METHODS AND APPARATUS TO CONTROL ACCESSORIES

• US 20130095757A1
• Filed: 10/11/2012
• Published: 04/18/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Abdelsamie, Ahmed, Meunier, Marc lis, Boucher, Antoine Gilles Joseph, Jiang, Danqing, Chan, Jeff Chi Shing
• Granted Patent: US 9,131,327 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring
• 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

Abstract

Methods and apparatus to control accessories are disclosed. An example method includes establishing a first close-proximity communication connection via a first protocol by providing connection information via a second close-proximity communication connection via a second protocol, obtaining configuration information via the second close-proximity communication connection, and configuring a response to an event associated with the second close-proximity communication connection.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

establishing a first close-proximity communication connection via a first protocol by providing connection information via a second close-proximity communication connection via a second protocol;

obtaining configuration information via the second close-proximity communication connection; and

configuring a response to an event associated with the second close-proximity communication connection.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the event comprises detecting third close-proximity communications having a same type as the second close-proximity communication connection.

3. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the event comprises detection of a near-field communications electromagnetic field.

4. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein establishing the first close-proximity communication connection comprises receiving a first configuration file and establishing a pairing to a device from which the first configuration file was received.

5. A method as defined in claim 4, wherein obtaining the configuration information comprises receiving a second configuration file.

6. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the response is at least one of increasing an audio volume, decreasing the audio volume, resetting the audio volume to a volume level, muting an audio input, unmuting an audio input, skipping playback of an audio track, changing a colored of a display, changing a sampling rate of an audio input, or disconnecting the first close-proximity communication connection.

7. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the response comprises disconnecting the first close-proximity communications connection and establishing a third close-proximity communications connection via the first protocol.

8. A method as defined in claim 7, wherein disconnecting the first close-proximity communications connection is performed while the first close-proximity communications connection is active.

9. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising failing to obtain the configuration information and transmitting a prompt via the first close-proximity communications connection indicating a failure.

10. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the configuration information comprises a type 2 near field communications tag.

11. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising requesting the configuration information in response to establishing the first-proximity communications connection.

12. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising transmitting validation information to a device from which the configuration information was received.

13. An accessory for a mobile device, comprising:

a first close-proximity communications module comprising a processor;

a second close-proximity communications module; and

a memory storing instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

establish a first close-proximity communication connection via a first protocol by obtaining connection information via the second close-proximity communications module and a second close-proximity communication connection;

obtain configuration information via the second close-proximity communications module and the second close-proximity communication connection; and

configure a response to an event associated with the second close-proximity communication connection based on the configuration information.

14. An accessory as defined in claim 13, wherein the first and second close-proximity communication modules are communicatively coupled, the processor to detect the event via the second close-proximity communication module.

15. An accessory as defined in claim 13, wherein the instructions are to cause the processor to transmit validation information to a device from which the configuration information was received.

16. An accessory as defined in claim 13, wherein the first close-proximity communications module comprises a Bluetooth communication module and the second close-proximity communications module comprises a near field communications (NFC) module.

17. A mobile device, comprising:

a first close-proximity communications module;

a second close-proximity communications module;

a processor; and

a memory comprising computer readable instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

transmit first information via the second close-proximity communications module, the first information to enable an accessory to establish communications with the first close-proximity communications module;

establish communications with the accessory via the first close-proximity communications module; and

transmit second information via the second close-proximity communications module, the second information to cause the accessory to take an action specified in the second information in response to an event associated with the second close-proximity communications module.

18. A mobile device as defined in claim 17, further comprising a display, the instructions to further cause the processor to notify the user of a failure to configure the accessory.

19. A mobile device as defined in claim 17, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to generate the second information, the second information comprising a configuration file.

20. A mobile device as defined in claim 17, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to send the second information in response to a request for the second information from the accessory.

21-58. -58. (canceled)