Wireless communication network having voice and data communication capability

• US 6,366,771 B1
• Filed: 05/21/1998
• Issued: 04/02/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Symbol Technologies, LLC (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: OʼHagan, Timothy P., Angle, Arron S.
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, THANH C
• Application Number:
  US09/082,741
• Time in Patent Office: 1,412 Days
• Field of Search: 455/31.1, 455/31.2, 455/31.3, 455/412, 455/414, 455/415, 455/38.1, 455/550, 455/564, 455/566, 455/569, 455/575, 455/90
• US Class Current: 455/414.1
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements

Abstract

A wireless network including a backbone and a plurality of access points coupled to the backbone. The wireless network further includes a plurality of portable data terminals having a keypad, a barcode reader, and voice communication circuitry. The portable data terminals also include an RF transceiver for wirelessly communicating both data and audio communication with the backbone via one of the plurality of access points. The wireless network includes a host computer coupled to the backbone which receives at least a portion of the data transmitted from the plurality of portable data terminals and a gateway coupled to the backbone which receives at least a portion of the audio communication transmitted from the plurality of portable data terminals. The gateway further serves to establish a pseudo full duplex audio communication link between the plurality of portable data terminals and/or between a portable data terminal and a device coupled to a public telephone exchange via a PBX interface.

Claims

1. A wireless network including a backbone and a plurality of access points coupled to the backbone, the wireless network comprising:

a plurality of portable network telephones each including;

a processor;

at least one of a keypad and a barcode reader coupled to the processor for entry of data;

audio communication circuitry coupled to the processor for converting audio communication between an analog and digital format; and

an RF transceiver for wirelessly communicating the data and the audio communication with the backbone via one of the plurality of access points;

a host computer coupled to the backbone, wherein the host computer receives at least a portion of the data from the plurality of portable network telephones; and

a gateway coupled to the backbone, wherein the gateway receives at least a portion of the audio communication and establishes a pseudo full duplex audio communication link between two or more of the plurality of portable network telephones;

wherein the gateway includes a memory for storing information relating to the plurality of portable network telephones.

2. The wireless network of claim 1, wherein the memory stores a table of portable network telephones that have established a pseudo full duplex audio communication link through the gateway.

3. The wireless network of claim 1, wherein the memory stores an outgoing message for at least one of the plurality of portable network telephones.

4. The wireless network of claim 1, wherein the memory stores at least one new voice mail message for at least one of the plurality of portable network telephones.

5. The wireless network of claim 4, wherein the memory stores the at least one new voice mail message as a saved message.

7. The wireless network of claim 2, wherein the gateway transmits a destination unavailable packet to any of the plurality of portable network telephones attempting to establish a pseudo full duplex audio communication link with a portable network telephone listed in the table.

8. The wireless network of claim 2, wherein the gateway clears an entry of one of the plurality of portable network telephones from table upon receiving a hang-up packet from the one of the plurality of portable network telephones.

6. A wireless network including a backbone and a plurality of access points coupled to the backbone, the wireless network comprising:

a plurality of portable network telephones each including;

a processor;

at least one of a keypad and a barcode reader coupled to the processor for entry of data;

audio communication circuitry coupled to the processor for converting audio communication between an analog and digital format; and

an RF transceiver for wirelessly communicating the data and the audio communication with the backbone via one of the plurality of access points;

a host computer coupled to the backbone, wherein the host computer receives at least a portion of the data from the plurality of portable network telephones; and

a gateway coupled to the backbone, wherein the gateway receives at least a portion of the audio communication and establishes a pseudo full duplex

audio communication link between two or more of the plurality of portable network telephones;

wherein the gateway establishes a pseudo full duplex audio communication link among at least three of the plurality of portable network telephones.

9. A portable network telephone for use in a wireless network including a backbone and a plurality of access points coupled to the backbone, the wireless network comprising a plurality of portable network telephones each including a processor, at least one of a keypad and a barcode reader coupled to the processor for entry of data, audio communication circuitry coupled to the processor for converting audio communication between an analog and digital format;

and an RF transceiver for wirelessly communicating the data and the audio communication with the backbone via one of the plurality of access points;

a host computer coupled to the backbone, wherein the host computer receives at least a portion of the data from the plurality of portable network telephones;

a gateway coupled to the backbone, wherein the gateway receives at least a portion of the audio communication and establishes a pseudo full duplex audio communication link between two or more of the plurality of portable network telephones, said network telephone comprising;

a keypad for providing entry of a destination code representative of a destination device with which the portable network telephone desires to establish a pseudo full duplex audio communication link via the pseudo full duplex audio communication gateway and for providing entry of data for processing by the host computer;

a processor coupled to the keypad, the processor operative to distinguish between keypad entries representative of the destination code for transmission to the pseudo full duplex audio communication gateway and keypad entries representative of the data for transmission to the host computer; and

an RF transceiver wirelessly communicating the data to the host computer and the destination code to the pseudo full duplex audio communication gateway in accordance with instructions from the processor.

10. The portable network telephone of claim 9, wherein the portable network telephone transitions into a active telephonic session mode upon receiving an acknowledge packet form the pseudo full duplex audio communication gateway indicating that the destination device has accepted a request from the portable network telephone to establish a full duplex audio.

11. The portable network telephone of claim 10, further including a means transmitting data via the RF transceiver while in the active telephonic session mode.

12. The portable network telephone of claim 9 further including a display for displaying data entered or received by the portable network telephone.

13. The portable network telephone of claim 12, further including circuitry of displaying a caller ID on the display of another portable network telephone desiring to enter into a pseudo full duplex audio communication link.

14. The portable network telephone of claim 9, further including ring indicator circuitry for providing a signal to an operator that another portable network telephone desires to enter into a pseudo full duplex audio communication link.

15. The portable network telephone of claim 14, where in the ring indicator circuitry provides at least one of periodic audible rings and period vibrations.

16. The portable network telephone of claim 9, further including a bar code reader coupled to the processor for automatic entry of data into the portable network telephone.

17. A method of conducting a telephonic session with a wireless network including a backbone and a plurality of access points coupled to the backbone, the wireless network comprising:

a plurality of portable network telephones each including;

a processor;

at least one of a keypad and a barcode reader coupled to the processor for entry of data;

audio communication circuitry coupled to the processor for converting audio communication between an analog and digital format; and

an RF transceiver for wirelessly communicating the data and the audio communication with the backbone via one of the plurality of access points;

a host computer coupled to the backbone, wherein the host computer receives at least a portion of the data from the plurality of portable network telephones; and

a gateway coupled to the backbone, wherein the gateway receives at least a portion of the audio communication and establishes a pseudo full duplex audio communication link between two or more of the plurality of portable network telephones;

said method comprising the steps of;

establishing an active telephonic session between the first and second telephones via the pseudo full duplex audio communication gateway; and

transmitting data from at least one of the first and second telephones to a host computer to during the active telephonic session;

wherein upon establishing an active telephonic session between the first and second telephones, the pseudo full duplex audio communication gateway enters an address of the first and second telephones in a table.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein upon receipt of the unavailable packet, the third portable network telephone activates circuitry providing a busy signal.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein upon receipt of the unavailable packet, the third portable network telephone activates circuitry providing a busy signal.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the pseudo full duplex audio communication gateway clears the first and second portable network telephones from the table upon receiving a hang-up packet from at least one of the first and second portable network telephones.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the pseudo full duplex audio communication gateway forwards the hang-up packet to the other of the first and second portable network telephone which did not transmit the hang-up packet.

22. A method of communicating with a wireless network including a backbone and a plurality of access points coupled to the backbone, the wireless network comprising:

a plurality of portable network telephones each including;

a processor;

at least one of a keypad and a barcode reader coupled to the processor for entry of data;

audio communication circuitry coupled to the processor for converting audio communication between an analog and digital format; and

an RF transceiver for wirelessly communicating the data and the audio communication with the backbone via one of the plurality of access points;

a host computer coupled to the backbone, wherein the host computer receives at least a portion of the data from the plurality of portable network telephones; and

a gateway coupled to the backbone, wherein the gateway receives at least a portion of the audio communication and establishes a pseudo full duplex audio communication link between two or more of the plurality of portable network telephones;

said method comprising the steps of;

transmitting from the first portable network telephone audio communication for receipt by the second portable network telephone;

receiving the audio communication at a gateway coupled to the backbone, the gateway establishing a pseudo full duplex audio communication link between the first portable network telephone and the second portable network telephone; and

forwarding the audio communication from the gateway to the second portable network telephone;

said method further comprising the steps of;

transmitting from one of the first portable network telephone and the second portable network telephone a request for a third portable network telephone to be included in the pseudo full duplex audio communication link established by the gateway; and

establishing by the gateway a pseudo full duplex audio communication link with the first portable network telephone, the second portable network telephone, and the third portable network.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising the step of:

storing at the gateway a voice mail message for the first portable network telephone.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising the step of:

retrieving from the gateway by the first portable network telephone via the voice mail message.