Identification of terminal

• US 7,194,238 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2002
• Issued: 03/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Virtanen, Kati
• Primary Examiner(s): Urban; Edward F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dean; Raymond S.
• Application Number:
  US10/324,705
• Publication Number:
  US 20030124978A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,552 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.1, 455/41.2, 455/518, 455/519, 370/228, 370/255, 370/386
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4557 Directories for hybrid networks, e.g. including telephone numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support

Abstract

A method for identifying a terminal in a wireless data transmission system. The system comprises a first device, which comprises a first device-specific device identifier and a general device name, and a second device, which is configured to store name identifier in its memory. The first device identifier and the general device name are informed to the second device. A list of received device names is shown to the user in the second device. The second device is arranged to link device identifier to the name identifier stored in the memory. The first device identifier is compared with the device identifiers linked to the name identifiers in the second device and the name identifier linked to the device identifiers corresponding to the first device identifier is selected and shown in place of the device name on the list drawn up of the device names.

Claims

1. A method for identifying a terminal in a short-range wireless data transmission system comprising at least a first device and a second device, wherein at least said first device comprises a device-specific first device identifier and a general device name, the method comprising:

storing, in a memory of said second device, at least one name identifier;

receiving information, by said second device, regarding the device-specific first device identifier and the general device name of said first device;

showing a list of received device names to a user of said second device including the general device name of said first device;

offering to the user of said second device a possibility to amend the shown general device name of said first device into the at least one stored name identifier by linking said device-specific first identifier to the at least one name identifier stored in the memory of said second device; and

if the user wishes to link the device-specific first device identifier to the at least one name identifier, linking the device-specific first device identifier to the at least one name identifier stored in the memory of said second device for enabling said second device to show the at least one stored name identifier linked with the device-specific first identifier upon subsequent reception of information regarding said device-specific first identifier.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein

the first device informs the second device of said first device identifier and said general device name in response to the device inquiry made by said second device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein

in response to connection establishment to said first device, whose device identifier is not linked to the name identifier stored in the memory,

linking said first device-specific device identifier in said second device to the existing name identifier;

or

creating a new name identifier, to which said first device identifier is linked.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein

the wireless data transmission technology employed is Bluetooth, and

the device-specific device identifiers are Bluetooth addresses (BD_ADDR) and said Bluetooth address is transmitted when a Bluetooth connection is established.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein

said second device comprises a second device-specific device identifier, which can be linked to the name identifier of the user of said second device, stored in the memory of said second device.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising

transmitting a device identifier linked to at least one name identifier in connection with the name identifier transmission.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein

said first device identifier and said general device name are identical.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

comparing said first device identifier with the device identifiers linked to the name identifiers in said second device; and

if the user of said second device opted to link said first device identifier to said name identifier in response to the offer, selecting the name identifier linked to the device identifier corresponding to said first device identifier, and showing it on said list instead of the device name.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

showing a linked general device name of said first device to a user of said second device in response to receiving information, by said second device, regarding the device-specific first device identifier and the general device name of said first device.

8. An electronic device comprising means for arranging short-range wireless data transmission, the device comprising at least one name identifier in its memory, and is configured

to receive a first device-specific device identifier and a general device name from a second wireless device;

to show a list of received device names to a user of said electronic device including the general device name from the second wireless device;

to offer to the user a possibility to amend the shown general device name of the second wireless device into the at least one stored name identifier by linking said first device-specific device identifier to the at least one name identifier stored in the memory; and

to link the first device-specific device identifier to the at least one stored name identifier for enabling said electronic device to show the at least one stored name identifier linked with the first device-specific device identifier upon subsequent reception of information regarding said first device-specific device identifier if the user wishes to link the first device-specific device identifier to the at least one name identifier.

9. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein

the device is configured to receive said first device-specific device identifier and general device name from said second device in response to the device inquiry made by the device.

10. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein

in response to the connection establishment to said second device, whose device identifier is not linked to the name identifier stored in the memory,

the device is configured to link said first device-specific device identifier of said second device to the existing name identifier;

or

the device is configured to create a new name identifier, to which said first device-specific device identifier is configured to be linked.

11. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein

the wireless data transmission technology employed is Bluetooth technology;

the device-specific device identifiers are Bluetooth addresses (BD_ADDR); and

the device is configured to receive said Bluetooth address when the Bluetooth connection is established.

12. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein

the device comprises a second device identifier that identifies said device device-specifically;

and

the device is configured to link said second device identifier to the name identifier stored in the memory and identifying the user of the device.

13. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein

the device is configured to transmit a device identifier linked to at least one name identifier in connection with transmitting the name identifier.

14. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein

said first device identifier and said general device name are identical.

21. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the device is further configured to

show a linked general device name of said first device to a user of said second device in response to receiving information, by said second device, regarding the device-specific first device identifier and the general device name of said first device.

15. A short-range wireless telecommunication system comprising at least a first device and a second device,

wherein at least said first device comprises a first device-specific device identifier and a general device name, and is configured to

transmit said first device identifier and said general device name to said second device;

wherein at least said second device includes at least one name identifier in its memory and is configured to

receive information regarding the first device-specific device identifier and the general device name of said first device,

show a list of received device names to a user of the second device including the general device name of said first device,

offer to the user of the second device a possibility to amend the shown general device name of said first device into the at least one stored name identifier by linking said first device-specific device identifier to the at least one name identifier in the memory of the second device, and

if the user wishes to link the first device-specific device identifier to the at least one name identifier, link the first device-specific device identifier to the at least one name identifier stored in the memory of said second device for enabling said second device to show the at least one stored name identifier linked with the first device-specific device identifier upon subsequent reception of information regarding said first device-specific device identifier.

16. The telecommunication system of claim 15, wherein

the first device is configured to inform the second device of said first device identifier and said first general device name in response to the device inquiry made by said second device.

17. The telecommunication system of claim 15, wherein

the wireless data transmission technology employed is the Bluetooth technology;

the device-specific device identifiers are Bluetooth addresses (BD_ADDR); and

said first device is configured to transmit the Bluetooth address when the Bluetooth connection is established.

18. The telecommunication system of claim 15, wherein

said first device identifier and said general device name are identical.

22. The system of claim 15, wherein the second device is further configured to

show a linked general device name of said first device to a user of said second device in response to receiving information, by said second device, regarding the device-specific first device identifier and the general device name of said first device.

23. An electronic device configured with a communication technology for arranging short-range wireless data transmission, the device further comprising:

a memory for storing at least one name identifier;

an input/output system for receiving information regarding a device-specific first device identifier and a general device name of another device;

a display for showing a list of received device names to a user of said device including the general device name of said another device;

a user interface for offering to the user of said device a possibility to amend the shown general device name of said another device into the at least one stored name identifier by linking said device-specific first device identifier to the at least one name identifier stored in the memory of said device; and

a processor for linking the device-specific first device identifier to the at least one name identifier stored in the memory for enabling said display to show the at least one stored name identifier linked with the device-specific first device identifier upon subsequent reception of information regarding said device-specific first device identifier if the user wishes to link the device-specific first device identifier to the at least one name identifier.