Wireless devices that communicate, via short range wireless communication, with a mobile client device for establishing services of the wireless device with a server over the internet

• US 10,133,527 B2
• Filed: 11/22/2016
• Issued: 11/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Flexiworld Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Flexiworld Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Chang, William Ho, Liu, Christina Ying
• Primary Examiner(s): Riley, Marcus T
• Application Number:
  US15/358,982
• Publication Number:
  US 20170075636A1
• Time in Patent Office: 728 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1203 Improving or facilitating administration, e.g. print management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1205 resulting in increased flexibility in print job configuration, e.g. job settings, print requirements, job tickets
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1208 resulting in improved quality of the output result, e.g. print layout, colours, workflows, print preview
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/122 with regard to computing resources, e.g. memory, CPU
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1226 Discovery of devices having required properties
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1228 Printing driverless or using generic drivers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1229 Printer resources management or printer maintenance, e.g. device status, power levels
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1236 Connection management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1238 Secure printing, e.g. user identification, user rights for device usage, unallowed content, blanking portions or fields of a page, releasing held jobs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1245 by conversion to intermediate or common format
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1247 by conversion to printer ready format
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1253 Configuration of print job parameters, e.g. using UI at the client
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1258 by updating job settings at the printer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/128 Direct printing, e.g. sending document file, using memory stick, printing from a camera
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1284 Local printer device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1285 Remote printer device, e.g. being remote from client or server
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1286 via local network
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1288 : in client-server-printer device configuration
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1292 : Mobile client, e.g. wireless printing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/14 : Digital output to display device ; Cooperation and interconnection of the display device with other functional units
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/162 : Interface to dedicated audio devices, e.g. audio drivers, interface to CODECs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 : Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/02 : using printers
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/181 : Receiving print data characterized by its formatting, e.g. particular page description languages
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/1836 : Rasterization
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 : specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/22 : Procedures used during a speech recognition process, e.g. man-machine dialogue
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/30 : Distributed recognition, e.g. in client-server systems, for mobile phones or network applications
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2015/223 : Execution procedure of a spoken command
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 : Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 : Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00244 : with a server, e.g. an internet server fax-servers or the like for store and forward H04N1/324
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00283 : with a television apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00307 : with a mobile telephone apparatus constructional features of portable telephone sets H04M1/0202; mobile radio systems H04W84/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00403 : Voice input means, e.g. voice commands
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00411 : the display also being used for user input, e.g. touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00488 : providing an audible output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00854 : Recognising an unauthorised user or user-associated action
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00938 : Software related arrangements, e.g. loading applications program loading in general G06F9/445
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32534 : details of interfacing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32582 : Output interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/4413 : involving the use of passwords, ID codes or the like, e.g. PIN
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/442 : using a biometric data reading device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0039 : Connection via a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0041 : Point to point H04N2201/0039 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0053 : Optical, e.g. using an infrared link
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0055 : By radio
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0082 : Image hardcopy reproducer H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0094 : Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/16 : Analogue secrecy systems; Analogue subscription systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 : Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/068 : using credential vaults, e.g. password manager applications or one time password [OTP] applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 : Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 : Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 : Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 : Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 : Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 : WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 : Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

A wireless device that includes at least a wireless communication unit, which is compatible with at least a protocol within IEEE 802.11 standards, for establishing a wireless connection with a server over a network is herein disclosed and enabled. To connect the wireless device with the server, the wireless device may first establish short range wireless communication with a client device, such as a smart phone. The wireless device may exchange data or information with the client device via the short range wireless communication; and the wireless device may implement an authentication procedure for detecting authentication information. Thereafter, the wireless device connects to the server over the Internet for accessing a service provided by the server. The accessing of the service may require authentication information on the wireless device, and the accessing of the service is subsequent to the wireless device having implemented the authentication procedure at the wireless device.

Claims

1. A wireless communication method for a wireless device to establish wireless communication with one or more servers over a network, the wireless device includes one or more communication units, each communication unit of the one or more communication units includes at least one communication chip or chipsets, the wireless communication method comprising:

(1) facilitating, by the one or more communication units of the wireless device, a wireless discovery operation for the wireless device to be wirelessly discoverable by a client of the wireless device via short range wireless communication, the wireless discovery operation includes wirelessly transmitting, by short range wireless communication and via the one or more communication units of the wireless device, at least an attribute or identification information related to the wireless device from the wireless device to the client;

(2) wirelessly establishing, via the one or more communication units of the wireless device, a wireless communication link between the wireless device and the client that has wirelessly discovered the wireless device in (1), the wireless communication link being a short range wireless communication link directly between the wireless device and the client, and the wireless communication link being compatible, at least partly, with at least a protocol within Bluetooth specifications or IEEE 802.11 standards;

(3) wirelessly communicating, via the one or more communication units of the wireless device and over the wireless communication link established in (2), between the wireless device and the client;

(4) executing, by the wireless device, an authentication procedure for detecting security or authentication information at the wireless device, the execution of the authentication procedure is while the wireless device is wirelessly communicating with the client in (3); and

wherein the security information or the authentication information includes one or more of a user name, a password, identification information, an ID number, a PIN, an IP address, a security key, a biometric, a fingerprint, or voice, individually or in any combination;

(5) establishing, by the wireless device and using the one or more communication units of the wireless device, wireless local area network communication, the wireless local area network communication being compatible, at least partly, with at least one protocol within IEEE 802.11 wireless standards for establishing a wireless local area network connection;

(6) wirelessly connecting the wireless device, using the one or more communication units and via the wireless local area network communication established in (5), to the one or more servers over the network that includes the Internet, the connecting of the wireless device to the one or more servers includes accessing a service provided by the one or more servers; and

wherein the accessing, by the wireless device, of the service provided by the one or more servers is based, at least in part, on the wireless device having appropriate authentication information for accessing the service, and the connecting of the wireless device to the one or more servers in (6) is subsequent to the wireless device having executed the authentication procedure in (4); and

wherein at least one communication unit of the one or more communication units is a wireless communication unit that is compatible, at least partly, with at least one protocol within Bluetooth specifications or IEEE 802.11 standards for establishing the wireless communication link in (2); and

wherein at least one communication unit of the one or more communication units is a wireless communication unit that is compatible, at least partly, with at least one protocol within IEEE 802.11 wireless standards for establishing the wireless local area network communication in (5).

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein facilitating the wireless discovery operation in (1) for the wireless device to be wirelessly discoverable by the client is via the wireless communication unit that is compatible, at least partly, with at least a protocol within Bluetooth standards;

and wherein the method further comprises receiving, via the wireless communication unit that is compatible, at least partly, with at least a protocol within Bluetooth standards, a communication request or a service request from the client.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein facilitating the wireless discovery operation in (1) for the wireless device to be wirelessly discoverable by the client is based on at least one of the following, individually or in any combination:

(a) a wireless communication directly between the wireless device and the client;

or

(b) a local area network communication between the wireless device and the client.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein facilitating, the wireless discovery operation in (1), for the wireless device to be wirelessly discoverable by the client, is based on short range wireless communication and based on close proximity between the wireless device and the client;

and wherein the method further comprises;

wirelessly transmitting, by the wireless device to the client and via the short range wireless communication, at least an attribute related to the wireless device for the client to select the wireless device for service; and

wirelessly receiving, via the short range wireless communication, a communication request from the client that has selected the wireless device for service.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the network includes the Internet, and the one or more servers is operated, at least in part, over the Internet, and wherein subsequent to establishing the wireless local area network communication, by the wireless device in (4), the method further comprises receiving, by the wireless device, digital content from the one or more servers over the Internet, wherein the digital content is for outputting or playing at the wireless device;

and wherein the wireless device is at least an output system that includes an information apparatus for accessing the one or more servers over the Internet.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein, the wireless device is at least an audio output device, and wherein the client is at least a smart phone;

and wherein the wireless device is a separate and distinct device from the smart phone.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the wireless device is at least one of an audio device, a speaker, a projection device, a display device, a television, a controller box connected to a television, a printer, or a digital imaging device, individually or in any combination;

and the client is a client device that is at least one of a smart phone, an Internet-Phone, a touch sensitive screen phone, an Information-Pad, an Internet appliance, or an Internet-Pad, individually or in any combination; and

wherein the wireless device is a distinct and separate device from the client device.

8. A wireless device for establishing a short range wireless communication link with a client of the wireless device and for connecting to one or more servers over a network that includes the Internet, the wireless device comprising:

an antenna for transmitting radio frequency signals;

one or more wireless communication units, each wireless communication unit of the one or more wireless communication units includes wireless communication circuitry for wireless communication, at least a wireless communication unit of the one or more wireless communication units is compatible, at least partly, with at least one protocol within IEEE 802.11 wireless standards; and

wherein the wireless device is configured for;

(1) wirelessly receiving, by the wireless device and via the one or more wireless communication units of the wireless device, a communication request or a service request from the client of the wireless device;

(2) establishing, by the wireless device and via the one or more wireless communication units of the wireless device, the short range wireless communication link between the client and the wireless device, the establishing of the short range wireless communication link being subsequent to having received the communication request or the service request, and the short range wireless communication link is compatible, at least partly, with at least a protocol within Bluetooth specifications or IEEE 802.11 standards;

(3) wirelessly communicating with the client by the wireless device, the wireless communicating with the client is via the one or more wireless communication units of the wireless device unit and over the established short range wireless communication link;

(4) while the wireless device is wirelessly communicating with the client, implementing an authentication procedure, at the wireless device, for detecting security information or authentication information, the security information or the authentication information includes one or more of a user name, a password, identification information, an ID number, a PIN, an IP address, a security key, a biometric, a fingerprint, or a voice, individually or in any combination; and

(5) establishing, by the wireless device and using the at least one wireless communication unit of the wireless device, wireless local area network communication, the wireless local area network communication is compatible, at least partly, with at least one protocol within IEEE 802.11 wireless standards for establishing the wireless local area network communication;

(6) wirelessly connecting, by the wireless device and using the at least one wireless communication unit and over the established wireless local area network communication, to the one or more servers operated, at least partly, over the Internet, and wherein the connecting of the wireless device to the one or more servers is subsequent to having implemented the authentication procedure at the wireless device; and

(7) wirelessly accessing, by the wireless device and using the at least one wireless communication unit, a service provided by the one or more servers over the network, and wherein the accessing of the service is dependent on having appropriate authentication information on the wireless device for accessing the service.

9. The wireless device according to claim 8, wherein the wireless device is part of a wireless product, and the wireless product further includes an attribute or identification information related to the wireless device, the attribute or identification information includes one or more of registration information, service information, security information, capability information, a code, an ID number, a brand, a model, or an address, individually or in any combination.

10. The wireless device according to claim 9, wherein the wireless product provides the client with the attribute or identification information, the providing of the attribute or identification information being facilitated, at least in part, by a user, and wherein the receiving of the communication request or the service request in (1) is subsequent to having provided the attribute or identification information to the client.

11. The wireless device according to claim 8, wherein the client is a client device or a client application running at the client device, and the client device includes a touch sensitive screen interface, wherein the client device is embodied, at least in part, as a smart phone or an Internet-pad;

and wherein the client device includes the client application installed for communicating with the wireless device; and

wherein the client device is a distinct and separate device from the wireless device.

12. The wireless device according to claim 8, wherein the client is at least a smart phone, and the wireless device further includes an output device for outputting or playing digital content, the smart phone being a distinct and separate device from the wireless device, and wherein the network includes the Internet, and the one or more servers is operated, at least in part, over the Internet, and wherein the wireless device is further configured for:

wirelessly providing, via the at least one wireless communication unit within the wireless device, authentication information to the one or more servers for accessing the service provided by the one or more servers over the network; and

wirelessly receiving, by the wireless device and via the at least one wireless communication unit, digital content from the one or more servers over the Internet, wherein the digital content is for outputting or playing at the output device of the wireless device.

13. The wireless device according to claim 8, wherein the wireless device is further configured for facilitating a wireless discovery operation for the wireless device to be wirelessly discoverable by the client, and wherein the short range wireless communication link between the wireless device and the client is based on at least one of the following, individually or in any combination:

(a) short range and close proximity wireless communication directly between the wireless device and the client;

or

(b) Bluetooth wireless communication directly between the wireless device and the client;

or

(c) wireless local area network communication between the wireless device and the client.

14. The wireless device according to claim 13, wherein the wireless device further includes an interface, the interface includes one or more of a display screen, a touch sensitive screen, a push button, a soft key, a keypad, or a switch, individually or in any combination;

and wherein the wireless discovery operation is subsequent to having received, via the interface, at least an indication from the user for initiating the wireless discovery operation.

15. The wireless device according to claim 8, wherein the wireless device is at least a wireless output device for outputting digital content, the wireless output device includes at least one of an audio device, a speaker, a projection device, a display device, a television, a controller box connected to a television, a printer, a digital imaging device, or a device with an image processor, individually or in any combination.

16. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having recorded therein software or firmware for a wireless device to establish a wireless connection with one or more servers over a network, the wireless device includes one or more processors or controllers, one or more wireless communication units, each wireless communication unit of the one or more wireless communication units includes at least one wireless communication chip or chipset, at least one wireless communication unit of the one or more wireless communication units being compatible, at least partly, with at least one protocol within IEEE 802.11 wireless standards for establishing wireless local area network communication, wherein execution of the software or firmware, by the one or more processors or controllers at the wireless device, performs a wireless communication method at the wireless device, comprising:

facilitating, by the one or more wireless communication units within the wireless device, a wireless discovery operation for the wireless device to be wirelessly discoverable by a client of the wireless device via short range wireless communication, the wireless discovery operation includes wirelessly transmitting, by short range wireless communication and via the one or more wireless communication units of the wireless device, at least an attribute or identification information related to the wireless device, from the wireless device to the client;

wirelessly establishing, via the one or more wireless communication units within the wireless device, a short range wireless communication link between the wireless device and the client that has wirelessly discovered the wireless device in the wireless discovery operation, the short range wireless communication link being directly between the wireless device and the client, and the wireless communication link being compatible, at least partly, with at least a protocol within Bluetooth specifications or IEEE 802.11 standards;

wirelessly communicating, via the one or more wireless communication units within the wireless device and over the short range wireless communication link, with the client;

executing, by the wireless device, an authentication procedure for detecting security information or authentication information at the wireless device, the executing of the authentication procedure being based on the wireless communicating of the wireless device with the client;

wirelessly connecting, by the wireless device and using the at least one wireless communication unit that is compatible, at least partly, with at least one protocol within IEEE 802.11 wireless standards, to the one or more servers over the network that includes the Internet; and

wirelessly accessing, by the wireless device and using the at least one wireless communication unit that is compatible, at least partly, with at least one protocol within IEEE 802.11 wireless standards, a service provided by the one or more servers over the network.

17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 16, wherein the client is at least a smart phone or a client application executing at the smart phone, and the wireless device includes an output device for outputting or playing digital content, the smart phone being a distinct and separate device from the wireless device, and wherein the network includes the Internet, and the one or more servers is operated, at least in part, over the Internet.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 17, wherein the wireless communication method at the wireless device further comprises:

wirelessly providing, by the wireless device and via the at least one wireless communication unit within the wireless device, authentication information to the one or more servers for accessing the service provided by the one or more servers over the network;

wirelessly receiving, by the wireless device and via the at least one wireless communication unit, digital content from the one or more servers over the network that includes the Internet; and

outputting or playing, by the output device included in the wireless device, at least part of the digital content received from the one or more servers.

19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 18, wherein the accessing, by the wireless device, of the service provided by the one or more servers is based, at least in part, on the wireless device having appropriate authentication information for accessing the service;

and wherein the wireless device is further embodied as a wireless output system that includes an information apparatus; and

wherein the receiving of the digital content from the one or more servers over the network is received via the information apparatus.

20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 17, wherein the one or more wireless communication units include a wireless communication chip or chipset that is compatible, at least partly, with at least one protocol within Bluetooth specifications or IEEE 802.11 standards, and wherein the facilitating of the wireless discovery operation of the wireless device is facilitated via the wireless communication chip or chipset that is compatible, at least partly, with at least one of the following:

(i) at least one protocol within Bluetooth specifications;

or

(ii) at least one protocol within IEEE 801.11 standards for direct short range wireless communication or for wireless local area network communication.