Controlling visibility of a wireless device in discoverable mode

• US 7,603,083 B2
• Filed: 09/06/2005
• Issued: 10/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Brown, Michael S., Brown, Michael K., Kirkup, Michael G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Afshar; Kamran
• Application Number:
  US11/218,609
• Publication Number:
  US 20070066307A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,498 Days
• Field of Search: 455/500, 455/503, 455/517, 455/411, 455/41.2, 455/550.1, 455/553.1, 455/558, 370310-3102, 370/328, 370/338, 340/5.61, 340/5.8, 340/10.51, 340/10.1, 235/439, 235/492, 235/451, 235/382, 235/380, 235/375
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/20 Selecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals

Abstract

A wireless device in a discoverable mode controls its visibility by determining whether to ignore or respond to an inquiry, received from an inquiring device that is searching for discoverable devices, based at least in part on one or more properties of the inquiring device.

Claims

1. A method to control the visibility of a wireless device in a discoverable mode, the method comprising:

while said wireless device is in said discoverable mode, receiving an inquiry from an inquiring device that is searching for discoverable devices;

while said wireless device is in said discoverable mode, determining whether to ignore or respond to said inquiry based at least in part on one or more properties of said inquiring device ascertainable from said inquiry; and

responding to said inquiry if an identifier of said inquiring device is ascertainable from said inquiry and if said identifier is included in a set of identifiers of one or more devices previously connected to said wireless device.

2. A method to control the visibility of a wireless device in a discoverable mode, the method comprising:

while said wireless device is in said discoverable mode, receiving an inquiry from an inquiring device that is searching for discoverable devices;

while said wireless device is in said discoverable mode, determining whether to ignore or respond to said inquiry based at least in part on one or more properties of said inquiring device ascertainable from said inquiry; and

responding to said inquiry if an identifier of said inquiring device is ascertainable from said inquiry and if said identifier corresponds to a particular manufacturer and an identifier of said particular manufacturer is included in a set of identifiers of one or more permitted manufacturers.

3. A wireless device comprising:

a wireless communication interface able to cause said wireless device to be in a discoverable mode and through which said wireless device is able to receive an inquiry from an inquiring device that is searching for discoverable devices;

a processor coupled to said wireless communication interface; and

a memory coupled to said processor,

wherein said memory is to store a set of identifiers of one or more devices previously connected to said wireless device, and

wherein said memory is to store code which, when executed by said processor while said wireless device is in said discoverable mode, determines whether to ignore or respond to said inquiry based at least in part on one or more properties of said inquiring device ascertainable from said inquiry, and determines to respond to said inquiry if an identifier of said inquiring device is ascertainable from said inquiry and if said identifier of said inquiring device is included in said set.

5. The wireless device of claim 3, wherein said wireless device is a smart card reader.

6. The wireless device of claim 3, wherein said wireless communication interface is compatible with personal area network communications.

7. The wireless device of claim 3, wherein said wireless communication interface is compatible with ultra wideband communications.

8. The wireless device of claim 3, wherein said wireless communication interface is compatible with radio frequency identification communications.

9. The wireless device of claim 3, wherein said wireless communication interface is compatible with wireless local area network communications.

4. A wireless device comprising:

a wireless communication interface able to cause said wireless device to be in a discoverable mode and through which said wireless device is able to receive an inquiry from an inquiring device that is searching for discoverable devices;

a processor coupled to said wireless communication interface; and

a memory coupled to said processor,

wherein said memory is to store a set of identifiers of one or more permitted manufacturers, and

wherein said memory is to store code which, when executed by said processor while said wireless device is in said discoverable mode, determines whether to ignore or respond to said inquiry based at least in part on one or more properties of said inquiring device ascertainable from said inquiry, and determines to respond to said inquiry if an identifier of said inquiring device is ascertainable from said inquiry and if said identifier of said inquiring device corresponds to a particular manufacturer and an identifier of said particular manufacturer is included in said set.

10. A communication system comprising:

an inquiring device able to search via a first wireless communication interface for discoverable devices; and

a wireless device comprising;

a second wireless communication interface able to cause said wireless device to be in a discoverable mode and through which said wireless device is able to receive an inquiry from said inquiring device, said second wireless communication interface compatible with said first wireless communication interface;

a processor coupled to said second wireless communication interface; and

a memory coupled to said processor, said memory to store a set of identifiers of one or more devices previously connected to said wireless device, and to store code which, when executed by said processor, determines while said wireless device is in said discoverable mode whether to ignore or respond to said inquiry based at least in part on one or more properties of said inquiring device ascertainable from said inquiry, and controls said second wireless communication interface to respond to said inquiry if an identifier of said inquiring device is ascertainable from said inquiry and if said identifier is included in said set.

11. The communication system of claim 10, wherein said wireless device is a smart card reader.

12. The communication system of claim 10, wherein said first wireless communication interface and said second wireless communication interface are compatible with personal area network communications.

13. The communication system of claim 10, wherein said first wireless communication interface and said second wireless communication interface are compatible with ultra wideband communications.

14. The communication system of claim 10, wherein said first wireless communication interface and said second wireless communication interface are compatible with radio frequency identification communications.

15. The communication system of claim 10, wherein said first wireless communication interface and said second wireless communication interface are compatible with wireless local area network communications.

16. A communication system comprising:

an inquiring device able to search via a first wireless communication interface for discoverable devices; and

a wireless device comprising;

a second wireless communication interface able to cause said wireless device to be in a discoverable mode and through which said wireless device is able to receive an inquiry from said inquiring device, said second wireless communication interface compatible with said first wireless communication interface;

a processor coupled to said second wireless communication interface; and

a memory coupled to said processor, said memory to store a set of identifiers of one or more permitted manufacturers, and to store code which, when executed by said processor, determines while said wireless device is in said discoverable mode whether to ignore or respond to said inquiry based at least in part on one or more properties of said inquiring device ascertainable from said inquiry, and controls said second wireless communication interface to respond to said inquiry if an identifier of said inquiring device is ascertainable from said inquiry and if said identifier corresponds to a particular manufacturer and an identifier of said particular manufacturer is included in said set.

17. The communication system of claim 16, wherein said wireless device is a smart card reader.

18. The communication system of claim 16, wherein said first wireless communication interface and said second wireless communication interface are compatible with personal area network communications.