DEVICES AND METHODS FOR FACILITATING DIRECT PAIRING IN A WIRELESS DOCKING SYSTEM

• US 20130311694A1
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Published: 11/21/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Bhamidipati, Phanikumar K., Huang, Xiaolong
• Application Number:
  US13/804,409
• Publication Number:
  US 20130311694A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/303
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/065 for group communications cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key management involving conference or group key H04L9/0833
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/50 Secure pairing of devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

Various aspects of the present disclosure enable a docking procedure where a dockee, when docking with a docking host that manages a docking environment, can become directly paired with the peripherals in the docking environment in a straightforward fashion. According to one example, a dockee may transmit a peripheral direct connect request to a docking host. In response, the docking host can send a peripheral direct pair request to the peripheral and a peripheral direct connect response to the dockee, where each message includes respective information to enable the direct pairing between the dockee and the peripheral. Other aspects, embodiments, and features are also included.

Claims

1. A dockee, comprising:

a communication interface;

a storage medium; and

at least one processor coupled to the communication interface and the storage medium, the at least one processor adapted to;

establish a docking session with a docking host;

transmit, via the communication interface, a peripheral direct connect request to the docking host;

receive, via the communication interface, a peripheral direct connect response from the docking host, wherein the peripheral direct connect response includes information to enable the dockee to directly pair with a peripheral; and

establish a direct communication link with a peripheral in accordance with the received information.

2. The dockee of claim 1, wherein the peripheral direct connect request comprises a direct pairing method indicator adapted to indicate a direct pairing method to be employed to directly pair with the peripheral, wherein the indicated direct pairing method is selected from a group of direct pairing methods comprising tunneled direct link setup (TDLS), peer-to-peer (P2P) with a Wi-Fi Simple Configuration (WSC) procedure, and P2P with forwarded group credentials.

3. The dockee of claim 1, wherein:

the peripheral direct connect request comprises a direct pairing method indicator adapted to indicate the direct pairing method as P2P with forwarded group credentials, and a P2P group SSID and P2P group credentials associated with a P2P group for which the dockee is a group owner (GO); and

the received peripheral direct connect response comprises a P2P device address associated with the peripheral.

4. The dockee of claim 1, wherein:

the peripheral direct connect request comprises a direct pairing method indicator adapted to indicate the direct pairing method as P2P with a Wi-Fi Simple Configuration (WSC) procedure; and

the received peripheral direct connect response comprises a P2P device address associated with the peripheral, and a PIN for use in the WSC procedure.

5. The dockee of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is further adapted to:

transmit, via the communication interface, a peripheral direct connect complete message from the dockee indicating that the dockee has successfully paired directly with the peripheral.

6. The dockee of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is further adapted to:

receive, via the communication interface, a peripheral direct release notification from the docking host; and

in response to the peripheral direct release notification, transmit via the communication interface a peripheral direct release request to end the direct communication link with the peripheral.

7. A method operational at a dockee, comprising:

establishing a docking session with a docking host;

sending a peripheral direct connect request to the docking host;

receiving a peripheral direct connect response from the docking host, wherein the peripheral direct connect response includes information to enable the dockee to directly pair with a peripheral; and

establishing a direct communication link with a peripheral in accordance with the received information.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein establishing the docking session with the docking host comprises:

establishing the docking session as a peer-to-peer (P2P) client of the docking host, wherein the docking host is configured as a P2P group owner (GO).

9. The method of claim 8, wherein sending the peripheral direct connect request to the docking host comprises:

sending the peripheral direct connect request comprising a direct pairing method indicator adapted to indicate the direct pairing method as tunneled direct link setup (TDLS).

10. The method of claim 7, wherein establishing the docking session with the docking host comprises:

establishing the docking session as a peer-to-peer (P2P) group owner (GO) with the docking host as a P2P client.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein:

sending the peripheral direct connect request to the docking host comprises sending the peripheral direct connect request comprising a direct pairing method indicator adapted to indicate the direct pairing method as P2P with a Wi-Fi Simple Configuration (WSC) procedure; and

receiving the peripheral direct connect response from the docking host comprises receiving the peripheral direct connect response comprising a P2P device address associated with the peripheral, and a PIN for use in the WSC procedure.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein:

sending the peripheral direct connect request to the docking host comprises sending the peripheral direct connect request comprising a direct pairing method indicator adapted to indicate the direct pairing method as P2P with forwarded group credentials, and a P2P group SSID and P2P group credentials associated with a P2P group for which the dockee is a group owner (GO); and

receiving the peripheral direct connect response from the docking host comprises receiving the peripheral direct connect response comprising a P2P device address associated with the peripheral.

13. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

sending a peripheral direct connect complete message from the dockee indicating that the dockee has successfully paired directly with the peripheral.

14. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

sending a peripheral direct release request to end the direct communication link with the peripheral.

15. A dockee, comprising:

means for establishing a docking session with a docking host;

means for transmitting a peripheral direct connect request to the docking host;

means for receiving a peripheral direct connect response from the docking host, wherein the peripheral direct connect response includes information to enable the dockee to directly pair with a peripheral; and

means for establishing a direct communication link with a peripheral in accordance with the received information.

16. The dockee of claim 15, wherein the peripheral direct connect request comprises a direct pairing method indicator adapted to indicate a direct pairing method to be employed to directly pair with the peripheral, wherein the indicated direct pairing method is selected from a group of direct pairing methods comprising tunneled direct link setup (TDLS), peer-to-peer (P2P) with a Wi-Fi Simple Configuration (WSC) procedure, and P2P with forwarded group credentials.

17. The dockee of claim 15, further comprising:

means for transmitting a peripheral direct connect complete message from the dockee indicating that the dockee has successfully paired directly with the peripheral.

18. The dockee of claim 15, further comprising:

means for transmitting a peripheral direct release request to end the direct communication link with the peripheral.

19. A computer-readable storage medium, comprising programming for causing a computer to:

establish a docking session with a docking host;

transmit a peripheral direct connect request to the docking host;

receive a peripheral direct connect response from the docking host, wherein the peripheral direct connect response includes information to enable the dockee to directly pair with a peripheral; and

establish a direct communication link with a peripheral in accordance with the received information.

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein the peripheral direct connect request comprises a direct pairing method indicator adapted to indicate a direct pairing method to be employed to directly pair with the peripheral, wherein the indicated direct pairing method is selected from a group of direct pairing methods comprising tunneled direct link setup (TDLS), peer-to-peer (P2P) with a Wi-Fi Simple Configuration (WSC) procedure, and P2P with forwarded group credentials.

21. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 19, further comprising programming for causing a computer to:

send a peripheral direct connect complete message from the dockee indicating that the dockee has successfully paired directly with the peripheral.

22. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 19, further comprising programming for causing a computer to:

send a peripheral direct release request to end the direct communication link with the peripheral.

23. A docking host, comprising:

a communication interface;

a storage medium; and

at least one processor coupled to the communication interface and the storage medium, the at least one processor adapted to;

pair with a peripheral;

establish a docking session with a dockee;

receive, via the communication interface, a peripheral direct connect request from the dockee to directly pair with the peripheral; and

transmit, via the communication interface, a peripheral direct connect response to the dockee, wherein the peripheral direct connect response includes information to enable the dockee to directly pair with the peripheral.

24. The docking host of claim 23, wherein the peripheral direct connect request received from the dockee comprises a direct pairing method indicator adapted to indicate a direct pairing method to be employed to directly pair with the peripheral, wherein the indicated direct pairing method is selected from a group of direct pairing methods comprising tunneled direct link setup (TDLS), peer-to-peer (P2P) with a Wi-Fi Simple Configuration (WSC) procedure, and P2P with forwarded group credentials.

25. The docking host of claim 24, wherein the peripheral direct connect request received from the dockee includes:

the direct pairing method indicator adapted to indicate the direct pairing method as P2P with forwarded group credentials;

a P2P group SSID associated with a P2P group for which the dockee is a group owner (GO); and

P2P group credentials associated with the P2P group.

26. The docking host of claim 23, wherein the at least one processor is further adapted to:

transmit, via the communication interface, a peripheral direct pairing request message to the peripheral; and

receive, via the communication interface, a peripheral direct pairing response message from the peripheral.

27. The docking host of claim 26, wherein:

the peripheral direct pairing request message comprises a peer-to-peer (P2P) device address associated with the dockee, and a PIN for use in direct pairing method comprising a PIN-based Wi-Fi Simple Configuration (WSC) procedure; and

the peripheral direct connect response message comprises a P2P device address associated with the peripheral, and the PIN for use in the PIN-based WSC procedure.

28. The docking host of claim 26, wherein:

the peripheral direct pairing request message comprises a peer-to-peer (P2P) device address associated with the dockee, and a P2P group SSID and P2P group credentials associated with a P2P group for which the dockee is a group owner (GO); and

the peripheral direct connect response message comprises a P2P device address associated with the peripheral.

29. The docking host of claim 23, wherein the at least one processor is further adapted to:

receive, via the communication interface, a peripheral direct connect complete message from the dockee, wherein the peripheral direct connect complete message is adapted to indicate that the dockee has directly paired to the peripheral.

30. The docking host of claim 23, wherein the at least one processor is further adapted to:

transmit, via the communication interface, a peripheral direct release notification to the dockee to initiate an end to a direct pairing between the dockee and the peripheral;

receive, via the communication interface, a peripheral direct release request from the dockee; and

send a peripheral direct release response to the dockee in response to the received peripheral direct release request.

31. A method operational on a docking host, comprising:

pairing with a peripheral;

establishing a docking session with a dockee;

receiving a peripheral direct connect request from the dockee to directly pair with the peripheral; and

sending a peripheral direct connect response to the dockee, wherein the peripheral direct connect response includes information to enable the dockee to establish a direct communication link with the peripheral.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein pairing with the peripheral comprises:

pair with the peripheral as a peer-to-peer (P2P) group owner (GO), with the peripheral as a P2P client.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein establishing the docking session with the dockee comprises:

establishing the docking session as a peer-to-peer (P2P) group owner (GO) with the dockee as a P2P client.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein receiving the peripheral direct connect request from the dockee comprises:

receiving the peripheral direct connect request comprising a direct pairing method indicator adapted to indicate the direct pairing method as tunneled direct link setup (TDLS).

35. The method of claim 31, wherein establishing the docking session with the dockee comprises:

establishing the docking session as a peer-to-peer (P2P) client of the dockee, wherein the dockee is configured as a P2P group owner (GO).

36. The method of claim 35, wherein receiving the peripheral direct connect request from the dockee comprises:

receiving the peripheral direct connect request comprising a direct pairing method indicator adapted to indicate the direct pairing method as P2P with a Wi-Fi Simple Configuration (WSC) procedure.

37. The method of claim 36, further comprising:

sending a peripheral direct pairing request message to the peripheral, the peripheral direct pairing request message comprising a P2P device address associated with the dockee, and a PIN for use in the WSC procedure; and

wherein sending the peripheral direct connect response to the dockee comprises sending to the dockee a P2P device address associated with the peripheral, and the PIN for use in the WSC procedure.

38. The method of claim 35, wherein receiving the peripheral direct connect request from the dockee comprises:

receiving the peripheral direct connect request comprising;

a direct pairing method indicator adapted to indicate the direct pairing method as P2P with forwarded group credentials;

a P2P group SSID associated with a P2P group for which the dockee is a group owner (GO); and

P2P group credentials associated with the P2P group for which the dockee is the GO.

39. The method of claim 38, further comprising:

sending a peripheral direct pairing request message to the peripheral, the peripheral direct pairing request message comprising a P2P device address associated with the dockee, the P2P group SSID, and the P2P group credentials; and

wherein sending the peripheral direct connect response to the dockee comprises sending to the dockee a P2P device address associated with the peripheral.

40. The method of claim 31, further comprising:

receiving a peripheral direct connect complete message from the dockee indicating that the dockee has successfully paired directly with the peripheral.

41. The method of claim 31, further comprising:

receiving a peripheral direct release request from the dockee to request that a direct pairing between the dockee and the peripheral be ended; and

sending a peripheral direct release response to the dockee in response to the received peripheral direct release request.

42. A docking host, comprising:

means for pairing with a peripheral;

means for establishing a docking session with a dockee;

means for receiving a peripheral direct connect request from the dockee to directly pair with the peripheral; and

means for transmitting a peripheral direct connect response to the dockee, wherein the response includes information to enable the dockee to establish a direct communication link with the peripheral.

43. The docking host of claim 42, wherein the peripheral direct connect request comprises a direct pairing method indicator adapted to indicate a direct pairing method to be employed by the dockee to directly pair with the peripheral, wherein the indicated direct pairing method is selected from a group of direct pairing methods comprising tunneled direct link setup (TDLS), peer-to-peer (P2P) with a Wi-Fi Simple Configuration (WSC) procedure, and P2P with forwarded group credentials.

44. The docking host of claim 43, wherein the received peripheral direct connect request includes:

the direct pairing method indicator adapted to indicate the direct pairing method as P2P with forwarded group credentials;

a P2P group SSID associated with a P2P group for which the dockee is a group owner (GO); and

P2P group credentials associated with the P2P group.

45. The docking host of claim 42, further comprising:

means for transmitting a peripheral direct pairing request message to the peripheral; and

means for receiving a peripheral direct pairing response message from the peripheral.

46. The docking host of claim 45, wherein:

the peripheral direct pairing request message comprises a peer-to-peer (P2P) device address associated with the dockee, and a PIN for use in direct pairing method comprising a PIN-based Wi-Fi Simple Configuration (WSC) procedure; and

the peripheral direct connect response message comprises a P2P device address associated with the peripheral, and the PIN for use in the PIN-based WSC procedure.

47. The docking host of claim 45, wherein:

the peripheral direct pairing request message comprises a peer-to-peer (P2P) device address associated with the dockee, and a P2P group SSID and P2P group credentials associated with a P2P group for which the dockee is a group owner (GO); and

the peripheral direct connect response message comprises a P2P device address associated with the peripheral.

48. A computer-readable storage medium, comprising programming for causing a computer to:

pair with a peripheral;

establish a docking session with a dockee;

receive a peripheral direct connect request from the dockee to directly pair with the peripheral; and

send a peripheral direct connect response to the dockee, wherein the response includes information to enable the dockee to establish a direct communication link with the peripheral.

49. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 48, wherein the peripheral direct connect request comprises a direct pairing method indicator adapted to indicate a direct pairing method to be employed by the dockee to directly pair with the peripheral, and wherein the indicated direct pairing method is selected from a group of direct pairing methods comprising tunneled direct link setup (TDLS), peer-to-peer (P2P) with a Wi-Fi Simple Configuration (WSC) procedure, and P2P with forwarded group credentials.

50. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 49, wherein the received peripheral direct connect request includes:

the direct pairing method indicator adapted to indicate the direct pairing method as P2P with forwarded group credentials;

a P2P group SSID associated with a P2P group for which the dockee is a group owner (GO); and

P2P group credentials associated with the P2P group.

51. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 48, further comprising programming for causing a computer to:

send a peripheral direct pairing request message to the peripheral, wherein the peripheral direct pairing request message includes information to enable the peripheral to establish a direct communication link with the dockee; and

receive a peripheral direct pairing response message from the peripheral.

52. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 48, further comprising programming for causing a computer to:

receive a peripheral direct connect complete message from the dockee indicating that the dockee has successfully paired directly with the peripheral.

53. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 48, further comprising programming for causing a computer to:

receive a peripheral direct release request from the dockee to request that a direct pairing between the dockee and the peripheral be ended; and

send a peripheral direct release response to the dockee in response to the received peripheral direct release request.

54. A peripheral, comprising:

a communication interface;

a storage medium; and

at least one processor coupled to the communication interface and the storage medium, the at least one processor adapted to;

pair with a docking host;

receive a peripheral direct pairing request from the docking host, wherein the peripheral direct pairing request includes information to enable direct pairing with a dockee; and

establish a direct communication link with the dockee in accordance with the received information.

55. The peripheral of claim 54, wherein the peripheral direct pairing request received from the docking host comprises:

a peer-to-peer (P2P) device address associated with the dockee; and

a PIN for use in a direct pairing method comprising a PIN-based Wi-Fi Simple Configuration (WSC) procedure.

56. The peripheral of claim 54, wherein the peripheral direct pairing request received from the docking host comprises:

a peer-to-peer (P2P) device address associated with the dockee;

a P2P group SSID associated with a P2P group for which the dockee is a group owner (GO); and

a P2P group credentials associated with the P2P group for which the dockee is the GO.

57. A method operational at a peripheral, comprising:

pairing with a docking host;

receiving a peripheral direct pairing request from the docking host, wherein the peripheral direct pairing request includes information to enable direct pairing with a dockee; and

establishing a direct communication link with the dockee in accordance with the received information.

58. The method of claim 57, wherein receiving the peripheral direct pairing request from the docking host comprises:

receiving the peripheral direct pairing request comprising a peer-to-peer (P2P) device address associated with the dockee, and a PIN for use in a direct pairing method comprising a PIN-based Wi-Fi Simple Configuration (WSC) procedure.

59. The method of claim 57, wherein receiving the peripheral direct pairing request from the docking host comprises:

receiving the peripheral direct pairing request comprising a peer-to-peer (P2P) device address associated with the dockee, and a P2P group SSID and P2P group credentials associated with a P2P group for which the dockee is a group owner (GO).

60. A peripheral, comprising:

means for pairing with a docking host;

means for receiving a peripheral direct pairing request from the docking host, wherein the peripheral direct pairing request includes information to enable direct pairing with a dockee; and

means for establishing a direct communication link with the dockee in accordance with the received information.

61. The peripheral of claim 60, wherein the peripheral direct pairing request received from the docking host comprises:

a peer-to-peer (P2P) device address associated with the dockee; and

a PIN for use in a direct pairing method comprising a PIN-based Wi-Fi Simple Configuration (WSC) procedure.

62. The peripheral of claim 60, wherein the peripheral direct pairing request received from the docking host comprises:

a peer-to-peer (P2P) device address associated with the dockee;

a P2P group SSID associated with a P2P group for which the dockee is a group owner (GO); and

a P2P group credentials associated with the P2P group for which the dockee is the GO.

63. A computer-readable storage medium, comprising programming for causing a computer to:

pair with a docking host;

receive a peripheral direct pairing request from the docking host, wherein the peripheral direct pairing request includes information to enable direct pairing with a dockee; and

establish a direct communication link with the dockee in accordance with the received information.

64. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 63, wherein the peripheral direct pairing request received from the docking host comprises:

a peer-to-peer (P2P) device address associated with the dockee; and

a PIN for use in a direct pairing method comprising a PIN-based Wi-Fi Simple Configuration (WSC) procedure.

65. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 63, wherein the peripheral direct pairing request received from the docking host comprises:

a peer-to-peer (P2P) device address associated with the dockee;

a P2P group SSID associated with a P2P group for which the dockee is a group owner (GO); and

a P2P group credentials associated with the P2P group for which the dockee is the GO.