Wireless and dockable audio interposer device

• US 8,208,917 B2
• Filed: 10/29/2007
• Issued: 06/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bose Corporation
• Original Assignee: Bose Corporation
• Inventors: Ueda, Joji
• Primary Examiner(s): Corsaro, Nick
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nair, Sowmini
• Application Number:
  US11/927,366
• Publication Number:
  US 20090112338A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,702 Days
• Field of Search: 455/426.2, 455/426.1, 455/420, 700/94
• US Class Current: 455/426.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6066 including a wireless connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user

Abstract

An apparatus meant to be interposed between a wired device and a wireless device gathers information concerning the functions of which each of the wired device and wireless devices are capable, and induces the wireless device to enable a wider range of wireless protocols by presenting the wireless device with a false indication to the effect that the apparatus is capable of performing a wider array of functions than is the case to make possible an interaction between the wired and wireless devices through the apparatus in support of various audio-related functions.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a processor;

a transceiver accessible to the processor and configured to engage in wireless communications with a wireless device across a point-to-point link to receive a first piece of audio from the wireless device;

a connector accessible to the processor and configured to connect with a wired device to convey the first piece of audio to the wired device through the connector; and

a storage accessible to the processor and having a routine stored therein comprising a sequence of instructions that when executed by the processor configures the processor to;

operate the transceiver to transmit to the wireless device across the point-to-point link formed with the wireless device a false indication that the apparatus is capable of performing at least one audio function associated with the first piece of audio that the apparatus is not capable of performing to induce the wireless device to enable the use of a protocol across the link to transfer the first piece of audio across the link;

await an indication that the wired device is connected to the connector;

operate the transceiver to use the protocol to enable the wireless device to transfer the first piece of audio across the link using the protocol; and

convey the first piece of audio to the wired device through the connector to enable the wired device to perform the at least one audio function.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is further caused to operate the transceiver to form the link in a manner in conformance with the Bluetooth specification.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the connector is structured to mimic the functions of a substantially similar connector of the wireless device to enable the wired device to be connected alternately to either of the apparatus and the wireless device to perform the at least one audio function.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the connector comprises a ganged together plurality of connectors that are engaged substantially simultaneously when the wired device is connected to the apparatus.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one audio function comprises the exchange of two-way audio with the wireless device, and the protocol supports the transfer of two-way audio between the apparatus and the wireless device.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one audio function comprises operating as a remote control device to remotely control an aspect of the transfer of the first piece of audio across the link by the wireless device, and the protocol supports the transfer of remote control commands across the link to the wireless device.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a user interface having a manually-operable control, wherein the connector is structured to mimic the function of a substantially similar connector of one alternate wireless device of a plurality of alternate wireless devices such that the wired device is able to be connected alternately to either of the apparatus and the one alternate wireless device of the plurality of alternate wireless devices to perform the at least one audio function, and wherein the processor is further caused to operate the user interface to enable a user of the apparatus to select the one alternate wireless device from among the plurality of alternate wireless devices.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a user interface having a manually-operable control, wherein the processor is further caused to operate the user interface to enable a user of the apparatus to select the audio function that the apparatus is to be falsely indicated as being capable of performing.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is further caused to:

monitor the connector for indications of the connection of each wired device of a plurality of wired devices;

determine what audio functions are performed by each wired device of the plurality of wired devices as each wired device is connected to the connector;

assemble a list representing a superset of audio functions found to be supported by each wired device; and

transmit the list to the wireless device as the at least one audio function that the apparatus is falsely indicated as being capable of performing.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the processor is further caused to:

await an indication of what audio functions are performed by each wired device of the plurality of wired devices to be conveyed by each wired device of the plurality of wired devices to the apparatus through the connector;

perform a series of tests on a wired device of the plurality of wired devices in response to the wired device of the plurality of wired devices not providing an indication of what audio functions are performed by the wired device of the plurality of wire devices to deduce the audio functions that are performed by the wired device of the plurality of wired devices.

11. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the processor is further caused to:

retrieve data concerning another protocol employed in mimicking the functions of the substantially similar connector of the wireless device; and

convert between the protocol that the wireless device is induced into using and the another protocol to enable the wired device to perform the at least one audio function.

12. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the at least one audio function comprises detecting sound and conveying the sound to the wireless device as part of the exchange of two-way audio.

13. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the processor is further caused to:

retrieve data concerning another protocol employed in mimicking the functions of the substantially similar connector of the one alternate wireless device; and

convert between the protocol that the wireless device is induced into using and the another protocol to enable the wired device to perform the at least one audio function.

14. A method comprising:

transmitting to a wireless device across a point-to-point link formed with the wireless device a false indication that an apparatus to which a wired device is connected is capable of performing at least one audio function of which the apparatus is not capable of performing to induce the wireless device to enable the use of a protocol across the link to transfer a first piece of audio across the link to the apparatus;

operate a transceiver of the apparatus to use the protocol to enable the wireless device to transfer the first piece of audio across the link using the protocol;

determine that the wired device is capable of performing the at least one audio function; and

convey the first piece of audio to the wired device through a wired connection through a connector of the apparatus to enable the wired device to perform the at least one audio function.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising operating the connector to mimic the functions of a substantially similar connector of the wireless device to enable the wired device to be connected alternately to either the apparatus or the wireless device to perform the at least one audio function.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising converting between the protocol that the wireless device is induced into using and another protocol employed in mimicking the functions of the substantially similar connector of the wireless device.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the at least one audio function comprises the exchange of two-way audio with the wireless device, and the protocol supports the transfer of two-way audio between the apparatus and the wireless device.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the at least one audio function comprises detecting sound and conveying the sound to the wireless device as part of the exchange of two-way audio.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the at least one audio function comprises operating as a remote control device to remotely control an aspect of the transfer of the first piece of audio across the link by the wireless device, and the protocol supports the transfer of remote control commands across the link to the wireless device.

20. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

operating the connector to mimic the function of a substantially similar connector of one alternate wireless device of a plurality of alternate wireless devices such that the wired device is able to be connected alternately to either of the apparatus and the one alternate wireless device of the plurality of alternate wireless devices to perform the at least one audio function; and

operate a user interface to enable a user of the apparatus to select the one alternate wireless device from among the plurality of alternate wireless devices.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising converting between the protocol that the wireless device is induced into using and another protocol employed in mimicking the functions of the substantially similar connector of the one alternate wireless device.

22. The method of claim 14, further comprising operating a user interface to enable a user of the apparatus to select the audio function that the apparatus is to be falsely indicated as being capable of performing.

23. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

monitoring the connector for indications of the connection of each wired device of a plurality of wired devices;

determining what audio functions are performed by each wired device of the plurality of wired devices as each wired device is connected to the connector;

assembling a list representing a superset of audio functions found to be supported by each wired device; and

transmitting the list to the wireless device as the at least one audio function that the apparatus is falsely indicated as being capable of performing.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

awaiting an indication of what audio functions are performed by each wired device of the plurality of wired devices to be conveyed by each wired device of the plurality of wired devices through the connector; and

performing a series of tests on a wired device of the plurality of wired devices in response to the wired device of the plurality of wired devices not providing an indication of what audio functions are performed by the wired device of the plurality of wire devices to deduce the audio functions that are performed by the wired device of the plurality of wired devices.

25. A non-transitory machine-readable medium storing a sequence of instructions that when executed by a processor of an audio interposer device cause the processor to:

transmit to a wireless device across a point-to-point link formed with the wireless device a false indication that the audio interposer device is capable of performing at least one audio function of which the audio interposer device is not capable of performing to induce the wireless device to enable the use of a protocol across the link to transfer a first piece of audio across the link;

operate the transceiver to use the protocol to enable the wireless device to transfer the first piece of audio across the link using the protocol;

determine that a wired device connected to the audio interposer device through a connector of the audio interposer device is capable of performing the at least one audio function; and

convey the first piece of audio to the wired device through a wired connection through the connector to enable the wired device to perform the at least one audio function.

26. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 25, wherein the processor is further caused to operate a user interface to enable a user of the audio interposer device to select the audio function that the audio interposer device is to be falsely indicated as being capable of performing.

27. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 25, wherein the processor is further caused to:

monitor the connector for indications of the connection of each wired device of a plurality of wired devices;

determine what audio functions are performed by each wired device of the plurality of wired devices as each wired device is connected to the connector;

assemble a list representing a superset of audio functions found to be supported by each wired device; and

transmit the list to the wireless device as the at least one audio function that the audio interposer device is falsely indicated as being capable of performing.

28. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 25, wherein the processor is further caused to:

await an indication of what audio functions are performed by each wired device of the plurality of wired devices to be conveyed by each wired device of the plurality of wired devices through the connector; and

perform a series of tests on a wired device of the plurality of wired devices in response to the wired device of the plurality of wired devices not providing an indication of what audio functions are performed by the wired device of the plurality of wire devices to deduce the audio functions that are performed by the wired device of the plurality of wired devices.