WIRELESS OUTPUT DEVICES OR WIRELESS CONTROLLERS THAT SUPPORT WIRELESS DEVICE DISCOVERY FOR ESTABLISHING WIRELESS CONNECTIVITY

• US 20170064746A1
• Filed: 11/10/2016
• Published: 03/02/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Flexiworld Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Flexiworld Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Chang, William Ho, Liu, Christina Ying
• Granted Patent: US 10,037,178 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1203 Improving or facilitating administration, e.g. print management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1205 resulting in increased flexibility in print job configuration, e.g. job settings, print requirements, job tickets
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1208 resulting in improved quality of the output result, e.g. print layout, colours, workflows, print preview
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/122 with regard to computing resources, e.g. memory, CPU
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1226 Discovery of devices having required properties
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1228 Printing driverless or using generic drivers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1229 Printer resources management or printer maintenance, e.g. device status, power levels
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1236 Connection management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1238 Secure printing, e.g. user identification, user rights for device usage, unallowed content, blanking portions or fields of a page, releasing held jobs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1245 by conversion to intermediate or common format
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1247 by conversion to printer ready format
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1253 Configuration of print job parameters, e.g. using UI at the client
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1258 by updating job settings at the printer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/128 Direct printing, e.g. sending document file, using memory stick, printing from a camera
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1284 Local printer device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1285 Remote printer device, e.g. being remote from client or server
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1286 via local network
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1288 : in client-server-printer device configuration
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1292 : Mobile client, e.g. wireless printing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/14 : Digital output to display device ; Cooperation and interconnection of the display device with other functional units
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/162 : Interface to dedicated audio devices, e.g. audio drivers, interface to CODECs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 : Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/02 : using printers
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/181 : Receiving print data characterized by its formatting, e.g. particular page description languages
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/1836 : Rasterization
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 : specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/22 : Procedures used during a speech recognition process, e.g. man-machine dialogue
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/30 : Distributed recognition, e.g. in client-server systems, for mobile phones or network applications
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2015/223 : Execution procedure of a spoken command
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 : Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 : Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00244 : with a server, e.g. an internet server fax-servers or the like for store and forward H04N1/324
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00283 : with a television apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00307 : with a mobile telephone apparatus constructional features of portable telephone sets H04M1/0202; mobile radio systems H04W84/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00403 : Voice input means, e.g. voice commands
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00411 : the display also being used for user input, e.g. touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00488 : providing an audible output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00854 : Recognising an unauthorised user or user-associated action
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00938 : Software related arrangements, e.g. loading applications program loading in general G06F9/445
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32534 : details of interfacing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32582 : Output interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/4413 : involving the use of passwords, ID codes or the like, e.g. PIN
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/442 : using a biometric data reading device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0039 : Connection via a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0041 : Point to point H04N2201/0039 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0053 : Optical, e.g. using an infrared link
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0055 : By radio
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0082 : Image hardcopy reproducer H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0094 : Multifunctional device, i.e. a device capable of all of reading, reproducing, copying, facsimile transception, file transception
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/16 : Analogue secrecy systems; Analogue subscription systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 : Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/068 : using credential vaults, e.g. password manager applications or one time password [OTP] applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 : Access security
• 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 76/10 : Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 : Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 : Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 : WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 : Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

Output devices supporting wireless device discovery are herein disclosed and enabled. To setup an output device for wireless connection, wireless device discovery is performed by a client of the output device to discover the output device. Upon being discovered, the output device may provide or transmit identification or information related to the output device to the client for establishing a wireless connection. Subsequently, the output device may receive, via the wireless connection, digital content from the client for output. Wireless device discovery operations may be based on one or more of a close proximity wireless communication, a Bluetooth wireless communication, or a direct wireless communication compatible with a protocol within IEEE 802.11 standards. Security information, such as a password, biometrics, or a PIN, may be required for establishing the wireless connection. The output device may automatically obtain the security information from the client or may require, in part, user input.

Claims

1. A wireless communication method for an output device to establish a wireless communication link with a client of the output device, the output device includes one or more wireless communication units for wireless communication, the wireless communication method comprising:

(1) facilitating, via the one or more wireless communication units within the output device, a wireless device discovery operation for the output device to be wireless device discoverable by the client;

(2) transmitting, via the one or more wireless communication units within the output device, at least an attribute or identification information related to the output device from the output device to the client, the transmitting of the attribute or identification information being subsequent to facilitating the wireless device discovery operation in (1);

(3) implementing, at the output device, a security procedure or an authentication procedure for establishing a wireless communication link between the output device and the client, the implementing of the security procedure or the authentication procedure being subsequent to transmitting the attribute or the identification information from the output device to the client in (2), and the security procedure or the authentication procedure includes one or more of a user name, a password, an ID number, a PIN, an IP address, a security key, a biometric, a fingerprint, or a voice, individually or in any combination;

(4) establishing a wireless communication link between the output device and the client, via the one or more wireless communication units within the output device, the establishing of the wireless communication link based, at least in part, on having implemented the security procedure or the authentication procedure in (3), and the wireless communication link being compatible, at least partly, with at least one protocol within IEEE 802.11 wireless standards or within Bluetooth standards; and

(5) receiving output data from the client and over the established wireless communication link in (4), the output data being related to at least part of a digital content for output or playing at the output device, and the digital content being at least one of an audio content or a video content, individually or in any combination, for output or playing at the output device.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein subsequent to having established the wireless communication link in step (4), the method further comprises repeating any combination of steps from step (2) to step (5) without the need to repeat at least step (1) to facilitate the wireless device discovery operation.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein transmitting at least an attribute or identification information from the output device to the client facilitates selection or identification of the output device by the client;

and wherein, subsequent to having transmitted the attribute or identification information in step (2), the wireless communication method further comprises;

receiving a query or a service request from the client, via the one or more wireless communication units; and

in response to the query or the service request, repeating step (3) or step (4), individually or in any combination.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the output device is at least one of an audio output device, a speaker, a projection device, a display device, a television, or a controller box connected to a television, individually or in any combination;

wherein the client is either a wireless information apparatus or a client application installed in the wireless information apparatus; and

wherein the wireless information apparatus is at least one of a smart phone, an Internet-Phone, a touch sensitive screen phone, an Information-Pad, a digital camera, an Internet appliance, or an Internet-Pad, individually or in any combination.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the wireless device discovery operation is based, at least in part, on at least one of the following, individually or in any combination:

(1) a short range close proximity of the output device to the wireless information apparatus, or

(2) a protocol within IEEE 802.11 wireless standards for establishing a direct wireless communication, or

(3) a protocol within Bluetooth standards.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein implementing a security procedure or an authentication procedure in step (3) includes receiving from the client, via the one or more wireless communication units within the output device, security information or authentication information that includes one or more of a user name, a password, an ID number, a PIN, an IP address, a security key, a biometric, a fingerprint, or a voice, individually or in any combination.

7. A wireless controller included in an output device for receiving digital content from a wireless information apparatus via the wireless controller, the wireless controller includes an antenna for transmitting radio frequency signals, and one or more wireless communication units, wherein at least one wireless communication unit of the one or more wireless communication units is configured to be compatible, at least partly, with at least one protocol within IEEE 802.11 wireless standards or within Bluetooth standards;

and wherein the wireless controller is configured to;

(1) facilitate, via at least the antenna, wireless device discovery of the output device by the wireless information apparatus;

(2) provide at least an attribute or identification information related to the output device to the wireless information apparatus device that is wireless device discovering the output device in (1); and

(3) receive output data from the wireless information apparatus, subsequent to having transmitted the attribute or identification information related to the output device in (2);

wherein the output data is related to at least part of the digital content for output or playing at the output device;

wherein the receiving of the output data in (3) is subsequent to having implemented a security procedure or an authentication procedure, at least in part, at the output device for establishing a wireless communication link between the output device and the wireless information apparatus, the security procedure or the authentication procedure employing at least one of a user name, a password, an ID number, a PIN, a security key, a biometric, a fingerprint, or a voice, individually or in any combination; and

wherein the receiving of the output data in (3) is over the established wireless communication link and via the at least one wireless communication unit that is configured to be compatible, at least partly, with at least one protocol within IEEE 802.11 wireless standards or within Bluetooth standards.

8. The wireless controller according to claim 7, wherein the wireless controller is embodied as:

(1) a chipset that includes one or more chips, or (2) a circuit board that includes one or more chips or chipsets, individually or in any combination.

9. The wireless controller according to claim 7, wherein the wireless controller includes one or more processors, firmware, application-specific integrated circuits (ASIC), digital signal processors (DSP), systems on a chip, or communication chipsets, individually or in any combination.

10. The wireless controller according to claim 7, wherein the transmitted attribute or identification information from the output device to the wireless information apparatus facilitates selection or identification of the output device by the wireless information apparatus, and, subsequent to having transmitted the attribute or identification information in step (2), the wireless controller is further configured to:

receive a query or a service request from the wireless information apparatus via the one or more wireless communication units, and, in response to the query or the service request, the wireless controller receives the output data from the wireless information apparatus in step (3).

11. The wireless controller according to claim 7, wherein the digital content includes at least one of an audio digital content or a video digital content, individually or in any combination;

wherein the output device is at least one of an audio output device, a speaker, a projection device, a display device, a television, or a controller box connected to a television, individually or in any combination; and

wherein the wireless controller is further configured to interpret, decode, or process, individually or in any combination, at least part of the received output data for output or playing at least part of the digital content at the output device.

12. The wireless controller according to claim 7, wherein the wireless device discovery is based, at least in part, on at least one of the following:

(1) a short range close proximity of the output device to the wireless information apparatus;

or

(2) a protocol within IEEE 802.11 wireless standards for establishing a direct wireless communication;

or

(3) a protocol within Bluetooth standards.

13. An output device for receiving and playing digital content, the output device includes:

a user interface for interacting with a user; and

one or more wireless communication units, at least one wireless communication unit of the one or more wireless communication units is configured to be compatible, at least partly, with at least one protocol within IEEE 802.11 wireless standards or within Bluetooth standards;

wherein the output device is operable for;

(1) receiving, via the user interface of the output device, at least an indication from the user related, at least in part, to a wireless device discovery operation;

(2) subsequent to having received the indication from the user in (1), facilitating, via the one or more wireless communication units within the output device, a wireless device discovery operation for a client of the output device to wireless device discover the output device;

(3) subsequent to being wireless device discovered by the client in (2), transmitting, via the one or more wireless communication units within the output device, at least an attribute or identification information related to the output device from the output device to the client;

(4) subsequent to having transmitted the attribute or identification information related to the output device in (3), receiving, via the one or more wireless communication units, a query or a service request from the client;

(5) subsequent to receiving the query or the service request in (4), establishing a wireless communication link between the output device and the client, via the at least one wireless communication unit within the output device that is configured to be compatible, at least partly, with at least one protocol within IEEE 802.11 wireless standards or within Bluetooth standards; and

(6) receiving output data from the client from over the established wireless communication link in (5), the output data being related to at least part of the digital content for output or playing at the output device, and the digital content being at least one of an audio digital content or video digital content, individually or in any combination.

14. The output device according to claim 13, wherein the establishing of the wireless communication link in (5) is subsequent to having implemented, at the output device, a security procedure or an authentication procedure, the security procedure or the authentication procedure includes one or more of a user name, a password, an ID number, a security key, a biometric, a fingerprint, or a voice, individually or in any combination.

15. The output device according to claim 13, wherein subsequent to having established the wireless communication link in (5), the output device is further operable for repeating any combination of steps from step (4) to step (6), without the need to repeat one or more steps from step (1) to step (3), to facilitate future wireless connections between the client and the output device by skipping one or more steps from step (1) to step (3).

16. The output device according to claim 13, wherein the interface includes one or more of a display screen, a touch sensitive screen, a push button, a soft key, a keypad, or a switch, individually or in any combination.

17. The output device according to claim 13, wherein the output device further includes memory or a storage component for storing at least the attribute or identification information related to the output device, and wherein transmitting the attribute or identification information from the output device to the client in step (3) includes transmitting the attribute or identification information that is stored at the memory or the storage component.

18. The output device according to claim 13, wherein the output device is at least one of an audio output device, a speaker, a projection device, a display device, a television, or a controller box connected to a television, individually or in any combination;

wherein the client is either a wireless information apparatus or a client application installed in the wireless information apparatus; and

wherein the wireless information apparatus is at least one of a smart phone, an Internet-Phone, a touch sensitive screen phone, an Information-Pad, a digital camera, an Internet appliance, or an Internet-Pad, individually or in any combination.

19. A communication method for a wireless product to establish a connection with a client for providing services to the client, the wireless product includes one or more communication units, at least one communication unit from the one or more communication units is a wireless communication unit, and the wireless product includes attribute or identification information related to the wireless product to allow a client of the wireless product to connect to the wireless product, the communication method comprising:

(1) providing the attribute or identification information related to the wireless product to the client, the attribute or identification information includes one or more of identification information, registration information, service information, security information, capability information, a code, an ID number, a brand, a model, or an address, individually or in any combination;

(2) facilitating, via the wireless communication unit, a wireless device discovery operation for the client of the wireless product to wireless device discover the wireless product;

(3) establishing, via the wireless communication unit, a wireless communication link between the wireless product and the client, the wireless communication link being compatible, at least partly, with at least one protocol within IEEE 802.11 wireless standards or within Bluetooth standards, the establishing of the wireless communication link being subsequent to having provided the attribute or identification information related to the wireless product to the client in (1), and the establishing of the wireless communication link being subsequent to having been wireless device discovered by the client in (2);

(4) receiving, via the wireless communication unit and over the established wireless communication link in (3), security information or authentication information from the client, the security information or the authentication information includes one or more of a user name, a password, an ID number, a PIN, an IP address, a security key, a biometric, a fingerprint, or a voice, individually or in any combination; and

(5) establishing, via the one or more communication units of the wireless product, a connection between the wireless product and the client, the establishing of the connection is for the wireless product to provide at least a service to the client over the connection, the establishing of the connection is dependent, at least in part, on having successfully received, over the established wireless communication link, the security information or the authentication information from the client in (4).

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein providing at least a service to the client in (5) includes receiving, via the one or more communication units, data from the client over the established connection, the data includes at least one of the following, individually or in any combination:

(i) data for managing, controlling, or driving the wireless product;

or

(ii) output data related to a digital content for outputting or playing at the wireless product.

21. The method according to claim 19, wherein the connection via the one or more communication units in (5), is a wireless communication connection via the wireless communication unit, and the wireless communication connection is compatible, at least partly, with at least one protocol within IEEE 802.11 wireless standards for establishing a wireless local area network connection.

22. The method according to claim 19, wherein the client is either a wireless information apparatus or a client application installed in the wireless client;

and wherein the wireless information apparatus is at least one of a smart phone, an Internet-Phone, a touch sensitive screen phone, an Information-Pad, a digital camera, an Internet appliance, or an Internet-Pad, individually or in any combination.

23. The method according to claim 19, wherein providing the information related to the wireless product to the client includes at least one of the following, individually or in any combination:

(i) providing the information from the wireless product to the client via a wireless connection between the wireless product and the client;

or

(ii) providing the information from the wireless product to the client via a wired connection between the wireless product and the client.

24. The method according to claim 19, wherein providing the attribute or identification information related to the wireless product to the client is facilitated by at least one of the following, individually or in any combination:

(i) facilitated, at least in part, by the user;

or

(ii) facilitated manually by the user;

or

(iii) facilitated automatically, at least in part, by the wireless product.

25. The method according to claim 19, wherein the wireless product further includes a user interface for interacting with a user;

and the method further comprises receiving, via the user interface of the wireless product, at least an indication from the user related, at least in part, to facilitating the wireless device discovery operation prior to step (2).