Method and system for indirectly establishing a unique communication channel between a plurality of devices

• US 9,936,036 B2
• Filed: 10/28/2011
• Issued: 04/03/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America Incorporated (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Sng, Swee Huat, Sojian, Lena
• Primary Examiner(s): Ibrahim, Mohamed
• Application Number:
  US13/284,652
• Publication Number:
  US 20130111009A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,349 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/562 Brokering proxy services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0284 detecting congestion or overload during communication monitoring arrangements H04L43/00

Abstract

Systems, devices, and methods for determining a unique identifier associated with a resource provider based on a received first pairing request from the resource provider identifying the resource provider as available to one or more resource requestors, sending the unique identifier to the resource provider, receiving a second pairing request from a resource requestor, wherein the request comprises the unique identifier associated with the resource provider, and initiating a communication channel between the resource provider and the resource requester, wherein the initiating is based on the unique identifier.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining, by a first computing device, a unique identifier associated with a resource provider, based on a received first pairing request from the resource provider identifying the resource provider as available to one or more resource requestors;

sending, by the first computing device, the unique identifier to the resource provider;

receiving, by the first computing device, a second pairing request from a resource requestor, wherein the request comprises the unique identifier associated with the resource provider;

initiating, by the first computing device, a communication channel between the resource provider and the resource requester, wherein the initiating is based on the unique identifier;

determining, by the first computing device, data pertaining to establishing a set of unique communication channels between the resource provider and the resource requester;

transmitting, by the first computing device to a second computing device via a separate communication channel, a set of one or more attributes comprising the unique identifier and the determined data pertaining to establishing the set of unique communication channels, to effect transferring of data via the second computing device between the resource provider and the resource requester;

invoking, by the second computing device, the set of unique communication channels to effect the data transmission between the resource provider and the resource requester, wherein the invocation of the set of unique communication channels is via a first communication channel with the resource provider and a second communication channel with the resource requester, thereby the second computing device is in direct communication with the resource provider and the resource requester after establishing, by the first computing device, the communication channel via completion of the initiating step, and establishing the separate communication channel based on the set of one or more attributes comprising the unique identifier received from the first computing device;

monitoring, by the first computing device, the status of the initiated communication channel, wherein the status is based on at least one of;

a received notification from the resource requester; and

a received notification from the resource provider; and

determining the presence of a disconnect in the communication channel between the resource provider and the resource requester.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the resource provider establishes a set of rules for data communication.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the second computing device modifies the data packet header from the resource requester based on the established set of rules by the resource provider.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the second computing device modifies the data packet header from the resource requester based further on receiving a notification of pairing having been established.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

displaying, by the resource provider, the received unique identifier.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the determined unique identifier is generated at the first computing device via a lookup table, the lookup table comprising a set of available resources.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the resource provider is a multifunction peripheral (MFP) device.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the resource requester is a portable mobile device.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the first pairing request from the resource provider is sent when the resource provider is powered on.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the first pairing request from the resource provider is sent when the resource provider is connected to the first computing device via a network connection.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein before initiating, by the first computing device, a communication channel, the resource requestor is associated with the resource provider based on at least one of:

sensor readings and timing information of requests.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the second computing device is external to the resource provider and the resource requester and the second computing device is behind a set of one or more network firewalls, thereby invoking, by the second computing device, the set of unique communication channels through the set of one or more network firewalls.

13. A system comprising:

a first computing device, operably coupled to a resource provider via a communication medium, the first computing device configured to send a set of one or more unique identifiers, the first computing device comprising;

a memory configured to store the set of one or more unique identifiers;

a processor configured to;

receive a first pairing request from the resource provider for a unique identifier associated with the resource provider; and

initiate a communication channel based on a received pairing request from a resource requester and the unique identifier associated with the resource provider, wherein the unique identifier is generated based on the received first pairing request from the resource provider; and

wherein the pairing request from the resource requester comprises the unique identifier; and

transmit to a second computing device, a set of one or more attributes comprising the unique identifier to effect transferring of data between the resource provider and the resource requester; and

a second computing device comprising a processor coupled to a memory configured to;

invoke a set of unique communication channels to effect data transmission between the resource provider and the resource requester, wherein the invocation is via a first communication channel with the resource provider and a second communication channel with the resource requester, thereby the second computing device is in direct communication with the resource provider and the resource requester after establishing, by the first computing device, the communication channel via completion of the initiating, and based on the set of one or more attributes comprising the unique identifier received from the first computing device; and

wherein the first computing device is further configured to;

monitor the status of the initiated communication channel, wherein the status is based on at least one of;

a received notification from the resource requester; and

a received notification from the resource provider; and

determine the presence of a disconnect in the communication channel between the resource provider and the resource requester.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the unique identifier is generated via a lookup table, the lookup table comprising a set of available resources.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein the processor is further configured to:

monitor the status of the initiated communication channel, wherein the status is based on at least one of;

a received notification from the resource requester; and

a received notification from the resource provider; and

determine the presence of a disconnect in the communication channel between the resource provider and the resource requester.

16. A system comprising:

a resource provider comprising a processor coupled to a memory configured to;

send a first pairing request for a unique identifier associated with the resource provider; and

a first computing device comprising a processor coupled to a memory configured to;

receive the first pairing request from the resource provider;

determine the unique identifier based on the received first pairing request from the resource provider; and

initiate a communication channel based on a received pairing request from a resource requester and the unique identifier associated with the resource provider, and wherein the pairing request from the resource requester comprises the unique identifier; and

transmit to a second computing device, a set of one or more attributes comprising the unique identifier to effect transferring of data between the resource provider and the resource requester; and

a second computing device comprising a processor coupled to a memory configured to;

invoke a set of unique communication channels to effect direct data transmission between the resource provider and the resource requester, wherein the invocation is via a first communication channel with the resource provider and a second communication channel with the resource requester, thereby the second computing device is in direct communication with the resource provider and the resource requester after establishing, by the first computing device, the communication channel via completion of the initiating, and based on the set of one or more attributes comprising the unique identifier received from the first computing device, and wherein the first computing device is further configured to;

monitor the status of the initiated communication channel, wherein the status is based on at least one of;

a received notification from the resource requester; and

a received notification from the resource provider; and

determine the presence of a disconnect in the communication channel between the resource provider and the resource requester.