Appliance communications manager

• US 20040122996A1
• Filed: 10/08/2003
• Published: 06/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Frank P. Carau Sr, Michael L. Rudd, Philip E. Jensen
• Original Assignee: Frank P. Carau Sr, Michael L. Rudd, Philip E. Jensen
• Inventors: Rudd, Michael L, Jensen, Philip E, Carau, Frank P Sr.
• Granted Patent: US 6,842,799 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/36
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2898 Subscriber equipments DSL modems H04M11/062; cable modems H04L12/2801
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/5692 Selection among different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching

Abstract

Methods and apparatus are disclosed for communication between appliances. In one embodiment, the method comprises receiving at an appliance communications manager that stands apart from source and destination appliances, a connection request from a source appliance, receiving at the appliance communications manager destination appliance communication information for a destination appliance, and receiving at the appliance communications manager a communication message from the source appliance. The method additionally comprises storing the communication message in a data memory of the appliance communications manager, establishing, via the appliance communications manager, a communication link with the destination appliance, and transferring the stored communication message to the destination appliance via the communication link.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving at an appliance communications manager that stands apart from source and destination appliances, a connection request from a source appliance;

receiving at the appliance communications manager destination appliance communication information for a destination appliance;

receiving at the appliance communications manager a communication message from the source appliance;

storing the communication message in a data memory of the appliance communications manager;

establishing, via the appliance communications manager, a communication link with the destination appliance; and

transferring the stored communication message to the destination appliance via the communication link.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

receiving a communication message comprises receiving a communication message via a first communication technology; and

establishing a communication link comprises establishing a communication link having a second communication technology, the second communication technology different than the first communication technology.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein establishing a communication link comprises establishing, via the appliance communications manager, a communication link using one of an infrared input/output (I/O) driver and a short-wave radio module.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein establishing the communication link comprises establishing, via the appliance communications manager, the communication link using an analog cellular I/O module.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein establishing the communication link comprises establishing, via the appliance communications manager, the communication link using one of a digital cellular I/O module and an internet I/O driver.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the source appliance comprises one of a printer, a scanner, a facsimile machine, an overhead projector, an appliance storage device, and an appliance whiteboard.

7. An apparatus comprising:

a first input/output (I/O) communication module to receive a connection request, destination appliance communication information for a destination appliance, and a communication message, from a source appliance;

data memory to store the communication message received from the source appliance;

a processor to access the data memory and to establish a communication link with the destination appliance;

a second I/O communication module to transfer the stored communication message to the destination appliance via the communication link.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the first I/O communication module comprises a different communication technology than the second I/O communication module.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the first I/O communication module comprises one of an infrared I/O driver and a short-wave radio I/O module.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the first I/O communication module comprises an analog cellular I/O module.

11. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the first I/O communication module comprises one of a digital cellular I/O module and an internet I/O driver.

12. A system comprising:

a source appliance to transmit a connection request, destination appliance communication information for a destination appliance, and a communication message, to an appliance communications manager;

the appliance communications manager including a data memory to store the communication message received from the source appliance, the appliance communications manager to transfer the stored communication message to the destination appliance; and

the destination appliance to receive the communication message from the appliance communications manager.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the source appliance comprises one of a printer, a scanner, a facsimile machine, an overhead projector, an appliance storage device, and an appliance whiteboard.