Systems and methods for data transfer

• US 9,596,560 B2
• Filed: 06/19/2014
• Issued: 03/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Fossil Incorporated
• Inventors: Diamond, Steven, Vu, Sonny
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Lee
• Application Number:
  US14/309,195
• Publication Number:
  US 20150004912A1
• Time in Patent Office: 999 Days
• Field of Search: 455 411- 413, 600/300
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 using movement velocity, acceleration information
• 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

Abstract

A method includes sensing physical proximity between a first device and a second device. At least one of the first device and the second device has transferrable data stored thereon. The method further includes monitoring whether the first device and the second device maintain physical proximity. The method further includes transferring the data between the first device and the second device while the first device and the second device maintain physical proximity.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

sensing physical proximity between a first device and a second device, at least one of the first device and the second device having transferrable data stored thereon, including generating a detection signal based on detecting a sensed component of the first device by a sensing component of the second device;

monitoring whether the first device and the second device maintain physical proximity;

transferring the data between the first device and the second device while the first device and the second device maintain physical proximity; and

varying a power level associated with the transfer of data based on variation in the detection signal, including reducing the power level associated with the transfer of data when the detection signal increases, and increasing the power level associated with the transfer of data when the detection signal decreases.

2. The method of claim 1, the sensing further comprising deeming the first device and the second device to be in physical proximity when the detection signal meets a detection criterion.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the detection signal meets the detection criterion when it crosses a threshold value.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensed component includes a conductive component and the sensing component includes a capacitive component,

further comprising deeming the first device and the second device to be in physical proximity when the conductive component of the first device detectably disrupts an electric field of the capacitive component of the second device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensed component includes a magnetic component, wherein the sensing component includes a magnetic sensor,

further comprising deeming the first device and the second device to be in physical proximity when a magnetic field of the magnetic component detected by the magnetic sensor crosses a threshold value.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensed component includes an optical component, wherein the sensing component includes an optical sensor,

further comprising deeming the first device and the second device to be in physical proximity when the optical component is detectable by the optical sensor.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensed component includes an acoustic component, wherein the sensing component includes an acoustic sensor,

further comprising deeming the first device and the second device to be in physical proximity when the acoustic component is detectable by the acoustic sensor.

8. The method of claim 1, the sensing further comprising deeming the first device and the second device to be in physical proximity when the detection signal meets a detection criterion, the transferring the data further comprising transferring the data from the first device to the second device via the sensed component and the sensing component.

9. The method of claim 1, each of the first device and the second device including a communication component,

the transferring the data further comprising transferring the data between the communication component of the first device and the communication component of the second device via a communication protocol.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the transferring the data includes transferring the data via a communication protocol selected from:

Bluetooth, low power Bluetooth (BLE), near field communication (NFC), radio frequency (RF), Wireless-Fidelity (Wi-Fi), an audio-based protocol, a light-based protocol, a magnetic field-based protocol, an electric field-based protocol, and combinations thereof.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the transferrable data is generated by one or more sensors disposed in the first device.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the data includes fitness data of a user.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising transferring control data from the second device to the first device for configuring the first device.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising terminating transfer of data between the first device and the second device when the first device and the second device are no longer in physical proximity, or when the data has been transferred.

15. A device, comprising:

a sensing component configured to;

sense physical proximity to a fitness device;

generate a detection signal based on detecting a sensed component of the fitness device;

monitor whether the fitness device remains in physical proximity; and

a communication component configured to;

exchange data with the fitness device while the fitness device remains in physical proximity; and

vary a power level associated with the exchange of data based on variations in the detection signal, including;

reducing the power level associated with the exchange of data when the detection signal increases; and

increasing the power level associated with the exchange of data when the detection signal decreases.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the sensing component and the communication component are the same.

17. The device of claim 15, wherein the sensing component includes at least one of a capacitive sensor, a magnetometer, a camera, an optical sensor, and a microphone.

18. The device of claim 15, wherein the data includes one or more of the following:

heart rate, pulse rate, blood pressure, muscle electrical potential, nerve electrical potential, temperature, brain waves, motion, measures of activity, number of steps taken, geospatial parameters, and timing parameters.

19. The device of claim 15, the communication component further configured to terminate the exchange of data when the fitness device is no longer in physical proximity, or when the exchange of data is complete.

20. A system, comprising:

a first device; and

a second device configured to;

sense physical proximity with the first device; and

generate a detection signal based on detecting a sensed component of the first device by a sensing component of the second device,

wherein the second device is configured to;

exchange data with the first device while the first device and the second device maintain physical proximity; and

vary a power level associated with the exchange of data based on variations in the detection signal, including reducing the power level associated with the exchange of data when the detection signal increases, and increasing the power level associated with the exchange of data when the detection signal decreases.

21. The system of claim 20, the second device further configured to deem the first device and the second device to be in physical proximity when the detection signal meets a detection criterion.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the sensed component includes at least one of a conductive portion of the first device, a magnet, an electromagnet, one or more light emitting diodes (LEDs), and a speaker.

23. The system of claim 20, wherein the sensing component includes at least one of a capacitive sensor, a magnetometer, a camera, an optical sensor, and a microphone.

24. The system of claim 20, wherein the first device further includes one or more sensors selected from:

temperature sensors, electrical sensors, conductance sensors, accelerometers, magnetometers, gyroscopes, capacitive sensors, optical sensors, cameras, and global positioning system (GPS) sensors, the one or more sensors configured to acquire the data.

25. The system of claim 20, wherein the data includes fitness data of a user associated with at least one of the first device and the second device, the fitness data including one or more of the following:

heart rate, pulse rate, blood pressure, muscle electrical potential, nerve electrical potential, temperature, brain waves, motion, measures of activity, number of steps taken, geospatial parameters, and timing parameters.

26. The system of claim 20, wherein the first device and the second device are further configured to exchange the data via a communication protocol selected from:

Bluetooth, low power Bluetooth (BLE), near field communication (NFC), radio frequency (RF), Wireless-Fidelity (Wi-Fi), an audio-based protocol, a light-based protocol, a magnetic field-based protocol, an electric-field based protocol, and combinations thereof.

27. The system of claim 20, wherein the second device is further configured to transfer control data to the first device for configuring the first device.

28. The system of claim 20, wherein at least one of the first device or the second device is further configured to terminate the exchange of data between the first device and the second device when the first device and the second device are no longer in physical proximity, or when the exchange of data is complete.