Two tier hi-speed wireless communication link

• US 8,694,000 B2
• Filed: 02/22/2011
• Issued: 04/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: IPR Licensing Incorporated (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: IPR Licensing Incorporated (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bishop, R. Adrian, Gorsuch, Thomas E., Page, John V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jackson, Blane J
• Application Number:
  US13/032,246
• Publication Number:
  US 20110200027A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,141 Days
• Field of Search: 455/11.1, 455/426.1, 455/426.2, 455/432.1, 455/432.2, 370/329, 370/331, 370/338
• US Class Current: 455/426.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2628 using code-division multiple access [CDMA] or spread spectrum multiple access [SSMA] H04B7/2618 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/16 in which the return channel carries supervisory signals, e.g. repetition request signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 Negotiating wireless communication parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/14 WLL [Wireless Local Loop]; RLL [Radio Local Loop]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A method and apparatus for mobile two-tier wireless communication are provided. A wireless communication signal may be received at a mobile communication device from a cellular base station. Data may be recovered from the received wireless communication signal. The data may be transmitted to an IEEE 802.11 user device. A second wireless communication signal may be received from the IEEE 802.11 user device. Data may be recovered from the second wireless communication signal. The data may be transmitted to the cellular base station.

Claims

1. A method for use in a mobile communication device, the method comprising:

receiving, at the mobile communication device, a first wireless communication signal according to a cellular communication protocol;

recovering a first data packet of a first type and a first data packet of a second type from the first wireless communication signal; and

transmitting the first data packet of the first type to a first IEEE 802.11 station using an IEEE 802.11 wireless communication protocol, and the first data packet of the second type to a second IEEE 802.11 station using the IEEE 802.11 communication protocol.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, at the mobile communication device, a second wireless communication signal from the first IEEE 802.11 station using the IEEE 802.11 wireless communication protocol;

recovering a second data packet of the first type from the second wireless communication signal;

receiving, at the mobile communication device, a third wireless communication signal from the second IEEE 802.11 station using the IEEE 802.11 wireless communication protocol;

recovering a second data packet of the second type from the third wireless communication signal; and

transmitting the second data packet of the first type and the second data packet of the second type according to the cellular communication protocol.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving the first wireless communication signal includes receiving the first wireless communication signal from a cellular base station.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the cellular communication protocol is a code division multiple access (CDMA) protocol.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the receiving the first wireless communication signal includes receiving the first wireless communication signal via a plurality of CDMA channels.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first data packet includes a Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) packet.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the receiving the first wireless communication signal includes:

receiving a plurality of TCP/IP packet portions associated with the TCP/IP packet; and

combining the plurality of TCP/IP packet portions to recover the TCP/IP packet.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein each of the plurality of TCP/IP packet portions includes a position identifier indicating a position of the respective TCP/IP packet portion within the TCP/IP packet.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the receiving the first wireless communication signal includes transmitting a retransmission request indicating a TCP/IP packet portion, on a condition that the TCP/IP packet portion is associated with a reception error.

10. A mobile communication device comprising:

circuitry configured to;

receive a first wireless communication signal according to a cellular communication protocol;

recover a first data packet of a first type and a first data packet of a second type from the first wireless communication signal; and

transmit the first data packet of the first type to a first IEEE 802.11 station using an IEEE 802.11 wireless communication protocol, and the first data packet of the second type to a second IEEE 802.11 station using the IEEE 802.11 communication protocol.

11. The mobile communication device of claim 10, wherein the circuitry is configured to:

receive a second wireless communication signal from the first IEEE 802.11 station using the IEEE 802.11 wireless communication protocol;

recover a second data packet of the first type from the second wireless communication signal;

receive a third wireless communication signal from the second IEEE 802.11 station using the 802.11 wireless communication protocol;

recover a second data packet of the second type from the third wireless communication signal; and

transmit the second data packet of the first type and the second data packet of the second type according to the cellular communication protocol.

12. The mobile communication device of claim 10, wherein the circuitry is configured to receive the first wireless communication signal from a cellular base station.

13. The mobile communication device of claim 10, wherein the cellular communication protocol is a code division multiple access (CDMA) protocol.

14. The mobile communication device of claim 13, wherein the circuitry is configured to receive the first wireless communication signal via a plurality of CDMA channels.

15. The mobile communication device of claim 10, wherein the first data packet includes a Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) packet.

16. The mobile communication device of claim 15, wherein the circuitry is configured to receive the first wireless communication signal by:

receiving a plurality of TCP/IP packet portions associated with the TCP/IP packet; and

combining the plurality of TCP/IP packet portions to recover the TCP/IP packet.

17. The mobile communication device of claim 16, wherein each of the TCP/IP packet portions includes a position identifier indicating a position of the respective TCP/IP packet portion within the TCP/IP packet.

18. The mobile communication device of claim 16, wherein the circuitry is configured to receive the first wireless communication signal by transmitting a retransmission request indicating a TCP/IP packet portion, on a condition that the TCP/IP packet portion is associated with a reception error.

19. A method for use in a mobile communication device, the method comprising:

receiving, at the mobile communication device, a first wireless communication signal according to a cellular communication protocol;

recovering a first data packet from the first wireless communication signal;

transmitting the first data packet to an IEEE 802.11 station using an IEEE 802.11 wireless communication protocol;

receiving, at the mobile communication device, a second wireless communication signal from the IEEE 802.11 station using the IEEE 802.11 wireless communication protocol;

recovering a second data packet from the second wireless communication signal;

transmitting the second data packet according to the cellular communication protocol;

recovering a third data packet from the first wireless communication signal, wherein the first data packet is of a first type and the third data packet is of a second type;

transmitting the third data packet to a second IEEE 802.11 station using the IEEE 802.11 wireless communication protocol;

receiving, at the mobile communication device, a third wireless communication signal from the second IEEE 802.11 station using the IEEE 802.11 wireless communication protocol;

recovering a fourth data packet from the third wireless communication signal, wherein the second data packet is of the first type and the fourth data packet is of the second type; and

transmitting the fourth data packet according to the cellular communication protocol.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the receiving the first wireless communication signal includes receiving the first wireless communication signal from a cellular base station.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the cellular communication protocol is a code division multiple access (CDMA) protocol.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the receiving the first wireless communication signal includes receiving the first wireless communication signal via a plurality of CDMA channels.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein the first data packet includes a Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) packet.

24. A mobile communication device comprising:

circuitry configured to;

receive a first wireless communication signal according to a cellular communication protocol;

recover a first data packet from the first wireless communication signal;

transmit the first data packet to an IEEE 802.11 station using an IEEE 802.11 communication protocol;

receive a second wireless communication signal from the IEEE 802.11 station using the IEEE 802.11 wireless communication protocol;

recover a second data packet from the second wireless communication signal;

transmit the second data packet according to the cellular communication protocol;

recover a third data packet from the first wireless communication signal, wherein the first data packet is of a first type and the third data packet is of a second type;

transmit the third data packet to a second IEEE 802.11 station using the IEEE 802.11 wireless communication protocol;

receive a third wireless communication signal from the second IEEE 802.11 station using the IEEE 802.11 wireless communication protocol;

recover a fourth data packet from the third wireless communication signal, wherein the second data packet is of the first type and the fourth data packet is of the second type; and

transmit the fourth data packet according to the cellular communication protocol.

25. The mobile communication device of claim 24, wherein the circuitry is configured to receive the first wireless communication signal from a cellular base station.

26. The mobile communication device of claim 24, wherein the cellular communication protocol is a code division multiple access (CDMA) protocol.

27. The mobile communication device of claim 26, wherein the circuitry is configured to receive the first wireless communication signal via a plurality of CDMA channels.

28. The mobile communication device of claim 24, wherein the first data packet includes a Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) packet.