Switching between watches or other accessories

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12028475-B2
Application number	US-202217730169-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 26, 2022
Priority date	Jan 10, 2016
Publication date	Jul 2, 2024
Grant date	Jul 2, 2024

Abstract

Systems, methods and non-transitory computer readable media for allowing a user to switch between wearable items that have been paired or associated with an electronic device, such as a smartphone, are described. In one embodiment, the wearable items automatically detect a removal of a first wearable item from a user's body and an attachment of a second wearable item to the user's body. Messages from the wearable items are transmitted to the electronic device to allow the electronic device to switch the active wearable item from the first wearable item to the second wearable item. The switch can occur while the electronic device is in a locked state, and the electronic device can synchronize the second wearable item with data received from the first wearable item. Other embodiments are also described.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
determining, by an electronic device, to switch an active wearable device from a first wearable device to a second wearable device;
responsive to the determining, stopping, by the electronic device, execution on the electronic device of at least one of a first process corresponding to the first wearable device or a second process corresponding to the second wearable device;
switching, by the electronic device, the active wearable device to the second wearable device; and
responsive to the switching, starting, by on the electronic device, the at least one of the first process corresponding to the first wearable device or the second process corresponding to the second wearable device.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein stopping, by the electronic device, the at least one of the first process corresponding to the first wearable device or the second process corresponding to the second wearable device comprises stopping, by the electronic device, the first process corresponding to the first wearable device and the second process corresponding to the second wearable device.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein starting, by the electronic device, the at least one of the first process corresponding to the first wearable device or the second process corresponding to the second wearable device comprises starting, by the electronic device, the first process corresponding to the first wearable device and the second process corresponding to the second wearable device.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein stopping, by the electronic device, the at least one of the first process corresponding to the first wearable device or the second process corresponding to the second wearable device further comprises locking, by the electronic device, the at least one of the first process corresponding to the first wearable device or the second process corresponding to the second wearable device from starting again.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein starting, by the electronic device, the at least one of the first process corresponding to the first wearable device or the second process corresponding to the second wearable device comprises unlocking, by the electronic device, the at least one of the first process corresponding to the first wearable device or the second process corresponding to the second wearable device.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein switching, by the electronic device, the active wearable device to the second wearable device further comprises:
instructing a transport layer of the electronic device to switch the active wearable device to the second wearable device.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
prior to instructing the transport layer of the electronic device to switch the active wearable device to the second wearable device, sending a notification that a switch of the active wearable device will occur to software that is not specific to the active wearable device.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein switching, by the electronic device, the active wearable device to the second wearable device comprises:
tearing down a first encrypted communication channel between the electronic device and the first wearable device; and
establishing a second encrypted communication channel between the electronic device and the second wearable device.

9. A device comprising:
a memory; and
at least one processor configured to:
determine to switch an active wearable device from a first wearable device to a second wearable device;
responsive to the determine, stop execution by the at least one processor of at least one of a first process corresponding to the first wearable device or a second process corresponding to the second wearable device;
switch the active wearable device to the second wearable device; and
responsive to the switch, start execution by the at least one processor of the at least one of the first process corresponding to the first wearable device or the second process corresponding to the second wearable device.

10. The device of claim 9 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to stop the at least one of the first process corresponding to the first wearable device or the second process corresponding to the second wearable device by stopping the first process corresponding to the first wearable device and the second process corresponding to the second wearable device.

11. The device of claim 10 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to start the at least one of the first process corresponding to the first wearable device or the second process corresponding to the second wearable device by starting the first process corresponding to the first wearable device and the second process corresponding to the second wearable device.

12. The device of claim 10 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to stop the at least one of the first process corresponding to the first wearable device or the second process corresponding to the second wearable device further by locking the at least one of the first process corresponding to the first wearable device or the second process corresponding to the second wearable device from starting again.

13. The device of claim 12 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to start the at least one of the first process corresponding to the first wearable device or the second process corresponding to the second wearable device by unlocking the at least one of the first process corresponding to the first wearable device or the second process corresponding to the second wearable device.

14. The device of claim 13 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to switch the active wearable device to the second wearable device by instructing a transport layer to switch the active wearable device to the second wearable device.

15. The device of claim 14 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to:
prior to instructing the transport layer to switch the active wearable device to the second wearable device, send a notification that a switch of the active wearable device will occur to software that is not specific to the active wearable device.

16. The device of claim 9 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to switch the active wearable device to the second wearable device by:
tearing down a first encrypted communication channel between the device and the first wearable device; and
establishing a second encrypted communication channel between the device and the second wearable device.

17. A non-transitory machine-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
determining, by an electronic device, to switch an active wearable device from a first wearable device to a second wearable device;
responsive to the determining, stopping, by the electronic device, execution on the electronic device of at least one of a first process corresponding to the first wearable device or a second process corresponding to the second wearable device;
switching, by the electronic device, the active wearable device to the second wearable device; and
responsive to the switching, starting, by on the electronic device, the at least one of the first process corresponding to the first wearable device or the second process corresponding to the second wearable device.

18. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein stopping, by the electronic device, the at least one of the first process corresponding to the first wearable

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Donley David C
• Poumailloux Julien A
• De Filippis Pierre J
• Hawkins Tyler D
• Dooley Craig P
• Pollack Daniel B
• Grandy James C
• Novick Gregory B
• Shortlidge Todd A
• Pahwa Aroon
• Wilson David T
• Yang Yan
• Circosta Nicholas Joseph

Classifications

• G06F3/014

  Hand-worn input/output arrangements, e.g. data gloves · CPC title

• G06F3/017

  Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures (interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883) · CPC title

• H04M1/67

  by electronic means · CPC title

• H04L63/08

  for authentication of entities (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32) · CPC title

• H04L63/0428

  wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload · CPC title