TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates in general to information handling systems, and more particularly systems and methods for secure discovery and wake for wireless docking of an information handling system.

BACKGROUND

As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available to users is information handling systems. An information handling system generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements vary between different users or applications, information handling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in information handling systems allow for information handling systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, information handling systems may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.

A user of an information handling system may couple, either via a wired or wireless connection, the information handling system to a docking station, which may also be referred to as a port replicator or dock. A docking station may comprise a system, device, or apparatus that enables a coupled information handling system to communicatively couple to information handling resources (e.g., keyboard, monitor, mouse, external storage resources, network interfaces, etc.) attached to or integral to the docking station.

For wireless docking stations, it may be desirable to allow a mobile information handling system to securely discover an associated wireless docking station and/or vice-versa. For example, when the information handling system is in an active state and the information handling system approaches the wireless docking station, it may be desirable to allow the information handling system to discover and couple to the wireless docking station. As another example, when the information handling system is in a sleep/standby state and the information handling system approaches the wireless docking station, it may be desirable to allow the information handling system to discover and couple to the wireless docking station and to wake the information handling system. As a further example, when the information handling system is in a sleep/standby state and the information handling system is already proximate to the wireless docking station, it may be desirable to allow a user to wake the information handling system by interacting with a keyboard, mouse, or other input device attached to the docking station. As an additional example, when the information handling system is in a sleep/standby state and the information handling system approaches a wireless docking station to which the information handling system is not primarily docked (e.g., the wireless docking station typically docks with an different user or information handling system), it may be desirable to prevent the information handling system from discovering and coupling to the wireless docking station and to prevent waking the information handling system.

However, using existing approaches, there exists no defined manner in which a wireless docking station may perform detection of an information handling system, or vice versa, and initiate low-level device interactions (e.g., a wake event from a keyboard press to wake the information handling system).

SUMMARY

In accordance with the teachings of the present disclosure, the disadvantages and problems associated with secure discovery and wake of an information handling system interfacing with a wireless docking station may be reduced or eliminated.

In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, an information handling system may include a processor, a management controller communicatively coupled to the processor and configured to provide out-of-band management facilities for the management of the information handling system, the management controller further configured to generate a unique identifier associated with the information handling system and a network interface communicatively coupled to the processor and the management controller and configured to encapsulate the unique identifier in a datagram for wireless communication to a wireless docking station and broadcast the datagram. The management controller may be further configured to, in response to receiving a response datagram from the wireless docking station, wake the information handling system.

In accordance with these and other embodiments of the present disclosure, a method may include generating a unique identifier associated with an information handling system, encapsulating the unique identifier in a datagram for wireless communication to a wireless docking station, broadcasting the datagram, and in response to receiving a response datagram from the wireless docking station, waking an information handling system.

In accordance with these and other embodiments of the present disclosure, a wireless docking station may include a wireless docking interface configured to receive a datagram from an information handling system, the datagram including a unique identifier associated with the information handling system and a policy manager configured to determine if the information handling system is authorized for docking to the wireless docking station based on the unique identifier and responsive to determining that the information handling system is authorized for docking to the wireless docking station, enable input devices of the wireless docking station to receive user input for interacting with the information handling system.

In accordance with these and other embodiments of the present disclosure, a method may include receiving at a wireless docking station a datagram from an information handling system, the datagram including a unique identifier associated with the information handling system, determining at the wireless docking station if the information handling system is authorized for docking to the wireless docking station based on the unique identifier, and responsive to determining that the information handling system is authorized for docking to the wireless docking station, enabling input devices of the wireless docking station to receive user input for interacting with the information handling system.

Technical advantages of the present disclosure may be readily apparent to one skilled in the art from the figures, description and claims included herein. The objects and advantages of the embodiments will be realized and achieved at least by the elements, features, and combinations particularly pointed out in the claims.

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are examples and explanatory and are not restrictive of the claims set forth in this disclosure.

