Information/communication device for network based services and a system for use of information/communication based services

• US 6,038,595 A
• Filed: 03/02/1998
• Issued: 03/14/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Data General Corp. (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: EMC Corporation (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Ortony, Felix Sebastian
• Primary Examiner(s): Asta, Frank J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): VU, THONG H
• Application Number:
  US09/033,227
• Time in Patent Office: 743 Days
• Field of Search: 455/5.1, 455/34.1, 345/339, 345/327, 348/6, 380/25, 705/34, 370/349, 370/338, 370/352, 709/2, 709/218, 709/200, 709/229, 709/203, 709/227, 709/246, 395/200, 395/186, 707/513
• US Class Current: 709/218
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/24 between backbone network devices

Abstract

A network service device and a system or computer system for providing network based services in an area defined by a wireless local area network. The system includes a local area server having at least one network link to at least one network server and supporting a local area wireless network communicating with one or more network service devices wherein a network service device is tailored to provide specific network based services. Each network service device includes a processor and a program memory and a transceiver for local area communications of data between a network services device and the local area server. A local area server includes a processor and a program memory for executing local area server programs, a transceiver for providing local area communications and a modem connected to the network and at least one network server. The network services device may a personal device to provide network based services to a user and may includes user input/output devices while the source of network services may be internet servers.

Claims

1. A system for providing personal internet services to a user of a personal internet device, wherein the system includes a local area server and a personal internet device, the local area server including a modem connected to the internet for performing user directed internet communication operations between the local area server and a remote internet server, a local area server transceiver for providing wireless local area communication of personal internet device data between the local area server over a wireless local area network region and the at least one personal device, and a memory and a processor for storing and executing local area server programs, comprising:

in the local area server, local area server programs including

a transceiver control program for controlling the wireless local area communication of personal internet device data between the local area server and the personal internet device, wherein the personal internet device data includes

user inputs transmitted from the personal internet device to the local area server and requesting internet communication operations to be performed for the user of the personal internet device, and

results of internet communication operations requested by the user transmitted from the local area server to the personal internet device, and

at least one internet communications program for controlling internet communication operations between the local area server and the remote internet server, and

the personal internet device wherein the personal internet device is tailored to provide the personal internet services to the user of the personal internet device and includes

a memory and a processor for storing and executing personal internet device programs,

a personal internet device transceiver for providing the wireless local area communication of the personal internet device data between the local area server and the personal internet device,

an output device for providing the results of the internet communication operations to the user, and

an input control device for accepting the user inputs requesting internet communication operations to be performed for the user of the personal internet device, wherein

the input device and the output device are tailored for the personal internet services to be provided to the user of the personal internet device, and

the personal device programs, including

a device communications program for controlling the wireless local area communication of the personal internet device data between the local area server and the personal internet device, and

at least one personal device program for controlling operation of the personal internet device for providing the results of the internet communication operations to the user and accepting and transmitting to the local area server the user inputs requesting internet communication operations to be performed for the user of the personal internet device,

wherein

the wireless local area network region is restricted to a limited geographic area,

the local area server transceiver and the personal internet device transceiver are each adapted to communicate the personal internet device data at internet data transfer rates, and

the local area server programs include

a proxy program responsive to user inputs transmitted from the personal internet device for directing the operation of the local area server in executing internet communications operations requested by the user of the personal internet device, wherein the internet communication operations are executed by the local area server on behalf of the personal internet devices.

2. The system for providing personal internet services of claim 1 wherein the output device of the personal internet device comprises a liquid crystal display.

3. The system for providing personal internet services of claim 1 wherein the output device of the personal internet device comprises an audio output device.

4. The system for providing personal internet services of claim 1 wherein the input device of the personal internet device comprises a keyboard.

5. The system for providing personal internet services of claim 1 wherein the input device of the personal internet device comprises a set of dedicated control keys tailored specifically to the internet services to be provided to the user of the personal internet device by the personal internet device.

6. The system for providing personal internet services of claim 1 wherein:

the input and output devices of the personal internet device are

a touch screen liquid crystal display.

7. The system for providing personal internet services of claim 1, wherein input device of the personal internet device further comprises:

an internet address memory for storing a pre-selected set of addresses of network servers, and

a control input for selecting a one of the pre-selected set of addresses of network servers.

8. The system for providing personal internet services of claim 7 wherein the control input for selecting a one of the pre-selected set of addresses of network servers further comprises:

a mechanically analog device for generating an analog voltage representing a pre-selected address of an internet server, and

an analog to digital code converter for converting the analog voltage representing a pre-selected address of an internet server into an address of a pre-selected address of an internet server in the internet address memory.

9. The system for providing personal internet services of claim 1, wherein the personal internet device transceiver further comprises:

an encryption device for encrypting the wireless local area communication between the personal internet device and a local area server with which the personal internet device is authorized to operate, and

an encryption key memory for storing a key for encrypting the wireless local area communication wherein the encryption key corresponds to an encryption key stored in the local area server with which the personal internet device is authorized to operate.