Communication between a host device and an accessory via an intermediate device

• US 8,307,146 B2
• Filed: 09/12/2011
• Issued: 11/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Lydon, Gregory T., Laefer, Jay S., Ananny, John, Tikalsky, Terry
• Primary Examiner(s): Myers, Paul R
• Assistant Examiner(s): VU, TRISHA U
• Application Number:
  US13/230,053
• Publication Number:
  US 20120005395A1
• Time in Patent Office: 421 Days
• Field of Search: 710/305, 710/306, 710/315, 710104-106
• US Class Current: 710/315
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/387 for adaptation of different data processing systems to different peripheral devices, e.g. protocol converters for incompatible systems, open system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2213/3814 Wireless link with a computer system port
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/2871 Implementation details of single intermediate entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/563 Data redirection of data network streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/24 Negotiation of communication capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/04 Supports for telephone transmitters or receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6058 involving the use of a headset accessory device connected to the portable telephone
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72409 by interfacing with external accessories hands-free H04M1/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7246 by connection of exchangeable housing parts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/50 Secure pairing of devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/18 between terminal devices

Abstract

A host device and an accessory exchange information (e.g., commands and data) via an intermediate device. The host device and accessory can each connect to the intermediate device through a direct wired path and can exchange commands and data with the intermediate device. The host device and the accessory can also “tunnel” information to each other through the intermediate device, by packaging the tunneled information as a payload of a command recognizable by the intermediate device; the intermediate device can repackage and forward the payload. In some embodiments, the tunneled information relates to configuring a wireless link (e.g., a Bluetooth pairing) between the host device and the accessory.

Claims

1. A system for communicating information between a host device and an accessory, the system comprising:

an intermediate device configured to couple to a host device and to communicate with the host device according to a first protocol,

the intermediate device being further configured to couple to an accessory interoperable with the host device and to communicate with the accessory according to a second protocol,

wherein the first protocol includes a first plurality of commands, the first plurality of commands including a first tunneling command usable by the host device to instruct the intermediate device to forward tunneled information associated with the first tunneling command to the accessory,

wherein the second protocol includes a second plurality of commands, the second plurality of commands including a second tunneling command usable by the intermediate device to deliver the tunneled information associated with the first tunneling command to the accessory, and

wherein in response to receiving the first tunneling command, the intermediate device generates the second tunneling command and sends the second tunneling command to the accessory.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the second protocol further includes a third tunneling command usable by the accessory to instruct the intermediate device to forward tunneled information associated with the third tunneling command to the host device, and

the first protocol further includes a fourth tunneling command usable by the intermediate device to deliver the tunneled information associated with the third tunneling command to the host device.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the tunneled information associated with the first tunneling command includes a command from the host device to the accessory.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the tunneled information associated with the first tunneling command further includes data associated with the command from the host device to the accessory.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the host device comprises a mobile telephone and the accessory comprises a wireless headset.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the information associated with the first tunneling command includes information usable to establish a wireless communication channel between the host device and the accessory.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein in response to receiving another command in the first plurality of commands from the host device, the intermediate device responds to the host device without generating the second tunneling command to send to the accessory.

8. A system comprising:

a host device having a host communication interface;

an accessory having an accessory communication interface; and

an intermediate device having a first intermediate device communication interface adapted to connect to the host communication interface and a second intermediate device communication interface adapted to connect to the accessory communication interface,

wherein the intermediate device is configured to communicate with the host device using a first protocol and to communicate with the accessory using a second protocol,

wherein each of the first protocol and the second protocol includes a tunneling command receivable by the intermediate device, the tunneling command in each of the first protocol and the second protocol instructing the intermediate device to use the other of the first protocol and the second protocol to forward a payload associated with the received tunneling command, wherein the intermediate device generates another tunneling command from the tunneling command in response to receiving the tunneling command.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the tunneled information associated with a tunneling command received by the intermediate device from the host device includes a command from the host device to the accessory.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the tunneled information associated with the tunneling command received by the intermediate device from the host device further includes data associated with the command from the host device to the accessory.

11. The system of claim 8 wherein the tunneled information associated with a tunneling command received by the intermediate device from the accessory includes a command from the accessory to the host device.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the tunneled information associated with the tunneling command received by the intermediate device from the accessory further includes data associated with the command originated from the accessory.

13. The system of claim 8 wherein the host device comprises a mobile telephone and the accessory comprises a wireless headset.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the information associated with the first tunneling command includes information usable to establish a wireless communication channel between the mobile telephone and the wireless headset.

15. A method for communicating information between a host device and an accessory, the method comprising:

determining, by a host device, an information item to be delivered to an accessory, the information item conforming to a tunnel protocol;

generating, by the host device, a first tunneling command to be delivered to an intermediate device, the first tunneling command conforming to a first protocol and incorporating the information item as tunneled information; and

transmitting the first tunneling command to the intermediate device, wherein in response to receiving the first tunneling command, the intermediate device converts the first tunneling command to a second tunneling command conforming to a second protocol and incorporating the information item as tunneled information and transmits the second tunneling command to the accessory, thereby delivering the tunneled information item to the accessory.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the information associated with the first tunneling command includes information usable to establish a wireless communication link between the host device and the accessory.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the host device comprises a mobile telephone and the accessory comprises a wireless headset.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein the host device comprises a media player and the accessory comprises a wireless stereo headphone.

19. A method for communicating information between a first electronic device and a second electronic device, the method comprising:

determining, by a first electronic device, an information item to be delivered to a second electronic device, the information item conforming to a tunnel protocol;

generating, by the first electronic device, a first tunneling command to be delivered to an intermediate device, the first tunneling command conforming to a first protocol and incorporating the information item as tunneled information; and

transmitting, by the first electronic device, the first tunneling command to the intermediate device;

converting, by the intermediate device, the first tunneling command to a second tunneling command in response to receiving the first tunneling command, the second tunneling command conforming to a second protocol and incorporating the information item as tunneled information;

transmitting, by the intermediate device, the second tunneling command to the second electronic device;

receiving, by the second electronic device, the second tunneling command; and

extracting, by the second device, the information item from the second tunneling command.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the first electronic device is a host device and the second electronic device is an accessory for the host device.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the information to be delivered to the accessory includes information usable to establish a wireless communication link between the host device and the accessory.

22. The method of claim 20 wherein the host device comprises a mobile telephone and the accessory comprises a wireless headset.

23. The method of claim 20 wherein the host device comprises a media player and the accessory comprises a wireless stereo headphone.

24. A method for communicating information between a first electronic device and a second electronic device, the method comprising:

receiving, by an intermediate device, a first tunneling command from a first electronic device, the first tunneling command conforming to a first protocol and incorporating a tunneled information item therein, wherein the first protocol includes a plurality of commands in addition to the first tunneling command;

converting, by the intermediate device, the first tunneling command to a second tunneling command in response to receiving the first tunneling command from the first electronic device, the second tunneling command conforming to a second protocol and incorporating the tunneled information item therein; and

transmitting, by the intermediate device, the second tunneling command to a second electronic device, the second electronic device being configured to extract the tunneled information item from the second tunneling command.

25. The method of claim 24 further comprising:

receiving, by the intermediate device a status beacon command from the second electronic device, the status beacon command conforming to the second protocol; and

sending a notification to the first electronic device, by the intermediate device, in response to the status beacon command, the notification conforming to the first protocol and indicating that the second electronic device is present.