Method and system for providing mobile wireless access points

• US 20060198361A1
• Filed: 06/01/2005
• Published: 09/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Chen, Liren, Steenstra, Jack, Taylor, Kirk Steven
• Granted Patent: US 7,408,896 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/02 Hybrid access
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements

Abstract

A mobile access point is disclosed. The mobile access point includes a terminal module configured to provide one or more terminal functions for use by a user, the one or more terminal functions including a voice or data communications application, and a gateway module configured to provide one or more gateway functions for use by at least one client device, the one or more gateway functions including providing the at least one client device access to a computer network, and a processor configured to execute the terminal module and the gateway module to effectuate their corresponding functions.

Claims

1. A mobile access point comprising:

a terminal module configured to provide one or more terminal functions for use by a user, the one or more terminal functions including a voice or data communications application;

a gateway module configured to provide one or more gateway functions for use by at least one client device, the one or more gateway functions including providing the at least one client device access to a computer network; and

a processor configured to execute the terminal module and the gateway module to effectuate their corresponding functions.

2. The mobile access point of claim 1 wherein the voice or data communications application is configured to allow the user to conduct a telephonic transaction.

3. The mobile access point of claim 1 wherein the one or more terminal functions further include a wireless communications application, the wireless communications application using a first wireless communications protocol;

and

wherein the mobile access point is configured to communicate with the at least one client device using a second wireless communications protocol.

4. The mobile access point of claim 3 wherein the processor is further configured to reformat data between the first wireless communications protocol and the second wireless communications protocol.

5. The mobile access point of claim 1 wherein the computer network includes the Internet.

6. The mobile access point of claim 1 wherein the at least one client device comprises a mobile device.

7. A mobile device comprising:

a terminal module configured to provide a voice or data communications application for use by a user;

a gateway module configured to provide an access point that is usable by a plurality of mobile clients to access a destination computer network; and

a processor configured to execute the terminal module and the gateway module.

8. The mobile device of claim 7 wherein the voice or data communications application is configured to allow the user to conduct a telephonic transaction.

9. The mobile device of claim 7 wherein the voice or data communications application is configured to utilize an intermediary network;

and

wherein the gateway module is further configured to effect access to the destination computer network via the intermediary network.

10. The mobile device of claim 9 wherein the gateway module is further configured to effect communications between the plurality of mobile clients and the mobile device using a first wireless communications protocol;

and

wherein the gateway module is further configured to effect communications between the mobile device and the intermediary network using a second wireless communications protocol.

11. The mobile device of claim 10 wherein the first wireless communications protocol includes the 802.11 family;

and

wherein the second wireless communications protocol includes the EV-DO (Evolution-Data Optimized) protocol.

12. The mobile device of claim 7 wherein the destination computer network includes the Internet.

13. The mobile device of claim 7 wherein the plurality of mobile clients include a mobile phone.

14. A mobile phone comprising:

means for facilitating communications between the mobile phone and a plurality of clients and an intermediary network, wherein communications with the plurality of clients are conducted using a first wireless communications protocol and communications with the intermediary network are conducted using a second wireless communications protocol;

means for providing telephonic and data functions for use by a user via the intermediary network;

means for reformatting data between the first wireless communications protocol and the second communications protocol, thereby allowing data to be exchanged between the plurality of clients and the intermediary network; and

means for making a destination computer network accessible to the plurality of clients via the intermediary network.

15. The mobile phone of claim 14 wherein the first wireless communications protocol includes the 802.11 family;

and

wherein the second wireless communications protocol includes the EV-DO (Evolution-Data Optimized) protocol.

16. The mobile phone of claim 14 wherein the intermediary network includes a cellular telecommunications network;

and

wherein the destination computer network includes the Internet.

17. The mobile phone of claim 14 wherein the plurality of clients include at least one mobile phone.

18. A processor for use in a mobile access point, the processor configured to control:

one or more terminal functions including voice or data communications application; and

one or more gateway functions to allow at least one client device to access a destination computer network.

19. The processor of claim 18 wherein the voice or data communications application is configured to allow the user to conduct a telephonic transaction.

20. A method for providing a mobile access point, the method comprising:

implementing a terminal function on a mobile device, the terminal function including a voice or data communications application; and

implementing a gateway function on the mobile device to allow a destination computer network to be accessed by at least one client device via the mobile device.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the voice or data application is configured to allow a user to conduct a telephonic transaction.

22. The method of claim 20 wherein the terminal function further includes a wireless communications application, the method further comprising:

configuring the mobile device to effect communications between the wireless communications application and an intermediary network based on a first wireless communications protocol;

configuring the mobile device to effect communications between the at least one client device and the mobile device based on a second wireless communications protocol;

configuring the mobile device to reformat data between the first and second wireless communications protocols, thereby allowing the at least one client device to communicate with the intermediary network; and

configuring the mobile device to make the destination computer network accessible via the intermediary network.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the first wireless communications protocol includes the EV-DO (Evolution-Data Optimized) protocol;

and

wherein the second wireless communications protocol includes the 802.11 family.

24. The method of claim 20 wherein the mobile device includes a first mobile phone;

and

wherein the at least one client device includes a second mobile phone.

25. A method for providing a mobile access point, the method comprising:

configuring a mobile device to conduct communications between the mobile device and a plurality of clients based on a first wireless communications protocol;

configuring the mobile device to conduct communications between the mobile device and an intermediary network based on a second wireless communications protocol;

configuring the mobile device to provide telephonic and data functions on the mobile device for use by a user via the intermediary network;

configuring the mobile device to reformat data between the first wireless communications protocol and the second communications protocol, thereby allowing data to be exchanged between the plurality of clients and the intermediary network; and

configuring the mobile device to make a destination computer network accessible to the plurality of clients via the intermediary network.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the first wireless communications protocol includes the 802.11 family;

and

wherein the second wireless communications protocol includes the EV-DO (Evolution-Data Optimized) protocol.

27. A processor-readable medium having a plurality of instructions, when executed by a processor, configured to carry out a method comprising:

performing one or more terminal functions including a voice or data communications application; and

performing one or more gateway functions to allow at least one client device to access a destination computer network via the mobile device.