LOCATION-BASED DOCK FOR A COMPUTING DEVICE

• US 20110162035A1
• Filed: 12/31/2009
• Published: 06/30/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: King, Nicholas Vincent, Pance, Aleksandar, Bilbrey, Brett
• Application Number:
  US12/650,870
• Publication Number:
  US 20110162035A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/102 where the programme performs an interfacing function, e.g. device driver G06F13/105 takes precedence; scheduling within device drivers G06F9/52; contention policies within device drivers G06F9/4881
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4068 Electrical coupling
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/85 interconnection devices, e.g. bus-connected or in-line devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2111 Location-sensitive, e.g. geographical location, GPS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0813 characterised by the conditions triggering a change of settings
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/20 for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227

Abstract

One particular implementation conforming to aspects of the present disclosure takes the form of docking station for a computing device that maintains an indication of a docking station location. The location of the docking station may be utilized by the docking station and/or the computing device coupled to the docking station to configure the functionality and other aspects of the computing device. For example, the functionality of the computing device may be altered in response to the location of the docking station. Additionally, security features, display configurations and the availability of software applications may also be configured in response to the location of the docking station. In this manner, a single computing device may perform the functions of several computing devices based on the location of the docking station, without the need for the user of the device to configure the device manually.

Claims

1. A method for configuring a computing device comprising:

receiving a location indicator of a docking station coupled to a computing device;

selecting a system configuration of the computing device based on the location indicator, the system configuration utilizing one or more hardware and software components of the computing device to provide a functionality of the computing device; and

altering the functionality of the computing device based on the determined system configuration.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

altering one or more security settings of the computing device based on the determined system configuration.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

altering one or more display settings of the computing device based on the determined system configuration.

4. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

detecting a network coupled to the docking station;

obtaining a network security level; and

further altering the security settings of the computing device in response to the security level of the network.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

locking the computing device if the computing device is not recognized by the docking station.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

providing the location indicator to the docking station when the docking station is in a configuration mode, the location indicator indicating the location of the docking station.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

obtaining the location indicator from a network coupled to the docking station.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the computing device couples to the docking station wirelessly.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the selecting operation comprises:

comparing the location indicator to a list of docket station locations, the list including corresponding system configurations for each of the listed docket station locations.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the altering operation comprises:

initializing one or more software applications that correspond to the selected system configuration.

11. The method of claim 2 wherein the altering one or more security settings operation comprises:

loading one or more user identifications and passwords corresponding to the selected system configuration.

12. A docking station for a computing device comprising:

a processor;

a machine-readable medium configured to maintain a location indicator that indicates a location of the docking station; and

an interface configured to couple to a computing device to provide the location indicator to the computing device such that the computing device alters the functionality of the computing device in response to the location indicator.

13. The docking station of claim 12 further comprising:

a network connection, wherein one or more security settings of the computing device are altered in response to the security level of the network.

14. The docking station of claim 12 wherein the processor receives the location indicator from the computing device when the computing device docks with the docking station and stores the location indicator in the machine-readable medium.

15. The docking station of claim 13 wherein the processor receives the location indicator from the network and stores the location indicator in the machine-readable medium.

16. The docking station of claim 12 wherein the processor is configured to perform the operations of:

selecting a system configuration of the computing device based on the location indicator; and

transmitting the system configuration to the computing device to alter the functionality of the computing device in response to the location indicator.

17. A system for configuring the functionality of a computing device based on a location comprising:

a computing device; and

a docking station configured to communicate with the computing device such that a functionality of the computing device is selected based on a location indicator provided by the docking station to the computing device.

18. The system of claim 17 further comprising:

a network coupled to the docking station and wherein the computing device alters one or more security settings in response to the security level of the network.

19. The system of claim 17 wherein the functionality of the computing device is a computer.

20. The system of claim 17 wherein the functionality of the computing device is a navigational electronic device.

21. The system of claim 17 wherein the functionality of the computing device is an electronic picture frame device.

22. The system of claim 17 wherein the functionality of the computing device is a mobile phone.

23. The system of claim 17 wherein the functionality of the computing device is a television viewing device.

24. The system of claim 17 wherein the functionality of the computing device is a gaming console device.

25. The system of claim 17 wherein the functionality of the computing device is a display device.

26. The system of claim 17 wherein the functionality of the computing device is a wireless internet access device.

27. The system of claim 17 wherein the functionality of the computing device is a backup storage device.