Device linking method

Abstract

Systems, methods, architectures, and computer program products for linking multiple devices are disclosed. In an example for linking a mobile device with a desktop device, an identifier of a mobile device can be received from a desktop computer. The identifier can be used to send a link to the mobile device. When the link is accessed, a code and a channel are generated. The mobile device is connected to the channel and the code is provided to the mobile device. The code is entered at the desktop device and the desktop device is connected to the channel responsive to the code being validated, thereby linking the desktop and mobile devices.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for linking a desktop computer with a mobile device, the method comprising:
 receiving an identifier of a mobile device from a desktop computer;   sending a link to the mobile device using the identifier of the mobile device;   generating a code and a channel responsive to the link being activated, wherein the code is associated with the channel;   connecting the mobile device to the channel;   providing the code to the mobile device for entry at the desktop computer;   receiving an entered code from the desktop computer; and   connecting the desktop computer to the channel in response to the entered code matching the code associated with the channel, thereby linking the desktop computer with the mobile device.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the desktop computer is a notebook computer. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the identifier is a telephone number or email address. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving a signature from the mobile device; and   providing the received signature for display at the desktop computer.   
     
     
         5 . A method for linking a desktop computer with a mobile device, the method comprising:
 receiving a send mobile link request from a desktop computer, the send mobile link request comprising a mobile device identifier;   generating a link;   sending the link to a mobile device associated with the mobile device identifier, using the mobile device identifier;   receiving an indication that the link was activated;   generating multiple codes and a channel ID, in responsive to the received indication;   providing a first code of the multiple codes to the mobile device and initiating a communication protocol using the channel ID, in response to a code request from the mobile device, wherein the first code is provided to be entered at the desktop computer;   connecting the mobile device to a communication channel associated with the channel ID using the communication protocol;   receiving the first code from the desktop computer;   retrieving the channel ID using the first code from the desktop computer; and   connecting the desktop computer to the communication channel associated with the channel ID using the communication protocol, thereby linking the desktop computer with the mobile device.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the communication protocol is WebSocket. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the mobile device identifier is selected from the group consisting of a phone number and an email address. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 determining whether the desktop computer has a session cookie from a previous linking session; and   responsive to the session cookie from a previous linking session being different from an active session cookie, generating a new session cookie for a current linking session, thereby invalidating the previous linking session.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 responsive to receiving the send mobile link request, determining whether the desktop computer is currently connected to a communication channel; and   responsive to determining that the desktop computer is connected to a communication channel, removing from the communication channel any device connected to that communication channel.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein generating the plurality of codes comprises:
 determining whether more than a threshold number of codes were generated using the link; and   responsive to determining that more than the threshold number of codes were generated, invalidating the link.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising, responsive to generating the link, starting an auto-expire timer that, upon reaching a threshold time, causes the link to be invalidated and causes the plurality codes generated by the link to be invalidated. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising, responsive to receiving an indication that the link was activated, resetting the auto expire timer. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising, responsive to retrieving the channel ID using the code, invalidating the plurality of codes. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising preventing more than one mobile device from communicating over the channel. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising, responsive to determining that the mobile device is being actively used, preventing the desktop computer from logging off 
     
     
         16 . A method comprising:
 receiving, from a first device, an identifier of a second device;   sending a link to the second device using the identifier;   generating a code and a communication channel responsive to the link being accessed, wherein the code is associated with the communication channel;   connecting the second device to the communication channel;   providing the code to the second device for entry at the first device;   receiving an entered code from the first device; and   responsive to the entered code matching the code associated with the communication channel, connecting the first device to the channel, thereby linking the first device and the second device.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 permitting the first device to send data to a backend server; and   preventing the second device from sending data to the backend server other than through the first device.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 receiving a change to a document from the second device; and   providing the change to the first device through the communication channel, wherein the change is provided to the backend server through the first device.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the code is provided to the second device for display on a first webpage, and wherein the entered code is provided on a second webpage. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the first device is a computer of a care provider and the second device is a mobile device of a patient.