Today the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office officially granted Apple a patent that relates to automatically pairing and interacting with a peripheral device using a wearable device.  The peripheral device could be a weight scale, a heart rate monitor, blood pressure detectors, thermostats, entertainment systems and more.

Apple notes in their patent background that a person may interact with a variety of different peripheral devices that output information to a user including devices such as scales, heart rate monitors, and blood pressure detectors that are used to measure a physiological parameter of a user; home appliances such as thermostats, entertainment systems, lighting systems, cooking equipment; and/or other electronic sensors. Typically each one of these devices has a control interface and a display for presenting information to a user. For example, a scale may have a display that shows a user his or her weight. Further, a user wishing to interact with a device may need to learn each device's integrated controls to select a feature or change a function associated with a device.

In some cases, a separate device such as a smartphone may be paired with and used to control a peripheral device. However, typical pairing methods involve multiple steps that typically require a user to manually enter one or more inputs to confirm the pairing and/or disconnect his or her device from the peripheral device. Such communications generally do not allow for seamless pairing of the user's device (e.g., smartphone) with the peripheral device. As more smart products become available and commonplace, users may desire additional ways to interact with these devices.

Automatic Pairing and Disconnecting a Connection from Wearable Devices to Peripheral Devices

Today’s granted patent relates to a method for using a personal device to interact with a peripheral device. The method can include receiving a pairing message, generated by the peripheral device, in response to a user interaction with the peripheral device, and detecting a user gesture that is associated with use of the peripheral device at the personal device.

The method can also include establishing a dedicated wireless connection with the peripheral device in response to receiving the pairing message and detecting the user gesture, receiving a real-time data stream over the dedicated wireless connection, and outputting, information to a user at least partially based on data received from the peripheral device via the real-time data stream.

Further, a user's personal device may detect a gesture that is associated with using the peripheral device. The gesture can include movement of the peripheral device in a defined pattern, such as raising the peripheral device to look at a display, or other defined movement or sequence of movements. The personal device may send an indication of whether a gesture was detected in the response to the pairing message. In some cases, the personal device may initiate software that is associated with the peripheral device, such as an application that can be used to visualize data received from the peripheral device and/or control one or more functions of the peripheral device; this initiation may trigger a pairing between the personal device and the peripheral device. The personal device may also send an indication of whether it is operating software or has software that is associated with the scale in the response to the pairing message. Further, the peripheral device and/or the personal device may determine wireless signal strength between the scale and each personal device.

Once paired, the peripheral device can provide a real-time data stream associated with a detected parameter that can be displayed on the user's personal device. The real-time data stream can include transmitting data from peripheral devices to the personal device as soon as the data is measured or detected by the peripheral device. In some cases, this may include a slight delay between the peripheral device detecting, measuring or otherwise receiving the data and transmitting the data to the personal device. In some embodiments, the real-time data stream may be continuous, such that the data is sent to the personal device as it is being actively detected, measured or received by the peripheral device. In this regard, the personal device may receive data that is actively changing, for example in response to the changes detected by the peripheral device. In some cases, the user can view the real-time measurement data and/or control one or more functions of the peripheral device using his or her personal device.

In some cases, a paired personal device and a peripheral device may automatically disconnect or end the pairing session. For example, upon completion of a defined set of interactions, such as taking a weight measurement, the personal device may automatically disconnect from the peripheral device. 

Apple’s patent FIG. 1 below illustrates an example system that uses a wearable device (Apple Watch) to pair with a peripheral device (weigh scale) – though it could apply to a temperature measurement device, heart rate monitors, blood pressure detectors, or other devices that are used to measure a physiological parameter of a user; home appliances such as thermostats, entertainment systems, lighting systems, cooking equipment; and/or other electronic sensors, virtual assistants, TVs, and so on.

Apple’s patent FIG. 2 above shows an example system for automatically pairing a wearable device (e.g. Watch or Smartglasses) with a peripheral device; FIG. 4 shows an example method for a wearable device to initiate automatic pairing with a peripheral device.