WIRED ETHERNET ADAPTOR FOR PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICES

• US 20150043424A1
• Filed: 08/06/2013
• Published: 02/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Mitchell, James A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,698,467 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2275 associated to expansion card or bus, e.g. in PCMCIA, PC cards, Wireless USB
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/242 specially adapted for hand-held use
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/243 with built-in antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/04 Supports for telephone transmitters or receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces

Abstract

A cover is provided for a portable electronic device having a device wireless antenna. The cover includes a housing configured to accommodate the portable electronic device, as well as a cover wireless antenna located within the housing. The cover also includes a shield surrounding the cover wireless antenna, and configured to surround the device wireless antenna when the portable electronic device is placed in the cover. In addition, the cover includes wireless access point (WAP) electronics in communication with the cover wireless antenna, as well as a wired Ethernet connector in communication with the WAP electronics.

Claims

1. A cover for a portable electronic device with a device wireless antenna, the cover comprising:

a housing configured to accommodate the portable electronic device;

a cover wireless antenna located within the housing;

a shield surrounding the cover wireless antenna, and configured to surround the device wireless antenna when the portable electronic device is placed in the cover;

wireless access point (WAP) electronics in communication with the cover wireless antenna; and

a wired Ethernet connector in communication with the WAP electronics.

2. The cover of claim 1, further comprising a power source coupled to the cover wireless antenna and the WAP electronics.

3. The cover of claim 1, further comprising a screen cover comprising a substantially transparent or translucent material with an embedded wire mesh.

4. The cover of claim 1, wherein the shield further comprises an additional portion configured such that, when the portable electronic device is placed in the cover, the shield surrounds the portion of the portable electronic device located in the cover.

5. The cover of claim 1, wherein the shield comprises a metallic foil or mesh.

6. The cover of claim 5, wherein the metallic foil or mesh comprises copper or aluminum.

7. The cover of claim 1, wherein the WAP electronics are configured to attenuate the output signal to the cover wireless antenna to a level of about −

50 dBm.

8. The cover of claim 1, wherein the cover wireless antenna is configured to be located within about ⅛

inch of the device wireless antenna, when the portable electronic device is placed in the cover.

9. The cover of claim 1, wherein the wired Ethernet connector comprises an 8P8C jack, RF connector, or optical fiber connector.

10. The cover of claim 1, wherein the cover wireless antenna is configured to transmit and receive signals in accordance with one or more of the following wireless telecommunications protocols:

WiFi, WiMAX, Bluetooth, ZigBee, or RuBee.

11. The cover of claim 1, further comprising a cover mount coupled to the housing.

12. The cover of claim 11, wherein the cover mount is configured to mount the cover to a structure in an aircraft.

13. A system comprising:

a portable electronic device with a device wireless antenna; and

a cover with a housing containing the portable electronic device, the cover comprising;

a cover wireless antenna located within the housing, near the device wireless antenna;

a shield surrounding the cover wireless antenna and the device wireless antenna;

wireless access point (WAP) electronics in communication with the cover wireless antenna; and

a wired Ethernet connector in communication with the WAP electronics and configured to transmit and receive telecommunications signals sent between the cover and a telecommunications network.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the portable electronic device comprises a tablet computer, media player, or mobile phone.

15. The system of claim 13, further comprising an Ethernet cable coupled to the wired Ethernet connector and configured to carry the telecommunications signals sent between the cover and the telecommunications network.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the Ethernet cable comprises a twisted pair cable, coaxial cable, or optical fiber.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the telecommunications network comprises a local area network or a wide area network.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

receiving a second wired telecommunications signal via the Ethernet cable;

converting the second wired telecommunications signal to a second wireless transmission; and

transmitting the second wireless transmission from the cover wireless antenna to the device wireless antenna.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the first wireless transmission is transmitted in accordance with one of the following wireless telecommunications protocols:

WiFi, WiMAX, Bluetooth, ZigBee, or RuBee.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the device wireless antenna is located within about ⅛

inch of the cover wireless antenna.

18. A method for communicating with a portable electronic device having a device wireless antenna and located in a cover with a cover housing, the method comprising:

receiving a first wireless transmission from the device wireless antenna with a cover wireless antenna located within the cover housing;

converting the first wireless transmission to a first wired telecommunications signal; and

transmitting the first wired telecommunications signal to a telecommunications network via an Ethernet cable coupled to a wired Ethernet connector located within the cover housing.