Router collaboration

• US 9,270,571 B2
• Filed: 12/02/2010
• Issued: 02/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CradlePoint Incorporated (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Original Assignee: CradlePoint Incorporated (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Inventors: Magnuson, Phillip T., Johnson, David Alan
• Primary Examiner(s): SWEET, LONNIE V
• Application Number:
  US12/959,003
• Publication Number:
  US 20110138196A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,909 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3827 Portable transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3877 Arrangements for enabling portable transceivers to be used in a fixed position, e.g. cradles or boosters
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/00 Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/60 Router architectures

Abstract

A router system is disclosed. The router system comprises a wireless router and a cradle comprising a router interface configured to receive the router. One or more connections are positioned at the router interface for communicating with the router. Methods and systems for communicating between a router and the internet are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method for communicating between a router and the Internet, the method comprising:

establishing a first remote link between the router and a first internet service provider using a primary data exchanger comprising hardware and programming that can be used by the router to connect to the Internet, and wherein the router is configured to route network communications between at least one client device and the Internet via a data exchanger interface, and the first remote link is cellular;

connecting the router to a cradle; and

establishing a second remote link between the router and a second internet service provider using an alternate data exchanger, the alternate data exchanger being embedded in the cradle and comprising hardware and programming that can be used by the router to connect to the Internet, the alternate data exchanger establishing a data connection with the second internet service provider, and the cradle being configured to receive the router.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first remote link is established when the alternate data exchanger is not available.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the primary data exchanger is embedded in the router.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the router further comprises a data exchanger interface, the router communicating with the alternate data exchanger through the data exchanger interface.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the second remote link is automatically established when the router is positioned in the cradle.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the router comprises a battery, and wherein the cradle comprises a power source that charges the battery.

7. A router system, comprising:

(a) a wireless router comprising a data exchanger interface, wherein the wireless router is configured to route network communications between at least one client device and the Internet via the data exchanger interface and a first remote link, and the first remote link is cellular; and

(b) a cradle configured to hold the wireless router, the cradle comprising an alternate data exchanger embedded in the cradle and further comprising hardware and programming that can be used by the wireless router to connect the wireless router to the Internet via a second remote link, the alternate data exchanger establishing a data connection with an internet service provider, the data exchanger interface comprising hardware and programming that can be used to communicate data between the wireless router and the alternate data exchanger when the wireless router is positioned in the cradle.

8. The router system of claim 7, wherein the router further comprises a primary data exchanger embedded in the router, the primary data exchanger comprising hardware and programming that can be used by the wireless router to connect to the Internet.

9. The router system of claim 8, wherein the primary data exchanger is configured to direct network communications to an internet service provider.

10. The router system of claim 8, wherein the primary data exchanger is a cellular modem.

11. The router system of claim 7, wherein the wireless router further comprises an antenna in communication with the at least one client device, and wherein the cradle comprises a local link antenna, the local link antenna increasing a signal strength of the antenna of the wireless router.

12. The router system of claim 7, wherein the cradle comprises a remote link antenna, the remote link antenna increasing a signal strength of the first remote link.

13. The router system of claim 7, wherein the router comprises a battery, and wherein the cradle comprises a power source that charges the battery.

14. The router system of claim 7, further comprising a router embedded in the cradle, the router routing network communications between the at least one client device and the Internet when the wireless router is not positioned within the cradle and the router routing network communications between the at least one client device and the Internet when the wireless router is positioned within the cradle.

15. A router cradle, comprising:

a router interface configured to receive a cellular wireless router configured to route network communications between at least one client device and the Internet via a first remote link;

a data exchanger comprising hardware and programming that can be used by the cellular wireless router to connect the cellular wireless router to the Internet via a second remote link, the data exchanger establishing a data connection with an internet service provider; and

one or more connections positioned at the router interface, the connections comprising hardware that can be used to communicate between the router cradle and the cellular wireless router.

16. The cradle of claim 15, further wherein the data exchanger is embedded in the cradle.

17. The cradle of claim 15, further comprising a local link antenna, the local link antenna increasing a signal strength of an antenna of the cellular wireless router when received within the router interface.

18. The cradle of claim 15, further comprising a remote link antenna, the remote link antenna increasing a signal strength of the first remote link.

19. The cradle of claim 15, further comprising a connection to a power source, the connection configured to provide power to a cellular wireless router received in the router interface.

20. The cradle of claim 15, further comprising a router embedded in the cradle, the router routing network communications between the at least one client device and the Internet when the wireless router is not positioned within the cradle and the router routing network communications between the at least one client device and the Internet when the wireless router is positioned within the cradle.

21. The cradle of claim 15, further configured to provide a wireless or wired connection to a second router.

22. A router system, comprising:

(a) a wireless router comprising a first data exchanger comprising hardware and programming that can be used by the wireless router to connect to the Internet and configured to route network communications between at least one client device and the Internet via a first remote link; and

(b) a cradle comprising a router interface and a second data exchanger, comprising hardware and programming that can be used by the wireless router to connect to the Internet, the second data exchanger establishing a data connection with an internet service provider, the router interface configured to receive the wireless router, and the cradle having one or more connections positioned at the router interface for communicating with the wireless router.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the cradle further comprises a data exchanger embedded in the cradle.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein the wireless router further comprises an antenna in communication with the at least one client device, and wherein the cradle further comprises a local link antenna, the local link antenna increasing a signal strength of the antenna of the wireless router.

25. The system of claim 22, wherein the cradle further comprises a remote link antenna, the remote link antenna increasing a signal strength of the first remote link.

26. The system of claim 22, wherein the cradle further comprises a connection to a power source, the connection configured to provide power to the router when it is received in the router interface.

27. The system of claim 22, wherein the cradle further comprises a router embedded in the cradle, the router routing network communications between the at least one client device and the Internet when the wireless router is not positioned within the cradle and the router routing network communications between the at least one client device and the Internet when the wireless router is positioned within the cradle.

28. A method for communicating between a router and the Internet, the method comprising:

establishing a first remote link between the router and a first internet service provider using a primary data exchanger comprising hardware and programming that can be used by the router to connect to the Internet, wherein the router is configured to route network communications between at least one client device and the Internet via the first remote link; and

establishing a second remote link between the router and a second internet service provider using an alternate data exchanger comprising hardware and programming that can be used by the router to connect to the Internet, the alternate data exchanger establishing a data connection with the second internet service provider, the alternate data exchanger being embedded in a wireless gateway, the router being configured to communicate wirelessly with the wireless gateway and being further configured to automatically establish the second remote link when in communication range of the wireless gateway.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the wireless gateway comprises a router.