Facility and method for wireless transmission of data

• US 20030083080A1
• Filed: 11/01/2001
• Published: 05/01/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Karma Automotive LLC (Wanxiang Group Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Airbiquity Incorporated
• Inventors: Jahani, Allen A., Fournier, Andre F. A., Sawyer, Michael S., Grant, Stephen M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,215,965 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/466
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72409 by interfacing with external accessories hands-free H04M1/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver
• 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 wireless communication facility and method employs a mobile unit having a number of alternative modes of digital wireless communication. The unit may be a battery pack or other accessory device attachable to a wireless telephone handset. The mobile unit is operated to assess some characteristic of each of the alternative modes, and based on the assessment, a preferred mode is determined. Data is transmitted via the preferred mode. The unit may include a GPS locator, so that the transmitted data may include the location of the unit. A call center is connected via the modes, and receives the data for processing, such as to return information to the user about the location.

Claims

1. A method of wireless communication of digital data comprising:

providing a mobile unit having a plurality of alternative modes of digital wireless communication;

operating the mobile unit to assess at least a selected characteristic of each of the alternative modes;

based on the assessment, determining a preferred mode; and

transmitting data via the preferred mode.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the mobile unit comprises an accessory device detachably connected to a wireless telephone handset.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the modes of digital wireless communication is Short Message Service protocol.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the modes of digital wireless communication are selected from a group comprising CDMA, TDMA, GSM, AMPS, SMS, GPRS, 1xRTT, 3xRTT, EDGE, CDPD, Blue Tooth, 802.11, and HomeRF.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the selected characteristic is selected from a group of characteristics comprising return signal strength, cost, available bandwidth, transmission speed, User preference, Carrier Preference, data type and Cellular Roaming.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the selected characteristic is the result of a function of at least a plurality of the members of the group of characteristics.

7. The method of claim 1 including transmitting the data to a call center for processing, and receiving from the call center a communication including digital data based on the transmitted data.

8. The method of claim 7 including operating the mobile unit to receive a geographic location signal, and wherein transmitting the data includes transmitting a message based on the geographic location signal.

9. The method of claim 8 including receiving location information from the call center.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the received location information is in a form selected from a group of forms comprising:

street address, NMEA consisting of dillusion of precision latitude, longitude, heading, altitude, graphical map image, pseudo range, and geo fencing criteria.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of transmitting occurs in response to a communication received from a location apart from the mobile unit.

12. The method of claim 11 including the mobile unit determine its location and transmitting location information in response to the received communication.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of transmitting includes directing the communication to a second mobile wireless unit.

14. A accessory device for use with a wireless handset comprising:

a power storage facility;

electrical contacts connected to the power storage facility for supplying power to the handset;

a GPS receiver operable to receive a location signal;

accessory circuitry operable to provide a digital signal based on the location signal to a wireless handset having transmitter circuitry operable to communicate via at least a plurality of different digital signal transmission protocols with a remote facility; and

mode selection circuitry operable to select a preferred protocol based on at least a selected characteristic of each of the alternative modes.

15. The device of claim 14 wherein at least one of the protocols is Short Message Service protocol.

16. The device of claim 14 wherein the protocols are selected from a group comprising CDMA, TDMA, GSM, AMPS, SMS, GPRS, 1xRTT, 3xRTT, EDGE, CDPD, Blue Tooth, 802.11, and HomeRF.

17. The device of claim 14 wherein the selected characteristic is selected from a group of characteristics comprising return signal strength, cost, available bandwidth, transmission speed, user preference, carrier preference, data type and cellular roaming.

18. The device of claim 17 wherein the selected characteristic is the result of a function of at least a plurality of the members of the group of characteristics.

19. The device of claim 14 wherein the device includes a receiver operable to receive the plurality of different digital signal transmission protocols.

20. The device of claim 14 wherein the device is operable in response to a communication from a remote location to receive GPS location information and transmit it via the transmitter circuitry to a remote location.

21. A multi-mode digital wireless communication system comprising:

a call center having a server connected to the Internet and to a wireless telecommunication network;

a packet data controller connected to the Internet and to the wireless network; and

the call center being operable to communicate with a remote unit via a plurality of modes selected from the group of modes including voice and data calls via the wireless telecommunication network, and packet data modes via the packet data controller.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein the packet data controller is operable to communicate via SMS protocol.

23. The system of claim 21 wherein the call center is operable to communicate with the remote unit via a plurality of different packet data modes.

24. The system of claim 23 wherein the packet data modes are selected from a group of modes including SMS, GPRS, 1XRT, CDPD modem, 3xRTT, EDGE, UMTS.

25. The system of claim 21 wherein the call center is operable to communicate with the remote unit via a packet data mode and via a call mode selected from voice and data calls.

26. The system of claim 21 wherein the call center is operable in response to a communication from the remote unit to select a communication mode.

27. The system of claim 21 wherein the call center is operable to receive location information from the remote unit and to process the location information to generate location information in a second format.

28. The system of claim 27 wherein the call center is operable to transmit the second format information back to the remote unit.

29. The system of claim 21 wherein the second format is selected from a group of formats including street address, latitude and longitude, graphical map image, user preference, carrier preference, data type and cellular roaming.

30. The system of claim 21 wherein the call center is operable to query the remote unit to initiate the remote unit determining its own location, and to transit the location information back to the call center.