Accessory identification for mobile computing devices

• US 8,909,803 B2
• Filed: 03/16/2009
• Issued: 12/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Bolton, Lawrence G., Toprani, Shyam S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Phuoc
• Assistant Examiner(s): SISON, JUNE Y
• Application Number:
  US12/405,077
• Publication Number:
  US 20100231352A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,094 Days
• Field of Search: 709/230, 709/227, 455/557, 710/105
• US Class Current: 709/230
• 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: H04L 9/3234 involving additional secure or trusted devices, e.g. TPM, smartcard, USB or software token network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using an additional device in a packet data network H04L63/0853

Abstract

Embodiments disclosed herein provide for identification processes and/or procedures for accessories coupled with a mobile computing device. During identification an accessory can communicate lingo information that includes only those lingoes the accessory can use while coupled with the mobile computing device. The accessory can also communicate accessory protocol information to the mobile computing device during identification. The accessory can be limited to using only those lingoes and/or those protocols identified during identification. Various other accessory information, capabilities, preferences, etc. can also be communicated to the mobile computing device during identification.

Claims

1. A method of operating an accessory, the method comprising:

establishing communication with a mobile computing device;

sending an identify token to the mobile computing device, wherein the identify token includes information identifying one or more lingoes as being usable by the accessory;

sending a capability token to the mobile computing device, the capability token including information specifying one or more capabilities of the mobile computing device as being supported by the accessory, wherein the capability token includes a code-value pair, the code being indicative of (a) a type of information included in the capability token and (b) a length of the capability token, and the value representing the actual information; and

subsequently communicating with the mobile computing device, wherein only the identified one or more lingoes and only the specified one or more capabilities are usable by the accessory while communicating with the mobile computing device.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the identify token includes a bitmask where each bit is associated with a lingo and the state of the bit identifies whether the lingo is usable by the accessory.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the capability token includes a bitmask where each bit is associated with a capability and the state of the bit identifies whether the capability is supported by the accessory.

4. The method according to claim 1, where the one or more capabilities of the mobile computing device includes at least one of analog line-in to the mobile computing device, analog line-out from the mobile computing device, analog video-in to the mobile computing device, analog video-out from the mobile computing device, digital audio out from the mobile computing device, digital audio in to the mobile computing device, digital video in to the mobile computing device, digital video out, speakerphone, or communication with mobile computing device operating system application.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the accessory establishes wireless communications with the mobile computing device.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising sending an accessory information token to the mobile computing device, wherein the accessory information token includes information indicating at least one of accessory name, accessory firmware version, accessory hardware version, accessory manufacturer, accessory model number, and accessory serial number.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising sending a preference token indicating a preferred. state of at least one of the capabilities indicated in the capabilities token.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising sending a preference token indicating the “

ON”

state of at least one of analog line-in to the mobile computing device, analog line-out from the mobile computing device, analog video-in to the mobile computing device, analog video-out from the mobile computing device, digital audio out from the mobile computing device, digital audio in to the mobile computing device, digital video in to the mobile computing device, digital video out, speakerphone, or communication with the mobile computing device operating system.

9. A method comprising:

establishing, by an accessory device, communication with a mobile computing device;

requesting, by the accessory device lingo version information from the mobile computing device;

receiving lingo version information from the mobile computing device, wherein the lingo version information identifies one or more lingo versions supported by the mobile computing device;

requesting capability information from the mobile computing device;

receiving a plurality of tokens from the mobile computing device, wherein each token from the plurality of tokens includes a code indicating type of information included in the token, followed by a length indicator indicating length of the token, followed by a value representing actual information;

extracting a capability token, from the plurality of tokens based on the code and the length indicator, wherein the capability information identifies one or more capabilities of the mobile computing device, wherein the capability token includes the capability information of the mobile computing device; and

sending information indicating one or more lingoes usable by the accessory, wherein the one or more lingoes depend at least in part on at least one of the received lingo version information and the received capabilities information.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:

subsequent to sending the information, restricting lingoes used by the accessory to those indicated as being usable by the accessory.

11. The method according to claim 9, further comprising sending accessory capability information to the mobile computing device, wherein the accessory capability information specifies capabilities supported by the accessory.

12. The method according to claim 9, further comprising sending the preferred state for at least one of the capabilities supported by the accessory.

13. The method according to claim 9, further comprising sending accessory information to the mobile computing device, wherein the accessory information indicates accessory related information including at least one of accessory name, accessory firmware version, accessory hardware version, accessory manufacturer, accessory mode number, and accessory serial number.

14. The method according to claim 9, further comprising sending accessory protocol information, wherein the accessory protocol information includes an indication of at least one of an accessory protocol name and an accessory protocol identifier.

15. The method according to claim 14, further comprising sending information indicating a preferred application for execution on the mobile computing device in conjunction with an accessory protocol indicated in the accessory protocol information.

16. An accessory device comprising:

a processor;

a memory coupled to the processor;

a communication interface coupled to the processor and to communicably couple with a mobile computing device; and

control logic coupled with the communication interface, the control logic to send messages to and receive messages from the mobile computing device via the communication interface, wherein the control logic sends an accessory capability token to the mobile computing device using the communication interface, the accessory capability token including information specifying one or more capabilities of the mobile computing device as being supported by the accessory, the accessory capability token comprising (a) a code indicative of type of information included in the accessory capability token and a length of the accessory capability token and (b) a bitmask that indicates the capabilities supported by the accessory,

wherein only the specified one or more capabilities are usable by the accessory while communicating with the mobile computing device.

17. The accessory device according to claim 16, wherein the communication interface includes a wireless interface.

18. The accessory device according to claim 16, wherein the control logic further sends a usable lingo message to the mobile computing device using the communication interface comprising a bitmask that indicates the lingoes usable by the accessory.

19. The accessory device according to claim 16, wherein the control logic further sends a preferences message to the mobile computing device using the communication interface comprising a bitmask that indicates the initial state of at least one of the capabilities indicated in the capabilities message.

20. An accessory device comprising:

a processor;

a memory coupled to the processor;

a communication interface coupled to the processor to communicably couple with a mobile computing device; and

control logic coupled with the communication interface, the control logic to send messages to and receive messages from the mobile computing device via the interface, wherein the control logic sends a usable lingo token to the mobile computing device using the communication interface, the usable lingo token including information identifying one or more lingoes as being usable by the accessory, the usable lingo token comprising (a) a code indicative of type of information included in the usable lingo token, (b) a length indicator indicating length of the usable lingo token, and (c) a bitmask that indicates the lingoes usable by the accessory,

wherein only the identified one or more lingoes are usable by the accessory while communicating with the mobile computing device.

21. An accessory device for use with a portable computing device, the accessory comprising:

a processor;

a memory coupled to the processor;

an interface coupled to the processor to communicably couple the accessory with a portable computing device; and

control logic coupled with the interface, the control logic in conjunction with the processor to send messages to and receive messages from the portable computing device via the interface, wherein a message comprises a plurality of tokens and wherein each of the plurality of tokens comprises a code indicative of the type of information included in the token and the length of the token and a value indicative of the actual information;

wherein the control logic;

sends a first message to the portable computing device requesting lingo version information;

sends a second message to the portable computing device requesting a response from the portable computing device that includes an indication of capabilities of the portable computing device;

receives a third message from the portable computing device including a first token and a second token, wherein the first token corresponds to the lingo version information and includes a first code indicative of (i) type of information included in the first token and (ii) length of the first token and the lingo version information, and wherein the second token corresponds to the capabilities information of the portable computing device and includes a second code indicative of (iii) type of information included in the second token and (iv) length of the second token and capabilities information of the portable computing device;

extracts the first token from the third message based on the first code and the second token based on the second code; and

sends a third token to the portable computing device, the third token comprising (a) a third code indicative of type of information included in the third token and (b) information indicating lingoes usable by the accessory.

22. The accessory device according to claim 21, wherein the lingoes usable by the accessory depend at least in part on one or both of the capabilities of the portable computing device and the one or more lingo versions supported by the portable computing device.

23. The accessory device according to claim 21, wherein the control logic further sends a fourth message including an indication of accessory information, wherein the accessory information includes an indication of at least one of accessory name, accessory firmware version, accessory hardware version, accessory manufacturer, accessory model number, and accessory serial number.

24. The accessory device according to claim 21, wherein the control logic further sends a fourth token including (a) a fourth code indicative of a type of information included in the fourth token and (b) an indication of one or more supported communication protocols.

25. The accessory device according to claim 21, wherein the control logic further sends a fourth message indicating one or more capabilities of the accessory, wherein the one or more capabilities include analog line-in to the mobile computing device, analog line-out from the mobile computing device, analog video-in to the mobile computing device, analog video-out from the mobile computing device, digital audio out from the mobile computing device, digital audio in to the mobile computing device, digital video in to the mobile computing device, digital video out, speakerphone, or communication with the mobile computing device operating system.

26. The accessory device according to claim 25, wherein the control logic further sends a fifth message including an indication of the preferences for the capabilities indicated in the fourth message.

27. The accessory device according to claim 21, wherein the one or more capabilities of the portable computing device includes at least one of analog line-in to the mobile computing device, analog line-out from the mobile computing device, analog video-in to the mobile computing device, analog video-out from the mobile computing device, digital audio out from the mobile computing device, digital audio in to the mobile computing device, digital video in to the mobile computing device, digital video out, speakerphone, or communication with the mobile computing device operating system.