Automatic transfer of information through physical docking of devices

• US 8,359,372 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2008
• Issued: 01/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Yalovsky, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Salad, Abdullahi
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Jimmy H
• Application Number:
  US12/164,079
• Publication Number:
  US 20090327560A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,668 Days
• Field of Search: 710/303, 710/304, 710/104, 726/6, 726/303, 709/220, 709/222, 709/228, 370/254
• US Class Current: 709/220
• 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

Abstract

A personal media player is arranged to capture information, such as wireless network information (including network ID and key) and other kinds of information such as credentials (e.g., user name and password), and then share the information with a wireless networkable device when the player is physically coupled to the device in a docking process. When the personal media player is docked, the information is automatically transferred from the player to the device to enable the device to perform some action without any additional effort by the user. This could include, for example, discovering and be securely admitted to the wireless network, or accessing a remote service using the transferred credentials.

Claims

1. An article of manufacture comprising a computer-readable storage memory containing instructions which, when executed by one or more processors disposed in a personal media player, perform a method for transferring information describing a wireless network from the personal media player to an accessory device, the method comprising:

capturing the information that is usable by an access point in the wireless network to enable discovery of the wireless network by one or more wireless networkable devices, and to enable secure access to the wireless network;

transferring the information to the accessory device upon a physical coupling between the personal media player and the accessory device, the transferred information being usable by the accessory device to join the wireless network; and

receiving an accessory device ID at the personal media player that uniquely identifies the accessory device, the accessory device ID usable by the personal media player to identify and connect to the accessory device over the wireless network, the accessory device ID automatically transferred from the accessory device to the personal media player after the physical coupling; and

using the accessory device ID to discover the accessory device on the wireless network after the personal media player is uncoupled from the accessory device.

2. The computer-readable storage memory of claim 1 in which the information comprises at least one of a wireless network ID, network key, or credentials.

3. The computer-readable storage memory of claim 2 in which the network key conforms to one of WEP, WPA, or WPA2.

4. The computer-readable storage medium memory of claim 1 in which the method includes sending data from the personal media player to the accessory device over the wireless network.

5. The computer-readable storage memory of claim 4 in which the sending comprises streaming audio content that is stored on the personal media player for remote rendering by the accessory device.

6. The computer-readable storage memory of claim 1 in which the accessory device is a speaker system including an integrated docking cradle to receive the personal media player in a removably couplable arrangement, the docking cradle and personal media player when coupled forming a signal path through which the information may be transferred.

7. The computer-readable storage memory of claim 1 in which the method includes prompting a user to agree to transfer the information from the personal media player to the accessory device.

8. The computer-readable storage memory of claim 1 in which the physical coupling comprises a docking process between the personal media player and the accessory device.

9. A speaker system with an integrated docking cradle for removably receiving a personal media player, comprising a device connector disposed in the docking cradle for mateably engaging with a docking connector in the personal media player, the connectors when mateably engaged creating a signal path there through, the connectors being mateably engaged when the personal media player is docked with the docking cradle;

a device interface operatively coupled to the device connector for receiving data over the signal path from an accessory interface in the personal media player, the data including at least an ID for a wireless network and key used for securing the wireless network;

a wireless transceiver module operative to automatically receive the data after the personal media player is docked, and to communicate with an access point on the wireless network using the data;

speaker system functionality comprising an audio transducer and at least one of digital signal processing or amplification; and

an accessory interface operative to transfer an accessory device ID to the docked personal media player, the accessory device ID being usable by the personal media player to discover, identify and connect to the speaker system over the wireless network when undocked from the speaker system, the accessory device ID automatically transferred from the speaker system to the docked personal media player after the personal media player is docked.

10. The speaker system of claim 9 in which the wireless transceiver is further operative to receive audio content from the personal media player for rendering through the speaker system functionality.

11. The speaker system of claim 9 as configured to render a stereophonic signal.

12. A computer-readable storage memory containing instructions which, when executed by one or more processors disposed in an electronic device, implement a wireless network setup utility that is arranged for performing a method comprising:

configuring an access point usable with a wireless network, the configuring including selection by a user of an ID for the wireless network and a key used for securing the wireless network; and

transferring the ID and key to a personal media player during a data synchronization process between the electronic device and the personal media player, the transferred ID and key being utilized by the personal media player for sharing the ID and key with an accessory device upon a physical coupling between the personal media player and the accessory device for enabling the accessory device to discover and securely join the wireless network, the personal media player automatically receiving an accessory device ID upon the physical coupling usable by the personal media player to discover, identify and connect to the accessory device over the wireless network after the personal media player is uncoupled from the accessory device.

13. The computer-readable memory of claim 12 in which the method is performed by a web-browser application that runs on the electronic device.

14. The method of claim 12 in which the electronic device is a PC and the data synchronization process is performed using one of wired or wireless connection between the PC and the personal media player.

15. The method of claim 14 in which the data synchronization process is arranged to transfer media content from the PC to the personal media player, at least a portion of the media content being downloaded to the PC from a remote media content service over the Internet.

16. The method of claim 12 in which the accessory device comprises a speaker system with an integrated docking cradle that is arranged to removably receive the personal media player.

17. The method of claim 12 in which the wireless network conforms to IEEE 802.11.

18. The method of claim 12 in which the access point includes gateway functionality.