Wireless docking with carrier sense control

• US 9,338,268 B2
• Filed: 01/28/2013
• Issued: 05/10/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Inventors: Holtman, Koen Johanna Guillaume
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TUAN HOANG
• Application Number:
  US14/375,949
• Publication Number:
  US 20150024697A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,198 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.1, 455/41.2, 455/79, 455/522
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/123 using adaptive balancing or compensation means adaptive filter circuits and algorithms H03H
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/04 Supports for telephone transmitters or receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/0808 using carrier sensing, e.g. carrier sense multiple access [CSMA]

Abstract

A wireless docking system in a shared radio spectrum environment includes a docking station (220) configured with a radio (224) connected to an antenna (222), a dockee (210) configured with a radio (214) connected to an antenna (212) and using a radio standard with a carrier sense mechanism for communications with the docking station, and a system to reduce sensitivity of the carrier sense mechanism in at least one of the radio (214) of the dockee (210) and the radio (224) of the docking station (220).

Claims

1. A docking station for wireless docking with a dockee in a shared radio spectrum environment using a standard with a carrier sensing mechanism for communications, the docking station comprising:

a radio;

an antenna connected to the radio, wherein the radio is configured to cause a carrier detection threshold of the carrier sensing mechanism to be higher when the dockee is docked than when the dockee is undocked.

2. The docking station according to claim 1, further comprising a noise generator configured to transmit first signals in order to raise a noise floor for second signals received in the dockee to a level that masks radio transmissions in a radio environment other than the docking station.

3. The docking station according to claim 1, wherein the antenna of the docking station is directional so that signals transmitted from the docking station are directed toward the dockee when docked.

4. The docking station according to claim 1, wherein the docking station is configured to provide a transit power control (TPC) report to the dockee that implements the TPC, such that the docking station can provide feedback to the dockee for lowering transmit power settings used by the dockee when docked.

5. The docking station according to claim 1, wherein the docking station further comprises:

a sensor for detecting a physical docking between the dockee and the docking station; and

a control system configured to change the carrier detection threshold based on the sensor.

6. The docking station according to claim 5, wherein the carrier detection threshold is increased in a docked state compared to a normal value.

7. The docking station according to claim 6, wherein the docking station is further configured to lower, in the docked state, a signal strength used for packet transmissions by the radio.

8. A docking station for wireless docking with a dockee in a shared radio spectrum environment with a carrier sensing mechanism for communication with the docking station, the docking station comprising:

a radio connected to an antenna; and

a radio absorber having a slot for inserting the dockee, such that when the dockee is inserted, the radio absorber substantially surrounds a dockee antenna, wherein the radio absorber is made of a radio absorbing material for absorbing energy of passing radio signals.

9. The docking station according to claim 8, wherein the radio absorber is made of a flexible radio absorbing material and is configured to deform so as to accept and substantially surround antennas of different types of dockees having a range of sizes.

10. The docking station according to claim 8, further comprising a shielding element for reflecting radio signals to the radio absorber.

11. The docking station according to claim 10, wherein the shielding element is built into the radio absorber.

12. The docking station according to claim 8, wherein the radio absorber is a foam comprising a conducting material.

13. A wireless docking system in a shared radio spectrum environment wherein a dockee is configured with a first radio connected to a first antenna using a standard with a carrier sensing mechanism for communications, and a docking station is configured with a second radio connected to a second antenna, the wireless docking system further comprising:

a first radio modification module for switching the first radio between at least a first mode and a second mode;

a sensor for detecting a physical docking between the dockee and the docking station; and

a control system configured to change between the first mode and the second mode based on the sensor detecting the physical docking.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein the wireless docking system further comprises a second radio modification module for switching the second radio between at least the first mode and the second mode, wherein the control system is further configured to change between the first mode and the second mode based on the sensor detecting the physical docking.

15. The system according to claim 14, wherein a carrier detection threshold in the first and second radio is different in the first mode than in the second mode.

16. The system according to claim 14, wherein a transmission power in the first and second radio is different in the first mode than in the second mode.

17. The system according to claim 13, wherein the sensor is configured to detect the physical docking by a proximity sensing.

18. The system according to claim 13, wherein the sensor is configured to detect the physical docking by radio signal strength measurements between the first antenna and the second antenna.

19. The system according to claim 13, wherein the control system includes controllers in the dockee and the docking station that communicate with each other.

20. The system according to claim 13, wherein the first or second radio modification module is configured to switch between the first and second mode on a per-packet basis.

21. The system according to claim 13, wherein the docking station further comprises a noise generator configured to transmit a noise signal that masks transmissions in a radio environment, such that within an area around the dockee the noise signal does not prevent transmissions by the second radio of the docking station from being detected or received by the first radio of the dockee.

22. The system according to claim 13, wherein the docking station further comprises a radio absorber having a slot for inserting the dockee, such that when the dockee is inserted, the radio absorber substantially surrounds the first antenna of the dockee, wherein the radio absorber is made of a radio absorbing material for absorbing energy of passing radio signals.