Systems and methods for using a wireless modem card

• US 7,181,236 B1
• Filed: 06/08/2001
• Issued: 02/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Novatel Wireless, Inc. (Inseego Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Novatel Wireless, Inc. (Inseego Corp.)
• Inventors: Truong, Thomas, Ho, Kwun
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Quynh H.
• Application Number:
  US09/877,886
• Time in Patent Office: 2,083 Days
• Field of Search: 375/222, 455/550.1, 455/557, 455/558, 379/120
• US Class Current: 455/550.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3209 Monitoring remote activity, e.g. over telephone lines or network connections

Abstract

A wireless modem card comprises a host interface configured to interface the wireless modem card with a host device of a first type. The wireless modem card can be configured to detect whether a modem interface device configured to interface the wireless modem card with a host device of a second type is communicatively coupled with the host interface. The wireless modem card is also configured to reconfigure the host interface in response to the presence of the modem interface device to enable the wireless modem card to interface with the host device of the second type through the modem interface device.

Claims

1. A modem interface device, comprising:

a host interface configured to communicatively couple the modem interface device with a host device;

a modem interface configured to communicatively couple the modem interface device with a wireless modem card that can be reconfigured to communicate with a plurality of host device types; and

a modem interface circuit communicatively coupled with the host interface and the modem interface, the modem interface circuit configured to;

receive a power on signal,

turn on the wireless modem card in response to receiving the power on signal,

receive a signal from the wireless modem card indicating that the wireless modem card has received a message for the host device, and

turn on the host device so that the wireless modem card can communicate the received message to the host device through the modem interface device.

2. The modem interface device of claim 1, further comprising a wireless modem card detect input, the modem interface device configured to:

receive a modem present signal through the wireless modem card detect input; and

begin initiate a wireless modem card interface configuration in response to receiving the modem present signal.

3. The modem interface device of claim 1, wherein the modem interface circuit is further configured to receive a power off signal and to turn off the wireless modem card in response to the received power off signal.

4. The modem interface device of claim 3, further comprising a power on/off input, wherein the power on and power off signals are received from the power on/off input.

5. The modem interface device of claim 3, wherein the power off signal is received from the host device.

6. The modem interface device of claim 1, wherein the host interface and the modem interface each include a communication port, and wherein the wireless modem card communicates the received message with the host device through the communication ports included in the two interfaces.

7. The modem interface device of claim 6, further comprising a signal level translator coupled with the communication ports included in the host and modem interfaces, the signal level translator configured to perform signal level translation on signals communicated between the wireless modem card and the host.

8. The modem interface device of claim 1, further comprising a hardware identifier coupled with the modem interface, the hardware identifier configured to indicate the presence of the modem interface device to the wireless modem card.

9. The modem interface device of claim 1, further comprising an audio circuit coupled with the modem interface, the audio circuit configured to interface received audio signals with the wireless modem card and to output audio signals received from the wireless modem card.

10. The modem interface of claim 1, further comprising a diagnostic interface coupled with the modem interface, the diagnostic interface configured to:

allow a diagnostic monitoring device to interface with the modem interface device; and

communicate diagnostic monitoring signals between the diagnostic monitoring device and the wireless modem card.

11. The modem interface device of claim 1, configured to supply power to the wireless modem card through the modem interface.

12. The modem interface circuit of claim 1, wherein the modem interface circuit is further configured to:

sense when the host device is de-coupled from the host interface, and

turn the wireless modem card off when the host device is de-coupled from the host interface.

13. A modem interface device, comprising:

a host interface configured to communicatively couple the modem interface device with a host device;

a modem interface configured to communicatively couple the modem interface device with a wireless modem card that can be reconfigured to communicate with a plurality of host device types; and

a modem interface circuit coupled with the host interface and the modem interface, the modem interface circuit configured to;

receive a signal from the host device indicating that the host device has a message to communicate with the wireless modem card; and

turn on the wireless modem card in response to the received signal so that the host device can communicate the message with the wireless modem card through the modem interface device.

14. The modem interface device of claim 13, wherein the host interface and the modem interface each comprise a communication port, and wherein the host device communicates the message with the wireless modem card through the communication ports included in the two interfaces.

15. The modem interface device of claim 14, further comprising a signal level translator coupled with the communication ports included in the host and modem interfaces, wherein the signal level translator is configured to perform signal level translation on signals communicated between the wireless modem card and the host device.

16. The modem interface device of claim 13, wherein the modem interface circuit is further configured to:

sense when the host device is de-coupled from the host interface, and

turn the wireless modem card off when the host device is de-coupled from the host interface.

17. A wireless modem card, comprising a host interface configured to interface the wireless modem card with a host device of a first type, the wireless modem card configured to:

detect whether a modem interface device configured to interface the wireless modem card with a host device of a second type is communicatively coupled with the host interface, and

reconfigure the host interface in response to the presence of the modem interface device to enable the wireless modem card to interface with the host device of the second type through the modem interface device.

18. The wireless modem card of claim 17, wherein the reconfigured host interface comprises a control port configured to interface the wireless modem card with the modem interface device.

19. The wireless modem card of claim 18, configured to output a notification signal through the control port to the modem interface device whenever the wireless modem card receives a message that is to be communicated to the host device of the second type.

20. The wireless modem card of claim 19, wherein the wireless modem card is further configured to turn on when a power on signal is received from the modem interface device through the control port.

21. The wireless modem card of claim 20, wherein the reconfigured host interface further comprises a modem interface device detection port configured to receive an indicator signal when a modem interface device is coupled with the host interface.

22. The wireless modem card of claim 21, further comprising a power management circuit coupled to the control port, the power management circuit configured to:

receive the power on signal; and

begin a power on sequence for the wireless modem card when the power management circuit has received the power on signal.

23. The wireless modem card of claim 22, wherein the power management circuit is coupled to the modem interface device detect port and is further configured to:

receive the indicator signal; and

begin a power on sequence for the wireless modem card when the power management circuit has received both the power on signal and the indicator signal.

24. The wireless modem card of claim 17, wherein the reconfigured host interface comprises an audio port configured to send audio signals generated by the wireless modem card to the modem interface device and to receive audio signals from the modem interface device.

25. The wireless modem card of claim 17, wherein the reconfigured host interface comprises a diagnostic port configured to interface the wireless modem card to a diagnostic device.

26. The wireless modem card of claim 17, wherein the reconfigured host interface comprises a power supply port configured to interface power supplied by the modem interface device to the wireless modem card.

27. The wireless modem card of claim 26, wherein the wireless modem card is further configured to monitor the power supplied through the power supply port.

28. The wireless modem card of claim 17, wherein the reconfigured host interface comprises a serial communication port configured to allow the wireless modem card to communicate with the host device of the second type.

29. A portable communication system, comprising:

a host device of a first type configured to send and receive messages;

a modem interface device configured to communicatively couple with the host device of the first type and comprising a wireless modem card slot; and

a wireless modem card capable of installation in the wireless modem card slot comprising a host interface configured to communicatively couple the wireless modem card with a host device of a second type, the wireless modem card configured to;

sense when it is installed in the wireless modem card slot, and

reconfigure the host interface to allow the wireless modem card to be communicatively coupled with the host device of the first type.

30. The portable communication system of claim 29, wherein the modem interface device comprises:

a host interface configured to communicatively couple the modem interface device with the host device of the first type;

a modem interface configured to communicatively couple the modem interface device with the wireless modem card; and

a modem interface circuit communicatively coupled with the host interface and the modem interface, the modem interface circuit configured to;

receive a power on signal,

turn on the wireless modem card in response to receiving the power on signal,

receive a signal from the wireless modem card indicating that the wireless modem card has received a message for the host device of the first type, and

turn on the host device of the first type so that the wireless modem card can communicate the received message to the host device through the modem interface device.

31. The portable communication system of claim 29, wherein the host device of the first type is configured to initiate a communication session with the wireless modem card through the modem interface device after it is turned on by the modem interface circuit.

32. The portable communication system of claim 29, wherein the modem interface device comprises:

a host interface configured to communicatively couple the modem interface device with the host device of the first type;

a modem interface configured to communicatively couple the modem interface device with the wireless modem card; and

a modem interface circuit coupled with the host interface and the modem interface, the modem interface circuit configured to;

receive a signal from the host device of the first type indicating that the host device has a message to communicate with the wireless modem card; and

turn on the wireless modem card in response to the received signal so that the host device of the first type can communicate the message to the wireless modem card through the modem interface device.