Wireless Detector and Adapter

• US 20100074239A1
• Filed: 09/23/2009
• Published: 03/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Joseph Born
• Original Assignee: Joseph Born
• Inventors: Born, Joseph
• Granted Patent: US 8,831,682 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72409 by interfacing with external accessories hands-free H04M1/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information

Abstract

The handheld wireless network detector and adaptor includes a housing at least partially enclosing a processor, a self-contained power source, an interface, a wireless transceiver, a wireless network detector and a wireless network adapter. The interface is configured to communicate with an external computing device. The wireless transceiver is configured for transmitting and receiving radio signals. The wireless network detector is configured to use the wireless transceiver to detect a presence of a detected wireless network. The wireless network adapter is configured for facilitating real time communication between the external computing device and the detected wireless network via the interface and said wireless transceiver.

Claims

1. A handheld wireless network detector and adaptor configured to both detect a presence of a wireless network and provide an external computing device with wireless communication capabilities it otherwise would not have, comprising:

a handheld housing at least partially enclosing;

a processor;

a self-contained power source;

a hardware interface configured to couple to an external computing device, where the external computing device is separate and distinct from the wireless communication device;

a wireless transceiver configured for transmitting and receiving radio signals;

a wireless network detector configured to use said wireless transceiver to detect and communicate to a user a presence of a detected wireless network;

and a wireless network adapter configured to facilitate wireless communication between the external computing device and the detected wireless network via the wireless transceiver and the hardware interface.

2. The handheld wireless network detector and adaptor of claim 1, wherein said wireless network detector is configured to detect a presence of a IEEE 802.11x detected wireless local area network (LAN).

3. The handheld wireless network detector and adaptor of claim 1, further comprising:

a memory disposed within said housing and electrically coupled to said processor, wherein said memory contains;

an electronic message received from the external computing device; and

instructions for automatically transmitting said message to an external server when said wireless network detector detects the presence of the detected wireless network.

4. The handheld wireless network detector and adaptor of claim 1, further comprising a memory disposed within said housing and electrically coupled to said processor, wherein said memory contains instructions for automatically checking an email account for new mail and downloading the new mail when said wireless network detector detects the presence of the detected wireless network.

5. The handheld wireless network detector and adaptor of claim 1, further comprising a memory disposed within said housing and electrically coupled to said processor, wherein said memory contains instructions for automatically transmitting an email message to an email server when said wireless network detector detects the presence of the detected wireless network.

6. The handheld wireless network detector and adaptor of claim 1, further comprising:

a memory disposed within said housing and electrically coupled to said processor, wherein said memory contains;

instructions for transmitting a weblog or web-site update to a remote server when said wireless network detector detects the presence of the detected wireless network.

7. The handheld wireless network detector and adaptor of claim 1, further comprising:

a memory disposed within said housing and electrically coupled to said processor, wherein said memory contains;

an email message received from the external computing device; and

instructions for transmitting said the email message to an external server via a cellular telephone network when the handheld wireless network detector and adaptor is coupled to a cellular telephone.

8. The handheld wireless network detector and adaptor of claim 7, further comprising:

a memory disposed within said housing and electrically coupled to said processor, wherein said memory contains;

instructions for producing an audible signal after the new mail is downloaded.

9. The handheld wireless network detector and adaptor of claim 1, wherein said housing is a key fob.

10. The handheld wireless network detector and adaptor of claim 1, wherein said housing has a width of less than two times the width of a male USB series A plug and a height of less than four times the height of a male USB series A plug.

11. The handheld wireless network detector and adaptor of claim 1, wherein said interface is a wired interface configured for wired communication with the external computing device.

12. The handheld wireless network detector and adaptor of claim 1, wherein said interface is a male series A Universal Serial Bus (USB) plug.

13. The handheld wireless network detector and adaptor of claim 1, wherein said wireless network detector is configured to analyze said detected wireless network to determine a strength of said detected wireless network and communicate same to the user.

14. The handheld wireless network detector and adaptor of claim 1, wherein said wireless network detector is configured to analyze said detected wireless network to determine whether said detected wireless network is a free or pay network and communicate same to the user.

15. The handheld wireless network detector and adaptor of claim 1, wherein said wireless network detector is configured to analyze said detected wireless network to determine whether said detected wireless network is a public or a private network and communicate same to the user.

16. The handheld wireless network detector and adaptor of claim 1, wherein said wireless network detector is configured to analyze said detected wireless network to determine whether said detected wireless network is encrypted or non-encrypted and communicate same to the user.

17. The handheld wireless network detector and adaptor of claim 1, further comprising a server within said housing for serving data via said detected wireless network.

18. The handheld wireless network detector and adaptor of claim 1, further comprising input and output devices for receiving instructions from the user of said wireless communication device and for conveying information to the user.

19. The handheld wireless network detector and adaptor of claim 1, wherein said external computing device is a cellular telephone.

20. The handheld wireless network detector and adaptor of claim 1, wherein said wireless network detector includes instructions for facilitating communication between the external computing device and the detected wireless network via said interface and said wireless transceiver, where said instructions are stored on at least one of said processor and a memory coupled to said processor within said housing.

21. A handheld wireless network detector and adaptor configured to both detect a presence of a wireless network and provide an external computing device with wireless communication capabilities it otherwise would not have, comprising:

a handheld housing at least partially enclosing;

a processor;

a self-contained power source;

a hardware interface configured to couple to an external computing device, where the external computing device is separate and distinct from the wireless communication device;

a wireless transceiver configured for transmitting and receiving IEEE 802.11x radio signals;

a wireless network detector configured to use said wireless transceiver to detect and communicate to a user a presence of a detected wireless network;

a wireless network adapter configured to facilitate wireless communication between the external computing device and the detected wireless network via the wireless transceiver and the hardware interface; and

a memory disposed within said housing and electrically coupled to said processor, wherein said memory contains;

an electronic message received from the external computing device; and

instructions for automatically transmitting said message to an external server when said wireless network detector detects the presence of the detected wireless network.

22. The handheld wireless network detector and adaptor of claim 21, wherein said memory contains instructions for automatically checking an email account for new mail and downloading the new mail when said wireless network detector detects the presence of the detected wireless network.

23. The handheld wireless network detector and adaptor of claim 21, wherein said memory contains instructions for automatically transmitting the electronic message to an email server when said wireless network detector detects the presence of the detected wireless network.