Method and apparatus for configuring a mobile device

• US 20050203912A1
• Filed: 03/15/2004
• Published: 09/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Prest, Kevin L., Beach, Robert, Werback, Andy
• Application Number:
  US10/800,452
• Publication Number:
  US 20050203912A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/221
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0492 by using a location-limited connection, e.g. near-field communication or limited proximity of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1091 Details not provided for in groups H04R1/1008 - H04R1/1083
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/50 Secure pairing of devices

Abstract

A method for configuring a mobile device includes receiving at least one of an audio and a video signal encoded with configuration data from an interface unit proximate the mobile device and configuring the mobile device based on the configuration data. In another embodiment, the method includes initiating a client-to-client connection between the mobile device and an interface unit coupled to the communication network, receiving configuration data from the interface unit over the client-to-client connection, and configuring the mobile device based on the configuration data.

Claims

1. A method for configuring a mobile device, comprising:

receiving at least one of an audio and a video signal encoded with configuration data from an interface unit proximate the mobile device; and

configuring the mobile device based on the configuration data.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising initiating a connection between the mobile device and a communication network responsive to configuring the mobile device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the interface unit is coupled to the communication network, and the method further comprises sending a confirmation message from the mobile device through the communication network to the interface unit responsive to initiating the connection.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a confirmation signal to a user of the mobile device responsive to configuring the mobile device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein providing the confirmation signal further comprises providing an audible signal to the user.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the mobile device comprises a headset having a speaker and providing the audible signal to the user comprises providing the audible signal through the speaker.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile device comprises a headset having a microphone and the method further comprises receiving the audio signal through the microphone.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile device comprises a headset having a sensor and the method further comprises receiving the video signal through the sensor.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the interface unit is adapted to display the configuration data and receiving the at least one of the audio and the video signal further comprises receiving a speech signal from a user including the configuration data.

10. A method for configuring a mobile device to access a communication network, comprising:

initiating a client-to-client connection between the mobile device and an interface unit coupled to the communication network;

receiving configuration data from the interface unit over the client-to-client connection; and

configuring the mobile device based on the configuration data.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising initiating a connection between the mobile device and the communication network responsive to configuring the mobile device.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising sending a confirmation message from the mobile device through the communication network to the interface unit responsive to initiating the connection between the mobile device and the communication network.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising providing a confirmation signal to a user of the mobile device responsive to configuring the mobile device.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein providing the confirmation signal further comprises providing an audible signal to the user.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the mobile device comprises a headset having a speaker and providing the audible signal to the user comprises providing the audible signal through the speaker.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein initiating the client-to-client connection further comprises sending a public key from the mobile device to the interface unit and receiving the configuration data further comprises receiving the configuration data encrypted with the public key.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising decrypting the configuration data encrypted with the public key using a private key associated with the public key.

18. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

determining a signal strength parameter associated with the mobile device; and

sending the configuration data responsive to the signal strength parameter exceeding a predetermined threshold.

19. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

determining a signal strength parameter associated with the interface unit; and

configuring the mobile device based on the configuration data responsive to the signal strength parameter exceeding a predetermined threshold.

20. A mobile device, comprising:

at least one of an audio sensor and a video sensor; and

a processing unit coupled to at least one of the audio sensor and the video sensor and adapted to receive a signal encoded with configuration data through at least one of the audio sensor and the video sensor from an interface unit proximate the mobile device and configure the mobile device based on the configuration data.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the processing unit is further adapted to initiate a connection with a communication network responsive to configuring the mobile device.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the processing unit is further adapted to send a confirmation message through the connection with the communication network to the interface unit responsive to initiating the connection with the communication network.

23. The system of claim 20, wherein the processing unit is further adapted to provide a confirmation signal to a user of the mobile device responsive to configuring the mobile device.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the confirmation signal further comprises an audible signal.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the mobile device comprises a headset having a speaker, and the processing unit is further adapted to send the audible signal through the speaker.

26. The system of claim 20, wherein the mobile device comprises a headset having a microphone coupled to the processing unit, and the processing unit is further adapted to receive the signal through the microphone.

27. The system of claim 20, wherein the mobile device comprises a headset having a sensor coupled to the processing unit, and the processing unit is further adapted to receive the signal through the sensor.

28. The system of claim 20, wherein the signal further comprises a speech signal.

29. A communication system, comprising:

a communication network;

an interface unit coupled to the communication network; and

a mobile device including a processing unit adapted to initiate a client-to-client connection between the mobile device and the interface unit, receive configuration data from the interface unit over the client-to-client connection, and configure the mobile device based on the configuration data.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the processing unit is adapted to initiate a connection with the communication network responsive to configuring the mobile device.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the processing unit is further adapted to send a confirmation message through the connection with communication network to the interface unit responsive to initiating the connection with the communication network.

32. The system of claim 29, wherein the processing unit is further adapted to provide a confirmation signal to a user of the mobile device responsive to configuring the mobile device.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the confirmation signal further comprises an audible signal.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the mobile device comprises a headset having a speaker and the processing unit is further adapted to provide the audible signal through the speaker.

35. The system of claim 29, wherein the processing unit is further adapted to send a public key to the interface unit and the interface unit is adapted to encrypt the configuration data with the public key prior to sending the configuration data to the processing unit.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein the processing unit is further adapted to decrypt the configuration data encrypted with the public key using a private key associated with the public key.

37. The system of claim 29, wherein the interface unit is further adapted to determine a signal strength parameter associated with the mobile device and send the configuration data responsive to the signal strength parameter exceeding a predetermined threshold.

38. The system of claim 29, wherein the processing unit is further adapted to determine a signal strength parameter associated with the interface unit and configure the mobile device based on the configuration data responsive to the signal strength parameter exceeding a predetermined threshold.

39. An apparatus, comprising:

means for receiving at least one of an audio and a video signal encoded with configuration data from an interface unit proximate a mobile device; and

means for configuring the mobile device based on the configuration data.

40. A system, comprising:

means for initiating a client-to-client connection between a mobile device and an interface unit coupled to a communication network;

means for receiving configuration data from the interface unit over the client-to-client connection; and

means for configuring the mobile device based on the configuration data.