Network messaging for paired devices

• US 10,069,785 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2015
• Issued: 09/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Ledwith, Alexander, Jensen, Christopher C., Iarocci, John J., Krochmal, Marc J., Wolkowicki, Ziv, Pollack, Daniel B., Adler, Darin B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Donabed, Ninos
• Application Number:
  US14/872,134
• Publication Number:
  US 20160359666A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,070 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/56 Unified messaging, e.g. interactions between e-mail, instant messaging or converged IP messaging [CPM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services

Abstract

Messaging between a companion device and an accessory device is controlled such that different modes of communication may be utilized. The different modes can implement different messaging strategies, each of which is intended for efficient power management, in view of the limited electrical power that is typically available at the accessory device. A received request message for sending from the companion device to the accessory device is sent if predetermined conditions apply, and similarly for messages from the accessory device to the companion device.

Claims

1. A method of data transfer from a companion device to an accessory device, the method comprising, at the companion device:

receiving a list of active applications installed and executing on the accessory device, the accessory device operating with battery power;

storing the list of active applications at the companion device;

receiving, by an accessory communications daemon, a first information message from a first companion application for transfer of the first information message in a message queue to a first intended accessory application of the accessory device;

determining whether to send the first information message to a companion transport daemon of the companion device based on whether the list of active applications includes a first application identifier of the first information message;

based on the list of active applications including the first application identifier;

providing a request to transfer the first information message to the companion transport daemon of the companion device; and

sending, by the companion transport daemon, the first information message to the accessory device; and

based on the list of active applications not including the first application identifier, causing he first information message to remain queued in the message queue, thereby preserving an amount of the battery power of the accessory device by enabling the first intended accessory application to remain inactive on the accessory device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein sending the first information message is performed by the accessory communications daemon at the companion device.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting, by the accessory communications daemon, a first transfer mode from among a plurality of transfer modes for transferring the first information message to the first intended accessory application, wherein the first transfer mode is selected based on first mode data of the first information message.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the plurality of transfer modes including a push update mode and a file transfer mode.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the first information message includes mode identifier information that specifies an information type of the first information message.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the information type specifies a news list update message for the push update mode.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the information type specifies a file name of a file to be transferred and specifies a data size of the file to be transferred for the file transfer mode.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the first transfer mode comprises a complication update mode, in accordance with the first mode data of the first information message and in response to determining that the mode identifier information indicates that the first information message includes update information for changing at least one display complication at the accessory device.

9. The method of claim 4, wherein the first information message is sent according to the push update mode, and wherein a first set of criteria for sending the first information message according to the push update mode specifies that the first information message includes update information for display at the accessory device.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first set of criteria further comprises:

determining whether to send the first information message based on whether the accessory device is paired with and reachable by the companion device, if the first intended accessory application is active at the accessory device, and based on whether the update information does not exceed a predetermined data size limit.

11. The method of claim 4, wherein the first information message is sent according to the file transfer mode, and wherein a second set of criteria for sending the first information message according to the file transfer mode specifies a data size of a file to be transferred as not greater than a predetermined size limit value.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the second set of criteria further comprises:

determining whether to initiate sending of the first information message based on whether the accessory device is paired with and reachable by the companion device, whether the accessory device has memory capacity sufficient to store the file to be transferred, and whether the accessory device is in a charging state of operation;

wherein the sending is paused if a first amount of elapsed time has passed since initiation of sending the file to be transferred,

wherein pausing the sending is ended and the sending is resumed, if the accessory device is in the charging state of operation, or if the first intended accessory application is active, or if a second amount of elapsed time has passed since initiating pausing of the sending.

13. The method of claim 3, wherein the first transfer mode comprises an interactive mode, in accordance with the first mode data of the first information message and in response to determining that the first intended accessory application at the accessory device is active.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

determining whether to send the first information message based on determining that the accessory device is paired with and reachable by the companion device.

15. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

receiving a second information message from a second companion application for transfer of the second information message to a second intended accessory application of the accessory device;

selecting, by the accessory communications daemon, a second transfer mode from among the plurality of transfer modes for transferring the second information message to the second intended accessory application, wherein the second transfer mode is selected based on second mode data of the second information message;

determining whether to send the second information message to the companion transport daemon of the companion device based on whether a second application identifier of the second information message corresponds to an application in the list of active applications;

providing the request to transfer the second information message to the companion transport daemon of the companion device in response to the second intended accessory application being on the list of active applications.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing by the accessory communications daemon the first information message in an application message queue in response to determining that the first intended accessory application is not an active application.

17. A computer product comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed on one or more processors of a companion device, cause data transfer from the companion device to a paired accessory device, the instructions comprising:

receiving a list of active applications installed and executing on an accessory device, the accessory device operating with battery power;

storing the list of active applications at the companion device;

receiving, by an accessory communications daemon, a first information message from a first companion application for transfer of the first information message in a message queue to a first intended accessory application of the accessory device;

determining whether to send the first information message to a companion transport daemon of the companion device based on whether the list of active applications includes a first application identifier of the first information message;

based on the list of active application including the first application identifier;

providing a request to transfer the first information message to the companion transport daemon of the companion device; and

sending, by the companion transport daemon, the first information message to the accessory device; and

based on the list of active applications not including the first application identifier, causing the first information message to remain queued in the message queue, thereby preserving an amount of the battery power of the accessory device by enabling the first intended accessory application to remain inactive on the accessory device.

18. The computer product of claim 17, wherein sending the first information message is performed by the accessory communications daemon at the companion device.

19. The computer product of claim 17, wherein the first information message includes mode identifier information that specifies an information type of the first information message.

20. The computer product of claim 17, further comprising selecting, by the accessory communications daemon, a first transfer mode from among a plurality of transfer modes for transferring the first information message to the first intended accessory application, wherein the first transfer mode is selected based on first mode data of the first information message.

21. The computer product of claim 20, wherein the first transfer mode comprises a complication update mode, in accordance with a mode identifier information of the first information message and in response to determining that the mode identifier information indicates that the first information message includes update information for changing at least one display complication at the accessory device.

22. The computer product of claim 20, wherein the first transfer mode comprises a push update mode, and wherein a first set of criteria for sending according to the push update mode specifies that the first information message includes update information for display at the accessory device.

23. The computer product of claim 20, wherein the first transfer mode comprises a file transfer mode, and wherein a second set of criteria for sending according to the file transfer mode specifies a data size of a file to be transferred as not greater than a predetermined size limit value.

24. The computer product of claim 20, wherein the first transfer mode comprises an interactive mode, in accordance with the first mode data of the first information message and in response to determining that the first intended accessory application at the accessory device is active.

25. The computer product of claim 20, the instructions further comprising:

receiving a second information message from a second companion application for transfer of the second information message to a second intended accessory application of the accessory device;

selecting, by the accessory communications daemon, a second transfer mode from among the plurality of transfer modes for transferring the second information message to the second intended accessory application, the plurality of transfer modes including a push update mode and a file transfer mode, wherein the second transfer mode is selected based on second mode data of the second information message;

determining whether to send the second information message to the companion transport daemon of the companion device based on whether a second application identifier of the second information message corresponds to an application in the list of active applications;

providing the request to transfer the second information message to the companion transport daemon of the companion device in response to the second intended accessory application being on the list of active applications.

26. The computer product of claim 17, further comprising storing by the accessory communications daemon the first information message in an application message queue in response to determining that the first intended accessory application is not an active application.

27. A companion device comprising:

a display;

a memory;

one or more processors that are communicably coupled with the display and the memory and that are configured to;

receive a list of active applications installed and executing on an accessory device, the accessory device operating with battery power;

store the list of active applications at the companion device;

receive, by an accessory communications daemon, a first information message from a first companion application for transfer of the first information message in a message queue to a first intended accessory application of the accessory device;

select, by the accessory communications daemon, a first transfer mode from among a plurality of transfer modes for transferring the first information message to the first intended accessory application, the plurality of transfer modes including a push update mode and a file transfer mode, wherein the first transfer mode is selected based on mode data of the first information message;

determine whether to send the first information message to a companion transport daemon of the companion device based on whether the list of active applications includes a first application identifier of the first information message;

based on the list of active application including the first application identifier;

provide a request to transfer the first information message to the companion transport daemon of the companion device; and

send, by the companion transport daemon, the first information message to the accessory device according to the first transfer mode; and

based on the list of active application not including the first application identifier, cause the first information message to remain queued in the message queue, thereby preserving an amount of the battery power of the accessory device by enabling the first intended accessory application to remain inactive on the accessory device.