Docking method for establishing secure wireless connection between computer devices

• US 5,930,368 A
• Filed: 04/10/1997
• Issued: 07/27/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Hocker, Michael D., Bahnub, Brent J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Swann, Tod R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Callahan, Paul E.
• Application Number:
  US08/843,683
• Time in Patent Office: 838 Days
• Field of Search: 455/4.1, 455/403-466, 455/500, 455/524-525, 455/73, 364/130-194, 364/424.04, 364/21, 364/23, 364/25, 379/67.1-80.28, 379/90.01-108.02, 379/350-386, 711/911, 340/286.01-333, 341/173-192, 342/175-205, 345/156-184
• US Class Current: 380/52
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3259 Power saving in cursor control device, e.g. mouse, joystick, trackball
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/34 involving the use of external additional devices, e.g. dongles or smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/35 communicating wirelessly
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0333 Ergonomic shaped mouse for one hand
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0382 Plural input, i.e. interface arrangements in which a plurality of input device of the same type are in communication with a PC
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0384 Wireless input, i.e. hardware and software details of wireless interface arrangements for pointing devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

A docking method for establishing secure wireless connection between computer devices is presented. The technique assumes that at least one of the computer devices comprises a portable device. Further, a docking area or docking port is associated with the other computer device. Means are provided for automatically establishing wireless connection between the portable device and the second device when the portable device is brought within the docking port (or docking area) of the second device. This automatic establishing of wireless connection includes communicating an address identifier between the portable device and the second device once the portable device is "docked." If desired, an encryption key can also be exchanged with the address identifier to allow for encryption of information communicated between the devices. After docking, the first device can be removed from the docking area (or docking port) without affecting the wireless connection between the first device and the second device.

Claims

1. A method for establishing wireless connection between a first device and a second device, said first device comprising a portable device and said second device having a docking area, said method comprising:

(a) docking the first device within said docking area; and

(b) automatically establishing wireless connection between the first device and the second device in response to said docking step (a), said automatic establishing of wireless connection including automatically communicating an address identifier between said first device and said second device when said first device is docked within said docking area, wherein after removal of said first device from said docking area, said first device and said second device maintain said wireless connection for communication of information therebetween using said communicated address identifier.

2. The docking method of claim 1, wherein said second device comprises a computer system and said docking area comprises a docking port coupled to said computer system.

3. The docking method of claim 1, further comprising means for signalling a user once secure wireless connection has been established between the first device and the second device.

4. The docking method of claim 1, further comprising a first encryption means associated with the first device and a second encryption means associated with the second device, said first and second encryption means allowing for encryption of information to be transferred between the first device and the second device over the secure wireless connection, and wherein said method further comprises the step of exchanging an encryption key between said first device and said second device when the first device is brought within the predefined docking area of the second device.

5. The docking method of claim 1, wherein said first communication means and said second communication means each comprise electromagnetic communication means.

6. The docking method of claim 1, wherein said first communication means and said second communication means each comprise infrared communication means.

7. The docking method of claim 1, wherein said step of automatically establishing wireless connection further comprises the step of establishing temporary hardwired connection between the first device and the second device when the first device is brought within said docking port.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said automatic establishing step (b) includes automatically exchanging an encryption key between the first device and the second device in response to said docking step (a), said encryption key being employed by said first device and said second device to encrypt information communicated therebetween on said wireless connection.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising signalling a user when secure wireless communication is established between the first device and the second device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said docking area comprises a docking port associated with the second device, and wherein said first device comprises a data mouse, and wherein said docking step (a) includes docking a data mouse within the docking port by bringing the data mouse within physical contact of the docking port.