MOBILE COMPUTING DEVICE CAPABILITIES FOR ACCESSORIES

• US 20100235550A1
• Filed: 06/05/2009
• Published: 09/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Louboutin, Sylvain R.Y., Rathi, Shailesh, Bolton, Lawrence G.
• Granted Patent: US 8,452,903 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/62
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/385 for adaptation of a particular data processing system to different peripheral devices

Abstract

Embodiments disclosed herein provide for capability identification for accessories coupled with a mobile computing device. During capability identification an accessory can request capability information from a mobile computing device. In some embodiments, the accessory can specifically request capability information associated with a specific lingo. In response, the mobile computing device can respond with a message that indicates the capabilities of the mobile computing device that are supported. In some embodiments, the capabilities can be those capabilities associated with the specified lingo. In some embodiments, if the mobile computing device does not support a lingo, then the mobile computing device can respond to the request from the accessory with a negative acknowledgement.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

establishing communication with a mobile computing device;

sending a message to the mobile computing device requesting an indication of the capabilities of the mobile computing device;

receiving an indication from the mobile computing device specifying the capabilities supported by the mobile computing device; and

interacting with the mobile computing device using the capabilities supported by the mobile computing device.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the message sent to the mobile computing device requests capabilities related to a specific lingo and the indication received from the mobile computing device specifies capabilities supported by the mobile computing device that are related to a specific lingo.

3. The method according to claim 2 wherein the accessory requests capabilities related to more than one lingo.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein the indication received from the mobile computing device includes a bitmask with each bit representing whether a specific capability is supported by the mobile computing device.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein the capabilities include video formatting capabilities.

6. The method according to claim 5 wherein the video formatting capabilities include one or more capabilities from a group consisting of video output, NTSC video format, PAL video format, composite video out, S-video video out, NTSC connection, closed captioning, full screen video aspect ratio, widescreen video aspect ratio, and subtitles.

7. The method according to claim 1 wherein the capabilities include one or more capabilities from a group of capabilities consisting of line out usage, video output, cross-transport authentication, mobile computing device protocols, notifications, duplex support, audio media control, video media control, image media control, sports media control, GPS data output, and volume control.

8. An accessory device comprising:

a communication interface configured to communicate with a mobile computing device; and

control logic coupled with the communication interface, the control logic being configured to send messages to and receive messages from the mobile computing device via the communication interface, wherein the control logic is configured to send a request for capabilities of the mobile computing device associated with a specific lingo, and wherein the control logic is configured to receive a bitmask from the mobile computing device that specifies capabilities associated with the lingo that are supported by the mobile computing device.

9. The accessory device according to claim 8 wherein the control logic further configured to interact with the mobile computing device using at least one of the supported capabilities.

10. The accessory device according to claim 8 wherein the control logic is further configured to receive a negative acknowledgement when the mobile computing device does not support the lingo or does not support the request.

11. The accessory device according to claim 8 wherein the capabilities include one or more capabilities of the mobile computing device from a group consisting of wireless capabilities, microphone capabilities, remote control by the accessory capabilities, video capabilities, audio capabilities, and location capabilities.

12. The accessory device according to claim 8 wherein the lingo is selected from the group of lingoes consisting of a general lingo, a microphone lingo, a remote control lingo, a remote display lingo, a remote user interface lingo, a location lingo, a storage lingo, a wireless communication lingo, a video lingo, and an audio lingo.

13. A method comprising:

establishing a communication session between an accessory and a mobile computing device;

receiving from the accessory a request for capabilities associated with a specific lingo;

in the event that the mobile computing device supports the specified lingo, sending a capabilities message to the accessory indicating the capabilities of the mobile computing device associated with the specified lingo; and

in the event that the mobile computing device does not support the specified lingo, sending a negative acknowledgment to the accessory.

14. The method according to claim 13 wherein the capabilities message includes a bitmask and wherein each bit in the bitmask indicates whether a specific capability is supported by the mobile computing device.

15. The method according to claim 13 wherein the lingo is selected from the group of lingoes consisting of a general lingo, a microphone lingo, a remote control lingo, a remote display lingo, a remote user interface lingo, a location lingo, a storage lingo, a wireless communication lingo, a video lingo, and an audio lingo.

16. A mobile computing device comprising:

a communication interface configured to communicate with an accessory; and

control logic coupled with the communication 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 request from the accessory for supported capabilities associated with a specific lingo, wherein in the event that the mobile computing device supports the specified lingo the control logic is configured to send a bitmask from the mobile computing device to the accessory that specifies capabilities associated with the specified lingo that are supported by the mobile computing device, and wherein in the event that the mobile computing device does not support the specified lingo the control logic is configured to send a negative acknowledgement to the accessory.

17. The mobile computing device according to claim 16 wherein the control logic is further configured to interact with the accessory using the specified lingo.

18. A computer-readable medium containing program instructions that, when executed by a controller within a mobile communication device, causes the controller to execute a method of communicating capabilities information between a mobile communication device and an accessory, the method comprising:

receiving a request for capabilities from an accessory device; and

sending a data string comprising a bitmask identifying the capabilities supported by the mobile communication device.

19. The computer-readable medium according to claim 18 wherein the request for capabilities comprises a request for capabilities associated with a specific lingo.