Wireless modem device usable on computer device without driver installation wherein computer has a proxy server application and pre-installed generic drivers

• US 8,250,244 B2
• Filed: 04/06/2009
• Issued: 08/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: InterDigital Patent Holdings, Inc. (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: InterDigital Patent Holdings, Inc. (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Inventors: Vercruysse, Jan, Deforche, Koen, Dumon, Wim, Bernabeu, Juan
• Primary Examiner(s): PEYTON, TAMMARA R
• Application Number:
  US12/419,101
• Publication Number:
  US 20100064063A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,233 Days
• Field of Search: 710 7- 10, 710/19, 710/36, 710/41, 710 62- 64, 713/1, 713/2, 713/185
• US Class Current: 710/8
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4411 Configuring for operating with peripheral devices; Loading of device drivers

Abstract

Method for connecting a host computer device to a wireless communication network, the host computer device being provided with an operating system with at least one pre-installed generic driver providing a generic communication protocol (7) for communication between the host computer device and a standard class of computer peripheral devices other than wireless modem devices, the method comprising the steps of: (a) connecting a wireless modem device to the host computer device; (b) setting up, by means of a pre-installed generic driver of the operating system on the computer device, a modem/host communication interface (6) for communication between the wireless modem device and the computer device; (c) connecting the host computer device to a wireless communication network via the wireless modem device; (d) routing data traffic (8-9) between the host computer device and the wireless communication network over the modem/host communication interface (6). The generic communication protocol (7) is used in the modem/host communication interface (6) for transferring the data traffic (8-9) between the host computer device and the wireless modem device.

Claims

1. A method for connecting a host computer device to a wireless communication network, the host computer device being provided with an operating system with at least one pre-installed generic driver providing a generic communication protocol for communication between the host computer device and a standard class of computer peripheral devices other than wireless modem devices, the method comprising:

connecting a wireless modem device to the host computer device;

setting up, by means of the pre-installed generic driver of the operating system, a modem/host communication interface for communication between the wireless modem device and the computer device;

connecting the host computer device to a wireless communication network via the wireless modem device; and

routing data traffic between the host computer device and the wireless communication network over the modem/host communication interface, wherein the generic communication protocol is used in the modem/host communication interface for transferring the data traffic between the host computer device and the wireless modem device, and

wherein a proxy server application with predefined connection parameters is stored on the wireless modem device and the connecting the host computer device to a wireless communication network via the wireless modem device comprises running the proxy server application, the proxy server application comprising an embedded proprietary protocol stack for the routing the data traffic between the host computer device and the wireless communication network over the modem/host communication interface.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the setting up comprises presenting the wireless modem device to the host computer device as a human interface device and wherein the pre-installed generic driver is a human interface device driver.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the setting up comprises presenting the wireless modem device to the host computer device as a mass storage device and wherein the pre-installed generic driver is a mass storage device driver.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the proxy server application is run on the host computer device.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the proxy server application is run on the wireless modem device.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein a web browser application with predefined settings is stored on the wireless modem device and wherein the method further comprises the step of running the web browser application as a portable application on the wireless modem device.

7. A computer peripheral wireless modem device for providing wireless connectivity to a host computer device which is provided with an operating system with at least one pre-installed generic driver providing a generic communication protocol for communication between the host computer device and a standard class of computer peripheral devices other than wireless modem devices, the wireless modem device comprising a memory in which computer executable software code is stored, said computer executable software code comprising:

a first software code portion for setting up, by means of the preinstalled generic driver of the operating system, a modem/host communication interface for communication between the wireless modem device and the computer device;

a second software code portion for connecting the host computer device to a wireless communication network via the wireless modem device, second software code portion comprising a proxy server application with predefined connection parameters, the proxy server application comprising an embedded proprietary protocol stack; and

a third software code portion for routing data traffic between the host computer device and the wireless communication network over the modem/host communication interface via the embedded proprietary protocol stack;

wherein the first software code portion uses the generic communication protocol in the modem/host communication interface for transferring the data traffic between the host computer device and the wireless modem device.

8. The computer peripheral wireless modem device according to claim 7, wherein the first software code portion presents the wireless modem device to the host computer device as a human interface device and wherein the pre-installed generic driver is a human interface device driver.

9. The computer peripheral wireless modem device according to claim 7, wherein the first software code portion presents the wireless modem device to the host computer device as a mass storage device and wherein the pre-installed generic driver is a mass storage device driver.

10. The computer peripheral wireless modem device according to claim 7, wherein said computer executable software code comprises a web browser application with predefined settings which is provided for being run as a portable application on the wireless modem device.