Relaying third party wireless communications through a portable wireless system
First Claim
1. A portable wireless system, comprising:
- a controller operable to selectively configure the portable wireless system as a portable electronic appliance or a third party wireless repeater configured to relay wireless signals between a third party electronic appliance and a wireless telecommunication network.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A portable wireless system is described. The portable wireless system has a controller that is operable to selectively configure the portable wireless system as a personal electronic appliance or a third party wireless repeater that is configured to relay wireless signals between a third party electronic appliance and a wireless network. Accordingly, the portable wireless system (e.g., a cellular telephone, a pager or a personal digital assistant) may act as a wireless repeater for third party wireless communications when the portable wireless system otherwise is not in use. In this way, the portable wireless system increases the utilization of existing wireless network infrastructures (e.g., a cellular telephone network) by making one or more unused wireless channels available to other devices. A novel incentives-based business model that encourages owners of portable electronic appliances to fully utilize existing wireless network capacity also is described.
48 Citations
26 Claims
-
1. A portable wireless system, comprising:
a controller operable to selectively configure the portable wireless system as a portable electronic appliance or a third party wireless repeater configured to relay wireless signals between a third party electronic appliance and a wireless telecommunication network. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
10. A wireless telephony method, comprising:
selectively configuring a portable wireless system as a personal electronic appliance or a third part wireless repeater configured to relay wireless signals between a third party electronic appliance and a wireless telecommunication network. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
18. A wireless telephony method, comprising:
providing an incentive to a portable wireless system owner in response to a received third party communication relayed by the portable wireless system. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
Specification