PATENT DOCUMENT

Publication Number: US-12171043-B2
Application Number: US-202117505530-A
Country: US
Kind Code: B2

Title: Electronic devices with intuitive sharing capabilities

Abstract:
An electronic device may use information about the location of nearby devices to make sharing with those devices more intuitive for a user. When two devices are pointed towards one another, each device may automatically present the option to share information with the other device. When a user wishes to share information with one or more devices in a group of users, an array of icons representing the nearby users may be positioned on the display according to the locations of the nearby users so that the sharing user can easily select which user he or she wishes to share with. A sharing user may broadcast a signal and nearby users may elect to receive the signal by pointing their devices towards the sharing user. A user of two devices may share information between the two devices and may use one device to manipulate the information on the other device.

Claims:
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An electronic device, comprising:
 ultra-wideband transceiver circuitry configured to receive signals from first and second external electronic devices; 
 control circuitry configured to determine an angle of arrival of the signals and to determine a pointing direction of the electronic device based on the angle of arrival of the signals; and 
 a display configured to display a first option to share with the first external electronic device in a first location on the display and a second option to share with the second external electronic device in a second location on the display, wherein the first and second locations are based on the angle of arrival of the signals and wherein the first and second options are displayed in an order that is based on the pointing direction. 
 
     
     
       2. The electronic device defined in  claim 1  wherein the signals comprise ultra-wideband signals and wherein the control circuitry is configured to determine whether the electronic device is pointing closer to the first or second external electronic device based on the angle of arrival of the ultra-wideband signals. 
     
     
       3. The electronic device defined in  claim 2  wherein the display is configured to:
 display the first option closer to a center of the display when the electronic device is pointing closer to the first external electronic device; and 
 display the second option closer to the center of the display when the electronic device is pointing closer to the second external electronic device. 
 
     
     
       4. The electronic device defined in  claim 2  wherein the first option is larger on the display than the second option when the electronic device is pointing closer to the first external electronic device and wherein the second option is larger on the display than the first option when the electronic device is pointing closer to the second external electronic device. 
     
     
       5. The electronic device defined in  claim 2  further comprising a motion sensor, wherein the control circuitry is configured to determine whether the electronic device is pointing closer to the first or second external electronic device based at least partly on motion sensor data from the motion sensor. 
     
     
       6. The electronic device defined in  claim 1  further comprising a touch sensor, wherein the control circuitry is configured to share with the first external electronic device when the touch sensor receives touch input on the first option and is configured to share with the second external electronic device when the touch sensor receives touch input on the second option. 
     
     
       7. The electronic device defined in  claim 1  wherein the control circuitry is configured to move the first and second options on the display in response to a change in the angle of arrival of the signals. 
     
     
       8. The electronic device defined in  claim 1  wherein the control circuitry is configured to determine distances to the first and second external electronic devices based on the signals. 
     
     
       9. The electronic device defined in  claim 8  wherein the first and second locations are based at least partly on the distances to the first and second external electronic devices. 
     
     
       10. The electronic device defined in  claim 1  wherein the electronic device has a longitudinal axis and wherein the control circuitry is configured to determine an angle between the longitudinal axis and the first and second external electronic devices based on the signals. 
     
     
       11. An electronic device, comprising:
 ultra-wideband transceiver circuitry configured to receive signals from an external electronic device; 
 control circuitry configured to determine an angle between the electronic device and the external electronic device based on the signals and to compare the angle with a threshold angle, wherein the control circuitry is configured to determine whether the electronic device is pointing toward the external electronic device based on the comparison and wherein the threshold angle is based on a number of external electronic devices in a vicinity of the electronic device; and 
 a display configured to automatically display an option to receive data from the external electronic device in response to determining that the electronic device is pointing toward the external electronic device. 
 
     
     
       12. The electronic device defined in  claim 11  further comprising a touch sensor, wherein the control circuitry is configured to retrieve the data from the external electronic device when the touch sensor receives touch input on the option. 
     
     
       13. The electronic device defined in  claim 11  further comprising a motion sensor, wherein the control circuitry is configured to determine whether the electronic device is pointing toward the external electronic device based at least partly on motion sensor data from the motion sensor. 
     
     
       14. The electronic device defined in  claim 11  wherein the signals comprise ultra-wideband signals and wherein the control circuitry is configured to determine an angle of arrival of the ultra-wideband signals. 
     
     
       15. The electronic device defined in  claim 11  wherein the electronic device has a longitudinal axis and wherein the control circuitry is configured to determine an angle between the longitudinal axis and the external electronic device. 
     
     
       16. An electronic device, comprising:
 ultra-wideband transceiver circuitry configured to receive signals from an external electronic device; and 
 control circuitry configured to:
 determine whether the electronic device is pointing toward the external electronic device and whether the electronic device is within a threshold distance of the external electronic device based on the signals, wherein the threshold distance is based on a number of external electronic devices in a vicinity of the electronic device; and 
 send control signals to the external electronic device to play a song in response to determining that the electronic device is pointing toward the external electronic device and that the electronic device is within the threshold distance of the external electronic device. 
 
 
     
     
       17. The electronic device defined in  claim 16  wherein the signals comprise ultra-wideband signals and wherein the control circuitry is configured to determine an angle of arrival of the ultra-wideband signals. 
     
     
       18. The electronic device defined in  claim 16  wherein the control circuitry is configured to send additional control signals to the external electronic device to pause the song. 
     
     
       19. The electronic device defined in  claim 16  wherein the electronic device has a longitudinal axis and wherein the control circuitry is configured to determine an angle between the longitudinal axis and the external electronic device. 
     
     
       20. The electronic device defined in  claim 16  further comprising a motion sensor, wherein the control circuitry is configured to determine whether the electronic device is pointing toward the external electronic device based at least partly on motion sensor data from the motion sensor.

Description:
This application is a continuation of patent application Ser. No. 15/705,143, filed Sep. 14, 2017, which claims the benefit of provisional patent application No. 62/531,509, filed Jul. 12, 2017, and provisional patent application No. 62/395,929, filed Sep. 16, 2016, all of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entireties. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     This relates generally to electronic devices and, more particularly, to wireless electronic devices that are used to communicate with other wireless electronic devices. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Electronic devices often include wireless communications circuitry. For example, cellular telephones, computers, and other devices often contain antennas and wireless transceivers for supporting wireless communications. 
     Wireless electronic devices often communicate with other nearby wireless electronic devices. For example, a user may wirelessly share files with another nearby user over a short-range communications link such as Bluetooth® or WiFi®. 
     Sharing information wirelessly with nearby electronic devices can be cumbersome for a user. The user may have to take several steps to share information with another device. The user may not know when the device of another user is sufficiently close to establish a short-range wireless communications link. There may be multiple devices within range, making it challenging to safely and easily establish a communications link with the desired device. For example, when a user is in a public environment with a large number of unfamiliar devices, the user may have difficulty finding and selecting the desired device with which he or she desires to communicate wirelessly. 
     SUMMARY 
     An electronic device may be provided with wireless circuitry. The wireless circuitry may include one or more antennas. The antennas may include millimeter wave antenna arrays formed from arrays of millimeter wave antennas on millimeter wave antenna array substrates. The antennas may also include wireless local area network antennas, satellite navigation system antennas, cellular telephone antennas, and other antennas. 
     The electronic device may be provided with control circuitry and a display. The control circuitry may determine where nearby electronic devices are located relative to the electronic device. When a wireless communications link is established with a nearby device, the control circuitry may use the display to inform a user of the status of the wireless communications link and the location of the nearby device. The display may produce images that indicate where the nearby device is located such as a line extending in the direction of the nearby device. The line may move on the display in response to movement of the nearby device. 
     In an environment with multiple nearby devices that are in range for wireless communications, the display of an electronic device may show a notification for each nearby device. The location and size of each notification on the display may be based on the relative location and proximity of the associated nearby device. For example, larger notifications on the display may indicate a closer device, and a notification on the right hand side of the display may indicate the nearby device is on the right hand side of the electronic device. 
     The control circuitry may determine when the electronic device is oriented in a particular way relative to a nearby device. In response to determining that the electronic device is arranged end-to-end or side-to-side with another device, for example, the control circuitry may use wireless transceiver circuitry to automatically exchange information with the electronic device or may automatically prompt the user to indicate whether the user would like to exchange information with the electronic device. 
     An electronic device may use information about the location of nearby devices to make sharing with those devices more intuitive for a user. When two devices are pointed towards one another and/or when two devices are within an appropriate range of one another, each device may automatically present the option to share information with the other device. When a user wishes to share information with one or more devices in a group of users, an array of icons representing the nearby users may be positioned on the display according to the locations of the nearby users so that the sharing user can easily select which user he or she wishes to share with. A sharing user may broadcast a signal and nearby users may elect to receive the signal by pointing their devices towards the sharing user. A user of two devices may share information between the two devices and may use one device to manipulate the position and control of information on the other device. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is a perspective view of an illustrative electronic device with wireless communications circuitry and sensors in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  2    is a schematic diagram of an illustrative electronic device with wireless communications circuitry and sensors in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  3    is a diagram of an illustrative transceiver circuit and antenna in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  4    is a diagram of an illustrative dipole antenna in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  5    is a perspective view of an illustrative patch antenna that may be used in an electronic device in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  6    is a perspective view of an illustrative array of millimeter wave antennas on a millimeter wave antenna array substrate in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  7    is a diagram of an illustrative network having nodes in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  8    is a diagram illustrating how a distance between an illustrative electronic device and a node in a network may be determined in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  9    is a diagram showing how a location and orientation of an illustrative electronic device relative to nodes in a network may be determined in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  10    is a perspective view of an illustrative scene in which the location and orientation of a node relative to other nodes in a network may be determined in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  11    is a perspective view of an illustrative scene in which the absolute location and orientation of a node may be determined using anchored nodes in a network in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  12    is a top view of illustrative electronic devices showing how each user may be informed of an established wireless communications link in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  13    is a top view of illustrative electronic devices showing how each user may be informed of the location and orientation of the other user&#39;s electronic device when a wireless communications link is established in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  14    is a top view of illustrative electronic devices showing how each user may be informed of a broken wireless communications link in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  15    is a top view of illustrative electronic devices showing how a user may be informed of the position of nearby electronic devices in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  16    is a top view of illustrative electronic devices showing how information may be exchanged when the electronic devices are placed next to one another in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIGS.  17  and  18    are top views of illustrative electronic devices showing how display elements may be modified based on the position of a nearby electronic device in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  19    is a diagram illustrating how information may be shared between two devices when the two devices are intentionally pointed towards one another in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  20    is a top view of an illustrative image that may be displayed as two devices are pointed towards one another in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  21    is a top view of an illustrative image that may be displayed to present a user with an option to share information with another user in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  22    is a top view of an illustrative image that may be displayed upon receiving information from another user in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  23    is a top view of illustrative electronic devices that may establish new connections with unrecognized devices and maintain connections with recognized electronic devices in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  24    is a top view of illustrative electronic devices displaying images of mutual calendar openings based on information that is shared between the two electronic devices in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  25    is a diagram illustrating how a user may share information with one or more devices in a group in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  26    is a top view of illustrative electronic device in which a sharing device displays icons according to the location of nearby devices to assist a user in selecting which device the user wishes to share information with in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  27    is a diagram illustrating how a user may broadcast a signal from his or her electronic device and other users may receive the signal by pointing their devices at the broadcasting device in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  28    is a perspective view illustrating how a user may share information between two or more of the user&#39;s devices in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  29    is a perspective view illustrating how the location of shared information on a display of the receiving device may be based on the location of the sending device relative to the receiving device in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG.  30    is a flow chart of illustrative steps involved in operating an electronic device with intuitive sharing capabilities of the type described in connection with  FIGS.  1 - 29    in accordance with an embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In some wireless systems, the services that are provided may depend on the position of one wireless communications device relative to another wireless communications device. For example, consider a scenario in which a user of a first wireless device wishes to share information with a user of a second wireless device. When the two devices are within an appropriate range of one another, a short-range communications link may be established and information may be exchanged over the communications link. 
     In this type of scenario, it may be desirable for a user to not only know when a wireless communications link has been established, but also to easily control which device he or she exchanges information with. For example, in a crowded room where multiple wireless communications devices are close enough to establish a communications link, it may be desirable for the user to be better informed of which devices are near the user, where the devices are located relative to the user, and whether and with whom a communications link has been established. It may also be desirable for the user to have better and more intuitive control over which device the user shares information with, what information is shared, and when the information is communicated between the two devices. 
     An electronic device such as electronic device  10  of  FIG.  1    may have control circuitry that determines where other objects or devices (sometimes referred to as nodes) are located relative to electronic device  10 . The control circuitry in device  10  may synthesize information from cameras, motion sensors, wireless circuitry such as antennas, and other input-output circuitry to determine how far a node is relative to device  10  and/or to determine the orientation of device  10  relative to that node. The control circuitry may use output components in device  10  to provide output (e.g., display output, audio output, haptic output, or other suitable output) to a user of device  10  based on the position of the node. 
     Antennas in device  10  may include cellular telephone antennas, wireless local area network antennas (e.g., WiFi® antennas at 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz and other suitable wireless local area network antennas), satellite navigation system signals, and near-field communications antennas. The antennas may also include antennas for handling millimeter wave communications. For example, the antennas may include millimeter wave phased antenna arrays. Millimeter wave communications, which are sometimes referred to as extremely high frequency (EHF) communications, involve signals at 60 GHz or other frequencies between about 10 GHz and 400 GHz. 
     Wireless circuitry in device  10  may support communications using the IEEE 802.15.4 ultra-wideband protocol. In an IEEE 802.15.4 system, a pair of devices may exchange wireless time stamped messages. Time stamps in the messages may be analyzed to determine the time of flight of the messages and thereby determine the distance (range) between the devices. 
     Electronic device  10  may be a computing device such as a laptop computer, a computer monitor containing an embedded computer, a tablet computer, a cellular telephone, a media player, or other handheld or portable electronic device, a smaller device such as a wristwatch device, a pendant device, a headphone or earpiece device, a device embedded in eyeglasses or other equipment worn on a user&#39;s head, or other wearable or miniature device, a television, a computer display that does not contain an embedded computer, a gaming device, a navigation device, an embedded system such as a system in which electronic equipment with a display is mounted in a kiosk or automobile, equipment that implements the functionality of two or more of these devices, or other electronic equipment. In the illustrative configuration of  FIG.  1   , device  10  is a portable device such as a cellular telephone, media player, tablet computer, or other portable computing device. Other configurations may be used for device  10  if desired. The example of  FIG.  1    is merely illustrative. 
     As shown in  FIG.  1   , device  10  may include a display such as display  14 . Display  14  may be mounted in a housing such as housing  12 . For example, device  10  may have opposing front and rear faces and display  14  may be mounted in housing  12  so that display  14  covers the front face of device  10  as shown in  FIG.  1   . Housing  12 , which may sometimes be referred to as an enclosure or case, may be formed of plastic, glass, ceramics, fiber composites, metal (e.g., stainless steel, aluminum, etc.), other suitable materials, or a combination of any two or more of these materials. Housing  12  may be formed using a unibody configuration in which some or all of housing  12  is machined or molded as a single structure or may be formed using multiple structures (e.g., an internal frame structure, one or more structures that form exterior housing surfaces, etc.). If desired, different portions of housing  12  may be formed from different materials. For example, housing sidewalls may be formed from metal and some or all of the rear wall of housing  12  may be formed from a dielectric such as plastic, glass, ceramic, sapphire, etc. Dielectric rear housing wall materials such as these may, if desired, by laminated with metal plates and/or other metal structures to enhance the strength of the rear housing wall (as an example). 
     Display  14  may be a touch screen display that incorporates a layer of conductive capacitive touch sensor electrodes or other touch sensor components (e.g., resistive touch sensor components, acoustic touch sensor components, force-based touch sensor components, light-based touch sensor components, etc.) or may be a display that is not touch-sensitive. Capacitive touch screen electrodes may be formed from an array of indium tin oxide pads or other transparent conductive structures. 
     Display  14  may include an array of pixels formed from liquid crystal display (LCD) components, an array of electrophoretic pixels, an array of plasma pixels, an array of organic light-emitting diode pixels, an array of electrowetting pixels, or pixels based on other display technologies. 
     Display  14  may be protected using a display cover layer such as a layer of transparent glass, clear plastic, sapphire, or other transparent dielectric. Openings may be formed in the display cover layer. For example, an opening may be formed in the display cover layer to accommodate a button such as button  16 . Buttons such as button  16  may also be formed from capacitive touch sensors, light-based touch sensors, or other structures that can operate through the display cover layer without forming an opening. 
     If desired, an opening may be formed in the display cover layer to accommodate a port such as speaker port  18 . Openings may be formed in housing  12  to form communications ports (e.g., an audio jack port, a digital data port, etc.). Openings in housing  12  may also be formed for audio components such as a speaker and/or a microphone. Dielectric-filled openings  20  such as plastic-filled openings may be formed in metal portions of housing  12  such as in metal sidewall structures (e.g., to serve as antenna windows and/or to serve as gaps that separate portions of antennas from each other). 
     Antennas may be mounted in housing  12 . If desired, some of the antennas (e.g., antenna arrays that may implement beam steering, etc.) may be mounted under dielectric portions of device  10  (e.g., portions of the display cover layer, portions of a plastic antenna window in a metal housing sidewall portion of housing  12 , etc.). With one illustrative configuration, some or all of rear face of device  12  may be formed from a dielectric. For example, the rear wall of housing  12  may be formed from glass plastic, ceramic, other dielectric. In this type of arrangement, antennas may be mounted within the interior of device  10  in a location that allows the antennas to transmit and receive antenna signals through the rear wall of device  10  (and, if desired, through optional dielectric sidewall portions in housing  12 ). Antennas may also be formed from metal sidewall structures in housing  12  and may be located in peripheral portions of device  10 . 
     To avoid disrupting communications when an external object such as a human hand or other body part of a user blocks one or more antennas, antennas may be mounted at multiple locations in housing  12 . Sensor data such as proximity sensor data, real-time antenna impedance measurements, signal quality measurements such as received signal strength information, and other data may be used in determining when one or more antennas is being adversely affected due to the orientation of housing  12 , blockage by a user&#39;s hand or other external object, or other environmental factors. Device  10  can then switch one or more replacement antennas into use in place of the antennas that are being adversely affected. 
     Antennas may be mounted at the corners of housing, along the peripheral edges of housing  12 , on the rear of housing  12 , under the display cover layer that is used in covering and protecting display  14  on the front of device  10  (e.g., a glass cover layer, a sapphire cover layer, a plastic cover layer, other dielectric cover layer structures, etc.), under a dielectric window on a rear face of housing  12  or the edge of housing  12 , under a dielectric rear wall of housing  12 , or elsewhere in device  10 . As an example, antennas may be mounted at one or both ends  50  of device  10  (e.g., along the upper and lower edges of housing  12 , at the corners of housing  12 , etc.). 
     A schematic diagram of illustrative components that may be used in device  10  is shown in  FIG.  2   . As shown in  FIG.  2   , device  10  may include storage and processing circuitry such as control circuitry  22 . Control circuitry  22  may include storage such as hard disk drive storage, nonvolatile memory (e.g., flash memory or other electrically-programmable-read-only memory configured to form a solid state drive), volatile memory (e.g., static or dynamic random-access-memory), etc. Processing circuitry in control circuitry  22  may be used to control the operation of device  10 . This processing circuitry may be based on one or more microprocessors, microcontrollers, digital signal processors, baseband processor integrated circuits, application specific integrated circuits, etc. 
     Control circuitry  22  may be used to run software on device  10 , such as internet browsing applications, voice-over-internet-protocol (VOIP) telephone call applications, email applications, media playback applications, operating system functions, etc. To support interactions with external equipment, control circuitry  22  may be used in implementing communications protocols. Communications protocols that may be implemented using control circuitry  22  include internet protocols, wireless local area network protocols (e.g., IEEE 802.11 protocols—sometimes referred to as WiFi®), protocols for other short-range wireless communications links such as the Bluetooth® protocol, cellular telephone protocols, MIMO protocols, antenna diversity protocols, satellite navigation system protocols, millimeter wave communications protocols, IEEE 802.15.4 ultra-wideband communications protocols, etc. 
     Device  10  may include input-output circuitry  24 . Input-output circuitry  24  may include input-output devices  26 . Input-output devices  26  may be used to allow data to be supplied to device  10  and to allow data to be provided from device  10  to external devices. Input-output devices  26  may include user interface devices, data port devices, and other input-output components. For example, input-output devices  26  may include one or more displays  14  (e.g., touch screens or displays without touch sensor capabilities), one or more image sensors  30  (e.g., digital image sensors), motion sensors  32 , and speakers  34 . Input-output devices  26  may also include buttons, joysticks, scrolling wheels, touch pads, key pads, keyboards, microphones, haptic elements such as vibrators and actuators, status indicators, light sources, audio jacks and other audio port components, digital data port devices, light sensors, capacitance sensors, proximity sensors (e.g., a capacitive proximity sensor and/or an infrared proximity sensor), magnetic sensors, and other sensors and input-output components. 
     Image sensors  30  may include one or more visible digital image sensors (visible-light cameras) and/or one or more infrared digital image sensors (infrared-light cameras). Image sensors  30  may, if desired, be used to measure distances. For example, an infrared time-of-flight image sensor may be used to measure the time that it takes for an infrared light pulse to reflect back from objects in the vicinity of device  10 , which may in turn be used to determine the distance to those objects. Visible imaging systems such as a front and/or rear facing camera in device  10  may also be used to determine the position of objects in the environment. For example, control circuitry  22  may use image sensors  30  to perform simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM). SLAM refers to the process of using images to determine the position of objections in the environment while also constructing a representation of the imaged environment. Visual SLAM techniques include detecting and tracking certain features in images such as edges, textures, room corners, window corners, door corners, faces, sidewalk edges, street edges, building edges, tree trunks, and other prominent features. Control circuitry  22  may rely entirely upon image sensors  30  to perform simultaneous localization and mapping, or control circuitry  22  may synthesize image data with range data from one or more distance sensors (e.g., light-based proximity sensors). If desired, control circuitry  22  may use display  14  to display a visual representation of the mapped environment. 
     Motion sensors  32  may include accelerometers, gyroscopes, magnetic sensors (e.g., compasses), and other sensor structures. Sensors  32  of  FIG.  2    may, for example, include one or more microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) sensors (e.g., accelerometers, gyroscopes, microphones, force sensors, pressure sensors, capacitive sensors, or any other suitable type of sensor formed using microelectromechanical systems technology). 
     Motion sensors  32  may include circuitry for detecting movement and orientation of device  10 . Motion sensors that may be used in sensors  32  include accelerometers (e.g., accelerometers that measure acceleration along one, two, or three axes), gyroscopes, compasses, pressure sensors, other suitable types of motion sensors, etc. Storage and processing circuitry  22  may be used to store and process motion sensor data. If desired, motion sensors, processing circuitry, and storage that form motion sensor circuitry may form part of a system-on-chip integrated circuit (as an example). 
     Other sensors that may be included in input-output devices  26  include ambient light sensors for gathering information on ambient light levels, proximity sensor components (e.g., light-based proximity sensors, capacitive proximity sensors, and/or proximity sensors based on other structures). 
     Input-output circuitry  24  may include wireless communications circuitry  36  for communicating wirelessly with external equipment. Wireless communications circuitry  36  may include radio-frequency (RF) transceiver circuitry formed from one or more integrated circuits, power amplifier circuitry, low-noise input amplifiers, passive RF components, one or more antennas  48 , transmission lines, and other circuitry for handling RF wireless signals. Wireless signals can also be sent using light (e.g., using infrared communications). 
     Wireless communications circuitry  36  may include radio-frequency transceiver circuitry for handling various radio-frequency communications bands. For example, circuitry  36  may include transceiver circuitry  40 ,  42 ,  44 , and  46 . 
     Transceiver circuitry  40  may be wireless local area network transceiver circuitry. Transceiver circuitry  40  may handle 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands for WiFi® (IEEE 802.11) communications and may handle the 2.4 GHz Bluetooth® communications band. 
     Circuitry  36  may use cellular telephone transceiver circuitry  42  for handling wireless communications in frequency ranges such as a communications band from 700 to 960 MHz, a band from 1710 to 2170 MHz, a band from 2300 to 2700 MHz, other bands between 700 and 2700 MHz, higher bands such as LTE bands  42  and  43  (3.4-3.6 GHz), or other cellular telephone communications bands. Circuitry  42  may handle voice data and non-voice data. 
     Millimeter wave transceiver circuitry  44  (sometimes referred to as extremely high frequency transceiver circuitry) may support communications at extremely high frequencies (e.g., millimeter wave frequencies such as extremely high frequencies of 10 GHz to 400 GHz or other millimeter wave frequencies). For example, circuitry  44  may support IEEE 802.11ad communications at 60 GHz. Circuitry  44  may be formed from one or more integrated circuits (e.g., multiple integrated circuits mounted on a common printed circuit in a system-in-package device, one or more integrated circuits mounted on different substrates, etc.). 
     Ultra-wideband transceiver circuitry  46  may support communications using the IEEE 802.15.4 protocol and/or other wireless communications protocols. Ultra-wideband wireless signals may be characterized by bandwidths greater than 500 MHz or bandwidths exceeding 20% of the center frequency of radiation. The presence of lower frequencies in the baseband may allow ultra-wideband signals to penetrate through objects such as walls. Transceiver circuitry  46  may operate in a 2.4 GHz frequency band and/or at other suitable frequencies. 
     Wireless communications circuitry  36  may include satellite navigation system circuitry such as Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver circuitry  38  for receiving GPS signals at 1575 MHz or for handling other satellite positioning data (e.g., GLONASS signals at 1609 MHz). Satellite navigation system signals for receiver  38  are received from a constellation of satellites orbiting the earth. 
     In satellite navigation system links, cellular telephone links, and other long-range links, wireless signals are typically used to convey data over thousands of feet or miles. In WiFi® and Bluetooth® links at 2.4 and 5 GHz and other short-range wireless links, wireless signals are typically used to convey data over tens or hundreds of feet. Extremely high frequency (EHF) wireless transceiver circuitry  44  may convey signals over these short distances that travel between transmitter and receiver over a line-of-sight path. To enhance signal reception for millimeter wave communications, phased antenna arrays and beam steering techniques may be used (e.g., schemes in which antenna signal phase and/or magnitude for each antenna in an array is adjusted to perform beam steering). Antenna diversity schemes may also be used to ensure that the antennas that have become blocked or that are otherwise degraded due to the operating environment of device  10  can be switched out of use and higher-performing antennas used in their place. 
     Wireless communications circuitry  36  can include circuitry for other short-range and long-range wireless links if desired. For example, wireless communications circuitry  36  may include circuitry for receiving television and radio signals, paging system transceivers, near field communications (NFC) circuitry, etc. 
     Antennas  48  in wireless communications circuitry  36  may be formed using any suitable antenna types. For example, antennas  48  may include antennas with resonating elements that are formed from loop antenna structures, patch antenna structures, inverted-F antenna structures, slot antenna structures, planar inverted-F antenna structures, monopoles, dipoles, helical antenna structures, Yagi (Yagi-Uda) antenna structures, hybrids of these designs, etc. If desired, one or more of antennas  48  may be cavity-backed antennas. Different types of antennas may be used for different bands and combinations of bands. For example, one type of antenna may be used in forming a local wireless link antenna and another type of antenna may be used in forming a remote wireless link antenna. Dedicated antennas may be used for receiving satellite navigation system signals or, if desired, antennas  48  can be configured to receive both satellite navigation system signals and signals for other communications bands (e.g., wireless local area network signals and/or cellular telephone signals). Antennas  48  can include phased antenna arrays for handling millimeter wave communications. 
     In configurations for device  10  in which housing  12  has portions formed from metal, openings may be formed in the metal portions to accommodate antennas  48 . For example, openings in a metal housing wall may be used in forming splits (gaps) between resonating element structures and ground structures in cellular telephone antennas. These openings may be filled with a dielectric such as plastic. As shown in  FIG.  1   , for example, a portion of plastic-filled opening  20  may run up one or more of the sidewalls of housing  12 . 
     A schematic diagram of a millimeter wave antenna or other antenna  48  coupled to transceiver circuitry  76  (e.g., wireless local area network transceiver circuitry  40 , cellular telephone transceiver circuitry  42 , millimeter wave transceiver circuitry  44 , ultra-wideband transceiver circuitry  46 , and/or other transceiver circuitry in wireless circuitry  36 ) is shown in  FIG.  3   . As shown in  FIG.  3   , radio-frequency transceiver circuitry  76  may be coupled to antenna feed  80  of antenna  48  using transmission line  70 . Antenna feed  80  may include a positive antenna feed terminal such as positive antenna feed terminal  68  and may have a ground antenna feed terminal such as ground antenna feed terminal  66 . Transmission line  70  may be formed from metal traces on a printed circuit or other conductive structures and may have a positive transmission line signal path such as path  74  that is coupled to terminal  68  and a ground transmission line signal path such as path  72  that is coupled to terminal  66 . Transmission line paths such as path  70  may be used to route antenna signals within device  10 . For example, transmission line paths may be used to couple antenna structures such as one or more antennas in an array of antennas to transceiver circuitry  76 . Transmission lines in device  10  may include coaxial cable paths, microstrip transmission lines, stripline transmission lines, edge-coupled microstrip transmission lines, edge-coupled stripline transmission lines, transmission lines formed from combinations of transmission lines of these types, etc. Filter circuitry, switching circuitry, impedance matching circuitry, and other circuitry may be interposed within transmission line  70  and/or circuits such as these may be incorporated into antenna  48  (e.g., to support antenna tuning, to support operation in desired frequency bands, etc.). 
     If desired, signals for millimeter wave antennas may be distributed within device  10  using intermediate frequencies (e.g., frequencies of about 5-15 GHz rather than 60 Hz). The intermediate frequency signals may, for example, be distributed from a baseband processor or other wireless communications circuit located near the middle of device  10  to one or more arrays of millimeter wave antennas at the corners of device  10 . At each corner, upconverter and downconverter circuitry may be coupled to the intermediate frequency path. The upconverter circuitry may convert received intermediate frequency signals from the baseband processor to millimeter wave signals (e.g., signals at 60 GHz) for transmission by a millimeter wave antenna array. The downconverter circuitry may downconvert millimeter wave antenna signals from the millimeter wave antenna array to intermediate frequency signals that are then conveyed to the baseband processor over the intermediate frequency path. 
     Device  10  may contain multiple antennas  48 . The antennas may be used together or one of the antennas may be switched into use while other antenna(s) are switched out of use. If desired, control circuitry  22  may be used to select an optimum antenna to use in device  10  in real time and/or to select an optimum setting for adjustable wireless circuitry associated with one or more of antennas  48 . Antenna adjustments may be made to tune antennas to perform in desired frequency ranges, to perform beam steering with a phased antenna array, and to otherwise optimize antenna performance. Sensors may be incorporated into antennas  48  to gather sensor data in real time that is used in adjusting antennas  48 . 
     In some configurations, antennas  48  may include antenna arrays (e.g., phased antenna arrays to implement beam steering functions). For example, the antennas that are used in handling millimeter wave signals for extremely high frequency wireless transceiver circuits  44  may be implemented as phased antenna arrays. The radiating elements in a phased antenna array for supporting millimeter wave communications may be patch antennas, dipole antennas, dipole antennas with directors and reflectors in addition to dipole antenna resonating elements (sometimes referred to as Yagi antennas or beam antennas), or other suitable antenna elements. Transceiver circuitry can be integrated with the phased antenna arrays to form integrated phased antenna array and transceiver circuit modules. 
     An illustrative dipole antenna is shown in  FIG.  4   . As shown in  FIG.  4   , dipole antenna  48  may have first and second arms such as arms  48 - 1  and  48 - 2  and may be fed at antenna feed  80 . If desired, a dipole antenna such as dipole antenna  48  of  FIG.  4    may be incorporated into a Yagi antenna (e.g., by incorporating a reflector and directors into dipole antenna  48  of  FIG.  4   ). 
     An illustrative patch antenna is shown in  FIG.  5   . As shown in  FIG.  5   , patch antenna  48  may have a patch antenna resonating element  48 P that is separated from and parallel to a ground plane such as antenna ground plane  48 G. Arm  48 A may be coupled between patch antenna resonating element  48 P and positive antenna feed terminal  68  of antenna feed  80 . Ground antenna feed terminal  66  of feed  80  may be coupled to ground plane  48 G. 
     Antennas of the types shown in  FIGS.  4  and  5    and/or other antennas  48  may be used in forming millimeter wave antennas. The examples of  FIGS.  4  and  5    are merely illustrative. 
       FIG.  6    is a perspective view of an illustrative millimeter wave antenna array  48 R formed from antenna resonating elements on millimeter wave antenna array substrate  134 . Array  48 R may include an array of millimeter wave antennas such as patch antennas  48  formed from patch antenna resonating elements  48 P and dipole antennas  48  formed from arms  48 - 1  and  48 - 2 . With one illustrative configuration, dipole antennas  48  may be formed around the periphery of substrate  134  and patch antennas  48  may form an array on the central surface of substrate  134 . There may be any suitable number of millimeter wave antennas  48  in array  48 R. For example, there may be 10-40, 32, more than 5, more than 10, more than 20, more than 30, fewer than 50, or other suitable number of millimeter wave antennas (patch antennas and/or dipole antennas, etc.). Substrate  134  may be formed from one or more layers of dielectric (polymer, ceramic, etc.) and may include patterned metal traces for forming millimeter wave antennas and signal paths. The signals paths may couple the millimeter wave antennas to circuitry such as one or more electrical devices  136  mounted on substrate  134 . Device(s)  136  may include one or more integrated circuits, discrete components, upconverter circuitry, downconverter circuitry, (e.g., upconverter and downconverter circuitry that forms part of a transceiver), circuitry for adjusting signal amplitude and/or phase to perform beam steering, and/or other circuitry for operating antenna array  48 R. 
       FIG.  7    is a diagram of an illustrative network of objects that electronic device  10  may recognize and/or communicate wirelessly with. Network  100  may include nodes  78 . Nodes  78  may be passive or active. Active nodes in network  100  may include devices that are capable of receiving and/or transmitting wireless signals such as signals  58 . Active nodes in network  100  may include tagged devices such as tagged item  54 , electronic equipment such as electronic equipment  52 , and other electronic devices such as electronic devices  10 ′ (e.g., devices of the type described in connection with  FIG.  2   , including some or all of the same wireless communications capabilities as device  10 ). Tagged item  54  may be any suitable object that has been provided with a wireless receiver and/or a wireless transmitter. For example, tagged device  54  may be a key fob, a cellular telephone, a wallet, a laptop, a book, a pen, or other object that has been provided with a low-power transmitter (e.g., an RFID transmitter or other transmitter). Device  10  may have a corresponding receiver that detects the transmitted signals  58  from device  54  and determines the location of device  54  based on the received signals. Tagged device  54  may be passive (e.g., may not include an internal power source and may instead be powered by electromagnetic energy from device  10  or other device) or may be active (e.g., may include an internal power source). 
     Electronic equipment  52  may be an infrastructure-related device such as a thermostat, a smoke detector, a Bluetooth® Low Energy (Bluetooth LE) beacon, a WiFi® wireless access point, a server, a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system (sometimes referred to as a temperature-control system), a light source such as a light-emitting diode (LED) bulb, a light switch, a power outlet, an occupancy detector (e.g., an active or passive infrared light detector, a microwave detector, etc.), a door sensor, a moisture sensor, an electronic door lock, a security camera, or other device. 
     Device  10  may communicate with nodes  54 ,  52 , and  10 ′ using communications signals  58 . Communications signals  58  may include Bluetooth® signals, near-field communications signals, wireless local area signals such as IEEE 802.11 signals, millimeter wave communication signals such as signals at 60 GHz, ultra-wideband radio frequency signals, other radio-frequency wireless signals, infrared signals, etc. Wireless signals  58  may be used to convey information such as location and orientation information. For example, control circuitry  22  in device  10  may determine the location of active nodes  54 ,  52 , and  10 ′ relative to device  10  using wireless signals  58 . Control circuitry  22  may also use image data from image sensors  30 , motion sensor data from motion sensors  32 , and other sensor data (e.g., proximity data from a proximity sensor, etc.) to determine the location of active nodes  54 ,  52 , and  10 ′. 
     Passive nodes in network  100  such as passive object  56  may include objects that do not emit or receive radio-frequency signals such as furniture, buildings, doors, windows, walls, people, pets, and other items. Item  56  may be a tagged item that device  10  recognizes through feature tracking (e.g., using image sensor  30 ) or item  56  may be a virtually marked space that device  10  has assigned a set of coordinates to. For example, control circuitry  22  may construct a virtual three-dimensional space and may assign objects in the vicinity of device  10  coordinates in the virtual three-dimensional space based on their locations relative to device  10 . In some arrangements, the virtual three-dimensional space may be anchored by one or more items with a known location (e.g., may be anchored by one or more tagged items  54  having a known location, electronic equipment  52  having a known location, or other items with a known location). Device  10  may then “tag” passive items such as item  56  by recording where passive item  56  is located relative to the anchored items in network  100 . Device  10  may remember the virtual coordinates of passive item  56  and may take certain actions when device  10  is in a certain location or orientation relative to item  56 . For example, if a user points device  10  in direction  62 , control circuitry  10  may recognize that device  10  is being pointed at item  56  and may take certain actions (e.g., may display information associated with item  56  on display  14 , may provide audio output via speakers  34 , may provide haptic output via a vibrator or haptic actuator in device  10 , and/or may take other suitable action). Because passive item  56  does not send or receive communication signals, circuitry  22  may use image data from image sensors  30 , motion sensor data from motion sensors  32 , and other sensor data (e.g., proximity data from a proximity sensor, etc.) to determine the location of passive item  56  and/or to determine the orientation of device  10  relative to item  56  (e.g., to determine when device  10  is being pointed at item  56 ). 
       FIG.  8    shows how device  10  may determine a distance D between device  10  and node  78 . In arrangements where node  78  is capable of sending or receiving communications signals (e.g., tagged item  54 , electronic equipment  52 , or other electronic devices  10 ′ of  FIG.  7   ), control circuitry  22  may determine distance D using communication signals (e.g., signals  58  of  FIG.  7   ). Control circuitry  22  may determine distance D using signal strength measurement schemes (e.g., measuring the signal strength of radio signals from node  78 ) or using time based measurement schemes such as time of flight measurement techniques, time difference of arrival measurement techniques, angle of arrival measurement techniques, triangulation methods, time-of-flight methods, using a crowdsourced location database, and other suitable measurement techniques. This is merely illustrative, however. If desired, control circuitry  22  may determine distance D using Global Positioning System receiver circuitry  38 , using proximity sensors (e.g., infrared proximity sensors or other proximity sensors), using image data from camera  30 , motion sensor data from motion sensors  32 , and/or using other circuitry in device  10 . 
     In arrangements where node  78  is a passive object that does not send or receive wireless communications signals, control circuitry  22  may determine distance D using proximity sensors (e.g., infrared proximity sensors or other proximity sensors), using image data from camera  30 , and/or using other circuitry in device  10 . In some arrangements, device  10  may “tag” passive items by recording where passive item  56  is located relative to other items in network  100 . By knowing the location of item  56  relative to anchored nodes in network  100  and knowing the location of the anchored nodes relative to device  10 , device  10  can determine the distance D between device  10  and node  78 . 
     In addition to determining the distance between device  10  and nodes  78  in network  100 , control circuitry  22  may be configured to determine the orientation of device  10  relative to nodes  78 .  FIG.  9    illustrates how the position and orientation of device  10  relative to nearby nodes such as first node  78 - 1  and second node  78 - 2  may be determined. If desired, control circuitry  22  may use a horizontal coordinate system to determine the location and orientation of device  10  relative to nodes  78 - 1  and  78 - 2 . In this type of coordinate system, control circuitry  22  may determine an azimuth angle θ and elevation angle q to describe the position of nearby nodes  78  relative to device  10 . Control circuitry  22  may define a reference plane such as local horizon  162  and a reference vector such as reference vector  164 . Local horizon  162  may be a plane that intersects device  10  and that is defined relative to a surface of device  10 . For example, local horizon  162  may be a plane that is parallel to or coplanar with display  14  of device  10 . Reference vector  164  (sometimes referred to as the “north” direction) may be a vector in local horizon  162 . If desired, reference vector  164  may be aligned with longitudinal axis  102  of device  10  (e.g., an axis running lengthwise down the center of device  10 ). When reference vector  164  is aligned with longitudinal axis  102  of device  10 , reference vector  164  may correspond to the direction in which device  10  is being pointed. 
     Azimuth angle θ and elevation angle ϕ may be measured relative to local horizon  162  and reference vector  164 . As shown in  FIG.  9   , the elevation angle ϕ (sometimes referred to as altitude) of node  78 - 2  is the angle between node  78 - 2  and device  10 &#39;s local horizon  162  (e.g., the angle between vector  166  extending between device  10  and node  78 - 2  and a coplanar vector  168  extending between device  10  and horizon  162 ). The azimuth angle θ of node  78 - 2  is the angle of node  78 - 2  around local horizon  162  (e.g., the angle between reference vector  164  and vector  168 ). 
     In the example of  FIG.  9   , the azimuth angle and elevation angle of node  78 - 1  are both 0° because node  78 - 1  is located in the line of sight of device  10  (e.g., node  78 - 1  intersects with reference vector  164  and horizontal plane  162 ). The azimuth angle θ and elevation angle ϕ of node  78 - 2 , on the other hand, is greater than 0°. Control circuitry  22  may use a threshold azimuth angle and/or a threshold elevation angle to determine whether a nearby node is sufficiently close to the line of sight of device  10  to trigger appropriate action. 
     Control circuitry  22  may also determine the proximity of nearby nodes  78  relative to device  10 . As shown in  FIG.  9   , for example, control circuitry  22  may determine that node  78 - 1  is a distance D 1  from device  10  and that node  78 - 2  is a distance D 2  from device  10 . Control circuitry  22  may determine this type of orientation information using wireless communications signals (e.g., signals  58  of  FIG.  7   ), using proximity sensors (e.g., infrared proximity sensors or other proximity sensors), motion sensor data from motion sensors  32  (e.g., data from an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a compass, or other suitable motion sensor), using image data from camera  30 , and/or using other circuitry in device  10 . Control circuitry  22  may use a threshold distance to determine whether a nearby node is sufficiently close to device  10  to trigger appropriate action. 
     If desired, other axes besides longitudinal axis  102  may be used as reference vector  164 . For example, control circuitry  22  may use a horizontal axis that is perpendicular to longitudinal axis  102  as reference vector  164 . This may be useful in determining when nodes  78  are located next to a side portion of device  10  (e.g., when device  10  is oriented side-to-side with one of nodes  78 ). 
     After determining the orientation of device  10  relative to nodes  78 - 1  and  78 - 2 , control circuitry  22  may take suitable action. For example, in response to determining that node  78 - 1  is in the line of sight of device  10  and/or within a given range of device  10 , control circuitry  22  may send information to node  78 - 1 , may request and/or receive information from  78 - 1 , may use display  14  to display a visual indication of wireless pairing with node  78 - 1 , may use speakers  34  to generate an audio indication of wireless pairing with node  78 - 1 , may use a vibrator, a haptic actuator, or other mechanical element to generate haptic output indicating wireless pairing with node  78 - 1 , and/or may take other suitable action. 
     In response to determining that node  78 - 2  is located at azimuth angle θ, elevation angle  9 , and distance D 2 , relative to device  10 , control circuitry  22  may use display  14  to display a visual indication of the location of node  78 - 2  relative to device  10 , may use speakers  34  to generate an audio indication of the location of node  78 - 2 , may use a vibrator, a haptic actuator, or other mechanical element to generate haptic output indicating the location of node  78 - 2 , and/or may take other suitable action. 
       FIG.  10    illustrates a scenario in which the locations of nodes  78  are determined relative to other nodes  78  in network  100 . In this type of scenario, device  10  does not know the absolute location of nodes  78  in network  100 . However, control circuitry  22  may determine the relative location of nodes  78  using signal strength measurement schemes (e.g., measuring the signal strength of radio signals from nodes  78 ) or using time based measurement schemes such as time of flight measurement techniques, time difference of arrival measurement techniques, angle of techniques, triangulation methods, time-of-flight methods, using a crowdsourced location database, and other suitable measurement techniques. For example, device  10  on second floor  104 - 2  of building  104  may determine that one node  78  is directly below it on first floor  104 - 1  of building  104  and that another node  78  is located on the same floor as device  10  at a certain distance away. 
       FIG.  11    illustrates a scenario in which the absolute locations of nodes  78  are determined using anchored nodes  78 ′ in network  100 . In this type of arrangement, device  10  knows the locations (e.g., geographic coordinates) of anchored nodes  78 ′ (e.g., a wireless access point, a beacon, or other electronic equipment  52 , a tagged item  54  with a known location, etc.) and uses this information to determine the absolute location of nodes  78  (e.g., nodes with unknown locations). Thus, in addition to determining that one of nodes  78  is directly above device  10 , control circuitry  22  may determine the absolute location of nodes  78  (e.g., the geographic coordinates of nodes  78 ). 
     Control circuitry  22  may use one or more output devices in device  10  to provide information on nearby nodes  78  to a user of device  10 . The information may include, for example, how many nodes  78  are nearby, how close nodes  78  are to device  10 , where nodes  78  are located in relation to device  10 , whether or not a wireless communications link has been or can be established, the type of information that device  10  can send to or receive from nodes  78 , and/or other suitable information. Control circuitry  22  may provide this type of information to a user with images on display  14 , audio from speakers  34 , haptic output from a vibrator, haptic actuator, or other haptic element, light from a light source such as a status indicator, and/or other output components in device  10 . 
     It may be desirable for a user to know when and with what device a wireless communications link has been established.  FIG.  12    illustrates an example in which control circuitry uses display  14  to produce a visual representation of a wireless communications link that has been established between device  10  and device  10 ′. In this example, display  14  displays a tether such as tether  106  that appears to physically link device  10 ′ to device  10 . Tether  106  may be an image of a line, rope, chain, cord, pattern (e.g., dots, lines, circles, etc.), or other display object that is aligned toward device  10 ′. Device  10 ′ may generate a similar image such as tether  106 ′. Tether  106  and  106 ′ may point toward one another to give the appearance of a physical string between device  10 ′ and device  10 . If desired, tether  106  and tether  106 ′ may extend to the edge of displays  14  and  14 ′, respectively, or tether  106  and  106 ′ may stop short of the edge of displays  14  and  14 ′. respectively. 
     Control circuitry  22  may produce tether  106  when device  10  comes within a certain distance of device  10 ′ and/or when device  10  is oriented at a given angle with respect to device  10 ′. Control circuitry  22  may, for example, determine the angle between longitudinal axis  102  of device  10  and longitudinal axis  102 ′ of device  10 ′. When control circuitry  22  detects that longitudinal axis  102  aligns with longitudinal axis  102  (e.g., when a user points the top end of device  10  at device  10 ′) and that device  10 ′ is within a given distance of device  10  (e.g., 10 feet, 20 feet, 30 feet, 50 feet, more than 50 feet, less than 50 feet, or other threshold distance), control circuitry  22  may display a visual indication of the wireless connection (e.g., a wireless communications link) that can be or has been established between device  10  and device  10 ′. 
     Device  10  need not directly point at device  10 ′ in order to establish a wireless communications link with device  10 ′.  FIG.  13    illustrates an example in which longitudinal axis  102  of device  10  and longitudinal axis  102 ′ of device  10 ′ are separated by angle θ. When angle θ angle is less than a predetermined threshold and distance D is less than a predetermined threshold, control circuitry  22  may display a visual indication of the wireless link that can be or has been established between devices  10  and  10 ′. 
     If desired, the visual indication such as tether  106  may change according to where and how devices  10  and  10 ′ are located and oriented relative to one another. As shown in  FIG.  13   , for example, the location of tether  106  and  106 ′ may change according to where devices  10  and  10 ′ are located relative to one another. Tether  106  may have an anchored portion such as anchored portion  106 A and a moveable portion such as portion  106 M. Moveable portion  106 M may rotate around anchored portion  106 A based on where device  10 ′ is located. Similarly, tether  106 ′ may have a moveable portion  106 M′ that rotates around an anchored portion  106 A′ based on where device  10  is located. This not only informs the user of when a wireless connection is established, but it also informs the user of where device  10 ′ is located relative to device  10 , which can help avoid unintended connections with other devices in the vicinity of device  10 . 
       FIG.  14    shows how control circuitry  22  may use display  14  to provide a visual indication of a broken or inactive communications link. When control circuitry  22  detects that the distance D between devices  10  and  10 ′ exceeds a predetermined threshold distance or that angle θ exceeds a predetermined threshold angle, control circuitry  22  may break the wireless communications link between devices  10  and  10 ′ (or this may occur automatically if the wireless connection is too weak). In the example of  FIG.  14   , display  14  shows a broken end such as broken end  108  on tether  106 . Likewise, display  14 ′ may show broken end  108 ′ on tether  106 ′. This helps inform the user of that the wireless communications link between device  10  and device  10 ′ is no longer established. The example of a broken or torn end of a tether is merely illustrative. In general, display  14  may generate any suitable visual indication to show the user that device  10  is no longer wirelessly paired with device  10 ′. 
       FIG.  15    illustrates an example in which device  10  is operating in an environment where multiple devices are within sufficient range to establish a wireless communications link. Display  14  may present images to show the user of device  10  which devices  10 ′ are nearby and where they are located relative to device  10 . This may be done purely with text on display  14  (e.g., device A is 5 feet away, device B is 6 feet away, and device C is 5 feet away) or may be achieved with visual aids on display  14  that help the user more quickly assess which devices are nearby and where they are located relative to device  10 . A user may then select which device it wants to exchange information with (e.g., send information to or receive information from) by selecting the appropriate notification  108 . In response to receiving user input indicating which device  10 ′ the user of device  10  wishes to exchange information with, control circuitry  22  may establish the wireless communications link with that device  10 ′ (e.g., using wireless transceiver circuitry) so that information can be exchanged over the wireless communications link. If desired, display  14  may display an image of the type shown in  FIG.  12    to inform the user that device  10  is wirelessly communicating with the selected device  10 ′. 
     As shown in  FIG.  15   , display  14  may generate a notification such as notification  108  for each device  10 ′ within a given distance of device  10 . The locations of notifications  108  on display  14  may correspond to where devices  10 ′ are respectively located relative to device  10  (e.g., where devices  10 ′ are located relative to longitudinal axis  102 ). For example, device A is closest to top right corner  110  of device  10  and notification  108  for device A may therefore be located on the top right corner of display  14 . Device B is closest to top left corner  114  of device  10  and notification  108  for device B may therefore be located on the top left corner of display  14 . Device C is closest to the lower left hand side  114  of device  10  and notification  108  for device C may therefore be located on the lower left hand side of display  14 . When one of devices  10 ′ moves relative to electronic device  10 , control circuitry  22  may change the location of notification  108  on display  14  accordingly. For example, if devices A and B were to switch places, notifications  108  for devices A and B may also switch locations on display  14 , if desired. 
     In addition to having locations on display  14  that clue the user in as to which side of device  10  other devices  10 ′ are located, notifications  108  may provide a visual indication of the proximity of devices  10 ′ to device  10 . For example, the color, size, shape, pattern, font, style, or other characteristic of notifications  108  may be adjusted according to distances D 1 , D 2 , and D 3  between device  10  and devices A, B, and C, respectively. If D 1  is smaller than D 2 , for example, notification  108  for device A may be larger than notification  108  for device B, indicating to the user of device  10  that device A is closer than device B. 
       FIG.  16    shows an example in which information such as information  116  is shared between two devices such as device  10  and device  10 ′. Similar to the example of  FIG.  12   , a wireless communications link may be established between device  10  and device  10 ′ when device  10 ′ is within a predetermined threshold distance of device  10 . In some scenarios, a user may only wish to share information  116  when device  10  is oriented in a particular way relative to device  10 ′. In other scenarios, it may be desirable to automatically share certain kinds of information  116  when device  10  is oriented in a particular way relative to another device  10 ′. 
     To address these scenarios, control circuitry  22  may take certain actions when device  10  and device  10 ′ are positioned and oriented in a particular way with respect to one another. In the example of  FIG.  16   , control circuitry  22  takes action with respect to information  116  when longitudinal axes  102  and  102 ′ align (e.g., when the top ends of devices  10  and  10 ′ face one another and the angle between the two axes is less than a predetermined threshold angle.). This is, however, merely illustrative. If desired, control circuitry  22  may take action with respect to information  116  when devices  10  and  10 ′ are arranged side-to-side (e.g., when longitudinal axis  102  and  102 ′ are parallel) or are arranged in any other suitable manner that is intended to trigger the exchange of information  116 . 
     If desired, other axes may be used to determine the orientation of device  10  relative to device  10 ′. For example, control circuitry  22  may determine where device  10 ′ is located relative to horizontal axis  128  that runs cross-wise through device  10  (e.g., a side-to-side axis that extends between left and right sides of device  10  and is perpendicular to longitudinal axis  102 ). When horizontal axis  128  is used as a reference, control circuitry  22  may determine the angle between horizontal axis  128  of device  10  and horizontal axis  128 ′ of device  10 . Control circuitry  22  may determine that device  10  and device  10 ′ are arranged side-to-side when their horizontal axes align and/or when the angle between the two axes is less than a predetermined threshold angle. 
     Upon determining that device  10  and device  10 ′ are oriented end-to-end, side-to-side, or other suitable trigger orientation, control circuitry  22  may take suitable action with respect to information  116 . This may include, for example, displaying information  116  on display  14  so that a user of device  10  can confirm that the user wishes to send information  116  to device  10 ′, or it may include automatically sending information  116  to device  10 ′. As an example, information  116  may include contact information. If the user of device  10  wishes to exchange contact information with the user of device  10 ′, the two users may place devices  10  and  10 ′ in the appropriate trigger location (e.g., end-to-end as shown in the example of  FIG.  16   , side-to-side, or other suitable arrangement). Upon detecting that device  10  and device  10 ′ are in the appropriate trigger location, control circuitry  22  may automatically send contact information  116  to device  10 ′ or may prompt the user to take action before sending contact information  116  to device  10 ′ (e.g., may prompt a user to provide touch input, audio input, motion/gesture input, or other suitable input to cause control circuitry  22  to send contact information  116  to device  10 ′). 
       FIGS.  17  and  18    illustrate how device  10  may provide other types of output for a user to inform the user where nearby devices are located relative to device  10 . Control circuitry  22  may, for example, adjust user interface elements on display  14  based on where other devices such as device  10 ′ are located relative to device  10 . This may include, for example, creating images with shadows on display  14  that clue the user of device  10  in as to where device  10 ′ is located. For example, as shown in  FIG.  17   , display  14  may have user interface elements  118 . Shadows  120  may be displayed on the lower left corner of elements  118  when device  10 ′ is to the right of device  10  (e.g., where device  10 ′ would be casting a shadow in direction  122 ). As shown in  FIG.  18   , shadows  120  may be displayed on the lower right corner of element  118  when device  10  is to the left of device  10  (e.g., where device  10 ′ would be casting a shadow in direction  124 ). 
     This is, however, merely illustrative. In general, any display change may be used to inform the user of device  10  as to the location of other devices  10 ′ in its vicinity. Display changes may include background changes, icon changes, or other suitable changes (e.g., changes in shape, shade, location, size, or other characteristic of elements on display  14 ). 
       FIG.  19    illustrates how device  10  may be configured to initiate a connection with nearby devices  10 ′ when it detects that that the two devices are positioned in a certain way relative to one another. The relative position that triggers a connection between the two devices may sometimes be referred to as a “mutual look.” A mutual look between two devices may occur when both devices are pointed at one another, when both devices are within a predetermined distance from one another, and/or when other suitable conditions are met indicating that user  126  wishes to connect his or her device  10  with device  10 ′ of another user  128  (and that user  128  wishes to connect his or her device  10 ′ with device  10  of user  126 ). A mutual look may generally be characterized by two devices pointing “intentionally” at one another (e.g., device  10  is being intentionally pointed towards device  10 ′, and device  10 ′ is being intentionally pointed towards device  10 ). 
     The conditions that must be met for control circuitry  22  to determine that a mutual look has occurred may sometimes be referred to as mutual look conditions. The mutual look conditions may be static (e.g., fixed) or may be dynamic and adjustable. Mutual look conditions may be adjusted based on the context in which device  10  is operating. For example, when there is a greater chance of unintentional proximity or pointing between devices (e.g., in a crowded room, an elevator, or other multiple-device scenario), control circuitry  22  may use a higher threshold to determine if a mutual look has occurred (e.g., a smaller distance and/or smaller angle between device  10  and device  10 ′ may be required to establish a mutual look). In a less crowded room, on the other hand, control circuitry  22  may relax the threshold so that greater distances and larger angles between the two devices may be sufficient to establish a mutual look. Control circuitry  22  may adjust the mutual look parameters and thresholds based on how many people or devices are in the room with device  10 , based on where device  10  is located (e.g., using a GPS receiver or other location detection circuitry), based on calendar information stored on device  10 , and/or based on other data that may be indicative of the ambient environment in which device  10  is operating. 
     Once control circuitry  22  in device  10  determines that a mutual look has occurred, control circuitry  22  may initiate a connection with device  10 ′. Initiating a connection may include automatically establishing a connection with device  10 ′ upon detecting a mutual look, or may include automatically notifying user  126  of device  10  of the opportunity to connect with device  10 ′. Once a connection has been established (either automatically in response to a mutual look or after user  126  has provided input), information  130  may be shared between device  10  and device  10 ′. Sharing information may include sending information  130  from device  10  to device  10 ′ and/or may include device  10  receiving information from device  10 ′. Information  130  may be contact information, social media content, one or more photos or videos, documents, page, calendar data, location information, music data (e.g., a recommended song, album, etc.), an application (e.g., an application that user  128  can download to device  10 ′), a web page, or any other suitable information. 
     In arrangements where the connection is established automatically, information may automatically be shared between device  10  and device  10 ′. The sharing may occur immediately upon detection of a mutual look, or the sharing may occur a predetermined period of time after the mutual look (e.g., absent any user input indicating that he or she does not wish to share or connect with device  10 ′). Information  130  may be information that the user has previously identified or selected for sharing with one or more devices  10 ′. 
     In arrangements where control circuitry  22  notifies a user of the opportunity to connect before automatically sharing information, control circuitry  22  may present output to user  126  upon detecting a mutual look (e.g., visual output on display  14 , audio output via one or more speakers, haptic output via one or more vibrators or actuators, and/or other suitable output). User  126  may then provide input to device  10 . If the user input indicates a desire to share, control circuitry  22  may establish a connection with device  10 ′, upon which information  130  may be exchanged with device  10 ′ (e.g., information may be sent from device  10  to device  10 ′ and/or from device  10 ′ to device  10  once a connection has been established). The user input may be touch input (e.g., the user may provide touch input by tapping the information to be shared, by swiping the information to be shared towards the other device  10 ′, or by providing other suitable types of touch input), gesture input (e.g., a shake or other movement of device  10 ′), audio input, or other suitable input. 
       FIGS.  20 ,  21 , and  22    show an illustrative sequence of screenshots that may be displayed on device  10  during and after a mutual look between device  10  of user  126  and device  10 ′ of user  128 , as described in connection with  FIG.  19   .  FIG.  20    shows that an initial notification  132  may be displayed to inform the user that another device  10 ′ is either in or approaching the mutual look position. Notification  132  may change (e.g., may become more prominent) as device  10 ′ comes closer or is pointed more directly at device  10 , or notification  132  may be static and may only appear when a mutual look has occurred. 
     Upon detecting a mutual look, control circuitry  22  may notify user  126  of the opportunity to share information with device  10 ′ using a notification such as a visual notification, audio notification, haptic notification, or other suitable notification. As shown in  FIG.  21   , notification  132  may be displayed on display  14 . Notification  132  may be a visual representation of information  130 , a description of information  130 , or a confirmation or authorization prompt that is presented to user  126  so that user  126  can authorize or deny sending information  130  to or receiving information from device  10 ′. In the example of  FIG.  21   , notification  132  may be a visual representation of contact information for user  126  of device  10  (e.g., an image of user  126  and associated contact information such as a phone number, email address, etc.), which may prompt to user  126  to decide whether user  126  wishes to share his or her contact information with device  10 ′. This is, however, merely illustrative. Notification  132  may correspond to other information (e.g., information  130  described in connection with  FIG.  19   ), or any other suitable information on device  10  that can be shared or that has been previously identified as being information that user  126  wishes to share. 
     If desired, control circuitry  22  may predict what information  130  user  126  would want to share based on data from input-output devices (e.g., based on how close device  10  is to device  10 ′, based on whether control circuitry  22  recognizes device  10 ′ or has previously communicated with device  10 ′, based on user input to a touch sensor in display  14 , based on a user&#39;s location, based on gesture input gathered by a motion sensor in device  10 , and/or based on data from other input-output devices), may be based on information stored on device  10  (e.g., calendar information), and/or may be based on other factors. For example, if a calendar stored on device  10  and/or a user&#39;s current location indicates that the user is at a networking event, control circuitry  22  may automatically present a contact information notification  132  which prompts the user to confirm or authorize sending his or her contact information to user  128 . 
     Control circuitry  22  may send information  130  to device  10 ′ automatically upon detection of a mutual look (e.g., after a predetermined period of time has passed without user  126  indicating that he or she does not wish to communicate with device  10 ′) or may only send information  130  to device  10 ′ upon receiving suitable user input from user  126 . In one suitable arrangement, user  126  can provide touch input to display  14  to cause control circuitry  22  to send information  130  to device  10 ′ (e.g., by swiping notification  132  towards device  10 ′ in direction  136 , or by providing any other suitable touch input). This is, however, merely illustrative. User input may be gesture or motion input (e.g., a shaking of device  10 , an up-down or side-to-side movement of device  10 , or other intentional movement of device  10  by user  126 ) gathered by a motion sensor, audio input gathered by a microphone, biometric input gathered by a biometric sensor (e.g., fingerprint detection, face detection, gaze tracking, etc.), image sensor data gathered by a camera, and/or other suitable type of user input. 
     User input may also be used to determine when user  126  does not wish to share information with device  10 ′. For example, touch input, motion input, audio input, or other suitable input may be used to prevent device  10  from sharing information with device  10 ′. If desired, the rapidity with which a user pulls device  10  away from device  10 ′ may be compared with a threshold, where a faster pull away from device  10 ′ signifies a desire not to connect with device  10 ′, and a slower pull away from device  10 ′ signifies that device  10  should continue to present the option to share until additional user input is received. Thresholds may be adjusted based on interactions between two devices. A rapid pull away from device  10 ′ may, for example, result in a lower speed threshold for future interactions with device  10 ′ so that the user can more easily prevent future connections with device  10 ′. 
       FIG.  22    shows how device  10  may receive information from device  10 ′ after a mutual look has occurred. Information received from device  10 ′ may be represented with a notification to user  126  such as notification  132 ′ (e.g., a visual representation of the information received from device  10 ′, a description of the information received from device  10 ′, an audio or haptic notification of the information received from device  10 ′, or other suitable notification of information received from device  10 ′). Information from device  10 ′ may be automatically accepted by device  10  and displayed on display  14  upon detection of a mutual look, or information may be accepted by device  10  upon receiving suitable user input from user  126 . The user input may be the same user input that user  126  provides to send information  130  to device  10 ′ (e.g., user input indicating a desire to connect with or send information to device  10 ′ may also cause circuitry  22  to accept information from device  10 ′), or the user input may be separate user input that is specifically associated with receiving information from device  10 ′ (e.g., may be a user&#39;s response to a prompt that informs the user of the option to receive information from device  10 ′). Any suitable information may be received from device  10 ′. In the example of  FIG.  22   , device  10  has received contact information (e.g., contact information associated with user  128 ) from device  10 ′. Notification  132 ′ may be an image of user  128  indicating that the contact information of user  128  has been received (e.g., a phone number, email address, or other contact information associated with user  128 ). 
     Once device  10  has established a connection with device  10 ′ over a wireless communications link, the connection may be broken by user  126  moving device  10  away from device  10 ′ (or providing other suitable input). If desired, a connection with device  10 ′ may persist even after user  126  moves device  10  away from device  10 ′. For example, a mutual look may be used to establish a semi-permanent connection or memory between device  10  and device  10 ′, which may then cause control circuitry  22  to take certain actions when device  10 ′ is in the vicinity of device  10 . An illustrative example of this type of arrangement is shown in  FIG.  23   . 
     Consider a scenario in which device  10 ′ of user  128  is not one that device  10  has communicated with before (e.g., no previous mutual look between device  10  and device  10 ′ has occurred). In order to establish a connection with device  10 ′ and share information with device  10 ′, user  126  and user  128  may bring devices  10  and  10 ′ within the predetermined distance and orientation to establish a mutual look. Device  10 ″ of user  134 , on the other hand, may be one that device  10  has communicated with previously (e.g., after a mutual look, or via email, text, phone call, or other suitable communication method). Control circuitry  22  may recognize device  10 ″ and may take suitable action upon detecting device  10 ″. For example, a mutual look may not be required for device  10  to inform user  126  of the presence of device  10 ″ and user  134 . Rather, a lower threshold of position and orientation of device  10  relative to device  10 ″ may be used to trigger a notification to user  126  of the presence of device  10 ″. When device  10 ″ is within a certain distance of device  10 , for example, control circuitry  22  may inform user  126  of the presence of device  10 ″ (e.g., may present notification  132  of  FIG.  21   ), even if device  10  and device  10 ″ are not pointed directly towards one another. If desired, the notification  132  to user  126  may be tailored to the knowledge that device  10  already has about device  10 ″. 
     When a connection has been established between device  10  and device  10 ′ (or device  10 ″), control circuitry  22  may automatically take certain actions. Control circuitry  22  may automatically prompt user  126  to share certain information. For example, control circuitry  22  may sync photos with device  10 ′, may identify and reveal similarities or differences between device  10  and device  10 ′ (e.g., shared musical tastes, unshared musical tastes, shared photo locations, mutually available calendar dates, shared social media connections, etc.). As shown in  FIG.  24   , for example, control circuitry  22  may exchange calendar information with device  10 ′ upon establishing a connection with device  10 ′. Based on calendar data received from device  10 ′ and calendar data stored on device  10 , control circuitry  22  may identify mutually available time slots that are open for both user  128  and user  126 . Display  14  may display a calendar image highlighting or otherwise indicating the mutually available time slot  136 . 
       FIG.  25    illustrates a scenario in which user  126  of device  10  may have the option of sharing with multiple users in the vicinity of user  126 . As shown in  FIG.  26   , users  128 - 1 ,  128 - 2 , and  128 - 3  have devices  10 ′ that are within the vicinity of device  10 . In some scenarios, devices  10 ′ may all be positioned and oriented relative to device  10  such that a mutual look is established between device  10  and devices  10 ′ (e.g., in which each device  10 ′ is intentionally pointing at device  10  and vice versa, as described in connection with  FIG.  19   ). In other scenarios, a mutual look between each pair of devices may not be required in order to initiate sharing. Instead, user  126  may provide user input to device  10  indicating that he or she wishes to share information with one or more devices in the vicinity of device  10 . For example, user  126  may select a “share” icon on display  14  or may provide other suitable user input indicating that user  126  wishes to share information  130  with nearby devices. When this sharing is initiated by user  126 , device  10  may be able to share information with devices  10 ′ without requiring users  128 - 1 ,  128 - 2 , and  128 - 3  to point their devices towards device  10 . 
     When control circuitry  22  determines that there are more than one device  10 ′ in the vicinity of device  10 , control circuitry  22  may prompt user  126  to select which user(s) user  126  wishes to send information  130  to.  FIG.  26    illustrates how control circuitry  22  may prompt user  126  to select one or more nearby users with which user  126  wishes to share information  130  (e.g., a photograph or other suitable information). Upon receiving input from user  126  that user  126  wishes to share information  130  (or in response to determining that a mutual look with multiple devices has occurred), control circuitry  22  may use display  14  to show user  126  which users are within the vicinity of device  10 . As shown in  FIG.  26   , display  14  may display an icon representing each nearby user. If desired, the location of the icon on display  14  may be based on the location of the associated device  10 ′ relative to device  10 . For example, icon  138 - 1  representing device  10 ′ of user  128 - 1  to the left of user  126  may be located on the left hand side of display  14 ; icon  138 - 2  representing device  10 ′ of user  128 - 2  in front of user  126  may be located at the center of display  14 ; and icon  138 - 3  representing device  10 ′ of user  128 - 3  to the right of user  126  may be located on the right hand side of display  14 . 
     If desired, control circuitry  22  may monitor the location of devices  10 ′ relative to device  10  and may change the location of icons on display  14  according to where devices  10 ′ are positioned relative to device  10 . For example, if user  126  moves device  10  in direction  142  so that device  10  is pointing towards device  10 ′ of user  128 - 1 , icon  138 - 1  may shift in direction  160  to the center of display  14 , icon  138 - 2  may shift in direction  144  to the right hand side of display  14 , and icon  138 - 3  may shift further to the right on display  14  or may be removed from display  14 . 
     To send information  130  to a nearby device, user  126  may select the corresponding icon on display  14 . For example, a user may select icon  138 - 1  to share information  130  with device  10 ′ of user  128 - 1 , icon  138 - 2  to share information  130  with device  10 ′ of user  128 - 2 , and/or icon  138 - 3  to share information  130  with device  10 ′ of user  128 - 3 . In another suitable arrangement, user  126  may swipe up on information  130  to send information  130  to the device  10 ′ that device  10  is pointing towards. User  126  may use icons  138 - 1 ,  138 - 2 , and  138 - 3  to determine which device  10 ′ the information would go to upon swiping (e.g., a swipe up on information  130  may cause information  130  to be sent to whichever device is represented at the center of display  14 ). This is merely illustrative, however. If desired, any other suitable type of user input may be used to cause control circuitry  22  to send information  130  to one or more devices  10 ′ in the vicinity of device  10 . 
     In situations where user  126  wishes to share information  130  with multiple devices (e.g., belonging to a group of users), it may be desirable to broadcast the information and allow each device in the group to retrieve the information by taking actions on their own devices. This may help user  126  share information more efficiently than having user  126  individually select which users it wishes to send information to. An example of this type of arrangement is shown in  FIG.  27   . 
     As shown in  FIG.  27   , user  126  may wish to share information  130  with a group of users  128 . This can be achieved using a method of the type described in connection with  FIG.  19 ,  25   , or  26  where user  126  selects or gestures towards the user(s) that user  126  wishes to share with, or it can be achieved using a broadcasting method of the type illustrated in  FIG.  27   . Broadcasting may be initiated automatically in response to certain environmental or other context-specific conditions, and/or may be initiated in response to user input. For example, user  126  may select which information  130  he or she wishes to share and may select a broadcast method for sharing. Upon receiving this user input, control circuitry  22  may begin broadcasting signal  140  associated with information  130  (e.g., a wireless signal of the type described in connection with  FIG.  7   ). Signal  140  may include a notification for alerting nearby users that content  130  is available for sharing, or signal  140  may be content  130  itself. 
     In some implementations, users  128  need not take any action before receiving signal  140 . With this type of arrangement, devices  10 ′ may automatically receive signal  140  that causes each device  10 ′ to present a notification to users  128  that content  130  from device  10  is available. After receiving signal  140 , each device  10 ′ may automatically establish a connection with device  10  to download content  130 , or device  10 ′ may wait to detect user input indicating that user  128  wishes to receive content  130 . The user input may be an intentional pointing of device  10 ′ towards the source of signal  140 , touch input to device  10 ′, a gesturing of device  10 ′ towards device  10 , or other suitable input to device  10 ′. 
     In other implementations, users  128  must take action before receiving signal  140  (e.g., by pointing devices  10 ′ at device  10 , by providing touch input to devices  10 ′, by gesturing devices  10 ′ towards device  10 , or by providing other suitable input to devices  10 ′). 
     The broadcast method of  FIG.  27    allows user  126  to easily share information without requiring user  126  to take any additional action (e.g., user  126  need not point device  10  at any device  10 ′ in the group in order to send information  130  to devices  10 ′). 
     Devices  10 ′ may include circuitry similar to that of device  10  (e.g., a display, wireless communications circuitry, and other circuitry of the type shown in  FIG.  2   ). Device  10 ′ may automatically display an option to receive content  130  upon receiving signal  140  using wireless communications circuitry and/or upon detecting an intentional pointing of device  10 ′ towards the source of signal  140  (i.e., towards device  10 ). When user  128  provides appropriate user input indicating that user  128  wishes to receive or subscribe to content  130  (e.g., via touch input, gesture input, or a continued intentional pointing of device  10 ′ towards device  10 ), control circuitry in device  10 ′ may receive content  130  (e.g., using wireless communications circuitry) and may present the information to user  128  (e.g., using a display). 
     If desired, the broadcasting device  10  may be used to control the output on devices  10 ′ by changing signal  140 . As long as devices  10 ′ are voluntarily subscribing to signal  140 , user  126  can change the content of information  130  and control circuitry  22  may change signal  140  accordingly so that the output on devices  10 ′ corresponds to the updated content of information  130  (e.g., the content on devices  10 ′ may be synced in time and location with the content on device  10 ). For example, if information  130  is a song that user  126  is sharing with users  128 , devices  10 ′ may play the same song (in sync with device  10 ) upon receiving signal  140  from device  10 . If the user pauses the song or skips to the next song on device  10 , control circuitry  22  may change signal  140  accordingly such that the song is also paused or skipped on devices  10 ′. Other examples of control commands that user  126  can send over signal  140  to control the output on devices  10 ′ include video control commands (e.g., playing, pausing, or otherwise controlling video output on device  10 ′), web page control commands (e.g., scrolling up or down on a web page on device  10 ′), photo browsing control commands (e.g., browsing through photos on device  10 ′), and/or other types of control commands. The commands sent to device  10 ′ may mirror the commands that user  126  provides to information  130  on device  10 . 
     In some situations, user  126  may have multiple devices and may wish to and intuitively share information among his or her devices and/or to easily switch from one device to another.  FIG.  28    illustrates an example in which user  126  wishes to view information  130  (that the user has on first device  10 ) on second device  10 ′. In one illustrative example, both device  10  and device  10 ′ belong to user  126 . When devices  10  and  10 ′ both belong to the same user, sharing between the two devices may be initiated more easily (with less friction) than when the two devices are owned by different people. Control circuitry  22  may still monitor input-output circuitry  24  to determine when a possible sharing opportunity between device  10  and device  10 ′ has arisen, but the threshold for predicting such a scenario may be lower to enable a more seamless sharing experience between the multiple devices. For example, the minimum threshold distance and angle(s) required between device  10  and device  10  to trigger a sharing opportunity (see, e.g.,  FIG.  9   ) may be larger, so that sharing is more easily initiated. If desired, different or fewer parameters may be monitored (e.g., proximity alone without any minimum angle requirement may be sufficient to initiate sharing between device  10  and device  10 ′ when the two devices are owned by the same user). Once these relaxed conditions are met (e.g., when the two devices are within a predetermined distance of one another), control circuitry  22  may automatically share information  130  with device  10 ′ or may prompt user  126  to confirm that he or she wishes to share information  130  with device  10 ′. 
     In some situations, device  10  and device  10 ′ may both store similar sets of information. For example, a file may be stored on device  10  and device  10 ′, or both devices may be synced to the same set of data on a cloud server. In this type of scenario, device  10  need not send information  130  to device  10 ′. Rather, device  10  may send a signal to device  10 ′ that instead causes device  10 ′ to locate and open information  130 ′ on device  10 ′ (or download information  130 ′ from a cloud server). 
       FIG.  29    illustrates how a user may control the output on device  10 ′ by manipulating device  10 . When device  10  is pointed towards or held near left hand side  182  of device  10 ′, information  130 - 1  that the user is sharing from device  10  may appear on the left hand side of display  14 ′ (see information  130 - 1 ′ near side  182  of device  10 ′). When device  10  is pointed towards or held near right hand side  184  of device  10 , information  130 - 2  that the user is sharing from device  10  may appear on the right hand side of display  14 ′ (see information  130 - 2 ′ near side  184  of device  10 ). The location of the information on display  14 ′ may be based on the signals that device  10  sends to device  10 ′ (e.g., indicating where on display  14 ′ the information should be displayed) or may be based on information from sensors in device  10 ′ that determine where device  10  is located relative to device  10 ′. 
     As in the example of  FIG.  27   , the sending device  10  may be used to control the output on receiving device  10 ′ by changing the signal from device  10 . For example, the content on devices  10 ′ may be synced in time and location with the content on device  10  (e.g., user  126  can control the song, video, document, web page, photo, or other output on device  10 ′ by manipulating the content on device  10  and sending corresponding media control commands to device  10 ′). 
     A flow chart of illustrative steps involved in operating a device with intuitive sharing capabilities is shown in  FIG.  30   . 
     At step  200 , control circuitry  22  may monitor data from input-output circuitry  24  to determine when user  126  of device  10  is in a possible sharing scenario with nearby device(s). A sharing scenario may arise between device  10  and device  10 ′ when the two devices are close enough to establish a wireless communications link. The data may include data from a touch sensor (e.g., a touch sensor in display  14  or other suitable touch sensor), wireless communications circuitry  36 , proximity sensors (e.g., infrared proximity sensors or other proximity sensors), motion sensors  32  (e.g., data from an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a compass, or other suitable motion sensor), camera  30 , and/or other circuitry in device  10 . Control circuitry  22  may monitor the data for user input (e.g., a gesture, motion, positioning or pointing, audio input, touch input, or other user input) indicating user  126  wishes to share or connect with another device. Control circuitry  22  may also monitor the data to predict when user  126  wishes to share or connect with another device without requiring the user to provide input to device  10 . This may include monitoring the position and orientation of device  10  relative to other devices  10 ′ and/or monitoring characteristics of the user&#39;s environment. If desired, different parameters with different thresholds (e.g., context-based thresholds such as minimum distances and minimum angles that are based on the number of people or devices in the same room as device  10 ) may be used to analyze data from input-output circuitry  24 . 
     If no possible sharing scenario is detected (e.g., no user input indicating a desire to share and/or no detection of a nearby electronic device within sharing range), processing loops back to step  200  and control circuitry  22  continues to monitor data from input-output circuitry  24  for possible sharing opportunities. If a possible sharing scenario is detected in step  200 , processing proceeds to step  202 . 
     At step  202 , control circuitry  22  provides the user with information about the sharing option. This may include prompting user  126  to confirm or select what information user  126  wishes to share, to confirm or select which user or device  10 ′ user  126  wishes to share with, to confirm how the information should be sent (e.g., via a broadcasted signal that is available to multiple users, via a signal that is designated for a specific device, via a signal that causes a receiving device owned by user  126  to open up an identical file on that device, etc.), and/or to confirm or provide other input before information is shared with another device  10 ′. 
     At step  204 , control circuitry  22  may gather and analyze data from input-output devices to determine if information should be shared with another device and if so, which information should be shared. This may include, for example monitoring user input such as a touch, a swipe, a motion or gesture, an audio input, or other user input. This may include comparing the speed with which a user pulls device  10  away from device  10 ′ to determine if the pulling away signifies an intentional indication that the user does not wish to connect with device  10 ′ or if the pulling away was an unintentional movement of device  10  that should not disrupt sharing. 
     If desired, control circuitry  22  may monitor user input for a certain time period. The user may adjust the settings on device  10  such that information is automatically sent at the end of the time period (absent user input indicating the user does not wish to share), or the settings may be adjusted such that information is only sent if the user actively confirms or otherwise authorizes the sharing within the time period. 
     If control circuitry  22  determines that the user does not wish to share, processing loops back to step  200  and control circuitry  22  continues to monitor data from input-output circuitry  24  for possible sharing opportunities. If control circuitry  22  determines that the user does wish to share (and determines which information the user wishes to share), processing proceeds to step  206 . 
     At step  206 , control circuitry  22  may share information with device  10 ′. This may include, sending information to and receiving information from device  10 ′, may include only sending information to device  10 ′, may include only receiving information from device  10 ′, or may include sending a signal to device  10 ′ that causes device  10 ′ to open up information that is already stored on device  10 ′. Information may be shared between device  10  and device  10 ′ over a wireless communications link using wireless communications signals (e.g., Bluetooth® signals, near-field communications signals, wireless local area signals such as IEEE 802.11 signals, millimeter wave communication signals such as signals at 60 GHz, ultra-wideband radio frequency signals, other radio-frequency wireless signals, infrared signals, etc.). 
     The examples of  FIGS.  12 - 30    in which control circuitry  22  uses display  14  to provide a user of device  10  with a visual indication of the presence, location, orientation of, option to share with, and/or connection to nearby devices is merely illustrative. If desired, control circuitry  22  may supplement or replace the visual aid of display  14  with audio output from speakers  34 , haptic output from one or more vibrators or actuators, light-based output from one or more light sources, or other informative output. Similar to how images on display  14  may change location, shape, color, etc. to help inform the user of where nearby devices  10 ′ are located and when wireless communications links are established, output from other output devices may be adjusted to provide this type of information. For example, an audible beeping, a vibration, a haptic actuator output, or a light pulse on the left side of device  10  may indicate the presence, proximity, or wireless communications capabilities of a device  10 ′ on the left hand side of device  10 . Any suitable characteristic of the output may be adjusted to alert the user of an approaching device, an established or broken wireless connection, proximity, orientation (e.g., the volume or tone of the audio output, the intensity or frequency of the vibration or haptic actuator output, the brightness of the light pulse, etc.). 
     The foregoing is merely illustrative and various modifications can be made to the described embodiments. The foregoing embodiments may be implemented individually or in any combination.

Metadata:
Filing Date: 20211019
Publication Date: 20241217
Grant Date: 20241217
Priority Date: 20160916
Inventors: MEYER, ADAM S.
TSOI, Peter C.
WOOD, STUART J.
KERR, DUNCAN ROBERT
HANKEY, MARTHA EVANS
MORRELL, JOHN B.
Assignee: APPLE INC
CPC Classifications: [{"code": "H04M1/724", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04W4/80", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04W4/21", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04W76/14", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/04817", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/0346", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/04883", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04W4/023", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04W4/026", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04W4/023", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/0488", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/016", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1694", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/04817", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1698", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04M1/72454", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04M2250/64", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04W76/14", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04W8/005", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04M1/72412", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/04883", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/04817", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04W76/14", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04W4/80", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04W4/21", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04W4/023", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04M1/724", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F3/0346", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04W8/005", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}]
Family ID: 78219162