Methods and devices for facilitating Bluetooth pairing using a camera as a barcode scanner

• US 8,879,994 B2
• Filed: 10/02/2009
• Issued: 11/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Brown, Michael S., Little, Herbert A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Milord, Marceau
• Application Number:
  US12/572,386
• Publication Number:
  US 20110081860A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,859 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.2, 455/41.1, 455/41.3, 455/466, 455/566, 455/411, 455/558, 455/556.1, 455/557, 455/410, 235/385, 235/375, 235/492, 435/6.11, 370/338
• US Class Current: 455/41.3
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/35 communicating wirelessly
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/44 Program or device authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2103 Challenge-response
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06028 using bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06037 multi-dimensional coding
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06112 the marking being simulated using a light source, e.g. a barcode shown on a display or a laser beam with time-varying intensity profile
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/1318 using electro-optical elements or layers, e.g. electroluminescent sensing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00347 with another still picture apparatus, e.g. hybrid still picture apparatus circuits or arrangements for control or supervision between image input and image output device H04N1/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/327 Initiating, continuing or ending a single-mode communication; Handshaking therefor H04N1/32614 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32789 Details of handshaking H04N1/32793, H04N1/32795 and H04N1/32797 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0015 Control of image communication with the connected apparatus, e.g. signalling capability
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0027 Adapting to communicate with plural different types of apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0041 Point to point H04N2201/0039 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0055 By radio
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0084 Digital still camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0086 Image transceiver H04N2201/0093 and H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0089 Image display device
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/04 Key management, e.g. using generic bootstrapping architecture [GBA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/50 Secure pairing of devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/77 : Graphical identity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/08 : User group management
• 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 76/14 : Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/186 : Processing of subscriber group data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 : Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 : Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

Embodiments of the systems, devices and methods described herein generally facilitate performing Bluetooth pairing between a first device and a second device. In accordance with one example embodiment, a first device generates a barcode that encodes Bluetooth pairing data for transmission to the second device, wherein the pairing data comprises a Bluetooth address associated with the first device, and wherein the pairing data further comprises a personal identification number usable to complete the Bluetooth pairing, the barcode is transmitted to the second device, and Bluetooth pairing is performed with the second device.

Claims

1. A method for performing Bluetooth pairing on a device, the method performed by a processor of the device, the method comprising:

receiving a barcode comprising pairing data, the pairing data comprising a Bluetooth address and a personal identification number usable to complete a Bluetooth pairing, and wherein the barcode further comprises pairing initiation data usable to automatically initiate the Bluetooth pairing at the device;

decoding the barcode to obtain the pairing data and the pairing initiation data; and

automatically performing the Bluetooth pairing using the pairing data in response to obtaining the pairing initiation data.

2. The method of claim 1, where the receiving the barcode comprises using a camera associated with the device, where the camera is configured to capture an image comprising the barcode.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising, prior to said decoding, processing the image to identify the barcode.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending a message after receiving the barcode, said message configured to indicate receipt of the barcode.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the device comprises a photo frame.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the device comprises a mobile device.

7. A device comprising a memory, a Bluetooth transceiver, and further comprising a processor, wherein the processor is configurable to:

receive a barcode comprised of pairing data, the pairing data is further comprised of a Bluetooth address and a personal identification number usable to complete a Bluetooth pairing, and wherein the barcode further comprises pairing initiation data usable to automatically initiate the Bluetooth pairing at the device;

decode the barcode to obtain the pairing data and the pairing initiation data; and

automatically perform the Bluetooth pairing using the pairing data in response to obtaining the pairing initiation data.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the barcode is received using a camera associated with the device, wherein the camera is configured to capture an image comprising the barcode.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the processor is configured to process the image to identify the barcode prior to decoding the barcode.

10. The device of claim 7, wherein the processor is configured to send a message after receiving the barcode, said message configured to indicate receipt of the barcode.

11. The device of claim 7, wherein the device comprises a photo frame.

12. The device of claim 7, wherein the device comprises a mobile device.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium upon which a plurality of computer-readable instructions for execution by a processor of a device is stored, wherein execution of the instructions causes the processor to:

receive a barcode comprised of pairing data, the pairing data further comprised of a Bluetooth address and a personal identification number usable to complete a Bluetooth pairing, and wherein the barcode further comprises pairing initiation data usable to automatically initiate the Bluetooth pairing at the device;

decode the barcode to obtain the pairing data and the pairing initiation data; and

automatically perform the Bluetooth pairing using the pairing data in response to obtaining the pairing initiation data.