ACCESSORY IDENTIFICATION FOR MOBILE COMPUTING DEVICES

• US 20150207631A1
• Filed: 11/30/2014
• Published: 07/23/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Bolton, Lawrence G., Toprani, Shyam S.
• Granted Patent: US 9,654,293 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/387 for adaptation of different data processing systems to different peripheral devices, e.g. protocol converters for incompatible systems, open system
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3234 involving additional secure or trusted devices, e.g. TPM, smartcard, USB or software token network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using an additional device in a packet data network H04L63/0853

Abstract

Embodiments disclosed herein provide for identification processes and/or procedures for accessories coupled with a mobile computing device. During identification an accessory can communicate lingo information that includes only those lingoes the accessory can use while coupled with the mobile computing device. The accessory can also communicate accessory protocol information to the mobile computing device during identification. The accessory can be limited to using only those lingoes and/or those protocols identified during identification. Various other accessory information, capabilities, preferences, etc. can also be communicated to the mobile computing device during identification.

Claims

1. A method of communicating using an accessory, the method comprising:

establishing communication with a mobile computing device;

sending a first capability token to the mobile computing device, the first capability token including a first code-value pair, the first code identifying a first type of capability and the first value being a value identifying one or more capabilities of the first type that are supported by the accessory; and

sending a second capability token to the mobile computing device, the second capability token including a second code-value pair, the second code identifying a second type of capability and the second value being a bitmask identifying one or more capabilities of the second type that are supported by the accessory;

then

communicating with the mobile computing device, wherein the one or more first capabilities and the one or more second capabilities are usable by the accessory while communicating with the mobile computing device.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising sending a plurality of capability tokens including the first capability token and the second capability token to the mobile computing device.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein when the accessory is communicating with the mobile computing device, only the capabilities identified by the plurality of capability tokens are usable by the accessory while communicating with the mobile computing device.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein the second capability token includes the bitmask where each bit in the bitmask is associated with a capability of the second type and the state of the bit identifies whether the capability is supported by the accessory.

5. The method according to claim 1 where the capabilities supported by the accessory includes at least one of analog line-out to the mobile computing device, analog line-in from the mobile computing device, analog video-out to the mobile computing device, analog video-in from the mobile computing device, digital audio in from the mobile computing device, digital audio out to the mobile computing device, digital video out to the mobile computing device, digital video in from the mobile computing device, speakerphone, or communication with mobile computing device operating system application.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein the accessory establishes wireless communications with the mobile computing device.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising sending an accessory information token to the mobile computing device, wherein the accessory information token includes information indicating at least one of accessory name, accessory firmware version, accessory hardware version, accessory manufacturer, accessory model number, and accessory serial number.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising sending a preference token indicating a preferred state of at least one of the capabilities indicated in the first capability token.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising sending a preference token indicating the “

ON”

state of at least one of analog line-in to the mobile computing device, analog line-out from the mobile computing device, analog video-in to the mobile computing device, analog video-out from the mobile computing device, digital audio out from the mobile computing device, digital audio in to the mobile computing device, digital video in to the mobile computing device, digital video out, speakerphone, or communication with the mobile computing device operating system.

10. A method of communicating using an accessory, the method comprising:

establishing communication with a mobile computing device;

sending a command to begin a device identification sequence; and

sending a packet comprising a plurality of tokens, each of the plurality of tokens including a code-value pair, the code identifying a first type of capability and the value identifying one or more capabilities of the first type that are supported by the accessory;

then

communicating with the mobile computing device, wherein the one or more first capabilities identified by the plurality of tokens are usable by the accessory while communicating with the mobile computing device.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the value for at least one token is a value identifying one or more capabilities of the first type that are supported by the accessory.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the value for at least one token is a bitmap identifying one or more capabilities of the first type that are supported by the accessory.

14. The method according to claim 10, further comprising sending a preferred state for at least one of the capabilities supported by the accessory.

15. The method according to claim 10, further comprising sending accessory information to the mobile computing device, wherein the accessory information indicates accessory related information including at least one of accessory name, accessory firmware version, accessory hardware version, accessory manufacturer, accessory model number, and accessory serial number.

11. The method of clam 10 wherein the command to begin a device identification sequence is sent in a separate packet from the plurality of tokens.

16. A method of communicating using an accessory, the method comprising:

sending a command to begin a device identification sequence; and

sending a plurality of tokens, each of the plurality of tokens including a code-value pair, the code identifying a first type of capability and the value identifying one or more capabilities of the first type that are supported by the accessory, at least one of the plurality of tokens further including an indication of a length of the token;

then

communicating with the mobile computing device, wherein the one or more first capabilities identified by the plurality of tokens are usable by the accessory while communicating with the mobile computing device.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein only the capabilities identified by the plurality of tokens are usable by the accessory while communicating with the mobile computing device.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the indication of a length of the token identifies a length of the value.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the indication of a length of the token identifies a length of the token.

20. The method of claim 16 wherein at least one of the plurality of tokens does not further include an indication of a length of the token.