Granted Patent B2

US 9,860,297 · App. 14/293,179 · Granted Jan 2, 2018

Abstract

Claims (86)

1. A method, comprising:

scanning, by an apparatus, for wireless device discovery messages associated with presence of a mobile wireless device to which the apparatus is not connected, while the apparatus is connected to a server;

reproducing, by the apparatus, content received from the server;

measuring, by the apparatus, signal strength of the wireless device discovery messages associated with the presence of the mobile wireless device to which the apparatus is not connected;

maintaining, by the apparatus, the measured signal strength of the wireless device discovery messages received from the mobile wireless device to which the apparatus is not connected;

receiving, by the apparatus, from another wireless device capable of reproducing content received from the server, information relating to a measured signal strength of wireless messages received by the other wireless device from the mobile wireless device;

comparing, by the apparatus, the received information relating to the measured signal strength of wireless messages received by the other wireless device, with the maintained signal strength associated with the mobile wireless device; and

relinquishing, by the apparatus, reproducing content received from the server, when the information relating to the measured signal strength of wireless device discovery messages received by the other device from the mobile wireless device to which the apparatus is not connected is greater than the maintained signal strength of the wireless device discovery messages associated with the mobile wireless device to which the apparatus is not connected.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the information relating to the measured signal strength of wireless messages received by the other wireless device, is received from at least one of the other wireless device or the server.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the relinquishing reproducing content received from the server, is performed when the information relating to measured signal strength of the wireless messages received by the other wireless device is greater than the maintained signal strength associated with a first wireless device, by a predefined margin or by a predefined margin for a predefined interval.

4. A method, comprising:

scanning, by an apparatus, for wireless device discovery messages associated with presence of a mobile wireless device to which the apparatus is not connected, while the apparatus is connected to a server;

measuring, by the apparatus, signal strength of the wireless device discovery messages associated with the presence of the mobile wireless device to which the apparatus is not connected;

maintaining, by the apparatus, the measured signal strength of the wireless device discovery messages received from the mobile wireless device to which the apparatus is not connected;

receiving, by the apparatus, from another wireless device currently reproducing content it receives over a connection from the server, information relating to measured signal strength of wireless messages received by the other wireless device from the mobile wireless device;

comparing, by the apparatus, the received information relating to the measured signal strength of wireless messages received by the other wireless device, with the maintained signal strength associated with the mobile wireless device; and

commencing, by the apparatus, reproduction of content received from the server when the information relating to the measured signal strength of wireless device discovery messages received by the other wireless device from the mobile wireless device to which the apparatus is not connected is less than the maintained signal strength of the wireless device discovery messages associated with the mobile wireless device to which the apparatus is not connected.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the information relating to a measured signal strength of wireless messages received by the other wireless device, is received from at least one of the other wireless device or the server.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the commencing reproduction of content received from the server is performed when the information relating to measured signal strength of the wireless messages received by the other wireless device is less than the maintained signal strength associated with a first wireless device, by a predefined margin or by a predefined margin for a predefined interval.

7. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor;

at least one memory including computer program code;

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to:

scan for wireless device discovery messages associated with presence of a mobile wireless device to which the apparatus is not connected, while the apparatus is connected to a server;

reproduce content received from the server;

measure signal strength of the wireless device discovery messages associated with the presence of the mobile wireless device to which the apparatus is not connected;

maintain the measured signal strength of the wireless device discovery messages received from the mobile wireless device to which the apparatus is not connected;

receive from another wireless device capable of reproducing content received from the server, information relating to a measured signal strength of wireless messages received by the other wireless device from the mobile wireless device;

compare the received information relating to the measured signal strength of wireless messages received by the other wireless device, with the maintained signal strength associated with the mobile wireless device; and

relinquish reproducing content received from the server when the information relating to the measured signal strength of wireless device discovery messages received by the other wireless device from the mobile wireless device to which the apparatus is not connected is greater than the maintained signal strength of the wireless device discovery messages associated with the mobile wireless device to which the apparatus is not connected.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the information relating to the measured signal strength of wireless messages received by the other wireless device, is received from at least one of the other wireless device or the server.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the relinquishing reproducing content received from the server is performed when the information relating to measured signal strength of the wireless messages received by the other wireless device is greater than the maintained signal strength associated with a first wireless device, by a predefined margin or by a predefined margin for a predefined interval.

10. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor;

at least one memory including computer program code;

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to:

scan for wireless device discovery messages associated with presence of a mobile wireless device to which the apparatus is not connected, while the apparatus is connected to a server;

measure signal strength of the wireless device discovery messages associated with the presence of the mobile wireless device to which the apparatus is not connected;

maintain the measured signal strength of the wireless device discovery messages received from the mobile wireless device to which the apparatus is not connected;

receive from another wireless device currently reproducing content it receives over a connection from the server, information relating to measured signal strength of wireless messages received by the other wireless device from the mobile wireless device;

compare the received information relating to the measured signal strength of wireless messages received by the other wireless device, with the maintained signal strength associated with the mobile wireless device; and

commence reproduction of content received from the server when the information relating to the measured signal strength of wireless device discovery messages received by the other wireless device from the mobile wireless device to which the apparatus is not connected is less than the maintained signal strength of the wireless device discovery messages associated with the mobile wireless device to which the apparatus is not connected.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the information relating to a measured signal strength of wireless messages received by the other wireless device, is received from at least one of the other wireless device or the server.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the commencing reproduction of content received from the server is performed when the information relating to measured signal strength of the wireless messages received by the other wireless device is less than the maintained signal strength associated with a first wireless device, by a predefined margin or by a predefined margin for a predefined interval.

13. A computer program product comprising computer executable program code recorded on a computer readable, non-transitory storage medium, the computer executable program code comprising:

code for scanning, by an apparatus, for wireless device discovery messages associated with presence of a mobile wireless device to which the apparatus is not connected, while the apparatus is connected to a server;

code for reproducing, by the apparatus, content received from the server;

code for measuring, by the apparatus, signal strength of the wireless device discovery messages associated with the presence of the mobile wireless device to which the apparatus is not connected;

code for maintaining, by the apparatus, the measured signal strength of the wireless device discovery messages received from the mobile wireless device to which the apparatus is not connected;

code for receiving, by the apparatus, from another wireless device capable of reproducing content received from the server, information relating to a measured signal strength of wireless messages received by the other wireless device from the mobile wireless device;

code for comparing, by the apparatus, the received information relating to the measured signal strength of wireless messages received by the other wireless device, with the maintained signal strength associated with the mobile wireless device; and

code for relinquishing, by the apparatus, reproducing content received from the server, when the information relating to the measured signal strength of wireless device discovery messages received by the other device from the mobile wireless device to which the apparatus is not connected is greater than the maintained signal strength of the wireless device discovery messages associated with the mobile wireless device to which the apparatus is not connected.

14. A computer program product comprising computer executable program code recorded on a computer readable, non-transitory storage medium, the computer executable program code comprising:

code for scanning, by an apparatus, for wireless device discovery messages associated with presence of a mobile wireless device to which the apparatus is not connected, while the apparatus is connected to a server;

code for measuring, by the apparatus, signal strength of the wireless device discovery messages associated with the presence of the mobile wireless device to which the apparatus is not connected;

code for maintaining, by the apparatus, the measured signal strength of the wireless device discovery messages received from the mobile wireless device to which the apparatus is not connected;

code for receiving, by the apparatus, from another wireless device currently reproducing content it receives over a connection from the server, information relating to measured signal strength of wireless messages received by the other wireless device from the mobile wireless device;

code for comparing, by the apparatus, the received information relating to the measured signal strength of wireless messages received by the other wireless device, with the maintained signal strength associated with the mobile wireless device; and

code for commencing, by the apparatus, reproduction of content received from the server when the information relating to the measured signal strength of wireless device discovery messages received by the other wireless device from the mobile wireless device to which the apparatus is not connected is less than the maintained signal strength of the wireless device discovery messages associated with the mobile wireless device to which the apparatus is not connected.

15. A method, comprising:

scanning, by an apparatus, for wireless device discovery messages associated with presence of a mobile wireless device to which the apparatus is not connected, while the apparatus is connected to a server;

reproducing, by the apparatus, content received from the server;

measuring, by the apparatus, signal strength of the wireless device discovery messages associated with the presence of the mobile wireless device to which the apparatus is not connected;

maintaining, by the apparatus, the measured signal strength of the wireless device discovery messages received from the mobile wireless device to which the apparatus is not connected;

receiving, by the apparatus, from another wireless device capable of reproducing content received from the server, information relating to a measured signal strength of wireless messages received by the other wireless device from the mobile wireless device;

comparing, by the apparatus, the received information relating to the measured signal strength of wireless messages received by the other wireless device, with the maintained signal strength associated with the mobile wireless device; and

relinquishing, by the apparatus, reproduction of content received from the server when the measured signal strength of the wireless device discovery messages received from the mobile wireless device to which the apparatus is not connected being less than a predefined signal strength of the received information relating to the measured signal strength of wireless messages received by the other wireless device.

16. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor;

at least one memory including computer program code;

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to:

scan for wireless device discovery messages associated with presence of a mobile wireless device to which the apparatus is not connected, while the apparatus is connected to a server;

reproduce content received from the server;

measure signal strength of the wireless device discovery messages associated with the presence of the mobile wireless device to which the apparatus is not connected;

maintain the measured signal strength of the wireless device discovery messages received from the mobile wireless device to which the apparatus is not connected;

receive from another wireless device capable of reproducing content received from the server, information relating to a measured signal strength of wireless messages received by the other wireless device from the mobile wireless device;

compare the received information relating to the measured signal strength of wireless messages received by the other wireless device, with the maintained signal strength associated with the mobile wireless device; and

relinquish reproduction of content received from the server when the measured signal strength of the wireless device discovery messages received from the mobile wireless device to which the apparatus is not connected being less than a predefined signal strength of the received information relating to the measured signal strength of wireless messages received by the other wireless device.

17. A computer program product comprising computer executable program code recorded on a computer readable, non-transitory storage medium, the computer executable program code comprising:

code for scanning, by an apparatus, for wireless device discovery messages associated with presence of a mobile wireless device to which the apparatus is not connected, while the apparatus is connected to a server;

code for reproducing, by the apparatus, content received from the server;

code for measuring, by the apparatus, signal strength of the wireless device discovery messages associated with the presence of the mobile wireless device to which the apparatus is not connected;

code for maintaining, by the apparatus, the measured signal strength of the wireless device discovery messages received from the mobile wireless device to which the apparatus is not connected;

code for receiving, by the apparatus, from another wireless device capable of reproducing content received from the server, information relating to a measured signal strength of wireless messages received by the other wireless device from the mobile wireless device;

code for comparing, by the apparatus, the received information relating to the measured signal strength of wireless messages received by the other wireless device, with the maintained signal strength associated with the mobile wireless device; and

code for relinquishing, by the apparatus, reproduction of content received from the server when the measured signal strength of the wireless device discovery messages received from the mobile wireless device to which the apparatus is not connected being less than a predefined signal strength of the received information relating to the measured signal strength of wireless messages received by the other wireless device.

Assignments (12)