# US 12,093,078 B2 · Docking stations

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- Number: US 12,093,078 B2
- Document ID: US12093078B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/347,024
- Filed: 2023-07-05
- Published: 2023-11-09
- Granted: 2024-09-17
- Earliest claimed: 2023-07-05
- Assignees: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
- Applicants: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
- Inventors: Roger D. Benson
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12093078B2

## CPC

- G06F 1/1632: {External expansion units, e.g. docking stations}
- H04M 1/04: Supports for telephone transmitters or receivers
- G06F 1/3296: by lowering the supply or operating voltage
- H04L 67/34: {involving the movement of software or configuration parameters (network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416)}
- H04M 1/72409: by interfacing with external accessories (hands-free H04M1/60)
- H04M 1/72415: for remote control of appliances
- H04N 2201/0058: Docking-station, cradle or the like
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- H04M: TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION (circuits for controlling other apparatus via a telephone cable and not involving telephone switching apparatus G08)
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION

## Abstract

A docking station including a network interface controller to communicatively couple the docking station to a network, a controller to manage the docking station, and a hub communicatively coupled to both the network interface controller and the controller. In one example, the hub is communicatively coupled to a computing device. In another example, the controller causes the hub to use the computing device as a master based on the computing device being communicatively coupled to the hub and causes the hub to use the controller as the master based on the computing device not being communicatively coupled to the hub.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A docking station, comprising:
a network interface controller to communicatively couple the docking station to a network;
a controller to manage the docking station; and
a hub communicatively coupled to the network interface controller and the controller, the hub to communicatively couple to a computing device,
the controller to cause the hub to use the computing device as a master based on the computing device being communicatively coupled to the hub and to cause the hub to use the controller as the master based on the computing device not being communicatively coupled to the hub;
the controller to command the hub to enter and remain in a reset state during the transition between using the controller as the master and the computing device as the master; and
wherein transitioning the docking station to a full power state transfers only the controller into the full power state without transferring other components of the docking station into the full power state.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The docking station of claim 1, wherein the hub is to cause the network interface controller to be a slave of the computing device based on the computing device being communicatively coupled to the hub and to cause the network interface controller to be a slave of the controller based on the computing device not being communicatively coupled to the hub.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The docking station of claim 1, wherein the controller is to receive an update from a remote device via the network interface controller based on the computing device not being communicatively coupled to the hub.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The docking station of claim 3, wherein the network interface controller is to receive a wake command from the remote device and the controller is to transition the docking station from a low power state to an on state and indicate capabilities to the remote device.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The docking station of claim 4, wherein the controller is to download the update from the remote device in response to the remote device indicating that the update is available.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The docking station of claim 4, wherein the wake command is a wake-on-LAN packet from the remote device.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The docking station of claim 1, wherein the computing device and the docking station are both within an enterprise network environment.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The docking station of claim 1, wherein the hub is configured to enter the reset state prior to receiving instructions to transition from using the computing device as a master to using the controller as the master.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The docking station of claim 8, wherein the hub is configured to exit the reset state after the transition from using the computing device as the master to using the controller as the master.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The docking station of claim 1, wherein hub is a universal serial bus (USB) type hub.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The docking station of claim 1, wherein the hub includes a sense pin within the hub.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The docking station of claim 11, wherein the controller determines whether or not the computing device is physically connected to the hub via the sense pin.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The docking station of claim 1, further comprising:
a component controller to control a peripheral device connected to the docking station.