Patent Publication Number: US-2023152948-A1

Title: Action verification by a communication device enabled for short-range wireless communication

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention generally relates to the field of short-range wireless communication devices. More particularly, the present invention relates to a communication device that comprises a processing device, a user interface and a short-range wireless communication transceiver. The present invention also relates to method of verifying an action to be performed by a communication device which is capable of short-range wireless communication. Moreover, the invention relates to an associated computer program product and computer readable medium. 
     BACKGROUND 
     As everybody knows, there has been an overwhelming market penetration for mobile communication devices such as smartphones and tablets during the last decade. Long gone are the days when mobile communication devices were used primarily for voice calls. Typically, communication devices are enabled for broadband RF communication with remote entities, for instance via cellular systems like 5G, UMTS or GSM, or via wireless local area network (WLAN) access for routing IP traffic to and from such remote entities. In addition, communication devices are often enabled for short-range wireless communication, such as Bluetooth, with other devices nearby. Such a nearby device may be an accessory or peripheral device, like a wireless headset or wireless speakers. 
     Alternatively, a nearby device may be another communication device with which the present communication device communicates in a peer-to-peer setup in order to perform a digital service, such as sharing of information, purchasing goods or services, digitally signing identities, transferring of funds, etc. 
     In addition, such a nearby device may be a communication device in the form of a service terminal, the services of which can be accessed from the present communication device by way of short-range wireless communication. Some typical scenarios include digital order, digital payment or digital promotion at retail shops, supermarkets, arenas, events or public transportations, wherein the service terminal may be a point-of-sales terminal, checkout counter, delivery pickup point, vending machine, ticket machine, etc. 
     Communication with a nearby communication device is often ad hoc or infrequent in the sense that it a) can occur only when there is physical proximity between the devices, b) typically has a limited duration, and c) is often of a one time-nature rather than recurring. In the light of this, there will often be a degree of uncertainty for a user of a communication device when short-range wireless communication is to be established with another communication device, or when a certain action is to be taken by the user during such short-range wireless communication. One reason for such uncertainty may be that there can very well be other communication devices in the neighborhood, all possibly within range for short-range wireless communication. The user may wish to be assured that the nearby device that he thinks he will interact with, is in fact this particular nearby device and not another nearby device (possibly one that is not visible to the user but still within communicative reach, e.g. being located right outside the physical space where the user is present). 
     The present inventors have realized that there is room for improvements in this regard. Hence, the present inventors have identified both the need for and the benefits of a novel and inventive manner of allowing verification of an action to be performed by a communication device which is capable of short-range wireless communication. 
     SUMMARY 
     It is accordingly an object of the invention to solve, eliminate, alleviate, mitigate or reduce at least some of the problems and shortcomings referred to above. 
     A first aspect of the present invention is a communication device that comprises a processing device, a user interface and a short-range wireless communication transceiver. The short-range wireless communication transceiver is configured for receiving a short-range wireless communication signal from another communication device. The processing device is configured for reading a communication identifier of the received short-range wireless communication signal, determining - based on the communication identifier - a particular audio/visual/audiovisual media content among a plurality of possible media contents, controlling the user interface to present the particular media content to a user of the communication device, and controlling the user interface to receive an input from the user. The processing device is finally configured for causing, conditionally upon having received the input from the user, the communication device to perform an action. 
     The determining, by the processing device, of the particular audio/visual/audiovisual media content among the plurality of possible media representations beneficially occurs locally in the communication device. The communication identifier, or a part thereof, is used as a reference by means of which the particular audio/visual/audiovisual media content can be identified, chosen or generated locally in the communication device. 
     The plurality of possible media contents beneficially represents a finite group of different media contents. Each individual media content in the finite group of different media contents is such that, upon being presented as the particular media content in the user interface of the communication device, the individual media content is distinctly discernible from all other media contents in the finite group of different media contents by the user of the communication device. 
     Advantageously, the input is received as an inspection result of the user’s verification of a match between the presented particular media content and a corresponding particular media content being presented by or at the other communication device. 
     The provision of such a communication device will solve or at least mitigate one or more of the problems or drawbacks identified in the background section of this document, as will be clear from the following detailed description section and the drawings. Hence, the invention will facilitate for the user of the communication device to verify that the action will be performed in a controlled manner. For instance, the user may benefit from being able to verify that the action is performed with respect to the correct entity, i.e. the aforementioned other communication device, and not with another entity by mistake or confusion. Another example is that the user may benefit from being able to verify that the action is about to be performed, rather than performing the action automatically when triggered by the short-range wireless communication signal from the other communication device. 
     To facilitate further for the user, the plurality of possible media contents may advantageously be differentiated by different colors, wherein the particular media content may be presented in the user interface as a display screen background, or an object shown as a display screen foreground, being of a certain color among these different possible colors. 
     Alternatively, the plurality of possible media contents may advantageously be differentiated by different sounds, wherein the particular media content may be presented in the user interface as a certain sound among these different possible sounds. 
     Another beneficial option is to let the plurality of possible media contents represent different graphical objects, wherein each graphical object is composed of a combination of a limited number of differently sized and/or oriented blocks. Accordingly, even a user that suffers from color blindness may benefit from being able to verify the action as described above. 
     As will be clear from the detailed description and the drawings, in some embodiments the short-range wireless communication signal is received during connectivity advertisement or discovery, and performing the action involves establishing a short-range wireless communication session with the other communication device. 
     In other embodiments, the short-range wireless communication signal is received as data traffic over an established (i.e., already existing) short-range wireless communication session with the other communication device, wherein the data traffic comprises a service invitation from the other communication device. In such embodiments, performing the action may involve participating in a digital service with the other communication device over the short-range wireless communication session. The digital service may for instance pertain to a payment transaction, a transaction for transfer of funds, an information exchange, an identity authentication, or an access authorization. Alternatively, performing the action may involve sending a data response to the other communication device in response to a data request included in the data traffic. 
     In yet other embodiments, performing the action may involve invoking or executing software or firmware instructions that are stored locally in the communication device, i.e. performing a local action in the communication device. 
     In still other embodiments, performing the action may involve broadband communication with a remote communication device, wherein the performed action may be part of a remote digital service provided by the remote communication device. 
     A second aspect of the present invention is a method of verifying an action to be performed by a communication device capable of short-range wireless communication. The method comprises:
     receiving a short-range wireless communication signal from another communication device;   reading a communication identifier of the received short-range wireless communication signal;   determining, based on the communication identifier, a particular audio/visual/audiovisual media content among a plurality of possible media contents;   controlling a user interface of the communication device to present the particular media content to a user of the communication device;   controlling the user interface to receive an input from the user; and   conditionally upon having received the input from the user, causing the communication device to perform the action.   

     The method according to the second aspect of the invention may generally involve any or all of the functionality provided for the communication device according to the first aspect of the invention. 
     A third aspect of the present invention is a computer program product comprising computer code for performing the method according to the second aspect of the invention when the computer program code is executed by a processing device. 
     A fourth aspect of the present invention is a computer readable medium having stored thereon a computer program comprising computer program code for performing the method according to the second aspect of the invention when the computer program code is executed by a processing device. 
     Other aspects, objectives, features and advantages of the disclosed embodiments will appear from the following detailed disclosure, from the attached dependent claims as well as from the drawings. Generally, all terms used in the claims are to be interpreted according to their ordinary meaning in the technical field, unless explicitly defined otherwise herein. 
     All references to “a/an/the [element, device, component, means, step, etc.]” are to be interpreted openly as referring to at least one instance of the element, device, component, means, step, etc., unless explicitly stated otherwise. The steps of any method disclosed herein do not have to be performed in the exact order disclosed, unless explicitly stated. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is a schematic diagram of the general principles of the present invention. 
         FIGS.  2  and  3    are general illustrations of a first class of embodiments of the present invention. 
         FIGS.  4 A to  4 C  illustrate a special case of the first class of embodiments. 
         FIG.  5    is a schematic block diagram of a communication device in embodiments of the present invention. 
         FIG.  6    is a schematic flowchart diagram of a method according to embodiments of the present invention. 
         FIG.  7    illustrates a mechanism for determining the particular audio/visual/audiovisual media content among the plurality of possible media representations according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG.  8    illustrates a mechanism for determining the particular audio/visual/audiovisual media content among the plurality of possible media representations according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG.  9    is a schematic illustration of a computer-readable medium in one exemplary embodiment, capable of storing a computer program product. 
         FIGS.  10 A and  10 B  are general illustrations of a second class of embodiments of the present invention. 
         FIGS.  11 A and  11 B  are general illustrations of alternative embodiments of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The disclosed embodiments will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which certain embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided by way of example so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout. Elements illustrated as hatched boxes are generally to be seen as optional in the particular drawing in which they appear. 
     Reference is first made to  FIG.  1   , showing a schematic diagram that illustrates general principles of the present invention. At the same time, reference will be made to  FIG.  6    which shows a schematic flowchart diagram of a method  600  according to embodiments of the present invention, and to  FIG.  5    which is a schematic block diagram of a communication device  100  in embodiments of the present invention. 
     In  FIG.  1   , a communication device  100   a , operated by a user  1   a , receives a short-range wireless communication signal S from another nearby communication device  100   b  pursuant to Bluetooth, BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy), RFID, WLAN, WiFi, mesh communication, or another form of proximity-based device-to-device radio communication such as LTE Direct. 
     An exemplary implementation of the communication device  100   a  is given in  FIG.  5    in the form of a communication device  100 . As can be seen, the communication device  100 ;  100   a  comprises a processing device  110 , a user interface  120 , a short-range wireless communication transceiver  130  and a memory  150 . 
     The user interface  120  comprises an input device  122  and a presentation device  124 , as is generally known. In some embodiments, the input device  122  and the presentation device  124  are constituted by one common physical device, such as for instance a touch screen (touch-sensitive display screen), implemented in for instance resistive touch technology, surface capacitive technology, projected capacitive technology, surface acoustic wave technology or infrared technology. 
     Pursuant to the invention, the short-range wireless communication transceiver  130  is configured for receiving the short-range wireless communication signal S from another communication device  100   b . This can be seen in step  610  in the flowchart diagram of  FIG.  6   . 
     The processing device  110  is configured for reading a communication identifier CI of the received short-range wireless communication signal S (step  620 ,  FIG.  6   ). As will be explained in more detail with reference to the disclosed embodiments, the communication identifier CI of the received short-range wireless communication signal S may, for instance, be a communication address that represents the other communication device  100   b , such as a MAC address, a Bluetooth address, an IP address, or any temporary address data representing such an address. Other examples of the communication identifier CI include a service indicator that indicates one of a plurality of communication services supported by a communication protocol that the received short-range wireless communication signal S complies with, a channel indicator that indicates one of a plurality of communication channels supported by a communication protocol that the received short-range wireless communication signal S complies with, a session key or other key data that represents a communication session being established between the communication device  100 ;  100   a  and the other communication device ( 100   b ), or a session key or other key data being used for encrypted data communication between the communication device  100 ;  100   a  and the other communication device  100   b . 
     The processing device  110  is moreover configured for determining - based on the communication identifier CI - a particular audio/visual/audiovisual media content  140   a  among a plurality of possible media contents  140  (step  630 ,  FIG.  6   ). The determining, by the processing device  110 , of the particular audio/visual/audiovisual media content  140   a  among the plurality of possible media representations  140  occurs locally in the communication device  100 ;  100   a  using the communication identifier CI, or a part thereof, as a reference by means of which the particular audio/visual/-audiovisual media content  140   a  can be identified, chosen or generated locally in the communication device  100 ;  100   a . Some beneficial mechanisms for performing the determining of the particular audio/visual/audiovisual media content  140   a  are illustrated in  FIGS.  7  and  8    and will be described in more detail later. 
     The processing device  110  is further configured for controlling the user interface  120  to present the particular media content  140   a  to the user  1   a  of the communication device  100 ;  100   a  (step  640 ,  FIG.  6   ). The processing device  110  is then configured for controlling the user interface  120  to receive an input INP from the user  1   a  (step  650 ,  FIG.  6   ). 
     Finally, the processing device  110  is configured for causing the communication device  100 ;  100   a  to perform an action ACT (step  660 ,  FIG.  6   ). This step is performed conditionally upon having received the input INP from the user  1   a , i.e. the action ACT is not performed unless the input INP has been received from the user  1   a . 
     As can be seen in  FIG.  1   , the processing device  110  is advantageously configured for controlling the user interface  120  to receive the input INP as an inspection result of the user’s  1   a  verification of a match between the presented particular media content  140   a  and a corresponding particular media content  140   b  being presented by or at the other communication device  100   b . This will mean that also the corresponding particular media content  140   b  has been determined from or is otherwise based on the same communication identifier CI. The particular media content  140   a  and the corresponding particular media content  140   b  should therefore be identical (subject to slight differences in the manner in which they are presented). In some embodiments, the corresponding particular media content  140   b  is presented in or by a presentation device of the other communication device  100   b . In embodiments where the communication identifier CI remains static (i.e., does not have to be changeable by the other communication device  100   b ), the corresponding particular media content  140   b  may alternatively be presented by a presentation device which is not operatively connected with the other communication device  100   b , or even as a static sign, poster, sticker, etc. 
     As was explained already in the summary section, the present invention will facilitate for the user  1   a  of the communication device  100 ;  100   a  to verify that the action ACT will be performed in a controlled manner. In the situation shown in  FIG.  1   , the user  1   a  may benefit from being able to verify that the action ACT is performed with respect to the correct entity, i.e. the other communication device  100   b , and not with another entity by mistake or confusion. 
     To facilitate further for the user  1   a , the plurality of possible media contents  140  represents a finite group of different media contents  140 . Each individual media content in the finite group of different media contents  140  is such that, upon being presented as the aforementioned particular media content  140   a  in the user interface  120  of the communication device  100 ;  100   a , the individual media content is distinctly discernible from all other media contents  140  in the finite group of different media contents  140  by the user  1   a  of the communication device  100 ;  100   a . At the same time, this represent an approach that can be efficiently implemented in the communication device  100 ;  100   a  in terms of usage of computational and memory resources. 
     The plurality of possible media contents  140  may advantageously be differentiated by different colors. Hence, the particular media content  140   a  may be presented in the user interface  120  as a display screen background, or an object shown as a display screen foreground, being of a certain color among these different possible colors (and similarly for the corresponding particular media content  140   b  by or at the other device  100   b ). Alternatively, the plurality of possible media contents  140  may advantageously be differentiated by different sounds, wherein the particular media content  140   a  may be presented in the user interface  120  as a certain sound among these different possible sounds (and similarly for the corresponding particular media content  140   b  by or at the other device  100   b ). Differentiation by combinations of colors and sounds is also conceivable. 
     In an advantageous embodiment, the plurality of possible media contents  140  represents different graphical objects, wherein each graphical object is composed of a combination of a limited number of differently sized and/or oriented blocks that are easily discernable by the user  1   a  also from some distance (cf. the presentation of the corresponding particular media content  140   b  by or at the other device  100 ). This is advantageous also for reasons of implementation efficiency. Only a few number of bits will have to be used to represent the particular combination. Similarly, the plurality of possible media contents  140   b  may represent different symbols, or sets of different symbols, again being easily discernable by the user  1   a  also from some distance and having an advantage in terms of implementation efficiency. 
     The communication device  100 ;  100   a  may, for instance, be a mobile communication device, a mobile phone, a smart phone, a tablet computer, a personal digital assistant, a portable computer, smart glasses, a smart watch, or a smart bracelet. The other communication device may be a similar device, or alternatively a service terminal such as for instance a point-of-sales terminal, a cash register, a part of a cash register or a communication device operatively coupled thereto. 
     A first class of embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to  FIGS.  2  and  3   . The first class of embodiments operates during connectivity advertisement or discovery (CAD), i.e. when the received signal S is transmitted by the other communication device  100   b  to announce its availability for short-range wireless communication which has not yet been established between the devices  100   a ,  100   b . 
     To this end, the short-range wireless communication transceiver  130  of the communication device  100 ;  100   a  is configured for receiving the short-range wireless communication signal S as a signal transmitted during connectivity advertisement or discovery (CAD). See  FIG.  2   . Upon successful verification by the user  1   a  of a match between the presented particular media content  140   a  (determined based on the read communication identifier CI of the received signal S, as previously explained), the communication device  100 ;  100   a  will receive the input INP. Accordingly, the processing device  110  is configured for causing the communication device  100 ;  100   a  to perform the action ACT by causing the short-range wireless communication transceiver  130  to establish a short-range wireless communication session CS with the other communication device  100   b . This can be seen in  FIG.  3   , and also at step  662  in  FIG.  6   . Thanks to this embodiment of the present invention, the user  1   a  is given an ability to verify and control what device he or she establishes the communication session CS with, which is advantageous for personal or data integrity reasons, for instance. 
     A special case of the first class of embodiments is illustrated in  FIGS.  4 A to  4 C . Here, the situation is as follows. As seen in  FIG.  4 A , the user  1   a  has brought the communication device  100   a  to a location where there are apparently several other communication devices  100   b ,  100   c , ...,  100   n  reachable by short-range wireless communication. The communication devices  100   b ,  100   c , ...,  100   n  may for instance be service terminals in the form of point-of-sales terminals in a checkout area of a shop, or ticket machines, vending machines, etc. 
     As can be seen in  FIG.  4 A , the communication device  100   a  receives short-range wireless communication signals S, S 2 , ..., Sn from the different other communication devices  100   b ,  100   c , ...,  100   n  within range, but the user  1   a  is at loss about what received signal correlates to what other device. 
     The present invention solves the situation for the user  1   a  in the follow way, as can be seen in  FIG.  4 B . In addition to being configured in the way that was described with reference to  FIGS.  1 - 3   , the short-range wireless communication transceiver  130  of the communication device  100 ;  100   a  is further configured for receiving a second short-range wireless communication signal S 2  from a second other communication device  100   c  (and likewise for additional other short-range wireless communication signals Sn from additional other communication devices  100   n ). The received short-range wireless communication signal S and the second, third, etc., short-range wireless communication signal S 2 ...Sn are, as previously explained, transmitted during connectivity advertisement or discovery (CAD). 
     The processing device  110  is further configured for reading a second, third, etc., communication identifier CI 2 ... CIn of the received second, third, etc., short-range wireless communication signal S 2 ... Sn. The processing device  110  is moreover configured for determining, based on the second, third, etc., communication identifier CI 2 ... CIn, a second, third, etc., particular audio/visual/audiovisual media content  140   a ′- 140   a ″ among the plurality of possible media contents  140 . The processing device  110  is then configured for controlling the user interface  120  to present the other communication device  100   b  and the second, third, etc., other communication device  100   c ...  100   n  as alternatives for selection, represented by the particular media content  140   a  and the second, third, etc., particular media content  140   a ′- 140   a ″, respectively. 
     The processing device  110  is further configured for controlling the user interface  120  to receive the input INP as the user’s  1   a  selection of one of the other communication device  100   b  and the second, third, etc., other communication device  100   c ...  100   n . This can be seen in  FIG.  4 B . 
     The processing device  110  is finally configured for causing the communication device  100 ;  100   a  to perform the action ACT by causing the short-range wireless communication transceiver  130  to establish a short-range wireless communication session CS with the selected other communication device  100   b  or second, third, etc., other communication device  100   c ...  100   n , as indicated by the input INP from the user  1   a .In the exemplary situation seen in  FIGS.  4 B and  4 C , the user  1   a  selects the other communication device  100   b  (as represented by the particular media content  140   a ), and hence the short-range wireless communication session CS is established with the other communication device  100   b  but not with the second, third, etc., other communication device  100   c ...  100   n . 
       FIGS.  10 A and  10 B  are general illustrations of a second class of embodiments of the present invention which is different from the first class of embodiments in that there is already an existing short-range wireless communication session CS between the communication device  100   a  and the other communication device  100   b . Thus, in  FIG.  10 A , there is already an existing communication session CS between the communication devices  100   a  and  100   b  when the device  100   b  transmits the communication signal S as data traffic to the device  100   a . 
     To this end, the short-range wireless communication transceiver  130  of the communication device  100  is configured for receiving the short-range wireless communication signal S as data traffic over the established short-range wireless communication session CS with the other communication device  100   b . The data traffic comprises a service invitation SI from the other communication device  100   b . The service invitation SI indicates a digital service DS offered by the other communication device  100   b  over the short-range wireless communication session CS. In some embodiments, the communication identifier CI and the service invitation SI of the communication signal S may be the same data, in other embodiments they may be separate data. 
     As is seen in  FIG.  10 A , the communication device  100  performs steps  1010 - 1050  that are the same or essentially corresponds to the steps  610 - 650  in the method described above for  FIG.  6   . 
     Once the verifying input INP has been provided by the user  1   a , the processing device  110  of the communication device  100  is then configured for causing the communication device  100 ;  100   a  to perform the action ACT by participating in the digital service DS (as indicated by the service invitation SI) with the other communication device  100   b  over the short-range wireless communication session CS. This can be seen at step  1060  in  FIG.  10 A . Also see step  664  in  FIG.  6   . The digital service DS may, for instance, involve a payment transaction, a transaction for transfer of funds, an information exchange, an identity authentication, or an access authorization. This embodiment will hence allow the user  1   a  to verify his or her participation in the digital service DS as offered by the other communication device  100   b . 
     The embodiment in  FIG.  10 B  is similar, with the following differences. The other communication device  100   b  sends a data request DREQ in the short-range wireless communication signal S to the communication device  100   a , requesting the communication device  100   a  to respond with a data response DRESP. To give the user  1   a  an ability to control the making of this data response, the functionality  1010 - 1050  is performed in the same or very similar way as in  FIG.  10 A . The response in step  1060  is made only once the user has given the verifying input INP, as previously described. 
     To summarize the embodiment of  FIG.  10 B , the short-range wireless communication transceiver  130  of the communication device  100   a  is configured for receiving the short-range wireless communication signal S as data traffic over an established short-range wireless communication session CS with the other communication device  100   b . The data traffic comprises a data request DREQ from the other communication device  100   b . The processing device  110  of the communication device  100   a  is configured for causing the communication device  100   a  to perform the action ACT by causing the short-range wireless communication transceiver  130  to send a data response DRESP to the other communication device  100   b . Also see step  668  in  FIG.  6   . 
       FIG.  11 A  illustrates an alternative embodiment of the present invention, applicable both to the situation of the first class of embodiments (the communication signal S being sent during connectivity advertisement or discovery (CAD)) and the situation of the second class of embodiments (the communication signal S being sent as data traffic over an existing short-range wireless communication session CS). 
     In this embodiment, the processing device  110  of the communication device  100   a  is configured for causing the communication device  100   a  to perform the action ACT in step  1060  by invoking or executing software or firmware instructions SW that are stored locally in the communication device  100 , typically in the memory  150  (see  FIG.  5   ). Also see step  668  in  FIG.  6   . This embodiment allows the user  1   a  to verify the performance of an action ACT which is triggered by the short-range wireless communication signal S from the other communication device  100   b , but which does not necessarily result in responsive communication with this other device  100   b . Instead, the action ACT may exclusively be performed locally in and by the communication device  100   a . The action to be performed (controlled by the user  1   a  thanks to the inventive functionality) may be indicated by the other communication device  100   b  by including an action identifier AI in the communication signal S, as can be seen in  FIG.  11 A . Hence, the functionality of the embodiment of  FIG.  11 A  is that of an action being proposed by the other communication device  100   b  but being performed locally in and by the communication device  100 , under the control of the user  1   a . 
     An alternative to the embodiment of  FIG.  11 A  is illustrated in  FIG.  11 B . In this embodiment, the communication device  100 ;  100   a  further comprises a long-range communication interface  132  for broadband communication, as can be seen in  FIG.  5   . This will enable the communication device  100 ;  100   a  to communicate with a remote communication device  102  via a wide area communication network being compliant with, for instance, one or more of W-CDMA, GSM, UTRAN, HSPA, LTE, LTE Advanced, and TCP/IP, and/or via a WLAN access point. In this embodiment, therefore, the processing device  110  of the communication device  100 ;  100   a  is configured in step  1060  for causing the communication device  100 ;  100   a  to perform the action ACT by causing the long-range communication interface  132  to communicate with the remote communication device  102 . Also see step  668  in  FIG.  6   . Advantageously, the performed action ACT, and hence the remote communication in step  1060 , is part of a remote digital service RDS that is provided by the remote communication device  102  via the WAN  104 , The remote digital service RDS may typically involve a cloud-based or cloud-assisted payment transaction, transaction for transfer of funds, information exchange, identity authentication, or access authorization. 
     It is recalled that in step  630  of  FIG.  6   , the determining, by the processing device  110 , of the particular audio/visual/audiovisual media content  140   a  among the plurality of possible media representations  140  occurs locally in the communication device  100 ;  100   a  using the communication identifier CI, or a part thereof, as a reference by means of which the particular audio/visual/audiovisual media content  140   a  can be identified, chosen or generated locally in the communication device  100 ;  100   a . Some beneficial mechanisms for performing this determination of the particular audio/visual/-audiovisual media content  140   a  are illustrated in  FIGS.  7  and  8    and will be described in more detail later. 
       FIG.  7    illustrates one embodiment  700  of a mechanism for determining the particular audio/visual/audiovisual media content  140   a  among the plurality of possible media representations  140  according to any of the embodiments described above. 
     In the embodiment of  FIG.  7   , the processing device  110  of the communication device  100 ;  100   a  is configured for determining, based on the communication identifier CI, the particular audio/visual/audiovisual media content  140   a  among the plurality of possible media representations  140  by the following measures. 
     A hash value HV is calculated by inputting the communication identifier CI that has been read in step  610  of  FIG.  6   , or a part of the communication identifier CI, to a hash function HF. The calculated hash value HV, or a part thereof, is then used to identify, choose or generate the particular audio/visual/audiovisual media content  140   a  among the plurality of possible media contents  140 . For instance, n bits of the calculated hash value HV may be used as a selector or identifier of a particular media content  140   a  among  2   n  possible media contents  140 . 
     In one variant, the information from the calculated hash value HV is used to select or identify a color value in a color space as the particular media content  140   a . Hence, the information from the calculated hash value HV in effect generates the particular media content  140   a  since it directly gives the color value thereof. This is believed to represent a particularly efficient implementation which requires only a minimum of resources to be implemented in the communication device  100 ;  100   a . It is also particularly efficient since the plurality of possible media contents  140  need not exist as physical entities and occupy storage space, because the particular media content is generated on the fly from the information from the calculated hash value HV. 
     In other variants, the information from the calculated hash value HV may be used as an identifier or pointer that indicates the particular media content  140   a  among the plurality of possible media contents  140 , which in that case may be stored, for instance, in the local memory  150  (as seen in  FIG.  5   ). 
     Hence, the communication identifier CI, or a part thereof, is used locally in and by the communication device  100 ;  100   a  as a reference by means of which, through the calculated hash value HV, the particular audio/visual/audiovisual media content  140   a  can be identified, chosen or generated locally in the communication device  100 ;  100   a . 
       FIG.  8    illustrates another embodiment  800  of a mechanism for determining the particular audio/visual/audiovisual media content  140   a  among the plurality of possible media representations  140  according to any of the embodiments described above. 
     In the embodiment of  FIG.  8   , the processing device  110  of the communication device  100 ;  100   a  is configured for determining, based on the communication identifier CI, the particular audio/visual/audiovisual media content  140   a  among the plurality of possible media representations  140  by the following measures. 
     A look-up table LUT is searched by using the communication identifier CI, or a part thereof, as index. The look-up table LUT may be stored, for instance, in the local memory  150  (as seen in  FIG.  5   ). A matching entry in the look-up table LUT is located. 
     The located matching entry is then used to identify, choose or retrieve the particular audio/visual/audiovisual media content  140   a  among the plurality of possible media contents  140 . In one variant (shown in  FIG.  8   ), the plurality of possible media contents  140  are stored directly in the lookup table LUT. In other variants, the lookup table LUT may store identifiers or pointers to the plurality of possible media contents  140 , which are then as such stored outside the lookup table LUT (but may very well be stored in the memory  150 , i.e. still locally in the communication device  100 ;  100   a ). 
     Hence, the communication identifier CI, or a part thereof, is used locally in and by the communication device  100 ;  100   a  as a reference by means of which, through the located matching entry in the look-up table LUT, the particular audio/visual/audiovisual media content  140   a  can be identified, chosen or generated locally in the communication device  100 . 
     The processing device  110  of the communication device  100 ;  100   a  may be implemented in any known controller technology, including but not limited to microcontroller, processor (e.g. PLC, CPU, DSP), FPGA, ASIC or any other suitable digital and/or analog circuitry capable of performing the intended functionality. 
     The memory  150  of the communication device  100 ;  100   a  may be implemented in any known memory technology, including but not limited to ROM, RAM, SRAM, DRAM, CMOS, FLASH, DDR, SDRAM or some other memory technology. In some embodiments, the memory or parts thereof may be integrated with or internal to the processing device  110 . The memory may store program instruction for execution by the processing device  110  (also see the description of  FIG.  9    below), as well as temporary and permanent data for use by the processing device  110 . 
     The short-range wireless communication transceiver  130  may, for instance, be compliant with Bluetooth, BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy), RFID, WLAN, WiFi, mesh communication, or another form of proximity-based device-to-device radio communication such as LTE Direct. 
       FIG.  9    is a schematic illustration of a computer-readable medium  900  in one exemplary embodiment, capable of storing a computer program product  910 . The computer-readable medium  900  in the disclosed embodiment is a memory stick, such as a Universal Serial Bus (USB) stick; the computer-readable medium  900  may however be embodied in various other ways instead, as is well-known per se to the skilled person. The USB stick  900  comprises a housing  930  having an interface, such as a connector  940 , and a memory chip  920 . In the disclosed embodiment, the memory chip  920  is a flash memory, i.e. a non-volatile data storage that can be electrically erased and re-programmed. The memory chip  920  stores the computer program product  910  which is programmed with computer program code (instructions) that when loaded into a processing device, such as a CPU, will perform a method  600  according to any or all of the embodiments disclosed above. The processing device may, for instance, be the aforementioned processing device  110 . The USB stick  900  is arranged to be connected to and read by a reading device for loading the instructions into the processing device. It should be noted that a computer-readable medium can also be other mediums such as compact discs, digital video discs, hard drives or other memory technologies commonly used. The computer program code (instructions) can also be downloaded from the computer-readable medium via a wireless interface to be loaded into the processing device. 
     The invention has mainly been described above with reference to a few embodiments. However, as is readily appreciated by a person skilled in the art, other embodiments than the ones disclosed above are equally possible within the scope of the invention, as defined by the appended patent claims.