DOCKING STATION CONNECTIVITY MONITOR/CONTROLLER

• US 20150011160A1
• Filed: 07/08/2013
• Published: 01/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: BURRELL, Douglas James Arthur, FYKE, Steven Henry, JURGOVAN, Jon Matthew, PHAM, Duc-Ngon Thi, STEWART, Alan Kirk, GUICHARD, Sarah Marie, JOHNSON, Derek Nathaniel
• Granted Patent: US 9,088,305 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/05 using capacitive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/40 using two or more transmitting or receiving devices H02J50/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/80 involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/72 for local intradevice communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/246 Connectivity information discovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup

Abstract

A docking station apparatus and method provides wireless power and wireless communications to a mobile device, and provides or establishes connections to one or more external devices such as monitors, keyboards, mice, printers, and networks. In response to detection of the presence of the mobile device, the docking station is enabled to transfer wireless power to the mobile device and communicate wirelessly with the mobile device. The docking station also provides or establishes connections to external devices in response to one or more connectivity assignments.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting a presence of a mobile device in proximity to a docking station;

transferring wireless power from the docking station to the mobile device in response to the detecting of the presence of the mobile device;

establishing a wireless connection between the mobile device and the docking station to support wireless communication;

receiving a connectivity assignment by the docking station; and

establishing at least one of wired connectivity or wireless connectivity through the docking station between the mobile device and one or more external devices based on the connectivity assignment.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the connectivity assignment is received from one of the mobile device or at least one external device.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the transferring of wireless power is concurrent with the establishing of the wireless connection between the mobile device and the docking station.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising transmitting an additional connectivity assignment from the docking station to the mobile device, the additional connectivity assignment specifying additional wireless connectivity between the mobile device and the one or more external devices.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising generating a display indicating a connectivity configuration of the at least one of wired connectivity or wireless connectivity.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the display indicates the one or more external devices connected to the docking station and the mobile device.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the display indicates a respective connectivity type for each wired connectivity and wireless connectivity associated with connectivity between the mobile device and each respective external devices within the one or more external devices.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein the display indicates a respective signal strength for each wired connectivity and each wireless connectivity within the at least one wired connectivity or wireless connectivity.

9. The method of claim 5 wherein the display indicates a connection status of the at least one wired connectivity or wireless connectivity.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

receiving an indication to change the connection status of the one or more wired or wireless connections; and

modifying the one or more wired or wireless connections of the docking station or mobile device based on the indication of the change in connection status.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the docking station receives the indication of a change to the connection status via the one or more external devices.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

detecting an absence of the mobile device within a first range of the docking station; and

stopping the transferring of wireless power to the mobile device by the docking station based on detecting the absence of the mobile device within the first range.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting the presence comprises determining the mobile device is within a first range of the docking station, and wherein establishing the wireless connection comprises:

establishing, based on determining the mobile device is within the first range of the docking station, a short range docking station connection; and

terminating, in response to determining the mobile device is not within a first range of the docking station, the short range docking station wireless connection.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

establishing an initial wireless connectivity between the mobile device and the docking station,

wherein the determining the mobile device is within the first range is based upon a distance determined by a characteristic of the initial wireless connectivity.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the detecting the presence comprises determining the mobile device is within a second range of the docking station and outside of the first range of the docking station, the second range being outside of and farther from the docking station than the first range, and

wherein establishing the wireless connection comprises establishing, based on determining the mobile device is within the second range and outside of the first range, a long range docking station connection.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

modifying based on determining the mobile device is within the second range and outside of the first range, the at least one wired connectivity and wireless connectivity.

17. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

storing a plurality of profiles, each profile in the plurality of profiles corresponding to a respective mobile device, each profile in the plurality of profiles comprising wireless power transfer information, the connectivity assignment, and processing assignment information for the respective mobile device.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising separately encrypting each profile in the plurality of profiles.

19. A docking station comprising:

a processor;

a memory, coupled to the processor, configured to store code and data;

a charging component, coupled to the processor, configured to transfer wireless power to a mobile device;

a proximity detector, coupled to the processor, configured to detect a presence of a mobile device in proximity to the docking station;

a communication component, coupled to the processor, configured to establish wireless communications to the mobile device and communications with at least one external device;

a connectivity unit, coupled to the processor, configured to manage communications, through the communications component, between the mobile device and the at least one external device based upon a connectivity assignment; and

the processor and memory configured to;

receive an indication of a detection of the presence of the mobile device in proximity to the docking station;

configure, based on the indication, the charging component to provide power to the mobile device;

receive the connectivity assignment;

provide the connectivity assignment to the connectivity unit; and

configure, based on the connectivity assignment, the connectivity unit to establish a wireless connection between the mobile device and the docking station.

20. The docking station of claim 19 further comprising:

a display unit coupled to the processor,

wherein the processor and the memory are further configured to generate a display of a connectivity configuration of the docking station including the one or more wired or wireless connections, and

wherein the display unit displays the display.

21. The docking station of claim 20 wherein the processor and memory are further configured to:

receive an indication to change a connection status of the one or more wired or wireless connections, and

modify the one or more wired or wireless connections of the docking station or mobile device based on the change in connection status.

22. The docking station of claim 20 wherein

the proximity detector is further configured to detect an absence of the mobile device from within a first range of the docking station,

and the processor and memory are configured to:

receive, from the proximity detector, an indication of the absence; and

stop transfer of wireless power to the mobile device in response to the indication.

23. The docking station of claim 20 wherein the proximity detector

the proximity detector is further configured to detect an absence of the mobile device from within a second range of the docking station,

and the processor and memory are configured to:

receive, from the proximity detector, an indication of the absence; and

modify the one or more wired or wireless connections based on the detecting of the absence of the mobile device within the second range.

24. The docking station of claim 20 wherein the processor and memory are configured to store a plurality of profiles, each profile in the plurality of profiles corresponding to a respective mobile device, each profile in the plurality of profiles comprising wireless power transfer information, the connectivity assignment, and processing assignment information for the respective mobile device.

25. The docking station of claim 24 wherein the processor and memory are configured to separately encrypt each profile in the plurality of profiles.