SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MANAGING WIRELESS CONNECTIONS IN COMPUTER

• US 20130326356A9
• Filed: 11/10/2011
• Published: 12/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Djung Nguyen, Jianyu Roy Zheng, Mark Allen Hanson
• Original Assignee: Jianyu Roy Zheng
• Inventors: ZHENG, JIANYU ROY, Hanson, Mark Allen, Nguyen, Djung
• Application Number:
  US13/293,341
• Publication Number:
  US 20130125004A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/736
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A Wireless Connection Utility (WCU) provides a unified user experience for managing various types of wireless connections, including Wireless WANs, Wireless LANs, and Bluetooth networks. The WCU functions as a gateway for a user of a computer to monitor the computer'"'"'s wireless network status, to switch wireless connections, to configure wireless connection settings, and to diagnose wireless connection problems through a Wireless Helper Utility (WHU). The WCU thus provides a unified U/I layer on the top of the existing operating system components for case of use.

Claims

1. A computer including a display and executing an application, the application embodying logic comprising:

displaying at least one unified user interface (U/I) presenting, in a single screen display, images representing at least two wireless networks; and

enabling a user to select, by means of the U/I, one or more networks with which to communicate, wherein a first selector element is presented on the display and is selectable to enable a user to select whether to automatically launch the application responsive to an operating system of the computer starting up.

2. The computer of claim 1, wherein the computer is a laptop computer.

3. The computer of claim 1, wherein the U/I includes a main U/I screen display presenting at least two of:

a WAN button selectable to cause WAN settings to appear in a settings window of the main screen display, a WLAN button selectable to cause WLAN settings to appear in the settings window, and a Bluetooth button selectable to cause Bluetooth settings to appear in the settings window.

4. The computer of claim 3, wherein all three buttons are presented on the main U/I screen display.

6. The computer of claim 4, wherein a selection element is presented on the display, the selection element being selectable to enable a user to select which of a WLAN or a WAN will have automatic detection priority.

7. The computer of claim 1, wherein the U/I includes a one-touch screen display presenting at least two of:

a WAN button selectable to switch communications to a WAN, a WLAN button selectable to switch communications to a WLAN, and a Bluetooth button selectable to switch communications to a Bluetooth network.

5. (canceled)

8. A computer program product bearing instructions executable by a digital processor associated with at least two wireless communication networks selected from a WAN, a WLAN, and a Bluetooth network, comprising:

means for causing a main U/I to appear on a screen associated with the digital processor, the main U/I presenting in a single screen display, computer display elements representing at least two communication systems, the main U/I also presenting a settings window displaying settings associated with at least one of the computer display elements; and

a selection element is presented on the screen, the selection element being selectable to enable a user to select which of two communication systems will have automatic detection priority.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the digital processor is embodied in a laptop computer.

10. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the computer display elements are buttons, settings associated with a user-selected button being displayed in the settings window.

11. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein a general button is presented on the main U/I, the general button being selectable to enable a user to select whether to launch a utility associated with the U/I when an operating system executed by the digital processor starts up.

13. The computer program product of claim 8, comprising means for displaying a one-touch screen display presenting:

a WAN computer display element selectable to switch communications to a WAN, a WLAN computer display element selectable to switch communications to a WLAN, and a Bluetooth computer display element selectable to switch communications to a Bluetooth network.

12. (canceled)

14. A user interface (U/I) for a computer having wireless communication capability, comprising:

at least one screen display displaying a first computer display element being selectable by a user to cause a wireless communication application to be automatically started when an operating system executed by the digital processor starts up, and further wherein a second computer display element is presented that is selectable by a user to select which one of at least two communication systems will have automatic detection priority.

15. The U/I of claim 14, wherein settings associated with a network represented by the computer display element are displayed in a settings window of the U/I.

16. The U/I of claim 14, wherein communication is automatically switched to a network represented by the computer display element.

17. The U/I of claim 14, wherein the computer is a laptop computer.

18-19. -19. (canceled)