Communication System Comprising a Master and a Slave Handheld Apparatuses

• US 20090011753A1
• Filed: 12/14/2005
• Published: 01/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NXP B.V. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Barnier, Laurent
• Granted Patent: US 7,801,486 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/422.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/77 for interrogation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/18 using different networks or channels, e.g. using out of band channels cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key distribution involving distinctive intermediate devices or communication paths H04L9/0827; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for authentication using a plurality of channels H04L9/3215
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/50 Secure pairing of devices
• 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 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/20 Master-slave selection or change arrangements

Abstract

The invention relates to a communication system comprising:—a master handheld apparatus (100) comprising a first near field communication device a first wireless communication device, a current session being held by said master handheld apparatus (100), a slave handheld apparatus (130) comprising a second near field communication device and a second wireless communication device, the first and second near field communication devices being adapted to exchange identification information when they are held next to each other so as to initiate a communication link (140) between the first and second wireless communication devices, said first and second wireless communication devices then enabling the slave handheld apparatus (130) to join the current session through the communication link (140).

Claims

1. A communication system comprising:

a master handheld apparatus comprising a first NFC (near field communication) device and a first wireless communication device, a current session being held by said master handheld apparatus,

a slave handheld apparatus comprising a second NFC (near field communication) device and a second wireless communication device, the first and second near field communication devices being adapted to exchange identification information when they are held next to each other so as to initiate a communication link between the first and second wireless communication devices, said first and second wireless communication devices then enabling the slave handheld apparatus to join the current session through the communication link.

2. A communication system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the current session is a pre-established call placed between the master handheld apparatus and a remote communication apparatus over a communication network.

3. A communication system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and second near field communication devices are of the NFC type.

4. A communication system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and second wireless communication devices comprise a BLUETOOTH™

or a Wi-fi transmitting/receiving interface.

5. A slave handheld apparatus for joining a current session held by a master handheld apparatus comprising a first near field communication device and a first wireless communication device, said slave handheld apparatus comprising a second near field communication device and a second wireless communication device, the second near field communication device being adapted to exchange identification information with the first near field communication device when they are held next to each other so as to initiate a communication link between the first and second wireless communication devices, said first and second wireless communication devices then enabling the slave handheld apparatus to join the current session through the communication link.

7. A handheld apparatus as claimed in claim 5, further comprising a memory for storing context parameters associated with the handheld apparatus, said context parameters defining data to be transmitted over the communication link, the current session being joined as a function of the context parameters.

6. A master handheld apparatus comprising a first near field communication device and a first wireless communication device, said master handheld apparatus being suitable for communicating with a slave handheld apparatus comprising a second near field communication device and a second wireless communication device, a current session being held by said master handheld apparatus, wherein the first near field communication device is adapted to exchange identification information with the second near field communication device when they are held next to each other so as to initiate a communication link between the first and second wireless communication devices, said first and second wireless communication devices then enabling the slave handheld apparatus to join the current session through the communication link.

8. A communication method between a master handheld apparatus comprising a first near field communication device and a first wireless communication device, and a slave handheld apparatus comprising a second near field communication device and a second wireless communication device, a current session being held by said master handheld apparatus, the method comprising:

exchanging identification information between the first and second near field communication devices when they are held next to each other,

initiating a communication link between the first and second wireless communication devices,

enabling the slave handheld apparatus to join the current session through the communication link.