Wireless data transfer with improved transport mechanism selection

Abstract

Generally, this disclosure describes devices, systems and methods for wireless data transfer with improved transport mechanism selection. The device may include a near field communication (NFC) circuit configured to initiate a data transfer between a first communication device and a second communication device; a Soft Access Point (Soft AP) data transport circuit configured to transfer data between the communication device and the second communication device; one or more additional data transport circuits configured to transfer data between the communication device and the second communication device; and a transport mechanism selection circuit coupled to the NFC interface circuit and further coupled to the one or more data transport circuits, the transport mechanism selection circuit configured to select one of the data transport circuits for the data transfer, wherein the selection is based on a determination of the size of the data transfer.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A communication device comprising:
 a communications circuit configured to initiate a data transfer between said communication device and a second communication device;   a first data transport circuit configured to transfer data between said communication device and said second communication device;   one or more additional data transport circuits configured to transfer data between said communication device and said second communication device; and   a transport mechanism selection circuit coupled to said communication circuit, said first data transport circuit and said one or more additional data transport circuits, said transport mechanism selection circuit configured to select one of said first data transport circuit and said one or more additional data transport circuits for said data transfer, wherein said selection is based on a determination of the size of said data transfer.   
     
     
         2 . The communication device of  claim 1 , wherein said one or more additional data transport circuits are selected from the group consisting of:
 a Bluetooth communication circuit;   an infrastructure WiFi communication circuit;   a WiFi-Direct communication circuit; a a soft access point communication circuit; and   a near field communication circuit.   
     
     
         3 . The communication device of  claim 2 , wherein said one or more additional data transport circuits is a WiFi-Direct communication circuit. 
     
     
         4 . The communication device of  claim 2 , wherein said selection is further based on WiFi connection state information and Soft AP connection state information associated with said communication device and said second communication device. 
     
     
         5 . The communication device of  claim 4 , wherein said Bluetooth communication circuit is further configured to securely exchange said connection state information with said second communication device. 
     
     
         6 . The communication device of  claim 2 , wherein said selection is further based on determining ability to disconnect an existing connection. 
     
     
         7 . The communication device of  claim 1 , wherein said communications circuit is a near field communication circuit. 
     
     
         8 . The communication device of  claim 2 , further comprising a communication security circuit configured to generate a random key wherein said random key is provided to said communication device and said second communication device for encryption and decryption of data transfers. 
     
     
         9 . The communication device of  claim 1 , wherein said first data transport circuit is selected from the group consisting of a Bluetooth circuit, an infrastructure WiFi communication circuit; a WiFi-Direct communication circuit; a soft access point communication circuit, and a near field communication circuit. 
     
     
         10 . A method for wireless data transfer, said method comprising:
 detecting a data transfer initiation trigger between a host device and a second device;   determining the size of said data transfer; and   selecting a data transport mechanism, from a set of available data transport mechanisms, for said data transfer based on said determined size of said data transfer, wherein said set of available data transport mechanisms comprises at least one of a Soft Access Point (Soft AP), Bluetooth communication, infrastructure WiFi communication, WiFi-Direct communication circuit; near first communication.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said data transfer initiation between a host device and a second device is performed using at least one of Bluetooth communication; Infrastructure WiFi communication; WiFi-Direct communication; soft access point communication; and near field communication. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising securely exchanging credential information between said host device and said second device using Bluetooth, said credential information associated with said data transport mechanism. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising exchanging WiFi connection state information and Soft AP connection state information between said host device and said second device, wherein said data transport mechanism selection is further based on said connection state information. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising securely exchanging said connection state information between said host device and said second device using said BT data transport mechanism. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein selecting a data transport mechanism comprises selecting said WiFi-Direct communication circuit. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein selecting a data transport mechanism comprises selecting said WiFi-Direct communication circuit. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising generating a random key and transmitting said random key from said host device to said second device, wherein said random key is used for encryption and decryption of data transfers. 
     
     
         18 . A computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon which when executed by a processor result in the following operations for wireless data transfer, said operations comprising:
 detecting a data transfer initiation trigger between a host device and a second device;   determining the size of said data transfer; and   selecting a data transport mechanism, from a set of available data transport mechanisms, for said data transfer based on said determined size of said data transfer, wherein said set of available data transport mechanisms comprises at least one of a Soft Access Point (Soft AP), Bluetooth communication, infrastructure WiFi communication, WiFi-Direct communication circuit; near first communication.   
     
     
         19 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 18 , wherein said data transfer initiation between a host device and a second device is performed using at least one of Bluetooth communication; Infrastructure WiFi communication; WiFi-Direct communication; soft access point communication; and near field communication. 
     
     
         20 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 19 , wherein said operations further comprise securely exchanging credential information between said host device and said second device using said BT data transport mechanism, said credential information associated with said Soft AP. 
     
     
         21 - 34 . (canceled)