Distributed Method and System to Improve Collaborative Services Across Multiple Devices

• US 20160234206A1
• Filed: 02/08/2016
• Published: 08/11/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Garmin International, Inc. (Garmin Limited)
• Original Assignee: Nxt-Id, Inc.
• Inventors: Tunnell, Andrew, Mitchell, Justin, Powers, Sean, Tunnell, David
• Granted Patent: US 9,979,724 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0861 using biometrical features, e.g. fingerprint, retina-scan cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using biological data H04L9/3231
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/33 using wearable devices, e.g. using a smartwatch or smart-glasses
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]

Abstract

A distributed system and method to improve collaborative service across multiple sensors on various devices. According to one embodiment, multiple devices may be used to train and then utilize a common algorithm for purposes including but not limited to recognizing a source to perform some action, control, command, calculation, storage, retrieval, encryption, decryption, alerting, alarming, notifying or as in some embodiments, to authenticate. In one embodiment of the invention, devices with one or more sensors such as but not limited to microphones, acoustic arrays or audio sensors may contribute to one or more models by sending samples, features, recognition scores, and/or risk scores to each other to improve collaborative training, signal quality, recognition, synchronization, inter-device proximity location and/or fusion of recognition scores and/or risk scores.

Claims

1. A system for collaborating services, the system comprising:

a first device having a first sensor for determining information from a source;

a second device;

the first and second devices in a linked condition to operate collaboratively to perform a collaborative service;

the first device for forwarding at least a portion of the information to the second device; and

each of the first and second devices for analyzing the information and for collaborating results.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein an action, control, alert, alarm, notify, command, or request is responsive to the collaborative service.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the collaborative service authenticates the source using the portion of the information.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein after authentication one or both of the first and second devices stores, retrieves, encrypts or decrypts calculates, modifies, or transforms data on one or both of the first and second devices.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the first and second devices independently analyze the information and responsive thereto the first device assigns a first score and the second device assigns a second score, wherein one or both of the first and second scores are sent to the respective second and first devices.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the first and second devices collaborate to assign a collaborative score.

7. The system of claim 1 the first and second devices for analyzing the information according to operating characteristics of each one of the first and second devices, the operating characteristics comprising power, bandwidth, proximity, processing power, range, availability, memory capacity, available power, sensor type, and sensor quality.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein one of the first and second devices requests additional or different information from another of the first and second devices for use in authenticating or identifying the source.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the source comprises a human source or a physical object source.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the linked condition comprises the first and second devices authenticated to each other.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the information comprises identification information further comprising sound samples, speech samples, sound features, speech features, voice, whistles, clicks, claps, music, behavior metrics, or biometrics.

12. The system of claim 11 the first device for analyzing the identification information using a first recognition model and the second device for analyzing the identification information using a second recognition model.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein the first and second devices exchange recognition model information for use in training the recognition model for use in identifying or authenticating the source.

14. The system of claim 11 the first and second devices for analyzing the identification information comprises one or both of the first and second devices determining one or both of a recognition score and a risk score, and wherein authentication of the source is responsive to one or both of the recognition score and the risk score.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein one or both of the recognition score and the risk score are used to assign the source to an authentication class indicative of the risk level of transactions with the source.

16. The system of claim 11 wherein operating collaboratively comprises operating collaboratively to authenticate the source, to authenticate the source one or both of the first and second devices receive identification information from the source, one or both of the first and second devices receive additional identification information from the source, or one or both of the first and second devices process the identification information or the additional identification information.

17. The system of claim 11 wherein identification information comprises source identification information from a sensor on one or both of the first and second devices or comprises derived identification information derived from the source identification information.

18. The system of claim 11 wherein the identification information is sensed by both the first and second devices and a synchronization packet is exchanged between the first and second devices to synchronize sensing of the identification information at the first and second devices.

19. The system of claim 1 wherein one of the first and second devices facilitate a control service for controlling one or more of a door lock, a window blind, a television, a home automation device, a thermostat, a light, an irrigation system, a fan, a light switch, an alarm system, an appliance, a digital picture frame, a cooking utensil, music equipment, gaming equipment, a server, a computer, a tablet, a vehicle, a garage door opener, or a keyless lock.

20. The system of claim 1 wherein one of the first and second devices comprises a cell phone, a watch, a wallet, a necklace, a bracelet, a ring, or a wearable.

21. A system for collaborating services, the system comprising:

a first device having a first sensor for determining information presented by a source;

a second device;

the first and second devices in a linked condition to operate collaboratively to perform a collaborative service;

the first device for forwarding at least a portion of the information to the second device; and

each of the first and second devices for analyzing the information or for collaborating results, and one or both of the first and second devices for executing an action, control, command, or request.

22. The system of claim 25 wherein the information comprises a biometric or a behavior metric.

23. A system for collaborating services, the system comprising:

a first device having a first sensor for determining information from a source;

a second device;

the first and second devices in a linked condition to operate collaboratively to perform a collaborative service;

the first device for determining that the second device is outside a predetermined area; and

the first device for geo-locating the second device.