Method and apparatus for enabling and rewarding wireless resource sharing
First Claim
1. A method for communicating information for a wireless apparatus in communication with a proximal wireless unit via a first wireless communication system and also in communication with a second wireless communication system, the method comprising:
- determining whether the wireless apparatus will allow shared use of its wireless resources with the proximal wireless unit; and
providing a reward for allowing the shared use of the wireless apparatus shared resources;
wherein the first wireless communication system includes a short range wireless local area network and wherein the second wireless communication system includes a wireless wide area network and including the step of generating a user record identifying a type of reward that is provided in response to enabling the wireless apparatus to act as a shared wireless resource.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus determines whether a wireless apparatus (106a) that is operative to communicate over both a wireless wide area network (104) and a wireless local area network (102), will allow shared use of its short range wireless resources, such as LAN radio frequency bandwidth, optical bandwidth or other local area wireless resources, with other proximal wireless units (106b-106n) in the wireless local area network (102). In addition, the method and apparatus generated reward data (116) to provide a reward, such as free telephone calls, account credits, price reductions, or other rewards, so that a billing system is updated when a wireless apparatus (106a-106n) has been designated as allowing shared use of its wireless resources by other proximal wireless units.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. A method for communicating information for a wireless apparatus in communication with a proximal wireless unit via a first wireless communication system and also in communication with a second wireless communication system, the method comprising:
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determining whether the wireless apparatus will allow shared use of its wireless resources with the proximal wireless unit; and providing a reward for allowing the shared use of the wireless apparatus shared resources; wherein the first wireless communication system includes a short range wireless local area network and wherein the second wireless communication system includes a wireless wide area network and including the step of generating a user record identifying a type of reward that is provided in response to enabling the wireless apparatus to act as a shared wireless resource. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10)
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8. A method for communicating information for a wireless apparatus in communication with a proximal wireless unit via a first wireless communication system and also in communication with a second wireless communication system, the method comprising:
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determining whether the wireless apparatus will allow shared use of its wireless resources with the proximal wireless unit; and providing a reward for allowing the shared use of the wireless apparatus shared resources receiving data representing whether a user desires to participate in allowing the wireless apparatus to share its wireless resources; generating a first message, in response to receiving the data, for a proximal wireless unit in the first wireless communication system, indicating an amount of bandwidth that the wireless apparatus can share with proximal wireless units; generating a second message, in response to receiving the data, for the second wireless communication system indicating that the wireless apparatus is allowing shared use of its wireless resources by proximal wireless units.
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11. A method for communicating information comprising:
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receiving data representing whether a user desires to participate in allowing a wireless apparatus to share its wireless resources with proximal wireless units; determining whether the wireless apparatus will allow shared use of its wireless resources with proximal wireless units that are in a wireless local area network; enabling the wireless apparatus to share its wireless resources in response to the data representing whether a user desires to participate in allowing the wireless apparatus to share its wireless resources; generating a first message, in response to receiving the data, for a plurality of proximal wireless units in the first wireless communication system, indicating an amount of bandwidth that the wireless apparatus can share with the plurality of proximal wireless units; and generating a second message, in response to receiving the data, for the second wireless communication system indicating that the wireless apparatus is allowing shared use of its wireless resources by proximal wireless units. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
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14. A method for communicating information for a wireless apparatus in communication with a first wireless communication system and also in communication with a second wireless communication system, the method comprising:
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determining whether the wireless apparatus will allow shared use of its wireless resources with proximal wireless units; providing a reward for allowing the shared use of the wireless apparatus shared resources; and wherein the first wireless communication system includes a short range wireless local area network and wherein the second wireless communication system includes a wireless wide area network and including the step of generating a user record identifying a type of reward that is provided in response to enabling the wireless apparatus to act as a shared wireless resource.
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15. A method for communicating information for a wireless apparatus in communication with a first wireless communication system and also in communication with a second wireless communication system, the method comprising:
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determining whether the wireless apparatus will allow shared use of its wireless resources with proximal wireless units; providing a reward for allowing the shared use of the wireless apparatus shared resource; receiving data representing whether a user desires to participate in allowing the wireless apparatus to share its wireless resources; generating a first message, in response to receiving the data, for a proximal wireless unit in the first wireless communication system, indicating an amount of bandwidth that the wireless apparatus can share with proximal wireless units; and generating a second message, in response to receiving the data, for the second wireless communication system indicating that the wireless apparatus is allowing shared use of its wireless resources by proximal wireless units.
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Specification