Information handling system proximity-based wireless interface connectivity

• US 9,642,183 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2012
• Issued: 05/02/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Montag, Bruce C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kassim, Khaled
• Assistant Examiner(s): BELETE, BERHANU D
• Application Number:
  US13/600,315
• Publication Number:
  US 20140064258A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,705 Days
• Field of Search: 370338, 370310, 370328, 4554221, 455460
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

An information handling system communicates through plural wireless interfaces with plural external wireless devices by automatically selecting associated external wireless devices based upon the proximity of the information handling system to the devices. Positioning of wireless devices is stored in memory to allow a wireless transceiver of the information handling system to power down until within range of a wireless device of interest. For example, an information handling system interfaced with a WLAN through a wireless access point retrieves a wireless device map with wireless devices of one or more work zones located in the WLAN area, each work zone having a set of one or more wireless peripherals in connectivity stations.

Claims

1. An information handling system comprising:

a housing;

a processor disposed in the housing and operable to process information;

a memory disposed in the housing and interfaced with the processor to store information;

a first wireless transceiver disposed in the housing and interfaced with the processor, the first wireless transceiver operable to communicate information over a first band including at least information through a wireless local area network;

a second wireless transceiver disposed in the housing and interfaced with the processor, the second wireless transceiver operable to communicate information over a second band including at least peripheral device information associated with peripheral devices that are external to the housing; and

a wireless device mapper interfaced with the first and second wireless transceivers and operable to determine a first interface by the first wireless transceiver with a first wireless device through the first band and to apply information associated with the first interface to operate the second wireless transceiver in a predetermined manner, the information associated with the first interface including at least a map of the physical distance between the second wireless transceiver and the first wireless transceiver, the map downloaded from the wireless local area network with the first wireless transceiver, the wireless device mapper establishing communication with peripheral devices through the second wireless transceiver when the map indicates a predetermined range and powering down the second wireless transceiver when peripheral devices are outside the predetermined range;

wherein the wireless device mapper presents a visual image at a display of the relative positions of the peripheral devices to the housing, the peripherals selectable through the visual image to establish a wireless interface with the second wireless transceiver, the peripherals organized as plural sets of plural peripherals, each set defined as a wireless proximity-based connectivity station.

2. The information handling system of claim 1 wherein the predetermined manner comprises a power down of the second wireless transceiver to a power down state.

3. The information handling system of claim 2 wherein the predetermined manner comprises a power up of the second wireless transceiver from a power down state based at least in part upon the position of the housing relative to the first wireless device.

4. The information handling system of claim 3 wherein the first wireless device comprises a wireless access point providing a local area network access and the position of the housing comprises at least a predetermined proximity of the housing to a second wireless device operable to communicate with the second transceiver through the second band.

5. The information handling system of claim 1 wherein the predetermined manner comprises selecting a second wireless device to communicate with the second wireless transceiver from plural wireless devices.

6. The information handling system of claim 5 wherein the information associated with the first interface comprises a position of the housing relative to the first wireless device.

7. The information handling system of claim 6 wherein the information associated with the first interface comprises positions of the plural wireless devices relative to the first wireless device.

8. The information handling system of claim 1 wherein the wireless device mapper operates the second wireless transceiver by interfacing with a selected of plural wireless devices based at least in part on a position of the housing relative to the plural wireless devices.

9. The information handling system of claim 8 further comprising a position module interfaced with the wireless device mapper and operable to determine the position of the housing.

10. The information handling system of claim 9 wherein the wireless device mapper is further operable to retrieve positions of the plural wireless devices through the first interface.

11. A method for managing one or more wireless transceivers disposed in an information handling system, the method comprising:

placing a wireless personal area network transceiver of the information handling system in a power down state, the wireless personal area network transceiver configured to interact directly with peripheral devices;

determining that the information handling system is within a predetermined distance of a wireless device having a wireless personal area network, the determining performed at least in part by downloading a map through a wireless local area network access point, the map having physical locations of wireless personal area network peripheral devices relative to the wireless local area network access point, the wireless personal area network peripheral devices organized as plural sets of plural peripheral, each set disposed in a wireless proximity-based connectivity station;

presenting the map of the physical location of the peripheral device relative to the information handling system at a display of the information handling system, the map providing a user interface for selection of a wireless connection with the peripheral devices by an end user; and

establishing a wireless interface between the wireless device and the wireless personal area network transceivers of the connectivity station in response to a user selection at the map user interface to interface the information handling system with the peripheral devices.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising selecting the wireless device from plural wireless devices based upon one or more predetermined conditions.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the one or more predetermined conditions comprises an identifier of the wireless device.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein determining that the information handling system is within a predetermined distance of a wireless device further comprises:

determining a position of the information handling system with a GPS receiver disposed in the information handling system; and

comparing the position of the information handling system with a position of the wireless device to determine a distance between the information handling system and the wireless device.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein determining that the information handling system is within a predetermined distance of a wireless device further comprises:

determining a position of the information handling system with a second wireless transceiver of the information handling system disposed in the information handling system, the second wireless transceiver communicating through a wireless network with wireless device; and

retrieving from the wireless device through the wireless network the identity of one or more wireless devices within the predetermined distance.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the wireless transceiver and the second wireless transceiver communicate through different wireless bands.