Wireless network adapter
First Claim
1. An apparatus for aggregating device communications, the apparatus comprising:
- a body;
a plurality of local ports, each local port configured to establish bi-directional data communications with a local device, and each local port using a different communication protocol;
a remote access port, the remote access port configured to establish bi-directional wireless data communications with a service provider; and
a processing system for converting data signals between a form adapted to one of the plurality of local ports and a form adapted to the remote access port.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system according to the principles of the invention includes an adapter that aggregates network traffic from a plurality of Portable Computing Devices and combines the aggregated data into a wireless network data channel. The adapter may include a wireless network interface for establishing and maintaining a wireless network channel with a wireless base station, and may combine the data in a manner that preserves addressing information (such as IP source and destination addresses) for each individual PCD. A wireless Internet service provider may separate the data according to a predetermined protocol, and create individual data packets, such as IP packets, for each PCD using the network data channel. A complementary operation may be performed for data received at the wireless base station and addressed to PCD'"'"'s connected to the adapter. In this manner, a number of PCD'"'"'s may be in bi-directional communication with a network using a single data channel.
168 Citations
23 Claims
-
1. An apparatus for aggregating device communications, the apparatus comprising:
-
a body;
a plurality of local ports, each local port configured to establish bi-directional data communications with a local device, and each local port using a different communication protocol;
a remote access port, the remote access port configured to establish bi-directional wireless data communications with a service provider; and
a processing system for converting data signals between a form adapted to one of the plurality of local ports and a form adapted to the remote access port. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 20, 21, 22)
-
-
18. A system for aggregating device communications, the apparatus comprising:
-
a body;
a plurality of local communications means for maintaining communications with one or more local devices;
a remote communications means for maintaining wireless communications means with a service provider; and
a converting means for converting data signals between a form adapted to the plurality of local communications means and the remote communications means.
-
-
19. A method for aggregating device communications, the method comprising:
-
receiving local data from a plurality of local devices;
converting the local data into converted local data, the converted local data having a form suitable for transmission over a wireless communication link;
transmitting the converted local data over the wireless communication link;
receiving network data from a service provider over the wireless communication link;
converting the network data into converted network data, the converted network data having a form suitable for transmission to one or more of the plurality of local devices; and
transmitting the converted network data to one or more of the plurality of local devices.
-
-
23. An apparatus for aggregating device communications, the apparatus comprising:
-
a wearable body;
a plurality of local ports, each local port configured to establish bi-directional data communications with a local device, and each local port using a different communication protocol;
a remote access port, the remote access port configured to establish bi-directional wireless data communications with a service provider;
a processing system for converting data signals between a form adapted to one of the plurality of local ports and a form adapted to the remote access port; and
a services unit that provides network services to one or more local devices connected to the plurality of local ports.
-
Specification