Portable platform for networked computing

• US 9,674,751 B2
• Filed: 06/10/2013
• Issued: 06/06/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Inventors: Coglitore, Giovanni, Maguire, Yael G., Kalinowski, Caitlin E.
• Primary Examiner(s): DOAN, DUYEN MY
• Application Number:
  US13/914,576
• Publication Number:
  US 20140280985A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,457 Days
• Field of Search: 709227, 709203
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2816 Controlling appliance services of a home automation network by calling their functionalities arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station; in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom H04Q9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72469 for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/068 using credential vaults, e.g. password manager applications or one time password [OTP] applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/03 Reselecting a link using a direct mode connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/14 Reselecting a network or an air interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/18 for allowing seamless reselection, e.g. soft reselection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/21 for social networking applications
• 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 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0245 according to signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• 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 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/10 : adapted for operation in multiple networks, e.g. multi-mode access points
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 : in wireless communication networks

Abstract

In one embodiment, a portable, networked, computing device comprises a processor, a plurality of radios, and a memory. The device may be operable to pair, by at least one of the radios, with a device associated with a user. The device may then monitor, by one of the radios, a signal for a connection established with a first network. When the device determines that the signal for the first network has dropped below a threshold level of quality, it may enable access point mode for at least one of the paired devices by turning on a radio to establish a connection with a second network and thereby providing connectivity to the second network for the at least one of the paired devices. If multiple networks are available, the device may select an optimal network based on an assessment of one or more factors.

Claims

1. A control device comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor comprising instructions executable by the processor, wherein the processor is operable when executing the instructions to;

communicate with a portable network device (PND) of a first user when the PND is within a threshold proximity of the control device, wherein the PND is configured to store authentication information of the first user;

identify one or more devices in a device cloud of a second user, wherein each of the identified devices is controllable by the first user, and wherein;

whether a device in the device cloud is controllable by the first user is determined based at least in part on authentication of the first user and an affinity coefficient exceeding a specified threshold, wherein the affinity coefficient quantifies a strength of a relationship between the first user and the second user, wherein to authenticate the first user, the PND of the first user sends a pairing request associated with an identity of the first user to the device in the device cloud, and

wherein the device in the device cloud receives the pairing request, searches a social graph of the second user for the identity of the first user, retrieves a user profile associated with the identity of the first user from the social graph, displays at least a portion of the user profile, and requests the second user to provide input to a PND of the second user confirming the identity of the first user and permitting the first user to pair the PND of the first user with the device in the device cloud; and

for each device in the device cloud that is controllable by the first user, a level of control permitted to the first user is also determined according to the affinity coefficient;

present the first user with a control interface for controlling one or more of the identified devices; and

send commands to one or more of the devices in the device cloud based on user input provided by the first user through the control interface.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the memory comprises further instructions to:

receive feedback from at least one of the one or more devices to which commands were sent; and

update the control interface in accordance with the received feedback.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the memory comprises further instructions to:

present a device selection interface to select one or more of the devices in the device cloud; and

receive user input selecting the one or more identified devices.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the threshold proximity is determined with respect to the PND.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the instructions to identify one or more devices in the device cloud comprises instructions to:

retrieve information from the PND regarding which of the devices in the device cloud is within the threshold proximity or available.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the instructions to identify one or more devices in the device cloud comprises instructions to:

determine, for each of the devices in the device cloud, whether the device provides a remote interaction interface or whether authorization has been granted to the PND.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the instructions to identify one or more devices in the device cloud comprises instructions to:

update the identified devices as the devices in the device cloud drop out of or come within the threshold proximity.

19. The device of claim 1, wherein the device in the device cloud comprises a phone, desktop computer, refrigerator, security system, television (TV), automobile, tablet, or camera.

20. The device of claim 1, wherein the first user is connected to the second user in the social graph of the second user.

8. A method comprising:

by a control device paired with a portable network device (PND) of a first user, communicating with the PND when the PND is within a threshold proximity of the control device, wherein the PND is configured to store authentication information of the first user;

by the control device, identifying one or more devices in a device cloud of a second user, wherein each of the identified devices is controllable by the first user, and wherein;

whether a device in the device cloud is controllable by the first user is determined based at least in part on authentication of the first user and an affinity coefficient exceeding a specified threshold, wherein the affinity coefficient quantifies a strength of a relationship between the first user and the second user, wherein to authenticate the first user, the PND of the first user sends a pairing request associated with an identity of the first user to the device in the device cloud, and

wherein the device in the device cloud receives the pairing request, searches a social graph of the second user for the identity of the first user, retrieves a user profile associated with the identity of the first user from the social graph, displays at least a portion of the user profile, and requests the second user to provide input to a PND of the second user confirming the identity of the first user and permitting the first user to pair the PND of the first user with the device in the device cloud; and

for each device in the device cloud that is controllable by the first user, a level of control permitted to the first user is also determined according to the affinity coefficient;

by the control device, presenting the first user with a control interface for controlling one or more of the identified devices; and

by the control device, sending commands to one or more of the devices in the device cloud based on user input provided by the first user through the control interface.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving feedback from at least one of the one or more devices to which commands were sent; and

updating the control interface in accordance with the received feedback.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

presenting a device selection interface to select one or more of the devices in the device cloud; and

receiving user input selecting the one or more identified devices.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the threshold proximity is determined with respect to the PND.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the identifying one or more devices in the device cloud comprises:

retrieving information from the PND regarding which of the devices in the device cloud is within the threshold proximity or available.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the identifying one or more devices in the device cloud comprises:

determining, for each of the devices in the device cloud, whether the device provides a remote interaction interface or whether authorization has been granted to the PND.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the identifying one or more devices in the device cloud comprises:

updating the identified devices as the devices in the device cloud drop out of or come within the threshold proximity.

15. One or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media embodying software that is operable when executed to:

communicate, by a control device paired with a portable network device (PND) of a first user, with the PND when the PND is within a threshold proximity of the control device, wherein the PND is configured to store authentication information of the first user;

identify one or more devices in a device cloud of a second user, wherein each of the identified devices is controllable by the first user, and wherein;

whether a device in the device cloud is controllable by the first user is determined based at least in part on authentication of the first user and an affinity coefficient exceeding a specified threshold, wherein the affinity coefficient quantifies a strength of a relationship between the first user and the second user, wherein to authenticate the first user, the PND of the first user sends a pairing request associated with an identity of the first user to the device in the device cloud, and

wherein the device in the device cloud receives the pairing request, searches a social graph of the second user for the identity of the first user, retrieves a user profile associated with the identity of the first user from the social graph, displays at least a portion of the user profile, and requests the second user to provide input to a PND of the second user confirming the identity of the first user and permitting the first user to pair the PND of the first user with the device in the device cloud; and

for each device in the device cloud that is controllable by the first user, a level of control permitted to the first user is also determined according to the affinity coefficient;

present, for display on the control device, the first user with a control interface for controlling one or more of the identified devices; and

send, by the control device, commands to one or more of the devices in the device cloud based on user input provided by the first user through the control interface.

16. The media of claim 15, wherein the software is further operable when executed to:

receive feedback from at least one of the one or more devices to which commands were sent; and

update the control interface in accordance with the received feedback.

17. The media of claim 15, wherein the software is further operable when executed to:

present a device selection interface to select one or more of the devices in the device cloud; and

receive user input selecting the one or more identified devices.

18. The media of claim 15, wherein the threshold proximity is determined with respect to the PND.