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US 2017/0249474 A1Published application
Docking station for portable devices providing authorized power transfer and facility access
AssigneeZ124
InventorsChristopher P. Ricci, Dennis J. Dupray
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A docking station for docking portable electronic devices is disclosed. The docking station is configured to mechanically accept and operatively interface with the portable electronic device for non-contact charging and data transfer. The docking station can provide security features for providing and/or restricting access to computational facilities such as printers, databases, installed programs, etc. Such security features can include installing applications on such portable devices that limit access.
Claims20
A docking system, comprising:
- a docking station, the docking station comprising:
- a first holding system to support a first portable device;
- an interface system operable to interface with the first portable device, the interface system operable to provide one or more of data and power to the first portable device without a physical electrical connection;
- a memory;
- and
- a processor in communication with the memory and the interface system, the processor programmed to:
- perceive a presence of the first portable device on the first holding system;
- energize a first inductive coil of the docking station to create a first magnetic field, the first magnetic field inducing a current and a second field in an inductive coil of the first portable device;
- determine a strength of the second field originating in the inductive coil of the first portable device;
- determine, based on the strength of the second field, if an alignment of the first portable device with the docking station is correct
- when the alignment of the first portable device is not correct, provide alignment directions to a user of the first portable device to correct the alignment of the first portable device with the docking station;
- after determining the alignment of the first portable device is correct, exchange first authorization credentials between the first portable device and the docking station;
- determine if the first portable device is authorized;
- if the first portable device is authorized, determine a level of access to provide to the first portable device, wherein the processor accesses information associated with the first portable device stored in the memory;
- and
- provide the first portable device at least one of access to one or more systems connected to the docking station and access to data accessible by the docking station.
13 more elements
A method, comprising:
- perceiving, by an interface system of a docking station, a presence of a device on or near a first holding system of one or more holding systems associated with the docking station;
- receiving, by the docking station, a first strength of a first magnetic field originating in a first inductive coil of the docking station from the first device, the first strength determined by the first device;
- determining, by the interface system, if an alignment of the device with the docking station is correct based on the received first strength;
- when the alignment of the device is not correct, providing, by the interface system, instructions to a user of the device to correct the alignment of the device with the docking station:
- after determining the alignment of the device is correct, exchanging authorization credentials between the device and the docking station;
- determining if the device is authorized;
- after determining that the device is authorized, determining, by the interface system, a level of access to provide to the device, wherein the interface system accesses information associated with the device stored in the docking station;
- and
- providing the device at least one of access to one or more systems connected to the docking;
- station and access to data accessible by the docking station.
7 more elements
A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions, the computer executable instructions causing a processor of a docking station to execute a method for docking a first portable device to the docking station, the computer-executable instructions comprising:
- instructions to perceive a first presence of a first portable device on a first holding system of the docking station, wherein the docking station includes one or more holding systems;
- instructions to energize a first inductive coil of the docking station to create a first magnetic field, the first magnetic field inducing a current and a second field in an inductive coil of the first portable device;
- instructions to determine, by the processor, a strength of the second field originating in the inductive coil of the first portable device;
- instructions to determine, based on the strength of the second field, if an alignment of the first portable device with the docking station is correct;
- when the alignment of the first portable device is not correct, instructions to provide alignment directions to a user of the first portable device to correct the alignment of the first portable device with the docking station;
- instructions to exchange, after determining the alignment of the first portable device is correct, authorization credentials between the first portable device and the docking station;
- instructions to determine if the first portable device is authorized;
- instructions to determine a level of access provide to the first portable device to one or more systems connected to the docking station if the first portable device is authorized, wherein the processor accesses information associated with the first portable device stored in the docking station;
- and
- instructions to prevent access by the first portable device to one or more systems connected to the docking station if the first portable device is not authorized.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.