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U.S. Patent: 10,768,871


Patent Title

Wireless output devices or wireless controllers for establishing wireless connectivity and for receiving digital content

Meta Information

Issued Date: Sep. 8, 2020
Inventor: William Ho Chang et al
External Links: UPSTO, Google Patents

Technical Fields

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Abstract

Output devices supporting wireless device discovery are herein disclosed and enabled. To setup an output device for wireless connection, wireless device discovery is performed by a client of the output device to discover the output device. Upon being discovered, the output device may provide identification or information related to the output device to the client for establishing a wireless connection. Subsequently, the output device may receive, via the established wireless connection, digital content from the client for output. Wireless device discovery operations may be based on one or more of a close proximity wireless communication, a Bluetooth wireless communication, or a wireless communication compatible with a protocol within IEEE 802.11 standards. Security information or authentication may be required for establishing the wireless connection. Subsequent to having established the wireless connection, the output device receives the digital content from the client for playing at the output device.

U.S. Patent: 10,768,871

Sample Claim

1. A wireless output device that is wirelessly discoverable by a client of the wireless output device for providing output service to the client, the wireless output device comprising:

communication circuitry that includes one or more wireless communication units for establishing a wireless communication link between the wireless output device and the client, the one or more wireless communication units being compatible, at least in part, with at least one of the following:

(i) a protocol within Bluetooth specifications for wireless communication, or

(ii) a protocol within IEEE 802.11 wireless standards for wireless communication, or

(iii) wireless communication operating, at least partly, within a 2.4 GHz frequency band; and

memory storing at least an attribute or identification information corresponding to the wireless output device, and wherein the wireless output device is operable for:

(1) facilitating, by the wireless output device and using the one or more wireless communication units within the wireless output device, a wireless device discovery operation for the client to wirelessly discover availability of the wireless output device for providing output service to the client;

(2) wirelessly transmitting, using the one or more wireless communication units within the wireless output device, at least the attribute or the identification information corresponding to the wireless output device that is stored in the memory of the wireless output device, from the wireless output device to the client of the wireless output device, the wireless transmitting of the attribute or the identification information being subsequent to the wireless device discovery operation in (1);

(3) implementing, by the wireless output device and at the wireless output device, a security procedure or an authentication procedure for enabling the client to access the output service provided by the wireless output device, the security procedure or the authentication procedure includes one or more of a user name, a password, an ID number, a PIN, an IP address, device identification, a security key, a biometric, a fingerprint, or voice, individually or in any combination;

(4) wirelessly establishing the wireless communication link between the wireless output device and the client, using the one or more wireless communication units within the wireless output device, the establishing of the wireless communication link is subsequent to the wireless output device having implemented the security procedure or the authentication procedure in (3), and the wireless establishing of the wireless communication link is subsequent to the wireless output device having wirelessly transmitted the attribute or the identification information in (2), and the wireless establishing of the wireless communication link is subsequent to the wireless device discovery operation in (1);

(5) wirelessly receiving, using the one or more wireless communication units within the wireless output device, output data from the client and over the wireless communication link wirelessly established in (4), the output data being related to at least part of digital content for output or playing at the wireless output device; and

(6) outputting or playing, by the wireless output device and using the wireless output device, at least part of the output data wirelessly received in (5); wherein the client is either a wireless mobile information apparatus or a client application executable at the wireless mobile information apparatus, and the wireless mobile information apparatus is a distinct device from the wireless output device, and wherein the wireless communication link wirelessly established in (4), between the wireless output device and the client and using the one or more wireless communication units within the wireless output device, is compatible, at least partly, with:

(a) at least one protocol within IEEE 802.11 wireless standards, or

(b) at least one protocol within Bluetooth specifications, or

(c) wireless communication operating, at least partly, within a 2.4 GHz frequency band.