Adaptive data transfer using bluetooth

• US 10,218,433 B2
• Filed: 03/21/2017
• Issued: 02/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fitbit, Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Fitbit, Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Panther, Heiko Gernot Albert, Park, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Lu, Zhiyu
• Application Number:
  US15/465,411
• Publication Number:
  US 20170257162A1
• Time in Patent Office: 707 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0002 Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network A61B5/07 takes precedence; transmission systems for measured values G08C; transmission H04B; transmission of digital information H04L; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02416 using photoplethysmograph signals, e.g. generated by infrared radiation A61B5/14552 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02427 Details of sensor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02433 for infrared radiation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02438 with portable devices, e.g. worn by the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1123 Discriminating type of movement, e.g. walking or running A61B5/1116, A61B5/112 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4812 Detecting sleep stages or cycles
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/24 Inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/48 Transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/70 specially adapted for specific purposes
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/26 at least one of which is mobile
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/16 Involving different core network technologies, e.g. a packet-switched [PS] bearer in combination with a circuit-switched [CS] bearer

Abstract

Biometric monitoring devices, including various technologies that may be implemented in such devices, are discussed herein. Additionally, techniques, systems, and apparatuses are discussed herein for utilizing two different Bluetooth communications interfaces, one that provides Bluetooth classic (base rate/enhanced data rate) communications functionality and one that provides Bluetooth low-energy communications functionality, in a common device. The techniques, systems, and apparatuses may elect to use a particular Bluetooth interface based on various criteria.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a first Bluetooth communications interface configured to provide communications via the Bluetooth Base Rate/Enhanced Data Rate (BR/EDR) protocol;

a second Bluetooth communications interface configured to provide Bluetooth communications via the Bluetooth Low-Energy (BLE) protocol; and

a controller including at least one processor and a memory, wherein;

the at least one processor, the memory, the first Bluetooth communications interface, and the second Bluetooth communications interface are communicatively connected, and

the memory stores instructions for controlling the at least one processor to;

a) establish a first Bluetooth communications connection with a remote device external to the apparatus via the first Bluetooth communications interface,

b) establish a second Bluetooth communications connection with the remote device via the second Bluetooth communications interface,

c) determine whether to utilize the first Bluetooth communications connection or the second Bluetooth communications connection to transmit first data between the apparatus and the remote device according, at least in part, to information describing the first data that indicates that the first data is an application or part of an application that is to be installed on the apparatus,

d) utilize the first Bluetooth communications connection or the second Bluetooth communications connection as determined in (c) to transmit the first data between the apparatus and the remote device, and

e) utilize the first Bluetooth communications connection to transmit the first data between the apparatus and the remote device when, at least in part, the information describing the first data indicates that the first data is the application or part of the application that is to be installed on the apparatus.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the memory stores further instructions for controlling the at least one processor to deactivate the first Bluetooth communications connection when the first Bluetooth communications connection is not used to transmit data between the apparatus and the remote device and while the second Bluetooth communications connection is still established between the apparatus and the remote device.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the determination of (c) is further made according, at least in part, to information describing the first data that indicates that the first data is to be received by the apparatus from the remote device, and

the memory stores further instructions for controlling the at least one processor to utilize the first Bluetooth communications connection to transmit the first data between the apparatus and the remote device when, at least in part, the information describing the first data indicates that the first data is to be received by the apparatus from the remote device.

4. A method comprising:

a) establishing a first Bluetooth communications connection between an apparatus and a remote device external to the apparatus via the first Bluetooth communications interface;

b) establishing a second Bluetooth communications connection between the apparatus and the remote device via the second Bluetooth communications interface;

c) determining whether to utilize the first Bluetooth communications connection or the second Bluetooth communications connection to transmit first data between the apparatus and the remote device according, at least in part, to information describing the first data that indicates that the first data is an application or part of an application that is to be installed on the apparatus;

d) utilizing the first Bluetooth communications connection or the second Bluetooth communications connection as determined in (c) to transmit the first data between the apparatus and the remote device;

e) utilizing the first Bluetooth communications connection to transmit the first data between the apparatus and the remote device when, at least in part, the information describing the first data indicates that the first data is the application or part of the application that is to be installed on the apparatus.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

deactivating the first Bluetooth communications connection when the first Bluetooth communications connection is not used to transmit data between the apparatus and the remote device and while maintaining the second Bluetooth communications connection between the apparatus and the remote device.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein:

the determination of (c) is further made according, at least in part, to information describing the first data that indicates that the first data is to be received by the apparatus from the remote device, and

the method further comprising utilizing the first Bluetooth communications connection to transmit the first data between the apparatus and the remote device when, at least in part, the information describing the first data indicates that the first data is to be received by the apparatus from the remote device.

7. A non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium, wherein the storage medium stores computer-executable instructions for controlling at least one processor communicatively connected with a first Bluetooth communications interface and a second Bluetooth communications interface in an apparatus, wherein the first Bluetooth communications interface is configured to provide communications via the Bluetooth Base Rate/Enhanced Data Rate (BR/EDR) protocol and the second Bluetooth communications interface is configured to provide Bluetooth communications via the Bluetooth Low-Energy (BLE) protocol, to:

a) establish a first Bluetooth communications connection with a remote device external to the apparatus via the first Bluetooth communications interface,

b) establish a second Bluetooth communications connection with the remote device via the second Bluetooth communications interface,

c) determine whether to utilize the first Bluetooth communications connection or the second Bluetooth communications connection to transmit first data between the apparatus and the remote device according, at least in part, to information describing the first data that indicates that the first data is an application or part of an application that is to be installed on the apparatus,

d) utilize the first Bluetooth communications connection or the second Bluetooth communications connection as determined in (c) to transmit the first data between the apparatus and the remote device, and

e) utilize the first Bluetooth communications connection to transmit the first data between the apparatus and the remote device when, at least in part, the information describing the first data indicates that the first data is the application or part of the application that is to be installed on the apparatus.

8. The storage medium of claim 7, wherein:

the storage medium stores further instructions for controlling the at least one processor to deactivate the first Bluetooth communications connection when the first Bluetooth communications connection is not used to transmit data between the apparatus and the remote device and while the second Bluetooth communications connection is still established between the apparatus and the remote device.

9. The storage medium of claim 7, wherein:

the determination of (c) is further made according, at least in part, to information describing the first data that indicates that the first data is to be received by the apparatus from the remote device, and

the storage medium method further stores instructions for controlling the at least one processor to utilize the first Bluetooth communications connection to transmit the first data between the apparatus and the remote device when, at least in part, the information describing the first data indicates that the first data is to be received by the apparatus from the remote device.