A Docking Station for Portable Devices Providing Authorized Power Transfer and Facility Access

• US 20130198867A1
• Filed: 12/07/2012
• Published: 08/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Z124 LLC (Flexis)
• Original Assignee: Z124 LLC (Flexis)
• Inventors: Ricci, Christopher P., Dupray, Dennis J.
• Application Number:
  US13/708,718
• Publication Number:
  US 20130198867A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/29
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4081 Live connection to bus, e.g. hot-plugging current or voltage limitation during live insertion H02H9/004
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2137 Time limited access, e.g. to a computer or data
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones

Abstract

A docking station for docking portable electronic devices is disclosed. The docking station is configured to mechanically accept and operatively interface with the portable electronic device for non-contact charging and data transfer. The docking station can provide security features for providing and/or restricting access to computational facilities such as printers, databases, installed programs, etc. Such security features can include installing applications on such portable devices that limit access.

Claims

1. A docking system, comprising:

a docking station, the docking station comprising;

an interface system operable to interface with a portable device, wherein the interface system is operable to provide both data and power to the portable device without a physical electrical connection.

2. The docking system of claim 1, wherein the interface system comprises a data transfer mechanism operable to receive or transmit wirelessly data from or to the portable device.

3. The docking system of claim 2, wherein the interface system comprises a power transfer mechanism operable to provide wirelessly power to the portable device.

4. The docking system of claim 3, wherein the power transfer mechanism includes an inductive coil to create a magnetic field, the magnetic field inducing a current in a second inductive coil in the portable device.

5. The docking system of claim 4, wherein the docking station comprises visual indicia indicating a correct alignment for the portable device in the docking system.

6. The docking system of claim 5, docking station is configured to interface with two or more portable devices.

7. The docking system of claim 5, wherein the docking station further comprises one or more other connections to one or more other systems, devices, peripherals, or data storage.

8. The docking system of claim 3, wherein the power transfer mechanism is further operable to provide data wirelessly to the portable device.

9. The docking system of claim 1, further comprising:

a portable device operable to receive power wirelessly from the docking station.

10. The docking system of claim 9, wherein the portable device includes a second inductive coil, wherein a current is induced in the second inductive coil by a magnetic field generated in a first inductive coil associated with the docking station.

11. A method, comprising:

perceiving a presence of a device on or near a docking station;

exchanging authorization credentials between the device and the docking station;

determining if the device is authorized;

if the device is authorized, the docking station providing access to the device to one or more systems connected to the docking station; and

if the device is not authorized, the docking station not providing access to the device to one or more systems connected to the docking station.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein if the device is authorized or not authorized, providing power wirelessly to the device.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the authorization credentials include a security key sent from the device to the docking station.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the docking station compares the received security key to a security key stored at the docking station.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein providing power wirelessly to the device includes energizing a first inductive coil that creates a magnetic field, wherein the magnetic field induces a current in a second inductive coil associated with the device.

16. A computer readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions, the computer executable instructions causing a processor to execute a method for docking a portable device in a docking system, the computer-executable instructions comprising:

instructions to perceive a presence of a portable device on or near a docking station;

instructions to exchange authorization credentials between the portable device and the docking station;

instructions to determine if the portable device is authorized;

if the portable device is authorized, instructions to provide access to the portable device to one or more systems connected to the docking station; and

if the portable device is not authorized, instructions to not provide access to the portable device to one or more systems connected to the docking station.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 16, further comprising instructions to determine if the portable device is aligned correctly on the docking station.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein if the portable device is aligned correctly on the docking station, instructions to energize a first inductive coil that creates a magnetic field, wherein the magnetic field induces a current in a second inductive coil associated with the device.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein if the portable device is not aligned correctly on the docking station, instructions to provide instructions to a user to correct the alignment.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the instructions include visual indicia indicating in which direction and by how much to move the portable device on the docking station.