Information handling system docking with coordinated power and data communication
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An information handling system comprising:
- a housing;
a processor disposed in the housing, the processor operable to execute instructions for processing information;
memory disposed in the housing, the memory interfaced with the processor and operable to store the instructions and information;
a docking manager disposed in the housing, the docking manager operable to manage interactions with an external docking station through a docking port;
the docking port disposed in the housing and having plural data lanes, the docking manager operable to adapt the data lanes to selected of plural protocols;
wireless networking resources disposed in the housing and operable to support wireless networking interfaces through one or more wireless protocols;
a docking station separate from the housing, the docking station having a docking manager and a docking port with plural data lanes, and having wireless networking resources;
a docking cable operable to connect to the docking station docking port and the housing docking port;
a virtual wireless access point disposed in the docking station and operable to communicate with the information handling system docking manager to assign wireless networking resources of the docking station to tasks associated with the information handling system;
plural peripheral devices managed by the docking station, at least some of the plural peripheral devices interfaced with the docking station by cables and at least some the plural peripheral devices interfaced with the docking station by wireless networking resources;
wherein the docking manager is further operable to coordinate assignment of the wireless networking resources to networking tasks in cooperation with the external docking station; and
wherein the virtual wireless access point is further operable to selectively assign a first of the plural peripheral devices to communicate directly with the information handling system wireless networking resources and a second of the plural peripheral devices to communicate with the information handling system through a cable connecting the information handling system with the docking station.
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Abstract
A docking station connects through a docking port and docking cable with an information handling system to support communication between the information handling system and docking station peripherals. On initial interface, one data lane of the docking port establishes a temporary management interface, such as an I2C management bus, to configure the docking station. After configuration, a docking manager, virtual wireless access point and power block cooperate to assign data lanes of the docking port and wireless communication resources to information transfer and power transfer functions based upon processing and communication tasks performed at the information handling system.
35 Citations
15 Claims
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1. An information handling system comprising:
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a housing; a processor disposed in the housing, the processor operable to execute instructions for processing information; memory disposed in the housing, the memory interfaced with the processor and operable to store the instructions and information; a docking manager disposed in the housing, the docking manager operable to manage interactions with an external docking station through a docking port; the docking port disposed in the housing and having plural data lanes, the docking manager operable to adapt the data lanes to selected of plural protocols; wireless networking resources disposed in the housing and operable to support wireless networking interfaces through one or more wireless protocols; a docking station separate from the housing, the docking station having a docking manager and a docking port with plural data lanes, and having wireless networking resources; a docking cable operable to connect to the docking station docking port and the housing docking port; a virtual wireless access point disposed in the docking station and operable to communicate with the information handling system docking manager to assign wireless networking resources of the docking station to tasks associated with the information handling system; plural peripheral devices managed by the docking station, at least some of the plural peripheral devices interfaced with the docking station by cables and at least some the plural peripheral devices interfaced with the docking station by wireless networking resources; wherein the docking manager is further operable to coordinate assignment of the wireless networking resources to networking tasks in cooperation with the external docking station; and wherein the virtual wireless access point is further operable to selectively assign a first of the plural peripheral devices to communicate directly with the information handling system wireless networking resources and a second of the plural peripheral devices to communicate with the information handling system through a cable connecting the information handling system with the docking station. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method for interfacing an information handling system with a docking station, the method comprising:
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detecting a cable connection between the docking station and the information handling system; configuring one or more data lanes of the cable connection to communicate peripheral information between the docking station and the information handling system; and selectively communicating between the information handling system and plural peripherals through the cable and through wireless networking resources based upon assignments of wireless networking resources made by the docking station; wherein selectively communicating further comprise; communicating visual information from the information handling system to a first display through the cable and the docking station for presentation at the first display; communicating visual information from the information handling system to a second display directly through a wireless interface between the information handling system and the second display; determining an image refresh rate for images presented at the first and second displays; and assigning the first display to cable-based communication with the information handling system and the second display to wireless-based communication with the information handling system based upon a comparison of the image refresh rate of the first and second displays. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10)
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11. A docking station comprising:
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a housing; one or more docking ports disposed at the housing, each docking port configured to interface with an information handling system docking connector; one or more peripheral ports disposed at the housing, each peripheral port configured to interface with a peripheral device; wireless networking resources disposed in the housing and configured to interface with one or more information handling systems and one or more peripherals through one or more wireless protocols; a docking manager disposed in the housing and interfaced with the one or more docking ports, the docking manager operable to assign tasks to data lanes of the one or more docking ports for supporting operation of an information handling system; a virtual wireless access point disposed in the housing and interfaced with the docking manager, the virtual wireless access point operable to assign wireless communication tasks to the wireless networking resources based upon tasks assigned to the data lanes; a first display having a wired interface with a first of the plural peripheral ports and a wireless interface with the wireless networking resources; and a second display having a wired interface with a second of the plural peripheral ports and a wireless interface with the wireless networking resources; wherein the virtual wireless access point is further operable to selectively assign wireless networking resources and data lanes to communicate display information between an information handling system and the first and second displays based upon one or more predetermined factors. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification