Personal area network systems and devices and methods for use thereof

• US 8,331,987 B2
• Filed: 04/19/2007
• Issued: 12/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Rosenblatt, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Afshar, Kamran
• Assistant Examiner(s): MATHARU, MANPREET S
• Application Number:
  US11/788,566
• Publication Number:
  US 20080261529A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,063 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41, 455/411, 455/442, 455/569, 455/305, 455/41.2, 455/556.2, 455/557, 455/422.1, 455/11.1, 455/15, 370/463, 370/315, 370/401, 370/229, 370/338, 370/328, 713/168, 709/225
• US Class Current: 455/556.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/08 between user and terminal device

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for interfacing wireless communications between two devices such that a device devoid of a relatively long-range communications protocol can access that protocol. This may be accomplished by providing a host device having relatively short-range communications circuitry integrated therein, which circuitry may be operative to communicate with relatively short-range communications circuitry of a multi-protocol or long-range communications device that also includes relatively long-range communications circuitry.

Claims

1. A method for using a media player to selectively communicate with one of a plurality of long-range communications devices using a short-range communications protocol, each long-range communications device having a long-range communications protocol that enables a user of the media player to engage in a long-range communications event requiring access to a communications source, and wherein each long-range communications device circuitry for wirelessly communicating with the communications source during the long-range communications event, but each long-range communications device does not include a user interface for enabling a user to control any aspect of a long-range communications event, and wherein the media player is incapable of wirelessly communicating directly with the communications source, the method comprising:

detecting whether two or more of the plurality of long-range communication devices are within a personal area network hosted by the media player;

selecting one of the detected long-range communications devices for accessing that device'"'"'s long-range communications protocol;

providing authentication information to the selected one of the detected long-range communications device, wherein the authentication information is used to authenticate the long-range communications device to the communications source; and

using the long-range communications protocol of the selected long-range communications device to enable a user to engage in a long-range communications event by directly interacting with the media player, wherein data associated with the long-range communications event is transmitted between the media player and the selected long-range communications device using the short-range communications protocol.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether to select a different long-range communications device; and

selecting the different long-range communications device when the media player makes the determination to select that different long-range communications device.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting communications event data to the selected long-range communications device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving communications event data from the selected long-range communications device.

5. An article comprising an RF module that is integrated within at least one portion of the article, the RF module comprising:

short-range communications circuitry for establishing a short-range wireless communications link with a device other than the RF module, wherein the device other than the RF module provides authentication information to the RF module, using the short-range communications circuitry, to enable the RF module to authenticate itself to a telephone communications source and the device is incapable of wirelessly communicating directly with the telephone communications source; and

long-range communications circuitry that can be accessed by the device, via the short-range wireless communications link, to enable the device to initiate a long-range communications event, the long-range communications circuitry operative to wirelessly communicate with the telephone communications source, wherein the RF module does not include a user interface for enabling a user to control any aspect of the long-range communications event, and wherein the article of clothing is an article of clothing or a bag.

6. The article of claim 5 comprising first and second article portions, and wherein the RF module is constructed to have first and second module portions, wherein the first module portion resides in the first article portion and the second module portion resides in the second article portion.

7. The article of claim 5, wherein the RF module comprises a power source.

8. The article of claim 7, wherein the power source is removable.

9. The article of claim 5, wherein at least a portion of the RF module is located in a region of the article that promotes transceiver functionality of the RF module.

10. A non-transitory computer readable medium having one or more instructions thereon for enabling a device to access long range communication circuitry of an RF module, wherein the long range communication circuitry is an implementation of a long range communication protocol, the one or more instructions when executed by one or more processors, causing the one or more processors to carry out:

detecting at least one interaction with a user interface;

determining that the at least one interaction is a user selection to process a long range communication event, wherein the long range communication event processing requires access to the long range communication protocol in order to communicate with a communication source;

establishing a short range communication link with the RF module using an implementation of a short range communications protocol, wherein the RF module does not include a user interface for enabling a user to control any aspect of the long range communication event;

sending identification information to the RF module, wherein the identification information is used to authenticate the RF module to the communication source in order to process the long range communication event;

accessing the long range communication circuitry over the short range communication link to direct processing of the long range communication event; and

receiving data over the short range communication link from the RF module, wherein the data indicates results from at least partial processing of the long range communication event.

11. The computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the long range communication event comprises at least one of a telephone call, a text message, an email, and a data for provision of a service offered by a wireless service provider.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the one or more processors further carry out:

sending a request to the RF module to execute a function offered by the long-range communication protocol over the short range communication link, wherein the function is used to at least partially process the long-range communication event; and

receiving data over the short range communication link from the RF module indicating results for execution of the function.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the identification information is an identifier for at least one of a subscriber identity module card, a removeable user identity module, and a subscriber for a wireless phone service.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the communication source is at least one of a communications tower and a telecommunications server.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the long range communication protocol is able to communicate over node-to-node distances that are at least one order of magnitude greater than node-to-node distances for the short range communication protocol.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein circuitry for the user interface for the RF module is stored on the device.

17. A non-transitory computer readable medium having one or more instructions thereon for providing a device with access to long range communication circuitry at an RF module, wherein the long range communication circuitry is an implementation of a long range communication protocol, the instructions when executed by one or more processors, causing the one or more processors to carry out:

establishing a short range communication link with the device using an implementation of a short range communications protocol, wherein the RF module does not include the user interface for enabling a user to control any aspect of a long range communication event;

receiving identification information that can be used to authenticate the RF module to a communication source in order to process the long range communication event;

authenticating the RF module to the communication source with the identification information;

receiving a request to access the long range communication circuitry over the short range communication link to direct processing of a long range communication event, wherein the long range communication event processing requires access to the long range communication protocol in order to communicate with the communication source; and

sending data over the short range communication link that indicates results from at least partial processing of the long range communication event.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the long range communication event comprises at least one of a telephone call, a text message, an email, and a data for provision of a service offered by a wireless service provider.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the one or more processors further carry out:

sending a request to the RF module to execute a function offered by the long-range communication protocol over the short range communication link, wherein the function is used to at least partially process the long-range communication event; and

receiving data over the short range communication link from the RF module indicating results for execution of the function.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the identification information is an identifier for at least one of a subscriber identity module card, a removeable user identity module, and a subscriber for a wireless phone service.

21. The computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the communication source is at least one of a communications tower and a telecommunications server.

22. The computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the long range communication protocol is able to communicate over node-to-node distances that are at least one order of magnitude greater than node-to-node distances for the short range communication protocol.

23. The computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein circuitry for the user interface for the RF module is stored on the device.