Method and system for role management for complex bluetooth® devices

Abstract

Methods and systems for controlling a plurality of personal area network access devices are disclosed herein. Aspects of the method may comprise determining current roles for communicating complex Bluetooth® devices. In response to receiving a new connection, it may be determined whether to switch from at least one of the determined current roles based on stored role switching information. If a role switch is allowed, at least one new role may be switched based on the stored role switching information. Each of the determined current roles and the new role comprise a master only role, a slave only role, and/or “any” role, where the “any” role may comprise a master or slave role. If the “any” role is allowed, at least one of the master role and/or the slave role may be switched.

1 . A method for controlling a plurality of personal area network access devices, the method comprising: 
 determining current roles for a plurality of communicating complex Bluetooth® devices;    in response to receiving a new connection, determining whether to switch from at least one of said determined current roles based on stored role switching information; and    if a role switch is allowed, switching to at least one new role based on said stored role switching information.    
   
   
       2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein each of said determined current roles and said at least one new role comprise at least one of a master only role, a slave only role, and “any” role, wherein said “any” role comprises a master or slave role.  
   
   
       3 . The method according to  claim 2 , further comprising, if said “any” role is allowed, switching to at least one of said master role and said slave role.  
   
   
       4 . The method according to  claim 2 , further comprising, if said “any” role is allowed, preserving said determined current roles for at least one of said plurality of communicating complex Bluetooth® devices.  
   
   
       5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said stored role switching information is stored in a lookup table.  
   
   
       6 . The method according to  claim 5 , wherein said lookup table comprises at least one role corresponding to said received new connection.  
   
   
       7 . The method according to  claim 5 , wherein said lookup table comprises a plurality of applications, at least one role corresponding to each of said plurality of applications.  
   
   
       8 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein said lookup table comprises at least one profile associated with each of said plurality of applications.  
   
   
       9 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising determining whether a role required by said received new connection conflicts with at least one role associated with at least one of said plurality of communicating complex Bluetooth® devices required for said received new connection.  
   
   
       10 . The method according to  claim 9 , further comprising, if said role required by said received new connection conflicts with said at least one role associated with said at least one of said plurality of communicating complex Bluetooth® devices required for said received new connection, switching to at least one new role based on said stored role switching information.  
   
   
       11 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising determining whether said received new connection comprises a scatternet connection.  
   
   
       12 . The method according to  claim 11 , further comprising, if said received new connection comprises a scatternet connection, switching to at least one new role based on said stored role switching information.  
   
   
       13 . A machine-readable storage having stored thereon, a computer program having at least one code section for controlling a plurality of personal area network access devices, the at least one code section being executable by a machine to perform steps comprising: 
 determining current roles for a plurality of communicating complex Bluetooth® devices;    in response to receiving a new connection, determining whether to switch from at least one of said determined current roles based on stored role switching information; and    if a role switch is allowed, switching to at least one new role based on said stored role switching information.    
   
   
       14 . The machine-readable media according to  claim 13 , wherein each of said determined current roles and said at least one new role comprise at least one of a master only role, a slave only role, and “any” role, wherein said “any” role comprises a master or slave role.  
   
   
       15 . The machine-readable media according to  claim 14 , further comprising code for switching to at least one of said master role and said slave role, if said “any” role is allowed.  
   
   
       16 . The machine-readable media according to  claim 14 , further comprising code for preserving said determined current roles for at least one of said plurality of communicating complex Bluetooth® devices, if said “any” role is allowed.  
   
   
       17 . The machine-readable media according to  claim 13 , wherein said stored role switching information is stored in a lookup table.  
   
   
       18 . The machine-readable media according to  claim 17 , wherein said lookup table comprises at least one role corresponding to said received new connection.  
   
   
       19 . The machine-readable media according to  claim 17 , wherein said lookup table comprises a plurality of applications, at least one role corresponding to each of said plurality of applications.  
   
   
       20 . The machine-readable media according to  claim 19 , wherein said lookup table comprises at least one profile associated with each of said plurality of applications.  
   
   
       21 . The machine-readable media according to  claim 13 , further comprising code for determining whether a role required by said received new connection conflicts with at least one role associated with at least one of said plurality of communicating complex Bluetooth® devices required for said received new connection.  
   
   
       22 . The machine-readable media according to  claim 21 , further comprising code for switching to at least one new role based on said stored role switching information, if said role required by said received new connection conflicts with said at least one role associated with said at least one of said plurality of communicating complex Bluetooth® devices required for said received new connection.  
   
   
       23 . The machine-readable media according to  claim 13 , further comprising code for determining whether said received new connection comprises a scatternet connection.  
   
   
       24 . The machine-readable media according to  claim 23 , further comprising code for switching to at least one new role based on said stored role switching information, if said received new connection comprises a scatternet connection.  
   
   
       25 . A system for controlling a plurality of personal area network access devices, the system comprising: 
 at least one processor that determines current roles for a plurality of communicating complex Bluetooth® devices;    in response to receiving a new connection, said at least one processor determines whether to switch from at least one of said determined current roles based on stored role switching information; and    said at least one processor switches to at least one new role based on said stored role switching information, if a role switch is allowed.    
   
   
       26 . The system according to  claim 25 , wherein each of said determined current roles and said at least one new role comprise at least one of a master only role, a slave only role, and “any” role, wherein said “any” role comprises a master or slave role.  
   
   
       27 . The system according to  claim 26 , wherein said at least one processor switches to at least one of said master role and said slave role, if said “any” role is allowed.  
   
   
       28 . The system according to  claim 26 , wherein said at least one processor preserves said determined current roles for at least one of said plurality of communicating complex Bluetooth® devices, if said “any” role is allowed.  
   
   
       29 . The system according to  claim 25 , wherein said stored role switching information is stored in a lookup table.  
   
   
       30 . The system according to  claim 29 , wherein said lookup table comprises at least one role corresponding to said received new connection.  
   
   
       31 . The system according to  claim 29 , wherein said lookup table comprises a plurality of applications, at least one role corresponding to each of said plurality of applications.  
   
   
       32 . The system according to  claim 31 , wherein said lookup table comprises at least one profile associated with each of said plurality of applications.  
   
   
       33 . The system according to  claim 25 , wherein said at least one processor determines whether a role required by said received new connection conflicts with at least one role associated with at least one of said plurality of communicating complex Bluetooth® devices required for said received new connection.  
   
   
       34 . The system according to  claim 33 , wherein said at least one processor switches to at least one new role based on said stored role switching information, if said role required by said received new connection conflicts with said at least one role associated with said at least one of said plurality of communicating complex Bluetooth® devices required for said received new connection.  
   
   
       35 . The system according to  claim 25 , wherein said at least one processor determines whether said received new connection comprises a scatternet connection.  
   
   
       36 . The system according to  claim 35 , wherein said at least one processor switches to at least one new role based on said stored role switching information, if said received new connection comprises a scatternet connection.