Docking system for establishing secure wireless connection between computer devices

Claim 2

A docking system for establishing wireless connection between a first device and a second device, the first device comprising a portable device, said second device comprising one intelligent device of a plurality of intelligent devices to be disposed within a wireless communication range of said first device, wherein said first device is capable of wireless communication with any of said plurality of intelligent devices, said docking system comprising: first wireless communication means comprising part of the first device and second wireless communication means comprising part of the second device, said first and second wireless communication means for providing wireless communication between said first device and said second device; and proximity docking means for automatically establishing secure wireless connection between the first device and the second device when the first device is brought within a predefined docking area of the second device so that said first device exclusively communicates with said second device of said plurality of intelligent devices, said predefined docking area being a limited area associated with said second device, said proximity docking means comprising means for automatically exchanging an address identifier between the first device and the second device when the first device is brought within the predefined docking area of the second device, wherein said secure wireless connection is maintained using said exchanged address identifier notwithstanding removal of the first device from the predefined docking area of the second device and notwithstanding use of the first device within communication range of said plurality of intelligent devices.

Claim 3

The docking system of claim 1, wherein said second device comprises a computer system and said docking area comprises a docking port coupled to said computer system.

Claim 4

The docking system of claim 1, further comprising means for signalling a user once secure wireless connection has been established between the first device and the second device.

Claim 5

The docking system of claim 1, further comprising a first encryption means associated with the first device and a second encryption means associated with the second device, said first and second encryption means allowing for encryption of information to be transferred between the first device and the second device over the secure wireless connection, and wherein said system further comprises means for exchanging an encryption key between said first device and said second device when the first device is brought within the predefined docking area of the second device.

Claim 6

The docking system of claim 1, wherein said first communication means and said second communication means each comprise electromagnetic communication means.

Claim 7

The docking system of claim 1, wherein said first communication means and said second communication means each comprise infrared communication means.

Claim 8

The docking system of claim 1, wherein said means for automatically establishing wireless connection further comprises means for establishing temporary hardwired connection between the first device and the second device when the first device is brought within said docking port.

Claim 9

The docking system of claim 1, wherein said predefined docking area of said second device comprises a predefined wireless docking range associated with said second device, wherein said proximity docking means comprises means for automatically establishing said secure wireless connection when said first device is brought within said wireless proximity docking area of said second device.

Claim 10

The docking system of claim 8, wherein each intelligent device of said plurality of intelligent devices to be disposed within said wireless communication range of said first device has proximity docking means for automatically establishing secure wireless connection with said first device when said first device is brought within a predefined wireless docking area associated with said intelligent device, and wherein said predefined wireless docking areas are non-overlapping and each of said predefined wireless docking areas is within said wireless communication range of said first device, wherein said first device exclusively communicates with said second device after being brought within said predefined wireless docking area of said second device.

Claim 11

The docking system of claim 9, wherein said second device and each intelligent device of said plurality of intelligent devices comprises a workstation, wherein said workstations are disposed in proximity to each other within said wireless communication range of said first device.

Claim 12

A docking system for establishing wireless connection between a first device and a second device, the first device comprising a portable device, said second device comprising one intelligent device of a plurality of intelligent devices to be disposed within a wireless communication range of said first device, wherein said first device is capable of wireless communication with any of said plurality of intelligent devices, said docking system comprising: a first wireless communication component comprising part of the first device and a second wireless communication component comprising part of the second device, said first and second wireless communication components operable to provide wireless communication between said first device and said second device; and a proximity docking device operable to automatically establish a secure wireless connection between the first device and the second device when the first device is brought within a predefined docking area of the second device so that said first device exclusively communicates with said second device of said plurality of intelligent devices, said predefined docking area being a limited area associated with said second device, said proximity docking device comprising an address identifier exchanger operable to automatically exchange an address identifier between the device and the second device when the first device is brought within the predefined docking area of the second device, wherein said secure wireless connection is maintained using said exchanged address identifier notwithstanding removal of the first device from the predefined docking area of the second device and notwithstanding use of the first device within communication range of said plurality of intelligent devices.

Claim 13

A docking system for establishing wireless connection between a first device and a second device, the first device comprising a portable device, said second device comprising one intelligent device of a plurality of intelligent devices to be disposed within a wireless communication range of said first device, wherein said first device is capable of wireless communication with any of said plurality of intelligent devices, said docking system comprising: a first wireless communication component comprising part of the first device and a second wireless communication component comprising part of the second device, said first and second wireless communication components operable to provide wireless communication between said first device and said second device; and a proximity docking device operable to automatically establish a secure wireless connection between the first device and the second device when the first device is brought within a predefined docking area of the second device so that said first device exclusively communicates with said second device of said plurality of intelligent devices, said predefined docking area being a limited area associated with said second device, said proximity docking device comprising an address identifier exchanger operable to automatically exchange an address identifier between the device and the second device when the first device is brought within the predefined docking area of the second device, wherein said secure wireless connection is maintained using said exchanged address identifier notwithstanding removal of the first device from the predefined docking area of the second device and notwithstanding use of the first device within communication range of said plurality of intelligent devices.

Claim 14

The docking system of claim 11, wherein said second device comprises a computer system and said docking area comprises a wireless docking port coupled to said computer system.

Claim 15

The docking system of claim 11, further comprising a signaling device operable to signal a user once secure wireless connection has been established between the first device and the second device.

Claim 16

The docking system of claim 11, further comprising a first encryption device associated with the first device and a second encryption device associated with the second device, said first and second encryption devices operable to allow for encrypted information to be transferred between the first device and the second device over the secure wireless connection, and wherein said system further comprises an encryption key exchanger operable to exchange an encryption key between said first device and said second device when the first device is brought within the predefined docking area of the second device.

Claim 17

The docking system of claim 11, wherein said first communication component and said second communication component each comprise electromagnetic communication components.

Claim 18

The docking system of claim 11, wherein said first communication component and said second communication component each comprise infrared communication components.

Claim 19

The docking system of claim 11, wherein said proximity docking device is operable to establish a temporary hardwired connection between the first device and the second device when the first device is brought within said docking port.

Claim 20

The docking system of claim 11, wherein said predefined docking area of said second device comprises a predefined wireless docking range associated with said second device, wherein said proximity docking device is operable to establish said secure wireless connection when said first device is brought within said wireless proximity docking area of said second device.

Claim 21

The docking system of claim 18, wherein each intelligent device of said plurality of intelligent devices to be disposed within said wireless communication range of said first device has a proximity docking device operable to automatically establish a secure wireless connection with said first device when said first device is brought within a predefined wireless docking area associated with said intelligent device, and wherein said predefined wireless docking areas are non-overlapping and each of said predefined wireless docking areas is within said wireless communication range of said first device, wherein said first device exclusively communicates with said second device after being brought within said predefined wireless docking area of said second device.

Claim 22

The docking system of claim 19, wherein said second device and each intelligent device of said plurality of intelligent devices comprises a workstation, wherein said workstations are disposed in proximity to each other within said wireless communication range of said first device.

Claim 25

The docking method of claim 21, wherein said second device comprises a computer system and said docking area comprises a docking port coupled to said computer system.

Claim 26

The docking method of claim 21, further comprising signaling a user once secure wireless connection has been established between the first device and the second device.

Claim 27

The docking method of claim 21, further comprising a first encryption mechanism associated with the first device and a second encryption mechanism associated with the second device, said first and second encryption mechanisms allowing for encryption of information to be transferred between the first device and the second device over the secure wireless connection, and wherein said method further comprises exchanging an encryption key between said first device and said second device when the first device is brought within the predefined docking area of the second device.

Claim 28

The docking method of claim 21, wherein said automatically communicating comprises automatically electromagnetically communicating said address identifier between said first device and said second device when said first device is docked within said docking area.

Claim 29

The docking method of claim 21, wherein said automatically communicating comprises employing infrared communication to automatically communicate said address identifier between said first device and said second device when said first device is docked within said docking area.

Claim 30

The docking method of claim 21, wherein said automatically establishing wireless connection further comprises establishing temporary hardwired connection between the first device and the second device when the first device is brought within said docking port.

Claim 31

The method of claim 21, wherein said automatic establishing (b) includes automatically exchanging an encryption key between the first device and the second device in response to said docking (a), said encryption key being employed by said first device and said second device to encrypt information communicated therebetween on said wireless connection.

Claim 32

The method of claim 21, wherein said first device comprises a data mouse.

Claim 33

The method of claim 21, wherein said docking area comprises a docking port associated with the second device, and wherein said first device comprises a data mouse, and wherein said docking (a) includes docking said data mouse within the docking port by bringing the data mouse within physical contact of the docking port.