Method and system for locating an accessory and an application for use with a user device

• US 9,022,279 B2
• Filed: 06/15/2010
• Issued: 05/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Bolton, Lawrence G., Langenfeld, Peter T., Toprani, Shyam S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Michael G
• Assistant Examiner(s): GUDORF, LAURA A
• Application Number:
  US12/816,345
• Publication Number:
  US 20110303741A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,785 Days
• Field of Search: 235/375, 455418-420, 455/556.1, 709/230, 710/11, 710/105
• US Class Current: 235/375
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

A method for identifying an application usable with an accessory is provided. The method includes receiving an accessory identifier associated with the accessory, identifying an application protocol associated with the accessory identifier, identifying an application that supports the application protocol, and providing information about the application to a user device. A method for identifying an accessory usable with an application is also provided. The method includes receiving information about an application, determining an application protocol associated with the application, determining an accessory that supports the application protocol, and providing information about the accessory to a user device.

Claims

1. A method for identifying an application usable with an accessory, the method comprising, by a computer system:

receiving, via a user device, an input indicative of an accessory identifier associated with the accessory, wherein the user device receives the accessory identifier via a first communication channel different from a second communication channel used by an accessory communication protocol for communication between the user device and the accessory;

analyzing the accessory identifier to determine an application protocol associated with the accessory identifier, wherein analyzing the accessory identifier includes accessing a database comprising information associating accessory identifiers with application protocols;

identifying an application that supports the application protocol, wherein identifying the application includes accessing a database comprising information associating application protocols with specific applications that support each application protocol; and

providing information about the application to the user device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first communication channel is associated with an input device, the input device comprising one of a barcode scanner, a near field communication unit, or a user interface screen.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the accessory identifier comprises one or more of:

a universal product code (UPC) associated with the accessory;

or

a serial number associated with the accessory;

or

a model number associated with the accessory;

or

a name of the accessory.

4. A computer server comprising:

an input interface configured to communicate with a requesting device;

a storage medium storing a database, wherein the database comprises;

information associating an accessory identifier with an accessory;

information associating the accessory identifier with an application protocol;

information associating the application protocol with an application that supports the application protocol; and

information associating the application protocol with the accessory; and

a processor coupled to the input interface and the storage device, the processor configured to;

receive input from the requesting device including a first accessory identifier;

execute queries for searching the database based on the input received from the requesting device via the input interface, including executing a first query using the first accessory identifier to identify a first application protocol and executing a second query using the first application protocol to identify at least one application that supports the first application protocol; and

report a query result to the requesting device, the query result including an identifier of the at least one application that supports the first application protocol.

5. The computer server of claim 4 wherein the input comprises at least one of an accessory identifier, information about the application protocol, or information about the application.

6. The computer server of claim 4 wherein the requesting device is an accessory.

7. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a plurality of instructions that when executed by a processor in a computer system, cause the processor to perform a method for identifying an application usable with an accessory, the method comprising:

receiving an input indicative of an accessory identifier associated with the accessory via an input device, wherein the input device receives the accessory identifier via a communication channel different from another communication channel used by an accessory communication protocol;

determining an application protocol associated with the accessory identifier, wherein determining the application protocol includes accessing a database comprising information associating accessory identifiers with application protocols;

identifying an application that supports the application protocol, wherein identifying the application includes accessing a database comprising information associating application protocols with specific applications that support each application protocol; and

providing information about the application to the input device.

8. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 7 wherein the method further comprises:

determining one or more additional accessories that are compatible with the application protocol; and

providing information about the one or more additional accessories to the input device.

9. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 7 wherein the accessory identifier comprises at least one of a universal product code, a name of the accessory, a serial number of the accessory, or a model number of the accessory.

10. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 7 wherein the input device comprises one of:

a user interface configured to receive input from a user;

or

a barcode scanner;

or

an RFID tag reader.

11. A kiosk comprising:

an interface for connecting to an external device; and

a processor configured to;

provide a user interface configured to accept input from an external source;

receive, via the user interface, information about an accessory, the information comprising an accessory identifier;

search a database to determine an application protocol supported by the accessory;

search the database to identify an application that supports the application protocol; and

provide information about the application via the user interface.