Wireless Docking Station Secure Discovery and Wake Mechanism

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods lack a defined manner for wireless docking stations to detect information handling systems or initiate low-level device interactions, such as waking an information handling system from a sleep/standby state, which is essential for secure discovery and coupling.

Innovation Solution

An information handling system generates a unique identifier and broadcasts it as a datagram to a wireless docking station, which receives and authenticates the identifier using a policy manager to authorize docking and enable input devices for user interaction, subsequently waking the system upon receiving a response datagram.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If wireless docking stations allow open discovery and coupling with information handling systems, then ease of operation is improved, but security is worsened due to unauthorized access risks

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvediscovery and coupling processVSAvoidunauthorized access

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary authentication by exchanging unique identifiers and verifying authorization status before allowing docking coupling. The policy manager checks authorization in advance, and only after successful verification does the system enable input devices and allow interaction, preventing unauthorized access before it can occur.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary authentication mechanism using unique identifiers and policy managers that mediate between the information handling system and the wireless docking station. This intermediary layer verifies authorization status and controls the coupling process, allowing legitimate interactions while blocking unauthorized ones.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If wireless docking stations implement strict security authentication, then security is improved, but ease of operation is worsened due to complex discovery processes

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveunauthorized access preventionVSAvoiddiscovery and coupling process

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements self-service authentication where the information handling system automatically transmits its unique identifier to the wireless docking station, and the policy manager automatically verifies authorization status. This automated process eliminates manual security checks while maintaining strict authentication, keeping the process simple for users.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The authentication process is performed preliminarily and automatically during the initial discovery phase, before the user needs to interact with the system. The unique identifier exchange and authorization verification happen in the background, so users experience a seamless process without manual security steps.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Productivity

If information handling systems broadcast unique identifiers continuously, then discovery capability is improved, but energy consumption is worsened

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvediscovery capabilityVSAvoidenergy consumption during discovery

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system employs periodic broadcasting of unique identifiers at intervals rather than continuous transmission. This allows the information handling system to maintain discovery capability by periodically announcing its presence while consuming less energy compared to continuous broadcasting, as the transmitter can enter low-power states between broadcasts.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

4Ease of operation

If wireless docking stations enable wake functionality for sleeping systems, then ease of operation is improved, but security is worsened due to potential unauthorized wake events

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewake from sleep stateVSAvoidunauthorized wake events

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary authentication by verifying the unique identifier and authorization status before enabling wake functionality. The policy manager checks authorization in advance, and only authenticated systems can trigger wake events, preventing unauthorized wake attempts while allowing legitimate users to easily wake their systems through approved input devices.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS11337146B2Systems and methods for secure discovery and wake for wireless docking of information handling system

Publication Date: 2022.05.17 DELL PROD LP

AI summary

An information handling system may include a processor, a management controller communicatively coupled to the processor and configured to provide out-of-band management facilities for the management of the information handling system, the management controller further configured to generate a unique identifier associated with the information handling system and a network interface communicatively coupled to the processor and the management controller and configured to encapsulate the unique identifier in a datagram for wireless communication to a wireless docking station and broadcast the datagram. The management controller may be further configured to, in response to receiving a response datagram from the wireless docking station, wake the information handling system.