Wireless protocol communication bridge and system comprising bridge

• US 9,767,066 B2
• Filed: 12/11/2012
• Issued: 09/19/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Christopher Bermel, Kramer, Mark, Sample, John, Wilfred Tucker
• Original Assignee: Christopher Bermel, Kramer, Mark, Sample, John, Wilfred Tucker
• Inventors: Kramer, Mark, Tucker, Wilfred, Sample, John, Bermel, Christopher
• Primary Examiner(s): Zaman, Faisal M
• Application Number:
  US13/710,704
• Publication Number:
  US 20140164658A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,743 Days
• Field of Search: 710105, 340531, 4555752, 4555691, 455 412
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4282 on a serial bus, e.g. I2C bus, SPI bus on daisy chain buses G06F13/4247

Abstract

A bridge for linking a first and a second wireless communication device and translating between differing wireless protocols is described and taught. The bridge system comprises at least one wireless device and a bridge apparatus. The bridge apparatus takes the form of a universal serial bus that contains components that allows it to function without a host system. Additionally, the bridge apparatus enables the translation between different wireless protocols. This, in turn, enables older or outdated wireless technology to function seamlessly with the most current wireless protocols.

Claims

1. A wireless communication system comprising:

a first communication network and a second communication network, the first communication network having a specific wireless protocol stack and being associated with a first electronic device and the second communication network having a separate, specific wireless protocol stack and being associated with a second electronic device,

wherein both the first communication network and the second communication network operate in a 2.4 GHz radio band; and

a universal serial bus connector configured to be coupled to a universal serial bus receptacle establishing an operative connection between the universal serial bus connector and the first electronic device and the second electronic device,

wherein the operative connection enables operation of firmware that translates wireless protocol stacks between the first communication network and the second communication network allowing the first electronic device to communicate with the second electronic device;

wherein a depressible button of the universal serial bus connector is configured to, upon depression, establish a communicative connection with each of the first electronic device and the second electronic device; and

wherein the firmware completes the translation between the first electronic device and the second electronic device once it is understood by the firmware the specific wireless protocol stack employed by the first electronic device and the separate, specific wireless protocol stack employed by the second electronic device.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the translation occurs between two different wireless protocol stacks.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the firmware operates independent of a host system.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein when the depressible button is depressed for a first time the communicative connection is established with the first electronic device, and wherein the depressible button is depressed for a second time the communicative connection is established with the second electronic device.

3. A wireless protocol communication bridge consisting of:

a top half and a lower half operably connected forming an exterior casing, the exterior casing having a universal serial bus connector protruding therefrom;

at least one depressible button,

wherein the at least one depressible button causes an electronic device to establish a wireless communication with the wireless protocol communication bridge,

wherein depression of the depressible button a first time is configured to establish a communicative connection with a first electronic device, and wherein depression of the depressible button a second time is configured to establish a communicative connection with a second electronic device;

at least one light emitting diode;

a universal serial bus to serial driver integrated circuit;

an embedded central processing unit contained within the exterior casing, the embedded central processing unit having pre-installed application firmware,

wherein the pre-installed application firmware translates wireless protocol stacks between a first communication network and a second communication network,

wherein both the first communication network and the second communication network reside in a 2.4 GHz radio band,

wherein a specific wireless protocol stack utilized by the first communication network is different than a separate, specific wireless protocol stack utilized by the second communication network,

wherein the pre-installed application firmware completes the translation between the first electronic device and the second electronic device once it is understood by the pre-installed application firmware the specific wireless protocol stack employed by the first electronic device and the separate, specific wireless protocol stack employed by the second electronic device; and

an embedded antenna contained within the exterior casing.

4. The wireless protocol communication bridge of claim 3 wherein the pre-installed application firmware operates independent of a host system.

5. The wireless protocol communication bridge of claim 3 wherein the universal serial bus connector operably connects to any compliant universal serial bus port.