Method and apparatus for controlling operating states of bluetooth interfaces of a bluetooth module

{
  "publication_number": "US10159044B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Method and apparatus for controlling operating states of bluetooth interfaces of a bluetooth module",
  "abstract": "A first Bluetooth-enabled device includes an interface controller that determines proximity between a first Bluetooth module and a second Bluetooth module of a second Bluetooth-enabled device, and controls transitions, based on the proximity between the first Bluetooth module and the second Bluetooth module, between a first set of operating states of a classical Bluetooth interface of the first Bluetooth module that include an enabled state and a disabled state.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A first Bluetooth-enabled device, comprising: a first Bluetooth module comprising: a classical Bluetooth interface designed to operate in a first set of operating states comprising an enabled state and a disabled state; a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) interface designed to operate in a second set of operating states comprising an idle state or an active state; and an interface controller in operable communication with the classical Bluetooth interface and the BLE interface, wherein the interface controller is designed to control, based on proximity between the first Bluetooth module and a second Bluetooth module of a second Bluetooth-enabled device, the first set of operating states of the classical Bluetooth interface and the second set of operating states of the BLE interface.",
    "2. A first Bluetooth-enabled device according to claim 1, wherein the interface controller is designed to operate in a far-field state, a range detection state and an active state.",
    "3. A first Bluetooth-enabled device according to claim 1, wherein the interface controller is further designed to: switch the BLE interface from the idle state to the active state when the interface controller transitions from the far-field state to the range detection state.",
    "4. A first Bluetooth-enabled device according to claim 3, wherein the interface controller is further designed to: scan for a BLE beacon transmitted from the BLE interface of the second Bluetooth module; and transition from the far-field state to the range detection state when the BLE beacon is detected.",
    "5. A first Bluetooth-enabled device according to claim 1, wherein the interface controller is further designed to: switch the classical Bluetooth interface from the disabled state to the enabled state when the interface controller transitions from the range detection state to the active state.",
    "6. A first Bluetooth-enabled device according to claim 5, wherein the interface controller is further designed to: determine the proximity between the BLE interface of the first Bluetooth module and the BLE interface of the second Bluetooth module; and transition from the range detection state to the active state when the proximity between the BLE interface of the first Bluetooth module and the BLE interface of the second Bluetooth module is determined to be within a calibration threshold.",
    "7. A first Bluetooth-enabled device according to claim 2, wherein the interface controller is further designed to: switch the classical Bluetooth interface from the enabled state to the disabled state when the interface controller transitions from the active state to the range detection state.",
    "8. A first Bluetooth-enabled device according to claim 7, wherein the interface controller is further designed to: determine whether a trigger event has occurred; and transition from the active state to the range detection state when the trigger event occurs.",
    "9. A first Bluetooth-enabled device according to claim 8, wherein the interface controller is further designed to: determine the proximity between the BLE interface of the first Bluetooth module and the BLE interface of the second Bluetooth module; and wherein the interface controller determines that the trigger event has occurred when the interface controller determines that the proximity between the BLE interface of the first Bluetooth module and the BLE interface of the second Bluetooth module is determined to be within a near proximity threshold.",
    "10. A first Bluetooth-enabled device according to claim 8, wherein the interface controller is further designed to: determine whether there is a connection between the BLE interface of the first Bluetooth module and the BLE interface of the second Bluetooth module; and wherein the interface controller determines that the trigger event has occurred when the interface controller determines that there is no connection between the BLE interface of the first Bluetooth module and the BLE interface of the second Bluetooth module.",
    "11. A first Bluetooth-enabled device according to claim 2, wherein the interface controller is further designed to: switch the BLE interface from the active state to the idle state when the interface controller transitions from the range detection state to the far-field state.",
    "12. A first Bluetooth-enabled device according to claim 11, wherein the interface controller is further designed to: determine whether the BLE interface of the first Bluetooth module is receiving communications from the BLE interface of the second Bluetooth module; and transition from the range detection state to the far-field state when the BLE interface of the first Bluetooth module is not receiving communications from the BLE interface of the second Bluetooth module.",
    "13. A method performed at an interface controller for a first Bluetooth module of a first Bluetooth-enabled device, the method comprising: determining, at the interface controller, proximity between the first Bluetooth module and a second Bluetooth module of a second Bluetooth-enabled device; and controlling, at the interface controller, based on the proximity between the first Bluetooth module and the second Bluetooth module: transitions between a first set of operating states of a classical Bluetooth interface of the first Bluetooth module, wherein the first set of operating states comprise an enabled state and a disabled state; and transitions between a second set of operating states of a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) interface of the first Bluetooth module, wherein the second set of operating states comprise an idle state or an active state.",
    "14. A method according to claim 13, wherein the interface controller is designed to operate in a far-field state, a range detection state and an active state.",
    "15. A method according to claim 14, wherein controlling, at the interface controller, further comprises: scanning for a BLE beacon transmitted from a BLE interface of the second Bluetooth module; transitioning, at the interface controller, from the far-field state to the range detection state when the BLE beacon is detected; and switching the BLE interface from the idle state to the active state when the interface controller transitions from the far-field state to the range detection state.",
    "16. A method according to claim 14, wherein controlling, at the interface controller, further comprises: determining, at the interface controller, the proximity between the BLE interface of the first Bluetooth module and the BLE interface of the second Bluetooth module; transitioning, at the interface controller, from the range detection state to the active state when the proximity between the BLE interface of the first Bluetooth module and the BLE interface of the second Bluetooth module is determined to be within a calibration threshold; and switching the classical Bluetooth interface from the disabled state to the enabled state when the interface controller transitions from the range detection state to the active state.",
    "17. A method according to claim 14, wherein controlling, at the interface controller, further comprises: determining, at the interface controller, whether a trigger event has occurred; transitioning, at the interface controller, from the active state to the range detection state when the trigger event occurs; and switch the classical Bluetooth interface from the enabled state to the disabled state when the interface controller transitions from the active state to the range detection state.",
    "18. A method according to claim 17, wherein controlling, at the interface controller, further comprises: determining, at the interface controller, the proximity between the BLE interface of the first Bluetooth module and the BLE interface of the second Bluetooth module; and wherein the interface controller determines that the trigger event has occurred when the interface controller determines that the proximity between the BLE interface of the first Bluetooth module and the BLE interface of the second Bluetooth module is determined to be within a near proximity threshold.",
    "19. A method according to claim 17, wherein controlling, at the interface controller, further comprises: determining, at the interface controller, whether there is a connection between the BLE interface of the first Bluetooth module and the BLE interface of the second Bluetooth module; and wherein the interface controller determines that the trigger event has occurred when the interface controller determines that there is no connection between the BLE interface of the first Bluetooth module and the BLE interface of the second Bluetooth module.",
    "20. A method according to claim 14, wherein controlling, at the interface controller, further comprises: determining, at the interface controller, whether the BLE interface of the first Bluetooth module is receiving communications from a BLE interface of the second Bluetooth module; transitioning, at the interface controller, from the range detection state to the far-field state when the BLE interface of the first Bluetooth module is not receiving communications from the BLE interface of the second Bluetooth module; and switching the BLE interface from the active state to the idle state when the interface controller transitions from the range detection state to the far-field state."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The technical field generally relates to wireless communications, and more particularly relates to controlling operating states of Bluetooth interfaces of a Bluetooth module.\n\nMany modern consumer electronics devices include Bluetooth communication capability. Such devices include a Bluetooth module that includes one or more Bluetooth interfaces that comply with various Bluetooth communication standards.\n\nMany of these devices are powered by a stored energy source, such as a battery. It is desirable to reduce consumption of the stored energy so that the stored energy source will last longer without needing to be replenished (e.g., charged). One example would be when a first Bluetooth module is in a consumer electronics device, such as smartphone, and a second Bluetooth module is integrated within a vehicle. It would be desirable to provide an automatic control that can control the operating state of the first Bluetooth module so that its stored energy source can be conserved. For instance, when a user carrying a smartphone departs their vehicle it would be desirable to provide an automatic control mechanism that automatically disables (or switches off) one or more of the Bluetooth interfaces of the Bluetooth module.\n\nConversely, it would also be desirable to provide an automatic control mechanism that automatically enables (or switches on) one or more of the Bluetooth interfaces of the first Bluetooth module when the user approaches their vehicle so that a connection can be established with the second Bluetooth module of the vehicle.",
  "cpc": [
    "H04W 52/0245",
    "Y02D 30/70",
    "Y02D 70/142",
    "Y02D 70/144",
    "Y02D 70/26"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "H04B 5/48",
    "H04W 52/02"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "GM Global Technology Operations LLC"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Robert A. Hrabak"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2013-12-09",
  "publication_date": "2018-12-18",
  "grant_date": "2018-12-18",
  "priority_date": "2013-12-09",
  "application_number": "US-201314100051-A",
  "family_id": "53185461",
  "cited_by_count": 253,
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}