ADAPTIVE DATA TRANSFER USING BLUETOOTH

• US 20140273858A1
• Filed: 05/29/2014
• Published: 09/18/2014
• 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
• Granted Patent: US 9,641,239 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• 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 5/72 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 selected from the group consisting of;

information obtained from one or more sensors in the apparatus, information obtained in association with the first Bluetooth communications connection, information obtained in association with the second Bluetooth communications connection, and information describing the first data, and

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.

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 information describing the first data indicates that the first data is an application or part of an application that is to be installed on the apparatus, 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 an application or part of an application that is to be installed on the apparatus.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the information describing the first data indicates that the first data is data collected by one or more sensors of the apparatus, and

the memory stores further instructions for controlling the at least one processor to utilize the second 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 data collected by the one or more sensors on the apparatus.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the one or more sensors of the apparatus includes a battery charge level sensor and the instructions for (c) include instructions for controlling the at least one processor to utilize the second Bluetooth communications connection to transmit the first data between the apparatus and the remote device when, at least in part, the information obtained from the one or more sensors in the apparatus includes battery charge level data from the battery charge level sensor that indicates that a charge level of a battery in the apparatus is below a first threshold.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors in the apparatus include at least one motion sensor and the instructions for (c) include instructions for controlling the at least one processor to utilize the second Bluetooth communications connection to transmit the first data between the apparatus and the remote device when, at least in part, the information from the one or more sensors includes information indicating that the apparatus is substantially stationary with respect to a global frame of reference.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the instructions for (c) include instructions for controlling the at least one processor to utilize the second Bluetooth communications connection to transmit the first data between the apparatus and the remote device when, at least in part, the information from the one or more sensors indicates that the apparatus is monitoring a sleep state of a wearer of the apparatus.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the information describing the first data indicates that the first data is to be sent from the apparatus to the remote device and the instructions for (c) include instructions for controlling the at least one processor to utilize the second 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 sent from the apparatus to the remote device.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the information describing the first data indicates that the first data is to be received by the apparatus from the remote device and the instructions for (c) include 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.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the information obtained in association with the first Bluetooth communications connection and/or the information obtained in association with the second Bluetooth communications connection includes information describing the remote device and the instructions for (c) include instructions for controlling the at least one processor to utilize either the first Bluetooth communications connection or the second Bluetooth communications connection to transmit the first data between the apparatus and the remote device depending, at least in part, on the information describing the remote device.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the information describing the remote device indicates that the remote device is a cell phone or a smart phone and the instructions for (c) include instructions for controlling the at least one processor to utilize the second Bluetooth communications connection to transmit the first data between the apparatus and the remote device when, at least in part, the information describing the remote device indicates that the remote device is a cell phone or a smart phone.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the one or more sensors in the apparatus includes a Bluetooth receiver and the information from the one or more sensors includes information from the Bluetooth receiver indicating that a vehicle-mounted Bluetooth device is within Bluetooth communications range of the apparatus and has a signal strength that meets or exceeds a predefined threshold.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the information obtained in association with the second Bluetooth communications connection includes information indicating that the second Bluetooth communications connection has not been interrupted for a first time period greater than a first threshold time period and the instructions for (c) include 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 first time period is less than the first threshold time period.

14. 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 selected from the group consisting of;

information obtained from one or more sensors in the apparatus, information obtained in association with the first Bluetooth communications connection, information obtained in association with the second Bluetooth communications connection, and information describing the first data; and

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.

15. The method of claim 14, 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.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the information describing the first data indicates that the first data is an application or part of an application that is to be installed on the apparatus, and the method further comprises 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 an application or part of an application that is to be installed on the apparatus.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the information describing the first data indicates that the first data is data collected by one or more sensors of the apparatus, and the method further comprises utilizing the second 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 data collected by the one or more sensors on the apparatus.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the one or more sensors of the apparatus includes a battery charge level sensor and the method further comprises utilizing the second Bluetooth communications connection to transmit the first data between the apparatus and the remote device when, at least in part, the information obtained from the one or more sensors in the apparatus includes battery charge level data from the battery charge level sensor that indicates that a charge level of a battery in the apparatus is below a first threshold.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the one or more sensors in the apparatus include at least one motion sensor the method further comprises utilizing the second Bluetooth communications connection to transmit the first data between the apparatus and the remote device when, at least in part, the information from the one or more sensors includes information indicating that the apparatus is substantially stationary with respect to a global frame of reference.

20. The method of claim 14, further comprising utilizing the second Bluetooth communications connection to transmit the first data between the apparatus and the remote device when, at least in part, the information from the one or more sensors indicates that the apparatus is monitoring a sleep state of a wearer of the apparatus.

26. The method of claim 14, wherein the information obtained in association with the second Bluetooth communications connection includes information indicating that the second Bluetooth communications connection has not been interrupted for a first time period greater than a first threshold time period, 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 first time period is less than the first threshold time period.

21-23. -23. (canceled)

27. 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 selected from the group consisting of;

information obtained from one or more sensors in the apparatus, information obtained in association with the first Bluetooth communications connection, information obtained in association with the second Bluetooth communications connection, and information describing the first data, and

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.

28. The storage medium of claim 27, 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.

29. The storage medium of claim 27, wherein:

the information describing the first data indicates that the first data is an application or part of an application that is to be installed on the apparatus, and

the storage medium 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 an application or part of an application that is to be installed on the apparatus.

30. The storage medium of claim 27, wherein:

the information describing the first data indicates that the first data is data collected by one or more sensors of the apparatus, and

the storage medium stores further instructions for controlling the at least one processor to utilize the second 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 data collected by the one or more sensors on the apparatus.

31. The storage medium of claim 30, wherein the one or more sensors of the apparatus includes a battery charge level sensor and the instructions for (c) include instructions for controlling the at least one processor to utilize the second Bluetooth communications connection to transmit the first data between the apparatus and the remote device when, at least in part, the information obtained from the one or more sensors in the apparatus includes battery charge level data from the battery charge level sensor that indicates that a charge level of a battery in the apparatus is below a first threshold.

32. The storage medium of claim 27, wherein the one or more sensors in the apparatus include at least one motion sensor and the instructions for (c) include instructions for controlling the at least one processor to utilize the second Bluetooth communications connection to transmit the first data between the apparatus and the remote device when, at least in part, the information from the one or more sensors includes information indicating that the apparatus is substantially stationary with respect to a global frame of reference.

33. The storage medium of claim 27, wherein the instructions for (c) include instructions for controlling the at least one processor to utilize the second Bluetooth communications connection to transmit the first data between the apparatus and the remote device when, at least in part, the information from the one or more sensors indicates that the apparatus is monitoring a sleep state of a wearer of the apparatus.