DOCKEE-CENTRIC WIRELESS DOCKING

• US 20140146745A1
• Filed: 03/11/2013
• Published: 05/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Huang, Xiaolong, Raveendran, Vijayalakshmi R., Wang, Xiaodong, Jiang, Hongyu
• Granted Patent: US 9,426,184 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/20 for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/563 Data redirection of data network streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/04 Supports for telephone transmitters or receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72409 by interfacing with external accessories hands-free H04M1/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security

Abstract

In one example, a method includes sending a request to a wireless docking host to select one or more peripheral functions available via the wireless docking host in accordance with authentication and association information associated with a docking session with the wireless docking host. The method further includes sending a request to the wireless docking host to establish one or more payload connections with the wireless docking host, wherein the one or more payload connections are configured to communicate data via the wireless docking host for the selected one or more peripheral functions.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

sending a request to a wireless docking host to select one or more peripheral functions available via the wireless docking host in accordance with authentication and association information associated with a docking session with the wireless docking host; and

sending a request to the wireless docking host to establish one or more payload connections with the wireless docking host, wherein the one or more payload connections are configured to communicate data via the wireless docking host for the selected one or more peripheral functions.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of sending the request to select the one or more peripheral functions and sending the request to establish the one or more payload connections comprises sending a request via a SOAP payload.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of sending the request to select the one or more peripheral functions and sending the request to establish the one or more payload connections comprises sending a request via a binary protocol format message.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

creating a persistent wireless docking environment; and

storing information associated with the one or more peripheral functions in association with the persistent wireless docking environment to persist after the docking session.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein creating the persistent wireless docking environment comprises storing the persistent wireless docking environment at a wireless dockee device.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein creating the persistent wireless docking environment comprises sending a request to the wireless docking host to create the persistent wireless docking environment.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein storing the information associated with the one or more peripheral functions in association with the persistent wireless docking environment comprises storing configuration data for the selected one or more peripheral functions.

8. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

sending a request to the wireless docking host to establish a subsequent docking session with the wireless docking host; and

sending a new request to the wireless docking host to select one or more peripheral functions available via the wireless docking host based on the information associated with the one or more peripheral functions as stored in association with the persistent wireless docking environment.

9. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

sending a request to the wireless docking host to establish a subsequent docking session with the wireless docking host; and

sending a request to the wireless docking host to access the persistent wireless docking environment.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the authentication and association information are received via performing a first exchange of authentication and association information with the wireless docking host, the method further comprising:

querying the wireless docking host for information on peripheral functions available via the wireless docking host, prior to performing the first exchange of authentication and association information with the wireless docking host; and

performing, subsequent to the first wireless docking session, a second exchange of authentication and association information with the wireless docking host based on available peripheral function information stored in the persistent wireless docking environment, without querying the wireless docking host for information on peripheral functions available via the wireless docking host.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending, prior to the sending of the request to select the one or more peripheral functions, a request to the wireless docking host for information on the peripheral functions available via the wireless docking host in accordance with the authentication and association information associated with the docking session with the wireless docking host,

wherein the request to select the one or more peripheral functions is based on the response to the request for information on the peripheral functions available via the wireless docking host.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a response to the request to establish the one or more payload connections; and

exchanging, with the wireless docking host, a new set of authentication and association information for the one or more payload connections for communicating the data for the selected one or more peripheral functions.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein exchanging the new set of authentication and association information for the one or more payload connections further comprises:

exchanging the new set of authentication and association information in layer 2 communications.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein exchanging the new set of authentication and association information for the one or more payload connections further comprises:

exchanging the new set of authentication and association information in IP transport layer communications.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein exchanging the new set of authentication and association information for the one or more payload connections further comprises:

exchanging the new set of authentication and association information in application layer communications.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising preparing to establish the docking session with the wireless docking host prior to sending the request to the wireless docking host to select the one or more peripheral functions available via the wireless docking host, wherein preparing to establish the docking session comprises:

querying the wireless docking host for information on peripheral functions available via the wireless docking host;

exchanging the authentication and association information with the wireless docking host;

sending a request to set up a packet-based communication connection with the wireless docking host; and

sending a request to set up the docking session over the packet-based communication connection with the wireless docking host.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein querying the wireless docking host and exchanging the authentication and association information with the wireless docking host are performed in layer 2 communications, and sending the request to set up the packet-based communication connection and sending the request to set up the docking session over the packet-based communication connection are performed in transport layer communications.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the transport layer communications comprise communications in accordance with Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) specifications.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein sending the request to the wireless docking host to select the one or more peripheral functions comprises specifying information on one of more of:

the one or more peripheral functions, one or more protocols for the one or more peripheral functions, and one or more protocols for payload content associated with the one or more peripheral functions.

20. A method comprising:

responding to a peripheral function selection request from a wireless device indicating one or more selected peripheral functions in accordance with authentication and association information associated with a docking session by sending a peripheral function selection response to the wireless device, the peripheral function selection response comprising information associated with the one or more selected peripheral functions; and

responding to a payload connection request from the wireless device indicating one or more payload connections configured to communicate data for the one or more selected peripheral functions by sending a payload connection response to the wireless device, the payload connection response comprising information associated with establishing the one or more payload connections.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein sending at least one of the peripheral function selection response and the payload connection response comprises sending a response via at least one of a SOAP payload or a General Event Notification Architecture (GENA) notification event.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein sending at least one of the peripheral function selection response and the payload connection response comprises sending a response via a binary protocol format message.

23. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

detecting a new change in available peripheral functions; and

sending a notice of the new change in the available peripheral functions to the wireless device.

24. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

receiving a request to create a persistent wireless docking environment;

creating a persistent wireless docking environment;

storing information associated with the one or more selected peripheral functions in association with the persistent wireless docking environment to persist after the docking session; and

sending a persistent docking response to the wireless device, the persistent docking response comprising information associated with the persistent wireless docking environment.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

receiving a request from the wireless device to establish a subsequent docking session; and

applying the information associated with the one or more selected peripheral functions in association with the persistent wireless docking environment in establishing the subsequent docking session.

26. A device comprising one or more processors, wherein the one or more processors are configured to:

send a request to a wireless docking host to select one or more peripheral functions available via the wireless docking host in accordance with authentication and association information associated with a docking session with the wireless docking host; and

send a request to the wireless docking host to establish one or more payload connections with the wireless docking host, wherein the one or more payload connections are configured to communicate data via the wireless docking host for the selected one or more peripheral functions.

27. The device of claim 26, wherein the one or more processors are further configured such that at least one of sending the request to select the one or more peripheral functions and sending the request to establish the one or more payload connections comprises sending a request via a SOAP payload.

28. The device of claim 26, wherein the one or more processors are further configured such that at least one of sending the request to select the one or more peripheral functions and sending the request to establish the one or more payload connections comprises sending a request via a binary protocol format message.

29. The device of claim 26, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

create a persistent wireless docking environment; and

store information associated with the one or more peripheral functions in association with the persistent wireless docking environment to persist after the docking session.

30. The device of claim 29, wherein the one or more processors are further configured such that creating the persistent wireless docking environment comprises storing the persistent wireless docking environment at a wireless dockee device.

31. The device of claim 29, wherein the one or more processors are further configured such that creating the persistent wireless docking environment comprises sending a request to the wireless docking host to create the persistent wireless docking environment.

32. The device of claim 29, wherein the one or more processors are further configured such that storing the information associated with the one or more peripheral functions in association with the persistent wireless docking environment comprises storing configuration data for the selected one or more peripheral functions.

33. The device of claim 29, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

send a request to the wireless docking host to establish a subsequent docking session with the wireless docking host; and

send a new request to the wireless docking host to select one or more peripheral functions available via the wireless docking host based on the information associated with the one or more peripheral functions as stored in association with the persistent wireless docking environment.

34. The device of claim 29, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

send a request to the wireless docking host to establish a subsequent docking session with the wireless docking host; and

send a request to the wireless docking host to access the persistent wireless docking environment.

35. The device of claim 26, wherein the one or more processors are further configured such that the authentication and association information are received via performing a first exchange of authentication and association information with the wireless docking host, and the one or more processors are further configured to:

query the wireless docking host for information on peripheral functions available via the wireless docking host, prior to performing the first exchange of authentication and association information with the wireless docking host; and

perform, subsequent to the first wireless docking session, a second exchange of authentication and association information with the wireless docking host based on available peripheral function information stored in the persistent wireless docking environment, without querying the wireless docking host for information on peripheral functions available via the wireless docking host.

36. The device of claim 26, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

send, prior to the sending of the request to select the one or more peripheral functions, a request to the wireless docking host for information on the peripheral functions available via the wireless docking host in accordance with the authentication and association information associated with the docking session with the wireless docking host,

wherein the request to select the one or more peripheral functions is based on the response to the request for information on the peripheral functions available via the wireless docking host.

37. The device of claim 26, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

receive a response to the request to establish the one or more payload connections; and

exchange, with the wireless docking host, a new set of authentication and association information for the one or more payload connections for communicating the data for the selected one or more peripheral functions.

38. The device of claim 37, wherein the one or more processors are further configured such that exchanging the new set of authentication and association information for the one or more payload connections further comprises:

exchanging the new set of authentication and association information in layer 2 communications.

39. The device of claim 37, wherein the one or more processors are further configured such that exchanging the new set of authentication and association information for the one or more payload connections further comprises:

exchanging the new set of authentication and association information in IP transport layer communications.

40. The device of claim 37, wherein the one or more processors are further configured such that exchanging the new set of authentication and association information for the one or more payload connections further comprises:

exchanging the new set of authentication and association information in application layer communications.

41. The device of claim 26, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to prepare to establish the docking session with the wireless docking host prior to sending the request to the wireless docking host to select the one or more peripheral functions available via the wireless docking host, wherein being configured to prepare to establish the docking session comprises the one or more processors being further configured to:

query the wireless docking host for information on peripheral functions available via the wireless docking host;

exchange the authentication and association information with the wireless docking host;

send a request to set up a packet-based communication connection with the wireless docking host; and

send a request to set up the docking session over the packet-based communication connection with the wireless docking host.

42. The device of claim 41, wherein the one or more processors are further configured such that querying the wireless docking host and exchanging the authentication and association information with the wireless docking host are performed in layer 2 communications, and sending the request to set up the packet-based communication connection and sending the request to set up the docking session over the packet-based communication connection are performed in transport layer communications.

43. The device of claim 42, wherein the one or more processors are further configured such that the transport layer communications comprise communications in accordance with Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) specifications.

44. The device of claim 26, wherein the one or more processors are further configured such that sending the request to the wireless docking host to select the one or more peripheral functions comprises specifying information on one of more of:

the one or more peripheral functions, one or more protocols for the one or more peripheral functions, and one or more protocols for payload content associated with the one or more peripheral functions.

45. A device comprising one or more processors, wherein the one or more processors are configured to:

respond to a peripheral function selection request from a wireless device indicating one or more selected peripheral functions in accordance with authentication and association information associated with a docking session by sending a peripheral function selection response to the wireless device, the peripheral function selection response comprising information associated with the one or more selected peripheral functions; and

respond to a payload connection request from the wireless device indicating one or more payload connections configured to communicate data for the one or more selected peripheral functions by sending a payload connection response to the wireless device, the payload connection response comprising information associated with establishing the one or more payload connections.

46. The device of claim 45, wherein the one or more processors are further configured such that sending at least one of the peripheral function selection response and the payload connection response comprises sending a response via at least one of a SOAP payload or a General Event Notification Architecture (GENA) notification event.

47. The device of claim 45, wherein the one or more processors are further configured such that sending at least one of the peripheral function selection response and the payload connection response comprises sending a response via a binary protocol format message.

48. The device of claim 45, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

detect a new change in available peripheral functions; and

send a notice of the new change in the available peripheral functions to the wireless device.

49. The device of claim 45, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

receive a request to create a persistent wireless docking environment;

create a persistent wireless docking environment;

store information associated with the one or more selected peripheral functions in association with the persistent wireless docking environment to persist after the docking session; and

send a persistent docking response to the wireless device, the persistent docking response comprising information associated with the persistent wireless docking environment.

50. The device of claim 49, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

receive a request from the wireless device to establish a subsequent docking session; and

apply the information associated with the one or more selected peripheral functions in association with the persistent wireless docking environment in establishing the subsequent docking session.

51. An apparatus comprising:

means for sending a request to a wireless docking host to select one or more peripheral functions available via the wireless docking host in accordance with authentication and association information associated with a docking session with the wireless docking host; and

means for sending a request to the wireless docking host to establish one or more payload connections with the wireless docking host, wherein the one or more payload connections are configured to communicate data via the wireless docking host for the selected one or more peripheral functions.

52. The apparatus of claim 51, wherein at least one of the means for sending the request to select the one or more peripheral functions and the means for sending the request to establish the one or more payload connections comprises means for sending a request via a SOAP payload.

53. The apparatus of claim 51, wherein at least one of the means for sending the request to select the one or more peripheral functions and the means for sending the request to establish the one or more payload connections comprises means for sending a request via a binary protocol format message.

54. The apparatus of claim 51, further comprising:

means for creating a persistent wireless docking environment; and

means for storing information associated with the one or more peripheral functions in association with the persistent wireless docking environment to persist after the docking session.

55. The apparatus of claim 54, wherein the means for creating the persistent wireless docking environment comprises means for storing the persistent wireless docking environment at a wireless dockee device.

56. The apparatus of claim 54, wherein the means for creating the persistent wireless docking environment comprises means for sending a request to the wireless docking host to create the persistent wireless docking environment.

57. The apparatus of claim 54, wherein the means for storing the information associated with the one or more peripheral functions in association with the persistent wireless docking environment comprises means for storing configuration data for the selected one or more peripheral functions.

58. The apparatus of claim 54, further comprising:

means for sending a request to the wireless docking host to establish a subsequent docking session with the wireless docking host; and

means for sending a new request to the wireless docking host to select one or more peripheral functions available via the wireless docking host based on the information associated with the one or more peripheral functions as stored in association with the persistent wireless docking environment.

59. The apparatus of claim 54, further comprising:

means for sending a request to the wireless docking host to establish a subsequent docking session with the wireless docking host; and

means for sending a request to the wireless docking host to access the persistent wireless docking environment.

60. The apparatus of claim 51, wherein the authentication and association information are received via performing a first exchange of authentication and association information with the wireless docking host, the method further comprising:

means for querying the wireless docking host for information on peripheral functions available via the wireless docking host, prior to performing the first exchange of authentication and association information with the wireless docking host; and

means for performing, subsequent to the first wireless docking session, a second exchange of authentication and association information with the wireless docking host based on available peripheral function information stored in the persistent wireless docking environment, without querying the wireless docking host for information on peripheral functions available via the wireless docking host.

61. The apparatus of claim 51, further comprising:

means for sending, prior to the sending of the request to select the one or more peripheral functions, a request to the wireless docking host for information on the peripheral functions available via the wireless docking host in accordance with the authentication and association information associated with the docking session with the wireless docking host,

wherein the request to select the one or more peripheral functions is based on the response to the request for information on the peripheral functions available via the wireless docking host.

62. The apparatus of claim 51, further comprising:

means for receiving a response to the request to establish the one or more payload connections; and

means for exchanging, with the wireless docking host, a new set of authentication and association information for the one or more payload connections for communicating the data for the selected one or more peripheral functions.

63. The apparatus of claim 62, wherein the means for exchanging the new set of authentication and association information for the one or more payload connections further comprises:

means for exchanging the new set of authentication and association information in layer 2 communications.

64. The apparatus of claim 62, wherein the means for exchanging the new set of authentication and association information for the one or more payload connections further comprises:

means for exchanging the new set of authentication and association information in IP transport layer communications.

65. The apparatus of claim 62, wherein the means for exchanging the new set of authentication and association information for the one or more payload connections further comprises:

means for exchanging the new set of authentication and association information in application layer communications.

66. The apparatus of claim 51, further comprising means for preparing to establish the docking session with the wireless docking host prior to sending the request to the wireless docking host to select the one or more peripheral functions available via the wireless docking host, wherein the means for preparing to establish the docking session comprises:

means for querying the wireless docking host for information on peripheral functions available via the wireless docking host;

means for exchanging the authentication and association information with the wireless docking host;

means for sending a request to set up a packet-based communication connection with the wireless docking host; and

means for sending a request to set up the docking session over the packet-based communication connection with the wireless docking host.

67. The apparatus of claim 66, wherein the means for querying the wireless docking host and exchanging the authentication and association information with the wireless docking host are performed in layer 2 communications, and sending the request to set up the packet-based communication connection and sending the request to set up the docking session over the packet-based communication connection are performed in transport layer communications.

68. The apparatus of claim 67, wherein the transport layer communications comprise communications in accordance with Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) specifications.

69. The apparatus of claim 51, wherein the means for sending the request to the wireless docking host to select the one or more peripheral functions comprises means for specifying information on one of more of:

the one or more peripheral functions, one or more protocols for the one or more peripheral functions, and one or more protocols for payload content associated with the one or more peripheral functions.

70. A apparatus comprising:

means for responding to a peripheral function selection request from a wireless device indicating one or more selected peripheral functions in accordance with authentication and association information associated with a docking session by sending a peripheral function selection response to the wireless device, the peripheral function selection response comprising information associated with the one or more selected peripheral functions; and

means for responding to a payload connection request from the wireless device indicating one or more payload connections configured to communicate data for the one or more selected peripheral functions by sending a payload connection response to the wireless device, the payload connection response comprising information associated with establishing the one or more payload connections.

71. The apparatus of claim 70, wherein the means for sending at least one of the peripheral function selection response and the payload connection response comprises means for sending a response via at least one of a SOAP payload or a General Event Notification Architecture (GENA) notification event.

72. The apparatus of claim 70, wherein the means for sending at least one of the peripheral function selection response and the payload connection response comprises means for sending a response via a binary protocol format message.

73. The apparatus of claim 70, further comprising:

means for detecting a new change in available peripheral functions; and

means for sending a notice of the new change in the available peripheral functions to the wireless device.

74. The apparatus of claim 70, further comprising:

means for receiving a request to create a persistent wireless docking environment;

means for creating a persistent wireless docking environment;

means for storing information associated with the one or more selected peripheral functions in association with the persistent wireless docking environment to persist after the docking session; and

means for sending a persistent docking response to the wireless device, the persistent docking response comprising information associated with the persistent wireless docking environment.

75. The apparatus of claim 74, further comprising:

means for receiving a request from the wireless device to establish a subsequent docking session; and

means for applying the information associated with the one or more selected peripheral functions in association with the persistent wireless docking environment in establishing the subsequent docking session.

76. A computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions stored thereon that, when executed, configure one or more processors to:

send a request to a wireless docking host to select one or more peripheral functions available via the wireless docking host in accordance with authentication and association information associated with a docking session with the wireless docking host; and

send a request to the wireless docking host to establish one or more payload connections with the wireless docking host, wherein the one or more payload connections are configured to communicate data via the wireless docking host for the selected one or more peripheral functions.

77. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 76, wherein the instructions further configure the one or more processors such that at least one of sending the request to select the one or more peripheral functions and sending the request to establish the one or more payload connections comprises sending a request via a SOAP payload.

78. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 76, wherein the instructions further configure the one or more processors such that at least one of sending the request to select the one or more peripheral functions and sending the request to establish the one or more payload connections comprises sending a request via a binary protocol format message.

79. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 78, wherein the instructions further configure the one or more processors to:

create a persistent wireless docking environment; and

store information associated with the one or more peripheral functions in association with the persistent wireless docking environment to persist after the docking session.

80. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 79, wherein the instructions further configure the one or more processors such that creating the persistent wireless docking environment comprises storing the persistent wireless docking environment at a wireless dockee device.

81. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 79, wherein the instructions further configure the one or more processors such that creating the persistent wireless docking environment comprises sending a request to the wireless docking host to create the persistent wireless docking environment.

82. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 79, wherein the instructions further configure the one or more processors such that storing the information associated with the one or more peripheral functions in association with the persistent wireless docking environment comprises storing configuration data for the selected one or more peripheral functions.

83. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 79, wherein the instructions further configure the one or more processors to:

send a request to the wireless docking host to establish a subsequent docking session with the wireless docking host; and

send a new request to the wireless docking host to select one or more peripheral functions available via the wireless docking host based on the information associated with the one or more peripheral functions as stored in association with the persistent wireless docking environment.

84. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 79, wherein the instructions further configure the one or more processors to:

send a request to the wireless docking host to establish a subsequent docking session with the wireless docking host; and

send a request to the wireless docking host to access the persistent wireless docking environment.

85. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 76, wherein the instructions further configure the one or more processors such that the authentication and association information are received via performing a first exchange of authentication and association information with the wireless docking host, and the instructions further configure the one or more processors to:

query the wireless docking host for information on peripheral functions available via the wireless docking host, prior to performing the first exchange of authentication and association information with the wireless docking host; and

perform, subsequent to the first wireless docking session, a second exchange of authentication and association information with the wireless docking host based on available peripheral function information stored in the persistent wireless docking environment, without querying the wireless docking host for information on peripheral functions available via the wireless docking host.

86. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 76, wherein the instructions further configure the one or more processors to:

send, prior to the sending of the request to select the one or more peripheral functions, a request to the wireless docking host for information on the peripheral functions available via the wireless docking host in accordance with the authentication and association information associated with the docking session with the wireless docking host,

wherein the request to select the one or more peripheral functions is based on the response to the request for information on the peripheral functions available via the wireless docking host.

87. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 76, wherein the instructions further configure the one or more processors to:

receive a response to the request to establish the one or more payload connections; and

exchange, with the wireless docking host, a new set of authentication and association information for the one or more payload connections for communicating the data for the selected one or more peripheral functions.

88. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 87, wherein the instructions further configure the one or more processors such that exchanging the new set of authentication and association information for the one or more payload connections further comprises:

exchanging the new set of authentication and association information in layer 2 communications.

89. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 87, wherein the instructions further configure the one or more processors such that exchanging the new set of authentication and association information for the one or more payload connections further comprises:

exchanging the new set of authentication and association information in IP transport layer communications.

90. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 87, wherein the instructions further configure the one or more processors such that exchanging the new set of authentication and association information for the one or more payload connections further comprises:

exchanging the new set of authentication and association information in application layer communications.

91. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 76, wherein the instructions further configure the one or more processors to prepare to establish the docking session with the wireless docking host prior to sending the request to the wireless docking host to select the one or more peripheral functions available via the wireless docking host, wherein configuring the one or more processors to prepare to establish the docking session further comprises the instructions configuring the one or more processors to:

query the wireless docking host for information on peripheral functions available via the wireless docking host;

exchange the authentication and association information with the wireless docking host;

send a request to set up a packet-based communication connection with the wireless docking host; and

send a request to set up the docking session over the packet-based communication connection with the wireless docking host.

92. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 91, wherein the instructions further configure the one or more processors such that querying the wireless docking host and exchanging the authentication and association information with the wireless docking host are performed in layer 2 communications, and sending the request to set up the packet-based communication connection and sending the request to set up the docking session over the packet-based communication connection are performed in transport layer communications.

93. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 92, wherein the instructions further configure the one or more processors such that the transport layer communications comprise communications in accordance with Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) specifications.

94. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 76, wherein the instructions further configure the one or more processors such that sending the request to the wireless docking host to select the one or more peripheral functions comprises specifying information on one of more of:

the one or more peripheral functions, one or more protocols for the one or more peripheral functions, and one or more protocols for payload content associated with the one or more peripheral functions.

95. A computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions stored thereon that, when executed, configure one or more processors to:

respond to a peripheral function selection request from a wireless device indicating one or more selected peripheral functions in accordance with authentication and association information associated with a docking session by sending a peripheral function selection response to the wireless device, the peripheral function selection response comprising information associated with the one or more selected peripheral functions; and

respond to a payload connection request from the wireless device indicating one or more payload connections configured to communicate data for the one or more selected peripheral functions by sending a payload connection response to the wireless device, the payload connection response comprising information associated with establishing the one or more payload connections.

96. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 95, wherein the instructions further configure the one or more processors such that sending at least one of the peripheral function selection response and the payload connection response comprises sending a response via at least one of a SOAP payload or a General Event Notification Architecture (GENA) notification event.

97. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 95, wherein the instructions further configure the one or more processors such that sending at least one of the peripheral function selection response and the payload connection response comprises sending a response via a binary protocol format message.

98. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 95, wherein the instructions further configure the one or more processors to:

detect a new change in available peripheral functions; and

send a notice of the new change in the available peripheral functions to the wireless device.

99. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 95, wherein the instructions further configure the one or more processors to:

receive a request to create a persistent wireless docking environment;

create a persistent wireless docking environment;

store information associated with the one or more selected peripheral functions in association with the persistent wireless docking environment to persist after the docking session; and

send a persistent docking response to the wireless device, the persistent docking response comprising information associated with the persistent wireless docking environment.

100. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 99, wherein the instructions further configure the one or more processors to:

receive a request from the wireless device to establish a subsequent docking session; and

apply the information associated with the one or more selected peripheral functions in association with the persistent wireless docking environment in establishing the subsequent docking session.