Device pairing via a cloud server

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9621645-B2
Application number	US-201314144427-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 30, 2013
Priority date	Dec 30, 2013
Publication date	Apr 11, 2017
Grant date	Apr 11, 2017

Abstract

Methods for device pairing via a cloud server are provided. In one aspect, a method includes sending an initial signal from a first device to a second device. The method includes sending a notification from the first device of a set of communication capabilities of the first device. The method also includes receiving an indication of a common communication capability between the first and second devices. The method includes initiating pairing of the first device and the second device using the common communication capability in response to the received indication. Systems and machine-readable media are also provided.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:
sending an initial signal from a first device to a second device, wherein the initial signal prompts the second device to send a first notification comprising a set of communication capabilities of the second device to a server;
sending a second notification from the first device to the server, wherein the second notification comprises a set of communication capabilities of the first device;
receiving, from the server, an indication of a common communication capability between the first and second devices;
generating, by the first device, a pairing token;
sending the pairing token from the first device to the server;
sending the pairing token from the first device to the second device using the common communication capability; and
initiating pairing of the first device and the second device using the common communication capability, based on a verification that the pairing token sent to the server matches the pairing token sent to the second device.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the initial signal is sent via an inaudible ultrasonic frequency.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , wherein the inaudible ultrasonic frequency is in the spectrum of 19 kHz or greater.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the initial signal is triggered by a physical movement of the first device.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4 , wherein the physical movement of the device is at least one of: quickly moving the first device toward the second device while screens of both devices are facing each other, sliding the first device toward the second device while both devices are laying on a surface, laying the first device down next to the second device on the surface, or waving a first device over a second device while the screens of both devices are facing each other.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the common communication capability is at least one of: Bluetooth Wireless Standard, Near Field Communication, WiFi, unilateral audio, or bilateral audio.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising pairing the first device to the second device, wherein data transfer of the pairing is accomplished through the server.

8. A system comprising:
a memory storing executable instructions; and
a processor configured to execute the executable instructions stored in the memory to:
send an initial signal from a first device to a second device, wherein the initial signal prompts the second device to send a first notification comprising a set of communication capabilities of the second device to a server;
send a second notification to the server, wherein the second notification comprises a set of communication capabilities of the first device;
receive, from the server, an indication of a common communication capability between the first and second devices;
generate, by the first device, a pairing token;
send the pairing token from the first device to the server;
send the pairing token from the first device to the second device using the common communication capability; and
initiate pairing of the first device and the second device using the common communication capability, based on a verification that the pairing token sent to the server matches the pairing token sent to the second device.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the initial signal is sent via an inaudible ultrasonic frequency.

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the initial signal is triggered by a physical movement of the first device.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the physical movement of the device is at least one of: quickly moving the first device toward the second device while screens of both devices are facing each other, sliding the first device toward the second device while both devices are laying on a surface, laying the first device down next to the second device on the surface, or waving a first device over a second device while the screens of both devices are facing each other.

12. The system of claim 8 , wherein the common communication capability is at least one of: Bluetooth Wireless Standard, Near Field Communication, WiFi, unilateral audio, or bilateral audio.

13. The system of claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to pair the first device to the second device, wherein data transfer of the pairing is accomplished through the server.

14. A non-transitory machine-readable medium embodying instructions that, when executed by a machine, allow the machine to perform a method comprising:
sending an initial signal from a first device to a second device, wherein the initial signal is sent via an inaudible ultrasonic frequency and prompts the second device to send a first notification comprising a set of communication capabilities of the second device to a server;
sending a second notification to the server, wherein the second notification comprises a set of communication capabilities of the first device;
receiving, from the server, an indication of a common communication capability between the first and second devices;
generating, by the first device, a pairing token;
sending the pairing token from the first device to the server;
sending the pairing token from the first device to the second device using the common communication capability; and
initiating pairing of the first device and the second device using the common communication capability, based on a verification that the pairing token sent to the server matches the pairing token sent to the second device.

15. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the inaudible ultrasonic frequency is in the spectrum of 19 kHz or greater.

16. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the initial signal is triggered by a physical movement of the first device.

17. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 14 , further comprising pairing the first device to the second device, wherein data transfer of the pairing is accomplished through the server.

Assignees

• Google Inc

Inventors

• Smus Boris
• Plagemann Christian
• Wuellner Trond Thomas
• Costa Antonio Bernardo Monteiro
• Kauffmann Alejandro José

Classifications

• H04L67/104 Primary

  Peer-to-peer [P2P] networks · CPC title

• H04B11/00

  Transmission systems employing ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves · CPC title

• H04L69/24

  Negotiation of communication capabilities · CPC title

• G06F3/00

  Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements · CPC title

• H04W4/003

  Electricity · mapped topic