Managing connections of a user device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10070215-B2
Application number	US-201715587863-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 5, 2017
Priority date	May 30, 2014
Publication date	Sep 4, 2018
Grant date	Sep 4, 2018

Abstract

Systems, methods, and computer-readable medium are provided for managing connections of user devices. For example, two source devices may be configured to maintain a data stream with one another. The data stream may enable the two source devices to identify one or more connections between each other and at least a third device. In response to receiving an event that indicates content to be provided to the third device, the data stream may be used by the source devices to configure their network connections with the third device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
maintaining, by a first source device, a first network connection with a second source device;
receiving, by the first source device, information identifying a notification to be provided to a peripheral device;
determining which of the first source device and the second source device is communicating with the peripheral device, the first source device configured to communicate with the peripheral device over a first peripheral network connection and the second source device configured to communicate with the peripheral device over a second peripheral network connection;
selecting which of the first source device and the second source device is to provide the notification to the peripheral device based at least in part on the determining; and
enabling the notification to be provided to the peripheral device via one of the selected first source device and the second source device.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first network connection between the first source device and the second source device is configured to be persistent when the first source device is within communication range of the second source device.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein selecting which of the first source device and the second source device is to provide the notification to the peripheral device further comprises selecting the second source device when the second source device is actively providing data to the peripheral device.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein selecting which of the first source device and the second source device is to provide the notification to the peripheral device further comprises selecting the second source device based at least in part on a configurable setting.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein enabling the notification to be provided to the peripheral device comprises:
transmitting, by the first source device, the notification to the second source device via the first network connection; and
transmitting, by the first source device, an instruction for the second source device to transmit the notification to the peripheral device.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein enabling the notification to be provided to the peripheral device further comprises:
instructing, via the first network connection, the second source device to cease providing content to the peripheral device prior to the second source device transmitting the notification to the peripheral device.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein selecting which of the first source device and the second source device is to provide the notification to the peripheral device further comprises selecting the first source device when the first source device is actively communicating with the peripheral device.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein enabling the notification to be provided to the peripheral device further comprises transmitting the notification from the first source device directly to the peripheral device.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein enabling the notification to be provided to the peripheral device further comprises:
determining that the second source device is providing content to the peripheral device over the second network connection between the second source device and the peripheral device; and
instructing, via the first network connection with the second source device, the second source device to cease providing the content to the peripheral device prior to the first source device transmitting the notification directly to the peripheral device over a third network connection.

10. A system, comprising:
a memory configured to store computer-executable instructions; and
a first device in communication with the memory and configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to:
maintain a first network connection with a second device;
receive information identifying a notification to be provided to a peripheral device;
determine which of the first device and the second device is communicating with the peripheral device;
select which of the first device and the second device is to provide the notification to the peripheral device based at least in part on the determining; and
enable the notification to be transmitted to the peripheral device via one of the first device and the second device.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the first device is selected for transmitting the notification to the peripheral device, and wherein the first device is further configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to:
determine that the second device is providing content to the peripheral device; and
provide an instruction, over the first network connection to the second device, to pause the providing of the content to the peripheral device at least until the notification is transmitted by the first device.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein connections between (1) the first device and the peripheral device and (2) the second device and the peripheral device comprise Bluetooth protocol connections.

13. The system of claim 10 , wherein the notification identifies an incoming telephone call, a calendar appointment, a request to play a song at the peripheral device, or a message from another device.

14. The system of claim 10 , wherein selecting which of the first device and the second device is to provide the notification to the peripheral device further comprises selecting the second device when the second device is actively providing data to the peripheral device.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a first computing device, configure the first computing device to perform operations comprising:
maintaining a first network connection with a second computing device,
receiving information that identifies a notification to be provided to a peripheral device;
selecting which of the first computing device and the second computing device is to provide the notification to the peripheral device based at least in part on a usage factor associated with the first computing device or the second computing device; and
enabling the notification to be provided to the peripheral device via one of the selected first computing device and the second computing device.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the usage factor identifies which of the first computing device and the second computing device is actively providing data to the peripheral device.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the usage factor identifies which of the first computing device or the second computing device has more battery power remaining.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the usage factor identifies which of the first computing device or the second computing device was used last to interact with the peripheral device.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the operations further comprise instructing the second computing device to transmit the notification to the peripheral device over a second network connection between the second computing device and the peripheral device.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the peripheral device is configured to be connectible to only one of the first computing device and the second computing device at a time.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Schobel Andreas E
• De Vries Nathan
• Novick Gregory B
• Guetta Anthony J
• Conn Jason C
• Prats Augustin

Classifications

• H04M19/045

  Call privacy arrangements, e.g. timely inhibiting the ring signal · CPC title

• H04L65/1069

  Session establishment or de-establishment · CPC title

• H04R1/1091 Primary

  Details not provided for in groups H04R1/1008 - H04R1/1083 · CPC title

• H04R2420/07

  Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones · CPC title

• H04W4/80

  Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication · CPC title