SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR TRANSMITTING DATA USING SELECTED TRANSMISSION TECHNOLOGY FROM AMONG OTHER TRANSMISSION TECHNOLOGIES

• US 20140364063A1
• Filed: 06/09/2014
• Published: 12/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fast Track Global Limited
• Original Assignee: Mad Catz Interactive Incorporated
• Inventors: Bell, Simon
• Granted Patent: US 9,369,825 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/32 using local area network [LAN] connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2433 Allocation of priorities to traffic types
• 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

Abstract

This disclosure describes systems and methods for selecting from among two or more wireless transmission technologies depending on one or more factors. Aspects of this disclosure may apply to various computer systems that use Bluetooth technologies for transmitting and receiving data between two devices. In particular, aspects of this disclosure may be used in a gaming environment such that data is transmitted based on any of the shared capabilities of the devices, the type of data, the amount of the data, latency constraints associated with the data, and other considerations.

Claims

1. A method for selecting a wireless transmission technology over which data is transferred between two devices, the method comprising:

selecting one of a first wireless transmission technology and a second wireless transmission technology to exchange data between a first device and a second device,

wherein the selecting is based on one or more of;

whether the first wireless transmission technology is supported by both of the first and second devices, a type of the data, a latency parameter associated with the data, a data rate parameter associated with the data, and an amount of the data; and

causing the data to be exchanged between the first device and the second device using the selected one of the first wireless transmission technology and the second wireless transmission technology.

2. The method of claim 1, the method comprising:

determining whether the first wireless transmission technology is supported by each of the first and second devices;

selecting the first wireless transmission technology over the second wireless transmission technology to exchange the data between the first device and the second device when the first wireless transmission technology is supported by both of the first and second devices; and

using the second wireless transmission technology to exchange the data between the first device and the second device only after determining that the first wireless transmission technology is not supported by at least one of the first and second devices.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first wireless transmission technology is Bluetooth low energy (BLE) technology, and wherein the second wireless transmission technology is Classic Bluetooth technology.

4. The method of claim 1, the method comprising:

identifying the type of the data, wherein the selecting is based on the type of the data.

5. The method of claim 4, the method comprising:

determining whether the type of the data is included among a first set of data types;

selecting the first wireless transmission technology over the second wireless transmission technology to exchange the data between the first device and the second device when the type of the data is included among the first set of data types; and

selecting the second wireless transmission technology over the first wireless transmission technology to exchange the data between the first device and the second device when the type of the data is not included among the first set of data types.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the first set of data types include video, audio, and haptic data, and wherein the first wireless transmission technology is Classic Bluetooth technology, and wherein the second wireless transmission technology is Bluetooth low energy (BLE) technology.

7. The method of claim 1, the method comprising:

identifying the latency parameter associated with the data, wherein the selecting is based on the latency parameter associated with the data.

8. The method of claim 7, the method comprising:

determining whether the latency parameter associated with the data exceeds a threshold latency condition;

selecting the first wireless transmission technology over the second wireless transmission technology to exchange the data between the first device and the second device when the latency parameter associated with the data does not exceed the threshold latency condition; and

selecting the second wireless transmission technology over the first wireless transmission technology to exchange the data between the first device and the second device when the latency parameter associated with the data exceeds the threshold latency condition.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the first wireless transmission technology is Classic Bluetooth technology, and wherein the second wireless transmission technology is Bluetooth low energy (BLE) technology.

10. The method of claim 1, the method comprising:

identifying the data rate parameter associated with the data, wherein the selecting is based on the data rate parameter associated with the data.

11. The method of claim 10, the method comprising:

determining whether the data rate parameter associated with the data exceeds a threshold data rate condition;

selecting the first wireless transmission technology over the second wireless transmission technology to exchange the data between the first device and the second device when the data rate parameter associated with the data exceeds the threshold data rate condition; and

selecting the second wireless transmission technology over the first wireless transmission technology to exchange the data between the first device and the second device when the data rate parameter associated with the data does not exceed the threshold data rate condition.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the first wireless transmission technology is Classic Bluetooth technology, and wherein the second wireless transmission technology is Bluetooth low energy (BLE) technology.

13. The method of claim 1, the method comprising:

identifying the amount of the data, wherein the selecting is based on the amount of the data.

14. The method of claim 13, the method comprising:

determining whether the amount of the data exceeds a threshold amount of data;

selecting the first wireless transmission technology over the second wireless transmission technology to exchange the data between the first device and the second device when the amount of the data exceeds the threshold amount of data; and

selecting the second wireless transmission technology over the first wireless transmission technology to exchange the data between the first device and the second device when the amount of the data does not exceed the threshold amount of data.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the first wireless transmission technology is Classic Bluetooth technology, and wherein the second wireless transmission technology is Bluetooth low energy (BLE) technology.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the first wireless transmission technology is selected to exchange the data between the first device and the second device, and wherein the second wireless transmission technology is selected to exchange additional data between the first device and the second device.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the second wireless transmission technology is selected to exchange the additional data based on one or more of a type of the additional data, a latency parameter associated with the additional data, a data rate parameter associated with the additional data, and an amount of the additional data.

18. The method of claim 16, the method comprising:

causing the data to be transmitted using the first wireless transmission technology at the same time when the additional data is transmitted using the second wireless transmission technology.

19. The method of claim 1, the method comprising:

determining whether a hardware switch of the first device is in a first position or a second position;

selecting the first wireless transmission technology when the hardware switch of the first device is in the first position; and

selecting the second wireless transmission technology when the hardware switch of the first device is in the second position., wherein the first wireless transmission technology is Classic Bluetooth technology, and wherein the second wireless transmission technology is Bluetooth low energy (BLE) technology.

20. A system comprising one or more processors that perform the method of claim 1.