Device pairing via intermediary device

• US 7,865,140 B2
• Filed: 06/14/2005
• Issued: 01/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Invention Science Fund I, L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: The Invention Science Fund I, L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Cohen, Alexander J., Lord, Robert W., Levien, Royce A., Jung, Edward K. Y., Malamud, Mark A., Rinaldo, John D. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TUAN HOANG
• Application Number:
  US11/153,922
• Publication Number:
  US 20060281409A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,030 Days
• Field of Search: 455 411- 413, 455410-411, 455/420
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/08 User group management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/186 Processing of subscriber group data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

A first device may include and/or involve at least one contact sensor, and logic to facilitate pairing between a second device and a third device as a result of contact between the contact sensor and at least one of the second and third devices.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

facilitating pairing of a second device and a third device using a first electronic device by physically touching the first electronic device to the second device, physically separating the first electronic device from the second device, and then physically touching the first electronic device to the third device, wherein an indication of at least one of how and whether pairing of the second device and the third device should be accomplished is determined in response to relative motion and duration of contact detected between the first electronic device and at least one of the second device and the third device, wherein pairing information is communicated from the first electronic device to at least one of the second device and the third device as a result of physical contact with at least one of the second device and the third device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein an indication of at least one of how and whether pairing of the second device and the third device should be accomplished is determined in response to relative motion and duration of contact detected between the first electronic device and at least one of the second device and the third device comprises:

wherein an indication of at least one of how and whether pairing of the second device and the third device should be accomplished is determined in response to multiple instances of contact detected between the first electronic device and at least one of the second device and the third device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein an indication of at least one of how and whether pairing of the second device and the third device should be accomplished is determined in response to relative motion and duration of contact detected between the first electronic device and at least one of the second device and the third device comprises:

wherein an indication of at least one of how and whether pairing of the second device and the third device should be accomplished is determined in response to intensity of contact detected between the first electronic device and at least one of the second device and the third device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein an indication of at least one of how and whether pairing of the second device and the third device should be accomplished is determined in response to intensity of contact detected between the first electronic device and at least one of the second device and the third device comprises:

wherein an indication of at least one of how and whether pairing of the second device and the third device should be accomplished is determined in response to at least one of average contact force, peak contact force, and force gradient detected between the first electronic device and at least one of the second device and the third device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein an indication of at least one of how and whether pairing of the second device and the third device should be accomplished is determined in response to relative motion and duration of contact detected between the first electronic device and at least one of the second device and the third device comprises:

wherein an indication of at least one of how and whether pairing of the second device and the third device should be accomplished is determined in response to one or more points of contact detected between the first electronic device and at least one of the second device and the third device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the second device and the third device are designated by the first electronic device through contact.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the facilitating pairing of a second device and a third device using a first electronic device comprises:

facilitating substantially unrestricted pairing of a second device and a third device using a first electronic device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the facilitating pairing of a second device and a third device using a first electronic device comprises:

facilitating pairing of a second device and a third device using a first electronic device that is substantially exclusively dedicated to enabling pairing.

9. A system comprising:

a first electronic device, a second device, and a third device;

logic to facilitate pairing between the second device and the third device as a result of physically touching the first electronic device to the second device, physically separating the first electronic device from the second device, physically touching the first electronic device to the third device, and wirelessly communicating information from at least one of the second device and the third device to a fourth device; and

logic to communicate pairing information from memory of the first electronic device to at least one of the second device and the third device upon physical contact of the first electronic device with the second device or the third device.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the logic to communicate pairing information from memory of the first electronic device to at least one of the second device and the third device comprises:

logic to receive the pairing information from the second device as a result of contact with the second device, and to communicate the pairing information to the third device as a result of contact with the third device.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the logic to communicate pairing information from memory of the first electronic device to at least one of the second device and the third device comprises:

logic to communicate the pairing information to the second device as a result of contact with the second device, and to communicate the pairing information to the third device as a result of contact with the third device.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the logic to communicate pairing information to the second device as a result of contact with the second device, and to communicate the pairing information to the third device as a result of contact with the third device comprises:

logic to communicate the pairing information via one or more points of contact.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the logic to communicate pairing information from memory of the first electronic device to at least one of the second device and the third device comprises:

logic to communicate pairing information from memory of the first electronic device to at least one of the second device and the third device via one or more points of contact.