Hiding a device

• US 20020197956A1
• Filed: 05/03/2002
• Published: 12/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Karvinen, Sonja, Karlsberg, Jari, Annola, Johanna, Makinen, Rauno
• Granted Patent: US 7,792,490 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/10 Small scale networks; Flat hierarchical networks

Abstract

The object of the invention is a method where a first communications device (10) and a second communications device (20), previously unknown to each other, communicate with each other wirelessly using short-range RF technology, said second communications device being at a certain moment of time in a first mode where the address of said second communications device is determinable by means of an inquiry wirelessly sent to it. In the method, the first communications device (10) sends (31) a first message in order to determine the address of said second communications device, said second communications device (20) receives (32) the first message, and said second communications device (20) generates and sends (33) to the first communications device a second message in response to the first message, the second message containing the address of said second communications device. In the method, a connection establishment process (35-38) is executed to establish a connection between the first communications device and said second communications device. During the connection establishment process, or in response to successful completion of the connection establishment process, at least one of said first and second communications devices (10, 20) switches (40) from said first mode into a second mode, in which second mode, the communications device that has switched into said second mode does not respond to messages arriving at it which have been sent to discover the address of the communications device that has switched into said second mode.

Claims

1. A method where a first communications device and a second communications device, previously unknown to each other, communicate with each other wirelessly using short-range RF (Radio Frequency) technology, the second communications device being, at a certain moment of time, in a first mode where the address of said second communications device is determinable by means of an inquiry wirelessly sent to it, and in which method:

the first communications device sends a first message to determine the address of the second communications device;

said second communications device receives the first message;

said second communications device generates and sends to the first communications device a second message in response to the first message, said second message containing the address of said second communications device;

a connection establishment process is carried out for establishing a connection between the first communications device and said second communications device, and wherein;

during the connection establishment process, or in response to successful completion of said connection establishment process, at least one of said first and second communications devices switches from said first mode into a second mode, in which second mode the communications device that has switched into said second mode does not respond to messages arriving at it that have been sent in order to discover the address of the communications device that has switched into said second mode.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the connection establishment process is initiated by said first communications device based on the address of said second communications device.

3. A method according to claims 1 or 2, wherein said second communications device switches into said second mode.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein only one of said first and second communications devices switches into said second mode.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said first and second communications devices switches into said second mode in response to a pairing that is part of the connection establishment process.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said first and second communications devices automatically switches into said second mode in response to that connection establishment process that causes the device'"'"'s service capacity to be filled up.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the communications device that has switched into said second mode returns from said second mode to said first mode in response to a particular action.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein the communications device that has switched into said second mode returns from said second mode to said first mode in response to a reset of said second communications device.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein the communications device that has switched into said second mode returns to said first mode for a definite period and after said definite period has expired said communications device returns to said second mode.

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein the communications device that has switched into said second mode returns to said first mode for the definite period in response to a restart of said communications device.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein a short-range RF connection is established between said first and second communications devices in response to the connection establishment process and that the communications device that has switched into said second mode returns from said second mode to said first mode in response to a disconnection of said short-range RF connection.

12. A method according to claim 1, wherein said first communications device and said second communications device communicate using Bluetooth technology and said first message is an inquiry message according to Bluetooth technology and said second message is an inquiry_res message, said first mode is the discoverable mode according to Bluetooth technology and said second mode is the non-discoverable mode.

13. A method according to claim 1, wherein said first communications device is a cellular mobile terminal and said second communications device is one of the following:

Bluetooth smart card reader, Bluetooth headset, WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network) access point, POS (Point of Sale) terminal.

14. A first communications device comprising a transceiver for wireless communication with a second communications device using short-range RF technology, the first communications device comprising two different modes, in the first mode of which the address of the first communications device is determinable by means of a query wirelessly sent to it and in the second mode of which the address of the first communications device is not determinable by means of a query wirelessly sent to it, the first communications device comprising:

said transceiver for receiving a first message sent by said second communications device, said first message having been sent in order to determine the address of the first communications device;

a processing unit and said transceiver for generating and sending a second message to said second communications device in response to the first message, said second message containing the address of said first communications device;

said processing unit and said transceiver for carrying out a connection establishment process with said second communications device to establish a connection between said first communications device and said second communications device, wherein said first communications device is configured;

to switch, during the connection establishment process or in response to successful completion of the connection establishment process, from said first mode to a second mode in which second mode it does not respond to messages arriving at it which have been sent to discover its address.

15. A first communications device comprising a transceiver for wireless communication with a second communications device using short-range RF technology, the first communications device comprising two different modes, in the first mode of which the address of the first communications device is determinable by means of a query wirelessly sent to it and in the second mode of which the address of the first communications device is not determinable by means of a query wirelessly sent to it, the first communications device comprising:

said transceiver for sending a first message to said second communications device in order to determine the address of said second communications device;

said transceiver for receiving a second message sent by said second communications device to said first communications device in response to the first message, said second message containing the address of said second communications device;

a processing unit and said transceiver for carrying out a connection establishment process with said second communications device to establish a connection between said first communications device and said second communications device, wherein said first communications device is configured;

to switch, during the connection establishment process or in response to successful completion of the connection establishment process, from said first mode to a second mode in which second mode it does not respond to messages arriving at it which have been sent to discover its address.

16. A computer program product executable in a first communications device and comprising program code for:

causing the first communications device to communicate with a second communications device using wireless short-range RF technology;

implementing a particular first mode of the first communications device in which first mode the address of the first communications device is determinable by means of a query wirelessly sent to it;

causing the first communications device to receive a first message sent by said second communications device, said first message having been sent in order to determine the address of said first communications device;

causing the first communications device to generate and send to said second communications device a second message in response to the first message, said second message containing the address of said first communications device; and

causing said first communications device to carry out a connection establishment process with said second communications device to establish a connection between said first communications device and said second communications device, wherein said computer program product comprises program code for;

causing the first communications device to switch, during the connection establishment process or in response to successful completion of the connection establishment process, from said first mode to a second mode in which second mode it does not respond to messages arriving at it which have been sent to discover its address.

17. A computer program product executable in a first communications device and comprising program code for:

causing the first communications device to communicate with a second communications device using wireless short-range RF technology;

implementing a particular first mode of the first communications device in which first mode the address of the first communications device is determinable by means of a query wirelessly sent to it;

causing the first communications device to send a first message to said second communications device in order to determine the address of said second communications device;

causing the first communications device to receive a second message sent by said second communications device to said first communications device in response to the first message, said second message containing the address of said second communications device; and

causing said first communications device to carry out a connection establishment process with said second communications device to establish a connection between said first communications device and said second communications device, wherein said computer program product comprises program code for;

causing the first communications device to switch, during the connection establishment process or in response to successful completion of the connection establishment process, from said first mode to a second mode in which second mode it does not respond to messages arriving at it which have been sent to discover its address.