Wireless network adapter

• US 20020091843A1
• Filed: 12/21/2000
• Published: 07/11/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Vaid, Rahul R.
• Original Assignee: Vaid, Rahul R.
• Inventors: Vaid, Rahul R.
• Application Number:
  US09/746,484
• Publication Number:
  US 20020091843A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/230
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2865 Logical combinations

Abstract

A system according to the principles of the invention includes an adapter that aggregates network traffic from a plurality of Portable Computing Devices and combines the aggregated data into a wireless network data channel. The adapter may include a wireless network interface for establishing and maintaining a wireless network channel with a wireless base station, and may combine the data in a manner that preserves addressing information (such as IP source and destination addresses) for each individual PCD. A wireless Internet service provider may separate the data according to a predetermined protocol, and create individual data packets, such as IP packets, for each PCD using the network data channel. A complementary operation may be performed for data received at the wireless base station and addressed to PCD'"'"'s connected to the adapter. In this manner, a number of PCD'"'"'s may be in bi-directional communication with a network using a single data channel.

Claims

1. An apparatus for aggregating device communications, the apparatus comprising:

a body;

a plurality of local ports, each local port configured to establish bi-directional data communications with a local device, and each local port using a different communication protocol;

a remote access port, the remote access port configured to establish bi-directional wireless data communications with a service provider; and

a processing system for converting data signals between a form adapted to one of the plurality of local ports and a form adapted to the remote access port.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, the processing system further comprising a port processing unit that converts data signals between a form adapted to more than one of the plurality of local ports into a form adapted to a multiple access air interface of the remote access port.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, the processing system further comprising a shared signal processing unit that converts data signals between a form adapted to more than one of the plurality of local ports into a form adapted to a single channel of the remote access port.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the body is shaped and sized to be worn by a person.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the plurality of local ports include at least one of a Bluetooth port, a HomeRF port, an IrDA port, a wireless Ethernet port, a wired serial port, a wired parallel port, or a wireless local area network port.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the remote access port includes a wireless port.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the wireless port includes at least one of a CDMA port, a TDM port, a GSM port, a PCS port, or a third generation cellular telephony port.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, the service provider connected in a communicating relationship with the remote access port through an air interface establishing bi-directional wireless data communications with the remote access port, and the service provider including an Internet connection, whereby a local device connected in a communicating relationship with one of the plurality of local ports may communicate through the Internet.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a local device connecting in a communicating relationship with one of the plurality of local ports, the local device including at least one of a personal digital assistant, a notebook computer, a laptop computer, a cellular phone, a palm computer, or a wearable computer.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, the wearable computer including at least one of a wearable eyeglass computer or a wearable audio computer.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, the remote access port including a plurality of data channels, the bi-directional wireless data communications being distributed among two or more of the plurality of data channels.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the body is at least one of a portable accessory, a modular add-on device, or a base station accessory.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, the processing system further comprising one or more processors that convert traffic between data for more than one of the plurality of local ports and data for a logical channel of the remote access port.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, the processing system further comprising one or more processors that convert traffic between data for more than one of the plurality of local ports and data for a plurality of logical channels of the remote access ports.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a services unit that provides network services to the plurality of local ports.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, the network services including at least one of device connectivity, error detection and correction, load balancing, caching, traffic management, congestion control, file sharing, printer sharing, and distributed computing.

17. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the plurality of local ports comprise a terminal port cluster, the terminal port cluster including a plurality of connectors, each connector adapted to removably receive a modular device port, the modular device port adapted to a single communications technique.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein converting the local data includes multiplexing the local data into a plurality of data streams corresponding to more than one channel of a multiple access wireless interface.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein converting the local data includes sequentially converting the local data from selected ones of the plurality of local devices.

22. The method of claim 19 wherein converting the local data includes prioritizing the plurality of local devices and converting data from a selected one of the plurality of local devices according to a priority of the selected one of the plurality of local devices.

18. A system for aggregating device communications, the apparatus comprising:

a body;

a plurality of local communications means for maintaining communications with one or more local devices;

a remote communications means for maintaining wireless communications means with a service provider; and

a converting means for converting data signals between a form adapted to the plurality of local communications means and the remote communications means.

19. A method for aggregating device communications, the method comprising:

receiving local data from a plurality of local devices;

converting the local data into converted local data, the converted local data having a form suitable for transmission over a wireless communication link;

transmitting the converted local data over the wireless communication link;

receiving network data from a service provider over the wireless communication link;

converting the network data into converted network data, the converted network data having a form suitable for transmission to one or more of the plurality of local devices; and

transmitting the converted network data to one or more of the plurality of local devices.

23. An apparatus for aggregating device communications, the apparatus comprising:

a wearable body;

a plurality of local ports, each local port configured to establish bi-directional data communications with a local device, and each local port using a different communication protocol;

a remote access port, the remote access port configured to establish bi-directional wireless data communications with a service provider;

a processing system for converting data signals between a form adapted to one of the plurality of local ports and a form adapted to the remote access port; and

a services unit that provides network services to one or more local devices connected to the plurality of local ports.