Wireless docking service with direct connection to peripherals

• US 9,330,047 B2
• Filed: 09/06/2013
• Issued: 05/03/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Huang, Xiaolong, Bhamidipati, Phanikumar Kanakadurga, Raveendran, Vijayalakshmi Rajasundaram, De Vegt, Rolf
• Primary Examiner(s): Dang, Khanh
• Application Number:
  US14/020,316
• Publication Number:
  US 20140201415A1
• Time in Patent Office: 970 Days
• Field of Search: 710/303, 710/304, 710/313, 710/200
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/00 Interconnection of, or transfer of information or other signals between, memories, input/output devices or central processing units interface circuits for specific input/output devices G06F3/00 ; multiprogram control therefor G06F9/46; multiprocessor systems G06F15/16
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/102 where the programme performs an interfacing function, e.g. device driver G06F13/105 takes precedence; scheduling within device drivers G06F9/52; contention policies within device drivers G06F9/4881
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4022 using switching circuits, e.g. switching matrix, connection or expansion network G06F13/4009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4081 Live connection to bus, e.g. hot-plugging current or voltage limitation during live insertion H02H9/004
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2213/3814 Wireless link with a computer system port
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements

Abstract

In one example, a method includes receiving, from a user application and with a wireless docking service of a wireless docking communications stack executing on a computing device, a request to discover one or more peripheral functions within wireless communication range of the computing device. The method also includes, responsive to receiving the request, discovering, with the wireless docking service, the one or more peripheral functions without communicating with a wireless docking center. The method further includes consolidating the peripheral functions into a docking session for the user application. The method also includes, responsive to receiving the request, sending a docking session identifier and one or more respective references corresponding to the one or more peripheral functions to the user application.

Claims

1. A method of wireless docking, the method comprising:

receiving, from a user application and with a wireless docking service of a wireless docking communications stack executing on a computing device, a request to discover one or more peripheral functions within wireless communication range of the computing device;

responsive to receiving the request, discovering, with the wireless docking service, the one or more peripheral functions without communicating with a wireless docking center;

consolidating, with the wireless docking service, the one or more peripheral functions into a docking session for the user application; and

responsive to receiving the request, sending a docking session identifier and one or more respective references corresponding to the one or more peripheral functions from the wireless docking service to the user application.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, with the wireless docking service, a request to configure at least one of the one or more peripheral functions; and

responsive to receiving the request to configure at least one of the one or more peripheral functions and by the wireless docking service, configuring the at least one of the one or more peripheral functions.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, with the wireless docking service and from the user application, a request to use at least one of the one or more peripheral functions; and

responsive to receiving the request to use at least one of the one or more peripheral functions, establishing respective corresponding wireless connections with the at least one of the one or more peripheral functions with the wireless docking service.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless docking communications stack comprises one or more of the following layers that have direct communication interfaces with the wireless docking service:

an application service platform layer, a Wi-Fi direct layer, a Miracast layer, a Wi-Fi Serial Bus layer, a Bluetooth layer, a Print service layer, and a Display service layer.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, with the wireless docking service and from the user application, a request to create a wireless docking environment comprising at least one of the one or more peripheral functions;

responsive to receiving the request to create the wireless docking environment, creating, with a wireless docking service and without communicating with a wireless docking center, the wireless docking environment that includes the at least one of the one or more peripheral functions; and

sending a handle for the wireless docking environment to the user application.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

receiving, with the wireless docking service and from the user application, a request to use the wireless docking environment;

responsive to receiving the request to use the wireless docking environment, establishing respective corresponding wireless connections with at least one peripheral device that offers at least one of the one or more peripheral functions of the wireless docking environment; and

sending the docking session identifier and the one or more respective references corresponding to the one or more peripheral functions to the user application in response to the request to use the wireless docking environment.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, with the wireless docking service and from the user application, a request to discover any wireless docking environments within a wireless communication range;

responsive to receiving the request, discovering, with the wireless docking service and without communicating with a wireless docking center, one or more wireless docking environments that each includes one or more peripheral functions; and

sending a reference to a wireless docking environment of the wireless docking environments to the user application.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

receiving, with the wireless docking service and from the user application, a request to use the wireless docking environment;

responsive to receiving the request to use the wireless docking environment, establishing respective corresponding wireless connections with at least one peripheral device that offers at least one of the one or more peripheral functions of the wireless docking environment; and

sending the docking session identifier and the one or more respective references corresponding to the one or more peripheral functions to the user application in response to the request to use the wireless docking environment.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, with the wireless docking service and from the user application, a request to use at least one of the one or more peripheral functions;

responsive to receiving the request to use at least one of the one or more peripheral functions, establishing, for a first one of the one or more peripheral functions and a second one of the one or more peripheral functions, a common application service platform (ASP) session; and

establishing respective corresponding payload connections for the first one of the one or more peripheral functions and the second one of the one or more peripheral functions, wherein each of the corresponding payload connections use the ASP session.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

sending, from the wireless docking service and to an application service platform layer of the wireless docking communications stack, a configuration credential for configuring the first one of the one or more peripheral functions and a second one of the one or more peripheral functions.

11. A device for wireless docking, the device comprising one or more processors configured to:

receive, from a user application and with a wireless docking service of a wireless docking communications stack executing on the device, a request to discover one or more peripheral functions within wireless communication range of the device;

responsive to receiving the request, discover, with the wireless docking service, the one or more peripheral functions without communicating with a wireless docking center;

consolidate, with the wireless docking service, the one or more peripheral functions into a docking session for the user application; and

responsive to receiving the request, send a docking session identifier and one or more respective references corresponding to the one or more peripheral functions from the wireless docking service to the user application.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

receive, with the wireless docking service, a request to configure at least one of the one or more peripheral functions; and

responsive to receiving the request to configure at least one of the one or more peripheral functions and by the wireless docking service, configure the at least one of the one or more peripheral functions.

13. The device of claim 11, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

receive, with the wireless docking service and from the user application, a request to use at least one of the one or more peripheral functions; and

responsive to receiving the request to use at least one of the one or more peripheral functions, establish respective corresponding wireless connections with at least one peripheral device that offers at least one of the one or more peripheral functions with the wireless docking service.

14. The device of claim 11, wherein the wireless docking communications stack comprises one or more of the following layers that have direct communication interfaces with the wireless docking service:

an application service platform layer, a Wi-Fi direct layer, a Miracast layer, a Wi-Fi Serial Bus layer, a Bluetooth layer, a Print service layer, and a Display service layer.

15. The device of claim 11, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

receive, with the wireless docking service and from the user application, a request to create a wireless docking environment comprising at least one of the one or more peripheral functions;

responsive to receiving the request to create the wireless docking environment, create, with a wireless docking service and without communicating with a wireless docking center, the wireless docking environment that includes the at least one of the one or more peripheral functions; and

send a handle for the wireless docking environment to the user application.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

receive, with the wireless docking service and from the user application, a request to use the wireless docking environment;

responsive to receiving the request to use the wireless docking environment, establish respective corresponding wireless connections with at least one peripheral device that offers at least one of the one or more peripheral functions of the wireless docking environment; and

send the docking session identifier and the one or more respective references corresponding to the one or more peripheral functions to the user application in response to the request to use the wireless docking environment.

17. The device of claim 11, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

receive, with the wireless docking service and from the user application, a request to discover any wireless docking environments within a wireless communication range;

responsive to receiving the request, discover, with the wireless docking service and without communicating with a wireless docking center, one or more wireless docking environments that each includes one or more peripheral functions; and

send a reference to a wireless docking environment of the wireless docking environments to the user application.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

receive, with the wireless docking service and from the user application, a request to use the wireless docking environment;

responsive to receiving the request to use the wireless docking environment, establish respective corresponding wireless connections with at least one peripheral device that offers at least one of the one or more peripheral functions of the wireless docking environment; and

send the docking session identifier and the one or more respective references corresponding to the one or more peripheral functions to the user application in response to the request to use the wireless docking environment.

19. The device of claim 11, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

receive, with the wireless docking service and from the user application, a request to use at least one of the one or more peripheral functions;

responsive to receiving the request to use at least one of the one or more peripheral functions, establish, for a first one of the one or more peripheral functions and a second one of the one or more peripheral functions, a common application service platform (ASP) session; and

establish respective corresponding payload connections for the first one of the one or more peripheral functions and the second one of one or more the peripheral functions, wherein each of the corresponding payload connections use the ASP session.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

send, from the wireless docking service and to an application service platform layer of the wireless docking communications stack, a configuration credential for configuring the first one of the one or more peripheral functions and a second one of the one or more peripheral functions.

21. An apparatus for wireless docking comprising:

means for receiving, from a user application and with a wireless docking service of a wireless docking communications stack executing on the apparatus, a request to discover one or more peripheral functions within wireless communication range of the apparatus;

means for, responsive to receiving the request, discovering, with the wireless docking service, the one or more peripheral functions without communicating with a wireless docking center;

means for consolidating, with the wireless docking service, the one or more peripheral functions into a docking session for the user application; and

means for, responsive to receiving the request, sending a docking session identifier and one or more respective references corresponding to the one or more peripheral functions from the wireless docking service to the user application.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising:

means for receiving, with the wireless docking service, a request to configure at least one of the one or more peripheral functions; and

means for, responsive to receiving the request to configure at least one of the one or more peripheral functions and by the wireless docking service, configuring the at least one of the one or more peripheral functions.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising:

means for receiving, with the wireless docking service and from the user application, a request to use at least one of the one or more peripheral functions; and

means for, responsive to receiving the request to use at least one of the one or more peripheral functions, establishing respective corresponding wireless connections with at least one peripheral device that offers at least one of the one or more peripheral functions with the wireless docking service.

24. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the wireless docking communications stack comprises one or more of the following layers that have direct communication interfaces with the wireless docking service:

an application service platform layer, a Wi-Fi direct layer, a Miracast layer, a Wi-Fi Serial Bus layer, a Bluetooth layer, a Print service layer, and a Display service layer.

25. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising:

means for receiving, with the wireless docking service and from the user application, a request to create a wireless docking environment comprising at least one of the one or more peripheral functions;

means for, responsive to receiving the request to create the wireless docking environment, creating, with a wireless docking service and without communicating with a wireless docking center, the wireless docking environment that includes the at least one of the one or more peripheral functions; and

means for sending a handle for the wireless docking environment to the user application.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, further comprising:

means for receiving, with the wireless docking service and from the user application, a request to use the wireless docking environment;

means for, responsive to receiving the request to use the wireless docking environment, establishing respective corresponding wireless connections with at least one peripheral device that offers at least one of the one or more peripheral functions of the wireless docking environment; and

means for sending the docking session identifier and the one or more respective references corresponding to the one or more peripheral functions to the user application in response to the request to use the wireless docking environment.

27. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising:

means for receiving, with the wireless docking service and from the user application, a request to discover any wireless docking environments within a wireless communication range;

means for, responsive to receiving the request, discovering, with the wireless docking service and without communicating with a wireless docking center, one or more wireless docking environments that each includes one or more peripheral functions; and

means for sending a reference to a wireless docking environment of the wireless docking environments to the user application.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, further comprising:

means for receiving, with the wireless docking service and from the user application, a request to use the wireless docking environment;

means for, responsive to receiving the request to use the wireless docking environment, establishing respective corresponding wireless connections with at least one peripheral device that offers at least one of the one or more peripheral functions of the wireless docking environment; and

means for sending the docking session identifier and the one or more respective references corresponding to the one or more peripheral functions to the user application in response to the request to use the wireless docking environment.

29. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising:

means for receiving, with the wireless docking service and from the user application, a request to use at least one of the one or more peripheral functions;

means for, responsive to receiving the request to use at least one of the one or more peripheral functions, establishing, for a first one of the one or more peripheral functions and a second one of the one or more peripheral functions, a common application service platform (ASP) session; and

means for establishing respective corresponding payload connections for the first one of the one or more peripheral functions and the second one of the one or more peripheral functions, wherein each of the corresponding payload connections use the ASP session.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, further comprising:

means for sending, from the wireless docking service and to an application service platform layer of the wireless docking communications stack, a configuration credential for configuring the first one of the one or more peripheral functions and a second one of the one or more peripheral functions.

31. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions for wireless docking stored thereon that, when executed, configure one or more processors to:

receive, from a user application and with a wireless docking service of a wireless docking communications stack executing on a computing device, a request to discover one or more peripheral functions within wireless communication range of the computing device;

responsive to receiving the request, discover, with the wireless docking service, the one or more peripheral functions without communicating with a wireless docking center;

consolidate, with the wireless docking service, the one or more peripheral functions into a docking session for the user application; and

responsive to receiving the request, send a docking session identifier and one or more respective references corresponding to the one or more peripheral functions from the wireless docking service to the user application.

32. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 31, wherein the instructions further configure the one or more processors to:

receive, with the wireless docking service, a request to configure at least one of the one or more peripheral functions; and

responsive to receiving the request to configure at least one of the one or more peripheral functions and by the wireless docking service, configure the at least one of the one or more peripheral functions.

33. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 31, wherein the instructions further configure the one or more processors to:

receive, with the wireless docking service and from the user application, a request to use at least one of the one or more peripheral functions; and

responsive to receiving the request to use at least one of the one or more peripheral functions, establish respective corresponding wireless connections with at least one peripheral device that offers at least one of the one or more peripheral functions with the wireless docking service.

34. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 31, wherein the wireless docking communications stack comprises one or more of the following layers that have direct communication interfaces with the wireless docking service:

an application service platform layer, a Wi-Fi direct layer, a Miracast layer, a Wi-Fi Serial Bus layer, a Bluetooth layer, a Print service layer, and a Display service layer.

35. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 31, wherein the instructions further configure the one or more processors to:

receive, with the wireless docking service and from the user application, a request to create a wireless docking environment comprising at least one of the one or more peripheral functions;

responsive to receiving the request to create the wireless docking environment, create, with a wireless docking service and without communicating with a wireless docking center, the wireless docking environment that includes the at least one of the one or more peripheral functions; and

send a handle for the wireless docking environment to the user application.

36. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 35, wherein the instructions further configure the one or more processors to:

receive, with the wireless docking service and from the user application, a request to use the wireless docking environment;

responsive to receiving the request to use the wireless docking environment, establish respective corresponding wireless connections with at least one peripheral device that offers at least one of the one or more peripheral functions of the wireless docking environment; and

send the docking session identifier and the one or more respective references corresponding to the one or more peripheral functions to the user application in response to the request to use the wireless docking environment.

37. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 31, wherein the instructions further configure the one or more processors to:

receive, with the wireless docking service and from the user application, a request to discover any wireless docking environments within a wireless communication range;

responsive to receiving the request, discover, with the wireless docking service and without communicating with a wireless docking center, one or more wireless docking environments that each includes one or more peripheral functions; and

send a reference to a wireless docking environment of the wireless docking environments to the user application.

38. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 37, wherein the instructions further configure the one or more processors to:

receive, with the wireless docking service and from the user application, a request to use the wireless docking environment;

responsive to receiving the request to use the wireless docking environment, establish respective corresponding wireless connections with at least one peripheral device that offers at least one of the one or more peripheral functions of the wireless docking environment; and

send the docking session identifier and the one or more respective references corresponding to the one or more peripheral functions to the user application in response to the request to use the wireless docking environment.

39. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 31, wherein the instructions further configure the one or more processors to:

receive, with the wireless docking service and from the user application, a request to use at least one of the one or more peripheral functions;

responsive to receiving the request to use at least one of the one or more peripheral functions, establish, for a first one of the one or more peripheral functions and a second one of the one or more peripheral functions, a common application service platform (ASP) session; and

establish respective corresponding payload connections for the first one of the one or more peripheral functions and the second one of the one or more peripheral functions, wherein each of the corresponding payload connections use the ASP session.

40. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 39, wherein the instructions further configure the one or more processors to:

send, from the wireless docking service and to an application service platform layer of the wireless docking communications stack, a configuration credential for configuring the first one of the one or more peripheral functions and a second one of the one or more peripheral functions.