Wireless Peripheral Pairing with Charge Data Filtering

Solution Overview

Problem

Battery-powered peripheral devices connected to mobile computers often require frequent disconnection and re-pairing due to low battery levels, increasing deployment time and discharging the mobile computer's battery, as they lack efficient battery level information exchange during the pairing process.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a system where a primary wireless communication device sends a discovery request to secondary devices, receives their identifiers and charge data, and controls an output assembly to present this information for operator selection, allowing for efficient pairing based on battery level, thereby optimizing the selection and extension of the communication link.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If peripheral devices are connected without battery level information exchange, then pairing process is simple, but frequent disconnection and re-pairing occurs due to low battery levels

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconnection stabilityVSAvoidpairing process complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary battery level assessment during the discovery phase before establishing the communication link. The mobile computer receives battery level information from peripheral devices and uses this information to pre-filter or prioritize pairing candidates, thereby preventing future disconnections due to low battery levels without adding complexity to the actual connection establishment process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback by having peripheral devices transmit their battery level information during the discovery phase, and the mobile computer uses this information to make informed pairing decisions. This feedback mechanism allows the system to adapt the pairing process based on real-time battery status, improving connection stability without requiring complex additional protocols.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Adaptability or versatility

If repeated pairing is performed for low battery peripherals, then all available peripherals can be connected, but deployment time increases and mobile computer battery discharges

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveperipheral connectivityVSAvoiddeployment time

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary battery level assessment during the discovery phase before establishing the communication link. The mobile computer receives battery level information from peripheral devices and uses this information to pre-filter or prioritize pairing candidates, thereby preventing future disconnections due to low battery levels without adding complexity to the actual connection establishment process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system applies a minimum battery level threshold to filter peripheral devices. By using this threshold, the system avoids attempting to pair with peripherals that have insufficient battery levels, thereby reducing unnecessary pairing attempts and deployment time while maintaining adaptability to connect all suitable peripherals.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Ease of operation

If battery level information is exchanged during pairing, then informed peripheral selection is enabled, but additional communication overhead is introduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveperipheral selection efficiencyVSAvoidcommunication protocol complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary battery level assessment during the discovery phase before establishing the communication link. The mobile computer receives battery level information from peripheral devices and uses this information to pre-filter or prioritize pairing candidates, thereby preventing future disconnections due to low battery levels without adding complexity to the actual connection establishment process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system extracts only the essential battery level information from the full device profile and uses this extracted information for pairing decisions. By taking out only the necessary battery level data rather than exchanging complete device profiles, the system reduces communication overhead while still enabling informed peripheral selection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentUS11102829B2Charge-based peripheral device selection

Publication Date: 2021.08.24 ZEBRA TECHNOLOGIES CORP

AI summary

A primary wireless communication device includes: an output assembly; a short-range communications assembly; a pairing controller configured to: send a discovery request for detection by a secondary wireless communication device; responsive to sending the discovery request, receive a discovery response from the secondary wireless communication device, the discovery response containing an identifier of the secondary wireless communication device and charge data for the secondary wireless communication device; control the output assembly to present the identifier of the secondary wireless communication device and a charge indicator for the secondary wireless communication device; obtain an instruction to establish a paired communication link with the secondary wireless communication device; and responsive to obtaining the instruction, initiate a pairing stage to establish the paired communication link.