Wearable access point

• US 8,489,059 B1
• Filed: 06/25/2012
• Issued: 07/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Marvell Asia Pte Limited (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Original Assignee: Marvell International Limited (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Inventors: Rainnie, Hedley, Vu, Chuong, Janofsky, Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): Trinh, Sonny
• Application Number:
  US13/532,357
• Time in Patent Office: 386 Days
• Field of Search: 455/127.1, 455/574, 455/343.1, 455/343.2, 455/422.1, 455/127.5, 455/556.1, 370/338
• US Class Current: 455/343.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2603 Arrangements for wireless physical layer control H04B7/2612 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0206 in access points, e.g. base stations access point devices per se H04W88/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0241 where no transmission is received, e.g. out of range of the transmitter
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0277 according to available power supply, e.g. switching off when a low battery condition is detected
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

An apparatus including a wireless local area network transceiver, a wireless wide area network transceiver, and a portable power source. The wireless local area network transceiver is configured to wirelessly communicate with a client station using a wireless local area network protocol. The wireless wide area network transceiver is configured to wirelessly communicate with a base station. The portable power source has a state of charge and is configured to provide power to the wireless local area network transceiver and the wireless wide area network transceiver. The wireless wide area network transceiver is configured to suspend wireless communication with the base station in response to no packets of data having been received at the wireless wide area network transceiver from the base station for more than a predetermined period of time. The predetermined period of time is adjusted based on the state of charge of the portable power source.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a wireless local area network transceiver configured to wirelessly communicate with a client station using a wireless local area network protocol;

a wireless wide area network transceiver configured to wirelessly communicate with a base station, wherein (i) the wireless local area network transceiver is configured to selectively route packets from the client station to the base station via the wireless wide area network transceiver, and (ii) the wireless wide area network transceiver is configured to selectively route packets from the base station to the client station via the wireless local area network transceiver; and

a portable power source configured to provide power to the wireless local area network transceiver and the wireless wide area network transceiver, wherein

the portable power source has a state of charge,

the wireless wide area network transceiver is configured to suspend wireless communication with the base station in response to no packets of data having been received at the wireless wide area network transceiver from the base station for more than a predetermined period of time, and

the predetermined period of time is adjusted based on the state of charge of the portable power source.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wireless local area network transceiver is configured to suspend wireless communication with the client station in response to no packets of data having been received at the wireless local area network transceiver from the client station for more than a second predetermined period of time.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wireless wide area network transceiver comprises a Bluetooth transceiver configured to wirelessly communicate with the base station via a Bluetooth-enabled mobile phone.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wireless wide area network transceiver comprises a digital cellular transceiver configured to wirelessly communicate with the base station using a cellular network.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a wired networking port configured to communicate with a wired network device; and

a routing device configured to route packets of data between the wireless local area network transceiver, the wireless wide area network transceiver, and the wired networking port.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol server configured to lease an Internet Protocol address to the client station.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a firewall configured to provide Network Address Translation for the client station.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a power connection configured to provide power from the portable power source to a device that is external to the apparatus.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a microphone;

a speaker;

an input device configured to receive information including a telephone number; and

a display configured to display the telephone number.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is configured to be worn by a user.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising an interface configured to receive data from a physiological sensor associated with the user, wherein the physiological sensor includes at least one of a thermometer, a blood glucose meter, a blood pressure monitor, a stethoscope, a pedometer, an electrocardiogram recorder, or an electroencephalogram recorder.

12. A method of operating an apparatus, the method comprising:

wirelessly communicating with a client station using a wireless local area network transceiver of the apparatus;

wirelessly communicating with a base station using a wireless wide area network transceiver of the apparatus;

selectively routing packets received from the client station at the wireless local area network transceiver to the base station via the wireless wide area network transceiver;

selectively routing packets received from the base station at the wireless wide area network transceiver to the client station via the wireless local area network transceiver;

providing power to the wireless local area network transceiver and the wireless wide area network transceiver from a portable power source, wherein the portable power source has a state of charge;

suspending wireless communication with the base station in response to no packets of data having been received at the wireless wide area network transceiver from the base station for more than a predetermined period of time; and

adjusting the predetermined period of time based on the state of charge of the power source.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising suspending wireless communication with the client station in response to no packets of data having been received at the wireless local area network transceiver from the client station for more than a second predetermined period of time.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising wirelessly communicating with the base station via a Bluetooth-enabled mobile phone.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising wirelessly communicating with the base station using a cellular network.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising routing packets of data between the wireless local area network transceiver, the wireless wide area network transceiver, and a wired networking port of the apparatus.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising leasing an Internet Protocol address to the client station.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising providing Network Address Translation for the client station.

19. The method of claim 12, further comprising providing power from the portable power source to a device that is external to the apparatus.

20. The method of claim 12, further comprising receiving data from a physiological sensor associated with a user who is wearing the apparatus, wherein the physiological sensor includes at least one of a thermometer, a blood glucose meter, a blood pressure monitor, a stethoscope, a pedometer, an electrocardiogram recorder, or an electroencephalogram recorder.