ACCESSORY IDENTIFICATION FOR MOBILE COMPUTING DEVICES

• US 20100234068A1
• Filed: 03/25/2009
• Published: 09/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Bolton, Lawrence G., Toprani, Shyam S.
• Granted Patent: US 8,443,096 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/557
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/387 for adaptation of different data processing systems to different peripheral devices, e.g. protocol converters for incompatible systems, open system
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3234 involving additional secure or trusted devices, e.g. TPM, smartcard, USB or software token network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using an additional device in a packet data network H04L63/0853

Abstract

Embodiments disclosed herein provide for identification processes and/or procedures for accessories coupled with a mobile computing device. During identification an accessory can communicate lingo information that includes only those lingoes the accessory can use while coupled with the mobile computing device. The accessory can also communicate accessory protocol information to the mobile computing device during identification. The accessory can be limited to using only those lingoes and/or those protocols identified during identification. Various other accessory information, capabilities, preferences, etc. can also be communicated to the mobile computing device during identification.

Claims

1. A method for an accessory coupled with a mobile computing device comprising:

establishing communication with a portable computing device;

sending a request to the portable computing device from the accessory requesting information indicating one or more lingo versions supported by the portable computing device;

sending a request to the portable computing device from the accessory requesting information indicating one more capabilities supported by the portable computing device;

sending an accessory identification token to the portable computing device indicating one or more lingoes supported by the accessory; and

sending an accessory capabilities token to the portable media device indicating accessory capabilities.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein communication with the portable computing device occurs wirelessly.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising sending an accessory information token to the portable computing device indicating accessory information including at least one of accessory name, accessory firmware version, accessory hardware version, accessory manufacturer, accessory model number, and accessory serial number.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the one or more lingoes supported by the accessory depend at least in part on one or both of the lingo version s supported by the portable computing device and the capabilities supported by the portable computing device.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the accessory capabilities depend at least in part on one or both of the lingo version s supported by the portable computing device and the capabilities supported by the portable computing device.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the accessory capabilities include at least one of analog line-in to the mobile computing device, analog line-out from the mobile computing device, analog video-in to the mobile computing device, analog video-out from the mobile computing device, digital audio out from the mobile computing device, digital audio in to the mobile computing device, digital video in to the mobile computing device, digital video out, speakerphone, or communication with the mobile computing device operating system.

7. A method comprising:

establishing communication with a mobile computing device;

sending a lingo bitmask to the mobile computing device where each bit is associated with a lingo and the state of the bit identifies whether the lingo is usable by the accessory;

sending a capability bitmask to the mobile computing device where each bit is associated with a capability and the state of the bit identifies whether the lingo is supported by the accessory; and

subsequently thereto, communicating with the mobile computing device, wherein only the lingoes identified in the lingo bitmask are usable by the accessory while communicating with the mobile computing device.

8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising sending a preference bitmask to the mobile computing device where each bit is associated with a capability and the state of the bit identifies the initial state of the capability.

9. A method comprising:

establishing communication with a mobile computing device;

sending a usable lingo token to a mobile computing device indicating one or more lingoes supported by the accessory, wherein the lingoes include only those lingoes usable by the accessory while in communication with the mobile computing device;

subsequent to sending the usable lingo token, sending authentication information; and

subsequent to sending authentication information, communicating with the mobile computing device using only those lingoes indicated by the accessory information prior to sending the authentication information.

10. A method comprising:

establishing a communication session with an accessory at a mobile computing device;

communicating a lingo version token from the mobile computing device to the accessory, wherein the lingo version token includes information specifying the lingoes supported by the mobile computing device;

communicating a capability token to the accessory from the mobile computing device, where the capability token includes information specifying at least some of the capabilities of the mobile computing device; and

receiving a usable lingo token from the accessory, wherein the usable lingo token identifies the lingoes usable by the accessory during the communication session.

11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising receiving an accessory capability token from the accessory, wherein the accessory capability token includes information specifying at least some of the capabilities of the accessory.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein the lingo version token comprises a bitmask where each bit is associated with a lingo and the state of the bit identifies whether the lingo is usable by the accessory.

13. The method according to claim 10, wherein the accessory capability token comprises a bitmask where each bit is associated with a capability and the state of the bit identifies whether the capability is supported by the accessory.

14. The method according to claim 10, further comprising receiving a preference token from the accessory, wherein the preference token includes the initial state of at least some of the capabilities of the mobile computing device.

15. The method according to claim 14, further comprising setting the initial state of the capabilities as indicated in the preferences information.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein the preference information comprises a bitmask with each bit identifying an initial state of a capability.

17. The method according to claim 10, further comprising:

receiving a command from the accessory that is associated with a lingo not identified in the useable lingo token as usable by the accessory; and

ignoring the command received from the accessory.

18. The method according to claim 17, further comprising sending an error message to the accessory in response to the command.

19. A mobile computing device comprising:

a communication interface configured to communicably couple with an accessory; and

control logic coupled with the interface, the control logic being configured to send messages to and receive messages from the accessory via the communication interface, wherein the control logic is configured to receive an accessory capability message from the accessory comprising a bitmask that indicates the capabilities supported by the accessory.

20. The mobile computing device according to claim 19, wherein the communication interface includes a wireless interface.

21. The mobile computing device according to claim 19, wherein the control logic is configured to send a capabilities message comprising a bitmask that indicates the capabilities supported by the mobile computing device.

22. The mobile computing device according to claim 19, wherein the control logic is configured to receive an accessory preference message comprising a bitmask that indicates the initial state of at least one of the capabilities supported by the mobile computing device.

23. The mobile computing device according to claim 22, wherein the control logic is configured to set the initial state of the capabilities indicated in the accessory preference message.

24. A mobile computing device comprising:

a communication interface configured to communicably couple with an accessory; and

control logic coupled with the interface, the control logic being configured to send messages to and receive messages from the accessory via the communication interface, wherein the control logic is configured to receive a usable lingo token from the accessory comprising a bitmask that indicates the lingoes useable by the accessory.

25. The mobile computing device according to claim 24, wherein the control logic is configured to receive a command from the accessory that is not associated with the lingoes identified by the usable lingo token, and the control logic is configured to send an error message to the accessory in response to the command.

26. A computer-readable medium containing program instructions that, when executed by a controller within an accessory, cause the controller to execute a method of communicating advanced playlist information to a portable media device, the method comprising:

sending a data string comprising a bitmask identifying lingoes supported by the accessory;

sending a data string comprising a bitmask identifying capabilities supported by the accessory; and

sending a data string comprising a bitmask identifying preferences of the accessory.

27. The computer-readable medium according to claim 26, further comprising sending an alphanumeric data string indicating accessory information.

28. The computer-readable medium according to claim 26, wherein at least one of the data strings comprises a token, wherein the token includes a code-value pair.

29. An electromagnetic signal embedded in a tangible medium at an accessory device for communication to a mobile computing device, the electromagnetic signal comprising:

a lingo token including a code-value pair, the value including a bitmask identifying lingoes supported by the accessory;

a capabilities token including a code-value pair, the value including a bitmask identifying capabilities supported by the accessory; and

a preferences token including a code-value pair, the value including a bitmask identifying preferences of the accessory.

30. The electromagnetic signal according to claim 29, further comprising an alphanumeric string including an accessory information token indicating accessory information.

31. The electromagnetic signal according to claim 29, further comprising an alphanumeric string including a preferred application token indicating a preferred application for use at the mobile computing device using at least on of the accessory communication protocols.

32. The electromagnetic signal according to claim 29, further comprising an alphanumeric string including a protocol token indicating supported accessory communication protocols.