Portable cellular enhancer

• US 20090046677A1
• Filed: 08/16/2007
• Published: 02/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Linder, Natan, Toledano, Eyal
• Granted Patent: US 7,936,734 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/59 Providing operational support to end devices by off-loading in the network or by emulation, e.g. when they are unavailable
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols

Abstract

An apparatus for sharing user-defined media content with a peer. The apparatus comprises a repository for storing media content inputted by a user of the apparatus and a wireless interface for establishing a wireless personal area network (WPAN) with a first communication entity of the peer in a proximity to said apparatus. The WPAN allows the peer to access the media content using the first communication entity, thereby allows the user to share said media content with the peer.

Claims

1. An apparatus for forwarding media content to at least one of a plurality of communication entities in proximity thereto, said apparatus comprising:

an acquisition unit for acquiring first media content; and

a wireless interface configured for establishing first and second wireless personal area network (WPAN) connections with at least one of the plurality of communication entities, said first WPAN connection being configured for forwarding said first media content to at least one of the plurality of communication entities, said second WPAN connection being configured for receiving operational instructions for the apparatus from at least one of the plurality of communication entities.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a repository for storing said first media content, wherein said acquisition unit receives said first media content from said repository.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said wireless interface is configured for establishing a plurality of first WPAN connections with the plurality of communication entities and forwarding said first media content to at least one of the plurality of communication entities respectively via at least one of said plurality of first WPAN connections.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a processing unit for processing said first media content, said first WPAN connection being configured for forwarding said processed first media content to at least one of the plurality of communication entities.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a WLAN interface configured for establishing a communication link with a first access point of a packet-switching network having at least one node.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said wireless interface is configured for periodically polling said access point.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising a repository for storing said first media content, said acquisition unit receives said first media content from said repository.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said node stores said media content, said communication link being used for uploading said media content from said repository to said node.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said node stores said media content, said communication link being used for downloading said media content from said node to said repository.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said downloading is performed automatically.

11. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said apparatus is configured for forwarding a media stream from said node to at least one of the plurality of communication entities.

12. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said node is a second access point, said second access point being connected to an additional apparatus.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a motion sensor for detecting a movement vector of said apparatus.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising a movement detection module for converting said movement vector to directional instructions, said directional instructions being forwarded to at least one of the plurality of communication entities.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said directional instructions being used by at least one application hosted on said at least one of the plurality of communication entities.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said motion vector is a 3D motion vector.

17. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said acquisition unit is configured for acquiring said first media content from said at least one node via said communication link.

18. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said processing comprises rendering said media content.

19. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said forwarding comprises streaming said media content.

20. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said wireless interface is configured for instructions and managing said first and second wireless personal area network (WPAN) connections according to said instructions.

21. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said operational instructions comprises a member of the following group:

storing said first media content, updating said first media content, managing said first media content, deleting said first media content, backing up said first media content, and creating said first media content.

22. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said wireless interface is configured for receiving second media content via one of said WPAN connections.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein wireless interface is configured for forwarding said second media content to said at least one node via said communication link.

24. The apparatus of claim 22, further comprising a voice over internet protocol (VoIP) adaptor configured for converting said first media content to an audio signal and said second media content to VoIP signal.

25. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising a geographical information module configured for identifying a geographic location of said access point according to the IP address thereof.

26. The apparatus of claim 22, further comprising a print spooler for spooling said second media content.

27. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein said geographical information module is configured for obtaining geographic information via said communication link according to said geographic location.

28. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising a gaming module, said gaming module being configured for managing a multiplayer game having at least two participants using respective at least two of the plurality of communication entities.

29. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising a chatting module, said chatting module being configured for allowing at least two users to participate in a chat using respective at least two of the plurality of communication entities.

30. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising a file sharing module, said file sharing module being configured for allowing at least two users to receive said media content using respective at least two of the plurality of communication entities.

31. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said apparatus does not have a screen display.

32. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said apparatus is not a communication entity.

33. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said apparatus is a handheld device.

34. An apparatus for supporting an interaction between a user and a peer having a first communication entity, said apparatus comprising:

a repository for storing personal profile defined by the user; and

a wireless interface configured for directly connecting the first communication entity in a proximity to said apparatus and establishing a first bi-directional wireless personal area network (WPAN) connection therewith, the user share said personal profile with the peer via said first bi-directional WPAN connection.

35. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein said personal profile comprises a member of the following group:

a social network profile page, a personal webpage, personal information about said user, an image, a Blog, a webspace, a list of contacts, an audio sequence, a video sequence, an audio file, a video file, personal written information, a personal multimedia content, and a link to a website.

36. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein said wireless interface is a short-range radio interface.

37. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein said apparatus is a communication entity.

38. The apparatus of claim 34, further comprising an authentication module configured for identifying access privileges of said first communication entity, said access being determined according to said respective access privileges.

39. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein said wireless interface is configured for establishing WPAN connections with a plurality of communication entities in a predefined proximity to the apparatus, each said communication entity being associated with a different peer.

40. The apparatus of claim 34, further comprising a WLAN interface configured for establishing a communication link with a computing unit having a WLAN interface.

41. The apparatus of claim 40, further comprising a WLAN interface configured for establishing a communication link with a first access point of a network having at least one node.

42. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein said wireless interface being configured for establishing a second WPAN connection for receiving operational instructions for the apparatus.

43. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein said apparatus allows said user to access said at least one node using a second communication entity connected to said wireless interface via a second WPAN connection.

44. The apparatus of claim 43, said user uses said second communication entity for performing one of the following:

storing said personal profile, updating said personal profile, managing said personal profile, deleting said personal profile, backing up said personal profile, and creating said personal profile.

45. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein said apparatus allows said peer to access said at least one node using said communication entity, via said WPAN and said communication link.

46. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein said repository is a removable repository.

47. The apparatus of claim 46, further comprises a memory card reader for reading said personal profile from said removable repository.

48. The apparatus of claim 46, wherein said removable repository being stored on a flash drive, further comprises a flash drive interface for reading said removable repository from said flash drive.

49. The apparatus of claim 43, further comprising a voice over internet protocol (VoIP) adapter configured for facilitating said first and second communication entities to establish a VoIP session.

50. The apparatus of claim 39, further comprising a gaming module, said gaming module allows at least two of said peers to participate in a multiplayer game using respective said communication entities.

51. The apparatus of claim 39, further comprising a chatting module, said chatting module allows at least two of said peers to participate simultaneously in a common communication session using respective said communication entities.

52. The apparatus of claim 39, further comprising a file sharing module 461, said file sharing module 461 allows at least two of said peers to access said personal profile simultaneously using respective said communication entities.

53. The apparatus of claim 52, further comprising a streaming module, said file sharing module 461 streams said personal profile to each said communication entity.

54. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein said apparatus does not have a screen display.

55. A method for sharing user-defined information with a peer, comprising:

a) establishing a first wireless personal area network (WPAN) connection with a first communication entity of a user;

b) establishing a second WPAN connection with a second communication entity of a peer in a predefined proximity; and

c) supporting said user and the peer to interact with one another via said first and second WPAN connections.

56. The method of claim 55, further storing media content defined by said user in a portable cellular enhancer before c), wherein said supporting comprises a step of supporting said peer to access said media content via said second WPAN connection, thereby facilitating said interaction.

57. The method of claim 55, further identifying connection privileges of said second communication entity before c), said supporting being determined according to said connection privileges.

58. The method of claim 55, wherein said establishing of b) comprises a step of establishing a plurality of Bi-directional WPAN connections with a plurality of communication entities of peers in said proximity.

59. The method of claim 55, further establishing a communication link with a first access point of a network having at least one node.

60. The method of claim 59, wherein said supporting in d) comprises supporting said user to access said at least one node via said communication link.

61. The method of claim 56, further using said first communication entity for performing at least one of the following:

updating said media content, managing said media content, deleting said media content, backing up said media content, and creating said media content.

62. The method of claim 59, wherein further sequentially polling said access point before b).

63. The method of claim 59, wherein said supporting comprises forwarding a media stream from said node to said first communication entity.

64. An apparatus for supporting an interaction between a user having a first communication entity and a peer having a second communication entity, said apparatus comprising:

a wireless interface configured for establishing first and second wireless personal area network (WPAN) connections respectively with the first and second communication entities in a proximity to the apparatus; and

an interacting module for supporting an interaction between the user and the peer using the first and second communication entities via said first and second WPAN connections.

65. The apparatus of claim 64, wherein said interacting module comprising a gaming sub-module, said gaming sub-module allows said user and peer to participate in a multiplayer game on a shared graphical worldview by respectively using said first and second communication entities.

66. The apparatus of claim 64, wherein said interacting module comprising a file sharing sub-module, said file sharing sub-module allows the user and the peer to access said media content by respectively using said first and second communication entities.

67. The apparatus of claim 64, further comprising a repository for storing media content.

68. The apparatus of claim 67, wherein said first and second communication entities respectively allows said user and peer to access said media content via said first and second WPAN connections.

69. The apparatus of claim 67, further comprises a streaming sub-module, said streaming sub-module simultaneously streams said media content to said user and peer respectively via said first and second WPAN connections.