Abstract:
Vehicles which are provided with at least one sensor and a location system, such as a Global Positioning System (GPS) detect parking spaces and/or road obstacles when driving along a road. The detected parking space and/or road obstacle data is transferred to a remote processing module. The processing module may then provide the detected parking space and/or road obstacle data to a requesting vehicle, which is located in the vicinity of the detected parking space and/or road obstacle. In addition, the at least one sensor may detect road data, such as data regarding parking restrictions at the location of the detected parking space. The detected road data may be used to determine whether the detected parking space is available to the requesting vehicle. Furthermore, parking permit data may be used to determine whether the detected parking space is available to the requesting vehicle.
Abstract:
A wrist worn device having a main body portion and a strap portion. The main body portion comprises a housing for housing a processor, communication circuitry, a screen and tin antenna. The strap portion comprises a strap for attaching the main body portion to a wrist. The housing comprises a central portion that supports the screen and edge portions arranged around the central portion, one of the portions comprising a non-conductive section on an outer surface of said wrist worn device facing away from said wrist when worn; wherein the antenna is supported within the housing in the one of the edge portions comprising the non-conductive section, such that there is an electromagnetic wave path from the antenna to the outer surface through at least a portion of the non-conductive section wherein a portion of the strip overlays the antenna and a portion of the non-conductive section at the outer surface, the portion of the snap comprising a non-conductive portion.
Abstract:
A trusted device, such as a wristwatch, is provided with authentication circuitry, used to perform an authentication operation to switch the trusted device into an authenticated state. Retention monitoring circuitry monitors the physical possession of the trusted device by the user following the authentication operation and switches the trusted device out of an authenticated state if the trusted device does not remain in the physical possession of the user. While the trusted device remains in the physical possession of the user, communication triggering circuitry is used to detect a request to establish communication with a target device that is one of a plurality of different target devices and communication circuitry is used to communicate with that target device using an authenticated identity of the user.
Abstract:
An envoy device configured to perform a transaction with a further device. The envoy device comprises: a data store; a processor; communication circuitry for communicating with the further device; and a display. The envoy device is configured to respond to detection of the further device being within a predetermined physical proximity to trigger initiation of a transaction between the devices; and to respond to the transaction completing to display an object related to the transaction that it is determined the user may wish to select to initiate a subsequent action.
Abstract:
A wrist worn device includes a metal device housing and a capacitive touch sensor. The capacitive touch sensor includes a conductive plate which is supported by and separated from the metal body of the device housing via an isolation body formed of PTFE (low static relative permittivity). An outer plate is formed over the conductive plate and is formed of glass (high static relative permittivity). The action of the isolation body is to reduce the effect of the metal device housing on the capacitance detected by the conductive plate. The effect of the outer plate is to try to increase the effect of the capacitance associated with the object being brought into proximity with the conductive plate.
Abstract:
A method of identifying an object within an environment is described for capturing visual data associated with the environment and comparing data defining a candidate object in the environment with an object data store storing object templates providing data pertaining to one or more objects; responsive to matching the data defining the candidate object in the environment and an object template, identifying the candidate object; and responsive to failing to match data representing the candidate object in the environment with an object template, identifying one or more object identifiers disposed in the environment to define identifier search data, and using the identifier search data to interrogate a further object data store to identify the candidate object.
Abstract:
A device worn by a user has a device body providing a first surface that is located adjacent to skin of the user when the device is being worn. Fingerprint sensor circuitry on the device comprises a capacitive fingerprint sensor and associated control circuitry, a primary impedance path being established between electrodes of the capacitive fingerprint sensor when a user places a finger on the capacitive fingerprint sensor. The associated control circuitry passes an AC drive signal through the capacitive fingerprint sensor in order to measure a property whose value varies as a function of impedance. A body ground connection provided by the device body is arranged such that when the user touches the fingerprint sensor, a parasitic impedance path is established from the finger through the body of the user and via the first surface of the device body to the body ground connection. To avoid this parasitic impedance path having the potential to adversely affect the accuracy of the fingerprint sensing operation, the device further comprises filter circuitry between the body ground connection and the electrical ground connection which decouples the body ground connection from the electrical ground connection in a first frequency range including the frequency of the AC drive signal, whilst coupling the body ground connection to the electrical ground connection in at least one further frequency range.
Abstract:
A trusted device, such as a wristwatch, is provided with authentication circuitry, used to perform an authentication operation to switch the trusted device into an authenticated state. Retention monitoring circuitry monitors the physical possession of the trusted device by the user following the authentication operation and switches the trusted device out of an authenticated state if the trusted device does not remain in the physical possession of the user. While the trusted device remains in the physical possession of the user, communication triggering circuitry is used to detect a request to establish communication with a target device that is one of a plurality of different target devices and communication circuitry is used to communicate with that target device using an authenticated identity of the user.
Abstract:
A method for determining when a device is attached to a user, the method comprising activating an accelerometer provided at the device; activating a vibration motor provided at the device; measuring with the accelerometer vibrations at the device created by the vibration motor; and using the accelerometer measurements to determine whether the device is attached to the user.
Abstract:
An envoy device for performing transactions with a further device in proximity to said envoy device, said envoy device comprising a data store, a processor; a first communication device configured to communicate with said further device that is located close enough to said envoy device to establish a first communication link; and at least one further communication device configured to communicate with said further device using at least one further communication link; said envoy device being configured to respond to detecting said further device close enough to said envoy device to establish said first communication link to: establish communication with said further device using said first communication link; receive information from said further device regarding said at least one further communication link that said further device is capable of communicating via and communicating at least one access key for connecting said further device and said first envoy device via said at least one further communication link; and commence a transaction with said further device using said first communication link.