Google Inc.

Jeffrey William Hamilton

Nicholas Julian Pelly

Jason Parks

Robert William Hamilton

Chinyue Chen

Yung-Chieh Lo

Cheng-Hsueh Andrew Hsieh

Rachel Leah Garb

Benjamin J Dodson

Martijn Franciscus Agnes Coenen

Christopher David Nesladek

Jeffrey Allen Sharkey

Prasenjit Phukan

Michael Galpin

Scott Atwood

Maarten W Hooft

Jon Christian Boekenoogen

Dianne K Hackborn

Dmitri Plotnikov

Kyle Williams

Michael David Galpin

Scott Roy Atwood

Benjamin James Dodson

Hubs for social interaction via electronic devices are described. In one aspect, a data processing device includes a display screen displaying a social interaction hub, the social interaction hub including a collection of records. Each record includes a counterparty identifier identifying a counterparty of a past social interaction event, a mode indicium identifying a mode by which the past social interaction event with the counterparty occurred, and a collection of mode indicia each identifying a mode by which a future, outgoing social interaction event with the counterparty can occur. The counterparty identifier, the mode indicium, and the collection of mode indicia are associated with one another in the records of the social interaction hub.

Social messaging user interface

A first client device or system performs a method that includes retaining in memory registration information for a respective application indicating the respective application is registered for sharing application state with other client devices or systems. The method further includes storing an application state of a respective application, and detecting a transfer triggering condition. The transfer triggering condition includes presence of a second client device or system within a predefined proximity of the first client device or system, and the predefined proximity is a predefined proximity for near field communication. Furthermore, upon detecting the triggering condition, the first client device or system determines, in accordance with the stored registration information, that the respective application is registered for application state sharing, and transmits the application state of the respective application to the second client device or system.

Transferring application state across devices

A computer-implemented technique includes initiating, at a first computing device including one or more processors, communication with a second computing device via a short-range wireless communication protocol. The technique includes receiving, at the first computing device, a set of information from the second computing device via the short-range wireless communication protocol, the set of information for configuring communication via a different, second wireless communication protocol.

Techniques for automatically establishing a long-lasting connection across computing devices configured for short-range wireless communication

An application service system receives, from a merchant service system, an application program code comprising identifying information. The identifying information is extracted and the application is distributed for operation on a user device. A user interacts with the application, creating an access request that is transmitted to the application service system along with the extracted identifying information. The application service system transmits an access token to the user device comprising the received identifying information. The user device transmits the access token with a service request to the application service system. The application service system compares the identifying information from the access token to the identifying information extracted from the application program code received from the merchant services system. If the identifying information matches, the service request is processed. If the identifying information does not match, the service request is denied and an error message is transmitted to the user device.

Confirming the identity of integrator applications

A computer-implemented technique includes initiating, at a first computing device including one or more processors, communication with a second computing device via a short-range wireless communication protocol. The technique includes receiving, at the first computing device, a set of information from the second computing device via the short-range wireless communication protocol, the set of information including a port address for communication with a first application currently executing in a foreground at the second computing device via another wireless communication protocol. The technique also includes automatically configuring, at the first computing device and in response to receiving the set of information from the second computing device via the short-range wireless communication protocol, communication between a second application at the first computing device and the first application executing at the second computing device via the other wireless communication protocol using the set of information.

A method can include receiving, at a first computing device having one or more processors, a command to transfer a data payload to a second computing device and information from the second computing device using a near-field communication (NFC) protocol. The information can be indicative of a plurality of communication protocols capable of being received at the second computing device, including the NFC communication protocol. Additionally, the method can include estimating a transfer time corresponding to each of the plurality of communication protocols. Each of the transfer times can be indicative of an amount of time to transfer the data payload between the first and second computing devices using its corresponding communication protocol. The method can also include selecting a specific communication protocol based on the estimated transfer times and transmitting the data payload using the specific communication protocol.

Techniques for transferring a data payload utilizing near-field communication

A computer-implemented method includes determining, at a first mobile device associated with a first user, whether a second mobile device is within range for near field communication (NFC). When in range, the method includes receiving, at the first mobile device, first data and second data from the second mobile device via an NFC transmission, the first data being based on input from a second user associated with the second mobile device, the second data being metadata indicating a software application configured to process the first data. When the first mobile device does not have the software application indicated by the second data, the method includes retrieving, at the first mobile device, the software application via a network. The method also includes providing, at the first mobile device, the first data to the first user via the software application.

Techniques for using software application-related metadata in near field communication transmissions

Systems and methods are described herein for enabling users to select from available secure service providers (each having a Trusted Service Manager ('TSM')) for provisioning applications and services on a secure element installed on a device of the user. The device includes a service provider selector ('SPS') module that provides a user interface for selecting the secure service provider. In one embodiment, the SPS communicates with a key escrow service that maintains cryptographic keys for the secure element and distributes the keys to the user selected secure service provider. The key escrow service also revokes the keys from deselected secure service providers. In another embodiment, the SPS communicates with a central TSM that provisions applications and service on behalf of the user selected secure service provider. The central TSM serves as a proxy between the secure service providers and the secure element.

Enabling users to select between secure service providers using a key escrow service

A first client device performs a handoff operation to a second client device by transmitting application information, associated with a first application, to the second client device when the first client device is positioned within a predefined proximity of the second client device. The first application has a first client device user interface state when the handoff operation is performed. Further, the first client device, in response to receiving from another client device application information associated with a second application executed by the other first client device, executes a third application corresponding to the second application with a user interface state corresponding to a user interface state of the other client device.

Zero-click sharing of application context across devices

A computer-implemented technique includes establishing, at a first computing device including one or more processors, a near field communication (NFC) link with a second computing device. The technique includes identifying, at the first computing device, an application having a foreground designation in an operating system of the first computing device, the identifying being performed upon establishment of the NFC link with the second computing device. The technique includes determining, at the first computing device, an identifier for the application, wherein the identifier uniquely identifies the application at a source external to the first computing device. The technique also includes transmitting, from the first computing device, the identifier for the application via the NFC link to the second computing device.

Growing community of inventors

Austin, TX, United States of America

Jeffrey William Hamilton