Method and device for identifying and pairing Bluetooth devices

• US 7,130,584 B2
• Filed: 01/21/2004
• Issued: 10/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Hirvonen, Petri M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Feild, Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): PEREZ, JULIO R
• Application Number:
  US10/762,770
• Publication Number:
  US 20040192206A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,014 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.2, 455/41.3, 455/410, 455/411, 455/419, 455/420, 455/556, 455/566
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/20 Binding and programming of remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/93 Remote control using other portable devices, e.g. mobile phone, PDA, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A method of revealing the device identity of a recipient Bluetooth device. When the recipient device is turned on, it displays the device identity. A user enters the device identity of the recipient device into a sending Bluetooth device in order to establish the initial communication link between the sending and recipient devices. Once the initial communication link is established, the devices are paired. It is no longer necessary to enter the device identity of the recipient device into the sending device in order to establish further communication link. Furthermore, if the recipient device has already been turned on when the user wants to establish the initial communication link, the device identity is displayed when the user sends a message or signal from the sending device to the recipient device.

Claims

1. A method of revealing an identity of a first electronic device, the first electronic device configured to store data indicative of the identity, said method comprising:

providing a signal in the first electronic device in response to an action on the first electronic device; and

retrieving the stored data in the first electronic device, in response to the signal, for causing the identity of the first electronic device to be outputted in a perceptually noticeable form, so that the outputted identity can be used to establish a wireless communication link between the first electronic device and a second electronic device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the action comprises powering up the first electronic device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first electronic device comprises a displaying device, for displaying a visible message indicative of the identity.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first electronic device is operatively connected to a displaying device, so as to allow the displaying device to display a visible message indicative of the identity.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first electronic device comprises a sound producing device, for announcing an audible message indicative of the identity on the sound producing device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the action comprises sending a communication signal from the second electronic device device to said first electronic device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first electronic device and the second electronic device are Bluetooth devices.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first electronic device comprises a Bluetooth image receiver.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first electronic device comprises a Bluetooth television set.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication link comprises an initial communication link for pairing the first electronic device with the second electronic device, and wherein said outputting is carried out only if the wireless communication link is the initial communication link.

11. A method of establishing an initial communication link between a first electronic device and a second electronic device, the first electronic device having a device identity, the first electronic device configured for storing data indication of the device identity, said method comprising:

retrieving the stored data in the first electronic device for causing the device identity of the first electronic device to be outputted in a perceptually noticeable form, in response to an action on the first electronic device; and

providing to the second electronic device information indicative of the outputted identity.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the action comprising powering up the first electronic device.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the action comprises sending a signal from the second electronic device to the first electronic device.

14. The method of claim 11, said information providing can be initiated by a user.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the first electronic device comprises an image viewer.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the first electronic device comprises an image receiver.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the first electronic device comprises a Bluetooth television set.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the first electronic device comprises a Bluetooth image displaying device.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the first electronic device comprises a Bluetooth image receiver operatively connected to an image displaying device.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the second electronic device comprises a mobile terminal.

21. An electronic device having a device identity, said electronic device comprising:

a storing device for storing data indicative of the device identity of the electronic device; and

an outputting device, operatively connected to the storing device, for providing information and causing the information to be outputted in a perceptually noticeable form indicative of the device identity, so that the provided information can be used to establish an initial wireless communication link between the electronic device and a different electronic device.

22. The electronic device of claim 21, further comprising a displaying device for displaying a visible message indicative of the device identity.

23. The electronic device of claim 21, wherein the outputting device is operatively connected to a displaying device for displaying a visible message indicative of the device identity.

24. The electronic device of claim 21, comprising an image viewer.

25. The electronic device of claim 21, comprising an image receiver.

26. The electronic device of claim 21, comprising a Bluetooth image receiver operatively connected to a non-Bluetooth image display device.

27. An electronic device having a device identity, comprising:

means for storing data indicative of the device identity of the electronic device; and

means, operatively connected to the storing, device, for providing information and causing the information to be outputted in a perceptually noticeable form indicative of the device identity, so that the provided information can be used to establish an initial wireless communication link between the electronic device and a different electronic device.

28. The electronic device of claim 27, wherein said providing means comprises means for displaying a visible message indicative of the device identity and wherein the different electronic device comprises a mobile terminal.