- Number
- 12015612
- Published
- 2024-06-18
- Filed
- 2017-08-25
- Assignee
- DISNEY ENTERPRISES, INC.
- Inventors
- Goslin; Michael et al.
- CPC
- G06F16/90335; G06F21/34; H04L63/101; G06F21/6209; H04L51/212; G06F16/00
- Verdict
- Low Hardware
- Source
- Google Patents · FreePatentsOnline
The keeper's note
Physical charm/token interactive communication device hardware.
Abstract
In one embodiment, a charm application enables user devices to communicate via physical charms. Upon receiving, from a first user device, a read request that is associated with the physical charm, the charm application identifies a message and an authorization list that are associated with the physical charm and previously received from a second user device. The charm application then determines whether a first user associated with the first user device is authorized to read the message based on the authorization list. If the first user is authorized to read the message, then the charm application transmits the message to the first user device. Notably, each physical charm may be exchanged between any number of users, but only read by authorized users via a user device. Accordingly, user devices may communicate private messages including any type of data with other user devices irrespective of whether technical infrastructures are accessible.
Background
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention (1) Embodiments of the present invention relate generally to communications technology and, more specifically, to techniques for communicating via exchanges of physical charms. Description of the Related Art (2) Many people rely on technical infrastructures to discreetly communicate information to specific persons or groups of persons, where that information can be consumed by the recipients immediately or at a later time that is more convenient for the recipients. For example, many people use cellular networks to send text messages to personal and work acquaintances. In another example, many people use the Internet to send email to personal and work acquaintances. (3) One limitation of communicating via a technical infrastructure is that the technical infrastructure may not always be available or accessible. For example, some schools prohibit students from using cell phones during school hours. In another example, cellular networks and the Internet are not always available in remote locations, such as the more remote regions of some national parks. (4) When technical infrastructures are unavailable or inaccessible, privately communicating information with a specific person or group of people becomes challenging. In particular, techniques for communicating without a technical infrastructure typically suffer limitations related to content and/or privacy. For example, if a writing instrument is available, then a person could wr
Claims
1. A computer-implemented method for communicating via a physical charm, the method comprising: receiving, by a first device from a first user device associated with a first user, a first request to read a first physical charm, wherein the first request specifies a first charm identifier associated with the first physical charm, wherein the first device comprises a bridge device that is separate from the first user device, and wherein the first physical charm comprises a physical object; in response to receiving the first request, determining, by the first device, that a connection from the first device to the first physical charm currently exists based on the first charm identifier; in response to determining that a connection from the first device to the first physical charm currently exists, reading, by the first device, a message and an authorization list that are stored in a memory included in the first physical charm, both the message and the authorization list having been written to the memory via a second user device associated with a second user, wherein the message and the first charm identifier are stored separately from one another in the memory; determining that the first user is authorized to read the message based on the authorization list; and transmitting the message to the first user device. ||
8. One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media including instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the steps of: receiving, by a first device from a first user device associated with a first user, a first request to read a first physical charm, wherein the first request specifies a first charm identifier associated with the first physical charm, wherein the first device comprises a bridge device that is separate from the first user device, and wherein the first physical charm comprises a physical object; in response to receiving the first request, determining, by the first device, that a connection from the first device to the first physical charm currently exists based on the first charm identifier; in response to determining that a connection from the first device to the first physical charm currently exists, reading, by the first device, a message and an authorization list that are stored in a memory included in the first physical charm, both the message and the authorization list having been written to the memory via a second user device associated with a second user, wherein the message and the first charm identifier are stored separately from one another in the memory; determining that the first user is authorized to read the message based on the authorization list; and transmitting the message to the first user device. ||
13. A system for communicating via a physical charm, the system comprising: one or more memories storing a software application; and one or more processors coupled to the one or more memories, wherein when executed by the one or more processors, the software application configures the one or more processors to: receive, by a first device from a first user device associated with a first user, a first request to read a first physical charm, wherein the first request specifies a first charm identifier associated with the first physical charm, wherein the first device comprises a bridge device that is separate from the first user device, and wherein the first physical charm comprises a physical object, in response to receiving the first request, determine, by the first device, that a connection from the first device to the first physical charm currently exists based on the first charm identifier, in response to determining that a connection from the first device to the first physical charm currently exists, read, by the first device, a message and an authorization list that are stored in a second memory included in the first physical charm, both the message and the authorization list having been written to the second memory via the first user device associated with the first user, wherein the message and the first charm identifier are stored separately from one another in the second memory, determine that a second user associated with the system is authorized to read the message based on the authorization list, and output the message via an output device.