Controlling Visibility of a Wireless Device in Discoverable Mode

• US 20100232321A1
• Filed: 05/27/2010
• Published: 09/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Brown, Michael S., Brown, Michael K., Kirkup, Michael G.
• Granted Patent: US 7,912,027 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/254
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/20 Selecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals

Abstract

A wireless device in a discoverable mode controls its visibility by determining whether to ignore or respond to an inquiry, received from an inquiring device, based at least in part on one or more properties of the inquiring device.

Claims

1. A method to control the visibility of a wireless device in a discoverable mode, the method comprising:

while said wireless device is in said discoverable mode, receiving an inquiry from an inquiring device that is searching for discoverable devices; and

ignoring said inquiry if an identifier of said inquiring device is not ascertainable from said inquiry or if said identifier is not included in a set of identifiers of one or more devices previously connected to said wireless device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said discoverable mode is a general discoverable mode and wherein said inquiry is a general inquiry intended to discover devices in any discoverable mode that are within range of said inquiring device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said discoverable mode is a limited discoverable mode and wherein said inquiry is a limited inquiry intended to discover only devices in said limited discoverable mode that are within range of said inquiring device.

4. A method to control the visibility of a wireless device in a discoverable mode, the method comprising:

while said wireless device is in said discoverable mode, receiving an inquiry from an inquiring device that is searching for discoverable devices; and

ignoring said inquiry a) if an identifier of said inquiring device is not ascertainable from said inquiry or b) if said identifier does not correspond to any particular manufacturer or c) if said identifier corresponds to a particular manufacturer and an identifier of said particular manufacturer is not included in a set of identifiers of one or more permitted manufacturers.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said discoverable mode is a general discoverable mode and wherein said inquiry is a general inquiry intended to discover devices in any discoverable mode that are within range of said inquiring device.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein said discoverable mode is a limited discoverable mode and wherein said inquiry is a limited inquiry intended to discover only devices in said limited discoverable mode that are within range of said inquiring device.

7. A method to control the visibility of a wireless device in a discoverable mode, the method comprising:

while said wireless device is in said discoverable mode, receiving an inquiry from an inquiring device that is searching for discoverable devices;

ignoring said inquiry where an identifier of said inquiring device is not ascertainable from said inquiry; and

where said identifier is ascertainable from said inquiry;

responding to said inquiry where said identifier is included in a first set of identifiers of one or more devices previously connected to said wireless device;

responding to said inquiry where said identifier is not included in said first set, said identifier corresponds to a particular manufacturer, and an identifier of said particular manufacturer is included in a second set of identifiers of one or more permitted manufacturers; and

ignoring said inquiry where said identifier is not included in said first set and said identifier of said particular manufacturer is not included in said second set.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said discoverable mode is a general discoverable mode and wherein said inquiry is a general inquiry intended to discover devices in any discoverable mode that are within range of said inquiring device.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein said discoverable mode is a limited discoverable mode and wherein said inquiry is a limited inquiry intended to discover only devices in said limited discoverable mode that are within range of said inquiring device.

10. A wireless device comprising:

a wireless communication interface able to cause said wireless device to be in a discoverable mode and through which said wireless device is able to receive an inquiry from an inquiring device that is searching for discoverable devices;

a processor coupled to said wireless communication interface; and

a memory coupled to said processor,

wherein said memory is to store a set of identifiers of one or more devices previously connected to said wireless device, and

wherein said memory is to store code which, when executed by said processor while said wireless device is in said discoverable mode, ignores said inquiry if an identifier of said inquiring device is not ascertainable from said inquiry or if said identifier is not included in said set.

11. The wireless device of claim 10, wherein said wireless device is a smart card reader.

12. The wireless device of claim 10, wherein said wireless communication interface is compatible with Bluetooth®

communication protocols.

13. The wireless device of claim 10, wherein said wireless communication interface is compatible with ultra wideband (UWB) communication protocols.

14. A wireless device comprising:

a wireless communication interface able to cause said wireless device to be in a discoverable mode and through which said wireless device is able to receive an inquiry from an inquiring device that is searching for discoverable devices;

a processor coupled to said wireless communication interface; and

a memory coupled to said processor,

wherein said memory is to store a set of identifiers of one or more permitted manufacturers, and

wherein said memory is to store code which, when executed by said processor while said wireless device is in said discoverable mode, ignores said inquiry a) if an identifier of said inquiring device is not ascertainable from said inquiry or b) if said identifier does not correspond to any particular manufacturer or c) if said identifier corresponds to a particular manufacturer and an identifier of said particular manufacturer is not included in said set.

15. The wireless device of claim 14, wherein said wireless device is a smart card reader.

16. The wireless device of claim 14, wherein said wireless communication interface is compatible with Bluetooth®

communication protocols.

17. The wireless device of claim 14, wherein said wireless communication interface is compatible with ultra wideband (UWB) communication protocols.

18. A wireless device comprising:

a wireless communication interface able to cause said wireless device to be in a discoverable mode and through which said wireless device is able to receive an inquiry from an inquiring device that is searching for discoverable devices;

a processor coupled to said wireless communication interface; and

a memory coupled to said processor,

wherein said memory is to store a first set of identifiers of one or more devices previously connected to said wireless device and a second set of identifiers of one or more permitted manufacturers, and

wherein said memory is to store code which, when executed by said processor while said wireless device is in said discoverable mode, ignores said inquiry if an identifier of said inquiring device is not ascertainable from said inquiry, and where said identifier is ascertainable from said inquiry;

a) responds to said inquiry where said identifier is included in said first set,

b) responds to said inquiry where said identifier is not included in said first set, said identifier corresponds to a particular manufacturer, and an identifier of said particular manufacturer is included in said second set, and

c) ignores said inquiry where said identifier is not included in said first set and said identifier of said particular manufacturer is not included in said second set.

19. The wireless device of claim 18, wherein said wireless device is a smart card reader.

20. The wireless device of claim 18, wherein said wireless communication interface is compatible with Bluetooth®

communication protocols.

21. The wireless device of claim 18, wherein said wireless communication interface is compatible with ultra wideband (UWB) communication protocols.