System and method for wireless device pairing

• US 9,686,812 B2
• Filed: 04/27/2015
• Issued: 06/20/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fitbit, Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Fitbit, Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Park, James, Cole, Robert Curtis, Molettiere, Peter Andrew, Bilodeaux-Dewey, Aislinn Abigail, Axley, Andrew Cole, Panther, Heiko Gernot Albert, Brumback, Christine Boomer, Friedman, Eric Nathan
• Primary Examiner(s): Lu, Zhiyu
• Application Number:
  US14/697,360
• Publication Number:
  US 20150257189A1
• Time in Patent Office: 785 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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; and

a second device comprising a portable monitoring device, wherein communication comprises;

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

the first device and the second device automatically communicating wirelessly to start a pairing attempt, wherein the pairing attempt comprises;

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

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;

the first device obtaining a list of devices eligible for pairing;

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

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

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

in response to the user input, the first device transmitting a request for device information to the second device and the second device acknowledging the request and transmitting the requested device information;

the first device transmitting the acknowledgment and the device information to a server associated with the user account;

the first device receiving user information from the server, wherein the user information includes biometric data pertaining to the user;

the first device transmitting the user information to the second device;

the second device transmitting device data to the first device;

the first device transmitting the device data to the server; and

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

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensors comprise a motion sensor comprising at least one of an accelerometer, a gyroscope sensor, a microphone, an altimeter, and a magnetometer, and wherein the tapping 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 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 portable monitoring device comprises processing circuitry that is 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 portable monitoring 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 processing circuitry of the portable monitoring device 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 1, wherein cueing comprises causing the portable monitoring device to perform at least one of vibrating, illuminating, making a sound, and displaying a message.

15. The portable monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the list of devices eligible for pairing is determined based on information associated with the user account.

16. The portable monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the second device is associated with the user account in response to the first device and the second device completing the pairing attempt.

17. The portable monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the first device obtains the list of devices eligible for pairing by:

transmitting the device identification received from the second device to a server device; and

in response to transmitting the device identification received from the second device to the server device, receiving the list of devices eligible for pairing from the server device.

11. A portable monitoring device, comprising:

a user interface comprising at least one of;

a speaker;

a vibramotor;

motion sensors;

gesture recognition sensors;

a touch screen;

a microphone; and

buttons;

transmitter circuitry and receiver circuitry;

a plurality of sensors configurable to sense physical phenomena; and

processing circuitry coupled to the plurality of sensors to receive sensor data and calculate metrics associated with a user, the processing circuitry configurable to communicate with another device and with a user, wherein communicating comprises a pairing process between the portable monitoring device and the other device, including;

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

the other device wirelessly detecting the portable monitoring device, and requesting a response from the portable monitoring device;

the other device receiving a response from the portable monitoring device, including a device identification;

the other device obtaining a list of devices eligible for pairing;

when the portable monitoring device is on the list of devices, the other device sending a command to the portable monitoring device to enter pairing mode;

the portable monitoring device cueing the user to validate the request to pair;

the portable monitoring device receiving user input input from the user to validate the pairing request, wherein the input comprises tapping the portable monitoring device on any part of its exterior, wherein the tapping is detected by one or more of the motion sensors;

in response to the user input, the other device transmitting a request for device information to the portable monitoring device, and the portable monitoring device acknowledging the request and transmitting the requested device information;

the other device transmitting the acknowledgment and the device information to a server associated with the user account;

the other device receiving user information from the server, wherein the user information includes biometric data pertaining to the user;

the other device transmitting the user information to the portable monitoring device;

the portable monitoring device transmitting device data to the other device; and

the other device transmitting the device data to the server.

12. The portable monitoring device of claim 11, wherein the metrics comprise at least one of:

sleep activity;

step count;

calorie burn;

distance traversed;

speed; and

heart rate.

13. The portable monitoring device of claim 11, wherein communicating further comprises responding to the user input by completing the pairing process.

14. The portable monitoring device of claim 11, wherein communicating with the other device further comprises, in response to the other device discovering more than one portable monitoring device in proximity, the other device requesting the user to move one of the portable monitoring devices closer to the other device for pairing.