Secure pairing of devices via pairing facilitator-intermediary device

• US 9,253,168 B2
• Filed: 03/09/2015
• Issued: 02/02/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fitbit, Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Fitbit, Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Panther, Heiko Gernot Albert
• Primary Examiner(s): Schwartz, Darren B
• Application Number:
  US14/642,352
• Publication Number:
  US 20150180842A1
• Time in Patent Office: 330 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0024 for multiple sensor units attached to the patient, e.g. using a body or personal area network
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0205 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular conditions and different types of body conditions, e.g. heart and respiratory condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/11 Measuring movement of the entire body or parts thereof, e.g. head or hand tremor, mobility of a limb for measuring pulse A61B5/02 ;A61B5/1038 takes precedence; motion detection to correct for motion artifacts in physiological signals A61B5/721
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/681 Wristwatch-type devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6824 Arm or wrist
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6829 Foot or ankle
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0281 Proxies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0464 using hop-by-hop encryption, i.e. wherein an intermediate entity decrypts the information and re-encrypts it before forwarding it
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0471 applying encryption by an intermediary, e.g. receiving clear information at the intermediary and encrypting the received information at the intermediary before forwarding
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/00 Security arrangements; Authentication; Protecting privacy or anonymity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/35 Protecting application or service provisioning, e.g. securing SIM application provisioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/50 Secure pairing of devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup

Abstract

The present inventions, in one aspect, are directed to systems and circuitry for and/or methods of establishing communication having one or more pairing facilitator-intermediary devices (for example, a network connected server) to enable or facilitate pairing and/or registering at least two devices (e.g., (i) a portable biometric monitoring device and (ii) a smartphone, laptop and/or tablet) to, for example, recognize, interact and/or enable interoperability between such devices. The pairing facilitator-intermediary device may responsively communicates information to one or more of the devices (to be paired or registered) which, in response, enable or facilitate such devices to pair or register. The present inventions may be advantageous where one or both of the devices to be paired or registered is/are not configured (e.g., include a user interface or certain communication circuitry that is configured or includes functionality) to pair devices without use of a facilitator-intermediary device.

Claims

1. A method for pairing a first device with a second device, comprising:

using communication circuitry of the first device to send an encrypted instruction via a network to a pairing facilitator server, wherein using the communication circuitry is performed by the second device, wherein the first device and the second device are configured to be used by a user while performing an activity, wherein the encrypted instruction provides a secure communication channel between the second device and the pairing facilitator server;

receiving by the second device via the communication circuitry of the first device encrypted pairing information from the pairing facilitator server in response to sending the encrypted instruction;

decrypting by the second device the encrypted pairing information to access pairing information, wherein the pairing information includes an identifier of the second device and a secret code;

providing the pairing information from the second device to the first device;

pairing the first device with the second device after the first device receives the secret code and the identifier from the second device, wherein the pairing includes identifying the second device to the first device, wherein the secret code and the identifier are encrypted by the pairing facilitator server to generate the encrypted pairing information; and

providing data measured by the second device to the first device after the first and second devices are paired.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the data measured by the second device is stored within the second device, wherein the second device lacks a communication circuitry for receiving the unencrypted pairing information from the pairing facilitator server, wherein the second device lacks a user interface for receiving the unencrypted pairing information from the user.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving additional pairing information from the first device, wherein the first and second devices pair when the pairing information is provided to the first device and the additional pairing information is received from the first device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifier is designated to be sent to the first device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second devices communicate with each other via a communication protocol that is different from a communication protocol used between the pairing facilitator server and the first device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the network includes the Internet, wherein providing the pairing information is performed using a short-range wireless protocol and the first device and the pairing facilitator server are configured to communicate with each other via the Internet.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the second device includes a portable biometric monitoring device, wherein the portable monitoring device includes a sensor for sensing physiological metrics of the user while the portable monitoring device is worn by the user, wherein the portable biometric device includes a housing that houses the sensor and has a dead front display and has a button.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the second device includes a portable biometric device that includes a plurality of straps and a sensor case, the sensor case for housing a sensor device for sensing physiological metrics of the user while the portable biometric device is worn, wherein the sensor case lies between the straps and is adjacent to each of the straps, wherein the sensor case includes a cavity for receiving the sensor device, wherein one of the straps has a plurality of apertures and another one of the straps has a number of protrusions for fitting of the portable biometric device to a wrist of the user.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the sensor device includes a housing body and a housing cap that is configured to cover a space formed within the housing body, the housing body having a plurality of charging contacts for facilitating charging of the sensor device, wherein the space includes a sensor circuitry for sensing the physiological metrics.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the physiological metrics include a number of calories burned by the user, or a number of floors climbed by the user, or a number of floors descended by the user, or a heart rate of the user, or an elevation of the user, or a speed of movement of the user, or a distance traveled by the user, or a blood pressure of the user.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the first device includes a cell phone and the second device includes a portable monitoring device.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the information includes an instruction to facilitate the pairing between the first and second devices.

13. A method for pairing a computing device with a tracking device, comprising:

receiving an encrypted instruction from the tracking device for sending to a pairing facilitator server, wherein the tracking device and the computing device are configured to be used by a user while performing an activity, wherein the encrypted instruction provides a secure communication channel between the tracking device and the pairing facilitator server;

sending the encrypted instruction via a network to the pairing facilitator server;

receiving encrypted pairing information from the pairing facilitator server in response to sending the encrypted instruction;

sending the encrypted pairing information from the computing device to the tracking device; and

receiving by the computing device of unencrypted pairing information from the tracking device after sending the encrypted pairing information to the tracking device, wherein the unencrypted pairing information includes an identifier of the tracking device and a secret code;

pairing the computing device with the tracking device after receiving by the computing device the unencrypted pairing information from the tracking device, wherein the pairing includes identifying the tracking device to the computing device, wherein the secret code and the identifier are encrypted by the pairing facilitator server to generate the encrypted pairing information; and

receiving by the computing device data measured by the tracking device after the computing device and the tracking device are paired.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the data measured by the tracking device is stored within the tracking device, wherein the tracking device lacks a communication circuitry for receiving the unencrypted pairing information from the pairing facilitator server, wherein the second device lacks a user interface for receiving the unencrypted pairing information from the user.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising sending additional pairing information to the tracking device, wherein the computing and tracking devices pair after the unencrypted pairing information is received by the computing device and the additional pairing information is sent to the tracking device.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the identifier is designated to be sent to the computing device.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the computing and tracking devices communicate with each other via a communication protocol that is different from a communication protocol used between the pairing facilitator server and the computing device.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the network includes the Internet, wherein receiving the unencrypted pairing information is performed using a short-range wireless protocol and the computing device and the pairing facilitator server are configured to communicate with each other via the Internet.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the tracking device includes a portable biometric monitoring device, wherein the portable monitoring device includes a sensor for sensing physiological metrics of the user while the portable monitoring device is worn by the user, wherein the portable monitoring device includes a housing that houses the sensor and has a dead front display and has a button.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein the tracking device includes a portable biometric device that includes a plurality of straps and a sensor case, the sensor case for housing a sensor device for sensing physiological metrics of the user while the portable biometric device is worn by the user, wherein the sensor case lies between the straps and is adjacent to each of the straps, wherein the sensor case includes a cavity for receiving the sensor device, wherein one of the straps has a plurality of apertures and another one of the straps has a number of protrusions for fitting of the portable biometric device to a wrist of the user.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the sensor device includes a housing body and a housing cap that is configured to cover a space formed within the housing body, the housing body having a plurality of charging contacts for facilitating charging of the sensor device, wherein the space includes a sensor circuitry for sensing the physiological metrics.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the physiological metrics include a number of calories burned by the user, or a number of floors climbed by the user, or a number of floors descended by the user, or a heart rate of the user, or an elevation of the user, or a speed of movement of the user, or a distance traveled by the user, or a blood pressure of the user.

23. A method for pairing a computing device with a tracking device, comprising:

receiving by the computing device an encrypted instruction from the tracking device for sending to a server, wherein the tracking device and the computing device are configured to be used by a user while performing an activity, wherein the encrypted instruction provides a secure communication channel between the tracking device and the server;

sending by the computing device the encrypted instruction to the server;

receiving by the computing device encrypted pairing information from the server in response to sending the encrypted instruction;

sending the encrypted pairing information from the computing device to the tracking device;

decrypting by the tracking device the encrypted pairing information to generate unencrypted pairing information, wherein the unencrypted pairing information includes an identifier of the tracking device and a secret code; and

providing by the tracking device the unencrypted pairing information to the computing device;

pairing the computing device with the tracking device after receiving by the computing device the unencrypted pairing information from the tracking device, wherein the pairing includes identifying the tracking device to the computing device, wherein the secret code and the identifier are encrypted by the server to generate the encrypted pairing information; and

receiving by the computing device data measured by the tracking device after the computing device and the tracking device are paired.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the tracking device lacks a communication circuitry for receiving the unencrypted pairing information from the pairing facilitator server, wherein the tracking device lacks a user interface for receiving the unencrypted pairing information from the user.

25. The method of claim 23, further comprising receiving additional pairing information from the computing device, wherein the computing and tracking devices pair when the unencrypted pairing information is provided to the computing device and the additional pairing information is received from the computing device.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein the identifier is designated to be sent to the computing device.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein the computing and tracking devices communicate with each other via a communication protocol that is different from a communication protocol used between the server and the computing device.

28. A method for pairing a computing device with a wearable monitoring device, comprising:

using communication circuitry of the computing device to send an encrypted instruction to a server, wherein using the communication circuitry is performed by the wearable monitoring device, wherein the wearable monitoring device and the computing device are configured to be used by the user while performing an activity, wherein the encrypted instruction provides a secure communication channel between the wearable monitoring device and the server;

receiving by the server the encrypted instruction;

in response to receiving the encrypted instruction, sending encrypted pairing information to the communication circuitry of the computing device;

receiving by the computing device the encrypted pairing information;

sending the encrypted pairing information from the computing device to the wearable monitoring device;

decrypting by the wearable monitoring device the encrypted pairing information to generate unencrypted pairing information, wherein the unencrypted pairing information includes an identifier of the wearable monitoring device and a secret code; and

providing by the wearable monitoring device the unencrypted pairing information to the computing device;

pairing the computing device with the wearable monitoring device after receiving by the computing device the unencrypted pairing information from the wearable monitoring device, wherein the pairing includes identifying the wearable monitoring device to the computing device, wherein the secret code and the identifier are encrypted by the server to generate the encrypted pairing information; and

receiving by the computing device data measured by the wearable monitoring device after the computing device and the wearable monitoring device are paired.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the wearable monitoring device lacks a communication circuitry for receiving the unencrypted pairing information from the pairing facilitator server, wherein the wearable monitoring device lacks a user interface for receiving the unencrypted pairing information from the user.

30. The method of claim 28, further comprising receiving additional pairing information from the computing device, wherein the computing and wearable monitoring devices pair when the unencrypted pairing information is provided from the wearable monitoring to the computing device and the additional pairing information is received by the wearable monitoring device from the computing device.