Electronic device with network access via mobile device proxy

Abstract

A method includes identifying, by a mobile computing device associated with a user account, one or more unique identifiers. Each of the one or more unique identifiers is assigned to a corresponding electronic display device that the user account is authorized to access. The method further includes receiving, from an electronic display device that lacks a network connection, an unsolicited low energy radio signal having a first format of a unidirectional wireless communication protocol and including a unique identifier assigned to the electronic display device. Responsive to determining that the unique identifier matches at least one of the one or more unique identifiers, the method further includes establishing a wireless connection to the electronic display device using a bidirectional wireless communication protocol that is different from the unidirectional wireless communication protocol.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A computer readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a processing device of a mobile computing device associated with a user account of a user, cause the processing device to perform operations comprising:
 identifying one or more unique identifiers, wherein each of the one or more unique identifiers is assigned to a corresponding electronic display device that the user account is authorized to access;   receiving, from an electronic display device that lacks a network connection, an unsolicited low energy radio signal having a first format of a unidirectional wireless communication protocol and comprising a unique identifier assigned to the electronic display device;   determining whether the unique identifier matches at least one of the one or more unique identifiers; and   responsive to determining that the unique identifier matches the at least one of the one or more unique identifiers, establishing a wireless connection to the electronic display device using a bidirectional wireless communication protocol that is different from the unidirectional wireless communication protocol.   
     
     
         22 . The computer readable medium of  claim 21 , wherein the unique identifier is assigned to the corresponding electronic display device that the user account is authorized to access responsive to one or more of: the user account corresponding to an owner of the electronic display device; the user account being authorized by the owner of the electronic display device; or the unique identifier of the electronic display device being unassigned. 
     
     
         23 . The computer readable medium of  claim 21 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 storing the one or more unique identifiers in a cache of the mobile computing device, wherein the identifying of the one or more unique identifiers comprises retrieving the one or more unique identifiers from the cache.   
     
     
         24 . The computer readable medium of  claim 21 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 receiving a user command to display a message on a display of the electronic display device; and   transmitting the message to the electronic display device via the wireless connection, wherein the electronic display device is to display the message on the display.   
     
     
         25 . The computer readable medium of  claim 21 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 determining, by a background process executing on the mobile computing device, that the unique identifier comprises a universally unique identifier (UUID) identifying a particular original equipment manufacturer (OEM) of the electronic display device; and   responsive to determining that the unique identifier comprises the UUID for the particular OEM, loading an application comprising a user interface for controlling the electronic display device.   
     
     
         26 . The computer readable medium of  claim 21 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 receiving a second low energy radio signal from a second electronic display device, the second low energy radio signal comprising a universally unique identifier (UUID) assigned to the electronic display device, the UUID associated with an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) of the second electronic display device;   determining that a second unique identifier has not been assigned to the second electronic display device; and   programming the second electronic display device to have the second unique identifier.   
     
     
         27 . The computer readable medium of  claim 21 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 receiving a user command to send a message to a group comprising the electronic display device and one or more additional electronic display devices; and   sending the message to the electronic display device and to the one or more additional electronic display devices.   
     
     
         28 . A method comprising:
 identifying, by a mobile computing device associated with a user account of a user, one or more unique identifiers, wherein each of the one or more unique identifiers is assigned to a corresponding electronic display device that the user account is authorized to access;   receiving, by the mobile computing device and from an electronic display device that lacks a network connection, an unsolicited low energy radio signal having a first format of a unidirectional wireless communication protocol and comprising a unique identifier assigned to the electronic display device;   determining, by the mobile computing device, whether the unique identifier matches at least one of the one or more unique identifiers; and   responsive to determining that the unique identifier matches the at least one of the one or more unique identifiers, establishing, by the mobile computing device, a wireless connection to the electronic display device using a bidirectional wireless communication protocol that is different from the unidirectional wireless communication protocol.   
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the unique identifier is assigned to the corresponding electronic display device that the user account is authorized to access responsive to one or more of: the user account corresponding to an owner of the electronic display device; the user account being authorized by the owner of the electronic display device; or the unique identifier of the electronic display device being unassigned. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 28  further comprising:
 storing the one or more unique identifiers in a cache of the mobile computing device, wherein the identifying of the one or more unique identifiers comprises retrieving the one or more unique identifiers from the cache. 
 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 28  further comprising:
 receiving a user command to display a message on a display of the electronic display device; and 
 transmitting the message to the electronic display device via the wireless connection, wherein the electronic display device is to display the message on the display. 
 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 28  further comprising:
 determining, by a background process executing on the mobile computing device, that the unique identifier comprises a universally unique identifier (UUID) identifying a particular original equipment manufacturer (OEM) of the electronic display device; and 
 responsive to determining that the unique identifier comprises the UUID for the particular OEM, loading an application comprising a user interface for controlling the electronic display device. 
 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 28  further comprising:
 receiving a second low energy radio signal from a second electronic display device, the second low energy radio signal comprising a universally unique identifier (UUID) assigned to the electronic display device, the UUID associated with an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) of the second electronic display device; 
 determining that a second unique identifier has not been assigned to the second electronic display device; and 
 programming the second electronic display device to have the second unique identifier. 
 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 28  further comprising:
 receiving a user command to send a message to a group comprising the electronic display device and one or more additional electronic display devices; and 
 sending the message to the electronic display device and to the one or more additional electronic display devices. 
 
     
     
         35 . An electronic display device comprising:
 a memory to store a unique identifier assigned to the electronic display device;   a display, coupled to the memory;   a wireless module to:
 transmit an unsolicited low energy radio signal having a first format of a unidirectional wireless communication protocol and comprising the unique identifier; 
 receive a response signal from a mobile computing device associated with a user account that is authorized to access the electronic display device based on the unique identifier; 
 establish a wireless connection to the mobile computing device using a bidirectional wireless communication protocol that is different from the unidirectional wireless communication protocol; and 
 receive a message from the mobile computing device via the wireless connection; and 
   a processing device to:
 store the message in the memory; and 
 display the message using the display. 
   
     
     
         36 . The electronic display device of  claim 35 , wherein the user account is authorized to access the electronic display device responsive to one or more of: the user account corresponding to an owner of the electronic display device; the user account being authorized by the owner of the electronic display device; or the unique identifier of the electronic display device being unassigned. 
     
     
         37 . The electronic display device of  claim 35 , wherein the unique identifier comprises a universally unique identifier (UUID), a first numerical value represented using a first number of bytes and a second numerical value represented using at least one of the first number of bytes or a second number of bytes, wherein the first numerical value and the second numerical value are concatenated into a single value usable to identify the electronic display device, wherein the single value is represented using a third number of bytes that is larger than the first number of bytes and the second number of bytes. 
     
     
         38 . The electronic display device of  claim 35 , wherein the unique identifier initially comprises a universally unique identifier (UUID), a default first value and a default second value before ownership of the electronic display device is assigned to the user account, and wherein after the ownership of the electronic display device is assigned to the user account, the processing device is further to:
 receive a first numerical value represented using a first number of bytes and a second numerical value represented using at least one of the first number of bytes or a second number of bytes; and   program the first numerical value and the second numerical value into the memory to overwrite the default first value and the default second value, wherein the unique identifier subsequently comprises the UUID, the first numerical value, and the second numerical value.   
     
     
         39 . The electronic display device of  claim 35  further comprising:
 a flexible housing comprising the memory, the display, the wireless module and the processing device, wherein the electronic display device is configured to conform to a shape of an object on which the electronic display device is placed. 
 
     
     
         40 . The electronic display device of  claim 39  further comprising:
 an adhesive backing that is to couple the electronic display device to the object.