Arbiter Device Wireless Connection Synchronization

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Solution Overview

Problem

Managing wireless device connections as a set is challenging, particularly in synchronously switching audio sources or collectively connecting multiple devices, and preventing unauthorized or malicious connections that can lead to unsatisfactory user experiences.

Innovation Solution

A system comprising an arbiter device and client devices configured as a coupled set, where the arbiter device manages the switching of connections by forwarding switch arbiter messages, maintaining lists of trusted and untrusted devices, and synchronizing coupled set information to ensure seamless transitions and secure connections.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If wireless devices manage connections individually, then connection management is simple, but synchronization during source switching fails

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconnection management simplicityVSAvoidsynchronization during source switching

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the connection management of multiple wireless devices into a unified coupled set. The arbiter device manages connections for all devices in the set simultaneously, ensuring that when one device switches sources, all other devices in the coupled set receive the switch arbiter message and switch at the same time. This combining approach maintains operational simplicity while achieving reliable synchronization across all devices.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Productivity

If the system accepts all incoming connection requests, then connection establishment is fast, but unauthorized or malicious connections are allowed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconnection establishment speedVSAvoidunauthorized or malicious connections

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements preliminary action by maintaining lists of trusted and untrusted devices before connection requests are processed. The arbiter device and client devices pre-establish trust relationships and share lists of authorized devices. When a connection request arrives, the system checks against these pre-established lists to determine whether to accept or reject the connection, thereby preventing malicious connections while maintaining fast legitimate connection establishment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses feedback mechanisms where client devices send switch arbiter messages to the arbiter device, and the arbiter device sends feedback messages to client devices about connection status and trust decisions. This feedback loop ensures that only trusted devices can establish connections and that all devices in the coupled set remain synchronized in their connection states.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Reliability

If the arbiter device manages all connections centrally, then synchronization is achieved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesynchronization of multiple devicesVSAvoidarbiter device management complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the connection management function by introducing coupled sets as independent units. Each coupled set has its own arbiter device that manages connections for devices within that set autonomously. This segmentation allows the arbiter to focus on synchronization within a specific group rather than managing all connections globally, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining reliable synchronization within each coupled set.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

4Object-affected harmful factors

If the system maintains comprehensive lists of trusted devices, then security is improved, but information processing overhead increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesecurity against unauthorized connectionsVSAvoidinformation processing overhead

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by maintaining lists of trusted and untrusted devices at multiple levels: individually at each client device and collectively at the arbiter device level. Each client device maintains its own list for local security decisions, while the arbiter device maintains a comprehensive list for coordinated management. This distributed approach to list maintenance improves security through multiple verification points while reducing the information processing overhead at any single location.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS20240022525A1Systems, devices, and methods related to managing wireless device connections as a set

Publication Date: 2024.01.18 SKYWORKS SOLUTIONS INC

AI summary

In some embodiments, a system can include an arbiter device, a first client device and a second client device configured as parts of a coupled set, and a wireless network architecture. The wireless network architecture can communicatively couple the arbiter device, the first device, and the second device. The arbiter device can be configured to receive a switch arbiter message from the first client device, determine that the coupled set includes the first client device and the second client device, and based on the determination, forward the switch arbiter message to the second client device.