System and method for managing wireless connections in computer

• US 7,917,089 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2009
• Issued: 03/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Zheng, Jianyu Roy, Hanson, Mark Allen, Nguyen, Djung
• Primary Examiner(s): Rego; Dominic E
• Application Number:
  US12/644,269
• Publication Number:
  US 20100100642A1
• Time in Patent Office: 462 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.2, 455/423, 455/420, 455/553.1, 455/566, 455/419, 455/552.1, 455/557, 455/418, 345/689, 345/650, 345/204, 345/205
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]

Abstract

A Wireless Connection Utility (WCU) provides a unified user experience for managing various types of wireless connections, including Wireless WANs, Wireless LANs, and Bluetooth networks. The WCU functions as a gateway for a user of a computer to monitor the computer'"'"'s wireless network status, to switch wireless connections, to configure wireless connection settings, and to diagnose wireless connection problems through a Wireless Helper Utility (WHU). The WCU thus provides a unified U/I layer on the top of the existing operating system components for ease of use.

Claims

1. A computer executing a wireless connection utility (WCU), the WCU embodying logic comprising:

accessing at least two of;

a wireless local area network (WLAN) driver, a wide area network (WAN) driver, and a Bluetooth driver;

displaying at least one unified user interface (U/I) presenting, in a single screen display, images representing at least two networks selected from;

a WLAN, a WAN, and a Bluetooth communication system; and

enabling a user to select, by means of the U/I, one or more networks with which to communicate, wherein a general button is presented on a main U/I screen display, the general button being selectable to enable a user to select whether to launch the WCU when an operating system of the computer starts up, wherein the U/I includes the main U/I screen display presenting at least two of;

a WAN button selectable to cause WAN settings to appear in a settings window of the main screen display, a WLAN button selectable to cause WLAN settings to appear in the settings window, and a Bluetooth button selectable to cause Bluetooth settings to appear in the settings window, wherein all three buttons are presented on the main U/I screen display, wherein a selector element general button is presented on the main U/I screen display of the computer, the general button selector element being selectable to enable a user to select which of a WLAN or a WAN will have automatic detection priority.

2. The computer of claim 1, wherein the computer is a laptop computer.

3. The computer of claim 1, wherein the U/I includes a one-touch screen display presenting at least two of:

a WAN button selectable to switch communications to a WAN, a WLAN button selectable to switch communications to a WLAN, and a Bluetooth button selectable to switch communications to a Bluetooth network.

4. A computer program product bearing instructions executable by a digital processor associated with at least two wireless communication networks selected from a WAN, a WLAN, and a Bluetooth network, comprising:

means for causing a main U/I to appear on a screen associated with the digital processor, the main U/I presenting in a single screen display, computer display elements representing a WLAN, a WAN, and a Bluetooth communication system, the main U/I also presenting a settings window displaying settings associated with at least one of the computer display elements;

a first selector element presented on the main U/I, the first selector element being selectable to enable a user to select which of a WLAN or a WAN will have automatic detection priority, and

a second selector element presented on a main U/I screen display, the second selector element being selectable to enable a user to select whether to launch the WCU when an operating system of the computer starts up.

5. The computer program product of claim 4, wherein the digital processor is embodied in a laptop computer.

6. The computer program product of claim 4, wherein the computer display elements are buttons, settings associated with a user-selected button being displayed in the settings window.

7. The computer program product of claim 4, comprising means for displaying a one-touch screen display presenting:

a WAN computer display element selectable to switch communications to a WAN, a WLAN computer display element selectable to switch communications to a WLAN, and a Bluetooth computer display element selectable to switch communications to a Bluetooth network.

8. A user interface for a computer having wireless communication capability, comprising:

at least one screen display displaying a WAN computer display element, a WLAN computer display element, and a Bluetooth computer display element, a computer display element being selectable to cause at least one of the following;

settings associated with a network represented by the computer display element are displayed in a settings window of the U/I, and communication is automatically switched to a network represented by the computer display element, wherein a first general computer display element is presented for enabling a user to select whether to launch a utility associated with the U/I when an operating system executed by the digital processor starts up, and further wherein a second general computer display element is presented for enabling a user to select which of a WLAN or a WAN will have automatic detection priority.

9. The U/I of claim 8, wherein settings associated with a network represented by the computer display element are displayed in a settings window of the U/I.

10. The U/I of claim 8, wherein communication is automatically switched to a network represented by the computer display element.

11. The U/I of claim 8, wherein the computer is a laptop computer.

12. The U/I of claim 8, wherein the computer display elements are buttons.