Methods, systems and devices for linking user devices to activity tracking devices

• US 9,370,320 B2
• Filed: 04/29/2014
• Issued: 06/21/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fitbit, Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Fitbit, Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Messenger, Jayson, Burton, Barry, Park, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Raymond, Edward
• Application Number:
  US14/265,320
• Publication Number:
  US 20140236538A1
• Time in Patent Office: 784 Days
• Field of Search: 702/160, 702/150, 702182-185, 702/188
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0214 of power generation or supply
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0242 adapted to measure environmental factors, e.g. temperature, pollution
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0271 using a remote monitoring unit
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• 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 5/021 Measuring pressure in heart or blood vessels A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/024 Detecting, measuring or recording pulse rate or heart rate A61B5/0205, A61B5/021 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1112 Global tracking of patients, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1118 Determining activity level
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/222 combined with detection or measurement of physiological parameters, e.g. heart rate
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4809 Sleep detection, i.e. determining whether a subject is asleep or not
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4812 Detecting sleep stages or cycles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4815 Sleep quality
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6838 Clamps or clips
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/73 Altitude
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/06 heartbeat rate only
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/50 temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/70 body fat
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/75 calorie expenditure
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0003 : Analysing the course of a movement or motion sequences during an exercise or trainings sequence, e.g. swing for golf or tennis
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0062 : Monitoring athletic performances, e.g. for determining the work of a user on an exercise apparatus, the completed jogging or cycling distance
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0686 : Timers, rhythm indicators or pacing apparatus using electric or electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 22/00 : Measuring distance traversed on the ground by vehicles, persons, animals or other moving solid bodies, e.g. using odometers, using pedometers
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 22/006 : Pedometers
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 13/00 : Indicating or recording presence, absence, or direction, of movement electric switches H01H; counting moving objects G06M7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/00 : Digital computers in general details G06F1/00 – G06F13/00; Data processing equipment in general
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 : relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/60 : for the operation of medical equipment or devices
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 : for local operation

Abstract

Methods, systems and devices for linking devices to tracking devices is provided. One method includes scanning, by an activity tracking device, for a semi-unique identifier broadcasted by a device. The method connects the device with the activity tracking device after the semi-unique identifier is found to be of the device by the activity tracking device. The activity tracking device is configured to communicate with the device to obtain a device identification (ID) of the device. The method then automatically linking the device to the activity tracking device when the device ID of the device matches a copy of the device ID stored in the activity tracking device. In one example, the tracking devices operate as a master and the devices operate as a slave.

Claims

1. A method, comprising,

scanning, by an activity tracking device, for a semi-unique identifier broadcasted by a device;

connecting the device with the activity tracking device after the semi-unique identifier is found to be of the device by the activity tracking device, the activity tracking device configured to query the device to obtain a device identification (ID) of the device;

linking the device to the activity tracking device when the device ID of the device matches a copy of the device ID stored in the activity tracking device; and

automatically processing the connecting to then process the linking without requiring user input, the activity tracking device being configured to store additional device IDs associated with devices that have been pre-defined to link to the activity tracking device, the devices being pre-defined to link to the activity tracking device based on pre-made pairings of the devices to the activity tracking device, as defined in a user account, and the user account maintaining a current association of the activity tracking device to one or more devices, the method being executed by a processor.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the scanning and connecting is repeated for other devices having the semi-unique identifier until the match is made between the device ID and the copy of the device ID.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein when the linking is complete, data captured by the activity tracking device is transferred to the device for display on a screen of the display.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the user account is associated with a website and manages a current association of the activity tracking device to the device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the user account is accessible by one or both of the activity tracking device and the device, the website being executed by a server.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the device ID,

is a unique identifier;

or

is a semi-unique identifier;

or

is an identifier that is part of the device ID;

or

is a randomly generated number that is pre-associated to the device ID.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein broadcasting of the semi-unique identifier includes transmitting data by a wireless communication device of the device.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the wireless communication device enables at least part of the broadcasting using a Bluetooth low energy (BT LE) protocol, or a Bluetooth (BT) protocol, or a WiFi protocol, or a cellular protocol, or a radio transmission protocol, or a combination of two or more thereof.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the user account is managed by a website server.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the semi-unique identifier is bit data transferred in payload of an advertising packet, the advertising packet being broadcast by the device.

11. A tracking device configured for capture of activity for a user, comprising,

a housing;

a sensor disposed in the housing to capture motion data associated with activity of the user;

memory for storing the captured motion data and a device identification (ID) of a device that the tracking device is able to initiate connection and link therewith; and

a processor configured to scan for a semi-unique identifier broadcasted by the device, the processor enabling connection with the device with the tracking device after the semi-unique identifier is found to be of the device by the tracking device, the tracking device configured to query the device to obtain a device identification (ID) of the device, the processor linking the device to the tracking device when the device ID of the device matches a copy of the device ID stored in the memory of the tracking device,

the device being a portable computing device, the device configured for access with an activity management server over the Internet, the activity management server having a user account in which the tracking device is associated, and the user account enabling association of additional tracking devices and additional portable computing devices, and their associations for enabling respective links.

12. The tracking device of claim 11, wherein the housing is part of a wearable wrist attachable structure, or an attachable structure that can be carried or worn by the user, and the wearable wrist attachable structure is defined at least partially from a plastic material, the housing further including a battery for providing power to the tracking device.

13. The tracking device of claim 11, wherein the housing further includes wireless communication logic for enabling wireless connections.

14. A tracking device configured for capture of activity for a user, comprising,

a housing;

a sensor disposed in the housing to capture motion data associated with activity of the user;

memory for storing the captured motion data and a device identification (ID) of a device that the tracking device is able to initiate connection and link therewith; and

a processor configured to scan for a semi-unique identifier broadcasted by the device, the processor enabling connection with the device with the tracking device after the semi-unique identifier is found to be of the device by the tracking device, the tracking device configured to query the device to obtain a device identification (ID) of the device, the processor linking the device to the tracking device when the device ID of the device matches a copy of the device ID stored in the memory of the tracking device, the processor of the tracking device including circuits, and at least one of said circuits including a firmware circuit having program instructions to enable the linking and then enabling transfer of data collected by the tracking device to the device for display on a screen of the device.

15. Computer readable medium having program instructions for enabling tracking devices to automatically link with devices, the computer readable medium, comprising,

program instructions for scanning, by an activity tracking device, for a semi-unique identifier broadcasted by a device;

program instructions for connecting the device with the activity tracking device after the semi-unique identifier is found to be of the device by the activity tracking device, the activity tracking device configured to query the device to obtain a device identification (ID) of the device; and

program instructions for linking the device to the activity tracking device when the device ID of the device matches a copy of the device ID stored in the activity tracking device; and

program instructions for automatically processing the connecting to then process the linking without requiring user input, the activity tracking device being configured to store additional device IDs associated with devices that have been pre-defined to link to the activity tracking device, the devices being pre-defined to link to the activity tracking device based on pre-made pairings of the devices to the activity tracking device as defined in a user account, and the user account maintaining a current association of the activity tracking device to one or more devices.

16. An activity tracking device configured for capture of activity for a user, comprising,

a housing;

a sensor disposed in the housing to capture motion data associated with activity of the user;

memory for storing the captured motion data and a copy of a device identification (ID) of a device that the activity tracking device is able to initiate connection and link therewith; and

a processor configured to scan for a semi-unique identifier broadcasted by a device, connect the device with the activity tracking device after the semi-unique identifier is found to be of the device by the activity tracking device, the processor is configured to query the device to obtain the device identification (ID) of the device, link the device to the activity tracking device when the device ID of the device matches the copy of the device ID stored in the memory of the activity tracking device, the processor automatically processing the connecting to then process the linking without requiring user input, the activity tracking device being configured to store additional device IDs associated with devices that have been pre-defined to link to the activity tracking device, the devices being pre-defined to link to the activity tracking device based on pre-made pairings of the devices to the activity tracking device, as defined in a user account, and the user account maintaining a current association of the activity tracking device to one or more devices.

17. A method, comprising,

scanning, by an activity tracking device, for a semi-unique identifier broadcasted by a device;

connecting the device with the activity tracking device after the semi-unique identifier is found to be of the device by the activity tracking device, the activity tracking device configured to query the device to obtain a device identification (ID) of the device;

linking the device to the activity tracking device when the device ID of the device matches a copy of the device ID stored in the activity tracking device, the device being a portable computing device, the device configured for access with an activity management server over the Internet, the activity management server having a user account in which the activity tracking device is associated, and the user account enabling association of additional activity tracking devices and additional portable computing devices, and their associations for enabling respective linking.

18. Computer readable media having non-transitory program instructions, comprising,

program instructions for scanning, by an activity tracking device, for a semi-unique identifier broadcasted by a device;

program instructions for connecting the device with the activity tracking device after the semi-unique identifier is found to be of the device by the activity tracking device, the activity tracking device configured to query the device to obtain a device identification (ID) of the device;

program instructions for linking the device to the activity tracking device when the device ID of the device matches a copy of the device ID stored in the activity tracking device, the device being a portable computing device, the device configured for access with an activity management server over the Internet, the activity management server having a user account in which the activity tracking device is associated, and the user account enabling association of additional activity tracking devices and additional portable computing devices, and their associations for enabling respective linking.

19. A method, comprising,

scanning, by an activity tracking device, for a semi-unique identifier broadcasted by a device;

connecting the device with the activity tracking device after the semi-unique identifier is found to be of the device by the activity tracking device, the activity tracking device configured to query the device to obtain a device identification (ID) of the device;

linking the device to the activity tracking device when the device ID of the device matches a copy of the device ID stored in the activity tracking device;

wherein a processor of the activity tracking device includes circuits, and at least one of said circuits include a firmware circuit having program instructions to enable the linking and then enabling transfer of data collected by the activity tracking device to the device for display on a screen of the device.

20. Computer readable media having non-transitory program instructions, comprising,

program instructions for scanning, by an activity tracking device, for a semi-unique identifier broadcasted by a device;

program instructions for connecting the device with the activity tracking device after the semi-unique identifier is found to be of the device by the activity tracking device, the activity tracking device configured to query the device to obtain a device identification (ID) of the device;

program instructions for linking the device to the activity tracking device when the device ID of the device matches a copy of the device ID stored in the activity tracking device, the activity tracking device having circuits, and at least one of said circuits include a firmware circuit having program instructions to enable the linking and then enabling transfer of data collected by the activity tracking device to the device for display on a screen of the device.