Method for internet access and for communication

• US 8,533,352 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2011
• Issued: 09/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: FlexiJet Technologies Inc..
• Original Assignee: Flexiworld Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Chang, William Ho
• Primary Examiner(s): Joo, Joshua
• Application Number:
  US13/047,674
• Publication Number:
  US 20110167166A1
• Time in Patent Office: 911 Days
• Field of Search: 709204-206, 709/230, 709/250, 709/200, 709/220
• US Class Current: 709/230
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/385 for adaptation of a particular data processing system to different peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2213/3814 Wireless link with a computer system port
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0622 in relation to access
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0656 Data buffering arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0679 Non-volatile semiconductor memory device, e.g. flash memory, one time programmable memory [OTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/033 of the user plane, e.g. user's traffic

Abstract

Methods using a portable USB communication device that is plug connectable to an external USB port of a first computing device for enabling phone calling. Upon plug connecting the portable communication device to the first computing device, a phone calling application running at the first computing device is enabled by employing at least in part a phone calling software component stored in the portable communication device. The portable communication device includes a controller unit to facilitate installation of at least part of phone calling software for running at the computing device. Subsequent to disconnecting from the first computing device, the user may also alternatively connect the portable communication device to an Ethernet port of a second computing device for enabling Internet access and phone calling without the first computing device.

Claims

1. A method for phone calling with a portable communication device that is plug connectable to an external USB port of a first computing device, the portable communication device being a distinct device from the first computing device, the portable communication device having,

an interface for plug connecting to the external USB port of the first computing device,

a memory component that includes a memory area not accessible to a user of the portable communication device,

a phone calling software component stored in the memory area for executing at the first computing device,

one or more controllers that includes a memory controller having means for managing communication through the interface and means for accessing the memory area, the method operable with the portable communication device comprising:

connecting the portable communication device to the external USB port of the first computing device, and while the portable communication device is being connected to the external USB port of the first computing device, the portable communication device,

draws power to the portable communication device from the first computing device for operating the portable communication device,

accesses at least part of the phone calling software component from the memory area of the portable communication device by the memory controller of the portable communication device for running at the first computing device,

provides at least part of the phone calling software component accessed by the memory controller, over the interface of the portable communication device to a phone calling application running and executing on the first computing device, the phone calling application running and executing at the first computing device activates at least part of phone calling communication operations employing at least in part the phone calling software component received from the portable communication device, and

enables phone calls, by the phone calling application, through the portable communication device with the phone calling software component;

enabling phone calling with the portable communication device connected to the external USB port of the first computing device, and upon disconnection of the portable communication device from the external USB port of the first computing device, the phone calling application automatically not providing phone calling through the portable communication device;

enabling connection of the portable communication device to an external Ethernet port of a second computing device, the second computing device being a distinct device from the first computing device and the portable communication device, and while the portable communication device is being connected to the external Ethernet port of the second computing device, the portable communication device,

enables Internet access with the portable communication device, and

enables phone calls through the portable communication device; and

wherein, upon disconnecting the portable communication device from the external Ethernet port of the second computing device, automatically not providing the phone calls with the portable communication device; and

wherein, the portable communication device further functions as a portable dongle for enabling phone calling when the portable communication device is connected to the first computing device or to the second computing device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the portable communication device further functions as a key for enabling the first computing device phone calling in dependence of whether the portable communication device is being connected to the first computing device or to the second computing device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the portable communication device further has a wireless communication component for local wireless communication with a third computing device that is distinct from the first computing device and the second computing device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the wireless communication component of the portable communication device includes a baseband component and a radio component for wireless communication.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein, upon disconnection of the portable communication device from the first computing device, the phone calling application running at the first computing device automatically exits or automatically terminates at least part of the phone calling application or removes at least part of the phone calling application from the first computing device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the portable communication device further comprises a hub with one or more ports for connecting to a device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein at least part of the phone calling application operations further includes Internet access.

8. A method for phone calling with a communication device that is plug connectable to an external USB port of a first computing device, the communication device being a portable device and previously being distinct from the first computing device, the communication device including:

a USB interface for plug connecting to the external USB port of the first computing device,

a memory component that includes a private memory area, the private memory area not accessible to a user of the communication device,

protected data stored in the private memory area for executing at the first computing device upon plug connecting the communication device to the first computing device, the protected data including a phone calling software component, and

one or more controllers having,

means for managing communication through the USB interface of the communication device,

and subsequent to plug connecting the communication device to the external USB port of the first computing device, the method operable with the communication device comprising;

drawing power to the communication device over the USB interface from the first computing device for operating the communication device;

facilitating, by the one or more controllers, at least part of an automatic execution on the first computing device at least part of a phone calling application from the memory component of the communication device;

accessing the protected data from the private memory area of the communication device by the one or more controllers included in the communication device;

providing over the USB interface of the communication device to the first computing device at least part of the protected data from the private memory area of the communication device to the first computing device for enabling execution of the phone calling application at the first computing device;

enabling the phone calling application running at the first computing device to make phone calls over the communication device;

wherein, upon disconnecting the communication device from the external USB port of the first computing device, the method operable with the communication device further comprising;

plug connecting the communication device to the external USB port of a second computing device;

drawing power to the communication device over the USB interface from the second computing device for operating the communication device;

enabling execution of a phone calling application running at the second computing device;

enabling the phone calling application running at the second computing device to make phone calls over the communication device, the second computing device being a distinct device from the communication device and the first computing device; and

thereby, the communication device, which is a portable device, functions as a key for enabling the user of the communication device to make phone calls when the communication device is plug connected to either the external USB port of the first computing device or the external USB port of the second computing device.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the communication device is further connectable by the user to an Ethernet port of a third computing device for phone calling over the communication device.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein upon disconnection of the communication device from the first computing device, the phone calling application running at the first computing device automatically exits or automatically terminates at least part of the phone calling application, or the phone calling application running at the first computing device automatically removes at least part of the protected data from the first computing device.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the communication device further comprises a hub with one or more ports for connecting to a device.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising, Internet sharing or Internet accessing at the first computing device with the communication device.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the first computing device comprises one or more of an Internet pad, an Internet Phone, a tablet computer, a laptop computer, a desktop computer, a server, an Internet appliance, and a smart phone, individually or in any combination.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the one or more controllers further having means for executing one or more of an encryption operation, a decryption operation, a conversion operation, an encoding operation, a decoding operation, a compression operation, and a decompression operation, individually or in any combination thereof.

15. The method of claim 8, wherein the communication device further comprises a wireless communication component for local wireless communication with a third computing device that is distinct from the first computing device and the second computing device.

16. The method of claim 8, wherein the communication device further including a public memory area that is accessible to the user of the communication device, and the public memory area of the communication device storing at least a pointer related to an executable for facilitating at least part of an installing and or a running of at least part of the phone calling application at the first computing device.

17. A method for phone calling with a portable communication device, the portable communication device having,

a USB interface for plug connecting to an external USB port of a first computing device,

a memory component that includes a private memory area, the private memory area not accessible to a user of the portable communication device,

a protected software component stored in the private memory area of the portable communication device for executing at the first computing device,

a public memory area that is accessible to the user of the portable communication device, and the public memory area of the portable communication device stores at least a pointer to an executable related to a phone calling software for facilitating installation and or running of the phone calling software,

one or more controllers having,

means for managing communication through the USB interface of the portable communication device,

means for accessing the private memory area, and

the method operable with the portable communication device comprising:

drawing power to the portable communication device over the USB interface from the first computing device for operating the portable communication device upon plug connecting the portable communication device to the first computing device;

accessing the protected software component from the private memory area of the portable communication device by the one or more controllers of the portable communication device while the portable communication device is plug connected to the first computing device;

providing over the USB interface of the portable communication device to the first computing device at least part of the protected software component by the one or more controllers while the portable communication device is plug connected to the external USB port of the first computing device;

facilitating by the portable communication device at least part of an installing or a running of at least part of the phone calling software at the first computing device employing at least in part the pointer to the executable related to the phone calling software stored in the public memory area of the portable communication device, the phone calling software running at the first computing device receiving over the USB Interface the at least part of the protected software component accessed from the private memory area of the portable communication device by the one or more controllers; and

enabling phone calling from the first computing device to a second computing device by the phone calling software, while the portable communication device is plug connected to the external USB port of the first computing device, the second computing device being a distinct device from the portable communication device and the first computing device; and

wherein, the portable communication device further functions as a security key for enabling phone calling from the first computing device when the portable communication device is plug connected to the first computing device.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein at least part of the phone calling software further includes Internet access operations.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein, upon disconnection of the portable communication device from the first computing device, at least part of the phone calling software running at the first computing device automatically exits or automatically terminates at least part of the phone calling software, or the phone calling software automatically removes at least part of the protected data from the first computing device.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the one or more controllers further having means for performing an operation that includes one or more of an encoding operation, a decoding operation, and a conversion operation.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the portable communication device further comprising a hub with one or more ports for connecting to a device.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein the portable communication device is further connectable by the user to an Ethernet port of a third computing device.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein the portable communication device further comprising a wireless communication component for local wireless communication with a mobile phone that is distinct from the first computing device and the second computing device.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the portable communication device further enables the mobile phone an operation that includes phone calls or Internet access via the portable communication device.