Method and system for facilitating wireless communication via alternate wireless pathway
First Claim
1. With respect to a mobile device capable of communicating wirelessly via a Wide Area Network (WAN) communication link, a method of operating the mobile device comprising:
- (a) receiving a command from a remote server, via the WAN communication link, to establish a Wi-Fi communication link when possible;
(b) taking at least one action so as to establish the Wi-Fi communication link;
(c) upon establishing the Wi-Fi communication link, sending a message for receipt by the remote server indicating that the Wi-Fi communication link has been established;
(d) receiving software update information from the remote server, the software update information being communicated to the mobile device via the Wi-Fi communication link; and
(e) one or both of (1) sending an acknowledgement for receipt by the remote server indicating that the software update information has been received and (2) receiving an instruction from the remote server that communications via the Wi-Fi communication link be ended,wherein the command of (a) also serves as a trigger indicating that the software update information is available, whereby as a result the mobile device continues to perform one or more subsequent operations including (b),wherein the Wi-Fi communication link at (b) is established only if the mobile device is able to satisfy one or more terms or conditions required to be met before communication with an AP can proceed, ether automatically or after receiving user input information, andwherein the mobile device includes at least one processor, wherein the at least one processor causes an alert messages to be output for receipt by a user of the mobile device, the alert message requesting entry of the user input information, and wherein the one or more terms or conditions are satisfied only upon receiving the user input information.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A mobile device system and related method are disclosed by which the device is able to communicate wirelessly not only via a Wide Area Network (WAN) link but also via an alternate link such as a Wi-Fi link. In one embodiment, the method includes receiving a command from a remote server, via the WAN link, to establish a Wi-Fi link when possible. The method further includes, upon establishing the Wi-Fi link, sending a message for receipt by the server indicating that the Wi-Fi link has been established, and receiving software update information from the server, the information being communicated to the mobile device via the Wi-Fi link. Further, the method includes one or both of (1) sending an acknowledgement for receipt by the server indicating that the information has been received and (2) receiving an instruction from the server that communications via the Wi-Fi link be ended.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. With respect to a mobile device capable of communicating wirelessly via a Wide Area Network (WAN) communication link, a method of operating the mobile device comprising:
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(a) receiving a command from a remote server, via the WAN communication link, to establish a Wi-Fi communication link when possible; (b) taking at least one action so as to establish the Wi-Fi communication link; (c) upon establishing the Wi-Fi communication link, sending a message for receipt by the remote server indicating that the Wi-Fi communication link has been established; (d) receiving software update information from the remote server, the software update information being communicated to the mobile device via the Wi-Fi communication link; and (e) one or both of (1) sending an acknowledgement for receipt by the remote server indicating that the software update information has been received and (2) receiving an instruction from the remote server that communications via the Wi-Fi communication link be ended, wherein the command of (a) also serves as a trigger indicating that the software update information is available, whereby as a result the mobile device continues to perform one or more subsequent operations including (b), wherein the Wi-Fi communication link at (b) is established only if the mobile device is able to satisfy one or more terms or conditions required to be met before communication with an AP can proceed, ether automatically or after receiving user input information, and wherein the mobile device includes at least one processor, wherein the at least one processor causes an alert messages to be output for receipt by a user of the mobile device, the alert message requesting entry of the user input information, and wherein the one or more terms or conditions are satisfied only upon receiving the user input information. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A mobile device capable of conducting both Wide Area Network (WAN) communications and Wi-Fi communications, the mobile device comprising:
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at least one memory portion storing a first program that is either a browser program or another client program; a first communication device having one or both of a first transmitter and a first receiver capable of conducting the WAN communications via a WAN communication link; a second communication device having one or both of a second transmitter and a second receiver capable of conducting the Wi-Fi communications via a Wi-Fi communication link; and at least one processor portion at least indirectly in communication with each of the at least one memory portion, the first communication device, and the second communication device, wherein upon receiving, from a remote server via the WAN communication link, a command to establish the Wi-Fi communication link when possible, the second communication device conducts the Wi-Fi communications, wherein upon the Wi-Fi communication link being established, the mobile device sends a message for receipt by the remote server indicating that the Wi-Fi communication link has been established, and further, wherein the first program is executed by the at least one processor portion so that, as a result of the Wi-Fi communications, software update information from the remote server is received and stored upon the at least one memory portion of the mobile device, wherein the command serves as a trigger indicating that the software update information is available, whereby as a result the mobile device operates to take at least one action so as to establish the Wi-Fi communication link, wherein the Wi-Fi communication link is established only if the mobile device is able to satisfy one or more terms or conditions required to be met before communications with an AP can proceed, either automatically or after receiving user input information, and wherein the at least one processor portion of the mobile device causes an alert message to be output for receipt by a user of the mobile device, the alert message requesting entry of the user input information, and wherein the one or more terms or conditions are satisfied only upon receiving the user input information. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. With respect to a mobile device capable of communicating wirelessly via a Wide Area Network (WAN) communication link, a method of operating the mobile device comprising:
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(a) receiving a command from a remote server, via the WAN communication link, to establish a Wi-Fi communication link when possible; (b) sending a request for receipt by the remote server, via the WAN communication link, for credential information; (c) receiving the credential information via the WAN communication link as provided by the remote server; (d) taking at least one action so as to establish the Wi-Fi communication link; (e) upon establishing the Wi-Fi communication link, sending a message for receipt by the remote server indicating that the Wi-Fi communication link has been established; and (f) receiving software update information from the remote server, the software update information being communicated to the mobile device via the Wi-Fi communication link; wherein the command of (a) also serves as a trigger indicating that the software update information is available, whereby as a result the mobile device continues to perform one or more subsequent operations including (d), wherein the Wi-Fi communication link at (d) is established only if the mobile device is able to satisfy one or more terms or conditions required to be met before communications with an AP can proceed, either automatically or after receiving user input information, and wherein at least one processor of the mobile device causes an alert message to be output for receipt by a user of the mobile device, the alert message requesting entry of the user input information, and wherein the one or more terms or conditions are satisfied only upon receiving the user input information. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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Specification