System and method for wireless device pairing

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention include a system and method for wirelessly identifying and validating an electronic device in order to initiate a communication process with another device or a service. In an embodiment, the system includes a portable biometric monitoring device that is identified by a client device or a server for the purpose of initiating a pairing process. In an embodiment, pairing implies pairing the portable device to an online user account with minimal user interaction. After pairing, the portable device and appropriate client devices and servers communicate with little or no user interaction, for example to upload sensor data collected by the portable device.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A portable monitoring system, comprising:
 a first device configurable to communicate wirelessly with a second device, wherein communication comprises,
 the first device discovering the second device by wireless communication; 
 the first device and the second device communicating to start a pairing attempt; 
 the first device and the second device exchanging data to complete pairing, wherein at least one of the first device and the second device comprises a portable monitoring device comprising, 
 wireless transmitter circuitry; 
 wireless receiver circuitry; 
 a plurality of sensors configurable to sense a plurality of physical phenomena; 
 user interface means for communicating to a user, wherein the user interface means comprises one or more of a screen, a touch screen, a vibramotor, a keyboard, light emitting diodes (LEDs), and buttons, wherein communicating with the user comprises cueing the user to validate a request to pair, and wherein a user response to the cue comprises the user tapping the first device anywhere on its surface; and 
 processing circuitry configurable to interpret data from the plurality of sensors. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of sensor comprises a motion sensor comprising at least one of an accelerometer, a gyroscope sensor, a microphone, an altimeter, and a magnetometer, and wherein the user response to the cue is detectable by the motion sensor. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a client device configurable to communicate with the portable monitoring device on behalf of a server, and to communicate data, from the portable monitoring device to the server. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the client device comprises a client software application. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the server device comprises a mobile phone. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein pairing comprises pairing the portable monitoring device with a web based user account accessible through a web site as part of a setup process, wherein user data, including data entered by the user using the web site, is downloaded to the portable monitoring device. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configurable to process data from the plurality of sensors to generate a plurality of biometric data based on user physical activity, and wherein after pairing, the biometric data is automatically uploaded to the server when the device is in wireless communication range with one or more of the server and a client acting on behalf of the server. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of sensors comprises at least one of an audio sensor, an accelerometer, altimeter, photoplethysmograph, magnetometer, Global Positioning System sensor, thermometer, and a gyroscope. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the processor operates on data from the plurality of sensors to generate one or more of number of steps taken, amount of elevation gained, and distance traversed. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein cueing comprises causing the device to perform at least one of vibrating, illuminating, making a sound, and displaying a message. 
     
     
         11 . A portable monitoring device, comprising;
 a user interface comprising at least one of,
 a speaker; 
 a vibramotor; 
 motion sensors; 
 gesture recognition sensors; 
 a touch screen; 
 a microphone; and 
 buttons; 
   transmitter circuitry and receiver circuitry;   a plurality of sensors configurable to sense physical phenomena;   processing circuitry coupled to the plurality of sensors to receive sensor data and calculate metrics associated with a user, the processing circuitry configurable to communicate with another device and with a user, wherein communicating comprises,
 requesting to pair with the other device; 
 cueing the user to validate the request to pair; and 
 receiving input from the user to validate the pairing request, wherein input comprises tapping the device on any part of its exterior 
 wherein the tapping is detected by a motion sensor. 
   
     
     
         12 . The portable monitoring device of  claim 11 , wherein the metrics comprise at least one of:
 sleep activity;   step count;   calorie burn;   distance traversed;   speed; and   heart rate.   
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein communicating further comprises responding to the user input by completing the pairing process. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein communicating with the client device further comprises, in response to the client device discovering more than one portable monitoring device in proximity, the client device requesting the user to move one of the portable monitoring devices closer to the client for pairing.