Wireless docking station
With the rapid innovation in wireless technology, greater bandwidth is now available. This invention proposes to use the much greater wireless bandwidth available with ultrawideband (UWB) technology, to replace the current expensive solution for laptop port replication using hardwired connections. First, a wireless interface between the laptop and the port replicator will no longer require the expensive, high-pincount docking station connector currently in use in today's products. This will increase reliability of the docking system, and decrease cost of the solution. Second, a wireless dock will allow the laptop user to more quickly associate their computer with the docking station and connected peripherals merely by placing the laptop in proximity with the dock. Third, the bandwidth of the UWB wireless connection can be superior to that of a USB solution, with data rates exceeding 1 Gbps. When these advantages are combined, the UWB-powered docking station will offer a significant alternative to the current approach for laptop docking while protecting the customer investment in peripherals.
1 . A wireless computer docking system comprising:
(a) a computer having a first wireless transceiver;
(b) a docking station having a second wireless transceiver.
2 . The docking system of claim 1 wherein the docking station further comprises a at least one legacy I/O ports.
3 . The docking system of claim 1 wherein the first wireless transceiver is an ultra wideband transceiver.
4 . The docking system of claim 1 wherein the second wireless transceiver is an ultra wideband transceiver.
5 . The docking system of claim 1 wherein the computer is a laptop, notebook, or tablet computer, or PDA-type device.
6 . The docking system of claim 1 wherein the computer further comprises a UWB wireless chipset coupled to a PC bridge or I/O chipset by a system bus.
7 . The docking system of claim 1 wherein the docking station further comprises a UWB wireless chipset coupled to a PC bridge or I/O chipset by a system bus.
8 . The docking system of claim 7 wherein the docking station further comprises a microcontroller to handle data transfers and bus arbitration. Wireless Docking Station
9 . A method of associating a laptop computer to at least one peripheral comprising the steps of:
(a) placing the laptop in the proximity of a docking station; and
(b) creating an ultrawideband wireless connection between the laptop and the docking station, wherein the base station is coupled to the at least one peripheral.
10 . The method of claim 9 wherein step (b) further comprises coupling the docking station to a monitor.
11 . The method of claim 9 wherein step (b) further comprises coupling the docking station to a keyboard.
12 . The method of claim 9 wherein step (b) further comprises coupling the docking station to a computer mouse.
13 . The method of claim 9 wherein step (b) further comprises coupling the docking station to a local area network.
14 . The method of claim 9 wherein step (b) further comprises coupling the docking station to a printer.
15 . The method of claim 9 wherein step (b) further comprises coupling the docking station to a peripheral by a wired connection.
16 . The method of claim 9 wherein step (b) further comprises coupling the docking station to a peripheral by a wireless connection.
17 . A wireless computer docking system comprising:
(a) a computer having a first connector for coupling to a docking station
(b) the docking station having a second connector for mating with the first connector;
(c) a first transceiver for coupling to the first connector; and
(d) a second transceiver for coupling to the second connector.
18 . The docking system of claim 17 wherein the docking station further comprises a at least one legacy I/O ports.
19 . The docking system of claim 17 wherein the first transceiver is an ultra wideband transceiver.
20 . The docking system of claim 17 wherein the second transceiver is an ultra wideband transceiver.