IP Library Granted Patent US 12,587,581
Granted Patent B2
US 12,587,581 · App. 18/210,888 · Granted Mar 24, 2026

Systems, methods, and media for causing an action to be performed on a user device

Inventors: Boris Smus (San Francisco, CA); Alejandro Jose Kauffmann (San Francisco, CA); Christian Plagemann (Palo Alto, CA)
Assignee: Google LLC
H04L67/10H04L41/22H04L67/51H04M1/72412H04M1/7243H04M1/72484H04W8/005H04M2242/16
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,587,581
App. No.
18/210,888
Granted
Mar 24, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Systems, methods, and media for causing an action to be performed on a user device are provided. In some implementations, the systems comprise: a first user device comprising at least one hardware processor that is configured to: detect a second user device in proximity to the first user device; receive a user input indicative of an action to be performed; determine a plurality of candidate devices that are capable of performing the action, wherein the plurality of candidate devices includes the second user device; determine a plurality of device types corresponding to the plurality of candidate devices; determine a plurality of priorities associated with the plurality of candidate devices based at least in part on the plurality of device types; select a target device from the plurality of candidate devices based at least in part on the plurality of priorities; and cause the action to be performed by the target device.

Claims (43)

1 . A system for causing actions to be performed on user devices, the system comprising:

a user device comprising at least one hardware processor that is configured to:

generate a user interface that includes an action to be performed;

determine a plurality of candidate devices that are capable of performing the action based on a device type of each of the plurality of candidate devices;

detect the plurality of candidate devices within a proximity of the user device;

connect the user device to a target device from the plurality of candidate devices based on the proximity to the user device, based on the device type, and based on a priority score representing a combination of scores, wherein:

the priority score includes a suitability score, a proximity score, and a user preference score, the priority score associated with each of the plurality of candidate devices, and

the suitability score indicates the device type that is suited to perform the action;

cause the user interface to be presented, wherein the user interface indicates that the user device is connected to the target device for performing the action; and

cause the action to be performed by the target device.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one hardware processor is further configured to determine a priority associated with each of the plurality of candidate devices based on the proximity to the user device and based on the device type indicating a capability of performing the action.

3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the at least one hardware processor is further configured to select the target device from the plurality of candidate devices based at least in part on the priority associated with each of the plurality of candidate devices.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one hardware processor is further configured to:

automatically establish connections with each of the plurality of candidate devices.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one hardware processor is further configured to transmit a phone number to the target device selected from the plurality of candidate devices.

6 . A method for causing actions to be performed on user devices, the method comprising:

generating, using a user device, a user interface that includes an action to be performed;

determining a plurality of candidate devices that are capable of performing the action based on a device type of each of the plurality of candidate devices;

detecting the plurality of candidate devices within a proximity of the user device;

connecting the user device to a target device from the plurality of candidate devices based on the proximity to the user device, based on the device type, and based on a priority score representing a combination of scores, wherein:

the priority score includes a suitability score, a proximity score, and a user preference score, the priority score associated with each of the plurality of candidate devices, and

the suitability score indicates the device type that is suited to perform the action;

causing the user interface to be presented, wherein the user interface indicates that the user device is connected to the target device for performing the action; and

causing the action to be performed by the target device.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the method further comprises determining a priority associated with each of the plurality of candidate devices based on the proximity to the user device and based on the device type indicating a capability of performing the action.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the method further comprises selecting the target device from the plurality of candidate devices based at least in part on the priority associated with each of the plurality of candidate devices.

9 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the method further comprises:

automatically establishing connections with each of the plurality of candidate devices.

10 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the method further comprises transmitting a phone number to the target device selected from the plurality of candidate devices.

11 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing computer executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method for causing actions to be performed on user devices, the method comprising:

generating, using a user device, a user interface that includes an action to be performed;

determining a plurality of candidate devices that are capable of performing the action based on a device type of each of the plurality of candidate devices;

detecting the plurality of candidate devices within a proximity of the user device;

connecting the user device to a target device from the plurality of candidate devices based on proximity to the user device, based on the device type, and based on a priority score representing a combination of scores, wherein:

the priority score includes a suitability score, a proximity score, and a user preference score, the priority score associated with each of the plurality of candidate devices, and

the suitability score indicates the device type that is suited to perform the action;

causing the user interface to be presented, wherein the user interface indicates that the user device is connected to the target device for performing the action; and

causing the action to be performed by the target device.

12 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the method further comprises determining a priority associated with each of the plurality of candidate devices based on the proximity to the user device and based on the device type indicating a capability of performing the action.

13 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the method further comprises selecting the target device from the plurality of candidate devices based at least in part on the priority associated with each of the plurality of candidate devices.

14 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the method further comprises:

automatically establishing connections with each of the plurality of candidate devices.

15 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the method further comprises transmitting a phone number to the target device selected from the plurality of candidate devices.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 27, 2023
From: SMUS, BORIS; KAUFFMANN, ALEJANDRO JOSE; PLAGEMANN, CHRISTIAN
To: GOOGLE INC.
Reel/Frame 065960/0813 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Dec 27, 2023
From: GOOGLE INC.
To: GOOGLE LLC
Reel/Frame 066129/0977 →
Continuity (5)
Continuation 17892477 · Aug 22, 2022
Continuation 17340554 · Jun 7, 2021
Continuation 15842256 · Dec 14, 2017
Continuation 14095374 · Dec 3, 2013
Related Publication 20230336618A1 · Oct 19, 2023
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