Mobile device sensor data subscribing and sharing

• US 9,794,729 B2
• Filed: 02/16/2016
• Issued: 10/17/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Meyers, Libo C., Kandangath, Anil K., Tu, Xiaoyuan
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown, Anthony
• Assistant Examiner(s): Anderson, Michael D
• Application Number:
  US15/045,021
• Publication Number:
  US 20160269852A1
• Time in Patent Office: 609 Days
• Field of Search: 726 4
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/082 using revocation of authorisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]
• 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 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup

Abstract

Techniques for mobile devices to subscribe and share raw sensor data are provided. The raw sensor data associated with sensors (e.g., accelerometers, gyroscopes, compasses, pedometers, pressure sensors, audio sensors, light sensors, barometers) of a mobile device can be used to determine the movement or activity of a user. By sharing the raw or compressed sensor data with other computing devices, the other computing devices can determine a motion state based on the sensor data. Additionally, in some instances, the other computing devices can determine a functional state based on the sensor data and the motion state. For example, functional state classification can be associated with each motion state (e.g., driving, walking) by further describing each motion state (e.g., walking on rough terrain, driving while texting).

Claims

1. A method for sharing sensor data, the method comprising:

receiving, at a first mobile device over a wireless connection with a second mobile device, an authorization to receive sensor data directly from the second mobile device, the authorization including an identifier that uniquely identifies the second mobile device

retrieving, using the identifier, authorization rights associated with the second mobile device,

wherein the retrieving comprises retrieving the authorization rights from a permission table including a list of one or more mobile devices authorized to receive the sensor data from the second mobile device;

receiving, at the first mobile device over the wireless connection with the second mobile device, in accordance with the authorization rights, information from the second mobile device, the information including the identifier and sensor data from one or more sensors in the second mobile device, the one or more sensors including at least one motion sensor and the sensor data including motion data from the at least one motion sensor; and

determining, by the first mobile device, a motion state of the second mobile device based on an analysis of the sensor data and the identifier.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the authorization rights indicate types of information that the first mobile device is authorized to receive from the second mobile device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the authorization rights include access right levels that the first mobile device has to sensor data from the second mobile device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless connection is a Bluetooth connection.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors further include one or more of an accelerometer, a pedometer, a gyroscope, a compass, a pressure sensor, an audio sensor, a light sensor, a barometer, and a global positioning system (GPS) unit.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the motion state is one of a stationary state, a walking state, a running state, or a driving state.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a functional state of the second mobile device based on the sensor data and the motion state, wherein the functional state is an activity associated with the motion state.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the functional state is one of a plurality of activities associated with the motion state.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the plurality of activities include walking on rough terrain, running on rough terrain, falling while walking, falling while running, jumping while running, texting while walking, and texting while driving.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the information further includes a time value corresponding to the sensor data, the method further comprising:

receiving the information a plurality of times;

determining a respective motion state of the second mobile device for each of the plurality of times; and

generating a timeline of motion states of the second mobile device for time values corresponding to the plurality of times.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

requesting, by the first mobile device, the authorization to receive the sensor data from the second mobile device.

12. The method of claims 1 wherein the permission table stores at least one of access rights for particular types of sensor data, duration of authorized access, or communication type for the one or more mobile devices authorized to receive the sensor data from the second mobile device.

13. The method of claims 12 wherein the communication type includes a Bluetooth communication protocol.

14. The method of claims 1 wherein the permission table identifies a communication protocol for transmitting the sensor data to the one or more mobile devices authorized to receive the sensor data from the second mobile device.

15. A mobile device comprising:

one or more sensors; and

one or more processors configured to perform operations for sharing sensor data, the operations comprising;

receiving, at the mobile device over a wireless connection with another mobile device, an authorization to receive sensor data directly from the other mobile device, the authorization including an identifier that uniquely identifies the other mobile device

retrieving, using the identifier, authorization rights associated with the other mobile device,

wherein the retrieving comprises retrieving the authorization rights from a permission table including a list of one or more mobile devices authorized to receive the sensor data from the other mobile device;

receiving, at the mobile device over the wireless connection with the other mobile device, in accordance with the authorization rights, information from the other mobile device, the information including the identifier and sensor data from one or more sensors in the other mobile device, the one or more sensors including at least one motion sensor and the sensor data including motion data from the at least one motion sensor; and

determining, by the mobile device, a motion state of the other mobile device based on an analysis of the sensor data and the identifier.

16. The mobile device of claim 15, wherein the authorization rights:

indicate types of information that the mobile device is authorized to receive from the other mobile device.

17. The mobile device of claim 15, wherein the authorization rights include access right levels that the mobile device has to sensor data from the other mobile device.

18. The mobile device of claims 15 wherein the permission table stores at least one of access rights for particular types of sensor data, duration of authorized access, or communication type for the one or more mobile devices authorized to receive the sensor data from the second mobile device.

19. The mobile device of claims 15 wherein the permission table identifies a communication protocol for transmitting the sensor data to the one or more mobile devices authorized to receive the sensor data from the second mobile device.

20. The mobile device of claims 15 wherein the communication type includes a Bluetooth communication protocol.

21. A method for sharing sensor data, the method comprising:

receiving, at a first mobile device over a wireless connection with a second mobile device, an authorization to receive sensor data directly from the second mobile device, the authorization including an identifier that uniquely identifies the second mobile device

retrieving, using the identifier, authorization rights associated with the second mobile device,

wherein the retrieving comprises retrieving the authorization rights from a permission table including a list of one or more mobile devices authorized to receive the sensor data from the other mobile device;

receiving, at the first mobile device over the wireless connection with the second mobile device, in accordance with the authorization rights, information from the second mobile device, the information including the identifier and sensor data from one or more sensors in the second mobile device, the one or more sensors including at least a global positioning system (GPS) unit and the sensor data including location data from the GPS unit; and

determining, by the first mobile device, a location of the second mobile device based on an analysis of the sensor data and the identifier.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the information further includes a time value corresponding to the sensor data, the method further comprising:

receiving the information a plurality of times;

determining a respective location of the second mobile device for each of the plurality of times; and

generating a timeline of locations of the second mobile device for time values corresponding to the plurality of times.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the one or more sensors further include at least one motion sensor and wherein the sensor data further includes motion data from the at least one motion sensor, the method further comprising:

determining, by the first mobile device, a motion state of the second mobile device based on an analysis of the sensor data and the identifier.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the motion state is one of a stationary state, a walking state, a running state, or a driving state.

25. The mobile device of claims 21 wherein the permission table stores at least one of access rights for particular types of sensor data, duration of authorized access, or communication type for the one or more mobile devices authorized to receive the sensor data from the second mobile device.

26. The mobile device of claims 21 wherein the permission table identifies a communication protocol for transmitting the sensor data to the one or more mobile devices authorized to receive the sensor data from the second mobile device.

27. The mobile device of claims 21 wherein the communication type includes a Bluetooth communication protocol.