System and method for facilitating short-range wireless communications between a mobile wireless device and an auxiliary system

• US 8,787,991 B2
• Filed: 08/01/2012
• Issued: 07/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Zinn, Ronald Scotte, Wilson, Sean Elliott
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Tuan A
• Application Number:
  US13/563,945
• Publication Number:
  US 20120309317A1
• Time in Patent Office: 720 Days
• Field of Search: 455 411- 412, 455/552.1, 455/553.1, 4555561-5562, 455/557, 4555691-5692, 455572-574, 455/575.1, 455/575.9, 455 901- 903, 455/11.1, 455/74, 455/74.1, 455418-420, 4553431-3436, 455 68- 69
• US Class Current: 455/574
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3805 with built-in auxiliary receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10
• 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 52/028 switching on or off only a part of the equipment circuit blocks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system and method for facilitating short-range wireless communications between a mobile wireless device and an auxiliary device. The wireless device includes a short-range transceiver for communicating with an auxiliary device; a signal module for providing a mode control signal; and, a control module for controllably shifting a short-range transceiver between a power saver mode and a search mode based on the mode control signal received from the signal module. When in the search mode, the short-range transceiver is operable to search for the auxiliary device to communicate therewith. When in a power saver mode, the short-range transceiver is not operable to search for the auxiliary device.

Claims

1. A wireless device comprising:

a short-range transceiver for communicating with a second device;

a control module for controllably shifting the short-range transceiver from a second mode to a search mode, and from the search mode to the second mode,

the control module configured to shift the short-range transceiver from the second mode to the search mode without sensing the second device; and

a user input operable to configure the control module to provide the shifting between modes.

2. The wireless device as defined in claim 1, wherein the short-range transceiver is configured to remain inactive when in the second mode.

3. The wireless device as defined in claim 1, wherein the control module is configured to shift the short-range transceiver from the second mode to the search mode in response to a single action user input.

4. The wireless device as defined in claim 3, wherein the single action user input is a button.

5. The wireless device as defined in claim 1, wherein the wireless device comprises a detector for detecting a proximity indicator, and wherein the control module is configured to shift the short-range transceiver from the second mode to the search mode when the detector detects the proximity indicator.

6. The wireless device as defined in claim 1, wherein the control module stores at least one communication profile for communicating with the second device, and wherein the control module is operable to select a communication profile associated with the second device from the at least one communication profile for communication with the second device.

7. The wireless device as defined in claim 1, wherein the user input is voice activated.

8. A wireless system comprising:

a second device having a short-range communication module; and

a wireless device having;

a short-range transceiver for communicating with the second device;

a control module for controllably shifting the short-range transceiver from a second mode to a search mode, and from the search mode to the second mode,

the control module configured to shift the short-range transceiver from the second mode to the search mode without sensing the second device; and

a user input operable to configure the control module to provide the shifting between modes.

9. The wireless system as defined in claim 8, wherein the short-range transceiver is configured to remain inactive when in the second mode.

10. The wireless system as defined in claim 8, wherein the wireless device comprises a detector for detecting when a proximity indicator is in close proximity to the wireless device, and wherein the control module is configured to shift the short-range transceiver from the second mode to the search mode when the detector detects the proximity indicator in close proximity to the wireless device.

11. The wireless system as defined in claim 8, wherein the control module is configured to shift the short-range transceiver from the second mode to the search mode in response to a single action user input.

12. The wireless system as defined in claim 11, wherein the single action user input is a button.

13. The wireless system as defined in claim 8, wherein the control module stores at least one communication profile for communicating with the second device, and wherein the control module is operable to select a communication profile associated with the second device from the at least one communication profile for communication with the second device.

14. The wireless system as defined in claim 8, wherein the user input is voice activated.

15. A method of controlling short-range wireless communication using a short-range transceiver between a wireless device and a second device, the short-range transceiver providing a search mode and a second mode, the method comprising:

shifting the short-range transceiver from a second mode to a search mode without sensing the second device and in response to a user input, and

shifting the short-range transceiver from the search mode to the second mode in response to the user input.

16. The method as defined in claim 15, wherein the short-range transceiver remains inactive when in the second mode.

17. The method as defined in claim 15, further comprising:

detecting when a proximity indicator is in close proximity to a wireless device; and

configuring the short-range transceiver to enter the search mode when the proximity indicator is in close proximity to the wireless device.

18. The method as defined in claim 15, further comprising configuring the short-range transceiver to enter the search mode in response to a single action user input.

19. The method as defined in claim 15, further comprising:

storing at least one communication profile for communicating with the second device, and

configuring the short-range transceiver to select a communication profile associated with the second device from the at least one communication profile for communication with the second device.

20. The method as defined in claim 15, wherein the user input is voice activated.