Automatic detection of data storage functionality within a docking station
First Claim
1. A method of detecting the presence of a docking station providing data storage functionality comprising:
- broadcasting a beacon signal from said docking station, said beacon signal comprising a destination address, said destination address set equal to a predefined multicast address;
receiving said beacon signal by one or more data computing devices; and
responding to said docking station by said one or more data computing devices if said one or more data computing devices implements a multicast socket using said predefined multicast address, said docking station comprising a data storage device, said data storage device providing a storage depository for one or more data files provided by said one or more data computing devices.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Herein described is a system and method of detecting the presence of a docking station that provides data storage functionality. The docking station broadcasts a beacon signal to a computing device that is identified by way of a predefined IP multicast address. The beacon signal may be forwarded to the computing device by way of a switching device. The switching device, uses an address resolution logic, and is capable of forwarding one or more data packets which have their destination address set to the predefined IP multicast address. The computing device configured with the predefined IP multicast address recognizes the docking station that broadcasts the beacon signal, as a docking station that provides data storage and data retrieval functionality. The system may be implemented using a server application software resident in the docking station and a client application software resident in each of the one or more computing devices.
113 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method of detecting the presence of a docking station providing data storage functionality comprising:
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broadcasting a beacon signal from said docking station, said beacon signal comprising a destination address, said destination address set equal to a predefined multicast address;
receiving said beacon signal by one or more data computing devices; and
responding to said docking station by said one or more data computing devices if said one or more data computing devices implements a multicast socket using said predefined multicast address, said docking station comprising a data storage device, said data storage device providing a storage depository for one or more data files provided by said one or more data computing devices. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for detecting the presence of a docking station providing data storage functionality, and initiating one or more data storage and/or data retrieval operations using said docking station, said method comprising:
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first executing a server application software when said docking station is powered up;
broadcasting one or more messages having a destination address configured with a predefined multicast address, said one or more messages generated by said execution of said first software;
second executing a client application software when said portable computing device is powered up and connected to said docking station;
receiving said beacon signal by said portable computing device;
responding to said one or more messages; and
performing said one or more data storage and/or data retrieval operations, said responding and said performing facilitated by said execution of said client application software. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A system for detecting the presence of a docking station providing data storage functionality, said system comprising:
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a server application software resident in said docking station;
a client application software resident in a data computing device;
a first processor in said docking station, said first processor executing said server application software to generate one or more signals, said one or more signals identifying said docking station as capable of said providing said data storage functionality;
a second processor in said data computing device, said second processor executing said client application software;
a switching device for forwarding said one or more signals from said docking station to said data computing device, each of said one or more signals comprising a destination address set equal to a predefined multicast address, said multicast address corresponding to a multicast socket implemented by said data computing device, said second processor executing said client application software to facilitate receiving said one or more signals by said data computing device. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification