Apparatus systems and methods for proximity-based service discovery and session sharing
View Patent ↗Methods and systems are provided that facilitate sharing or a hand-off of program content or a user session (e.g., running within a computer application) of a user device such that a user can easily select and then switch devices on which program content is being viewed or on which a user session is being run without having to sift through a myriad of other devices such as remote discoverable devices on the same network that are not in close proximity to the user device. A user device determines which of a plurality of discovered devices from which a short range wireless signal including a defined key was received and provides a list of discovered devices with which a session may be shared over the computer network with the user device based on this determination.
1. A system comprising:
a memory of a device;
a processor coupled to the memory configured to:
receive, from one or more of a plurality of discovered devices that are on a computer network, a short range wireless signal over a wireless network, wherein the plurality of discovered devices represent an updated list of discoverable devices on the computer network, wherein the updated list of discoverable device is determined based on a response received from each discoverable device in the updated list, wherein the receiving the short range wireless signal over the wireless network includes:
receiving the short range wireless signal not over the computer network on which the one or more of a plurality of devices were discovered by the device, but instead over the wireless network, and separate from a discoverable device protocol used over the computer network;
determine which of the plurality of discovered devices are in proximity of the device, wherein the proximity is defined by a range of the short range wireless signal;
enable a session to be shared between the device and a selected one of the one or more of the plurality of discovered devices over the computer network by the processor at least being configured to enable a session with the selected one of the one or more of the plurality of discovered devices over the computer network that is determined to be in proximity to the device, wherein the enabling the session to be shared occurs automatically once the selected one of the list of discovered device is selected.
2. The system of claim 1 wherein the processor is further configured to send, not over the computer network, a short range wireless signal to determine whether one or more of the plurality of discovered devices on the computer network are in proximity to the device and wherein the receiving, not over the computer network, the short range wireless signal from the one or more of a plurality of discovered devices on the computer network is in response to the sending, not over the computer network, the short range wireless signal over the wireless network.
3. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer executable instructions thereon, that when executed by a computer processor, cause the following method to be performed:
receiving, from one or more of a plurality of discovered devices that are on a computer network, a short range wireless signal over a wireless network, wherein the plurality of discovered devices represent an updated list of discoverable devices on the computer network, wherein the updated list of discoverable device is determined based on a response received from each discoverable device in the updated list, wherein the receiving the short range wireless signal over the wireless network includes:
receiving the short range wireless signal not over the computer network on which the one or more of a plurality of devices were discovered by the device, but instead over the wireless network, and separate from a discoverable device protocol used over the computer network;
determining which of the plurality of discovered devices are in proximity of a device, wherein the proximity is defined by a range of the short range wireless signal; and
enabling a session to be shared between the device and a selected one of the one or more of the plurality of discovered devices over the computer network by at least enabling a session with the selected one of the one or more of the plurality of discovered devices over the computer network that is determined to be in proximity to the device wherein the enabling the session to be shared occurs automatically once the selected one of the list of discovered device is selected.
4. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 3 wherein the computer executable instructions thereon, when executed by the computer processor, further cause the following method to be performed:
send, not over the computer network, a short range wireless signal to determine whether one or more of the plurality of discovered devices on the computer network are in proximity to the device and wherein the receiving, not over the computer network, the short range wireless signal from the one or more of a plurality of discovered devices on the computer network is in response to the sending, not over the computer network, the short range wireless signal over the wireless network.
5. A method comprising:
receiving, from one or more of a plurality of discovered devices that are on a computer network, a short range wireless signal over a wireless network, wherein the plurality of discovered devices represent an updated list of discoverable devices on the computer network, wherein the updated list of discoverable device is determined based on a response received from each discoverable device in the updated list, wherein the receiving the short range wireless signal over the wireless network includes:
receiving the short range wireless signal not over the computer network on which the one or more of a plurality of devices were discovered by the device, but instead over the wireless network, and separate from a discoverable device protocol used over the computer network;
determining which of the plurality of discovered devices are in proximity of a device, wherein the proximity is defined by a range of the short range signal; and
enabling a session to be shared between the device and a selected one of the one or more of the plurality of discovered devices over the computer network by at least enabling a session with the selected one of the one or more of the plurality of discovered devices over the computer network that is determined to be in proximity to the device, wherein the enabling the session to be shared occurs automatically once the selected one of the list of discovered device is selected.
6. The method of claim 5 wherein the proximity is defined by a range of the short range wireless signal.
7. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:
sending, not over the computer network, a short range wireless signal to determine whether one or more of the plurality of discovered devices on the computer network are in proximity to the device and wherein the receiving, not over the computer network, the short range wireless signal from the one or more of a plurality of discovered devices on the computer network is in response to the sending, not over the computer network, the short range wireless signal over the wireless network.