Systems and methods for a multi-mode wireless modem

• US 8,208,517 B2
• Filed: 08/28/2006
• Issued: 06/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Novatel Wireless, Inc. (Inseego Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Novatel Wireless, Inc. (Inseego Corp.)
• Inventors: Souissi, Slim S., Loh, Michael, Gordon, Humphrey
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo, Don N
• Application Number:
  US11/511,983
• Publication Number:
  US 20070153723A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,129 Days
• Field of Search: 375/219, 375/220, 375/222, 375/223, 370/331, 370/412, 455/26.1, 455/550
• US Class Current: 375/220
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/00 Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/00 Communication routing or communication path finding
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

A multi-mode modem comprises a first device configured to communicate with a first communication system, a second device configured to communicate with a second communication system, a processor communicatively coupled the first and second devices, and a control function configured to place the device in one of the following communication modes: 1) communication with the first communication system; 2) communication with the second communication system; 3) simultaneous communication with both the first and second communication systems; or 4) gateway communication between the first and second communication systems.

Claims

1. A wireless gateway device, comprising:

a first device configured to communicate with a first wireless communication system;

a second device configured to communicate with a second wireless communication system, the gateway device being configured to operate in each of a plurality of possible communication modes, the plurality of possible communication modes comprising;

communication with only the first wireless communication system,

communication with only the second wireless communication system,

simultaneous communication with both the first and second wireless communication systems, and

gateway communication with both the first and second wireless communication systems such that data received by the first device from the first wireless communication system is routed through the second device to the second wireless communication system and data received by the second wireless communication system is routed through the first device to the first wireless communication system; and

a controller communicatively coupled with the first device and second device and configured to place the gateway device in one of the plurality of possible communication modes,

wherein the controller resides within the first device and the first device directly communicates with the second device.

2. The wireless gateway device of claim 1, wherein the first device is a LAN device, the first wireless communication system is a wireless local area network, the second device is a WAN device, and the second wireless communication system is a wireless wide area network.

3. The wireless gateway device of claim 1, wherein the first device is a PAN device, the first wireless communication system is a wireless personal area network, the second device is a WAN device and the second wireless communication system is a wireless wide area network.

4. The wireless gateway device of claim 1, wherein the first device is a PAN device, the first wireless communication system is a wireless personal area network, the second device is a LAN device and the second wireless communication system is a wireless local area network.

5. The wireless gateway device of claim 1, wherein the first device is a LAN device, the first wireless communication system is a wireless local area network, the second device is a MAN device, and the second wireless communication system is a wireless metropolitan area network.

6. The wireless gateway device of claim 1, wherein the first device is a PAN device, the first wireless communication system is a wireless personal area network, the second device is a MAN device, and the second wireless communication system is a wireless metropolitan area network.

7. The wireless gateway device of claim 1, wherein the first device is a WAN device, the first wireless communication system is a wireless wide area network, the second device is a MAN device, and the second wireless communication system is a wireless metropolitan area network.

8. The wireless gateway device of claim 1, further comprising an interface device for connecting at least one wired device to the wireless gateway device such that data from the at least one wired device can be routed to at least one of the first wireless communication system or second wireless communication system.

9. The wireless gateway device of claim 1, further comprising a voice module for providing a voice-over-IP input for connecting a voice-over-IP device the wireless gateway such that voice-over-IP data can be routed to at least one of the first wireless communication system or second wireless communication system.

10. The wireless gateway device of claim 1, further comprising a fax module for providing a fax input for connecting a fax device to the wireless gateway such that fax data can be routed to at least one of the first wireless communication system or second wireless communication system.

11. An embedded multi-mode modem configured for connecting to a host device having a processor, the modem comprising:

a first device configured to communicate with a first wireless communication system;

a second device configured to communicate with a second wireless communication system, the modem being configured to operate in each of a plurality of possible communication modes, the plurality of possible communication modes comprising;

communication with only the first wireless communication system,

communication with only the second wireless communication system,

simultaneous communication with both the first and second wireless communication systems, and

gateway communication with both the first and second wireless communication systems such that data received by the first device from the first wireless communication system is routed through the second device to the second wireless communication system and data received by the second wireless communication system is routed through the first device to the first wireless communication system;

an interface device coupled with the first and second devices, the interface device configured to interface the first and second devices with the host processor; and

a control function configured to place the modem in one of the plurality of possible communication modes,

wherein the control function resides within the first device and the first device directly communicates with the second device.

12. The embedded of claim 11, wherein the first device is a LAN device, the first wireless communication system is a wireless local area network, the second device is a WAN device, and the second wireless communication system is a wireless wide area network.

13. The embedded modem of claim 11, wherein the first device is a PAN device, the first wireless communication system is a wireless personal area network, the second device is a WAN device and the second wireless communication system is a wireless wide area network.

14. The embedded modem of claim 11, wherein the first device is a PAN device, the first wireless communication system is a wireless personal area network, the second device is a LAN device and the second wireless communication system is a wireless local area network.

15. The embedded modem of claim 11, wherein the first device is a LAN device, the first wireless communication system is a wireless local area network, the second device is a MAN device, and the second wireless communication system is a wireless metropolitan area network.

16. The embedded modem of claim 11, wherein the first device is a PAN device, the first wireless communication system is a wireless personal area network, the second device is a MAN device, and the second wireless communication system is a wireless metropolitan area network.

17. The embedded modem of claim 11, wherein the first device is a WAN device, the first wireless communication system is a wireless wide area network, the second device is a MAN device, and the second wireless communication system is a wireless metropolitan area network.

18. The embedded modem of claim 11, wherein the host device further comprises a laptop computer.

19. The embedded modem of claim 11, wherein the host device further comprises a mobile electronic device.

20. The embedded modem of claim 11, wherein the first device comprises a first RF section and a first baseband section, the second device comprises a second RF section and a second baseband section, and either the first baseband section or second baseband section comprises the control function.