Multi-interface wireless adapter and network bridge

• US 20090067441A1
• Filed: 09/11/2007
• Published: 03/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Prodea Automation LLC, Tyson King
• Original Assignee: Prodea Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Tong, Allen Y., McQuarters, Alvin R., Ramayya, Jude P., Nicholls, Leon E., Masina, Ramprakash, Cowgill, George A., Ansari, Amir, Raissyan, Atousa
• Granted Patent: US 8,649,386 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/401
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2814 Exchanging control software or macros for controlling appliance services in a home automation network arrangements for maintenance or administration involving configuration of the network and network elements H04L41/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2818 from a device located outside both the home and the home network access arrangements H04L12/2856; for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025; arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless eletrical link G08C17/00; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with remote control systems H04M11/007
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2836 Protocol conversion between an external network and a home network controlling appliance services of a home automation network from a device located outside the home and the home network H04L12/2818; protocol conversion H04L69/08; adaptation of digital video signals for transport over a specific home network H04N7/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2841 Wireless

Abstract

Among other things, a wireless device is disclosed for enabling communication with a gateway device within a user premises. The wireless device includes a wireless local area network transceiver for bidirectional wireless data communication at the premises, an interface for wired communication, a processor for converting data between the wireless and wired interfaces. The wireless device receives instructions from the gateway device via the transceiver or the interface and implements conversion and communication control functions to implement a selected one of a plurality of wireless-wired adaptations for communications flowing between the selected one of the transceiver and the interface and the other of the transceiver and the interface for communication within the user premises for application service delivered by the gateway device.

Claims

1. A wireless device for enabling communication with a gateway device within a user premises, the gateway device controlling communication of one or more associated endpoint devices over a wide area data network to deliver an application service to the one or more associated endpoint devices, the service delivery including at least some communication within the user premises, the wireless device comprising:

a wireless local area network transceiver, for bidirectional wireless data communication at the premises;

an interface for wired communication;

a processor coupled to the transceiver and the interface, for conversion between data communicated via the wireless local area network transceiver and signals communicated via wired communication interface and for control of communications through the transceiver and the interface;

storage coupled to the processor; and

programming executable by the processor contained in the storage, wherein execution of the programming causes the processor to receive instructions from the gateway device via at least one of the transceiver and the interface to configure the processor to implement its conversion and communication control functions in a manner to communicate with the gateway device via a selected one of the transceiver and the interface and to implement a selected one of a plurality of wireless-wired adaptations for communications flowing between the selected one of the transceiver and the interface and the other of the transceiver and the interface for communication within the user premises for application service delivered by the gateway device.

2. The wireless device of claim 1, further comprising one or more endpoint device interfaces, the interface for wired communication being one of the endpoint device interfaces, wherein the received instructions from the gateway device via at least one of the transceiver and the interface include instructions to configure the wireless device to:

conduct wireless communications via the transceiver to provide transport between the transceiver and the gateway device for both private and public communications,

route or bridge the private communications to or from one of the endpoint device interfaces configured as a private network interface, and

route or bridge the public communications to or from one of the endpoint device interfaces configured as a public network interface.

3. The wireless device of claim 2, wherein the one or more endpoint device interfaces, comprises a first endpoint device interface configured as the private network interface, and a second endpoint device interface configured as the public network interface.

4. The wireless device of claim 2, wherein (1) the private communications include communication for in-premises application services, (2) the public communications include communication with a wide area network, or (3) the private communications is transmitted over a private vLAN and the public communications is transmitted over a public vLAN.

5. The wireless device of claim 2, wherein the processor and at least one of the transceiver and the interface are configured to conduct bidirectional wireless data communication with the gateway device for a first application service and a second application service over a single wireless channel.

6. The wireless device of claim 1, wherein the wireless device further comprises a power interface configured to receive a plurality of voltage levels from a wall power adapter and deliver different voltage levels to one endpoint device interface.

7. The wireless device of claim 6, wherein the device further comprises a power interface configured to receive a voltage and deliver a plurality of different voltage levels to the local device interface, the transceiver and/or the processor.

8. The wireless device of claim 7, wherein the device further comprises a wall power adapter configured to plug into an electrical power outlet and supply one or more voltages to the power interface.

9. The wireless device of claim 6, wherein:

the one or more endpoint device interfaces comprises a plurality of endpoint device interfaces; and

the device further comprises a power interface configured to simultaneously receive a plurality of voltage levels from a wall power adapter and deliver at least two different voltage levels to two different endpoint device interfaces.

10. The wireless device of claim 1, wherein:

the device includes two or more endpoint device interfaces, each for wired connection to a communication device, and

each of the endpoint device interfaces is an interface selected from a group consisting of;

a RJ11 interface, a RJ14 interface, a RJ25 interface, a BS 6312 interface, a 4P4C interface, a RJ45 interface, an 8P8C interface, a mini RCA interface, and a FXS interface.

11. A communication system for operation within a user premises to provide and manage services of one or more endpoint devices associated with the communication system, the communication system comprising:

a gateway device controlling communication of one or more associated end point devices over a wide area data network to deliver a plurality of application services to the associated end point devices including at least some service delivery communication within the user premises, the gateway device comprising;

a first interface for enabling bi-directional network layer communications within the premises, with one or more of the endpoint devices;

a second interface for enabling bi-directional network layer communications for the one or more endpoint devices via a wide area network;

a processor coupled to the interfaces;

storage coupled to the processor; and

programming in the storage for a plurality of application services, wherein, for each application service, execution of the programming by the processor causes the gateway device to provide server functions in relation to a respective service for one or more endpoint devices; and

a wireless extender, comprising;

(a) a wireless local area network transceiver, for bidirectional wireless data communication with the gateway device;

(b) one or more local device interfaces, for wired connection to a communication device;

(c) a processor coupled to the transceiver and the interface, for conversion between the wireless data communication with the gateway device and signals on the wired connection to the communication device and for control of communications through the transceiver and the interface;

(d) storage coupled to the processor; and

(e) programming executable by the processor contained in the storage, wherein execution of the programming causes the processor to receive instructions from the gateway device via the wireless local area network transceiver to configure the processor to implement its conversion and communication control functions in a manner to support a selected one of the application services delivered by the gateway device.

12. The communication system of claim 11, wherein:

the second interface of the gateway device further enables at least some bidirectional communications with a service management center external to the premises via the wide area network; and

the execution of the programming by the processor causes the gateway device to provide functions in relation to a respective service for one or more endpoint devices, including;

(1) application server communication with a client functionality of one or more endpoint devices, for the respective service, communicated on top of network layer communications of one or both of the interfaces;

(2) enforcement regarding authorization, authentication, configuration, or use of the respective service via the one or more endpoint devices; and

(3) management of the application service based upon the communications with the service management center via the wide area network through the second interface.

13. The communication system of claim 11, wherein execution of the programming in the gateway device by the processor further causes the gateway device to support a plurality of different user interfaces via different endpoint devices, with respect to one or more services provided through the gateway device.

14. The communication system of claim 11, wherein the communication system further comprises a power interface configured to receive a plurality of voltage levels from a wall power adapter configured to plug into an electrical power outlet, and to delivery different voltage levels to the local device interface.

15. A method of establishing a connection between a transceiver device and a gateway device, comprising:

receiving a synchronization instruction from a transceiver device;

receiving a synchronization instruction from a gateway device;

configuring the transceiver device and the gateway device for network layer communication over a wireless link therebetween;

establishing a wireless session for network layer communication between the configured transceiver device and gateway device;

configuring the transceiver device and the gateway device to enable an application layer communication between the transceiver device and the gateway device over the established connection; and

configuring the transceiver device to interface with a local device to enable the local device to utilize the application layer communication between the transceiver device and the gateway device.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the method further comprises authenticating the application layer communication between the transceiver device and the gateway device.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the method further comprises authorizing the application layer communication between the transceiver device and the gateway device.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the method further comprises allowing the gateway to automatically configure the transceiver device to support one of a plurality of registered application services.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the application service includes telephony service.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the established network layer connection comprises a secure connection.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein the synchronization instructions from the transceiver device or the gateway device includes data used to configure the transceiver device and the gateway device for network layer communication.

22. The method of claim 15, wherein the synchronization instructions from the transceiver device or the gateway device includes data used to establish a wireless session for network layer communication between the configured transceiver device and gateway device.

23. A wireless extender for extending communication of a gateway device within a user premises, the gateway device controlling communication of one or more associated end point devices over a wide area data network to deliver voice services to the associated end point devices including at least some service delivery communication within the user premises, the wireless extender comprising:

one or more local device interfaces, for wired connection to a communication device;

a processor, coupled to the transceiver and the interface, controls of communications between the transceiver and the interfaces;

storage coupled to the processor; and

programming contained in the storage executable by the processor, wherein execution of the programming causes the processor to receive instructions from the gateway device via the wireless local area network transceiver to configure the processor to implement its conversion and communication control functions in a manner to support a selected one of the application services delivered by the gateway device.

24. The wireless extender of 23, further comprising a wireless local area network transceiver, for bidirectional wireless data communication with the gateway device.

25. The wireless extender of 23, wherein the processor manages at least one of the transceiver and the interface.