Method and apparatus for providing files to electronic devices

• US 9,155,116 B2
• Filed: 03/16/2011
• Issued: 10/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Bukurak, David, Abratowski, Przemyslaw, Kramer, Kem-Laurin
• Primary Examiner(s): Urban, Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): Justus, Ralph H
• Application Number:
  US13/049,131
• Publication Number:
  US 20110263201A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,665 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.1, 455/41.2, 455/41.3
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72448 with means for adapting the functionality of the device according to specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/069 using certificates or pre-shared keys
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/21 for social networking applications
• 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 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals

Abstract

Method and apparatus for transferring a file from a sending wireless device to a receiving wireless device in a short-range wireless system. A file to be sent to the receiving wireless device is selected on the sending wireless device. The sending wireless device has a device list of receiving wireless devices. If the receiving wireless device is absent on the device list, the sending wireless device searches and identifies new devices. A device among the identified new devices is selected as the receiving wireless device. A connection is established between the sending wireless device and the receiving wireless device; and the file is sent to the receiving wireless device.

Claims

1. A method of transferring a file from a sending wireless device to a target receiving wireless device in a short-range wireless system, the method comprising:

receiving, on the sending wireless device, a selection of a file to be sent to the target receiving wireless device, the file being an image file, an audio file or a video file;

displaying, on the sending wireless device, a list of receiving wireless devices that have a stored paired connection with the sending wireless device;

identifying at least one new wireless device based on an indication that the target receiving wireless device is not in the displayed list;

receiving a selection of at least one new wireless device as the target receiving wireless device;

establishing a paired connection between the sending wireless device and the target receiving wireless device;

sending the file to the target receiving wireless device once the new pairing connection has been established;

after the file has been sent to the target receiving wireless device, displaying, on the sending wireless device, a user selectable option configured to initiate an operation to store pairing information related to the target receiving wireless device and to add the target receiving wireless device to the list of receiving wireless devices that have a stored paired connection with the sending wireless device;

detecting a selection of the user selectable option; and

storing the pairing information related to the target receiving wireless device such that the target receiving wireless device is configured to be in paired connection with the sending wireless device.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the short-range wireless system is a Bluetooth™

system; and

the establishing a new pairing connection comprises pairing the sending wireless device with the target receiving wireless device.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the short-range wireless system uses one of Infrared Data Association (IrDA), Ultra-Wideband (UWB), Z-Wave and ZigBee.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the short-range wireless system is a wireless personal area network (PAN).

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein the receiving mobile device is one of a mobile phone, an audio player, an adapter for portable devices, an adapter for home entertainment device, a personal computer, a personal digital assistants (PDA), a digital camera, a Global Positioning System (GPS) and a video game console.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, on the sending wireless device, a selection of a second file to be sent to the target receiving wireless device;

displaying, on the sending wireless device, a revised list of receiving wireless devices that have a stored paired connection with the sending wireless device, wherein the revised list includes the target receiving wireless device;

detecting a selection of the target receiving wireless device; and

sending the file to the target receiving wireless device based on the stored pairing information related to the target receiving wireless device.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the storing of the pairing information comprises:

determining an authentication protocol for the target receiving wireless device; and

storing data necessary for authentication pursuant to the determined authentication protocol, such that the target receiving wireless device can avoid a requirement to be reauthenticated for subsequent file transfers.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the paring information comprises a name of the target wireless receiving device and an address for the target receiving wireless device.

9. A wireless device used in a short-range wireless system, the wireless device comprising:

a transceiver configured for communicating with a target receiving wireless device;

a memory including a list of receiving wireless devices that have a paired connection with the wireless device; and

a processor electrically coupled with the transceiver and the memory, the processor configured for;

receiving a selection of a file to be sent to the target receiving wireless device, the file being an image file, an audio file or a video file;

displaying, on a display of the wireless device, the list of receiving wireless devices that have a stored paired connection with the wireless device;

identifying at least one new wireless device based on an indication that the target receiving wireless device is not in the displayed list;

receiving a selection of at least one new wireless device as the target receiving wireless device;

establishing a paired connection with the target receiving wireless device;

sending the file to the target receiving wireless device once the new pairing connection has been established;

after the file has been sent to the target receiving wireless device, displaying, on the display of the wireless device, a user selectable option configured to initiate an operation to store pairing information related to the target receiving wireless device and to add the target receiving wireless device to the list of receiving wireless devices that have a stored paired connection with the wireless device;

detecting a selection of the user selectable option; and

storing the pairing information related to the target receiving wireless device such that the target receiving wireless device is configured to be in paired connection with the sending wireless device.

10. The wireless device according to claim 9, wherein the short-range wireless system is a Bluetooth™

system; and

the establishing a new pairing connection comprises pairing the wireless device with the target receiving wireless device.

11. The wireless device according to claim 9, wherein the short-range wireless system uses Infrared Data Association (IrDA), Ultra-Wideband (UWB), Z-Wave or ZigBee.

12. The wireless device according to claim 9, wherein the short-range wireless system is a wireless personal area network (PAN).

13. The wireless device according to claim 9, wherein the target receiving wireless device is one of a mobile phone, an audio player, an adapter for portable devices, an adapter for home entertainment device, a personal computer, a personal digital assistants (PDA), a digital camera, a Global Positioning System (GPS) and a video game console.

14. The wireless device according to claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive, on the sending wireless device, a selection of a second file to be sent to the target receiving wireless device;

display, on the sending wireless device, a revised list of receiving wireless devices that have a stored paired connection with the sending wireless device, wherein the revised list includes the target receiving wireless device;

detect a selection of the target receiving wireless device; and

send the file to the target receiving wireless device based on the stored pairing information related to the target receiving wireless device.

15. The wireless device according to claim 9, wherein the storing of the pairing information comprises:

determining an authentication protocol for the target receiving wireless device; and

storing data necessary for authentication pursuant to the determined authentication protocol, such that the target receiving wireless device can avoid a requirement to be reauthenticated for subsequent file transfers.

16. The wireless device according to claim 9, wherein the paring information comprises a name of the target wireless receiving device and an address for the target receiving wireless device.

17. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions executable by a processor of a wireless device which, when executed cause the wireless device to:

receive a selection of a file to be sent to a target receiving wireless device, the file being an image file, an audio file or a video file;

display, on a display of the wireless device, a list of receiving wireless devices that have a stored paired connection with the wireless device;

identify at least one new wireless device based on an indication that the target receiving wireless device is not in the displayed list;

receive a selection of the at least one new wireless device as the target receiving wireless device;

establish a paired connection with the target receiving wireless device;

send the file to the target receiving wireless device once the new pairing connection has been established;

after the file has been sent to the target receiving wireless device, display, on the display of the wireless device, a user selectable option configured to initiate an operation to store pairing information related to the target receiving wireless device and to add the target receiving wireless device to the list of receiving wireless devices that have a stored paired connection with the wireless device;

detect a selection of the user selectable option; and

store the pairing information related to the target receiving wireless device such that the target receiving wireless device is configured to be in paired connection with the sending wireless device.

18. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 17, wherein the short-range wireless system is a Bluetooth™

system; and

the establishing a new pairing connection comprises pairing the wireless device with the target receiving wireless device.

19. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 17, wherein the short-range wireless system uses one of Infrared Data Association (IrDA), Ultra-Wideband (UWB), Z-Wave and ZigBee.

20. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 17, wherein the short-range wireless system is a wireless personal area network (PAN).

21. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 17, wherein the target receiving wireless device is one of a mobile phone, an audio player, an adapter for portable devices, an adapter for home entertainment device, a personal computer, a personal digital assistants (PDA), a digital camera, a Global Positioning System (GPS) and a video game console.

22. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 17, wherein the instructions further cause the device to:

receive, on the sending wireless device, a selection of a second file to be sent to the target receiving wireless device;

display, on the sending wireless device, a revised list of receiving wireless devices that have a stored paired connection with the sending wireless device, wherein the revised list includes the target receiving wireless device;

detect a selection of the target receiving wireless device; and

send the file to the target receiving wireless device based on the stored pairing information related to the target receiving wireless device.

23. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 17, wherein the storing of the pairing information comprises:

determining an authentication protocol for the target receiving wireless device; and

storing data necessary for authentication pursuant to the determined authentication protocol, such that the target receiving wireless device can avoid a requirement to be reauthenticated for subsequent file transfers.

24. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 17, wherein the pairing information comprises a name of the target wireless receiving device and an address for the target receiving wireless device.