System and method for wireless device pairing

• US 9,048,923 B2
• Filed: 12/24/2013
• Issued: 06/02/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fitbit, Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Fitbit, Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Molettiere, Peter Andrew, Park, James, Bilodeaux-Dewey, Aislinn Abigail, Brumback, Christine Boomer, Friedman, Eric Nathan, Cole, Robert Curtis, Panther, Heiko Gernot Albert, Axley, Andrew Cole
• Primary Examiner(s): Lu, Zhiyu
• Application Number:
  US14/140,208
• Publication Number:
  US 20140235168A1
• Time in Patent Office: 525 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0242 adapted to measure environmental factors, e.g. temperature, pollution
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0204 Acoustic sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0223 Magnetic field sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0004 characterised by the type of physiological signal transmitted
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0008 Temperature signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02055 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular condition and temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02416 using photoplethysmograph signals, e.g. generated by infrared radiation A61B5/14552 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02438 with portable devices, e.g. worn by the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1112 Global tracking of patients, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/112 Gait analysis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4806 Sleep evaluation A61B5/4821 takes precedence; devices for inducing sleep A61M21/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/486 Bio-feedback A61B5/375 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4866 Evaluating metabolism A61B5/083 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7405 using sound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7435 Displaying user selection data, e.g. icons in a graphical user interface
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7455 characterised by tactile indication, e.g. vibration or electrical stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7475 User input or interface means, e.g. keyboard, pointing device, joystick
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 1/08 using electric transmission ; transformation of alarm signals to electrical signals from a different medium, e.g. transmission of an electric alarm signal upon detection of an audible alarm signal
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 : relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/40 : for the management of medical equipment or devices, e.g. scheduling maintenance or upgrades
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 : for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/26 : at least one of which is mobile
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 : for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• 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: 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: H04W 12/06 : Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/33 : using wearable devices, e.g. using a smartwatch or smart-glasses
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/50 : Secure pairing of devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/63 : Location-dependent; Proximity-dependent
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/64 : using geofenced areas
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/68 : Gesture-dependent or behaviour-dependent
• 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 8/005 : Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 : WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention include a system and method for wirelessly identifying and validating an electronic device in order to initiate a communication process with another device or a service. In an embodiment, the system includes a portable biometric monitoring device that is identified by a client device or a server for the purpose of initiating a pairing process. In an embodiment, pairing implies pairing the portable device to an online user account with minimal user interaction. After pairing, the portable device and appropriate client devices and servers communicate with little or no user interaction, for example to upload sensor data collected by the portable device.

Claims

1. A portable monitoring system, comprising:

a first device configurable to communicate wirelessly with a second device, wherein at least one of the first device and the second device comprises a portable monitoring device comprising,

wireless transmitter circuitry;

wireless receiver circuitry;

a plurality of sensors configurable to sense a plurality of physical phenomena;

user interface means for communicating to a user, wherein the user interface means comprises one or more of a screen, a touch screen, a vibramotor, a keyboard, light emitting diodes (LEDs), and buttons; and

processing circuitry configurable to interpret data from the plurality of sensors; and

wherein to communicate wirelessly includes a pairing process comprising,

the first device automatically discovering the second device by wireless communication;

the first device receiving user login information to log the user into a user account;

the first device sending a signal to a server that indicates the start of the pairing process;

the server sending user interface data for pairing to the first device;

the first device wirelessly detecting the second device, and requesting a response from the second device;

the first device receiving a response from the second device, including a device identification;

in response to the first device forwarding the received response to the server, the server sending a list of detected devices eligible for pairing to the first device;

when the second device is on the list of detected devices, the first device sending a command to the second device to enter pairing mode;

the second device cueing the user via the user interface to validate a request to pair;

the second device receiving input from the user to respond to the request, wherein the input is received by one or more of the plurality of sensors, wherein input comprises tapping only the second device anywhere on its exterior;

the second device detecting the tapping using a motion sensor; and

the first device and the second device completing the pairing process while remaining remote from each other.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensor comprises a motion sensor comprising at least one of an accelerometer, a gyroscope sensor, a microphone, an altimeter, and a magnetometer, and wherein the user response to the cue is detectable by the motion sensor.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a client device configurable to communicate with the portable monitoring device on behalf of the server, and to communicate data from the portable monitoring device to the server.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the client device comprises a client software application.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the server device comprises a mobile phone.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein pairing comprises pairing the portable monitoring device with a web based user account accessible through a web site as part of a setup process, wherein user data, including data entered by the user using the web site, is downloaded to the portable monitoring device.

7. The system of claim 2, wherein the processing circuitry is further configurable to process data from the plurality of sensors to generate a plurality of biometric data based on user physical activity, and wherein after pairing, the biometric data is automatically uploaded to the server when the device is in wireless communication range with one or more of the server and a client acting on behalf of the server.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensors comprises at least one of an audio sensor, an accelerometer, altimeter, photoplethysmograph, magnetometer, Global Positioning System sensor, thermometer, and a gyroscope.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the processor operates on data from the plurality of sensors to generate one or more of number of steps taken, amount of elevation gained, and distance traversed.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein cueing comprises causing the device to perform at least one of vibrating, illuminating, making a sound, and displaying a message.

11. The system of claim 3, wherein the server is further configurable to discover multiple portable monitoring devices in proximity for pairing, and to communicate with the user through a client user interface asking that the user choose one of the multiple devices to be paired.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein asking the user further comprises asking the user to move the chosen device closer to the client and move the other devices farther away from the client.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein receiving input from the user to respond to the request comprises an accelerometer sensing the user tapping the second device anywhere on its exterior surface without the user entering any data.