Transferring a pairing from one pair of devices to another

• US 10,075,536 B2
• Filed: 03/24/2016
• Issued: 09/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Sanchez-Sandoval, Miguel S., Eguiluz, Hernan R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Coulter, Kenneth R
• Application Number:
  US15/080,191
• Publication Number:
  US 20160301761A1
• Time in Patent Office: 901 Days
• Field of Search: 709248, 709227-229, 709237
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/453 Help systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/00 Teaching not covered by other main groups of this subclass teaching or practice apparatus for gun-aiming or gun-laying F41G3/26
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/02 with visual presentation of the material to be studied, e.g. using film strip
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/141 Setup of application sessions admission control or resource allocation in data switching networks H04L47/70
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/148 Migration or transfer of sessions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72409 by interfacing with external accessories hands-free H04M1/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724095 Worn on the wrist, hand or arm
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72469 for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security

Abstract

A dual-device tutorial system can facilitate user learning about a “primary” device by providing explanatory information on a “supporting” device while the user interacts with the primary device. The primary and supporting devices can be devices of different types. From a user perspective, the primary device can operate exactly as it would in normal (non-tutorial) use and can send event messages and/or other signals to the supporting device. Based on the event messages and/or other signals, the supporting device can provide explanatory information responsive to user interactions with the primary device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

establishing a pairing between a first device and a second device, wherein establishing the pairing includes generating a first pairing data block stored in the first device and a second pairing data block stored in the second device;

extracting the first pairing data block from the first device;

extracting the second pairing data block from the second device;

copying the first pairing data block into a data storage subsystem of a third device in a tutorial system;

copying the second pairing data block into a data storage subsystem of a fourth device in the tutorial system; and

establishing a connection between the third device and the fourth device in the tutorial system using the stored copies of the first pairing data block and the second pairing data block, wherein the third device recognizes the fourth device as a previously paired device using the stored copy of the first pairing data block, and wherein the fourth device recognizes the third device as a previously paired device using the stored copy of the second pairing data block.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein establishing the pairing between the first device and the second device is performed using a wireless communication channel between the first device and the second device.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein establishing the connection between the third device and the fourth device is performed using a wired communication channel between the third device and the fourth device.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the first device is a device of a first type; and

the second device is a device of a second type different from the first type.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein devices of the second type are operable as companion devices to devices of the first type.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein:

the third device is a device of the first type; and

the fourth device is a device of a third type different from the first type and the second type.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

copying the first pairing data block into data storage in a fifth device;

copying the second pairing data block into data storage of a sixth device; and

establishing a connection between the fifth device and the sixth device using the stored copies of the first pairing data block and the second pairing data block, wherein the fifth device recognizes the sixth device as a previously paired device using the stored copy of the first pairing data block, and wherein the sixth device recognizes the fifth device as a previously paired device using the stored copy of the second pairing data block.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the first pairing data block and the second pairing data block each include cryptographic information usable to verify possession of a shared secret.

9. A method comprising:

extracting, by an electronic device, a first pairing data block from a first device;

extracting, by the electronic device, a second pairing data block from a second device, wherein the first pairing data block and the second pairing data block each include data generated by establishing a pairing between the first device and the second device;

storing, by the electronic device, the first pairing data block and the second pairing data block in a storage subsystem of the electronic device;

copying, by the electronic device, the first pairing data block to one or more third devices of a tutorial system; and

copying, by the electronic device, the second pairing data block to one or more fourth devices of the tutorial system,

wherein each third device becomes capable of recognizing any of the fourth devices as a previously paired device using the stored copy of the first pairing data block and each fourth device becomes capable of recognizing any of the third devices as a previously paired device using the stored copy of the second pairing data block.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein

the first device is a device of a first type;

and

the second device is a device of a second type different from the first type.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein devices of the second type are operable as companion devices to devices of the first type.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein:

each of the third devices is a device of the first type; and

each of the fourth devices is a device of a third type different from the first type and the second type.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein the first pairing data block and the second pairing data block each include cryptographic information usable to verify possession of a shared secret.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein the first device and the second device communicate via a wireless communication channel and wherein each third device communicates with one of the fourth devices via a wired communication channel.

15. An information distribution system comprising:

an interface configured to communicate with one or more other devices;

at least one processor configured to extract a first pairing data block from a first device and to extract a second pairing data block from a second device, wherein the first pairing data block and the second pairing data block each include data generated by establishing a pairing between the first device and the second device;

a storage subsystem configured to store the first pairing data block and the second pairing data block; and

the at least one processor configured to copy the first pairing data block to one or more third devices in a tutorial system and to copy the second pairing data block to one or more fourth devices in the tutorial system, such that each third device becomes capable of recognizing any of the fourth devices as a previously paired device using the stored copy of the first pairing data block and each fourth device becomes capable of recognizing any of the third devices as a previously paired device using the stored copy of the second pairing data block.

16. The information distribution system of claim 15 wherein

the first device is a device of a first type;

and

the second device is a device of a second type different from the first type.

17. The information distribution system of claim 16 wherein devices of the second type are operable as companion devices to devices of the first type.

18. The information distribution system of claim 16 wherein:

each of the third devices is a device of the first type; and

each of the fourth devices is a device of a third type different from the first type and the second type.

19. The information distribution system of claim 18 wherein devices of the first type are configured to communicate via a wireless communication channel with devices of the second type and wherein devices of a fourth type are configured to communicate via a wired communication channel with devices of the first type.

20. The information distribution system of claim 15 wherein the first pairing data block and the second pairing data block each include cryptographic information usable to verify possession of a shared secret.

21. A non-transitory machine-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed, causes at least one processor to perform a method comprising:

establishing a pairing between a first device and a second device, wherein establishing the pairing includes generating a first pairing data block stored in the first device and a second pairing data block stored in the second device;

extracting the first pairing data block from the first device;

extracting the second pairing data block from the second device;

copying the first pairing data block into a data storage subsystem of a third device in a tutorial system;

copying the second pairing data block into a data storage subsystem of a fourth device in the tutorial system; and

establishing a connection between the third device and the fourth device in the tutorial system using the stored copies of the first pairing data block and the second pairing data block, wherein the third device recognizes the fourth device as a previously paired device using the stored copy of the first pairing data block, and wherein the fourth device recognizes the third device as a previously paired device using the stored copy of the second pairing data block.

22. A non-transitory machine-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed, causes at least one processor to perform a method comprising:

extracting, by an electronic device, a first pairing data block from a first device;

extracting, by the electronic device, a second pairing data block from a second device, wherein the first pairing data block and the second pairing data block each include data generated by establishing a pairing between the first device and the second device;

storing, by the electronic device, the first pairing data block and the second pairing data block in a storage subsystem of the electronic device;

copying, by the electronic device, the first pairing data block to one or more third devices of a tutorial system; and

copying, by the electronic device, the second pairing data block to one or more fourth devices of the tutorial system,

wherein each third device becomes capable of recognizing any of the fourth devices as a previously paired device using the stored copy of the first pairing data block and each fourth device becomes capable of recognizing any of the third devices as a previously paired device using the stored copy of the second pairing data block.