System and method for persistent wireless docking

• US 9,544,048 B2
• Filed: 02/06/2013
• Issued: 01/10/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Raveendran, Vijayalakshmi R., Huang, Xiaolong
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Simon
• Application Number:
  US13/760,993
• Publication Number:
  US 20130309973A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,434 Days
• Field of Search: 455 412- 413, 455/414.1, 455418-420, 455/556.1, 455/557
• 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 13/4068 Electrical coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/26 at least one of which is mobile
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/715 using two or more extensions per line cordless telephones H04M1/725
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces

Abstract

Various aspects of the present disclosure enable a persistent docking procedure that, once a persistent docking environment has been established, can simplify the future establishment of a docking environment between the dockee and docking host. Other aspects, embodiments, and features are also claimed and described.

Claims

1. A method operable at a docking host for docking with a dockee, the method comprising:

establishing a communication link with the dockee;

discovering a persistent docking environment utilizing the communication link, the persistent docking environment comprising a prior docking environment established during prior communication with the dockee, wherein the discovering of the persistent docking environment comprises selecting, based on a unique persistent docking identifier associated with the dockee and one from among the plurality of available persistent docking environments, the one from among a plurality of available persistent docking environments each associated with a different group of available peripheral devices and wherein each one of a plurality of different persistent docking environment identifiers is associated with a particular dockee and a particular docking environment; and

establishing a persistent docking session utilizing the selected persistent docking environment.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

establishing an initial docking session between the dockee and the docking host, the initial docking session comprising the prior docking environment;

storing docking environment information corresponding to the initial docking session as the persistent docking environment; and

ending the initial docking session.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the initial docking session and the persistent docking session utilize a wireless local area network connection between the docking host and the dockee.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the storing of the docking environment information comprises transmitting a service discovery request message to the dockee, comprising information corresponding to the initial docking session.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the storing of the docking environment information comprises storing the docking environment information in a memory at the docking host.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the storing of the docking environment information further comprises:

receiving a service discovery request message from the dockee, comprising a request to store the docking environment information.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the discovering of the persistent docking environment comprises transmitting an advertisement to the dockee to indicate to the dockee a persistent docking capability during the initial docking session.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the discovering of the persistent docking environment comprises receiving an advertisement from the dockee during the initial docking session to indicate that the dockee supports persistent docking.

9. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

transmitting an acknowledgment to the dockee configured to confirm a creation of the persistent docking environment.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

removing a stored persistent docking environment after an expiration of a persistent docking environment expiration timer.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

removing a stored persistent docking environment in response to a received request, from the dockee, to remove the stored persistent docking environment.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting a message to the dockee indicating that a stored persistent docking environment is no longer available.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the prior docking environment comprises a prior communication link established between the dockee and a group of available peripheral devices associated with the selected one from among the plurality of available persistent docking environments.

14. A method operable at a dockee for docking with a docking host, the method comprising:

establishing a communication link with the docking host;

discovering a persistent docking environment utilizing the communication link, the persistent docking environment comprising a prior docking environment established during prior communication with the docking host, wherein the discovering of the persistent docking environment comprises selecting, based on a unique persistent docking identifier associated with the dockee and one from among the plurality of available persistent docking environments, the one from among a plurality of available persistent docking environments each associated with a different group of available peripheral devices, and wherein each one of a plurality of different persistent docking environment identifiers is associated with a particular dockee and a particular docking environment; and

establishing a persistent docking session utilizing the persistent docking environment.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

establishing an initial docking session between the docking host and the dockee, the initial docking session comprising the prior docking environment;

storing docking environment information corresponding to the initial docking session as the persistent docking environment; and

ending the initial docking session.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the initial docking session and the persistent docking session utilize a wireless local area network connection between the docking host and the dockee.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the storing of the docking environment information comprises:

receiving a service discovery request message from the docking host, comprising information corresponding to the initial docking session; and

storing the information corresponding to the initial docking session in a memory at the dockee.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the storing of the docking environment information further comprises:

transmitting a service discovery request message to the docking host, comprising a request to store the docking environment information.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the discovering of the persistent docking environment comprises receiving an advertisement from the docking host to indicate a persistent docking capability during the initial docking session.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the discovering of the persistent docking environment comprises transmitting an advertisement to the docking host during the initial docking session to indicate to the docking host that the dockee supports persistent docking.

21. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving an acknowledgment from the docking host configured to confirm a creation of the persistent docking environment.

22. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

removing a stored persistent docking environment after an expiration of a persistent docking environment expiration timer.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

receiving the persistent docking environment expiration timer from the docking host.

24. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

transmitting an explicit request to the docking host to remove a stored persistent docking environment.

25. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

receiving a message from the docking host indicating that a stored persistent docking environment is no longer available.

26. The method of claim 14, wherein the prior docking environment comprises a prior communication link established between the dockee and a group of available peripheral devices associated with the selected one from among the plurality of available persistent docking environments.

27. A docking host configured for docking with a dockee, comprising:

at least one processor;

a memory communicatively coupled to the at least one processor; and

a communication interface communicatively coupled to the at least one processor,

wherein the at least one processor is configured to;

establish a communication link with the dockee;

discover a persistent docking environment utilizing the communication link, the persistent docking environment comprising a prior docking environment established during prior communication with the dockee, wherein the at least one processor, being configured to discover the persistent docking environment, is further configured to select, based on a unique persistent docking identifier associated with the dockee and one from among the plurality of available persistent docking environments, the one from among a plurality of available persistent docking environments each associated with a different group of available peripheral devices, and wherein each one of a plurality of different persistent docking environment identifiers is associated with a particular dockee and a particular docking environment; and

establish a persistent docking session utilizing the persistent docking environment.

28. The docking host of claim 27, wherein the communication interface comprises a wireless local area network (WLAN) transceiver.

29. The docking host of claim 28, wherein the communication interface further comprises a peripheral communication interface separate from the WLAN transceiver.

30. The docking host of claim 27, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

establish an initial docking session between the dockee and the docking host, the initial docking session comprising the prior docking environment;

store docking environment information corresponding to the initial docking session as the persistent docking environment; and

end the initial docking session.

31. The docking host of claim 30, wherein the initial docking session and the persistent docking session utilize a wireless local area network connection between the docking host and the dockee.

32. The docking host of claim 30, wherein the storing of the docking environment information comprises transmitting a service discovery request message to the dockee, comprising information corresponding to the initial docking session.

33. The docking host of claim 30, wherein the at least one processor, being configured to store the docking environment information, is further configured to store the docking environment information in the memory at the docking host.

34. The docking host of claim 33, wherein the at least one processor, being configured to store the docking environment information, is further configured to receive a service discovery request message from the dockee, comprising a request to store the docking environment information.

35. The docking host of claim 30, wherein the at least one processor, being configured to discover the persistent docking environment, is further configured to transmit an advertisement to the dockee to indicate to the dockee a persistent docking capability during the initial docking session.

36. The docking host of claim 30, wherein the at least one processor, being configured to discover the persistent docking environment, is further configured to receive an advertisement from the dockee during the initial docking session to indicate that the dockee supports persistent docking.

37. The docking host of claim 30, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to transmit an acknowledgment to the dockee configured to confirm a creation of the persistent docking environment.

38. The docking host of claim 27, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to remove a stored persistent docking environment after an expiration of a persistent docking environment expiration timer.

39. The docking host of claim 27, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to remove a stored persistent docking environment in response to a received request, from the dockee, to remove the stored persistent docking environment.

40. The docking host of claim 27, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to transmit a message to the dockee indicating that a stored persistent docking environment is no longer available.

41. The docking host of claim 27, wherein the prior docking environment comprises a prior communication link established between the dockee and a group of available peripheral devices associated with the selected one from among the plurality of available persistent docking environments.

42. A dockee configured for docking with a docking host, comprising:

at least one processor;

a memory communicatively coupled to the at least one processor; and

a communication interface communicatively coupled to the at least one processor,

wherein the at least one processor is configured to;

establish a communication link with the docking host;

discover a persistent docking environment utilizing the communication link, the persistent docking environment comprising a prior docking environment established during prior communication with the docking host, wherein the at least one processor, being configured to discover the persistent docking environment, is further configured to select, based on a unique persistent docking identifier associated with the dockee and one from among the plurality of available persistent docking environments, the one from among a plurality of available persistent docking environments each associated with a different group of available peripheral devices, and wherein each one of a plurality of different persistent docking environment identifiers is associated with a particular dockee and a particular docking environment; and

establish a persistent docking session utilizing the persistent docking environment.

43. The dockee of claim 42, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

establish an initial docking session between the docking host and the dockee, the initial docking session comprising the prior docking environment;

store docking environment information corresponding to the initial docking session as the persistent docking environment; and

end the initial docking session.

44. The dockee of claim 43, wherein the initial docking session and the persistent docking session utilize a wireless local area network connection between the docking host and the dockee.

45. The dockee of claim 43, wherein the at least one processor, being configured to store the docking environment information, is further configured to:

receive a service discovery request message from the docking host, comprising information corresponding to the initial docking session; and

store the information corresponding to the initial docking session in the memory at the dockee.

46. The dockee of claim 43, wherein the at least one processor, being configured to store the docking environment information, is further configured to transmit a service discovery request message to the docking host, comprising a request to store the docking environment information.

47. The dockee of claim 43, wherein the at least one processor, being configured to discover the persistent docking environment, is further configured to receive an advertisement from the docking host to indicate a persistent docking capability during the initial docking session.

48. The dockee of claim 43, wherein the at least one processor, being configured to discover the persistent docking environment, is further configured to transmit an advertisement to the docking host during the initial docking session to indicate to the docking host that the dockee supports persistent docking.

49. The dockee of claim 43, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to receive an acknowledgment from the docking host configured to confirm a creation of the persistent docking environment.

50. The dockee of claim 42, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to remove a stored persistent docking environment after an expiration of a persistent docking environment expiration timer.

51. The dockee of claim 50, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to receive the persistent docking environment expiration timer from the docking host.

52. The dockee of claim 42, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to transmit an explicit request to the docking host to remove a stored persistent docking environment.

53. The dockee of claim 42, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to receive a message from the docking host indicating that a stored persistent docking environment is no longer available.

54. The dockee of claim 42, wherein the prior docking environment comprises a prior communication link established between the dockee and a group of available peripheral devices associated with the selected one from among the plurality of available persistent docking environments.

55. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium operable at a docking host configured for docking with a dockee, comprising:

instructions for causing a computer to establish a communication link with the dockee;

instructions for causing the computer to discover a persistent docking environment utilizing the communication link, the persistent docking environment comprising a prior docking environment established during prior communication with the dockee, wherein the instructions causing the computer to discover the persistent docking environment further cause the computer to select, based on a unique persistent docking identifier associated with the dockee and one from among the plurality of available persistent docking environments, the one from among a plurality of available persistent docking environments each associated with a different group of available peripheral devices and wherein each one of a plurality of different persistent docking environment identifiers is associated with a particular dockee and a particular docking environment; and

instructions for causing the computer to establish a persistent docking session utilizing the persistent docking environment.

56. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium operable at a dockee configured for docking with a docking host, comprising:

instructions for causing a computer to establish a communication link with the docking host;

instructions for causing the computer to discover a persistent docking environment utilizing the communication link, the persistent docking environment comprising a prior docking environment established during prior communication with the docking host, wherein the instructions causing the computer to discover the persistent docking environment further cause the computer to select, based on a unique persistent docking identifier associated with the dockee and one from among the plurality of available persistent docking environments, the one from among a plurality of available persistent docking environments each associated with a different group of available peripheral devices, and wherein each one of a plurality of different persistent docking environment identifiers is associated with a particular docking host and a particular docking environment; and

instructions for causing the computer to establish a persistent docking session utilizing the persistent docking environment.

57. A docking host configured for docking with a dockee, comprising:

means for establishing a communication link with the dockee;

means for discovering a persistent docking environment utilizing the communication link, the persistent docking environment comprising a prior docking environment established during prior communication with the dockee, wherein the means for discovering the persistent docking environment further comprise means to select, based on a unique persistent docking identifier associated with the dockee and one from among the plurality of available persistent docking environments, the one from among a plurality of available persistent docking environments each associated with a different group of available peripheral devices and wherein each one of a plurality of different persistent docking environment identifiers is associated with a particular dockee and a particular docking environment; and

means for establishing a persistent docking session utilizing the persistent docking environment.

58. A dockee configured for docking with a docking host, comprising:

means for establishing a communication link with the docking host;

means for discovering a persistent docking environment utilizing the communication link, the persistent docking environment comprising a prior docking environment established during prior communication with the docking host, wherein the means for discovering the persistent docking environment further comprise means to select, based on a unique persistent docking identifier associated with the dockee and one from among the plurality of available persistent docking environments, the one from among a plurality of available persistent docking environments each associated with a different group of available peripheral devices and wherein each one of a plurality of different persistent docking environment identifiers is associated with a particular dockee and a particular docking environment; and

means for establishing a persistent docking session utilizing the persistent docking environment.