Home network using wireless module

• US 20060072489A1
• Filed: 10/11/2001
• Published: 04/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: SONY CORPORATION AND SONY ELECTRONICS INC.
• Inventors: Toyoshima, Akihiko
• Granted Patent: US 7,230,939 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2838 Distribution of signals within a home automation network, e.g. involving splitting/multiplexing signals to/from different paths adaptations of television systems for transmission by electric cable for domestic distribution H04N7/106; hybrid transport H04L12/6418; home network arrangements specially adapted for distribution of digital video signals H04N7/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2841 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/285 Generic home appliances, e.g. refrigerators

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for implementing a home network including a wireless module. In one implementation, a home network includes: two or more host devices, where at least one host device includes a wireless module port, and where the host devices are connected in a local network; and a wireless module connected to the wireless module port of a host device, where the wireless module provides a wireless connection to an external network; where at least one host device is a consumer appliance.

Claims

1. A home network, comprising:

two or more host devices, where at least one host device includes a wireless module port, and where the host devices are connected in a local network; and

a wireless module connected to the wireless module port of a host device, where the wireless module provides a wireless connection to an external network;

where at least one host device is a consumer appliance.

2. The home network of claim 1, where a host device that is not connected to the wireless module is configured to send data to the host device that is connected to the wireless module to be sent to the external network.

3. The home network of claim 1, where the host device that is connected to the wireless module is configured to send data from the external network to a host device that is not connected to the wireless module.

4. The home network of claim 1, where the external network is the Internet.

5. The home network of claim 1, where one host device is a television.

6. The home network of claim 1, where one host device is an audio system.

7. The home network of claim 1, where one host device is a refrigerator.

8. The home network of claim 1, where the wireless module and the wireless module port are compatible with a PCMCIA interface.

9. The home network of claim 1, where the wireless module and the wireless module port are compatible with a Memory Stick interface.

10. The home network of claim 1, where the wireless module and the wireless module port are compatible with a Bluetooth interface.

11. The home network of claim 1, where a host device connected to a wireless module is a home network portal and the home network portal comprises:

a wireless module port for communicating with the wireless module;

a home network portal control connected to the wireless module port;

a home network interface connected to the home network portal control and to at least one host device through the local network; and

a host device functionality block connected to the home network interface.

12. The home network of claim 1, where the wireless module comprises:

an antenna;

a duplexer connected to the antenna;

a transmitter connected to the duplexer for providing signals to the antenna;

a receiver connected to the duplexer for receiving signals from the antenna;

a baseband signal processor connected to the transmitter and to the receiver;

a microprocessor connected to the baseband signal processor for controlling the wireless module;

a memory connected to the microprocessor; and

an input/output interface connected to the microprocessor for communicating with a host device.

13. The home network of claim 1, where the local network is a wireless network.

14. The home network of claim 1, where the local network is an Ethernet network.

15. The home network of claim 1, where the local network is an IEEE 1394 network.

16. A method of registering a home network portal, comprising:

evaluating a status of a wireless module port in a first host device in a home network including multiple host devices;

if the wireless module port status indicates a wireless module is not connected, evaluating the status of the wireless module port again; and

if the wireless module port status indicates a wireless module is connected, broadcasting to other host devices in the home network that the first host device is a home network portal having a connected wireless module.

17. The method of claim 16, where at least one host device is a consumer appliance.

18. A method of sending data from a home network through a home network portal, comprising:

determining which host device in a home network including multiple host devices is a home network portal having a connected wireless module;

sending data to the home network portal;

sending data from the home network portal through the wireless module to an external network;

where at least one host device is a consumer appliance.

19. A method of receiving data in a home network through a home network portal, comprising:

receiving data from an external network at a home network portal, where the home network portal has a connected wireless module and is a host device in a home network including multiple host devices;

determining which host device in the home network is a destination host device for the data; and

sending data from the home network portal to the destination host device;

where at least one host device is a consumer appliance.

20. A system for registering a home network portal, comprising:

means for evaluating a status of a wireless module port in a first host device in a home network including multiple host devices;

means for evaluating the status of the wireless module port again if the wireless module port status indicates a wireless module is not connected; and

means for broadcasting to other host devices in the home network that the first host device is a home network portal having a connected wireless module if the wireless module port status indicates a wireless module is connected.