PORTABLE COMMUNICATION DEVICE FOR MAKING PHONE CALLS

• US 20140018130A1
• Filed: 09/09/2013
• Published: 01/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: FlexiJet Technologies Inc..
• Original Assignee: Flexiworld Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Chang, William Ho
• Granted Patent: US 9,043,482 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/557
• 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 for phone calling is herein disclosed and enabled. The portable communication device may include a USB interface for connecting to an external USB port of a computing device for making phone calls using the portable communication device. Upon connecting the portable communication device to the external USB port of the computing device, at least part of a phone calling software component stored in the portable communication device may execute at the computing device for enabling phone calling through the portable communication device. The portable communication device may further include an Ethernet interface for enabling Ethernet connection, and upon connecting the Ethernet interface to the Ethernet connection, the portable communication device is operable for accessing the Internet and for making phone calls through the portable communication device, without having the portable communication device being connected to an external USB port of a computing device.

Claims

1. A portable communication device that is plug connectable to an external USB port of a first computing device, the first computer device being a distinct device from the portable communication device, the portable communication device comprising:

a USB interface for plug connecting to an external USB port of the first computing device;

an Ethernet interface for connecting to an Ethernet connection;

a memory component that includes a memory area storing a phone calling software component for executing at the first computing device; and

one or more controllers having means for managing communication through the USB interface and means for accessing the memory area;

wherein, upon connecting the USB interface of the portable communication device to the external USB port of the first computing device, the portable communication device is configured to;

draw power from the first computing device via the USB interface for operating the portable communication device,

access at least part of the phone calling software component from the memory area for running at least part of the phone calling software component at the first computing device, the accessing of at least part of the phone calling software component being facilitated, at least in part, by the one or more controllers,

provide at least part of the accessed phone calling software component to a phone calling application running and executing on the first computing device, the providing of at least part of the accessed phone calling software component being facilitated, at least in part, by the one or more controllers over the USB interface,

enable the phone calling software application running and executing at the first computing device to make phone calls with the phone calling software component provided by the portable communication device, and

enable phone calls through the portable communication device; and

wherein, upon disconnection of the USB interface from the external USB port of the first computing device, the portable communication device is further operable to connect the Ethernet interface to the Ethernet connection, and upon connecting the Ethernet interface to the Ethernet connection, the portable communication device is further configured to;

enable Internet access of the portable communication device via the Ethernet interface, and

enable phone calls through the portable communication device via the Ethernet interface; and

wherein the portable communication device is in the form of a portable dongle that enables phone calling either when the USB interface is connected to the external USB port of the first computing device, or when the Ethernet interface is connected to the Ethernet connection.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein, upon connecting to the external USB port of the first computing device, the portable communication device is further configured to enable Internet access or Internet sharing via the first computing device.

3. The device of claim 1, further comprising a wireless communication component for local wireless communication with a second computing device that is distinct from the first computing device.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein, upon disconnection of the USB interface from the external USB port of the first computing device, at least part of the phone calling software application running and executing at the first computing device is configured to:

(1) exit, or

(2) terminate, or

(3) uninstall, or

(4) be removed.

5. The device of claim 1, further comprising a hub with one or more ports for connecting to another device for making phone calls.

6. A communication device that is plug connectable to an external USB port of a first computing device, the communication device being a portable device and previously being distinct from the first computing device, the communication device including:

a USB interface for plug connecting to the external USB port of the first computing device;

a memory component that includes a private memory area, the private memory area being implemented to be not accessible to a user of the communication device;

protected data stored in the private memory area for executing at the first computing device upon plug connecting the USB interface to the external USB port of the first computing device, the protected data including a phone calling software component; and

one or more controllers being configured for managing communication through the USB interface; and

wherein, subsequent to plug connecting the USB interface to the external USB port of the first computing device, the communication device being configured for;

drawing power over the USB interface from the first computing device for operating the communication device,

facilitating, at the first computing device, at least part of an automatic execution of at least part of a phone calling application running or executing at the first computing device,

accessing the protected data from the private memory area of the communication device facilitated, at least in part, by the one or more controllers included in the communication device,

providing, over the USB interface to the first computing device, at least part of the protected data from the private memory area of the communication device to the first computing device for enabling execution of at least part of the phone calling application at the first computing device,

enabling the phone calling application running at the first computing device to make phone calls over the communication device; and

wherein, upon disconnecting the USB interface from the external USB port of the first computing device, the communication device further being operable for plug connecting the USB interface to an external USB port of a second computing device, and upon connecting the USB interface to the external USB port of the second computing device, the communication device is further configured for;

drawing power over the USB interface from the second computing device for operating the communication device,

enabling execution of at least part of a phone calling application running at the second computing device, and

enabling the phone calling application running at the second computing device to make phone calls over the communication device, the second computing device being a distinct device from the communication device and the first computing device; and

wherein, the communication device, which is a portable device, functions as a key for enabling the user of the communication device to make phone calls when the USB interface is plug connected to either the external USB port of the first computing device or the external USB port of the second computing device.

7. The device of claim 6, further comprising a structural Ethernet interface that is connectable by the user to an Ethernet connection for enabling phone calling over the structural Ethernet interface of the communication device.

8. The device of claim 6, wherein upon disconnection of the USB interface from the external USB port of the first computing device, at least part of the phone calling application, which runs at the first computing device, is operable to:

(1) automatically exit, or

(2) automatically terminate, or

(3) automatically be removed, or

(4) automatically uninstall from the first computing device.

9. The device of claim 6, further comprising one or more ports for connecting to another device for making phone calls.

10. The device of claim 6, wherein the communication device is further configured to provide Internet sharing or Internet accessing via the first computing device when the USB interface is connected to the external USB port of the first computing device.

11. The device of claim 6, wherein the one or more controllers are additionally configured for executing one or more of an encryption operation, a decryption operation, a conversion operation, an encoding operation, a decoding operation, a compression operation, and a decompression operation, individually or in any combination thereof.

12. The device of claim 6, further comprising a wireless communication component for local wireless communication with a third computing device that is distinct from the first computing device and the second computing device.

13. The device of claim 6, further comprising a public memory area that is accessible to the user of the communication device, the public memory area of the communication device storing at least a pointer related to an executable for facilitating at least one of:

(1) installing at least part of the phone calling application at the first computing device, or

(2) running at least part of the phone calling application at the first computing device.

14. A portable communication device for phone calling, comprising:

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

an Ethernet interface for enabling Ethernet connection;

a memory component that includes a memory area for storing a phone calling software component;

a public memory area that is accessible to the user of the portable communication device, the public memory area storing at least a pointer to an executable related to at least part of the phone calling software component, the pointer being for facilitating at least one of an installation or a running of the phone calling software component at the first computing device; and

one or more controllers configured for managing communication through the USB interface and for accessing the memory area; and

wherein, upon connecting the USB interface to the external USB port of the first computing device, the portable communication device is operable for;

drawing power over the USB interface from the first computing device for operating the portable communication device,

accessing at least part of the phone calling software component from the memory area, the accessing of at least part of the phone calling software component being facilitated, at least in part, by the one or more controllers of the portable communication device while the USB interface is plug connected to the external USB port of the first computing device,

providing, over the USB interface to the first computing device, at least part of the phone calling software component while the USB interface is plug connected to the external USB port of the first computing device,

facilitating at least part of an installing or a running of at least part of the phone calling software component at the first computing device by employing, at least in part, the pointer to the executable related to at least part of the phone calling software component, and

enabling phone calling from the first computing device to a second computing device while the USB interface is plug connected to the external USB 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 disconnecting the portable communication device from the USB port of the first computing device, the portable communication device is further operable for connecting the Ethernet interface to an Ethernet connection for enabling phone calling via the Ethernet interface; and

wherein, the portable communication device further functions as a security key for enabling phone calling when the USB interface is plug connected to the external USB port of the first computing device or when the Ethernet interface is connected to the Ethernet connection.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein, upon disconnection of the portable communication device from the first computing device, at least part of the phone calling software component running at the first computing device is configured to:

(1) automatically exit, or

(2) automatically terminate, or

(3) automatically be removed, or

(4) automatically be uninstalled, from the first computing device.

16. The device of claim 14, wherein the one or more controllers are further configured for performing an operation that includes one or more of an encoding operation, a decoding operation, and a conversion operation.

17. The device of claim 14, further comprising one or more ports for connecting to another device for making phone calls.

18. The device of claim 14, wherein the memory component that includes a memory area further includes a private memory area, the private memory area is implemented to be not accessible by the user of the portable communication device, and the private memory area storing at least part of a phone calling software component for execution at the first computing device.

19. The device of claim 14, 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.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein the portable communication device is further configured to enable an operation that includes phone calls or Internet access with or via a mobile phone.