Method and system for enabling wireless data communications with electronic devices having disparate operating systems

• US 6,449,075 B1
• Filed: 08/10/1998
• Issued: 09/10/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: IXYS Intl Limited (Littelfuse Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: ZiLOG Incorporated (Littelfuse Incorporated)
• Inventors: Hamilton, T. Allan, Watson, Michael R.
• Primary Examiner(s): NEGASH, KINFE MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US09/131,824
• Time in Patent Office: 1,492 Days
• Field of Search: 359/152, 359/172, 340/825.72, 455/151.2, 455/418, 717/11, 709/211, 709/221
• US Class Current: 398/121
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/76 Adapting program code to run in a different environment; Porting
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/54 Interprogram communication
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/20 Binding and programming of remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 23/04 using light waves, e.g. infrared
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/082 the condition being updates or upgrades of network functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0843 based on generic templates
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0846 based on copy from other elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces

Abstract

A Method and System for Enabling Wireless Data Communications with Electronic Devices having Disparate Operating Systems is disclosed. Also disclosed is a system that compares the Infrared or RF communications configuration of an electronic appliance to a target profile, and then uploads the target configuration profile to the appliance, if necessary. The preferred device and system perform a functional testing on the wireless communications system of the electronic appliance, including the transceiver hardware and all device drivers and software stacks. Furthermore, the device of the present invention is able to adopt the target configuration from an electronic appliance by downloading it from one or more appliances. Still further, the device of the present invention is able to communicate with two or more electronic appliances simultaneously. The device and system of the present invention are operable independent of the BIOS of the electronic appliance(s) to be configured. Finally, the method of the present invention includes steps for comparing the wireless communications configuration of an electronic appliance to a target configuration and then uploading the target system and testing the electronic appliance for operability with the new configuration.

Claims

1. A system for enabling infrared communications between electronic appliances having disparate infrared communications configurations, comprising:

infrared communications means for conducting communications via infrared signal in each said electronic appliance; and

infrared configuration means for;

detecting said infrared communication configuration in one said appliance via said infrared communications means;

comparing at least one said infrared communication configuration to a target configuration; and

uploading said target configuration to a said electronic appliance via infrared signals sent between said appliances by said infrared communication means, if desired.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said infrared configuration means further comprises means for testing said uploaded configuration.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said electronic appliances further comprise infrared transceiver hardware, and said infrared configuration means further comprises means for testing the functionality of said infrared transceiver hardware.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said infrared configuration means further comprises means for communicating with said electronic appliances, said communicating means including wireless and/or wired systems.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein said communicating means further comprises a capability to communicate simultaneously with at least two said electronic appliances.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein each said electronic appliance further comprises a Basic Input Output System for managing data transfer in to and out from said electronic appliance, and said infrared configuration means is functional independent of the type of said Basic Input Output System.

7. A method for enabling wireless communication between electronic appliances having disparate wireless communication configurations, comprising the steps of:

wireless detection by one said electronic appliance of said communications configuration of another said electronic appliance;

comparing said detected wireless communication configuration to a target configuration; and

wirelessly uploading said target configuration to said other electronic appliance, if desired.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein each said electronic appliance further comprises an operating system and at least one infrared transceiver system, wherein said comparing further comprises detecting said operating system.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said comparing further comprises detecting the existence of said infrared transceiver system.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said comparing further comprises identifying the capabilities of said infrared transceiver system.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said comparing further comprises testing said infrared transceiver system.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said infrared communication configuration comprises software components, and said uploading further comprises installing missing, faulty or obsolete said software components on said electronic appliance.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein said target configuration may be defined by a first comparing, said first comparing comprising:

individually querying each of at least two said electronic appliances for their said wireless communication configuration, each said configuration comprising components;

second comparing said components of one said individual communication configuration to said components of another said individual communication configuration; and

creating said target configuration by selecting the preferred components resulting from said second comparing.

20. The method of claim 7, wherein:

said comparing step comprises comparing at least one infrared communication configuration to a target configuration; and

said uploading step comprises uploading said target configuration to a said electronic appliance by infrared.

14. A system for enabling wireless communications between electronic appliances having disparate wireless communications configurations, comprising:

wireless configuration means for;

detecting said wireless communication configuration in another said electronic appliance, said detecting via wireless signaling between said electronic appliances;

comparing at least one said wireless communication configuration to a target configuration; and

wirelessly uploading said target configuration to a said electronic appliance, if desired.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein said wireless configuration means further comprises means for testing said uploaded configuration.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein said electronic appliances further comprise wireless transceiver hardware, and said wireless configuration means further comprises means for testing the functionality of said wireless transceiver hardware.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein said wireless configuration means further comprises means for communicating with said electronic appliances, said communicating means including wireless and/or wired systems.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein said communicating means further comprises a capability to communicate simultaneously with at least two said electronic appliances.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein each said electronic appliance further comprises a Basic Input Output System for managing data transfer in to and out from said electronic appliance, and said wireless configuration means is functional independent of the type of said Basic Input Output System.