Automated notification regarding hybrid electronic devices constructible from magnetically inter-attachable electronic devices

• US 10,321,279 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2016
• Issued: 06/11/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nanoport Technology Inc. (Nano Magnetics Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Nanoport Technology Inc. (Nano Magnetics Ltd.)
• Inventors: Szeto, Timothy Jing Yin
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Toan N
• Application Number:
  US15/777,551
• Publication Number:
  US 20180332445A1
• Time in Patent Office: 932 Days
• Field of Search: 34053911, 3406861, 340687, 3406866
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 7/0242 Magnetic drives, magnetic coupling devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6205 Two-part coupling devices held in engagement by a magnet
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/026 Details of the structure or mounting of specific components
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• 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: Y04S 40/18 Network protocols supporting networked applications, e.g. including control of end-device applications over a network

Abstract

A system comprises: a first electronic device; a mobile electronic device operable to detect a proximity of the first electronic device; a data store containing an inventory of electronic devices associated with a user including the first electronic device and a second electronic device; and a processor in communication with the data store. The processor is operable to: receive an indication, from the mobile electronic device, of the proximity of the mobile electronic device with the first electronic device; responsive to the receiving, process the inventory to identify a hybrid electronic device constructible, from the first electronic device, the second electronic device, and the mobile electronic device, by magnetically inter-attaching at least two of the devices using magnetic connectors in the respective devices; and send a user notification indicative of the hybrid electronic device. The user notification may be sent for display at the mobile electronic device.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a first electronic device;

a mobile electronic device operable to detect a proximity of the first electronic device;

a data store containing an inventory of electronic devices associated with a user including the first electronic device and a second electronic device; and

a processor, in communication with the data store, operable to;

receive an indication, from the mobile electronic device, of the proximity of the mobile electronic device with the first electronic device;

responsive to the receiving, process the inventory to identify a hybrid electronic device constructible, from the first electronic device, the second electronic device, and the mobile electronic device, by magnetically inter-attaching at least two of the devices using magnetic connectors in the respective devices; and

send a user notification indicative of the hybrid electronic device.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the user notification is one of an email message, SMS message, or a message in a social media application.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the sending sends the user notification for display at the mobile electronic device.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the hybrid electronic device is a cooking appliance.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the processor is a processor of a cloud-based server.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the hybrid electronic device is constructible by inter-attaching the mobile electronic device with at least one of the first electronic device and the second electronic device.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the hybrid electronic device is constructible by inter-attaching the mobile electronic device with each of the first electronic device and the second electronic device.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the processing of the inventory to identify the constructible hybrid electronic device comprises examining logged data indicative of hybrid electronic devices previously constructed by other users.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the hybrid electronic device is constructible by inter-attaching an electronic device not represented in the inventory of electronic devices associated with the user.

10. A method comprising:

receiving, via a network interface controller, an indication of a proximity of a mobile electronic device to a first electronic device;

responsive to the receiving, processing an inventory of electronic devices associated with a user of the mobile electronic device to identify a hybrid electronic device constructible, from the mobile electronic device, the first electronic device, and a second electronic device identified in the inventory, by magnetic inter-attachment of at least two of the devices using magnetic connectors in the respective devices; and

sending, via the network interface controller, a user notification indicative of the hybrid electronic device.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the user notification is one of an email message, SMS message, or a message in a social media application.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the sending sends the user notification for display at the mobile electronic device.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the hybrid electronic device is a cooking appliance.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein the hybrid electronic device is constructible by inter-attaching the mobile electronic device with at least one of the first electronic device and the second electronic device.

15. The method of claim 10 wherein the hybrid electronic device is constructible by inter-attaching the mobile electronic device with each of the first electronic device and the second electronic device.

16. The method of claim 10 wherein the processing of the inventory to identify the constructible hybrid electronic device comprises examining logged data indicative of hybrid electronic devices previously constructed by other users.

17. The method of claim 10 wherein the hybrid electronic device is constructible by inter-attaching an electronic device not represented in the inventory of electronic devices associated with the user.

18. A server comprising:

a processor;

a network interface controller in communication with the processor;

memory in communication with the processor storing access controller software that, upon execution by the processor, causes the server to;

receive, via the network interface controller, an indication of a proximity of a mobile electronic device to a first electronic device;

responsive to the receiving, process an inventory of electronic devices associated with a user of the mobile electronic device to identify a hybrid electronic device constructible, from the mobile electronic device, the first electronic device, and a second electronic device identified in the inventory, by magnetic inter-attachment of at least two of the devices using magnetic connectors in the respective devices; and

send, via the network interface controller, a user notification indicative of the hybrid electronic device.

19. The server of claim 18 wherein the hybrid electronic device is constructible by inter-attaching the mobile electronic device with at least one of the first electronic device and the second electronic device.

20. The server of claim 18 wherein the hybrid electronic device is constructible by inter-attaching the mobile electronic device with each of the first electronic device and the second electronic device.