Wireless interface for standard modems

• US 6,205,495 B1
• Filed: 07/15/1998
• Issued: 03/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gateway Incorporated (Acer, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Gateway Incorporated (Acer, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gilbert, Tim, Liebenow, Frank
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): PEYTON, TAMMARA R
• Application Number:
  US09/116,437
• Time in Patent Office: 979 Days
• Field of Search: 710/1, 710/12, 710/8, 710/14, 710/20, 445/421, 445/556, 379/100, 455/1, 455/42, 455/557
• US Class Current: 710/8
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

A wireless communications system for enabling an information handling system to wirelessly couple to a network is disclosed. A peripheral communications device for communicating information is sent to and by the information handling system via a wireless transmission medium. A base station couples to the peripheral communications device via the wireless transmission medium. The information handling system is enabled to communicate over a network via the network communications device. A method for communicating between an information handling system and a network via a wireless transmission medium is disclosed. Information to be transmitted is sent from the information handling system to a peripheral device, translated into a wireless data transmission format, transmitted via a wireless transmission medium to a remote device, converted into a network communications format, and sent to a modem connected to the network for transmission via the network.

Claims

1. A wireless communications system for enabling an information handling system to couple to a network, comprising:

a peripheral communications device for communicating information sent to and by the information handling system via a wireless transmission medium, said peripheral communications device comprising;

a device interface for interfacing with a bus of the information handling system,

a first wireless transmission interface for transmitting and receiving information via the wireless communications medium, and

a first controller for managing the transfer of information between said device interface and said wireless transmission interface; and

a base station coupled to said peripheral communications device via the wireless transmission medium for coupling with a network communications device wherein the information handling system is enabled to communicate over a network via the network communications device, said base station comprising;

an I/O interface for interfacing with the network communications device,

a second wireless transmission interface for transmitting and receiving information via the wireless communications medium, and

a second controller for managing the transfer of information between said I/O interface and said wireless transmission interface.

2. A wireless communications system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wireless transmission medium comprises an infrared spectrum.

3. A wireless communications system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wireless transmission medium comprises a radio frequency spectrum.

4. A wireless communications system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said peripheral device and said base station are adapted to communicate via power lines.

5. A wireless communications system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said device interface is in compliance with a PCMCIA standard.

6. A wireless communications system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said device interface is in compliance with a PCI standard.

7. A wireless communications system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said device interface is in compliance with a USB standard.

8. A wireless communications system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said device interface is in compliance with an ISA standard.

9. A wireless communications system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said device interface is in compliance with an EISA standard.

10. A wireless communications system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said device interface is in compliance with an MCA standard.

11. A wireless communications system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said device interface is in compliance with an IEEE standard.

12. A wireless communications system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said device interface is in compliance with a n ADB standard.

13. A wireless communications system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said device interface is in compliance with a SCSI standard.

14. A wireless communication system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said I/O interface is in compliance with a PCMCIA standard.

15. A wireless communication system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said I/O interface is in compliance with an RS-232 standard.

16. A wireless communication system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said I/O interface is in compliance with an IrDA standard.

17. A wireless communication system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said I/O interface is in compliance with an IEEE standard.

18. A wireless communication system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said I/O interface is in compliance with an internet standard.

19. A wireless communication system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the network communications device is a modem.

20. A wireless communications system for enabling an information handling system to couple to a network, comprising:

communicating means for communicating information sent to and by the information handling system via a wireless transmission medium, said communicating means comprising;

first interfacing means for interfacing with a bus of the information handling system,

first wireless transmitting and receiving means for transmitting and receiving information via the wireless communications medium, and

first managing means for managing the transfer of information between said interfacing means and said first wireless transmitting and receiving means; and

coupling means coupled to said communicating means via the wireless transmission medium for coupling with a network communicating means for communicating over a network wherein the information handling system is enabled to communicate over a network via the network communicating means, said coupling means comprising;

second interfacing means for interfacing with the network communicating means,

second wireless transmitting and receiving means for transmitting and receiving information via the wireless communications medium, and

second managing means for managing the transfer of information between said second interfacing means and the wireless communications medium.

21. A wireless communications system as claimed in claim 20, wherein the wireless transmission medium comprises an infrared spectrum.

22. A wireless communications system as claimed in claim 20, wherein the wireless transmission medium comprises a radio frequency spectrum.

23. A wireless communications system as claimed in claim 20, wherein said peripheral device and said base station are adapted to communicate via power lines.

24. A wireless communications system as claimed in claim 20, wherein said first interfacing means is in compliance with a PCMCIA standard.

25. A wireless communications system as claimed in claim 20, wherein said first interfacing means is in compliance with a PCI standard.

26. A wireless communications system as claimed in claim 20, wherein said first interfacing means is in compliance with a USB standard.

27. A wireless communications system as claimed in claim 20, wherein said fist interfacing means is in compliance with an ISA standard.

28. A wireless communications system as claimed in claim 20, wherein said first interfacing means is in compliance with an EISA standard.

29. A wireless communications system as claimed in claim 20, wherein said first interfacing means is in compliance with an MCA standard.

30. A wireless communications system as claimed in claim 20, wherein said first interfacing means is in compliance with an IEEE standard.

31. A wireless communications system as claimed in claim 20, wherein said first interfacing means is in compliance with a ADB standard.

32. A wireless communications system as claimed in claim 20, wherein said first interfacing means is in compliance with a SCSI standard.

33. A wireless communication system as claimed in claim 20, wherein said second interfacing means is in compliance with a PCMCIA standard.

34. A wireless communication system as claimed in claim 20, wherein said second interfacing means is in compliance with an RS-232 standard.

35. A wireless communication system as claimed in claim 20, wherein said second interfacing means is in compliance with an IrDA standard.

36. A wireless communication system as claimed in claim 20, wherein said second interfacing means is in compliance with an IEEE standard.

37. A wireless communication system as claimed in claim 20, wherein said second interfacing means is in compliance with an internet standard.

38. A wireless communication system as claimed in claim 20, wherein the network communicating means is a modem.

39. A method for communicating between an information handling system and a network via a wireless transmission medium, comprising:

sending information to be transmitted from the information handling system to a peripheral device of the information handling system;

translating the information to be transmitted into a wireless data transmission format;

transmitting the wireless data transmission formatted information via a wireless transmission medium to a remote device;

receiving the wireless data transmission formatted information with the remote device;

converting the received information into a network communications format; and

sending the network communications formatted information to a modem connected to the network for transmission of the network communications formatted information via the network.

40. A method as claimed in claim 39, wherein the wireless data transmission format is in compliance with an IrDA standard.

41. A method as claimed in claim 39, wherein the modem is in compliance with a PCMCIA standard.

42. A method as claimed in claim 39, further comprising the steps of:

receiving network formatted information from the network via the modem with the remote device;

converting the network formatted information into a wireless data transmission format;

transmitting the wireless data transmission formatted information via the wireless transmission medium to the peripheral device of the information handling system;

receiving the wireless data transmission formatted information with the peripheral device of the information handling system;

translating the wireless data transmission formatted information into a format readable by the information handling system; and

sending the information to the information handling system.

43. A computer readable medium whose contents cause an information handling system to perform method steps for communicating between the information handling system and a network via a wireless transmission medium, the method steps comprising:

sending information to be transmitted from the information handling system to a peripheral device of the information handling system;

translating the information to be transmitted into a wireless data transmission format;

transmitting the wireless data transmission formatted information via a wireless transmission medium to a remote device;

receiving the wireless data transmission formatted information with the remote device;

converting the received information into a network communications format; and

sending the network communications formatted information to a modem connected to the network for transmission of the network communications formatted information via the network.

44. A computer readable medium as claimed in claim 43, wherein the wireless data transmission format is in compliance with an IrDA standard.

45. A computer readable medium as claimed in claim 43, wherein the modem is in compliance with a PCMCIA standard.

46. A computer readable medium as claimed in claim 43, the method steps further comprising the steps of:

receiving network formatted information from the network via the modem with the remote device;

converting the network formatted information into a wireless data transmission format;

transmitting the wireless data transmission formatted information via the wireless transmission medium to the peripheral device of the information handling system;

receiving the wireless data transmission formatted information with the peripheral device of the information handling system;

translating the wireless data transmission formatted information into a format readable by the information handling system; and

sending the information to the information handling system.

47. A wireless communication system for enabling an information handling system to couple to a remote device, comprising:

a first transmission interface for transmitting and receiving information directly connected to the information handling device; and

a second transmission interface remotely located from the information handling system and coupled to the remote device capable of sending information to and receiving information from the first transmission interface such that the information handling system may communicate with the remote device, said second transmission interface being capable of physically coupling with a network communication device for coupling with a network such that the information handling system is capable of communicating over the network via the network communication device.

48. An information handling system for communicating with a remote device, comprising:

a processor for executing instructions executable by said processor;

a memory coupled to said processor for storing instructions executable by said processor; and

an interface coupled said processor for transmitting and receiving information to a second transmission interface remotely located from the information handling system and coupled to the remote device such that the information handling system may communicate with the remote device, said second transmission interface being capable of physically coupling with a network communication device for coupling with a network such that the information handling system is capable of communicating over the network via the network communication device.

49. An information handling system as claimed in claim 48, wherein said interface is controlled by a program of instructions stored in said memory.

50. An information handling system as claimed in claim 48, wherein said interface is controlled by a program of instructions transmitted to said memory from the remote device.