Docking station for portable devices providing authorized power transfer and facility access

• US 9,569,636 B2
• Filed: 05/16/2016
• Issued: 02/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Z124 LLC (Flexis)
• Original Assignee: Z124 LLC (Flexis)
• Inventors: Ricci, Christopher P., Dupray, Dennis J.
• Primary Examiner(s): KIM, TAE K
• Application Number:
  US15/156,122
• Publication Number:
  US 20160292449A1
• Time in Patent Office: 274 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• 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 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2137 Time limited access, e.g. to a computer or data
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones

Abstract

A docking station for docking portable electronic devices is disclosed. The docking station is configured to mechanically accept and operatively interface with the portable electronic device for non-contact charging and data transfer. The docking station can provide security features for providing and/or restricting access to computational facilities such as printers, databases, installed programs, etc. Such security features can include installing applications on such portable devices that limit access.

Claims

1. A docking system, comprising:

a docking station, the docking station comprising;

a first holding system to support a first portable device;

a second holding system to support a second portable device;

an interface system operable to interface with one or more of the first and second portable devices, the interface system operable to provide one or more of data and power to each of the first and second portable devices concurrently without a physical electrical connection;

a memory; and

a processor in communication with the memory and the interface system, the processor programmed to;

perceive a presence of the first portable device on the first holding system;

energize a first inductive coil of the docking station to create a first magnetic field, the first magnetic field inducing a current and a second field in an inductive coil of the first portable device;

determine a strength of the second field originating in the inductive coil of the first portable device;

determine, based on the strength of the second field, if an alignment of the first portable device with the docking station is correct;

when the alignment of the first portable device is not correct, provide alignment directions to a user of the first portable device to correct the alignment of the first portable device with the docking station;

after determining the alignment of the first portable device is correct, exchange first authorization credentials between the first portable device and the docking station;

determine if the first portable device is authorized;

if the first portable device is authorized, determine a level of access to provide to the first portable device, wherein the processor accesses information associated with the first portable device stored in the memory;

provide the first portable device at least one of access to one or more systems connected to the docking station and access to data accessible by the docking station;

perceive a presence of a second portable device on the second holding system;

exchange second authorization credentials between the second portable device and the docking station, wherein the first authorization credentials and second authorization credentials are different;

determine if the second portable device is authorized;

if the second portable device is not authorized, prevent access by the second portable device to one or more systems connected to the docking station; and

after determining that an access authorization has been transferred from the first portable device to the second portable device, provide the second portable device access to one or more systems connected to the docking station, wherein the level of access provided to the first portable device is greater than a level of access provided to the second portable device, wherein the access authorization for the second portable device expires at a predetermined time, and wherein the access authorization disables one or more of a telephone function, an email function, and a camera function of the second portable device.

2. The docking system of claim 1, further comprising:

a data transfer mechanism of the interface system operable to receive or transmit data wirelessly from or to each of the first and second portable devices, the data transfer mechanism comprising a first data inductive coil and a second data inductive coil, wherein the electrical current of the first and second data inductive coils has a higher frequency than electrical current of the first inductive coil.

3. The docking system of claim 1, wherein the alignment directions to the user comprise visual indicia displayed on a display of the first portable device, the visual indicia including arrows that indicate directions to move the first portable device to reach a position of correct alignment in the docking station.

4. The docking system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further programmed to determine if a strength of the second field of the inductive coil of the first portable device is maximized based on a location of the first inductive coil of the docking station, and wherein, when the second field is not maximized, a positioning mechanism of the docking station is operable to move the first inductive coil to a position to maximize the second field.

5. The docking system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further programmed to provide an audible alert when the first portable device is correctly aligned with the docking station.

6. The docking system of claim 1, wherein the docking station is configured to interface with three or more portable devices, and wherein the docking station can transfer between about 15 to about 25 Watts of power to one of the three or more portable devices.

7. The docking system of claim 5, wherein the docking station further comprises one or more other connections to one or more other systems, devices, peripherals, or data storage.

8. The docking system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further programmed to activate one or more lights of the docking station when the alignment of the first portable device is not correct to indicate a direction for the user to move the first portable device to a correct alignment position in the docking system.

9. The docking system of claim 8, wherein the lights blink at a frequency to indicate an amount of movement required to correct the alignment of the first portable device.

10. The docking system of claim 1, wherein, when the first portable device is in the correct alignment, the inductive coil of the first portable device is substantially rotationally symmetric with the first inductive coil of the docking station about an axis projecting in a direction that is substantially normal to planes substantially parallel to each of the inductive coils.

11. A method, comprising:

perceiving, by an interface system of a docking station, a first presence of a first device on or near a first holding system of two or more holding systems associated with the docking station;

receiving, by the docking station, a first strength of a first magnetic field originating in a first inductive coil of the docking station from the first device, the first strength determined by the first device;

determining, by the interface system, if an alignment of the first device with the docking station is correct based on the received first strength;

when the alignment of the first device is not correct, providing, by the interface system, instructions to a user of the first device to correct the alignment of the first device with the docking station;

after determining the alignment of the first device is correct, exchanging authorization credentials between the first device and the docking station;

determining that the first device is authorized;

after determining that the first device is authorized, determining, by the interface system, a level of access to provide to the first device, wherein the interface system accesses information associated with the first device stored in the docking station;

providing the first device at least one of access to one or more systems connected to the docking station and access to data accessible by the docking station;

perceiving a second presence of a second device on or near a second holding system of two or more holding systems associated with the docking station;

exchanging second authorization credentials between the second device and the docking station;

determining that the second device is not authorized, wherein the docking station does not provide the second device access to the one or more systems connected to the docking station;

transferring, from the first device, an access authorization to the second device, wherein the access authorization for the second device expires at a predetermined time, and wherein the access authorization disables one or more of a telephone function, an email function, and a camera function of the second device; and

after transferring the access authorization, the docking station providing the second device access to one or more systems connected to the docking station, wherein the level of access provided to the first device is greater than a level of access provided to the second device.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

providing power wirelessly to the second device before the first device transfers the access authorization to the second device, wherein providing power wirelessly to the second device includes energizing a third inductive coil of the docking station that creates a magnetic field, wherein the magnetic field induces a current in a fourth inductive coil associated with the second device, and wherein the docking station is operable to transfer between about 3 to about 5 Watts of power wirelessly to the second device.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the authorization credentials include a security key sent from the first device to the docking station, and wherein the docking station compares the received security key to security keys stored at the docking station.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

determining, by the docking station, a second strength of a second field originating in a second inductive coil of the first device, wherein determining, by the interface system, if the alignment of the first device with the docking station is correct includes determining if the first strength and the second strength are at predetermined levels.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the instructions to correct the alignment of the first device comprise one or more of:

lights on the docking station that are activated to indicate a direction to move the first device to correct the alignment; and

arrows presented by a user interface on a display of the first device that provide a direction to move the first device to correct the alignment.

16. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions, the computer executable instructions causing a processor of a docking station to execute a method for docking a portable device to the docking station, the computer-executable instructions comprising:

instructions to perceive a first presence of a first portable device on a first holding system of the docking station, wherein the docking station includes two or more holding systems;

instructions to energize a first inductive coil of the docking station to create a first magnetic field, the first magnetic field inducing a current and a second field in an inductive coil of the first portable device;

instructions to determine, by the processor, a strength of the second field originating in the inductive coil of the first portable device;

instructions to determine, based on the strength of the second field, if an alignment of the first portable device with the docking station is correct;

when the alignment of the first portable device is not correct, instructions to provide alignment directions to a user of the first portable device to correct the alignment of the first portable device with the docking station;

after determining the alignment of the first portable device is correct, instructions to exchange first authorization credentials between the first portable device and the docking station;

instructions to determine if the first portable device is authorized;

if the first portable device is authorized, instructions to determine a level of access to provide to the first portable device, wherein the processor accesses information associated with the first portable device stored in the docking station;

instructions to provide the first portable device at least one of access to one or more systems connected to the docking station and access to data accessible by the docking station;

instructions to perceive a second presence of a second portable device on a second holding system of the docking station;

instructions to exchange second authorization credentials between the second portable device and the docking station, wherein the first authorization credentials and second authorization credentials are different;

instructions to determine if the second portable device is authorized;

if the second portable device is not authorized, instructions to prevent access by the second portable device to one or more systems connected to the docking station; and

after an access authorization is transferred from the first portable device to the second portable device, instructions to provide the second portable device access to one or more systems connected to the docking station, wherein the level of access provided to the first portable device is greater than a level of access provided to the second portable device, wherein the access authorization for the second portable device expires at a predetermined time, and wherein the access authorization disables one or more of a telephone function, an email function, and a camera function of the second portable device.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 16, further comprising:

instructions to receive, from the first portable device, a first strength of the first magnetic field generated by the docking station; and

instructions to determine, using the first strength of the first magnetic field and the strength of the second field, if the first portable device is aligned correctly on the first holding system of the docking station.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein if the first portable device is not aligned correctly on the first holding system of the docking station, instructions to move the first inductive coil of the docking station to an acceptable position to provide data and power to the first portable device.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the alignment directions comprise one of more of:

lights on the docking station that are activated to indicate a direction to move the first portable device to correct the alignment; and

arrows presented by a user interface on a display of the first portable device that provide a direction to move the first portable device to correct the alignment.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the alignment directions include first or second visual indicia indicating in which direction and by how much to move the first portable device on the docking station, and wherein when the first portable device is a first distance from the correct alignment the lights blink at a first frequency and when the first portable device is at a different second distance from the correct alignment the lights blink at a second frequency.