Personal area network apparatus

• US 8,588,231 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2013
• Issued: 11/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Tri-County Excelsior Foundation (Oso IP, LLC)
• Inventors: Donaghey, Robert J.
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAN, MAN U
• Application Number:
  US13/789,544
• Publication Number:
  US 20130268696A1
• Time in Patent Office: 257 Days
• Field of Search: 370230-252, 370310-389, 370401-450, 709202-217, 709224-229, 710 17- 29
• US Class Current: 370/389
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/10 Program control for peripheral devices G06F13/14 - G06F13/42 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/38 Information transfer, e.g. on bus G06F13/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2612 Arrangements for wireless medium access control, e.g. by allocating physical layer transmission capacity H04B7/2615 - H04B7/2643 take precedence; provision for broadband connection H04Q11/0478
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/08 Annexed information, e.g. attachments
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5038 for local use, e.g. in LAN or USB networks, or in a controller area network [CAN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5069 for group communication, multicast communication or broadcast communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/00 Affiliation to network, e.g. registration; Terminating affiliation with the network, e.g. de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/00 Connection management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/245 from a network towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

A peripheral device comprises a first entity and a second entity. In operation, the first/second entities are configured to respectively: receive a first/second entity-related message from at least one other device to indicate the availability of the at least one other device for attachment, send, to the at least one other device, a first/second entity-related message indicating the availability for communication with the at least one other device, receive, from the at least one other device, a first/second entity-related signal including a first/second entity-related peripheral device identifier, send a first/second entity-related response to the at least one other device, receive, from the at least one other device, a first/second entity-related device response, and send, to the at least one other device, a first/second entity-related second peripheral response including the first/second entity-related peripheral device identifier.

Claims

1. A device, comprising:

circuitry, and

a transceiver in communication with the circuitry, the device configured to cause the transceiver to

send a message to indicate the availability of the device for attachment to another device,

receive, from the another device, a message indicating the availability of the another device for communication with the device,

send, to the another device, a signal including a device identifier,

receive, from the another device, an another device response,

send a response to the another device, and

receive, from the another device, a second response including the device identifier;

wherein the device is configured such that a first one of a plurality of unique addresses and a second one of the unique addresses are operable for being used for identification in association with the another device, where the unique addresses each exist during a first communication with the another device and each uniquely identifies the another device on a shared communication medium;

wherein the device is configured such that the first one of the unique addresses has a first one or more channels associated therewith with a capability of transferring a first size of data communication and the second one of the unique addresses has a second one or more channels associated therewith with a capability of transferring a second size of data communication different than the first size of communication.

27. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device is operable such that the unique addresses pre-exist an initial communication between the device and the another device in connection with a first attachment therebetween.

28. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device is operable such that the unique addresses exist during an initial communication between the device and the other device in connection with a first attachment therebetween.

2. A device, comprising:

circuitry, and

a transceiver in communication with the circuitry, the device configured to cause the transceiver to

receive a sent message from another device to indicate the availability of the another device for attachment,

send, to the another device, a message indicating the availability of the device for communication with the another device,

receive, from the another device, a signal including a first one of a plurality of addresses and additional information,

send a response to the another device,

receive, from the another device, an another device response, and

send, to the another device, a second response;

wherein the device is operable such that the first one of the addresses and a second one of the addresses are used for identification in association with the device;

wherein the device is operable such that the first one of the addresses has a first one or more channels associated therewith with a capability of transferring a first amount, and the device is operable such that the second one of the addresses has a second one or more channels associated therewith with a capability of transferring a second amount that is greater than the first amount, after a first attachment and before any subsequent detachment.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein the device is operable such that the first one of the addresses is operable for being utilized during a process of the first attachment.

4. The device according to claim 2, wherein the device is operable such that the sent message, the message, and the signal are attachment-related communications.

5. The device according to claim 2, wherein the device is operable such that the second one of the addresses is assigned by the device.

6. The device according to claim 2, wherein the device is operable such that each send and receive capability is carried out by a first entity;

and separate instances of each send and receive capability are further carried out by a second entity.

7. The device according to claim 6, wherein the device is operable such that the another device associated with the first entity and the second entity includes the same another device.

8. The device according to claim 6, wherein the device is configured such that the first entity includes a first virtual entity and the second entity includes a second virtual entity.

9. The device according to claim 6, wherein the device is configured such that the first entity includes an associated first controller and the second entity includes an associated second controller.

10. The device according to claim 6, wherein the device is configured such that the first entity includes an associated first transceiver and the second entity includes an associated second transceiver.

11. The device according to claim 2, wherein the device is operable such that each send and receive capability is carried out prior to a completion of the first attachment.

12. The device according to claim 2, wherein the device is operable such that a completion of the first attachment occurs when the device is operable for transferring data with respect to the another device.

13. The device according to claim 12, wherein the device is operable such that the data does not include control information.

14. The device according to claim 2, wherein the device is operable such that at least one of the first one of the addresses or the second one of the addresses has one or more channels with a control transfer capability.

15. The device according to claim 2, wherein the device is operable such that the first one or more channels and the second one or more channels are specifically operable for data transfer functions.

16. The device according to claim 2, wherein the device is operable so as to power-down non-essential circuitry when data is not being transferred.

17. The device according to claim 2, wherein the device is operable such that the first one of the addresses is of a separate class of address with respect to the second one of the addresses.

18. The device according to claim 2, wherein the device is operable such that the second one of the addresses is operable for being used prior to a completion of the first attachment.

19. The device according to claim 2, wherein the device is operable such that the second one or more channels is subject to flow control.

20. The device according to claim 2, wherein the device is operable such that the first one of the addresses is included in a header of the signal.

21. The device according to claim 2, wherein the device is operable such that the additional information includes the second one of the addresses.

22. The device according to claim 2, wherein the device is operable such that the first one of the addresses is operable for being utilized for attachment purposes and the second one of the addresses is operable for being utilized for data transfer;

the first one of the addresses is operable for being initially utilized for the attachment purposes in association with the device without use of the second one of the addresses, after which the second one of the addresses is operable for being utilized.

23. The device according to claim 2, wherein the device is operable such that the first one the addresses is unique and is operable for being initially utilized in connection with the first attachment by being included in one or more attachment-related transmissions to identify the device as a receiver thereof, after which the second one of the addresses is operable for being utilized in connection with data transfer by being included in data transfer-related transmissions to identify the device as a receiver thereof.

24. The device according to claim 23, wherein the device is operable such that the second one of the addresses is assigned by the device.

25. The device according to claim 23, wherein the device is operable such that a value of the first one of the addresses and second one of the addresses is the same.

26. The device according to claim 22, wherein the device is operable such that the capability of transferring the second amount is greater than the capability of transferring the first amount in terms of a block size;

at least one of the first one or more channels or the second one or more channels provides for one-way communication;

the first one of the addresses or the second one of the addresses includes a MAC address;

the first one of the addresses or the second one of the addresses is assigned by the another device; and

the device is a peripheral device and the another device includes a hub device.

29. A device, comprising:

a first entity embodied on a single integrated circuit and configured to;

receive a first message from at least one other device to indicate the availability of the at least one other device for attachment,

send, to the at least one other device, a second message indicating the availability for communication with the at least one other device,

receive, from the at least one other device, a first signal including a first device identifier,

send a first response to the at least one other device,

receive, from the at least one other device, a second response, and

send, to the at least one other device, a third response including the first device identifier; and

a second entity embodied on the single integrated circuit and configured to;

receive a third message from at least one other apparatus to indicate the availability of the at least one other apparatus for attachment,

send, to the at least one other apparatus, a fourth message indicating the availability for communication with the at least one other apparatus,

receive, from the at least one other apparatus, a second signal,

send a fourth response to the at least one other apparatus,

receive, from the at least one other apparatus, a fifth response, and

send, to the at least one other apparatus, a sixth response;

wherein the device is operable such that a first one of a plurality of addresses and a second one of the addresses are used for identification in association therewith;

wherein the device is operable such that the first one of the addresses has a first one or more channels associated therewith with a capability of transferring a first amount and the second one of the addresses has a second one or more channels associated therewith with a capability of transferring a second amount that is different than the first amount.

30. A device, comprising:

circuitry, and

a transceiver in communication with the circuitry, the device configured to cause the transceiver to

send a message to indicate the availability of the device for attachment to another device,

receive, from the another device, a message indicating the availability of the another device for communication with the device,

send, to the another device, a signal including a first one of a plurality of addresses in a header thereof;

receive, from the another device, an another device response,

send a response to the another device, and

receive, from the another device, a second response;

wherein the device is operable such that the first one of the addresses and a second one of the addresses are operable for being used for identification in association with the another device, and the device is operable such that the first one of the addresses is operable for being utilized for initially joining the another device in a group associated with the device, and the second one of the addresses is operable for being utilized for data transfer in connection with the group in which the another device has just joined;

wherein the device is operable such that the first one of the addresses has a first one or more channels associated therewith with a capability of transferring a first amount and the second one of the addresses has a second one or more channels associated therewith with a capability of transferring a second amount that is greater than the first amount.