Wireless docking

• US 9,942,379 B2
• Filed: 11/05/2012
• Issued: 04/10/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Huang, Xiaolong, Wang, Xiaodong, Raveendran, Vijayalakshmi R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Oberly, Eric T
• Application Number:
  US13/668,528
• Publication Number:
  US 20130145050A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,982 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

Systems, methods, and devices are disclosed that identify a first peripheral and a second peripheral, receive information from the first peripheral and the second peripheral, communicate the information received from the first peripheral to the second peripheral, and communicate the information received from the second peripheral to the first peripheral. The information communicated to the first and second peripherals allow the first and second peripherals to communicate directly with one another.

Claims

1. A mobile device comprising:

a wireless interface; and

a processor, connected to the wireless interface, wherein the processor is configured to;

connect to a master docking station via a wireless interface using a first wireless technology;

receive an environment from the master docking station using the first wireless technology;

identify a first peripheral and a second peripheral using the received environment;

receive information about the first peripheral from the master docking station via the wireless interface using the first wireless technology, the information describing the first peripheral, indicating a second wireless technology used by the first peripheral, and including interface credentials for the first peripheral;

receive information about the second peripheral from the master docking station via the wireless interface using the first wireless technology, the information describing the second peripheral, indicating a third wireless technology used by the second peripheral, and including interface credentials for the second peripheral;

communicate the information received about the first peripheral directly to the second peripheral via the wireless interface using the third wireless technology; and

communicate the information received about the second peripheral directly to the first peripheral via the wireless interface using the second wireless technology,

wherein the information communicated to the first peripheral and the second peripheral causes the first peripheral and the second peripheral to communicate directly with one another and to respond to direct data transfer instruction procedures from the mobile device to perform a direct data transfer between the first peripheral and the second peripheral responsive to direct data transfer instructions from the mobile device.

2. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the information communicated to the first peripheral comprises pairing information associated with the second peripheral, and the information communicated to the second peripheral comprises pairing information associated with the first peripheral.

3. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to negotiate the use of the first wireless technology with the master docking station.

4. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the second peripheral is connected to a second docking station, the first peripheral is connected to the master docking station, the master docking station is connected to the second docking station, and the processor is further configured to communicate directly with the master docking station, and the processor is unable to communicate directly with the second docking station.

5. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to communicate with at least one of the first peripheral and the second peripheral through the master docking station.

6. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to communicate with at least one of the first peripheral and the second peripheral through a data path between both the master docking station and a second docking station.

7. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the mobile device comprises a mobile telephone handset, a laptop computer, or a tablet computer.

8. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the information comprises (1) port number, (2) transport layer, (3) USB device identification, and (4) USB endpoint identification.

9. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the information is selected from the group consisting of (1) port number, (2) transport layer, (3) USB device identification, and (4) USB endpoint identification.

10. A method comprising:

connecting, by a mobile device, to a master docking station via a wireless interface using a first wireless technology;

receiving, at the mobile device, an environment from the master docking station using the first wireless technology;

identifying, by the mobile device, a first peripheral and a second peripheral using the received environment;

receiving, at the mobile device and via the wireless interface using the first wireless technology, information about the first peripheral from the master docking station, the information describing the first peripheral, indicating a second wireless technology used by the first peripheral, and including interface credentials for the first peripheral;

receiving, at the mobile device and via the wireless interface using the first wireless technology, information about the second peripheral from the master docking station, the information describing the second peripheral, indicating a third wireless technology used by the second peripheral, and including interface credentials for the second peripheral;

communicating the information received about the first peripheral directly from the mobile device to the second peripheral using the third wireless technology; and

communicating the information received about the second peripheral directly from the mobile device to the first peripheral using the second wireless technology,

wherein the information communicated to the first peripheral and the second peripheral causes the first peripheral and the second peripheral to communicate directly with one another and to respond to direct data transfer instruction procedures from the mobile device to perform a direct data transfer between the first peripheral and the second peripheral responsive to direct data transfer instructions from the mobile device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the information communicated to the first peripheral comprises pairing information associated with the second peripheral, and the information communicated to the second peripheral comprises pairing information associated with the first peripheral.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising negotiating the use of the first wireless technology with the master docking station.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the second peripheral is connected to a second docking station, the first peripheral is connected to the master docking station, the master docking station is connected to the second docking station, and further wherein the mobile device is able to communicate directly with the master docking station and is unable to communicate directly with the second docking station.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising communicating with at least one of the first peripheral and the second peripheral through the master docking station.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising communicating with at least one of the first peripheral and the second peripheral through a data path between both the master docking station and a second docking station.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the information comprises (1) port number, (2) transport layer, (3) USB device identification, and (4) USB endpoint identification.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the information is selected from the group consisting of (1) port number, (2) transport layer, (3) USB device identification, and (4) USB endpoint identification.

18. A mobile device comprising:

means for connecting to a master docking station via a wireless interface using a first wireless technology;

means for receiving an environment from the master docking station using the first wireless technology;

means for identifying a first peripheral and a second peripheral using the received environment;

means for receiving, via the wireless interface using the first wireless technology, information about the first peripheral from the master docking station, the information describing the first peripheral, indicating a second wireless technology used by the first peripheral, and including interface credentials for the first peripheral;

means for receiving, via the wireless interface using the first wireless technology, information about the second peripheral from the master docking station, the information describing the second peripheral, indicating a third wireless technology used by the second peripheral, and including interface credentials for the second peripheral;

means for communicating the information received about the first peripheral directly via the wireless interface to the second peripheral using the third wireless technology; and

means for communicating the information received about the second peripheral using the second wireless technology via the wireless interface to the first peripheral,

wherein the information communicated to the first peripheral and the second peripheral causes the first peripheral and the second peripheral to communicate directly with one another and to respond to direct data transfer instruction procedures from the mobile device to perform a direct data transfer between the first peripheral and the second peripheral responsive to direct data transfer instructions from the mobile device.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein the information describing the first peripheral comprises pairing information associated with the second peripheral, and the information describing the second peripheral comprises pairing information associated with the first peripheral.

20. The device of claim 18, wherein the information comprises (1) port number, (2) transport layer, (3) USB device identification, and (4) USB endpoint identification.

21. The device of claim 18, wherein the information wherein the information is selected from the group consisting of (1) port number, (2) transport layer, (3) USB device identification, and (4) USB endpoint identification.

22. A computer program product comprising a computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed, cause a processor on a mobile device to:

connect to a master docking station via a wireless interface using a first wireless technology;

receive an environment from the master docking station using the first wireless technology;

identify a first peripheral and a second peripheral using the received environment;

receive information, at the mobile device and from the master docking station via the wireless interface using the first wireless technology, about the first peripheral, the information describing the first peripheral, indicating a second wireless technology used by the first peripheral, and including interface credentials for the first peripheral;

receive information, at the mobile device and from the master docking station via the wireless interface using the first wireless technology, about the second peripheral, the information describing the second peripheral, indicating a third wireless technology used by the second peripheral, and including interface credentials for the first peripheral;

communicate the information received about the first peripheral from the mobile device directly to the second peripheral using the third wireless technology; and

communicate the information received about the second peripheral from the mobile device directly to the first peripheral using the second wireless technology,

wherein the information communicated to the first peripheral and the second peripheral causes the first peripheral and the second peripheral to communicate directly with one another and to respond to direct data transfer instruction procedures from the mobile device to perform a direct data transfer between the first peripheral and the second peripheral responsive to direct data transfer instructions from the mobile device.

23. The computer program product of claim 22, wherein the information describing the first peripheral comprises pairing information associated with the second peripheral, and the information describing the second peripheral comprises pairing information associated with the first peripheral.

24. The computer program product of claim 22, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to communicate with the master docking station via the wireless interface.

25. The computer program product of claim 22, wherein the second peripheral is connected to a second docking station, the first peripheral is connected to the master docking station, the master docking station is connected to the second docking station, and further wherein the processor communicates directly with the master docking station, and the processor is unable to communicate directly with the second docking station.

26. The computer program product of claim 22, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to communicate with at least one of the first peripheral and the second peripheral through a data path between both the master docking station and a second docking station.

27. The computer program product of claim 22, wherein the information is selected from the group consisting of (1) port number, (2) transport layer, (3) USB device identification, and (4) USB endpoint identification.