DEVICE FOR INTERNET ACCESS AND FOR COMMUNICATION

• US 20110167175A1
• Filed: 03/14/2011
• Published: 07/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Flexiworld Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Flexiworld Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Chang, William Ho
• Granted Patent: US 8,972,610 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/250
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/385 for adaptation of a particular data processing system to different peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2213/3814 Wireless link with a computer system port
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0622 in relation to access
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0656 Data buffering arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0679 Non-volatile semiconductor memory device, e.g. flash memory, one time programmable memory [OTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/033 of the user plane, e.g. user's traffic

Abstract

A portable communication device plug connectable to an external port of a computing device for enabling the computing device access to a variety of services such as Internet access, Internet sharing and phone calling. Upon plug connecting the portable communication device to the computing device, a software application running at the computing device is enabled by employing at least in part a protected data stored in the portable communication device. In one exemplary application, the portable communication device enables wireless communication and Internet access to the computing device by plug connecting the communication device to the computing device. In a second exemplary application, the portable communication device enables phone calling from the computing device and facilitates installation of a phone calling software running at the computing device upon plug connecting the communication device to the computing device.

Claims

1. A wireless communication device that is portable and plug connectable to an external port of a first computing device for Internet access, the wireless communication device previously being distinct from the first computing device, the wireless communication device having,

an interface for plug connecting to the external port of the first computing device,

a wireless communication component for wireless communication,

a memory component that includes a private memory area, the private memory area not accessible to an user of the wireless communication device,

a protected data stored in the private memory area for executing at the first computing device,

a memory controller having means for managing communication through the interface and means for accessing the private memory area, the wireless communication device comprising:

means for drawing power to the wireless communication device from the first computing device for operating the wireless communication device upon plug connecting the wireless communication device to the external port of the first computing device;

means for accessing at least part of the protected data from the private memory area of the wireless communication device by the memory controller of the wireless communication device, while the wireless communication device is being plug connected to the external port of the first computing device;

means for providing by the wireless communication device, at least part of the protected data accessed by the memory controller, over the interface of the wireless communication device to a wireless application running and executing on the first computing device, while the wireless communication device is being plug connected to the external port of the first computing device;

means for the wireless communication device that is plug connected to the external port of the first computing device to enable the first computing device Internet access via the wireless communication component of the wireless communication device; and

means for the wireless communication device that is plug connected to the external port of the first computing device to enable the first computing device to share Internet access with a second computing device over a local wireless communication link between the first computing device and the second computing device, the second computing device being a distinct device from the first computing device and the wireless communication device; and

wherein, the wireless application running and executing at the first computing device activates at least part of the wireless communication operations employing at least in part the protected data received from the wireless communication device and provides the first computing device data access via the wireless communication component of the wireless communication device while the wireless communication device is being plug connected to the external port of the first computing device; and

wherein, upon disconnection of the wireless communication device, which is a portable device, from the first computing device, the wireless application running at the first computing device automatically exits or automatically terminates at least part of the wireless application or removing at least part of the protected data from the first computing device.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication device further functions as a key for enabling the first computing device Internet access in dependence of whether the wireless communication device is being plug connected to the first computing device.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication device further having

a wireless protocol stack component for conforming the wireless communication device to one or more wireless communication protocols, and

one or more controllers having means for accessing at least part of the wireless protocol stack component, the wireless protocol stack component includes software for an encoding operation and or software for a decoding operation, and software for a conversion operation, and

wherein the Internet access and the Internet sharing via the wireless communication component of the wireless communication device further comprising accessing at least part of the wireless protocol stack component by the one or more controllers.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication component of the wireless communication device includes a baseband component and a radio component for wireless communication, and the wireless communication device further having one or more controllers for managing at least part of the baseband component and the radio component, and

wherein, the Internet access and the Internet sharing via the wireless communication component of the wireless communication device further comprising accessing at least the baseband component by the one or more controllers.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the interface corresponds to a universal serial bus interface.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication component further includes one or more components that is compatible to one or more of a Bluetooth®

standard of wireless communication and one within the IEEE 802 wireless communication protocol, individually or in any combination thereof.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication device further including one or more controllers for executing a security operation that includes an encryption operation and or a decryption operation.

8. A wireless communication device that is portable and plug connectable to an external port of a first computing device for Internet access, the wireless communication device previously being distinct from the first computing device, the wireless communication device comprising:

an interface for plug connecting to the external port of the first computing device,

a wireless communication component that includes a baseband component and a radio component for wireless communication,

a wireless protocol stack component for conforming the wireless communication device to one or more wireless communication protocols,

an memory component that includes a private memory area, the private memory area not accessible to an user of the wireless communication device,

a protected data stored in the private memory area for executing at the first computing device upon plug connecting the wireless communication device to the first computing device, and

one or more controllers having,

means for managing communication through the interface of the wireless communication device,

means for accessing the protected data from the private memory area,

means for providing the protected data to the first computing device over the interface of the wireless communication device,

means for managing at least in part the wireless communication component that includes the baseband component and the radio component, and

means for accessing at least part of the wireless protocol stack component, the wireless protocol stack component includes software for an encoding operation and or software for a decoding operation, and software for a conversion operation, and

wherein, subsequent to plug connecting the wireless communication device to the external port of the first computing device, the wireless communication device;

draws power to the wireless communication device from the first computing device for operating the wireless communication device;

access the protected data from the private memory area of the wireless communication device by the one or more controllers included in the wireless communication device;

provides over the interface of the wireless communication device to the first computing device at least part of the protected data for enabling the first computing device Internet access;

enables the first computing device Internet access over the wireless communication component of the wireless communication device by providing at least part of the protected data to a wireless application running or executing at the first computing device, the Internet access over the wireless communication component of the wireless communication device including the one or more controllers managing at least in part the wireless communication component that includes the baseband component and the radio component and accessing at least part of the wireless protocol stack component; and

enables data communication between the first computing device and a second computing device via the wireless communication component of the wireless communication device, the second computing device being a distinct device from the wireless communication device and the first computing device.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the wireless communication device further functions as a key for enabling the first computing device Internet access in dependence of whether the wireless communication device is being plug connected to the first computing device.

10. The device of claim 8, wherein upon disconnection of the wireless communication device from the first computing device, the wireless application running at the first computing device automatically exits or automatically terminates at least part of the wireless application, or the wireless application running at the first computing device automatically removes at least part of the protected data from the first computing device.

11. The device of claim 8, wherein the wireless communication device further comprising means for receiving a data content from the second computing device over the wireless communication component of the wireless communication device, the data content for rendering at an output device associated with the first computing device, the output device includes a display device or a projection device, individually or in any combination, for displaying and or projecting the data content.

12. The device of claim 8, wherein the wireless communication device further comprising means for the wireless communication device that is plug connected to the external port of the first computing device to share Internet access with a third computing device over a local wireless communication link between the first computing device and the third computing device, the third computing device being a distinct device from the first computing device and the wireless communication device.

13. The device of claim 8, wherein the first computing device comprises one or more of an Internet pad, an Internet Phone, a tablet computer, a laptop computer, a desktop computer, a server, an Internet appliance, and a smart phone, individually or in any combination.

14. The device of claim 8, wherein the one or more controllers further having means for executing one or more of an encryption operation, a decryption operation, a compression operation, and a decompression operation, individually or in any combination thereof.

15. The device of claim 8, wherein the wireless communication component is compatible to at least one within the IEEE 802 wireless communication protocol.

16. The device of claim 8, wherein the memory component includes a public memory area that is accessible to the user of the wireless communication device, and the public memory area of the wireless communication device storing at least a pointer related to an executable for facilitating at least part of an installing and or a running of at least part of the wireless communication software at the first computing device.

17. A portable communication device for enabling phone calling having,

an interface for plug connecting to an external port of a first computing device,

a memory component that includes a private memory area, the private memory area not accessible to an user of the portable communication device,

a protected software component stored in the private memory area of the communication device for executing at the first computing device,

one or more controllers having,

means for managing communication through the interface of the portable communication device,

means for accessing the private memory area, and

means for performing an operation that includes one or more of an encoding operation, a decoding operation, and a conversion operation, the portable communication device comprising:

means for drawing power to the portable communication device from the first computing device for operating the portable communication device upon plug connecting the portable communication device to the first computing device;

means for accessing the protected software component from the private memory area of the portable communication device by the one or more controllers of the portable communication device while the portable communication device is plug connected to the first computing device;

means for providing over the interface of the portable communication device to the first computing device at least part of the protected software component by the one or more controllers while the portable communication device is plug connected to the external port of the first computing device;

means for facilitating at least part of an installing or a running of at least part of a phone calling software at the first computing device automatically, subsequent to plug connecting the portable communication device to the external port of the first computing device, the phone calling software including at least part of the protected software component accessed from the private memory area of the portable communication device by the one or more controllers; and

means for enabling phone calling from the first computing device to a second computing device by the phone calling software, while the portable communication device is being plug connected to the external port of the first computing device, the second computing device being a distinct device from the portable communication device and the first computing device; and

wherein, upon disconnection of the portable communication device from the first computing device, at least part of the phone calling software running at the first computing device automatically exits or automatically terminates at least part of the phone calling software, or the phone calling software automatically removes at least part of the protected data from the first computing device, and

wherein, the portable communication device further functions as a security key for enabling phone calling from the first computing device in dependence of whether the portable communication device is being plug connected to the first computing device.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein, at least part of the phone calling software function further includes Internet access.

19. The device of claim 17, wherein the memory component includes a public memory area that is accessible to the user of the portable communication device, and the public memory area of the portable communication device stores at least a pointer to an executable related to the phone calling software for facilitating installation and or running of the phone calling software.

20. The device of claim 17, wherein the interface corresponds to a universal serial bus interface.

21. The device of claim 17, wherein the portable communication device further comprising a hub with one or more ports for connecting to a device.

22. The device of claim 17, wherein the portable communication device further comprising a radio component for wireless communication.

23. The device of claim 17, wherein the portable communication device further comprising a wireless communication component for local wireless communication with a mobile phone that is distinct from the first computing device and the second computing device.

24. The device of claim 23, wherein the portable communication device further enables the mobile phone an operation that includes phone calls or Internet access via the portable communication device.