IP Library Granted Patent US 9,692,869
Granted Patent B2
US 9,692,869 · App. 15/395,990 · Granted Jun 27, 2017

Mobile device pairing

Inventors: Bowei Gai (San Francisco, CA); Matthew David Shoup (San Jose, CA)
Assignee: LinkedIn Corporation
H04M1/7253G06F3/017G06F3/04883H04W4/008G06F3/04817G06F3/04845H04M2250/22
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,692,869
App. No.
15/395,990
Granted
Jun 27, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

Tools (systems, apparatuses, methodologies, computer program products, etc.) for pairing electronic devices including touchscreen-enabled electronic devices, and for facilitating communication between paired electronic devices.

Claims (47)

1. A system comprising:

a processor and a memory comprising instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the system to:

receive gesture data resulting from a physical user gesture associated with a first device and a second device;

extract from the gesture data first and second straight-line distances between respective entry points and exit points of the physical user gesture on a touchscreen of the first device;

extract from the gesture data third and fourth straight-line distances between respective entry points and exit points of the physical user gesture on a touchscreen of the second device;

determine a number of pixels along the first and second distances and a number of pixels along the third and fourth distances;

compare a first ratio of the number of pixels along the first and third distances to a second ratio of the number of pixels along the second and fourth distances; and

initiate a communicative coupling between the first device and the second device based on the comparison.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the memory further comprises instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the system to base the comparison on a direction determined from the gesture data.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the memory further comprises instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the system to base the comparison on an angle determined from the gesture data.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the memory further comprises instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the system to base the comparison on a speed determined from the gesture data.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the memory further comprises instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the system to base the comparison on an acceleration determined from the gesture data.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the memory further comprises instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the system to:

access sensor data for the first device and the second device;

determine a likelihood of an association between particular devices of a plurality of candidate devices using the sensor data; and

identify the first device and the second device from among the plurality of candidate devices based on the determined likelihood.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the sensor data comprises geolocation data.

8. A method comprising:

receiving gesture data resulting from a physical user gesture associated with a first device and a second device;

extracting from the gesture data first and second straight-line distances between respective entry points and exit points of the physical user gesture on a touchscreen of the first device;

extracting from the gesture data third and fourth straight-line distances between respective entry points and exit points of the physical user gesture on a touchscreen of the second device;

determining a number of pixels along the first and second distances and a number of pixels along the third and fourth distances;

comparing a first ratio of the number of pixels along the first and third distances to a second ratio of the number of pixels along the second and fourth distances; and

initiating a communicative coupling between the first device and the second device based on the comparison.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising basing the comparison on a direction determined from the gesture data.

10. The method of claim 8 , further comprising basing the comparison on an angle determined from the gesture data.

11. The method of claim 8 , further comprising basing the comparison on a speed determined from the gesture data.

12. The method of claim 8 , further comprising basing the comparison on an acceleration determined from the gesture data.

13. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

accessing sensor data for the first device and the second device;

determining a likelihood of an association between particular devices of a plurality of candidate devices using the sensor data; and

identifying the first device and the second device from among the plurality of candidate devices based on the determined likelihood.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the sensor data comprises geolocation data.

15. A non-transitory machine-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by at least one processor of a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:

receiving gesture data resulting from a physical user gesture associated with a first device and a second device;

extracting from the gesture data first and second straight-line distances between respective entry points and exit points of the physical user gesture on a touchscreen of the first device;

extracting from the gesture data third and fourth straight-line distances between respective entry points and exit points of the physical user gesture on a touchscreen of the second device;

determining a number of pixels along the first and second distances and a number of pixels along the third and fourth distances;

comparing a first ratio of the number of pixels along the first and third distances to a second ratio of the number of pixels along the second and fourth distances; and

initiating a communicative coupling between the first device and the second device based on the comparison.

16. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15 , the operations further comprising basing the comparison on a direction determined from the gesture data.

17. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15 , the operations further comprising basing the comparison on an angle determined from the gesture data.

18. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15 , the operations further comprising basing the comparison on a speed and/or acceleration determined from the gesture data.

19. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15 , the operations further comprising:

accessing sensor data for the first device and the second device; determining a likelihood of an association between particular devices of a plurality of candidate devices using the sensor data; and

identifying the first device and the second device from among the plurality of candidate devices based on the determined likelihood.

20. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 19 , wherein the sensor data comprises geolocation data.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 1, 2017
From: LINKEDIN CORPORATION
To: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
Reel/Frame 044746/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 30, 2016
From: GAI, BOWEI; SHOUP, MATTHEW DAVID
To: LINKEDIN CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 040812/0084 →
Continuity (4)
Continuation 14811668 · Jul 28, 2015
Continuation 13453952 · Apr 23, 2012
Provisional Application 61582146 · Dec 30, 2011
Related Publication 20170111491A1 · Apr 20, 2017