WIRELESS DATA TRANSFER WITH IMPROVED TRANSPORT MECHANISM SELECTION

• US 20140004793A1
• Filed: 06/28/2012
• Published: 01/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Bandyopadhyay, Somdas, Kumar, Pavana C.M
• Granted Patent: US 9,516,452 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/0031 for data transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0435 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply symmetric encryption, i.e. same key used for encryption and decryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for symmetric key encryption H04L9/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0492 by using a location-limited connection, e.g. near-field communication or limited proximity of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0861 using biometrical features, e.g. fingerprint, retina-scan cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using biological data H04L9/3231
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/04 Key management, e.g. using generic bootstrapping architecture [GBA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/50 Secure pairing of devices
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

Generally, this disclosure describes devices, systems and methods for wireless data transfer with improved transport mechanism selection. The device may include a near field communication (NFC) circuit configured to initiate a data transfer between a first communication device and a second communication device; a Soft Access Point (Soft AP) data transport circuit configured to transfer data between the communication device and the second communication device; one or more additional data transport circuits configured to transfer data between the communication device and the second communication device; and a transport mechanism selection circuit coupled to the NFC interface circuit and further coupled to the one or more data transport circuits, the transport mechanism selection circuit configured to select one of the data transport circuits for the data transfer, wherein the selection is based on a determination of the size of the data transfer.

Claims

1. A communication device comprising:

a near field communication (NFC) circuit configured to initiate a data transfer between said communication device and a second communication device;

a Soft Access Point (Soft AP) data transport circuit configured to transfer data between said communication device and said second communication device;

one or more additional data transport circuits configured to transfer data between said communication device and said second communication device; and

a transport mechanism selection circuit coupled to said NFC interface circuit and further coupled to said one or more data transport circuits, said transport mechanism selection circuit configured to select one of said data transport circuits for said data transfer, wherein said selection is based on a determination of the size of said data transfer.

2. The communication device of claim 1, wherein said one or more additional data transport circuits further comprise:

a Bluetooth (BT) communication circuit;

an infrastructure WiFi communication circuit;

a WiFi-Direct communication circuit; and

said NFC circuit.

3. The communication device of claim 2, wherein said BT communication circuit is further configured to securely exchange credential information with said second communication device, said credential information associated with said Soft AP.

4. The communication device of claim 2, wherein said selection is further based on WiFi connection state information and Soft AP connection state information associated with said communication device and said second communication device.

5. The communication device of claim 4, wherein said BT communication circuit is further configured to securely exchange said connection state information with said second communication device.

6. The communication device of claim 2, wherein said selection is further based on determining ability to disconnect an existing connection.

7. The communication device of claim 1, wherein said NFC circuit is further configured to initiate said data transfer based on proximity of said communication device and said second communication device.

8. The communication device of claim 2, further comprising a communication security circuit configured to generate a random key wherein said random key is provided to said communication device and said second communication device for encryption and decryption of data transfers.

9. A method for wireless data transfer, said method comprising:

detecting a data transfer initiation trigger using near field communications (NFC) between a host device and a second device;

determining the size of said data transfer; and

selecting a data transport mechanism, from a set of available data transport mechanisms, for said data transfer based on said determined size of said data transfer, wherein said set of available data transport mechanisms comprises a Soft Access Point (Soft AP).

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said set of available data transport mechanisms further comprise:

Bluetooth (BT);

Infrastructure WiFi;

WiFi-Direct; and

said NFC.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising securely exchanging credential information between said host device and said second device using said BT data transport mechanism, said credential information associated with said Soft AP.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising exchanging WiFi connection state information and Soft AP connection state information between said host device and said second device, wherein said data transport mechanism selection is further based on said connection state information.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising securely exchanging said connection state information between said host device and said second device using said BT data transport mechanism.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein said selection is further based on determining ability to disconnect an existing connection.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein said detecting of said data transfer initiation trigger is based on proximity of said host device and said second device.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising generating a random key and transmitting said random key from said host device to said second device, wherein said random key is used for encryption and decryption of data transfers.

17. A computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon which when executed by a processor result in the following operations for wireless data transfer, said operations comprising:

detecting a data transfer initiation trigger using near field communications (NFC) between a host device and a second device;

determining the size of said data transfer; and

selecting a data transport mechanism, from a set of available data transport mechanisms, for said data transfer based on said determined size of said data transfer, wherein said set of available data transport mechanisms comprises a Soft Access Point (Soft AP).

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein said set of available data transport mechanisms further comprise:

said NFC;

Bluetooth (BT);

Infrastructure WiFi; and

/or

WiFi-Direct.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein said operations further comprise securely exchanging credential information between said host device and said second device using said BT data transport mechanism, said credential information associated with said Soft AP.

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein said operations further comprise exchanging WiFi connection state information and Soft AP connection state information between said host device and said second device, wherein said data transport mechanism selection is further based on said connection state information.

21. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 20, wherein said operations further comprise securely exchanging said connection state information between said host device and said second device using said BT data transport mechanism.

22. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein said selection is further based on determining ability to disconnect an existing WiFi connection or Soft AP connection.

23. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein said detecting of said data transfer initiation trigger is based on proximity of said host device and said second device.

24. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein said operations further comprise generating a random key and transmitting said random key from said host device to said second device, wherein said random key is used for encryption and decryption of data transfers through said BT communications and/or said WiFi-Direct communications.

25. A mobile communication platform comprising:

a processor;

a memory coupled to said processor;

an input/output (I/O) system coupled to said processor;

a display coupled to said I/O system; and

a wireless communication device comprising;

a near field communication (NFC) circuit configured to initiate a data transfer between said communication device and a second communication device;

a Soft Access Point (Soft AP) data transport circuit configured to transfer data between said communication device and said second communication device;

one or more additional data transport circuits configured to transfer data between said communication device and said second communication device; and

a transport mechanism selection circuit coupled to said NFC interface circuit and further coupled to said one or more data transport circuits, said transport mechanism selection circuit configured to select one of said data transport circuits for said data transfer, wherein said selection is based on a determination of the size of said data transfer.

26. The mobile communication platform of claim 25, wherein said one or more additional data transport circuits further comprise:

a Bluetooth (BT) communication circuit;

an infrastructure WiFi communication circuit;

a WiFi-Direct communication circuit; and

said NFC circuit.

27. The mobile communication platform of claim 26, wherein said BT communication circuit is further configured to securely exchange credential information with said second communication device, said credential information associated with said Soft AP.

28. The mobile communication platform of claim 26, wherein said selection is further based on WiFi connection state information and Soft AP connection state information associated with said communication device and said second communication device.

29. The mobile communication platform of claim 28, wherein said BT communication circuit is further configured to securely exchange said connection state information with said second communication device.

30. The mobile communication platform of claim 26, wherein said selection is further based on determining ability to disconnect an existing connection.

31. The mobile communication platform of claim 25, wherein said NFC circuit is further configured to initiate said data transfer based on proximity of said communication device and said second communication device.

32. The mobile communication platform of claim 26, further comprising a communication security circuit configured to generate a random key wherein said random key is provided to said communication device and said second communication device for encryption and decryption of data transfers.

33. The mobile communication platform of claim 25, wherein said platform is selected from the group consisting of a smartphone, a laptop computing device and a tablet.

34. The mobile communication platform of claim 25, further comprising a plurality of said platforms each configured to communicate over a wireless network.

35. The mobile communication platform of claim 25, wherein said display is a touchscreen.