Communication between a host device and an accessory using multiple-endpoint identification
First Claim
1. A method for communicating between a host device and one or more accessories, the method comprising:
- establishing, by the host device, a first communication path, wherein establishing the first communication path includes receiving, by the host device, a first accessory identifier via the first communication path;
establishing, by the host device, a second communication path, wherein establishing the second communication path includes receiving, by the host device, a second accessory identifier via the second communication path;
determining, by the host device, whether the first accessory identifier and the second accessory identifier are the same;
in the event that the first accessory identifier and the second accessory identifier are the same, determining, by the host device, that the same accessory is connected via both the first communication path and the second communication path; and
in the event that the first accessory identifier and the second accessory identifier are not the same, determining, by the host device, that a first accessory is connected via the first communication path and a different accessory is connected via the second communication path.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Techniques for facilitating communication between a portable media device (PMD) and an accessory via multiple communication paths. The accessory has a unique accessory identifier that it can send to the PMD upon establishing a connection via each communication path. The PMD can determine whether the same accessory is connected via multiple communication paths based on the accessory identifier received via each communication path. The PMD can route information to the accessory and control routing of information from the accessory based on the set of communication paths that are currently connected and can dynamically change the routing as communication paths are connected and disconnected.
36 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method for communicating between a host device and one or more accessories, the method comprising:
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establishing, by the host device, a first communication path, wherein establishing the first communication path includes receiving, by the host device, a first accessory identifier via the first communication path; establishing, by the host device, a second communication path, wherein establishing the second communication path includes receiving, by the host device, a second accessory identifier via the second communication path; determining, by the host device, whether the first accessory identifier and the second accessory identifier are the same; in the event that the first accessory identifier and the second accessory identifier are the same, determining, by the host device, that the same accessory is connected via both the first communication path and the second communication path; and in the event that the first accessory identifier and the second accessory identifier are not the same, determining, by the host device, that a first accessory is connected via the first communication path and a different accessory is connected via the second communication path. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A host device comprising:
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a processor; an interface coupled to the processor and configured to provide a plurality of communication paths connectable to one or more accessories; and a storage medium coupled to the processor, the storage medium containing program instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to; establish a first communication path with an accessory, wherein establishing the first communication path includes receiving, by the host device, a first accessory identifier via the first communication path; establish a second communication path, wherein establishing the second communication path includes receiving, by the host device, a second accessory identifier via the second communication path; determine whether the first accessory identifier and the second accessory identifier are the same; determine whether the same accessory is connected via both the first communication path and the second communication path based on whether the first accessory identifier and the second accessory identifier are the same; and in the event that the same accessory is connected via both the first communication path and the second communication path, select a routing path for a data stream to be sent to the accessory device, the selection being based on respective properties of the first communication path and the second communication path. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for communicating between an accessory and a host device, the method comprising:
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establishing, by the accessory, a first communication path with a host device using a first transport; sending, by the accessory, an accessory identifier to the host device via the first communication path; while the first communication path remains open, establishing, by the accessory, a second communication path with the host device using a second transport that is different from the first transport; and sending, by the accessory, the accessory identifier to the host device via the second communication path. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An accessory comprising:
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a processor; an interface coupled to the processor and configured to provide a plurality of communication paths connectable to a host device; and a storage medium coupled to the processor, the storage medium containing program instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to; establish a first communication path with a host device using a first transport; send an accessory identifier to the host device via the first communication path; while the first communication path remains open, establish a second communication path with the host device using a second transport that is different from the first transport; and send the accessory identifier to the host device via the second communication path. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification