System and method of wireless communication between devices and a communications network

• US 9,160,420 B2
• Filed: 02/11/2014
• Issued: 10/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Syndefense
• Original Assignee: Equispan
• Inventors: Dua, Robin
• Primary Examiner(s): Milord, Marceau
• Application Number:
  US14/177,328
• Publication Number:
  US 20140162556A1
• Time in Patent Office: 609 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.2, 455/41.3, 455/3.06, 455/556.1, 455/552.1, 455/557
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/44 Browsing; Visualisation therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3278 RFID or NFC payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/48 Transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/77 for interrogation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2809 indicating that an appliance service is present in a home automation network monitoring functionality H04L43/0817; discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services, H04L67/51
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/281 indicating a format for calling an appliance service function in a home automation network for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2816 Controlling appliance services of a home automation network by calling their functionalities arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station; in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom H04Q9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/282 based on user interaction within the home receiver circuitry for displaying additional information being controlled by a remote control apparatus H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2841 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1068 Discovery involving direct consultation or announcement among potential requesting and potential source peers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0264 for a camera module assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0266 for a display module assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/60 Subscription-based services using application servers or record carriers, e.g. SIM application toolkits
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]
• 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 8/005 : Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 : adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A wireless media player and a related system and methodology are disclosed. One aspect of the wireless media player system pertains to a virtual connector system, apparatus, and method for the automatic establishment of wireless connectivity with other electronic devices. In one embodiment, the media player device employs the use of integrated Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology to exchange communication settings, media capability, and other parameters with an external device that also has integrated RFID technology. The automatic exchange of settings and other information via a proximity-based RFID data exchange allows a media player to quickly establish a secure communication link with another device via a commonly supported wireless protocol such as Ultra Wideband (UWB) or Bluetooth. Another aspect of the media player system pertains to a method of using the captured media capability of the connecting device to customize certain menu options and software parameters in the media player.

Claims

1. A method of accessing a local wireless communications network, the method comprising:

establishing a radio frequency (RF) communications link between a first device and a second device when the first and second devices are within a predetermined distance range from one another, the second device being communicatively coupled to the local wireless communications network;

receiving at least settings information with the first device from the second device via the RF communications link;

accessing the local wireless communications network with the first device according the received settings information; and

communicating with at least one of a device that is communicatively coupled to the local wireless communications network and a server that is coupled to the Internet which is accessible from the local wireless communications network with the first device when the first device has received the settings information to access the local wireless communications network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving at least the settings information with the first device from the second device via the RF communications link further includes receiving at least one of security information, account information, user identification information, device information, profile settings information, media capabilities information, and electronic wallet account information.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the media capabilities information includes at least one of audio information, video information, and image information.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the user identification information includes a user identifier, and the security information includes at least one of a password, a personal identification number (PIN), and one or more encryption keys.

5. A communications system, comprising:

a local wireless communications network; and

a first device and a second device to establish a radio frequency (RF) communications link between them when the first and second devices are within a predetermined distance range from one another, the second device being communicatively coupled to the local wireless communications network, the first device to receive at least settings information from the second device via the RF communications link, the first device to access the local wireless communications network according to the received settings information, and the first device to communicate with at least one of a device that is communicatively coupled to the local wireless communications network and a server that is coupled to the Internet which is accessible from the local wireless communications network when the first device has received the settings information to access the local wireless communications network.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the settings information that is received by the first device from the second device via the RF communications link further includes at least one of security information, account information, user identification information, device information, profile settings information, media capabilities information, and electronic wallet account information.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the media capabilities information includes at least one of audio information, video information, and image information.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the user identification information includes a user identifier, and the security information includes at least one of a password, a personal identification number (PIN), and one or more encryption keys.