Wireless Docking Service Discovery via NFC Proximity Matching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wireless docking systems require significant user interaction and time to set up connections, as users must select the correct device from a list of discovered Wi-Fi services, often without clear device identification, leading to frustration and inefficiency.
Innovation Solution
The system employs near field communication (NFC) for proximity-based service discovery, where a dockee transmits a service search signal with its identifier and service list, and the host responds with a service available signal, allowing the dockee to initiate wireless docking automatically, reducing user intervention and streamlining the connection process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If Wi-Fi based service discovery is used, then service availability can be advertised, but user interaction time and connection setup time increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by having the dockee device perform service discovery and match services with the host device before initiating the wireless connection. The dockee identifies available services, matches them with host capabilities, and prepares connection parameters in advance, so that when the connection is established, it can be done rapidly without requiring user intervention for service selection.
2Loss of information
If Wi-Fi beacon and probing methods are used for device discovery, then services can be advertised, but device identification clarity decreases and user selection becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback by having the host device respond to the dockee's service discovery with a service available signal that contains matched service information. This feedback loop allows the dockee to receive confirmed service availability and host identification, eliminating the need for users to manually select devices from ambiguous lists. The system provides clear, targeted information about which host can provide which services.
3Reliability
If manual device selection from discovered services is required, then connection accuracy can be maintained, but user interaction complexity and time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies self-service by enabling the dockee device to automatically perform service matching and host selection without user intervention. The dockee's processor identifies services, matches them with host capabilities, selects the appropriate host, and initiates connection automatically. This maintains connection accuracy through intelligent matching while eliminating the complexity of manual user selection processes.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach significantly reduces user interaction and connection time by enabling automatic detection and selection of available services, improving the efficiency and convenience of wireless docking.
Implementation Method 1
a near field transmitter for near field communication with a near field receiver across a near field operational distance
Data Source
AI summary
A host (100) provides a service to a dockee (120) via wireless docking. The host has a host wireless communication unit (102) and a near field receiver (103). When the user places the dockee near the host within a near field communication (153) distance, a near field transmitter (123) transmits a service search signal comprising a dockee identifier and a dockee service list for indicating services which are relevant to the dockee. The host determines a matching service set of services that are available at the host, and transmits, via the host communication unit, a service available signal comprising the dockee identifier and the matching service set via the host communication unit. The dockee processor determines whether the received dockee identifier corresponds to the dockee identifier and any of the matching services is actually required by the dockee, and if so, initiates the wireless docking with the host.