MOBILE HARDWARE FOB WITH DEVICE ECOSYSTEM FOR MODULAR I/O EXTENSION DEVICES

• US 20180157610A1
• Filed: 01/30/2018
• Published: 06/07/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Inventors: Chan, Stephen Tsun-Wang
• Granted Patent: US 10,521,384 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/385 for adaptation of a particular data processing system to different peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4068 Electrical coupling

Abstract

A fob device includes a portable housing below a size needed to accommodate an input/output component for providing access to a functionality of the fob device that would not otherwise be accessible. The fob device also includes a mobile processor, a wireless interface, a volatile memory, a rechargeable battery, a charging interface, and storage medium having instructions that when executed causes the fob to receive a pairing request from a modular extension device that can provide access to the full functionality of the fob device that would not otherwise be accessible, pair with the modular extension device, and provide interfaces to the modular extension device that are customized based on a form factor of the modular extension device.

Claims

1. A fob device comprising:

a portable housing below a threshold size needed to accommodate an input/output component for providing access to a functionality of the fob device that would not otherwise be accessible, the portable housing including contents comprising;

a mobile processor configured to provide input and output interfaces to one or more paired modular extension devices that is customized based on a form factor of the one or more paired modular extension devices.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the mobile processor is further configured to:

receive a pairing request from a modular extension device via the wireless communications interface, the modular extension device being an input/output component that provides access to the functionality of the fob device that would not otherwise be accessible; and

pair with the modular extension device.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the mobile processor is further configured to:

detect a broadcast from a previously paired modular extension device;

pair with the previously paired modular extension device;

convert a current interface state on the modular extension device that is currently paired to the device to a new interface state based on the form factor of the previously paired modular extension device; and

unpair from the modular extension device that is currently paired to the device.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the mobile processor is further configured to:

detect a broadcast from a previously paired modular extension device;

pair with the previously paired modular extension device; and

extend a current interface state on the modular extension device that is currently paired to the device to a new interface state based on the form factor of the previously paired modular extension device.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the one or more paired modular extension devices is a heart rate monitor.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the one or more paired modular extension devices includes a haptic feedback device and a display.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the one or more paired modular extension devices includes a smart thermostat.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the one or more paired modular extension devices includes an extended graphics accelerator.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein each of the one or more paired modular extension device stores a profile, and wherein the profile includes configuration information to instruct the fob device on how to configure the respective paired modular extension device.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the configuration information includes at least a standard set of parameters, the standard set of parameters available in stored profiles for all modular extension devices.

11. A computer-implemented method comprising:

providing, by a fob device, input and output interfaces to one or more paired modular extension devices that is customized based on a form factor of the one or more paired modular extension devices; and

wherein the fob device is a hardware device that is placed within a portable housing, the portable housing below a threshold size needed to accommodate an input/output component for providing access to a functionality of the fob device that would not otherwise be accessible.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving a pairing request from a modular extension device via the wireless communications interface, the modular extension device being an input/output component that provides access to the functionality of the fob device that would not otherwise be accessible; and

pairing with the modular extension device.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

detecting a broadcast from a previously paired modular extension device;

pairing with the previously paired modular extension device;

converting a current interface state on the modular extension device that is currently paired to the device to a new interface state based on the form factor of the previously paired modular extension device; and

unpairing from the modular extension device that is currently paired to the device.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

detecting a broadcast from a previously paired modular extension device;

pairing with the previously paired modular extension device; and

extending a current interface state on the modular extension device that is currently paired to the device to a new interface state based on the form factor of the previously paired modular extension device.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the one or more paired modular extension devices is a heart rate monitor.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the one or more paired modular extension devices includes a haptic feedback device and a display.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the one or more paired modular extension devices includes a smart thermostat.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the one or more paired modular extension devices includes an extended graphics accelerator.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein each of the one or more paired modular extension device stores a profile, and wherein the profile includes configuration information to instruct the fob device on how to configure the respective paired modular extension device.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the configuration information includes at least a standard set of parameters, the standard set of parameters available in stored profiles for all modular extension devices.