Method and apparatus for binding wireless devices
First Claim
1. A method, comprising:
- detecting whether a radio circuit of a wireless device can communicate with another wireless device in a normal wireless operating range while in a normal mode, wherein said detecting comprises at least one of the following;
automatically determining without user intervention when the radio circuit is not wirelessly connected to the other wireless device; and
automatically determining without user intervention when the radio circuit does not know an identification number of the other wireless device;
if the radio circuit cannot communicate with the other wireless device in the normal mode, automatically switching the radio circuit to communicate in a binding mode using a reduced wireless operating range to bind the wireless device to the other wireless device; and
after binding the wireless devices, automatically switching the radio circuit to communicate in the normal mode using the normal wireless operating range.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
When wireless binding or pairing is required, two wireless devices change from a normal broad wireless operating range to a reduced wireless operating range. The wireless devices then conduct binding or pairing operations in the reduced wireless range. This prevents other wireless devices in the same area from detecting the same reduced range binding signaling and inadvertently binding with the wrong devices. After the reduced range binding operations are completed, the wireless devices automatically switch back to the broader normal wireless operating range and use the exchanged binding information for conducting normal wireless communications. The reduced range pairing scheme creates a simple and intuitive technique for pairing wireless devices without requiring the user to press buttons or select devices from a list.
71 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method, comprising:
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detecting whether a radio circuit of a wireless device can communicate with another wireless device in a normal wireless operating range while in a normal mode, wherein said detecting comprises at least one of the following; automatically determining without user intervention when the radio circuit is not wirelessly connected to the other wireless device; and automatically determining without user intervention when the radio circuit does not know an identification number of the other wireless device; if the radio circuit cannot communicate with the other wireless device in the normal mode, automatically switching the radio circuit to communicate in a binding mode using a reduced wireless operating range to bind the wireless device to the other wireless device; and after binding the wireless devices, automatically switching the radio circuit to communicate in the normal mode using the normal wireless operating range. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An apparatus, comprising:
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a radio circuit to operate in a normal mode using a normal wireless operating range and in a binding mode using a reduced wireless operating range; and a processor coupled to the radio circuit to detect whether the radio circuit can communicate with another wireless device in the normal wireless operating range while in the normal mode, wherein the processor is configured to detect that the radio circuit cannot communicate with the other wireless device by at least one of automatically determining without user intervention when the radio circuit is not wirelessly connected to the other wireless device and automatically determining without user intervention when the radio circuit does not know an identification number of the other wireless device, wherein, if the radio circuit cannot communicate with the other wireless device in the normal mode, the processor is configured to automatically switch the radio circuit to communicate in the binding mode using the reduced wireless operating range to bind the wireless device to the other wireless device, and wherein, after binding the wireless devices, the processor is configured to automatically switch the radio circuit to communicate in the normal mode using the normal wireless operating range. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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18. A method, comprising:
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automatically determining without user intervention that a wireless device does not know an identification number of another wireless device when the wireless device needs to be paired with the other wireless device, wherein the wireless device comprises a radio circuit configured to operate in a normal mode using a normal wireless operating range and a pairing mode using a reduced wireless operating range; when the wireless device need to be paired with the other wireless device, automatically switching the radio circuit from the normal mode to the pairing mode from operating in a normal mode to operate in a pairing mode, wherein the radio circuit uses a normal wireless operating range when in the normal mode and a reduced wireless operating range when in the pairing mode; automatically initiating a pairing operation with the other wireless device in the pairing mode after switching the radio circuit to the pairing mode; and after paring the wireless devices, automatically switching the radio circuit to communicate in the normal mode using the normal wireless operating range. - View Dependent Claims (19)
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Specification