Controlling visibility of a wireless device

• US 7,796,979 B2
• Filed: 09/06/2005
• Issued: 09/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Adams, Neil, Little, Herbert, Brown, Michael K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kincaid; Lester
• Assistant Examiner(s): Zewari; Sayed T
• Application Number:
  US11/218,608
• Publication Number:
  US 20070053313A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,834 Days
• Field of Search: 455/418, 455/419, 455/567
• US Class Current: 455/418
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/66 with means for preventing unauthorised or fraudulent calling verifying user identity or authority in secret or secure digital communications H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

A first wireless device controls its visibility by disabling its discoverable mode or modes upon ascertaining that a second wireless device does not require the first device to be in a discoverable mode in order to establish connections therebetween.

Claims

1. A method for controlling visibility of a first wireless device, the method comprising:

ascertaining that a second wireless device does not require said first device to be in a discoverable mode in order to establish connections therebetween;

in response to said ascertaining, having said first wireless device disable said discoverable mode in said first wireless device; and

when said discoverable mode is disabled in said first wireless device and input intended to result in said first wireless device being in said discoverable mode is detected, having said discoverable mode remain disabled in said first wireless device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said first wireless device is to ascertain that said second wireless device does not require said first wireless device to be in a discoverable mode in order to establish connections therebetween during or following establishment of an initial connection with said second wireless device.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

having said first wireless device re-enable said discoverable mode in said first wireless device after a secret shared by said first wireless device and said second wireless device is cleared from said first wireless device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said secret is used as a basis for a trusted relationship between said first wireless device and said second wireless device.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an indication that said second wireless device does not require said first wireless device to be in a discoverable mode in order to establish connections therebetween.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

when said discoverable mode is disabled and said input is detected, having said first wireless device indicate to a user of said first wireless device that said first wireless device is not actually in said discoverable mode.

7. A first wireless device comprising:

a wireless communication interface able to cause said first wireless device to be in a discoverable mode;

a processor coupled to said wireless communication interface;

a user input component coupled to said processor; and

a memory coupled to said processor, said memory able to store enablement information and to store code which, when executed by said processor, disables said discoverable mode by setting said enablement information to a particular value in response to ascertaining that a second wireless device does not require said first wireless device to be in said discoverable mode in order to establish connections therebetween,

wherein said processor is able to interpret input from said user input component as intended to result in said first device being in said discoverable mode, and

wherein upon detection of said input, said processor is not to cause said first wireless device actually to be in a discoverable mode when said enablement information has been set to said particular value.

8. The first wireless device of claim 7, wherein said user input component is an electro-mechanical device.

9. The first wireless device of claim 7, further comprising:

a user output component coupled to said processor by which said processor is able to indicate to a user of said first device whether or not said first device is actually in discoverable mode.

10. The first wireless device of claim 7, wherein said memory is able to store a secret shared by said first wireless device and said second wireless device, and wherein said code, when executed by said processor, re-enables said discoverable mode after said secret is cleared from said memory.

11. The first wireless device of claim 10, wherein said secret is used as a basis for a trusted relationship between said first wireless device and said second wireless device.

12. The first wireless device of claim 7, wherein said first wireless device is a smart card reader.

13. The first wireless device of claim 7, wherein said wireless communication interface is compatible with Bluetooth®

communication protocols.

14. The first wireless device of claim 7, wherein said wireless communication interface is compatible with ultra wideband (UWB) communication protocols.

15. The first wireless device of claim 7, wherein said wireless communication interface is compatible with ZigBee™

communication protocols.

16. The first wireless device of claim 7, wherein said wireless communication interface is compatible with radio frequency identification (RFID) communication protocols.

17. The first wireless device of claim 7, wherein said wireless communication interface is compatible with one or more IEEE 802.11 communication protocols.

18. A communications system comprising:

a first wireless device; and

a second wireless device,

wherein said first wireless device is able to disable a discoverable mode in said first wireless device in response to ascertaining that said second wireless device does not require said first wireless device to be in said discoverable mode in order to establish connections therebetween; and

wherein when said discoverable mode is disabled in said first wireless device and input intended to result in said first wireless device being in said discoverable mode is detected, said discoverable mode remains disabled in said first wireless device.

19. The communications system of claim 18, wherein said second wireless device is a smart card reader.

20. The communications system of claim 18, wherein said wireless communication protocol is a Bluetooth®

communication protocol.

21. The communications system of claim 18, wherein said wireless communication protocol is an ultra wideband (UWB) communication protocol.

22. The communications system of claim 18, wherein said wireless communication protocol is a ZigBee™

communication protocol.

23. The communications system of claim 18, wherein said wireless communication protocol is a radio frequency identification (RFID) communication protocol.

24. The communications system of claim 18, wherein said wireless communication protocol is an IEEE 802.11 communication protocol.