Data Session Handoff Using Bone Conduction

• US 20160073296A1
• Filed: 09/10/2014
• Published: 03/10/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Baldwin, Christopher, Amento, Brian S.
• Granted Patent: US 9,882,992 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 13/005 Transmission systems in which the medium consists of the human body
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/148 Migration or transfer of sessions

Abstract

Concepts and technologies are disclosed herein for data session handoff using bone conduction. According to one aspect, a first user device can receive a handoff request from a second user device. The handoff request can instruct the first user device to handoff an active data session to the second user device. The handoff request can be received by the first user device via a bone conduction signal that propagated through a bone of a user that is in physical contact with the first user device and the second user device. The first user device also can initiate handoff of the active data session to the second user device in response to the handoff request.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a first user device, a handoff request from a second user device, wherein the handoff request instructs the first user device to handoff an active data session to the second user device, and wherein the handoff request is received by the first user device via a bone conduction signal that propagated through a bone of a user that is in physical contact with the first user device and the second user device; and

initiating, by the first user device, handoff of the active data session to the second user device in response to the handoff request.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the handoff request comprises an address of the second user device;

wherein initiating, by the first user device, handoff of the active data session to the second user device in response to the handoff request comprises forwarding, by the first user device, the address to a network with a command to transition the active data session to the second user device via the address; and

wherein the network receives the command to transition the active data session to the second user device and the network routes the active data session to the second user device via the address.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the handoff request comprises an address of the second user device;

wherein initiating, by the first user device, handoff of the active data session to the second user device in response to the handoff request comprises forwarding, by the first user device, the address to a source with a command to transition the active data session to the second user device via the address;

wherein the source provides data associated with the active data session; and

wherein the source receives the command to transition the active data session to the second user device and the source routes the active data session to the second user device via the address.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the handoff request comprises an address of the second user device;

wherein initiating, by the first user device, handoff of the active data session to the second user device in response to the handoff request comprises forwarding, by the first user device, the active data session to the second user device via a wireless connection established between the first user device and the second user device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the handoff request comprises an address of the second user device;

wherein initiating, by the first user device, handoff of the active data session to the second user device in response to the handoff request comprises forwarding, by the first user device, the active data session to the second user device via a further bone conduction signal that propagates through the bone of the user.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the handoff request comprises an address of the second user device;

wherein initiating, by the first user device, handoff of the active data session to the second user device in response to the handoff request comprises forwarding, by the first user device, a source address to the second user device via a wireless connection established between the first user device and the second user device;

wherein the source provides data associated with the active data session; and

wherein the second user device contacts the source via the source address and requests that the source handoff the active data session to the second user device via the address.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the handoff request comprises an address of the second user device;

wherein initiating, by the first user device, handoff of the active data session to the second user device in response to the handoff request comprises forwarding, by the first user device, a source address to the second user device via a further bone conduction signal that propagates through the bone of the user;

wherein the source provides data associated with the active data session; and

wherein the second user device contacts the source via the source address and requests that the source handoff the active data session to the second user device via the address.

8. A user device comprising:

a network component;

a transducer;

a processor; and

a memory that stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the user device to perform operations comprising;

receiving, via the transducer, a handoff request from a further user device via a bone conduction signal that propagated through a bone of the user that is in physical contact with the user device and the further user device, wherein the handoff request instructs the user device to handoff an active data session to the further user device; and

initiating handoff of the active data session to the second user device in response to the handoff request.

9. The user device of claim 8, wherein the handoff request comprises an address of the further user device;

wherein initiating handoff of the active data session to the further user device in response to the handoff request comprises forwarding, via the network component, the address to a network with a command to transition the active data session to the further user device via the address; and

wherein the network receives the command to transition the active data session to the further user device and the network routes the active data session to the further user device via the address.

10. The user device of claim 8, wherein the handoff request comprises an address of the further user device;

wherein initiating handoff of the active data session to the further user device in response to the handoff request comprises forwarding, via the network component, the address to a source with a command to transition the active data session to the further user device via the address;

wherein the source provides data associated with the active data session; and

wherein the source receives the command to transition the active data session to the further user device and the source routes the active data session to the further user device via the address.

11. The user device of claim 8, wherein the handoff request comprises an address of the further user device;

wherein initiating handoff of the active data session to the further user device in response to the handoff request comprises forwarding, by the network component, the active data session to the further user device via a wireless connection established between the user device and the further user device.

12. The user device of claim 8, wherein the handoff request comprises an address of the further user device;

wherein initiating handoff of the active data session to the further user device in response to the handoff request comprises forwarding, by the network component, the active data session to the further user device via a further bone conduction signal that propagates through the bone of the user.

13. The user device of claim 8, wherein the handoff request comprises an address of the further user device;

wherein initiating handoff of the active data session to the further user device in response to the handoff request comprises forwarding, by the network component, a source address to the further user device via a wireless connection established between the user device and the further user device;

wherein the source provides data associated with the active data session; and

wherein the further user device contacts the source via the source address and requests that the source handoff the active data session to the further user device via the address.

14. The user device of claim 8, wherein the handoff request comprises an address of the further user device;

wherein initiating handoff of the active data session to the further user device in response to the handoff request comprises forwarding, by the transducer, a source address to the second user device via a further bone conduction signal that propagates through the bone of the user;

wherein the source provides data to the user device associated with the active data session; and

wherein the further user device contacts the source via the source address and requests that the source handoff the active data session to the further user device via the address.

15. A method comprising:

detecting, by a sensor of a user device, that a user is in physical contact with the user device;

generating, by the user device, a handoff request, the handoff request comprising an address of the user device and an instruction directed to a further user device to instruct the further user device to cause an active data session to be handed off to the user device, wherein the user also is in physical contact with the further user device;

sending, by a transducer of the user device, the handoff request to the further user device via a bone conduction signal that propagates through a bone of the user; and

receiving, by the user device, handoff of the active data session from the further user device.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein receiving, by the user device, handoff of the active data session from the further user device comprises receiving, by the user device, handoff of the active data session from a network.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein receiving, by the user device, handoff of the active data session from the further user device comprises receiving, by the user device, handoff of the active data session from a source, wherein the source provides data associated with the active data session.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein receiving, by the user device, handoff of the active data session from the further user device comprises receiving, by a network component of the user device, handoff of the active data session via a wireless connection established between the user device and the further user device.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein receiving, by the user device, handoff of the active data session from the further user device comprises receiving, by the transducer of the user device, handoff of the active data session via a further bone conduction signal that propagates through the bone of the user.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein receiving, by the user device, handoff of the active data session from the further user device comprises receiving a source address from the further user device and contacting a source of the active data session via the source address and requesting that the source handoff the active data session to the user device;

and wherein receiving the source address from the further user device comprises receiving the source address from the further user device via a wireless connection established between the user device and the further user device or receiving the source address from the further user device via a further bone conduction signal that propagates through the bone of the user.