Signal enhancement

Technologies and implementations for signal enhancement are generally disclosed.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a U.S national stage filing under 35 U.S.C. §371 of International Application No. PCT/US12/24175, filed on Feb. 7, 2012.

BACKGROUND

Handheld devices such as, but not limited to, tablet computers, mobile phones, handheld gaming devices, etc. have increased data capacity. In order to facilitate sharing or accessing data on the handheld devices, methods of communication with handheld devices have become more important. Some examples may include near field communication, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and various other methods to facilitate wireless communication between electronic devices.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure describes example methods, apparatus, and systems related to signal enhancement between electronic devices. Such an apparatus may include a touch screen, a number of wireless signal detectors located approximately around a perimeter of the touch screen, a machine readable non-transitory medium, and a processor. The processor may be communicatively coupled to the touch screen, the machine readable non-transitory medium, and the number of wireless signal detectors. The machine readable non-transitory medium may have stored therein instructions that, if executed by the processor, may operatively enable a computing device to receive an indication of a device on a surface of a touch screen. The computing device may determine a location of the device on the surface of the touch screen, and from the device, a signal may be detected. The signal may be enhanced based, at least in part, on the determined location and the detected signal.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following description sets forth various examples along with specific details to provide a thorough understanding of claimed subject matter. It will be understood by those skilled in the art, however, that claimed subject matter may be practiced without some or more of the specific details disclosed herein. Further, in some circumstances, well-known methods, procedures, systems, components and/or circuits have not been described in detail in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuring claimed subject matter.

This disclosure is drawn, inter alia, to methods, apparatus, and systems related signal enhancement.

As discussed above, examples of signal enhancement technology described herein may include utilizing a touch screen and locating a device on the touch screen. Signal from the device may be enhanced base, at least in part, on the location of the device on the touch screen.

FIG. 1illustrates an example apparatus100that is arranged in accordance with at least some embodiments of the present disclosure. In the illustrated example, the apparatus100may include a touch screen102having a surface104. The touch screen102may also include a number of wireless signal detectors108located approximately around the perimeter of the touch screen102. Additionally, a device110is shown placed on the surface104of the touch screen102.

In the illustrated example ofFIG. 1, a computing device communicatively coupled with the touch screen102, may receive an indication that the device110is on the surface104. A location of the device110on the surface104may then be determined. Additionally, a signal may be detected from the device110by one or more wireless signal detectors108. The signal may then be enhanced, where the enhancement may be based, at least in part, on the location of the device110on the surface104of the touch screen102and the detected signal, in accordance with various embodiments of the disclosure. Additionally in some embodiments, detecting the signal may facilitate determining a direction of the signal from the device110.

InFIG. 1, the touch screen102may be a wide variety of touch screens employing various technologies such as, but not limited to, resistive type touch screens or capacitive type touch screens. The surface104may be a wide variety of surfaces such as, but not limited to, transparent flexible surface, a rigid glass-type surface, and so forth, and accordingly, the claimed subject matter is not limited in these respects.

The device110may include a wide variety of devices capable of emitting some form of wireless signal such as, but not limited to, mobile phones, smart type mobile phones, personal digital assistants, tablet computers, and so forth.

In the embodiment illustrated inFIG. 1, the wireless signal detectors108are shown located approximately around the perimeter of the touch screen102. The wireless signal detectors108may be a wide variety of detectors suitable for detecting wireless signals such as, but not limited to, detectors utilizing antenna and radios to facilitate scanning capabilities. Accordingly, the location of the detectors108may be any location on, in, and/or near the touch screen102and in a wide variety of patterns. Additionally, even though the number of detectors shown may be eight, it is contemplated within the scope of the claimed subject matter that the number of detectors may be any number.

As will be described in more detail, inFIG. 1, signals from the device110may be enhanced in accordance with various embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2illustrates a plan view of another example apparatus200that is arranged in accordance with various embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown inFIG. 2, the apparatus200may include a touch screen202having a generally rectangular shape. The touch screen202may have a surface204, and on the surface204, there may be placed a device210. As illustrated, the device210may have a center point212. Additionally, a number of wireless signal detectors220-227(numbered clockwise and approximately equally spaced) may be located approximately around a perimeter of the touch screen202. InFIG. 2, a representation of a wireless signal230being emitted by the device210may be shown.

InFIG. 2, the touch screen202may receive an indication that the device210is on the surface204. The indication of the device210on the surface204may include an indication of distortion on the surface204, and from the indication of distortion on the surface204, an approximate size of the device210may be determined. Accordingly, in one embodiment, the location of the device210may be determined by determining a center point212of the device210.

As illustrated inFIG. 2, the center point212of the device210may be located approximately towards a left side of the touch screen202closer to the wireless signal detectors224,225, and226. Accordingly, the wireless signal detectors224,225, and226may be capable of detecting the signal230from the device210. As will be described in detail further below, the signal230may be enhanced based, at least in part, on the location of the device210(e.g., the center point212) and the detected signal from the device210in accordance with various embodiments. Additionally, because it may be difficult to determine the position of the antenna included in the device210for facilitating the emission of the signal230, the utilization of the number of wireless signal detectors224,225, and226along with the center point212may facilitate signal enhancement by reducing effects of position estimation errors.

With continued reference toFIG. 2, the touch screen202may be shown as having a substantially rectangular shape, but it should be appreciated that the touch screen202may be a wide variety of touch screens having a variety of polygonal shapes or may be of a random shape. As previously described with reference to the surface104, the surface204may be of a wide variety of surfaces. As alluded to previously, the surface204may include one or more sensors capable of detecting an object on the surface204. The detection may include detecting a distortion on the surface204of the touch screen202. One or more such sensors may include sensors such as, but not limited to, a piezoelectric type sensor capable of detecting minute distortions (e.g., pressure) on a surface, an optical type sensors capable of detecting objects obscuring light (i.e., capable of determining an approximate size of an object by a shadow cast by the object on a surface), a sensor capable of detecting a change in a magnetic field of a surface, an optical image capturing sensor (e.g., image capturing sensor capable of object recognition), etc., and accordingly, the claimed subject matter is not limited in these respects. As may be appreciated, such sensors may be utilized to facilitate determination of the center point212of the device210.

The device210may be a wide variety of devices capable of emitting some form of wireless signal as previously described, and accordingly, the signal230may be a wide variety of wireless signals. The signal230may be a wireless signal such as, but not limited to, radio frequency identification (RFID) type signal, near field communication type signal, Infrared Data Association (IrDA) type signal, Bluetooth type signal, or a wide variety of personal area network (PAN) capable signals, and accordingly, is not limited in these respects.

FIG. 3illustrates a block diagram of another example apparatus300that is arranged in accordance with at least some embodiments of the present disclosure. In the illustrated example, the apparatus300may include a touch screen302, a number of wireless signal detectors304, a transmit and receive (TX/RX) module306, a processor308, and a machine readable non-transitory medium312. The processor308may be communicatively coupled to the touch screen302, the number of wireless signal detectors304, the TX/RX module306, and the machine readable non-transitory medium312via a communication medium310.

InFIG. 3, as will be described in more detail, the machine readable non-transitory medium312may have instructions that, when executed by processor308, operatively enable the apparatus300to receive an indication of a device (e.g., the device110inFIG. 1or the device210inFIG. 2) on a surface (e.g., the surface104inFIG. 1or the surface204inFIG. 2) of the touch screen302. The apparatus300may then determine a location of the device on the surface of the touch screen302. Additionally, the apparatus300may detect a signal (e.g., the signal230inFIG. 2) via the TX/RX module306and determine a direction of the signal from the device. As will be describe in more detail, based, at least in part, on the determined location of the device and the detected signal from the device, the apparatus300may enhance the signal.

InFIG. 3, the apparatus300may be configured to facilitate utilization of a wide variety of signal management techniques such as, but not limited to, multi-channel enhancement techniques, in accordance with various embodiments. In one embodiment, the wireless signal detectors304may be configured for beamforming. For example, briefly referring back toFIG. 2, the wireless signal detectors224,225, and226may be utilized as an array of detectors for detection of the signal230, and accordingly, the apparatus300may transmit wireless signals via the TX/RX module306by managing a directionality of the wireless signal detectors224,225, and226utilizing beamforming techniques. In one embodiment, the apparatus300may be configured to utilize independent component analysis techniques based, at least in part, on a location of a device and a detected signal from the device as previously described. These signal management techniques are but a few examples, and accordingly, the claimed subject matter is not limited in these respects.

In the embodiment illustrated inFIG. 3, the apparatus300may be included in a wide variety of computing devices such as, but not limited to, a mobile device, a client device, a server type device, ubiquitous type computing environment (e.g., cloud type computing), and so forth, and accordingly, the claimed subject matter is not limited in these respects. For the purposes of describing the disclosed subject matter, the apparatus300may be included in a device having a touch screen such as, but not limited to, a table like device. It follows that the communication medium310may be a wide variety of communication mediums to facilitate communicative coupling of various components/modules such as, but not limited to, a bus type medium (i.e., physical) or WiFi type medium (i.e., wireless).

The processor308may represent one or more processors, which may include a wide variety of processors such as, but not limited to a computer, a microprocessor, a microcontroller, a field programmable gate array (FPGA), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a sequestered thread or a core of a multi-core/multi-threaded microprocessor or a combination thereof.

It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art, that in order to not obscure the disclosed subject matter and to facilitate understanding of the disclosed subject matter, the apparatus300(shown inFIG. 3) and their respective components are illustrated as functional blocks. That is, it is contemplated that the apparatus300may be implemented in a wide variety of manners within the scope of the claimed subject matter without detracting the disclosed subject matter, and accordingly, the disclosed subject matter is not limited in these respects.

FIG. 4illustrates another example of a process400for signal enhancement in accordance with at least some embodiments of the present disclosure. In the illustrated example, the process400may include one or more of functional operations as indicated by example operations402,404,406,408, and/or410.

As illustrated, the process400may be implemented for signal enhancement. Processing may begin at an operation402, “RECEIVE INDICATION OF DEVICE”, where an indication of a device on a surface of a touch screen may be received.

The processing may continue from the operation402to an operation404, “DETERMINE LOCATION OF DEVICE”, where a location of the device on the surface of the touch screen may be determined.

The processing may continue from the operation404to an operation406, “DETECT SIGNAL FROM DEVICE”, where a signal from the device may be detected.

The processing may continue from the operation406to an operation410, “ENHANCE SIGNAL”, where based, at least in part, on the determined location of the device and the detected signal from the device, the signal may be enhanced.

As previously described, in some embodiments, a direction of the signal from the device may be determined.

It should be appreciated that the above described process400may be implemented in a wide variety of manners such as, but not limited to, the various embodiments of the present disclosure and variations thereof.

FIG. 5illustrates an example of a computer program product500that is arranged in accordance with at least some examples of the present disclosure. The program product500may include a signal bearing medium502. The signal bearing medium502may include a machine readable non-transitory medium having stored therein instructions504that, if executed by one or more processors, may operatively enable a computing device to provide the functionality described above with respect toFIG. 4. Thus, for example, the apparatus300(see, e.g.,FIG. 3) may undertake one or more of the actions shown inFIG. 4in response to the execution of the instructions504conveyed by the signal bearing medium502.

In some implementations, the signal bearing medium502may encompass a non-transitory computer-readable medium506, such as, but not limited to, a hard disk drive, a Compact Disc (CD), a Digital Versatile Disk (DVD), a digital tape, memory, etc. In some implementations, the signal bearing medium502may encompass a recordable medium508, such as, but not limited to, memory, read/write (R/W) CDs, R/W DVDs, etc. In some implementations, the signal bearing medium502may encompass a communications medium510, such as, but not limited to, a digital and/or an analog communication medium (e.g., a fiber optic cable, a waveguide, a wired communications link, a wireless communication link, etc.).

FIG. 6is a block diagram illustrating an example computing device600, such as might be embodied by a person skilled in the art, which is arranged in accordance with at least some embodiments of the present disclosure. In one example of a basic configuration601, the computing device600may include one or more processors610and a system memory620. A memory bus630may be used for communicating between the one or more processor610and the system memory620.

Depending on the desired configuration, the one or more processor610may be of any type including but not limited to a microprocessor (μP), a microcontroller (μC), a digital signal processor (DSP), or any combination thereof. The one or more processor610may include one or more levels of caching, such as a level one cache611and a level two cache612, a processor core613, and registers614. The processor core613may include an arithmetic logic unit (ALU), a floating point unit (FPU), a digital signal processing core (DSP Core), or any combination thereof. A memory controller615may also be used with the one or more processor610, or in some implementations the memory controller615may be an internal part of the one or more processor610.

Depending on the desired configuration, the system memory620may be of any type including but not limited to volatile memory (such as RAM), non-volatile memory (such as ROM, flash memory, etc.) or any combination thereof. The system memory620may include an operating system621, one or more applications622, and program data624. The one or more applications622may include a signal enhancement algorithm623that is arranged to perform the functions as described herein including the functional blocks and/or actions described with respect to the process400ofFIG. 4. The program data624may include signal enhancement data625for use with the signal enhancement algorithm623. In some example embodiments, the one or more applications622may be arranged to operate with program data624on the operating system621such that implementations of signal enhancement may be provided as described herein. For example, the apparatus100(see, e.g.,FIG. 1) and/or the apparatus300(see, e.g.,FIG. 3) may comprise all or a portion of the computing device600and may be capable of performing all or a portion of the one or more applications622such that implementations of signal enhancement may be provided as described herein. This described basic configuration601is illustrated inFIG. 6by those components within dashed line.

The computing device600may have additional features or functionality, and additional interfaces to facilitate communications between the basic configuration601and any required devices and interfaces. For example, a bus/interface controller640may be used to facilitate communications between the basic configuration601and one or more data storage devices650via a storage interface bus641. The one or more data storage devices650may be removable storage devices651, non-removable storage devices652, or a combination thereof. Examples of removable storage and non-removable storage devices include magnetic disk devices such as flexible disk drives and hard-disk drives (HDD), optical disk drives such as compact disk (CD) drives or digital versatile disk (DVD) drives, solid state drives (SSD), and tape drives to name a few. Example computer storage media may include volatile and nonvolatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storage of information, such as computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data.

The system memory620, the removable storage devices651and the non-removable storage devices652are all examples of computer storage media. The computer storage media includes, but is not limited to, RAM, ROM, EEPROM, flash memory or other memory technology, CD-ROM, digital versatile disks (DVD) or other optical storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium which may be used to store the desired information and which may be accessed by the computing device600. Any such computer storage media may be a part of the computing device600.

The computing device600may also include an interface bus642for facilitating communication from various interface devices (e.g., output interfaces, peripheral interfaces, and communication interfaces) with the basic configuration601via the bus/interface controller640. Example output interfaces660may include a graphics processing unit661and an audio processing unit662, which may be configured to communicate to various external devices such as a display or speakers via one or more A/V ports663. Example peripheral interfaces670may include a serial interface controller671or a parallel interface controller672, which may be configured to communicate with external devices such as input devices (e.g., keyboard, mouse, pen, voice input device, touch input device, etc.) or other peripheral devices (e.g., printer, scanner, etc.) via one or more I/O ports673. An example communication interface680includes a network controller681, which may be arranged to facilitate communications with one or more other computing devices690over a network communication via one or more communication ports682. A communication connection is one example of a communication media. The communication media may typically be embodied by computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data in a modulated data signal, such as a carrier wave or other transport mechanism, and may include any information delivery media. A “modulated data signal” may be a signal that has one or more of its characteristics set or changed in such a manner as to encode information in the signal. By way of example, and not limitation, communication media may include wired media such as a wired network or direct-wired connection, and wireless media such as acoustic, radio frequency (RF), infrared (IR) and other wireless media. The term computer readable media as used herein may include both storage media and communication media.

The computing device600may be implemented as a portion of a small-form factor portable (or mobile) electronic device such as a cell phone, a personal data assistant (PDA), a personal media player device, a wireless web-watch device, a personal headset device, an application specific device, or a hybrid device that may include any of the above functions. The computing device600may also be implemented as a personal computer including both laptop computer and non-laptop computer configurations. In addition, the computing device600may be implemented as part of a wireless base station or other wireless system or device.

The claimed subject matter is not limited in scope to the particular implementations described herein. For example, some implementations may be in hardware, such as employed to operate on a device or combination of devices, for example, whereas other implementations may be in software and/or firmware. Likewise, although claimed subject matter is not limited in scope in this respect, some implementations may include one or more articles, such as a signal bearing medium, a storage medium and/or storage media. This storage media, such as CD-ROMs, computer disks, flash memory, or the like, for example, may have instructions stored thereon, that, when executed by a computing device, such as a computing system, computing platform, or other system, for example, may result in execution of a processor in accordance with the claimed subject matter, such as one of the implementations previously described, for example. As one possibility, a computing device may include one or more processing units or processors, one or more input/output devices, such as a display, a keyboard and/or a mouse, and one or more memories, such as static random access memory, dynamic random access memory, flash memory, and/or a hard drive.

Reference in the specification to “an implementation,” “one implementation,” “some implementations,” or “other implementations” may mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with one or more implementations may be included in at least some implementations, but not necessarily in all implementations. The various appearances of “an implementation,” “one implementation,” or “some implementations” in the preceding description are not necessarily all referring to the same implementations.