Automatic wireless communication protocol toggling

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10764940-B2
Application number	US-201916441721-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 14, 2019
Priority date	Mar 24, 2016
Publication date	Sep 1, 2020
Grant date	Sep 1, 2020

Abstract

In general, this disclosure is directed to techniques for toggling communication connections based on signal strengths. A first computing device receives an indication of a user input to send data packets to a second computing device. Responsive to receiving the indication, the first computing device determines a signal strength of a first wireless communication connection, comprising one of a cellular network connection or a wireless local area network connection, to the second computing device, and determines whether the signal strength satisfies a threshold signal strength level. Responsive to determining that the signal strength does not satisfy the threshold signal strength level, the first computing device automatically establishes a second wireless communication connection, including a mesh network using a different wireless communication protocol than the first wireless communication connection, to the second computing device, and sends the data packets to the second computing device via the second wireless communication connection.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
receiving, by a first mobile device, a first user input indication indicating input to transmit a first set of data packets to a destination device;
connecting, by the first mobile device, to a second mobile device via a first wireless communication connection;
sending, by the first mobile device, the first set of data packets to the second mobile device via the first wireless communication connection, the first set of data packets when received by the second mobile device causing the second mobile device to transmit the first set of data packets to the recipient device via a second wireless communication connection, the second wireless communication connection comprising a different wireless protocol than the first wireless communication connection; and
after the second mobile device sends the first set of data packets to the recipient device via the second wireless communication connection:
receiving, at the first mobile device, a second user input indication indicating input to transmit a second set of data packets to the recipient device;
disconnecting, by the first mobile device, from the first wireless communication connection with the second mobile device;
connecting, by the first mobile device, to the recipient device via the second wireless communication connection; and
sending, by the first mobile device, the second set of data packets to the recipient device via the second wireless communication connection.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first wireless communication connection comprises a short wavelength radio connection.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second wireless communication connection comprises a cellular network.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second wireless communication connection comprises a wireless local area network connection.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first mobile device comprises a computerized watch.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first mobile device comprises a wearable computing device.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second mobile device comprises a mobile telephone.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second mobile device comprises a tablet computer.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first set of data packets and the second set of data packets are associated with voice calls.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the first set of data packets are associated with one of a text message, a picture message, a voice call, or a video call; and
the second set of data packets are associated with one of a text message, a picture message, a voice call, or a video call.

11. A mobile device comprising:
data processing hardware; and
memory hardware in communication with the data processing hardware and storing instructions that when executed, cause the data processing hardware to perform operations comprising:
receiving a first user input indication indicating input to transmit a first set of data packets to a destination device;
connecting to a second mobile device via a first wireless communication connection;
sending the first set of data packets to the second mobile device via the first wireless communication connection, the first set of data packets when received by the second mobile device causing the second mobile device to transmit the first set of data packets to the recipient device via a second wireless communication connection, the second wireless communication connection comprising a different wireless protocol than the first wireless communication connection; and
after the second mobile device sends the first set of data packets to the recipient device via the second wireless communication connection:
receiving a second user input indication indicating input to transmit a second set of data packets to the recipient device;
disconnecting from the first wireless communication connection with the second mobile device;
connecting to the recipient device via the second wireless communication connection; and
sending the second set of data packets to the recipient device via the second wireless communication connection.

12. The mobile device of claim 11 , wherein the first wireless communication connection comprises a short wavelength radio connection.

13. The mobile device of claim 11 , wherein the second wireless communication connection comprises a cellular network.

14. The mobile device of claim 11 , wherein the second wireless communication connection comprises a wireless local area network connection.

15. The mobile device of claim 11 , wherein the mobile device comprises a computerized watch.

16. The mobile device of claim 11 , wherein the mobile device comprises a wearable computing device.

17. The mobile device of claim 11 , wherein the second mobile device comprises a mobile telephone.

18. The mobile device of claim 11 , wherein the second mobile device comprises a tablet computer.

19. The mobile device of claim 11 , wherein the first set of data packets and the second set of data packets are associated with voice calls.

20. The mobile device of claim 11 , wherein:
the first set of data packets are associated with one of a text message, a picture message, a voice call, or a video call; and
the second set of data packets are associated with one of a text message, a picture message, a voice call, or a video call.

Assignees

• Google Llc

Inventors

• Toksoz Tuna
• Price Thomas

Classifications

• H04W72/542

  using measured or perceived quality · CPC title

• H04W72/54

  based on quality criteria · CPC title

• H04B17/318

  Received signal strength · CPC title

• H04W76/10 Primary

  Connection setup · CPC title

• H04W52/245

  taking into account received signal strength · CPC title