System and method for command and control of wireless devices using a wearable device

• US 7,605,714 B2
• Filed: 05/13/2005
• Issued: 10/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Lang, Eric G., Thompson, R. Donald, Sanchez, Russell I.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zimmerman; Brian A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen; Nam V
• Application Number:
  US11/128,898
• Publication Number:
  US 20060255963A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,621 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.69, 340/825.72, 340/825.24, 340/10.1, 700 65- 66, 341/176
• US Class Current: 340/539.11
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/30 User interface
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/91 Remote control based on location and proximity
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 23/04 using light waves, e.g. infrared
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/385 Transceivers carried on the body, e.g. in helmets

Abstract

A wearable electronic device is configured to control and command a variety of wireless devices within its proximity. The wearable device dynamically generates a user interface corresponding to the services of a particular wireless device. Through the user interface, the wireless device surface content to a user and allows a user select interactions with the wireless devices using the wearable device.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for controlling a wireless device using a wearable wristwatch device that provides bi-directional communication, the computer-implemented method comprising:

broadcasting a discovery probe from the wristwatch device, wherein the discovery probe includes an identifier that identifies information from the wristwatch device;

receiving, on the wristwatch device, at least one response from a wireless device, wherein the response includes a wireless device identifier and a profile of the wireless device, wherein the profile includes communication attributes of the wireless device;

determining whether a service is configured in the wristwatch device, wherein the service provides information for facilitating communication between the wristwatch device and the wireless device based on the received profile, wherein determining whether a service is configured in the wristwatch device to provide communication between the wristwatch device and the wireless device based on the received profile includes;

retrieving the service information from a storage library in the wristwatch device when the received profile matches a service in the storage library,

retrieving the service information from a database remote to the wristwatch device when the received profile does not match a service in the storage library;

initiating a communication connection between the wristwatch device and the wireless device based on the retrieved service information;

after initiating the communication connection between the wristwatch device and the wireless device, receiving a communication constraint policy on the wristwatch device related to the wireless device, wherein the policy includes a brokering level that indicates the public availability of data of the wireless device, wherein the policy includes a security level that indicates access rights for the wristwatch device to access applications of the wireless device;

accessing, from the wristwatch device, a profile provider of the wireless device based on the brokering level and security level of the received policy, wherein the profile provider provides a plug-in based on the brokering level and the security level for the wireless device in order to receive events occurring on the wireless device;

dynamically generating a user-interface on the wristwatch device for receiving the events occurring on the wireless device based on the plug-in provided by the profile provider, wherein user interface display elements of the user-interface are objected from an extensible library of user interface display elements in the wristwatch device;

receiving an event on the wristwatch device from the wireless device according to the plug-in provided by the profile provider;

selecting an action associated with the event on the wristwatch device; and

forwarding the selected action from the wristwatch device for execution on the wireless device.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein selecting an action associated with the event includes receiving and indication that a hardware button of the wristwatch device has been engaged.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the wireless device is a cellular telephone, wherein the received event is an incoming telephone call on the cellular telephone, wherein the action is a voicemail action, wherein selection of the voicemail action forwards the voicemail action to the cellular telephone to cause the incoming call to be sent to a voicemail of the cellular telephone.

4. The computer-implement method of claim 1, wherein the wireless device is a heart monitor.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the discovery probe includes a device-type restraint which limits the probe to a device-type.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the service is configured to provide communication between the wristwatch device and the wireless device based on the received profile includes a determination based on fuzzy matching.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the service is configured to provide communication between the wristwatch device and the wireless device based on the received profile includes a determination based on a class of the wireless device.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein selecting an action associated with the event is automatic based on a preselected mode of the wristwatch device.

9. A computer readable storage medium having computer executable instructions for controlling a wireless device using a wearable wristwatch device that provides bi-directional communication, the instructions comprising:

broadcasting a discovery probe from the wristwatch device;

receiving, on the wristwatch device, at least one response from a wireless device, wherein the response includes a wireless device identifier that is associated with a profile of the wireless device;

determining a service configured to provide communication between the wristwatch device and the wireless device based on the received profile;

initiating a communication connection between the wristwatch device and the wireless device based on the service;

after initiating the communication connection between the wristwatch device and the wireless device, receiving a policy on the wristwatch device related to the wireless device, wherein the policy includes a security level that indicates access rights for the wristwatch device to access the wireless device;

accessing, from the wristwatch device, a profile provider of the wireless device based on the security level of the received policy, wherein the profile provider provides a plug-in based on the security level for the wireless device in order to receive events occurring on the wireless device;

generating a user-interface on the wristwatch device for receiving the events occurring on the wireless device based on the plug-in provided by the profile provider; and

receiving an event on the wristwatch device from the wireless device according to the plug-in provided by the profile provider.

10. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the wireless device is a cellular telephone, wherein the received event is an incoming telephone call on the cellular telephone.

11. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the wireless device is a heart monitor.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the discovery probe includes a device-type restraint which limits the probe to a device-type.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein determining the service configured to provide communication between the wristwatch device and the wireless device based on the received profile includes a determination based on fuzzy matching.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein determining the service configured to provide communication between the wristwatch device and the wireless device based on the received profile includes a determination based on a class of the wireless device.

15. A system for controlling a wireless device using a wearable wristwatch device that provides bi-directional communication, the system comprising:

a processor in the wristwatch device; and

a memory in the wristwatch device having computer-executable instructions stored thereon, wherein the computer-executable instructions are configured for;

broadcasting a discovery probe from the wristwatch device;

receiving, on the wristwatch device, at least one response from a wireless device, wherein the response includes a wireless device identifier that is associated with a profile of the wireless device;

determining a service configured to provide communication between the wristwatch device and the wireless device based on the received profile;

initiating a communication connection between the wristwatch device and the wireless device based on the service;

after initiating the communication connection between the wristwatch device and the wireless device, receiving a policy on the wristwatch device related to the wireless device, wherein the policy includes a security level that indicates access rights for the wristwatch device to access the wireless device;

accessing, from the wristwatch device, a profile provider of the wireless device based on the security level of the received policy, wherein the profile provider provides a plug-in based on the security level for the wireless device in order to receive events occurring on the wireless device;

generating a user-interface on the wristwatch device for receiving the events occurring on the wireless device based on the plug-in provided by the profile provider; and

receiving an event on the wristwatch device from the wireless device according to the plug-in provided by the profile provider.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the wireless device is a cellular telephone, wherein the received event is an incoming telephone call on the cellular telephone.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the wireless device is a heart monitor.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the discovery probe includes a device-type restraint which limits the probe to a device-type.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein determining the service configured to provide communication between the wristwatch device and the wireless device based on the received profile includes a determination based on fuzzy matching.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein determining the service configured to provide communication between the wristwatch device and the wireless device based on the received profile includes a determination based on a class of the wireless device.