Relaying third party wireless communications through a portable wireless system
First Claim
1. A portable wireless system, comprising:
- a controller operable to selectively configure the portable wireless system as a portable electronic appliance or a third party wireless repeater configured to relay wireless signals between a third party electronic appliance and a wireless telecommunication network, wherein the controller additionally is operable to wirelessly solicit the third party electronic appliance for a payment in exchange for relaying wireless signals between the third party electronic appliance and the wireless telecommunication network through the portable wireless system.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A portable wireless system is described. The portable wireless system has a controller that is operable to selectively configure the portable wireless system as a personal electronic appliance or a third party wireless repeater that is configured to relay wireless signals between a third party electronic appliance and a wireless network. Accordingly, the portable wireless system (e.g., a cellular telephone, a pager or a personal digital assistant) may act as a wireless repeater for third party wireless communications when the portable wireless system otherwise is not in use. In this way, the portable wireless system increases the utilization of existing wireless network infrastructures (e.g., a cellular telephone network) by making one or more unused wireless channels available to other devices. A novel incentives-based business model that encourages owners of portable electronic appliances to fully utilize existing wireless network capacity also is described.
16 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A portable wireless system, comprising:
a controller operable to selectively configure the portable wireless system as a portable electronic appliance or a third party wireless repeater configured to relay wireless signals between a third party electronic appliance and a wireless telecommunication network, wherein the controller additionally is operable to wirelessly solicit the third party electronic appliance for a payment in exchange for relaying wireless signals between the third party electronic appliance and the wireless telecommunication network through the portable wireless system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A wireless telephony method, comprising:
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selectively configuring a portable wireless system as a personal electronic appliance or a third party wireless repeater configured to relay wireless signals between a third party electronic appliance and a wireless telecommunication network, and wirelessly transmitting from the portable wireless system to the third party electronic appliance a solicitation for a payment in exchange for relaying wireless signals between the third party electronic appliance and the wireless telecommunication network through the portable wireless system. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A portable wireless system, comprising:
a controller operable to wirelessly communicate with a wireless telecommunications network simultaneously over a direct wireless connection and an indirect wireless connection to increase bandwidth available for wireless communications with the wireless telecommunications network, wherein the controller establishes the direct wireless connection directly between the portable wireless system and the wireless telecommunications network and the controller establishes the indirect wireless connection through a device operable to relay wireless signals between the portable wireless system and the wireless telecommunication network. - View Dependent Claims (26)
Specification