Wireless docking system and pairing protocol for multiple dock environments
View Patent ↗A wireless docking system and method is provided for monitoring the use of one or more docking stations by multiple portable computers. The system and method provides for the intelligent management of docking stations and connected resources by implementing a protocol that takes into account the identity of the user insofar as one user my have priority to the use of a docking station, the length of time an inactive computer has been connected to a docking station, whether another user requests the use of the docking station, whether the strength of the communication signals between a wireless docking station and computer is adequate to support the use of the docking station, and whether a user wishes to terminate a connection with a docking station.
1. A wireless docking system, comprising:
a docking station;
a first portable computer having an established wireless communication link with the docking station; and
a second portable computer placed within range of the docking station needed to achieve a signal strength from the docking station exceeding a predetermined amount, wherein the second portable computer includes a display screen and a graphical user interface for displaying an identification number of the docking station and a query on whether a user wishes to disconnect the first portable computer and connect the second portable computer.
2. The docking system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the second portable computer comprises a transceiver for sending an access signal to the docking station and receiving an acknowledge signal that, when the acknowledge signal magnitude exceeds the predetermined amount, the second portable computer is within range.
3. The docking system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the graphical user interface displays on the display screen that the docking station is within range whenever the signal strength from the docking station exceeds the predetermined amount.
4. The docking system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the graphical user interface displays an identification number unique to the docking station whenever the signal strength from the docking station exceeds the predetermined amount.
5. The docking system as recited in claim 1 , further comprises other docking stations and wherein the graphical user interface displays multiple identification numbers unique to the docking station and said other docking stations whenever the signal strengths from the docking station and the other docking stations exceed the predetermined amount.
6. The docking system as recited in claim 5 , wherein the graphical user interface is configured to present on the display screen a dialog box from which a user can selectively connect and/or disconnect the docking station and one or more of the other docking stations to and from the second portable computer.
7. The docking system as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a timer that, when inactivity of the first or second portable computer reaches a predetermined timeout value, the first or second portable computer, respectively, is disconnected.
8. A wireless docking system, comprising:
at least two portable computers, each portable computer having a wireless transceiver;
at least one docking station having a wireless transceiver; and
a protocol for connecting and disconnecting the portable computers with the docking station according to a priority between the portable computers, wherein said priority between the portable computers comprises a priority number uniquely assigned to each of the two portable computers, and wherein said protocol comprises connecting the portable computer having the higher priority and disconnecting the portable computer having the lower priority.
9. The docking system as recited in claim 8 , wherein said protocol comprises connecting the portable computer having the higher priority and disconnecting the portable computer having the lower priority based on input from the portable computer having higher priority.
10. The docking system as recited in claim 8 , wherein said protocol for connecting and disconnecting the portable computers with the docking station additionally operates according to an elapsed time of connection, and wherein said elapsed time of connection comprises a timer associated with the connection of each of the two portable computers to the docking station and disconnecting an inactive one of the portable computers whose timer has elapsed through the duration of inactivity.
11. The docking system as recited in claim 8 , wherein said protocol for connecting and disconnecting the portable computers with the docking station additionally operates according to a loss of communication signal strength, and wherein said loss of communication signal strength comprises a comparator coupled to the transceiver of each of the portable computers for comparing a magnitude of an acknowledge signal from the docking station to a predetermined amount and for disconnecting the portable computer whose comparator registers an acknowledge signal below the predetermined amount.
12. The docking system as recited in claim 8 , wherein said protocol for connecting and disconnecting the portable computers with the docking station additionally operates according to a manual selection, and wherein said manual selection comprises a display and graphical user interface coupled to the display of each of the two portable computers for presenting a dialog box from which a user can selectively connect and/or disconnect the portable computers from the docking station.
13. A portable computer, comprising:
a transceiver for sending an access signal and receiving an acknowledge signal;
wherein said portable computer initiates wireless communication when a signal strength of said acknowledge signal exceeds a predetermined amount; and
wherein said portable computer terminates said wireless communication via a graphical user interface or priority of another wireless communication exclusive of the portable computer.
14. A method for initiating and terminating wireless communication between portable computers and docking stations, comprising:
moving a first portable computer toward a first docking station;
detecting a signal strength of an acknowledge signal sent from the first docking station;
initiating a wireless communication link between the first portable computer and the first docking station when the signal strength exceeds a predetermined amount;
moving a second portable computer toward the first docking station;
sending an access signal from the second portable computer that includes a priority number assigned to the second portable computer; and
terminating the wireless communication link between the first portable computer and the first docking station if the priority number assigned to the second portable computer is higher than a priority number assigned to the first portable computer, wherein if the wireless communication link between the first portable computer and the first docking station is terminated, the method further comprises:
detecting a signal strength of a second acknowledge signal sent from the first docking station; and
initiating a wireless communication link between the second portable computer and the first docking station when the signal strength exceeds a predetermined amount.
15. The method as recited in claim 14 , further comprises:
moving the first portable computer away from the first docking station and toward a second docking station;
terminating the wireless communication link between the first portable computer and the first docking station when the signal strength of the acknowledge signal sent from the first docking station is less than the predetermined amount;
detecting a signal strength of a second acknowledge signal sent from the second docking station; and
initiating a wireless communication link between the first portable computer and the second docking station when the signal strength of the second acknowledge signal exceeds the predetermined amount.