Systems and methods for managing wireless communication

• US 7,590,075 B2
• Filed: 04/15/2005
• Issued: 09/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Quinn, Liam B., Pirzada, Fahd B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Taylor; Barry W
• Application Number:
  US11/106,779
• Publication Number:
  US 20060233191A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,614 Days
• Field of Search: 370/254, 370/463
• US Class Current: 370/254
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4126 The peripheral being portable, e.g. PDAs or mobile phones
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/00 Devices specially adapted for wireless communication networks, e.g. terminals, base stations or access point devices

Abstract

Systems and methods for managing wireless communication between information handling system/s and one or more peripherals or other external devices, and that may be implemented in one embodiment to provide a virtual wireless docking environment for a portable information handling system and associated wired and wireless attached devices and peripherals.

Claims

1. An information handling system comprising communication processing components and multiple external peripheral devices, said communication processing components comprising one or more applications and a wireless docking manager configured to manage connectivity between said one or more applications and said multiple external peripheral devices;

wherein each of said multiple external peripheral devices comprise at least one of an optical drive, a storage device, a display, a mouse, a keyboard, a printer, a projector, or a webcam;

wherein said wireless docking manager is configured to manage connectivity between said information handling system and said multiple external peripheral devices by managing simultaneous communication between said one or more applications and said multiple external peripheral devices by dynamically selecting particular combinations of MAC layer and PHY layer components from multiple available combinations of MAC layer and PHY layer components for implementing simultaneous communication between said one or more applications and said multiple external peripheral devices over selected wired or wireless connections; and

wherein said docking manager is a notebook computer to manage communication between an application layer and one of said external peripheral devices that is an external projector device; and

wherein said docking manager only displays an application on either an internal display of said notebook computer or said external projector device.

2. The information handling system of claim 1, wherein said communication processing components further comprise a docking profile manager in communication with said wireless docking manager, said docking profile manager being configured to organize said multiple external peripheral devices into multiple device classes, a first one of said multiple device classes representing identity of one or more of said multiple external peripheral devices used at a first fixed location and a second one of said multiple device classes representing identity of one or more of said multiple external peripheral devices used at a second and different fixed location.

3. The information handling system of claim 2, wherein said first fixed location is a work location;

and wherein said second fixed location is a home location.

4. The information handling system of claim 1, wherein said wireless docking manager is further configured to:

communicate information to said one or more applications identifying multiple external peripheral devices that are currently available for connection to said one or more applications; and

manage connectivity between said one or more applications and multiple external peripheral devices that are chosen by said one or more applications or a user of said one or more applications.

5. The information handling system of claim 1, wherein said wireless docking manager is configured to dynamically select a particular combination of MAC layer and PHY layer components from multiple available MAC layer and PHY layer components for communication between each given one of said one or more applications and a corresponding given one of said multiple external peripheral devices over a selected wired or wireless connection based at least in part on characteristics of available external peripheral devices, characteristics of available wired and wireless connections, or a combination thereof.

6. The information handling system of claim 1, wherein said wireless docking manager is configured to dynamically select a particular combination of MAC layer and PHY layer components from multiple available combinations of MAC layer and PHY layer components for implementing communication between each given one of said one or more applications and a corresponding given one of said multiple external peripheral devices over a selected wired or wireless connection based at least in part on bandwidth requirement information.

7. The information handling system of claim 1, wherein said wireless docking manager is configured to automatically maintain connection between each given one of said one or more applications and each corresponding given one of said external peripheral devices by dynamically re-routing connection between said given one of said applications and said corresponding given one of said external peripheral devices by changing the particular combination of MAC layer and PHY layer components used for implementing communication between said given one of said applications and said corresponding given one of said multiple external peripheral devices over a different selected wired or wireless connection.

8. The information handling system of claim 1, wherein said wireless docking manager is configured to automatically authenticate connection between said one or more applications and said multiple external peripheral devices without prompting an application or user.

9. The information handling system of claim 1, wherein said wireless docking manager is configured to dynamically select a particular combination of MAC layer and PHY layer components from multiple available combinations of MAC layer and PHY layer components for implementing communication between each given one of said one or more applications and a corresponding given one of said multiple external peripheral devices over a selected wired or wireless connection based at least in part on one or more connection policies.

10. The information handling system of claim 1, wherein said wireless docking manager is further configured to automatically select a second one of said one or more peripheral devices;

and to automatically switch existing communications between one or more of said applications and a first one of said multiple external peripheral devices to communications between said one or more of said applications and said second one of said multiple external peripheral devices.

11. The information handling system of claim 1, wherein said wireless docking manager is configured to manage connectivity between said information handling system and said multiple external peripheral devices over inactive and active wireless and wired connections by monitoring the availability status of said wireless and wired connections and dynamically selecting a particular combination of MAC layer and PHY layer components from multiple available combinations of MAC layer and PHY layer components for implementing communication between each given one of said one or more applications and a corresponding given one of said multiple external peripheral devices over a selected monitored available wired or wireless connection.

12. The information handling system of claim 11, wherein said wireless docking manager is configured to manage connectivity between said information handling system and said multiple external peripheral devices over said inactive and active wireless and wired connections by:

receiving a request from each given one of said one or more applications for connection to said corresponding given one of said multiple external peripheral devices;

determining the availability status of said corresponding given one of said multiple external peripheral devices; and

then either;

dynamically selecting a particular combination of MAC layer and PHY layer components from multiple available combinations of MAC layer and PHY layer components for implementing communication between each given one of said one or more applications and said corresponding given one of said multiple external peripheral devices over a selected monitored available wired or wireless connection based on bandwidth or data rate requirements provided to said docking manager by each given one of said one or more applications if said corresponding given one of said multiple external peripheral devices is determined to be available, or

not selecting a particular combination of MAC layer and PHY layer components from multiple available combinations of MAC layer and PHY layer components for implementing communication between each given one of said one or more applications and said corresponding given one of said external peripheral devices if said corresponding given one of said multiple external peripheral devices is determined to be unavailable.

13. An information handling system comprising communication processing components and multiple external peripheral devices, said communication processing components comprising:

an application layer;

multiple combinations of MAC layer and PHY layer components, each of said combinations of MAC layer and PHY layer components configured to implement communication between said application layer and a corresponding given one of said multiple external peripheral devices over a given wired or wireless connection to enable simultaneous communication between said application layer and each of said multiple external peripheral devices; and

a wireless docking manager communicating between said application layer and said multiple combinations of MAC layer and PHY layer components;

wherein said multiple external peripheral devices comprise at least one of an optical drive, an external storage device, a display, a mouse, a keyboard, a printer, a projector, a webcam, or a combination thereof; and

wherein said docking manager is a notebook computer to manage communication between an application layer and one of said external peripheral devices that is an external projector device; and

wherein said docking manager only displays an application on either an internal display of said notebook computer or said external projector device.

14. The information handling system of claim 13, wherein said application layer comprises one or more applications;

wherein at least one of said combination of MAC layer and PHY layer components is configured to implement communication between said application layer and a first one of said multiple external peripheral devices over a given wireless connection;

wherein at least one of said combination of MAC layer and PHY layer components is configured to implement communication between said application layer and a second one of said multiple external peripheral devices over a given wireless connection; and

wherein said wireless docking manager comprises a docking layer.

15. The information handling system of claim 13, wherein said communication processing components further comprise a docking profile manager in communication with said wireless docking manager, said docking profile manager being configured to organize said multiple peripheral devices into multiple device classes, a first one of said multiple device classes representing identity of one or more of said multiple peripheral devices used at a first fixed location and a second one of said multiple device classes representing identity of one or more of said multiple external peripheral devices used at a second and different fixed location.

16. The information handling system of claim 15, wherein said first fixed location is a work location;

and wherein said second fixed location is a home location.

17. A method of managing communication between one or more applications and multiple external peripheral devices by using a wireless docking manager to dynamically select a particular combination of MAC layer and PHY layer components from multiple available combinations of MAC layer and PHY layer components for implementing simultaneous communication between each given one of said one or more applications and a corresponding given one of said multiple external peripheral devices over a selected wired or wireless connection;

wherein said one or more applications and said multiple available combinations of MAC layer and PHY layer components comprise communication processing components of an information handling system; and

wherein each one of said multiple external peripheral devices comprise at least one of an optical drive, an external storage device, a display, a mouse, a keyboard, a printer, a projector, or a webcam; and

wherein said docking manager is a notebook computer to manage communication between an application layer and one of said external peripheral devices that is an external projector device; and

wherein said method further comprises managing communication between said application layer and said external projector device to only display an application on either an internal display of said notebook computer or said external projector device.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

using said wireless docking manager to communicate information to said one or more applications identifying said multiple external peripheral devices that are currently available for connection to said one or more applications; and

using said wireless docking manager to manage connectivity between said one or more applications and said multiple external peripheral devices that are chosen by said one or more applications or a user of said one or more applications.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising using said wireless docking manager to dynamically select a particular combination of MAC layer and PHY layer components from multiple available MAC layer and PHY layer components for communication between each given one of said one or more applications and a corresponding given one of said multiple external peripheral devices over a selected wired or wireless connection based at least in part on characteristics of available external peripheral devices, characteristics of available wired and wireless connections, or a combination thereof.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising using said wireless docking manager to dynamically select a particular combination of MAC layer and PHY layer components from multiple available MAC layer and PHY layer components for communication between each given one of said one or more applications and a corresponding given one of said multiple external peripheral devices over a selected wired or wireless connection based at least in part on bandwidth requirement information provided by said first one of said applications.

21. The method of claim 17, further comprising using said wireless docking manager to automatically maintain connection between each given one of said one or more applications and each corresponding given one of said external peripheral devices by dynamically re-routing connection between said given one of said applications and said corresponding given one of said multiple external peripheral devices by changing the particular combination of MAC layer and PHY layer components used for implementing communication between said given one of said applications and said corresponding given one of said multiple external peripheral devices over a different selected wired or wireless connection.

22. The method of claim 17, further comprising using said wireless docking manager to automatically authenticate connection between said one or more applications and said multiple external peripheral devices without prompting an application or user.

23. The method of claim 17, further comprising using said wireless docking manager to dynamically select a particular combination of MAC layer and PHY layer components from multiple available combinations of MAC layer and PHY layer components for implementing communication between each given one of said one or more applications and a corresponding given one of said multiple external peripheral devices over a selected wired or wireless connection based at least in part on one or more connection policies.

24. The method of claim 17, further comprising using said wireless docking manager to automatically select a second one of said one or more peripheral devices;

and to automatically switch existing communications between one or more of said applications and a first one of said multiple external peripheral devices to communications between said one or more of said applications and said second one of said multiple external peripheral devices.

25. The method of claim 17, wherein said communication processing components further comprise a docking profile manager in communication with said wireless docking manager, and wherein said method further comprises using said docking profile manager to organize said multiple peripheral devices into multiple device classes, a first one of said multiple device classes representing identity of one or more of said multiple external peripheral devices used at a first fixed location and a second one of said multiple device classes representing identity of one or more of said multiple external peripheral devices used at a second and different fixed location.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein said first fixed location is a work location;

and wherein said second fixed location is a home location.

27. The method of claim 17, further comprising using said wireless docking manager to manage connectivity between said information handling system and said multiple external peripheral devices over inactive and active wireless and wired connections by monitoring the availability status of said wireless and wired connections and dynamically selecting a particular combination of MAC layer and PHY layer components from multiple available combinations of MAC layer and PHY layer components for implementing communication between each given one of said one or more applications and a corresponding given one of said multiple external peripheral devices over a selected monitored available wired or wireless connection.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising using said wireless docking manager to manage connectivity between said information handling system and said multiple external peripheral devices over said inactive and active wireless and wired connections by:

receiving a request from each given one of said one or more applications for connection to said corresponding given one of said multiple external peripheral devices;

determining the availability status of said corresponding given one of said multiple external peripheral devices; and

then either;

dynamically selecting a particular combination of MAC layer and PHY layer components from multiple available combinations of MAC layer and PHY layer components for implementing communication between each given one of said one or more applications and said corresponding given one of said multiple external peripheral devices over a selected monitored available wired or wireless connection based on bandwidth or data rate requirements provided to said docking manager by each given one of said one or more applications if said corresponding given one of said multiple external peripheral devices is determined to be available, or

not selecting a particular combination of MAC layer and PHY layer components from multiple available combinations of MAC layer and PHY layer components for implementing communication between each given one of said one or more applications and said corresponding given one of said external peripheral devices if said corresponding given one of said external peripheral devices is determined to be unavailable.

29. An information handling system comprising communication processing components and one or more external peripheral devices, said communication processing components comprising one or more applications and a wireless docking manager configured to manage connectivity between said one or more applications and said one or more external peripheral devices;

wherein said one or more external peripheral devices comprise at least one of an optical drive, a storage device, a display, a mouse, a keyboard, a printer, a projector, a webcam, or a combination thereof;

wherein said wireless docking manager is configured to manage connectivity between said information handling system and said one or more external peripheral devices by managing communication between said one or more applications and said one or more external peripheral devices by dynamically selecting a particular combination of MAC layer and PHY layer components from multiple available combinations of MAC layer and PHY layer components for implementing communication between a given one of said applications and a given one of said external peripheral devices over a selected wired or wireless connection; and

wherein said docking manager is a notebook computer to manage communication between an application layer and an external peripheral device, said external peripheral device being an external projector device; and

wherein said docking manager only displays an application on either an internal display of said notebook computer or said external projector device.

30. An information handling system comprising communication processing components and one or more external peripheral devices, said communication processing components comprising:

an application layer;

multiple combinations of MAC layer and PHY layer components, each of said combinations of MAC layer and PHY layer components configured to implement communication between said application layer and a given one of said external peripheral devices over a given wired or wireless connection; and

a wireless docking manager communicating between said application layer and said multiple combinations of MAC layer and PHY layer components;

wherein said one or more external peripheral devices comprise at least one of an optical drive, an external storage device, a display, a mouse, a keyboard, a printer, a projector, a webcam, or a combination thereof; and

wherein said docking manager is a notebook computer to manage communication between an application layer and an external peripheral device, said external peripheral device being an external projector device; and

wherein said docking manager only displays an application on either an internal display of said notebook computer or said external projector device.

31. A method of managing communication between one or more applications and one or more external peripheral devices by using a wireless docking manager to dynamically select a particular combination of MAC layer and PHY layer components from multiple available combinations of MAC layer and PHY layer components for implementing communication between a given one of said applications and a given one of said external peripheral devices over a selected wired or wireless connection;

wherein said one or more applications and said multiple available combinations of MAC layer and PHY layer components comprise communication processing components of an information handling system;

wherein said one or more external peripheral devices comprise at least one of an optical drive, an external storage device, a display, a mouse, a keyboard, a printer, a projector, a webcam, or a combination thereof; and

wherein said docking manager is a notebook computer to manage communication between an application layer and an external peripheral device, said external peripheral device being an external projector device; and

wherein said method further comprises managing communication between said application layer and said external projector device to only display an application on either an internal display of said notebook computer or said external projector device.