System and method for PIN-to-PIN network communications

• US 20050278448A1
• Filed: 07/16/2004
• Published: 12/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Onset Technology Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Onset Technology Incorporated
• Inventors: Mazor, Gadi
• Granted Patent: US 7,743,156 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols

Abstract

A system and method is provided for enabling wireless access to a computer network via communication between a remote (client) wireless device and a wireless device physically linked to the computer network. A bank of one or more wireless gateway devices may be cradled and connected to a network server. The wireless gateway devices may then act as a node on the wireless network, and remote wireless devices may send and receive messages to and from the wireless gateway devices using PIN-to-PIN messaging. The wireless gateway devices, when cradled, may communicate with any attached server or other network equipment, and may therefore act as a wireless gateway to the server or other network equipment.

Claims

1. A method for communicating between a wireless device and a computer network that bypasses one or more components of a traditional wireless communication infrastructure, the method comprising:

cradling one or more wireless gateway devices to one or more servers or other pieces of equipment on a computer network;

sending information between the computer network and a remote wireless device via a wireless communication between one or more cradled wireless gateway devices and the remote wireless device.

2. A system for communicating between a wireless device and a computer network that bypasses one or more components of a traditional wireless communication infrastructure, the system comprising:

a remote wireless device; and

a cradled wireless gateway device in wireless communication with said remote wireless device, and coupled to the computer network, wherein said remote wireless device transmits info to and receives info from the computer network via the cradled wireless gateway device.

3. A method for enabling wireless access to a computer network by a remote wireless terminal device by enabling communication between the remote wireless terminal device and a wireless gateway client device that is physically connected to the computer network, the method comprising:

physically connecting one or more wireless gateway client devices to the computer network;

sending information from the computer network to the remote wireless terminal device via a wireless communication link between the one or more wireless gateway client devices and the remote wireless terminal device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the remote wireless device has a PIN and each of the wireless gateway client devices has a PIN, and upon the occurrence of predetermined events, one or more wireless gateway client devices communicates its PIN to the remote wireless terminal device to enable subsequent communication between the devices via the PINs.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the remote wireless terminal device can access resources on the computer network via the wireless gateway client device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the resources include one or more of database systems and file directories.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein the wireless gateway client devices, when physically connected to the computer network, act as a node on the network, and remote wireless terminal devices may send and receive messages to and from the wireless gateway devices using PIN-to-PIN messaging.

8. The method of claim 3, wherein the wireless gateway client devices act as a node on the wireless network and communicate with one or more server or other network device.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the wireless gateway client devices bypasses one or more components of the network architecture that may be unavailable, and provides a direct link from the remote wireless terminal devices to network equipment.

10. The method of claim 4, wherein the addresses of the wireless gateway devices may be stored in the remote wireless device, or may be transmitted in case of emergency or under other specified conditions to the remote wireless device through a specific PIN-to-PIN message.

11. The method of claim 3, wherein under one set of operating conditions, the remote wireless terminal device communicates with the computer network through email or other data channels and under at least another set of operating conditions may switch to PIN-to-PIN messaging either manually, through operation of the user, or automatically, in response to a PIN-to-PIN message sent to it.

12. The method of claim 4, wherein the remote wireless terminal device may store multiple addresses of wireless gateway client devices, and may send each communication to more than one of those wireless gateway devices, for redundancy purposes.

13. The method of claim 3, wherein the computer network includes one or more METAmessage servers, and the step of communicating includes communication through a METAmessage server.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein more than one METAmessage server is connected to the computer network in different locations to provide further redundancy.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of serving different wireless gateway client devices by different wireless networks to provide further redundancy.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the method enables access to any information on the METAmessage server or devices connected to it.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the method enables access to any information on a fax server associated with the METAmessage server.

18. The method of claim 3, wherein the method enables the remote wireless devices to operate in either a PIN-to-PIN Mode or a Normal Mode.