Pairing of nearby devices using a synchronized cue signal

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9801219-B2
Application number	US-201514740060-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 15, 2015
Priority date	Jun 15, 2015
Publication date	Oct 24, 2017
Grant date	Oct 24, 2017

Abstract

A method for pairing devices in a communication network using a cue signal may include receiving by a first computing device in a communication network, a cue signal. The cue signal is matched with a pre-determined cue signal. A listening window can be opened upon successful matching of the received cue signal with a pre-determined signal. A device identifier broadcast associated with a second computing device within the communication network may be detected during the listening window. The device identifier may be broadcast in response to the cue signal. Pairing may be initiated with the second computing device. The listening window may be of a fixed duration, and the device identifier may be detected prior to expiration of the fixed duration.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computing device, comprising:
a memory; and
a processor coupled to the memory, the processor configured to:
detect a cue signal;
match the cue signal with a pre-determined cue signal;
upon successful matching of the cue signal, broadcast via a computer network, a device identifier associated with the computing device; and
initiate pairing with a second computing device receiving the broadcast device identifier, wherein the second computing device opens a listening window, and the listening window is activated, upon successful matching of the cue signal by the second computing device;

wherein the second computing device opens the listening window for a forward period of time beginning from a time when the second computing device matches the cue signal, and wherein the second computing device stores recently received broadcast identifiers, received via the computer network, for a backward period of time, before the listening window is opened, from the time when the second computing device matches the cue signal, and wherein the stored broadcast identifiers are usable by the second computing device for initiating the pairing.

2. The computing device according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
receive the cue signal as a digitized voice input.

3. The computing device according to claim 2 , wherein the computing device further comprises a digital personal assistant, the digital personal assistant configured to detect the digitized voice input.

4. The computing device according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
upon successful pairing, initiate transfer of data from the computing device to the second computing device.

5. The computing device according to claim 4 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
select the data based on metadata associated with the cue signal.

6. The computing device according to claim 1 , wherein the pre-determined cue signal is stored within the computing device.

7. The computing device according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
generate a hash based on the cue signal; and
broadcast during the listening window, the device identifier with the hash, wherein the pairing is based on the device identifier and the hash.

8. The computing device according to claim 7 , wherein the cue signal is an audio signal and the hash is generated based on at least one of an audio fingerprint and/or length of the audio signal.

9. A method, performed by a computing device, for pairing devices using a cue signal, the method comprising:
detecting a cue signal;
matching the cue signal with a pre-determined cue signal;
upon successful matching of the cue signal, broadcasting via a computer network, a device identifier associated with the computing device; and
initiating pairing with a second computing device receiving the broadcast device identifier, wherein the second computing device opens a listening window, and the listening window is activated, upon successful matching of the cue signal by the second computing device;
wherein the second computing device opens the listening window for a forward period of time beginning from a time when the second computing device matches the cue signal, and wherein the second computing device stores recently received broadcast identifiers, received via the computer network, for a backward period of time, before the listening window is opened, from the time when the second computing device matches the cue signal, and wherein the stored broadcast identifiers are usable by the second computing device for initiating the pairing.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
receiving the cue signal as a digitized voice input.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the computing device comprises a digital personal assistant, the digital personal assistant configured to detect the digitized voice input.

12. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
upon successful pairing, initiating transfer of data from the computing device to the second computing device.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
selecting the data based on metadata associated with the cue signal.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein the pre-determined cue signal is stored within the computing device.

15. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
generating a hash based on the cue signal; and
broadcasting during the listening window, the device identifier with the hash, wherein the pairing is based on the device identifier and the hash.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the cue signal is an audio signal and the hash is generated based on at least one of an audio fingerprint and/or length of the audio signal.

17. A computing device, comprising:
a memory; and
a processor coupled to the memory, the processor configured to:
detect a cue signal;
match the cue signal with a pre-determined cue signal;
upon successful matching of the cue signal, open a listening window, wherein the listening window is activated based on the successful matching of the cue signal by the computing device;
detect a device identifier broadcast by a second computing device via a computer network, wherein the device identifier is broadcast by the second computing device in response to the cue signal; and
initiate pairing with the second computing device;
wherein the computing device opens the listening window for a forward period of time beginning from a time when the computing device matches the cue signal, and wherein the computing device stores recently received broadcast identifiers, received via the computer network, for a backward period of time, before the listening window is opened, from the time when the computing device matches the cue signal, and wherein the stored broadcast identifiers are usable by the computing device for initiating the pairing.

18. The computing device according to claim 17 , wherein the computing device further comprises a digital personal assistant, the digital personal assistant configured to receive the cue signal as a digitized voice input.

19. The computing device according to claim 17 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
upon successful pairing, receiving a transfer of data from the second computing device.

20. The computing device according to claim 17 , wherein the pre-determined cue signal is stored within the computing device.

Assignees

• Microsoft Technology Licensing Llc

Inventors

• Sonnino Roberto
• Mandel-Iaia Jordan

Classifications

• H04W4/80 Primary

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

• H04W12/06 Primary

  Authentication · CPC title

• G06F3/167

  Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback · CPC title

• G09G5/12

  Synchronisation between the display unit and other units, e.g. other display units, video-disc players · CPC title

• H04W4/70

  Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC] · CPC title