FILE SHARING BETWEEN DEVICES

• US 20100257251A1
• Filed: 04/01/2009
• Published: 10/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Pillar Ventures LLC
• Inventors: Pallakoff, Matthew G., Mooring, David J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,260,883 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/216
• 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 4/21 for social networking applications

Abstract

Methods and systems for transferring an object from a sending device to a recipient comprises determining at least one catching device associated with the recipient for receiving the object; receiving on the sending device a user gesture representing a flick of a displayed object; transferring the object from the sending device directly to the catching device of the recipient when the catching device is in proximity of the sending device; and when the catching device is not in proximity of the sending device, transferring the object to a server for forwarding the object to the recipient.

Claims

1. A method for transferring an object from a sending device to a recipient, comprising:

determining at least one catching device associated with the recipient for receiving the object;

receiving on the sending device a user gesture representing a flick of a displayed object;

transferring the object from the sending device directly to the catching device of the recipient when the catching device is in proximity of the sending device; and

when the catching device is not in proximity of the sending device, transferring the object to a server for forwarding the object to the recipient.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the recipient further comprises automatically pairing the sending device with the catching device when similarly-timed inertial sensor events are detected in both the sending device and the catching device.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the similarly-timed inertial sensor events comprise a clicking together of the sending device and the catching device through physical contact.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the similarly-timed inertial sensor events comprise a substantially simultaneous shaking of the sending device and the catching device.

5. The method of claim 2 further comprising the sending device wirelessly communicating with local devices and determining which one or more of the local devices is the catching device based on the similarly-timed inertial sensor events.

6. The method of claim 2 further comprising the sending device wirelessly communicating with local devices, and both the sending device and the local devices communicating timing of detected inertial sensor events to the server, and receives from the server a determination of which one or more of the local devices is the catching device based on the similarly-timed inertial sensor events.

7. The method of claim 2 further comprising the sending device wirelessly communicating with local devices, and the local devices communicating timing of detected inertial sensor events to the sending device, wherein the sending device forwards the timing of the detected inertial sensor events to the server, and receives from the server a determination of which one or more of the local devices is the catching device based on the similarly-timed inertial sensor events.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

designating within an application that the object is eligible for flicking by associating the object with a displayed item;

marking the displayed item with a representation indicating to user that the object is flickable; and

in response to receiving the user gesture representing the flick on the displayed item, transferring the object associated with the displayed item.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising maintaining a catchers list of recipients, wherein the catchers list is a system level utility of the sending device, such that the catchers list is a persistent feature that is accessible by applications running on the sending device.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising generating a catchers list possible recipients on the sending device using at least one of global positioning system (GPS) chips, cell tower triangulation, Wi-Fi positioning, Bluetooth, and IrDA to locate possible catching devices.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the user gesture representing the flick is configurable, the method further comprising receiving a user configuration of the user gesture representing the flick.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein sending the object from the server for forwarding the object to the catching device further comprises:

automatically uploading the object to the server;

creating a reference to the object and storing the reference on the sending device; and

sending only the reference to the object to the catching device.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein sending the object from the server for forwarding the object to the catching device further comprises the sending device determining when to send the object to the server based on a size of the object and a connection status between the sending device and the server.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the server determines when to forward the object to the catching device of the recipient based on a size of the object and a connection status between the server and the catching device.

15. A portable device, comprising:

an inertial sensor

a display;

a processor; and

a file sharing application executing on the processor, wherein the file sharing application is configured to;

determine at least one catching device associated with a recipient for receiving an object;

receive a user gesture representing a flick of a displayed object;

transfer the object from the portable device directly to the catching device of the recipient when the catching device is in proximity of the portable device; and

when the catching device is not in proximity of the portable device, transfer the object to a server for forwarding the object to the recipient.

16. The portable device of claim 15 wherein the portable device comprises a wearable portable device.

17. The portable device of claim 15 wherein determining the recipient further comprises automatically pairing the portable device with the catching device when similarly-timed inertial sensor events are detected in both the portable device and the catching device.

18. The portable device of claim 17 wherein the similarly-timed inertial sensor events comprises a clicking together of the portable device and the catching device through physical contact.

19. The portable device of claim 17 wherein the similarly-timed inertial sensor events comprises a substantially simultaneous shaking of the portable device and the catching device.

20. The portable device of claim 17 wherein the portable device wirelessly communicates with local devices and determines which one or more of the local devices is the catching device based on the similarly-timed inertial sensor events.

21. The portable device of claim 17 wherein the portable device wirelessly communicates with local devices, and both the portable device and the local devices communicate timing of detected inertial sensor events to the server, and receives from the server a determination of which one or more of the local devices is the catching device based on the similarly-timed inertial sensor events.

22. The portable device of claim 17 wherein the portable device wirelessly communicating with local devices, and the local devices communicate timing of detected inertial sensor events to the portable device, wherein the portable device forwards the timing of the detected inertial sensor events to the server, and receives from the server a determination of which one or more of the local devices is the catching device based on the similarly-timed inertial sensor events.

23. The portable device of claim 15 further comprising an application that designates the object as being eligible for flicking by associating the object with a displayed item;

marks the displayed item with a representation indicating to user that the object is flickable; and

in response to receiving the user gesture representing the flick on the displayed item, transfers the object associated with the display the item.

24. The portable device of claim 15 wherein a catchers list of recipients is maintained, wherein the catchers list is a system level utility of the portable device, such that the catchers list is a persistent feature that is accessible by applications running on the portable device.

25. The portable device of claim 24 wherein the portable device generates the catchers list of possible recipients using at least one of global positioning system (GPS) chips, cell tower triangulation, Wi-Fi positioning, Bluetooth, and IrDA to locate possible catching devices.

26. The portable device of claim 15 wherein the user gesture representing the flick is configurable, wherein the portable device receives a user configuration of the user gesture representing the flick.

27. The method of claim 15 wherein sending the object from the server for forwarding the object to the catching device further comprises:

automatically uploading the object to the server;

creating a reference to the object and storing the reference on the portable device; and

sending only the reference to the object to the catching device.

28. The portable device of claim 15 wherein sending the object from the portable device to the server, for forwarding the object to the catching device further comprises the portable device determining when to send the object to the server based on a size of the object and a connection status between the portable device and the server.

29. The portable device of claim 15 wherein the server determines when to forward the object to the catching device of the recipient based on a size of the object and a connection status between the server and the catching device.

30. A file sharing system, comprising:

a portable device, the portable device including a file sharing application that enables a user of the portable device to indicate to which catching device an object should be transferred, wherein at least one of the object and a reference to the object are sent from the portable device to the catching device; and

a web service configured to communicate with the file sharing application and to store the object and forward the object to the catching device.

31. The file sharing system of claim 30 wherein the web service is further configured to download to the portable device a customizable gesture that represents a flick.

32. A wearable portable device, comprising:

a case; and

a module, wherein the module is configured to be removably received by the case and comprises;

an inertial sensor

a touchscreen display; and

a processor, wherein the processor is programmed to;

determine at least one catching device associated with a recipient for receiving an object;

receive via the touchscreen display a user gesture representing a flick of a displayed object;

transfer the object from the wearable portable device directly to the catching device of the recipient when the catching device is in proximity of the wearable portable device, and

when the catching device is not in proximity of the wearable portable device, transfer the object from the wearable portable device to a server for forwarding the object to the recipient.