Techniques to manage wireless connections

• US 8,102,901 B2
• Filed: 03/01/2005
• Issued: 01/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Aissi, Selim, Gadamsetty, Uma
• Primary Examiner(s): Timory, Kabir A
• Application Number:
  US11/070,489
• Publication Number:
  US 20060198448A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,520 Days
• Field of Search: 375/219, 375/220, 375/356, 375/260, 375/222, 709/203, 455/423, 455/418, 370/439
• US Class Current: 375/219
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

A system, apparatus, method and article to manage wireless connections are described. The apparatus may include a connection management module to automatically form a first connection between a first mobile device and a second mobile device, and a second connection between the second mobile device and a fixed device, wherein the first mobile device is to communicate information with the fixed device using the first and second connections. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a connection management module to automatically form a first connection between a first mobile device and a second mobile device, and a second connection between said second mobile device and a fixed device, wherein said first mobile device is to exchange information with said fixed device using said first and second connections and wherein both of the first and second connections are automatically initiated based on a single button press on one or more of the first or second mobile device and said connection management module operative to form said first and second connections without user intervention;

said connection management module comprising;

a service discovery module to discover and identify wireless devices and associated capabilities within communication range of said first mobile device;

a service selection module to select said second mobile device from the wireless devices identified by the service discovery module based on said associated capabilities;

a security management module to authenticate said second mobile device to form said first connection; and

a configuration module to configure said second mobile device with configuration information to form said second connection.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first and second mobile devices each include a single button to initiate forming said first and second connections.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first connection is a personal area network connection, and said second connection is a wireless wide area network connection.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first connection is a secure connection, and said second connection is a data communications connection.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

said service discovery module to discover wireless devices and associated capabilities within communication range of said first mobile device in response to an activation signal, and output a list of discovered devices;

said service selection module to receive said list of discovered devices and associated capabilities, select said second mobile device based on said associated capabilities, and output a device selection signal; and

said security management module to receive said device select signal, authenticate said second mobile device to form said first connection, and output an authentication pass signal.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said authentication operations utilize a personal identification number (PIN) or a passkey.

7. A system comprising:

an antenna;

a transceiver to couple to said antenna; and

a connection management module to couple to said transceiver, said connection management module to automatically form a first connection between a first mobile device and a second mobile device, and a second connection between said second mobile device and a fixed device, wherein said first mobile device is to exchange information with said fixed device using said first and second connections and wherein both of the first and second connections are automatically initiated based on a single button press on one or more of the first or second mobile device and said connection management module operative to form said first and second connections without user intervention;

said connection management module comprising

a service discovery module to discover and identify wireless devices and associated capabilities within communication range of said first mobile device;

a service selection module to select said second mobile device from the wireless devices identified by the service discovery module based on said associated capabilities;

a security management module to authenticate said second mobile device to form said first connection; and

a configuration module to configure said second mobile device with configuration information to form said second connection.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said first and second mobile devices each include a single button to initiate forming said first and second connections.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein said first connection is a personal area network connection, and said second connection is a wireless wide area network connection.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein said first connection is a secure connection, and said second connection is a data communications connection.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein:

said service discovery module to discover wireless devices and associated capabilities within communication range of said first mobile device in response to an activation signal, and output a list of discovered devices;

said service selection module to receive said list of discovered devices and associated capabilities, select said second mobile device based on said associated capabilities, and output a device selection signal; and

said security management module to receive said device select signal, authenticate said second mobile device to form said first connection, and output an authentication pass signal.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein said authentication operations utilize a personal identification number (PIN) or a passkey.

13. A method, comprising:

discovering and identifying wireless devices and associated capabilities within communication range of a first mobile device;

selecting a second mobile device from the identified wireless devices based on said associated capabilities;

forming a first connection between said first mobile device and said second mobile device;

authenticating said second mobile device to form said first connection;

forming a second connection between said second mobile device and a fixed device;

configuring said second mobile device with configuration information to form said second connection; and

communicating information between said first mobile device and said fixed device using said first and second connections;

wherein both of the first and second connections are automatically initiated based on a single button press on one or more of the first or second mobile device and the first and second connections are formed without user intervention.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising generating a first activation signal using a first button on said first mobile device, and a second activation signal using a second button on said second mobile device, said first and second activation signals to initiate forming said first and second connections.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

forming a list of wireless devices; and

selecting said second mobile device from said list of wireless devices based on said associated capabilities.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein said authentication operations utilize a personal identification number (PIN) or a passkey.

17. An article comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing instructions that if executed by a processor enable a system to:

discover and identify wireless devices and associated capabilities within communication range of a first mobile device,

select a second mobile device from the identified wireless devices based on said associated capabilities,

form a first connection between said first mobile device and said second mobile device,

authenticate said second mobile device to form said first connection, form a second connection between said second mobile device and a fixed device,

configure said second mobile device with configuration information to form said second connection, and

communicate information between said first mobile device and said fixed device using said first and second connections,

wherein both of the first and second connections are automatically initiated based on a single button press on one or more of the first or second mobile device and the first and second connections are formed without user intervention.

18. The article of claim 17, further comprising instructions that if executed enable the system to generate a first activation signal using a first button on said first mobile device, and a second activation signal using a second button on said second mobile device, said first and second activation signals to initiate forming said first and second connections.

19. The article of claim 17, further comprising instructions that if executed enable the system to form a list of wireless devices, and select said second mobile device from said list of wireless devices based on said associated capabilities.

20. The article of claim 17, wherein said authentication operations utilize a personal identification number (PIN) or a passkey.