that could be the result of the flickering of an animation. If the bit stream extracted from the raw ADC output data 15 is found to conform to a predetermined format and (once decrypted, if appropriate) this data is found to be free of errors, then it is stored in the tag's memory 17 in an encrypted or decrypted form (as appropriate). This stored data is then used by the tag's DSP to determine the tag's behaviour and/or identification or security codes. The successful reception and storage of a complete valid data packet (or set of packets) is indicated by the illumination of an I,ED (light emitting diode) 18.

Depending upon what type of device the tag 2 actually is, it will have different input and output circuitry 19 that provides the 'interactive' functionality of the device, whatever that may be.

Alternative forms of the present invention There are several alternative forms or 'embodiments' ofthe present invention. For example: I. The system performing the programming could be almost any kind of computer- based platform with a (preferably transmissive) visual display screen, such as a mobile phone, or 'mp3 player', or similar mobile computing device.

2. In the preferred embodiment, the application that specifies the customised data- transfer animation in response to the user inputting their requirements is located on a remote website or server. In alternative forms of the present invention, this application could be downloaded onto the user's computing platform in its entirety and used without the need for a connection to the internet.

3. All manner of graphical animations could be used to create appropriately fluctuating light levels, perhaps even cartoon characters. Also, many different kinds of encoding schemes could be used, perhaps even employing different shades and colours to represent the data to be transmitted. (In this case appropriate colour light sensors, or multiple sensors with different coloured filters, would be used).

4. Many different forms of packet structure, auto-calibration sequences, and even data encryption schemes such as DE:S or AES could be employed in alternative forms of the present invention to improve or modify the method of transmission of the data to the tag.

5. A lens or system of lenses in front of the light sensor would enable the tag to be programmed at a distance from the screen. (If the distance was very great some kind of laser pointer aligned with the tag's optical system might be needed to facilitate the pointing of the sensor towards the appropriate area 4 of the display screen.) Applications The present invention is most appropriate for enabling easy user-customisation of (often portable) electronic products by facilitating the transfer of small but significant amounts of information to them. This information could be date and time information, basic information about the owner of the device (such as names and identification codes), or security codes and passwords. The present invention could also be used to customise the behaviour of an electronic device whose functionality has been parameterised, and the software elements that provide the functionality of the device already programmed into it.

In this context the present invention can be used to transfer data to the device that defines the configuration of these software elements - i.e. define which of these elements are used and specify the values of the important parameters that govern their operation. Similarly, the present invention could also be used to provide codes to 'unlock' functions in devices.

These codes could be purchased over the internet and downloaded onto the user's computer for graphical transmission into their electronic device, such as a toy. The present invention could be used to programme electronic tagging devices used for tracking/locating/identifying people and/or objects.

Claims

1. A programming system for electronic devices including: a transmitting device with a visual display screen; a system that encodes the data to be transmitted by the transmitting device into a data format that facilitates the reliable recognition and extraction of the data from the carrier signal; a system to modulate the colour of graphics displayed on the display screen of the transmitting device so that the data to be transmitted is carried by light radiating from the display screen of the transmitting device; an electronic receiving device including a light sensor configured so that when the light sensor is pointed towards the display screen of the transmitting device it is able to measure the fluctuating light levels caused by the modulation of the graphics on the display of the transmitting device; a system that enables the receiving device to reliably extract the transmitted data from the light sensor's light intensity measurements; and a system for processing the data extracted from the carrier signal by the receiving device so that this extracted data controls the behaviour of the receiving device in accordance with a set of predetermined rules.

2. A device programming system as claimed in Claim I where the transmitting device's display screen emits light in order to realise a graphical image on its screen.

3. A device programming system as claimed in Claim I where the transmitting device's display screen relies on reflected light to enable perception of the graphical image on its screen, and where the receiving device, or another separate device, illuminates at least the area of the transmitting device's display screen that is displaying the graphics that are modulated according to the data to be transmitted.

4. A device programming system as claimed in any preceding claim where the transmitting device is a computer-based system able to connect to the internet and download from an appropriate server the data that enables the modulation of the graphics on its display screen required to effect the desired programming of the receiving device.

5. A device programming system as claimed in in any preceding claim where the user specifies to the transmitting device the behaviour required of the receiving device, and the transmitting device transmits appropriate data to the receiving device to produce the behaviour desired by the user.

6. A device programming system as claimed in any preceding claim where some form of display or output device is used to indicate to the user the successful reception and processing of valid data packets from the transmitting device.

7. A device programming system as claimed in any preceding claim where a predetermined sequence of bits is transmitted at a predetermined baud rate at the beginning of a transmission by the transmitting device that enables the receiving device to recognise the beginning of a transmission, and calibrate itself to the fluctuations of light intensity caused by the modulation of the graphics on a particular transmitting device's display screen.

J

8. A device programming system as claimed in any preceding claim where error checking bits and/or known sequences of bits are placed at the beginnings and/or the ends of packets and/or bytes and/or sequences of bits of transmitted data to improve the reliability of the transmission.

9. A device programming system as claimed in any preceding claim where the receiving device has an appropriate lens or system of lenses in front of its light sensor, enabling the receiving device to reliably receive the carrier signal from the transmitting device when its light sensor is not very close to the display screen of the transmitting device.

] O. A device programming system substantially as herein described above and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.