Wirelessly triggering smart devices

An electronic tag for wirelessly triggering smart devices includes an electronic tag configured to generate a trigger signal based on a defined movement of the electronic tag. The electronic tag is configured to transmit the trigger signal to a smart device using a Bluetooth protocol to initiate a programmed action by the smart device in response to receiving the trigger signal.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to wirelessly triggering smart devices.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

Smart devices such as smart phones are increasingly being used for multiple applications, which include intruder detection, medical and theft alerts, entertainment and communication. Typically, existing smart phones require multiple inputs to initiate an action. Also the initiation of actions on existing smart phones is often not intuitive for users.

There are systems available for wirelessly triggering smart devices using protocols such as ZigBee® and Wi-Fi®.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention provides an electronic tag as specified in claim1.

The invention also includes a wirelessly trigger smart device system as specified in claim7.

The invention also includes a method of wirelessly triggering a smart device as specified in claim14.

The invention also includes a method of wirelessly transmitting an alert to a smart device as specified in claim18.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The described examples disclose electronic tags for wirelessly triggering smart devices using gesture or motion based detection over Bluetooth® low energy (BLE) capabilities. The triggering of the smart device may be substantially instantaneous. The example electronic tags may also allow the end user to remotely and wirelessly trigger smart devices in an intuitive and user friendly way. The example electronic tags may also function as an alerts provider.

FIG. 1illustrates a system100comprising a smart device102and an electronic tag104for wirelessly triggering the smart device. The smart device102may be a smart phone. The electronic tag104is programmed with gesture or motion detection algorithms for generating trigger signals used to trigger the smart device102. The electronic tag104may be BLE enabled so as to communicate wirelessly with BLE enabled smart devices102.

The smart device102is programmed to understand the trigger signals it receives from the electronic tag104. For example, an end user of the electronic tag104may perform multiple gestures or motions such as a single shake, double shake, left tilt or right tilt of the electronic tag that are translated into specific trigger signals that are sent wirelessly with BLE to the smart device102.

The smart device102is programmed to recognize the trigger signals generated by the electronic tag104and perform pre-programmed actions in response. The actions may be configurable by the end user or a programmer. For example, the smart device102may be programmed for triggering a music player106on receiving a trigger signal corresponding to a single shake from the electronic tag104.

As illustrated with reference toFIG. 2, the smart device102may also be programmed to receive alerts when a medicine is not taken at a scheduled time. To facilitate this function the electronic tag104may be attached to a pill box108. Using motion detection, the electronic tag104is programmed to send alerts to the smart device102wirelessly with BLE when the patient has not taken the medicine at a scheduled time. Specifically, the electronic tag104is programmed to determine that the medicine has not been taken if a movement of the electronic tag is not sensed within a predetermined timeframe.

Referring toFIG. 3, the electronic tag104may be a generally rectangular body that is 30×30×5.8 mm in dimension. The electronic tag104may be provided with one or more optical output devices, which may be LEDs110.

The electronic tag104is provided with a power source114, which may be a coin cell such as a CR2032 capable of delivering 3V when the electronic tag is in an active mode. The electronic tag104is provided with a sensor116to sense movements of the electronic tag. The sensor116may comprise a multi-axis accelerometer or gyrometer and in some examples may comprise both. The electronic tag104is provided with circuitry118configured to generate a trigger signal(s) in response to sensing a defined movement(s) of the electronic tag and cause the trigger signal to be transmitted using a Bluetooth protocol. The circuitry118may comprise a microcontroller or a processor. The circuitry118may comprise a Texas Instruments CC2451 chip with a Bluetooth low energy system enabled on chip.

The Bluetooth protocol used for wirelessly transmitting to the smart device102may be the Bluetooth 4.0 low energy standard.

It will be understood that the smart device may be a mobile communications device such as a so-called smart phone programmed to operate in conjunction with the electronic tag104. Alternatively, users may enable a smart device to operate in conjunction with the electronic tag104by downloading, or otherwise loading, a suitable ‘app’ onto the smart device. The app may be configured to enable operation with smart devices equipped with Android™ or Apple® operating platforms.

It will be understood that the disclosed electronic tags allow end users to remotely and wirelessly trigger smart devices in an intuitive and user friendly way wirelessly over BLE.