Enhancement on smartwatch implementation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12170940-B2
Application number	US-202318127893-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 29, 2023
Priority date	Apr 8, 2021
Publication date	Dec 17, 2024
Grant date	Dec 17, 2024

Abstract

The subject matter described herein provides systems and techniques to automatically configure a proximal device, such as a smart watch, a tablet, or any other smart device, based on configuration information sent from the user equipment (UE) to the proximal device when the local communications connection, such as a wireless connection, between the devices is weak. If it is determined that there is a weak local communications connection between the UE and the proximal device the UE may automatically send network configuration information to the proximal device. If it is determined that there is a weak local communications connection between the UE and the proximal device the UE may automatically turn on its mobile hotspot, and automatically send the mobile hotspot configuration information to the proximal device.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
monitoring, at a first mobile device directly connected to a network, a connection quality for a local tethering connection between the first mobile device and a second mobile device tethered to the network through the first mobile device;
determining, at the first mobile device, that the connection quality is below a threshold value; and
in response to determining that the connection quality is below a threshold value, sending, from the first mobile device, a notification to the second mobile device to directly connect to the network.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first mobile device is a smart phone, and the second mobile device is a smart watch.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the local tethering connection is a Bluetooth connection.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein network traffic associated with the second mobile device is routed to the first mobile device via the local tethering connection and then routed to the network via a network connection.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the connection quality comprises at least one of a signal strength, a data rate, or a bit error rate of the local tethering connection.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising comparing a value of the monitored connection quality to the threshold value.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the notification further comprises configuration information for the second mobile device to directly connect to the network.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the notification further comprises a request for the second mobile device to turn on its network connection.

9. A system comprising one or more processors configured to:
monitor, at a first mobile device directly connected to a network, a connection quality for a local tethering connection between the first mobile device and a second mobile device tethered to the network through the first mobile device;
determine, at the first mobile device, that the connection quality is below a threshold value; and
in response to determining that the connection quality is below a threshold value, send, from the first mobile device, a notification to the second mobile device to directly connect to the network.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the first mobile device is a smart phone, and the second mobile device is a smart watch.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the local tethering connection is a Bluetooth connection.

12. The system of claim 9 , wherein network traffic associated with the second mobile device is routed to the first mobile device via the local tethering connection and then routed to the network via a network connection.

13. The system of claim 9 , wherein the connection quality comprises at least one of a signal strength, a data rate, or a bit error rate of the local tethering connection.

14. The system of claim 9 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to compare a value of the monitored connection quality to the threshold value.

15. The system of claim 9 , wherein the notification further comprises configuration information for the second mobile device to directly connect to the network.

16. The system of claim 9 , wherein the notification further comprises a request for the second mobile device to turn on its network connection.

17. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions, that when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:
monitor, at a first mobile device directly connected to a network, a connection quality for a local tethering connection between the first mobile device and a second mobile device tethered to the network through the first mobile device;
determine, at the first mobile device, that the connection quality is below a threshold value; and
in response to determining that the connection quality is below a threshold value, send, from the first mobile device, a notification to the second mobile device to directly connect to the network.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the first mobile device is a smart phone, the second mobile device is a smart watch, and the local tethering connection is a Bluetooth connection.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to compare a value of the monitored connection quality to the threshold value.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the notification further comprises at least one of configuration information for the second mobile device to directly connect to the network or a request for the second mobile device to turn on its network connection.

Assignees

• Google Llc

Inventors

• Wang Jibing
• Stauffer Erik Richard
• Zhang Qin

Classifications

• H04L5/14

  Two-way operation using the same type of signal, i.e. duplex · CPC title

• H04W76/11

  Allocation or use of connection identifiers · CPC title

• H04W76/15

  Setup of multiple wireless link connections · CPC title

• H04L41/0806

  for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play · CPC title

• H04W76/18

  Management of setup rejection or failure · CPC title