IP Library Granted Patent US 9,319,109
Granted Patent B2
US 9,319,109 · App. 14/796,241 · Granted Apr 19, 2016

Docking station connectivity monitor/controller

Inventors: Jon Matthew Jurgovan (University Park, TX); Duc-Ngon Thi Pham (Carrollton, TX); Alan Kirk Stewart (Irving, TX); Sarah Marie Guichard (Waterloo, CA); Derek Nathaniel Johnson (Dallas, TX); Douglas James Arthur Burrell (Waterloo, CA); Steven Henry Fyke (Waterloo, CA)
Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
H04B5/0037G06F1/1632G06F1/26H02J7/025H04B5/0031H04W40/246H04W76/023
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,319,109
App. No.
14/796,241
Granted
Apr 19, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

A connectivity monitor/controller. A wireless connection is established between a mobile device and a docking station that also communicates with external device(s) each configured to selectably communicate with the mobile device via a connectivity through the docking station or through a direct connection with the mobile device. The docking station receives a connectivity assignment specifying external device(s) and a respective connectivity between the mobile device and the specified external device. Each specified connectivity is established based on the connectivity assignment. A display indicating a connectivity configuration including an indication of each specified external device and an indication of each external device's respective connectivity is generated, where the indication of the respective connectivity indicates either a connectivity through the docking station or a direct connectivity, or both.

Claims (76)

1. A method comprising:

establishing a wireless connection between a mobile device and a docking station to support wireless communication, the docking station being in communications with at least one external device, each of the at least one external device configured to selectably communicate with the mobile device through a connectivity through the docking station and through a direct connectivity with the mobile device;

receiving a connectivity assignment by the docking station,

the connectivity assignment comprising a specification of:

at least one specified external device, and

a respective connectivity for each of the at least one specified external device,

the respective connectivity specifying either of one connectivity selected from:

a connectivity through the docking station, and

a direct connectivity between the mobile device and the specified external device;

establishing the respective connectivity between the mobile device and specified external devices based on the connectivity assignment; and

generating a display indicating a connectivity configuration, the connectivity configuration comprising:

an indication of each of the at least one specified external device; and

an indication of the respective connectivity for each of the at least one specified external device, the indication of the respective connectivity able to indicate either a connectivity through the docking station or a direct connectivity.

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 , 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.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the transmitting the additional connectivity assignment is based on a user input.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the display indicates the one or more external devices connected to the docking station and the mobile device.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the display indicates a respective connectivity type for each respective connectivity.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the display indicates a respective signal strength for each respective connectivity.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the display indicates a connection status of each respective connectivity.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

receiving, based on an input received in association with the display, an indication to change the connectivity for a selected external device; and

modifying the connectivity between the mobile device and the selected external device based on the indication of the change in connection status.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the docking station receives the indication of a change to the connection status via the one or more external devices.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining that the mobile device is within a second range of the docking station and outside of a 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.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

modifying based on determining the mobile device is within the second range and outside of the first range, the each respective connectivity.

13. 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 the connectivity assignment, and processing assignment information for the respective mobile device.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising separately encrypting each profile in the plurality of profiles.

15. A docking station comprising:

a processor;

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

a communication component, coupled to the processor, configured to establish wireless communications to a mobile device and communications with at least one external device, each of the at least one external device configured to selectably communicate with the mobile device through a connectivity through the docking station and through a direct connectivity with the mobile 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, the connectivity assignment comprising a specification of:

at least one specified external device, and

a respective connectivity for each of the at least one specified external device,

the respective connectivity specifying either of one connectivity selected from:

a connectivity through the docking station, and

a direct connectivity between the mobile device and the specified external device; and

a display unit coupled to the processor,

the processor and memory configured to:

receive the connectivity assignment;

provide the connectivity assignment to the connectivity unit;

configure, based on the connectivity assignment, the connectivity unit to establish the respective connectivity between the mobile device and specified external devices;

generate a display indicating a connectivity configuration, the connectivity configuration comprising:

an indication of each of the at least one specified external device; and

an indication of the respective connectivity for each of the at least one specified external device, the indication of the respective connectivity able to indicate either a connectivity through the docking station or a direct connectivity; and

provide the display on the display.

16. The docking station of claim 15 , wherein the processor and memory are further configured to:

receive, based on an input received in association with the display, an indication to change the connectivity for a selected external device, and

modify the connectivity between the mobile device and the selected external device based on the change in connection status.

17. The docking station of claim 15 , further comprising a proximity detector configured to detect an absence of the mobile device from within a second range of the docking station,

and wherein 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.

18. The docking station of claim 15 , 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 the connectivity assignment, and processing assignment information for the respective mobile device.

19. The docking station of claim 15 , wherein the display indicates at least one of:

The at least one external device connected to the docking station and the mobile device;

a respective connectivity type for each respective connectivity;

a respective signal strength for each respective connectivity; and

a connection status of each respective connectivity.

20. A computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therewith, the computer readable program code comprising instructions for:

establishing a wireless connection between a mobile device and a docking station to support wireless communication, the docking station being in communications with at least one external device, each of the at least one external device configured to selectably communicate with the mobile device through a connectivity through the docking station and through a direct connectivity with the mobile device;

receiving a connectivity assignment by the docking station,

the connectivity assignment comprising a specification of:

at least one specified external device, and

a respective connectivity for each of the at least one specified external device,

the respective connectivity specifying either of one connectivity selected from:

a connectivity through the docking station, and

a direct connectivity between the mobile device and the specified external device;

establishing the respective connectivity between the mobile device and specified external devices based on the connectivity assignment; and

generating a display indicating a connectivity configuration, the connectivity configuration comprising:

an indication of each of the at least one specified external device; and

an indication of the respective connectivity for each of the at least one specified external device, the indication of the respective connectivity indicating either a connectivity through the docking station or a direct connectivity.

Assignments (5)
NUNC PRO TUNC ASSIGNMENT Recorded Jun 19, 2023
From: BLACKBERRY LIMITED
To: MALIKIE INNOVATIONS LIMITED
Reel/Frame 064271/0199 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 16, 2023
From: BLACKBERRY LIMITED
To: MALIKIE INNOVATIONS LIMITED
Reel/Frame 064104/0103 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jul 10, 2015
From: BLACKBERRY CORPORATION
To: BLACKBERRY LIMITED
Reel/Frame 036058/0105 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 10, 2015
From: JOHNSON, DEREK NATHANIEL; JURGOVAN, JON MATTHEW; PHAM, DUC-NGON THI; STEWART, ALAN KIRK
To: BLACKBERRY CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 036058/0228 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 10, 2015
From: BURRELL, DOUGLAS JAMES ARTHUR; FYKE, STEVEN HENRY; GUICHARD, SARAH MARIE
To: BLACKBERRY LIMITED
Reel/Frame 036058/0299 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation 13936648 · Jul 8, 2013
Related Publication 20150318898A1 · Nov 5, 2015