Network connectivity system and method

• US 20030103464A1
• Filed: 11/30/2001
• Published: 06/05/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Palm, Inc. (TCL Technology Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Kammer, David, Wong, Yoon Kean, Lemke, Steven C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,072,326 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/252
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 Negotiating wireless communication parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup

Abstract

A method, system, and apparatus for configuring an electronic device for communications with a communications network is disclosed. The disclosure includes descriptions of establishing a wireless communications link between a first electronic device and a second electronic device. The first electronic device has saved thereon a set of network parameters for enabling communications between the first electronic device and the communications network. The disclosure also includes descriptions of communicating the set of network parameters to the second electronic device, retaining the set of network parameters on the second electronic device, and establishing a communications link between the second electronic device and the communications network by applying settings to the second electronic device, where the settings are based on the network parameters.

Claims

1. A method of configuring an electronic device for communications with a communications network, comprising

establishing a wireless communications link between a first electronic device and a second electronic device, the first electronic device having saved thereon a set of network parameters for enabling communications between the first electronic device and the communications network;

communicating the set of network parameters to the second electronic device;

retaining the set of network parameters on the second electronic device; and

establishing a communications link between the second electronic device and the communications network by applying settings to the second electronic device, the settings based on the network parameters.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

configuring a first electronic device to communicate with a communications network by saving a set of network parameters on the first electronic device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless communications link is an infrared communications link.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless communications link is a radio frequency (RF) communications link.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

establishing a communications link between the first electronic device and the communications network.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first electronic device is a handheld computer.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the second electronic device is a handheld computer.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the communications network includes at least one wireless access point.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the wireless access point is a Bluetooth access point.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the wireless access point is an IEEE 802.11 access point.

11. A communications system, comprising:

a communications network including at least one wireless access point;

a first electronic device having network parameters enabling communications between the first electronic device and the communication network, and the first electronic device including a first wireless transceiver;

a second electronic device having a first set of logic running thereon and a second wireless transceiver, the first set of logic including functionality to communicate with the first electronic device between the first and second wireless transceivers and the first set of logic including functionality to receive the network parameters from the first electronic device; and

a second set of logic, providing settings on the second electronic device based on the network parameters and establishing communications between the second electronic device and the network.

12. The communications system of claim 11, wherein the access point is a Bluetooth access point.

13. The communications system of claim 11, wherein the access point is an IEEE 802.11 access point.

14. The communications system of claim 11, wherein the first electronic device is a handheld computer.

15. The communications system of claim 11, wherein the second electronic device is a handheld computer.

16. A handheld computer, comprising:

a processor;

a memory coupled to the processor;

a transceiver coupled to the processor;

a at least one program stored in the memory and running on the processor, the program including logic to receive settings from an intermediary device via the transceiver, the settings being used for the intermediary device to connect to a communications network, and the at least one program including logic to connect to the communications network by using the settings.

17. The handheld computer of claim 16, wherein the transceiver is a Bluetooth transceiver.

18. The handheld computer of claim 16, wherein the transceiver is an IEEE 802.11 transceiver.

19. The handheld computer of claim 16, wherein the intermediary device is a handheld computer.

20. The handheld computer of claim 17, wherein the settings between the handheld computer and the intermediary handheld computer are communicated via an infrared link.