Wireless cable replacement system

• US 7,149,474 B1
• Filed: 11/02/2000
• Issued: 12/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mikhak, Alahyar Alan
• Primary Examiner(s): Beamer, Temica
• Assistant Examiner(s): CONTEE, JOY KIMBERLY
• Application Number:
  US09/706,360
• Time in Patent Office: 2,231 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.2, 455/424, 455/445, 455/425, 455/500, 455/414.1, 455/426.2, 455/436, 455/426.1, 370/346, 370/466, 370/436, 370/401, 370/330, 370/337, 370/232, 375/222, 375/322, 375/133
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2535 adapted for voice communication over an Internet Protocol [IP] network Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network equipment and services H04M7/006; implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP] H04L69/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/738 Interface circuits for coupling substations to external telephone lines H04M1/78 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/10 Small scale networks; Flat hierarchical networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A wireless cable replacement system. A personal area network, comprising a device having a first wireless transceiver, and an adapter having a second wireless transceiver in communication with the first wireless transceiver, and a plug capable of mating to a jack coupled to a local backbone.

Claims

1. A personal area network, comprising:

a device having a first complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) wireless transceiver; and

an adapter having a second CMOS wireless transceiver in communication with the first CMOS wireless transceiver, a connector capable of mating to a local cable-based network backbone, and an interface adapted to facilitate communication between the second CMOS wireless transceiver and the local backbone.

2. The personal area network of claim 1 wherein the first and second CMOS wireless transceivers each comprises a Bluetooth transceiver.

3. The personal area network of claim 1 wherein the interface provides an interface between the second CMOS wireless transceiver and the local backbone comprising a packet based network.

4. The personal area network of claim 3 wherein the interface provides an interface between the second CMOS wireless transceiver and the packet based network comprising a twisted pair telephone line.

5. The personal area network of claim 4 wherein the interface provides an interface between the second CMOS wireless transceiver and the packet based network using a protocol for home communications over a twisted pair telephone line.

6. The personal area network of claim 4 wherein the interface provides an interface between the second CMOS wireless transceiver and the packet based network comprising an Ethernet line.

7. The personal area network of claim 4 wherein the interface provides an interface between the second CMOS wireless transceiver and the packet based network comprising a digital subscriber line.

8. The personal area network of claim 1 wherein the device comprises a telephony device.

9. The personal area network of claim 8 wherein the telephony device comprises a telephone.

10. The personal area network of claim 9 further comprising a second telephone having a third CMOS wireless transceiver in communication with the second CMOS wireless transceiver.

11. The personal area network of claim 10 further comprising a computer having a fourth CMOS wireless transceiver in communication with the second CMOS wireless transceiver, and an appliance having a fifth CMOS wireless transceiver in communication with the second CMOS wireless transceiver.

12. The personal area network of claim 8 wherein the device comprises a computer.

13. The personal area network of claim 12 further comprising a second computer having a third CMOS wireless transceiver in communication with the second CMOS wireless transceiver.

14. The personal area network of claim 8 wherein the device comprises an appliance.

15. The personal area network of claim 14 further comprising a second appliance having a third wireless transceiver in communication with the second wireless transceiver.

16. A wall dongle, comprising:

a wireless transceiver;

a plug capable of mating to a jack coupled to a local cable-based network backbone; and

an interface coupled to the plug and to the wireless transceiver, and adapted to facilitate communication between the wireless transceiver and the local backbone.

17. The wall dongle of claim 16 wherein the wireless transceiver comprises a Bluetooth transceiver.

18. The wall dongle of claim 16 wherein the interface provides an interface between the wireless transceiver and the local backbone comprising a packet based network.

19. The wall dongle of claim 18 wherein the interface provides an interface between the wireless transceiver and the packet based network comprising a twisted pair telephone line.

20. The wall dongle of claim 19 wherein the interface provides an interface between the wireless transceiver and the packet based network using a protocol for home communications over a twisted pair telephone line.

21. The wall dongle of claim 18 wherein the interface provides an interface between the wireless transceiver and the packet based network comprising an Ethernet line.

22. The wall dongle of claim 18 wherein the interface provides an interface between the second wireless transceiver and the packet based network comprising a digital subscriber line.

23. The wall dongle of claim 16 wherein the plug is adapted to mate to an RJ-11 telephone jack.

24. The wall dongle of claim 16 wherein the plug is adapted to mate to an RJ-45 Ethernet jack.

25. The wall dongle of claim 16 wherein the interface and wireless transceiver each comprises CMOS.

26. The wall dongle of claim 25 further comprising a substrate, the CMOS interface and wireless transceiver each being disposed on the substrate.

27. A method of interfacing a wireless communication medium to a local backbone, comprising:

using a wall dongle to exchange information with an external device over a wireless medium, the wall dongle having an adapter plugged into a jack coupled to a local cable-based network backbone, the adapter comprising a wireless transceiver and a network interface adapted to facilitate communication between the wireless transceiver and the local backbone; and

communicating at least a portion of the information between the wall dongle adapter and the local backbone.

28. The method of claim 27 network wherein the local backbone comprises a packet based network.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein the packet based network comprises a twisted pair telephone line.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein the communication between the second wireless transceiver and the packet based network comprises using a protocol for home communications over the twisted pair telephone line.

31. The method of claim 28 wherein the packet based network comprises an Ethernet line.

32. The method of claim 28 wherein the packet based network comprises a digital subscriber line.

81. The method of claim 27 wherein the information exchange comprises using a Bluetooth protocol.

33. A device dongle, comprising:

a wireless transceiver;

a plug capable of mating to a jack coupled to a device;

an interface coupled to the plug and to the wireless transceiver, and adapted to facilitate communication between the wireless transceiver and the device; and

a housing enclosing the wireless transceiver and the interface.

34. The device dongle of claim 33 wherein the wireless transceiver comprises a Bluetooth transceiver.

35. The device dongle of claim 33 wherein the interface provides an interface between the wireless transceiver and the device comprising a telephone.

36. The device dongle of claim 33 wherein the interface provides an interface between the wireless transceiver and the device comprising a computer.

37. The device dongle of claim 33 wherein the interface provides an interface between the wireless transceiver and the device comprising an appliance.

38. The device dongle of claim 33 wherein the plug is adapted to mate to an RJ-11 telephone jack.

39. The device dongle of claim 33 wherein the plug is adapted to mate to an RJ-45 Ethernet jack.

40. The device dongle of claim 33 wherein the interface and wireless transceiver each comprises CMOS.

41. The device dongle of claim 40 further comprising a substrate, the CMOS interface and wireless transceiver each being disposed on the substrate.

42. A method of interfacing a wireless communication medium to a device, comprising:

using a device dongle to exchange information with an external device over a wireless medium, the device dongle having an adapter plugged into a jack coupled to the device, the adapter being enclosed within a housing and comprising a wireless transceiver and a network interface adapted to facilitate communication between the wireless transceiver and the device; and

communicating at least a portion of the information between the device dongle and the device.

43. The method of claim 42 wherein the device comprises a telephone.

44. The method of claim 42 wherein the device comprises a computer.

45. The method of claim 42 wherein the device comprises an appliance.

82. The method of claim 42 wherein the information exchange comprises using a Bluetooth protocol.

46. A communications network, comprising:

a communication device;

a first dongle having a first wireless transceiver and a plug capable of mating to a jack coupled to the communication device;

a second dongle comprising a second wireless transceiver in communication with the first wireless transceiver and a plug capable of mating to a jack coupled to a local cable-based network backbone;

a local cable-based network backbone coupled to the second wireless transceiver; and

an Internet gateway coupled to the local backbone.

47. The communications network of claim 46 wherein the first and second wireless transceivers each comprises a Bluetooth transceiver.

48. The communications network of claim 46 wherein the local backbone comprising a packet based network.

49. The communications network of claim 48 wherein the packet based network comprising a twisted pair telephone line.

50. The communications network of claim 49 wherein the second wireless transceiver is in communication with the packet based network using a protocol for home communications over a twisted pair telephone line.

51. The communications network:

of claim 48 wherein the packet based network comprising an Ethernet line.

52. The communications network of claim 48 wherein the packet based network comprising a digital subscriber line.

53. The communications network of claim 46 wherein the device comprises a telephony device.

54. The communications network of claim 53 wherein the telephony device comprises a telephone.

55. The communications network of claim 54 further comprising a second telephone having a third wireless transceiver in communication with the second wireless transceiver.

56. The communications network of claim 55 further comprising a computer having a fourth wireless transceiver in communication with the second wireless transceiver, and an appliance having a fifth wireless transceiver in communication with the second wireless transceiver.

57. The communications network of claim 46 wherein the device comprises a computer.

58. The communications network of claim 57 further comprising a second computer having a third wireless transceiver in communication with the second wireless transceiver.

59. The communications network of claim 46 wherein the device comprises an appliance.

60. The communications network of claim 59 further comprising a second appliance having a third wireless transceiver in communication with the second wireless transceiver.

61. The communications network of claim 46 wherein the Internet gateway comprises a cable modem.

62. A communications network, comprising:

a plurality of devices, each of which is connected to an adapter via a connector, wherein each adapter comprises a wireless transceiver;

a local backbone;

an access point to the local backbone, the access point being connected to an access adapter via a connector, wherein the access adapter comprises an access wireless transceiver in communication with the wireless transceiver for each of the adapters; and

an Internet gateway coupled to the local backbone.

63. The communications network of claim 62 wherein the wireless transceivers and the access wireless transceiver each comprises a Bluetooth transceiver, the local backbone comprises a twisted pair telephone line, and the Internet gateway comprises a cable modem.

64. The communications network of claim 63 wherein the devices comprise a plurality of telephones, a plurality of computers and a plurality of appliances.

65. A method of communication, comprising:

providing a device connected to a first adapter via a first connector, the first adapter comprising a first wireless transceiver;

providing an access point to a local backbone, the access point connected to a second adapter via a second connector, the second adapter comprising a second wireless transceiver;

exchanging information over a wireless medium between the device and the access point using the first and second wireless transceivers;

communicating at least a portion of the information between the access point and the local backbone; and

coupling the communicated information between the local backbone and an Internet gateway.

66. The method of claim 65 wherein the information exchange between the device and the access point comprises using a Bluetooth protocol.

67. The method of claim 65 wherein the local backbone comprises a packet based network.

68. The method of claim 67 wherein the packet based network comprises a twisted pair telephone line.

69. The method of claim 68 wherein the communication between the access point and the packet based network comprises using a protocol for home communications over the twisted pair telephone line.

70. The method of claim 67 wherein the packet based network comprises an Ethernet line.

71. The method of claim 67 wherein the packet based network comprises a digital subscriber line.

72. The method of claim 65 wherein the device comprises a telephony device.

73. The method of claim 72 wherein the telephony device comprises a telephone, and the information exchange between the first and second wireless transceivers comprises exchanging voice signals.

74. The method of claim 73 further comprising exchanging information between a second telephone and the access point, wherein the communication between the access point and the local backbone comprises communicating at least a portion of the exchanged information between the access point and each of the telephones.

75. The method of claim 73 further comprising exchanging information between a computer and the access point, and exchanging information between an appliance and the access point, wherein the communication between the access point and the local backbone comprises communicating at least a portion of the exchange information between the access point and each of the telephone, computer and appliance.

76. The method of claim 65 wherein the device comprises a computer.

77. The method of claim 76 further comprising exchanging information between a second computer and the access point, wherein the communication between the access point and the local backbone comprises communicating at least a portion of the exchanged information between the access point and each of the computers.

78. The method of claim 65 wherein the device comprises an appliance.

79. The method of claim 78 further comprising exchanging information between a second appliance and the access point, wherein the communication between the access point and the local backbone comprises communicating at least a portion of the exchanged information between the access point and each of the appliances.

80. The method of claim 65 wherein the Internet gateway comprises a cable modem.