Telefonaktiebolaget Lm Ericsson (publ)

Till Burkert

Matthew John Lawrenson

Julian Charles Nolan

Lars M Andersson

Jacob Ström

Harm Stefan Cronie

Peter Ökvist

Tommy Arngren

Jan Jasper Van Den Berg

David Lindegren

Christopher Cox

José Araújo

Soma Tayamon

David Lindero

Lars Andersson

Matthew John Lawrensson

Jacob STRÖM

A user-worn device () comprising an ultrasonic transducer configured for contacting a first body-part (), e.g., a wrist, of a user and a touch-device () comprising an ultrasonic transducer () configured for contacting a second body-part (), e.g., a finger, of the user are provided. The ultrasonic transducer comprised in the user-worn device () is further configured for transmitting data between the user-worn device () and the touch-device () encoded in ultrasound () via the second body-part (). The user-worn device () is operative to receive, from the touch-device (), an indication identifying data to be transmitted to the touch-device, select data for transmission to the touch-device () based on the received indication, and transmit the selected data to the touch-device (). The touch-device () is operative to transmit, to the user-worn device (), an indication identifying data to be transmitted to the touch-device (), and receive the data from the user-worn device ().

User-worn device and touch-device for ultrasonic data transmission

A computing device () for authenticating a user () is provided. The computing device is operative to display a first text () to the user, acquire a representation of the user subvocalizing a part of the first text, derive a user phrasing signature from the acquired representation, and authenticate the user in response to determining that the user phrasing signature and a reference phrasing signature fulfil a similarity condition. Optionally, the computing device may be further operative to determine if the user is authorized to read the first text. Further optionally, the computing device may be operative to reveal obfuscated parts of the first text in response to determining that the user is authorized to read the first text, or to discontinue displaying the first text, or to obfuscate at least part of the first text, in response to determining that the user is not authorized to read the first text.

Authenticating a user subvocalizing a displayed text

The present disclosure relates to virtualizing a network function in an ad-hoc group. The ad-hoc group comprises a plurality of mobile terminals that are configured for device-to-device communication, e.g., Proximity-Based Services (ProSe). The ProSe-enabled mobile terminals subscribe to a Network Functions Virtualization (NFV) service with an NFV management server. The NFV management server discovers the ad-hoc group that is suitable for NFV and informs an NFV application server of the ad-hoc group. The NFV application server then downloads data and configuration parameters to the ad-hoc group to offload a network function to the ad-hoc group for execution.

Network functions virtualization in ad-hoc groups

A mobile electronic device (device) operating with other devices form a group for wireless coordinated playout of audio media content. The processor performs operations that determine a common time sync shared with the other devices, and determine a timing of occurrence of a sound transient sensed relative to the common time sync. The operations receive timing reports from the other devices, where each of the timing reports indicates a timing of occurrence of the sound transient sensed at a respective one of the other devices relative to the common time sync. The sound transient sensed by the devices is generated at a preferred listening location. The operations coordinate timing of playout of audio media content by the group of devices responsive to comparison of the timing of occurrence of the sound transient sensed by the microphone of the device and the timing of occurrences indicated by the timing reports.

Mobile electronic device and audio server for coordinated playout of audio media content

A computing device () for authenticating a user (), such as a mobile phone, a smartphone, a tablet, or the like, is provided. The computing device is operative to acquire a representation of a melody generated by the user, and authenticate the user in response to determining that the acquired representation of the user-generated melody and a representation of a reference melody fulfil a similarity condition. The user-generated melody may either be vocalized or subvocalized. If the melody is vocalized, the representation is derived from audio data captured by a microphone (). If the melody is subvocalized, the representation is derived from nerve signals captured by sensors attached to the throat () of the user, or from a video sequence acquired from a camera (), the video sequence capturing one or more body parts (-) of the user subvocalizing the melody, by magnifying motions of the one or more body parts which are correlated with the subvocalized melody.

User authentication by subvocalization of melody singing

A device for providing a touch-based user interface is disclosed. The device comprises a screen, a camera, and a processor. The camera images a reflection of the screen by a cornea of a user of the device. The processor displays at least one user-interface element on the screen, detects that a finger of a hand touches or is about to touch the screen, estimates a trajectory of the finger, and determines an intended location of touch of the finger on the screen. The trajectory of the finger is estimated by analyzing a sequence of images of the reflection. The intended location of touch is determined based on the estimated trajectory of the finger.

Method and device for providing a touch-based user interface

A device for handheld operation is provided. The device comprises a touchscreen and processing means operative to display a plurality of user-interface (UI) elements on the touchscreen, wherein each UI element is associated with an action which is performed in response to touching the UI element, determine one or more of the displayed UI elements which a user of the device is likely to touch based on a touch pattern, and perform, for at least one of the determined UI elements, the action associated with the UI element. The action may, e.g., comprise pre-fetching content which is likely to be requested by the user from a server. Performing an action, such as pre-fetching, based on a touch pattern is advantageous since a touch pattern reflects the relative likelihood that the user touches a specific position, or region, of the touchscreen, thereby reducing latency.

Device for handheld operation and method thereof

An input device () for a computing device () is provided, such as a data glove. The input device () comprises motion sensor(s) () configured to be worn on a fingertip or fingertips of a user, and actuator(s) () configured to restrict motion of the fingertip(s) to be within a three-dimensional shape. The input device () is operative to track a position of the fingertip(s) using the motion sensor(s) (), provide the tracked position as user input to the computing device (), determine whether the computing device requires user input from the fingertip to be within the three-dimensional shape, and in response thereto, activate the actuator(s) () configured to restrict motion of the fingertip(s) to be within the three-dimensional shape if the computing device () requires user input from the fingertip(s) to be within the three-dimensional shape. Thereby, the user is prevented from moving his/her fingertip(s) to a position in space which renders user input which is not accepted by the computing device () receiving the user input.

Input device for a computing device

The present disclosure relates to virtualizing a network function in an ad-hoc group. The ad-hoc group comprises a plurality of mobile terminals () that are configured for device-to-device communication, e.g., Proximity-Based Services (ProSe). The Pro Se-enabled mobile terminals () subscribe to a Network Functions Virtualization (NFV) service with an NFV management server (). The NFV management server () discovers the ad-hoc group that is suitable for NFV and informs an NFV application server () of the ad-hoc group. The NFV application server () then downloads data and configuration parameters to the ad-hoc group to offload a network function to the ad-hoc group for execution.

A computing device for authenticating a user is provided. The computing device is operative to display a first text to the user, acquire a representation of the user subvocalizing a part of the first text, derive a user phrasing signature from the acquired representation, and authenticate the user in response to determining that the user phrasing signature and a reference phrasing signature fulfill a similarity condition. Optionally, the computing device may be further operative to determine if the user is authorized to read the first text. Further optionally, the computing device may be operative to reveal obfuscated parts of the first text in response to determining that the user is authorized to read the first text, or to discontinue displaying the first text, or to obfuscate at least part of the first text, in response to determining that the user is not authorized to read the first text.

An imaging device comprising a first camera with a controllable focus is provided. The imaging device is operative to detect that a user of the imaging device intends to capture an image of an object using the first camera, control the focus of the first camera to assume a target focal length, and capture the image. The target focal length is derived based on a measured accommodation of an eye lens of the user. Further, a contact lens comprising an eye-accommodation detector and a communications module is provided. The contact lens is operative to measure an accommodation of an eye lens to which the contact lens is attached, and transmit, to an imaging device comprising a first camera with a controllable focus, information pertaining to the measured accommodation of the eye lens and/or a focal length of the eye lens corresponding to the measured accommodation.

Imaging device and contact lens

A device () for handheld operation is provided. The device comprises a touchscreen () and processing means () operative to display a plurality of user-interface (UI) elements (-) on the touchscreen, wherein each UI element is associated with an action which is performed in response to touching the UI element, determine one or more of the displayed UI elements which a user () of the device is likely to touch based on a touch pattern (), and perform, for at least one of the determined UI elements, the action associated with the UI element. The action may, e.g., comprise pre-fetching content which is likely to be requested by the user from a server (). Performing an action, such as pre-fetching, based on a touch pattern is advantageous since a touch pattern reflects the relative likelihood that the user touches a specific position, or region, of the touchscreen, thereby reducing latency.

A device for providing a touch-based user interface is disclosed. The device comprises a screen, a camera, and processor. The camera images a reflection of the screen by a cornea of a user of the device. The processor displays at least one user-interface element on the screen, detects that a finger of a hand touches or is about to touch the screen, estimates a trajectory of the finger, and determines an intended location of touch of the finger on the screen. The trajectory of the finger is estimated by analyzing a sequence of images of the reflection. The intended location of touch is determined based on the estimated trajectory of the finger.

A communications device for generating a key for use as a shared secret in communications with another communications device. Each communications device comprises a sensor array for measuring a spatially-varying magnetic field originating from a first spatially-varying density of metallic particles comprised in a first battery, when subjected to an excitation magnetic field, and processing means operative to acquire a set of values from the sensor array, which set of values represents the spatially-varying magnetic field, and to derive the key from the set of values. The excitation magnetic field is generated by a magnetic-field generator comprised in one of the communications devices. Thereby, the two communications devices may, when in proximity, generate identical keys by probing the spatially-varying density of metallic particles comprised in the first battery.

Generating a key for use as a shared secret

A device for controlling a lens for adjustable vision correction is provided. The device, e.g., a smartphone, comprises circuits to determine if a user of the device is gazing at the device, and, if the user is gazing at the device, to determine a distance between the eye and the device, and to control the lens to adjust its focal length based on the determined distance. Thereby, the lens is adjusted only if required, i.e., if the user is gazing at the device. The circuits may be suitable for correcting presbyopia if the user is gazing at a device located at close distance, and alleviate the need for the user to actively operate a switch or move her head for adjusting the focal length of her lenses.

Growing community of inventors

Huddinge, Sweden

Till Burkert