Wireless Access Point Device

• US 20090207824A1
• Filed: 02/20/2009
• Published: 08/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microchip Technology Incorporated
• Original Assignee: ZeroG Wireless, Inc. (Microchip Technology Incorporated)
• Inventors: Malekal, Vinay, Lee, Thomas H., Palladino, Michael, Kleveland, Bendik
• Application Number:
  US12/390,359
• Publication Number:
  US 20090207824A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/06 including a wireless LAN interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

A wireless (such as Wi-Fi or similar) access point is included in or attached to a device, such as a cellular phone, WiMAX device, other mobile device, etc. One or more wireless units wirelessly access a communication network (and in some cases the Internet) through the wireless access point device. Additionally, such a wireless access point device can receive a transmission from a wireless tag that has been attached to an object to be monitored and can forward information from the wireless tag to a target device along with location information.

Claims

1. A wireless access point device comprising:

a wireless communication circuitry with which a wireless connection is made to a wireless communication network; and

a wireless access point circuitry electronically connected to the wireless communication circuitry;

and wherein;

the wireless access point circuitry enables a wireless connection to be made between a wireless unit and the wireless access point device; and

the wireless access point circuitry enables the wireless unit to wirelessly access the wireless communication network using the wireless access point circuitry and the wireless communication circuitry.

2. The wireless access point device of claim 1, wherein the wireless access point device is a mobile device.

3. The wireless access point device of claim 1, wherein the wireless access point device enters a low-power mode when no data is being transferred between the wireless access point device and the wireless unit.

4. The wireless access point device of claim 1, further comprising:

a router electronically connected to the wireless access point circuitry and to the wireless communication circuitry for enabling a plurality of the wireless units to wirelessly access the wireless communication network through the wireless access point circuitry and the wireless communication circuitry.

5. The wireless access point device of claim 1, further comprising:

a host processor that controls functions of the wireless access point device;

a memory in which programs are stored for use by the host processor to control the functions of the wireless access point device; and

a program running on the host processor and contained in less than 1 MB of the memory, the program enabling the host processor to use the wireless access point circuitry.

6. The wireless access point device of claim 5, further comprising:

a microcontroller, separate from the host processor, that controls functions of the wireless access point circuitry.

7. The wireless access point device of claim 1, wherein:

the wireless access point circuitry is a module that is incorporated into a circuit design that includes the wireless communication circuitry.

8. The wireless access point device of claim 1, further comprising:

a housing containing the wireless communication circuitry; and

a port accessible in a side of the housing and electronically connected to the wireless communication circuitry;

and wherein;

the wireless access point circuitry is contained in a separate housing from the housing of the wireless access point device; and

the wireless access point circuitry can be attached to and detached from the port of the wireless access point device.

9. The wireless access point device of claim 1, further comprising:

a housing containing the wireless communication circuitry and the wireless access point circuitry.

10. The wireless access point device of claim 1, further comprising:

an antenna through which both the wireless communication circuitry and the wireless access point circuitry transmit.

11. The wireless access point device of claim 10, further comprising:

a time-domain multiplexer that selects back and forth between the wireless communication circuitry and the wireless access point circuitry to transmit through the antenna.

12. The wireless access point device of claim 1, wherein:

the wireless unit comprises a wireless tag attached to an object;

the wireless tag transmits identification information; and

the wireless access point device monitors the wireless tag.

13. The wireless access point device of claim 12, wherein:

the wireless tag also transmits target information specifying a target device;

by monitoring the wireless tag, the wireless access point device receives the identification information and the target information; and

the wireless access point device transmits the identification information to the target device specified by the target information.

14. The wireless access point device of claim 1, wherein:

the wireless access point circuitry is a Wi-Fi access point circuitry;

the wireless unit is a Wi-Fi device; and

the Wi-Fi access point circuitry enables the Wi-Fi device to wirelessly access the wireless communication network through the wireless access point device.

15. The wireless access point device of claim 1, wherein:

the wireless access point device enables the wireless unit to seamlessly connect to the wireless communication network.

16. A method of wirelessly accessing a wireless communication network, comprising:

setting a wireless access point device to accept access by a wireless unit, the wireless access point device having a wireless communication circuitry and a wireless access point circuitry, and the wireless access point device having access to the wireless communication network through the wireless communication circuitry;

establishing a wireless connection between the wireless unit and the wireless access point device, the wireless unit having a wireless adapter for wirelessly communicating with the wireless access point circuitry; and

connecting the wireless unit to the wireless communication network using the wireless adapter, the wireless access point circuitry and the wireless communication circuitry.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the wireless access point device is a mobile device.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

the wireless access point device entering a low-power mode when no data is being transferred between the wireless access point device and the wireless unit.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

setting the wireless access point device to accept access by a plurality of the wireless units, the wireless access point device further having a router;

establishing a wireless connection between the wireless units and the wireless access point device, the wireless units having wireless adapters for wirelessly communicating with the wireless access point circuitry and the router; and

connecting the wireless units to the wireless communication network through the wireless adapter, the wireless access point circuitry, the router and the wireless communication circuitry.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

controlling the wireless access point device by a host processor; and

running a program on the host processor enabling the host processor to use the wireless access point circuitry, the program contained in less than 1 MB of a memory associated with the host processor.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

controlling functions of the wireless access point circuitry by a microcontroller, separate from the host processor.

22. The method of claim 16, wherein:

the wireless access point device also has a housing containing the wireless communication circuitry and a port accessible at a side of the housing and electronically connected to the wireless communication circuitry;

the wireless access point circuitry is contained in a housing separate from the housing of the wireless access point device; and

the method further comprises attaching the wireless access point circuitry to and detaching the wireless access point circuitry from the port.

23. The method of claim 16, wherein the wireless access point device also has a housing containing both the wireless communication circuitry and the wireless access point circuitry.

24. The method of claim 16, wherein:

the wireless access point device also has an antenna; and

the method further comprises both the wireless communication circuitry and the wireless access point circuitry transmitting through the antenna.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein:

the wireless access point device also has a time-domain multiplexer; and

the method further comprises the time-domain multiplexer selecting back and forth between the wireless communication circuitry and the wireless access point circuitry to transmit through the antenna.

26. The method of claim 16, wherein:

the wireless unit comprises a wireless tag attached to an object; and

the method further comprises;

the wireless tag transmitting identification information; and

the wireless access point device monitoring for transmissions from the wireless tag.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

the wireless tag also transmitting target information specifying a target device;

the wireless access point device receiving the identification information and the target information; and

the wireless access point device transmitting the identification information to the target device specified by the target information.

28. The method of claim 16, wherein:

the wireless unit comprises a Wi-Fi device and the wireless adapter thereof comprises a Wi-Fi adapter;

the wireless access point device comprises a Wi-Fi access point device and the wireless access point circuitry thereof comprises a Wi-Fi access point; and

the method further comprises establishing a Wi-Fi connection between the Wi-Fi device and the Wi-Fi access point device via the Wi-Fi adapter and the Wi-Fi access point.

29. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

seamlessly establishing the wireless connection between the wireless unit and the wireless access point device; and

seamlessly connecting the wireless unit to the wireless communication network.