Vehicle access point scanning for acquiring network access via an external access point
First Claim
1. A method of operating a vehicle wireless access point (WAP), comprising the steps of:
- (a) establishing short range wireless communication between a vehicle WAP and one or more wireless devices over one or more corresponding wireless communication channels operating over a first frequency band;
(b) providing the wireless device(s) with data access to remote networks via the vehicle WAP using the wireless communication channel(s) and a network access device;
(c) detecting a non-vehicle WAP available for use in providing the wireless device(s) with the data access to remote networks, wherein the detecting is carried out by the steps of;
(c1) suspending the short range wireless communication with the wireless device(s) over the wireless communication channel(s);
(c2) scanning for another WAP using the first frequency band; and
(c3) determining that a non-vehicle WAP is available for short range wireless communication based on the scanning;
(d) connecting the vehicle WAP as a client device to the non-vehicle WAP via a wireless data connection between the vehicle WAP and the non-vehicle WAP;
(e) resuming the short range wireless communication with at least some of the wireless device(s) over the wireless communication channel(s);
(f) providing the wireless device(s) with the data access to remote networks that passes sequentially through both the vehicle WAP using the wireless communication channel(s) and the non-vehicle WAP using the data connection between the vehicle WAP and the non-vehicle WAP; and
(g) providing one or more other wireless devices with short range wireless communication from the vehicle WAP over communication channel(s) operating over a second frequency band during at least steps (c)-(e).
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of operating a vehicle wireless access point (WAP), including the steps of establishing short range wireless communication between a vehicle WAP and one or more wireless devices over one or more corresponding communication channels operating over a first frequency band; suspending the communication between the vehicle WAP and the wireless device(s); scanning for another non-vehicle WAP using the first frequency band; connecting the vehicle WAP as a client device to the non-vehicle WAP; resuming the communication with at least some of the wireless device(s) over the wireless communication channel(s); and providing the wireless device(s) with data access to remote networks sequentially via both the vehicle WAP and the non-vehicle WAP.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. A method of operating a vehicle wireless access point (WAP), comprising the steps of:
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(a) establishing short range wireless communication between a vehicle WAP and one or more wireless devices over one or more corresponding wireless communication channels operating over a first frequency band; (b) providing the wireless device(s) with data access to remote networks via the vehicle WAP using the wireless communication channel(s) and a network access device; (c) detecting a non-vehicle WAP available for use in providing the wireless device(s) with the data access to remote networks, wherein the detecting is carried out by the steps of; (c1) suspending the short range wireless communication with the wireless device(s) over the wireless communication channel(s); (c2) scanning for another WAP using the first frequency band; and (c3) determining that a non-vehicle WAP is available for short range wireless communication based on the scanning; (d) connecting the vehicle WAP as a client device to the non-vehicle WAP via a wireless data connection between the vehicle WAP and the non-vehicle WAP; (e) resuming the short range wireless communication with at least some of the wireless device(s) over the wireless communication channel(s); (f) providing the wireless device(s) with the data access to remote networks that passes sequentially through both the vehicle WAP using the wireless communication channel(s) and the non-vehicle WAP using the data connection between the vehicle WAP and the non-vehicle WAP; and (g) providing one or more other wireless devices with short range wireless communication from the vehicle WAP over communication channel(s) operating over a second frequency band during at least steps (c)-(e). - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12)
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10. A method of operating a vehicle wireless access point (WAP), comprising the steps of:
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(a) establishing short range wireless communication between a vehicle WAP and one or more wireless devices over one or more corresponding wireless communication channels operating over a first frequency band; (b) providing the wireless device(s) with data access to remote networks via the vehicle WAP using the wireless communication channel(s) and a network access device; (c) detecting a non-vehicle WAP available for use in providing the wireless device(s) with the data access to remote networks, wherein the detecting is carried out by the steps of; (c1) suspending the short range wireless communication with the wireless device(s) over the wireless communication channel(s); (c2) scanning for another WAP using the first frequency band; and (c3) determining that a non-vehicle WAP is available for short range wireless communication based on the scanning; (d) connecting the vehicle WAP as a client device to the non-vehicle WAP via a wireless data connection between the vehicle WAP and the non-vehicle WAP; (e) resuming the short range wireless communication with at least some of the wireless device(s) over the wireless communication channel(s); and (f) providing the wireless device(s) with the data access to remote networks that passes sequentially through both the vehicle WAP using the wireless communication channel(s) and the non-vehicle WAP using the data connection between the vehicle WAP and the non-vehicle WAP; wherein the network access device is a first network access device and the non-vehicle WAP operates as a second network access device, wherein step (f) comprises providing the wireless device(s) with the data access to remote networks using the second network access device instead of the first network access device.
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13. A method of operating a vehicle wireless access point (WAP) in a vehicle having vehicle electronics that include an installed vehicle WAP, wherein the method is carried out by the vehicle electronics and comprises:
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(a) establishing short range wireless communication (SRWC) at the vehicle between the installed vehicle WAP and one or more wireless devices located at the vehicle, wherein the SRWC uses a first frequency band; (b) suspending the SRWC with the one or more wireless devices over the first frequency band; (c) scanning for a second WAP; (d) detecting the second WAP; (e) establishing a data connection using SRWC with the second WAP; (f) resuming the short range wireless communication between the first WAP and the one or more wireless devices over the first frequency band; (g) providing remote network access to the one or more wireless devices by passing data communications between the remote network and one or more wireless devices sequentially through both the first and second WAPs; and (h) providing one or more other wireless devices with short range wireless communication from the installed vehicle WAP over communication channel(s) operating over a second frequency band during at least steps (b)-(f).
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Specification