System and method for facilitating short-range wireless communications between a mobile wireless device and an auxiliary system

A method of controlling short-range wireless communication using a short-range transceiver between a wireless device and an auxiliary device, the method comprising:

• providing a proximate device indicator near to the auxiliary device to indicate proximity of the auxiliary device to the wireless device;
• detecting when the proximate device indicator is in close proximity using a detector of a signal module on the wireless device;
• sending a first signal from the signal module to a control module on the wireless device when the detector detects that the proximate device indicator is in close proximity;
• sending a second signal from the signal module to the control module when the detector detects that the proximate device indicator is not in close proximity;
• using the control module, controllably shifting the short-range transceiver from a power saver mode to a search mode when the first signal is received from the signal module;
• and
• using the control module, controllably shifting the short-range transceiver from the search mode to the power saver mode when the second signal is received from the signal module;
• wherein,
• when in the search mode, the short-range transceiver is operable to search for the auxiliary device to communicate therewith, and when in the power saver mode, the short-range transceiver is inactive and not operable to search for the auxiliary device.

A wireless system comprising

• (a) an auxiliary device having a short-range communication module;
• (b) a proximate device indicator for indicating proximity of the auxiliary device, wherein the proximate device indicator is located proximate to the auxiliary device;
• and,
• (c) a wireless device having
• (i) a short-range transceiver for communicating with the auxiliary device;
• (ii) a detector for detecting when the proximate device indicator is in close proximity;
• and,
• (iii) a control module for controllably shifting the short-range transceiver from a power saver mode to a search mode when the detector detects that the proximate device indicator is in close proximity, and for controllably shifting the short-range transceiver from the search mode to the power saver mode when the detector detects that the proximate device indicator is not in close proximity;
• wherein, when in the search mode, the short-range transceiver is operable to search for the short-range communication module of the auxiliary device to communicate therewith, and when in the power saver mode, the short-range transceiver is inactive and not operable to search for the short-range communication module of the auxiliary device.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions executable on a processor of a wireless device, the processor being operable to execute the instructions to:

• control a detector of a signal module on the wireless device to detect when a proximate device indicator is in close proximity, wherein the proximate device indicator is near to the auxiliary device and indicates proximity of the auxiliary device to the wireless device;
• control the signal module to send a first signal to a control module on the wireless device when the detector detects that the proximate device indicator is in close proximity;
• control the signal module to send a second signal to the control module when the detector detects that the proximate device indicator is not in close proximity;
• instruct the control module to controllably shift the short-range transceiver from a power saver mode to a search mode when the first signal is received from the signal module;
• and
• instruct the control module to controllably shift the short-range transceiver from the search mode to the power saver mode when the second signal is received from the signal module;
• wherein,
• when in the search mode, the short-range transceiver is operable to search for the auxiliary device to communicate therewith, and when in the power saver mode, the short-range transceiver is inactive and not operable to search for the auxiliary device.