Portable communication USB device for providing mobile internet access service or for providing other communication services

• US 8,972,610 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2011
• Issued: 03/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Flexiworld Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Flexiworld Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Chang, William Ho
• Primary Examiner(s): Joo, Joshua
• Application Number:
  US13/047,672
• Publication Number:
  US 20110167175A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,450 Days
• Field of Search: 709/200, 709220-223, 709/250, 709/204, 709/230
• US Class Current: 709/250
• 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

A portable USB device that enables mobile Internet accessing service is disclosed. The portable USB can be plugged into an external USB port of a computing device for enabling the Internet accessing service. Subsequent to receiving the Internet accessing service by the computing device via the portable USB device, the computing device may further share the Internet with other wireless devices over a local area network (e.g., network compatible, at least partly, with IEEE 802 standards). The portable USB device may include a wireless component and may further include wireless communication software or data for running at the computing device. The Internet accessing service may employ security data stored in a memory area of the portable USB device for enabling service verification or for security. The portable USB device may also be a non-wireless device connectable to a USB port for enabling phone calling.

Claims

1. A wireless communication USB (Universal Serial Bus) device that is portable and plug connectable to an external USB port of a first computing device for Internet access service through the wireless communication USB device, the wireless communication USB device being distinct from the first computing device, the wireless communication USB device including,

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

a wireless communication component that includes a baseband component and a radio component for wireless communication,

a memory component that includes a private memory area storing protected data, the protected data stored in the private memory area for executing at the first computing device,

a memory controller for managing communication through the USB interface and for accessing the private memory area;

and wherein the wireless communication USB device is operable at least for;

drawing power to the wireless communication USB device from the first computing device over the external USB port of the first computing device for operating the wireless communication USB device upon plug connecting the wireless communication USB device to the external USB port of the first computing device;

accessing at least part of the protected data from the private memory area of the wireless communication USB device by the memory controller of the wireless communication USB device, while the wireless communication USB device is being plug connected to the external USB port of the first computing device;

providing, by the wireless communication USB device, at least part of the protected data accessed by the memory controller from the private memory area of the wireless communication USB device, over the USB interface of the wireless communication USB device to a wireless application running and executing on the first computing device, while the wireless communication USB device is being plug connected to the external USB port of the first computing device, the at least part of the protected data being related to the Internet access service;

providing the first computing device with the Internet access service via the wireless communication component of the wireless communication USB device when the wireless communication USB device is plug connected to the external USB port of the first computing device; and

enabling the first computing device to share the Internet access service with a second computing device over a local wireless communication link between the first computing device and the second computing device, the Internet access service being provided via the wireless communication USB device that is plug connected to the external USB port of the first computing device, the second computing device being a distinct device from the first computing device and the wireless communication USB device; and

wherein, the wireless application running and executing at the first computing device activates at least part of the wireless communication operations employing, at least in part, the protected data related, at least in part, to the Internet access service and received from the wireless communication USB device, and the wireless application provides the first computing device with Internet access via the wireless communication component of the wireless communication USB device while the wireless communication USB device is being plug connected to the external USB port of the first computing device; and

wherein, upon disconnection of the wireless communication USB device, which is a portable wireless USB device, from the external USB port of the first computing device, the wireless application running at the first computing device is operable to include one or more operations to automatically;

(1) exit at least part of the wireless application, or (2) terminate at least part of the wireless application, or (3) terminate at least part of the protected data, or (4) uninstall at least part of the wireless application, or (5) remove at least part of the protected data from the first computing device.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication USB device further functions as a key for enabling the first computing device the Internet access service in dependence of whether the wireless communication USB device is being plug connected to the first computing device.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication USB device further includes:

a wireless protocol stack component for conforming the wireless communication USB device to one or more wireless communication protocols, and one or more controllers configured at least for accessing at least part of the wireless protocol stack component, the wireless protocol stack component includes at least software for an encoding operation, or software for a decoding operation, and software for a conversion operation.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication component of the wireless communication USB device includes a baseband component and a radio component for wireless communication, and the wireless communication USB device further having one or more controllers for managing at least part of the baseband component and the radio component, and

wherein, the Internet access service, via the wireless communication component of the wireless communication USB device, further includes accessing at least the baseband component by the one or more controllers.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the second computing device comprises one or more of an Internet pad, an Internet Phone, a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a desktop computer, a server, an Internet appliance, and a smart phone, individually or in any combination, and the local wireless communication link is compatible, at least partly, with one or more protocols within the IEEE 802 wireless communication protocols, individually or in any combination.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication component further includes one or more components that is compatible with at least one protocol within Bluetooth®

standard of wireless communication, or within the IEEE 802 wireless communication standards, individually or in any combination.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication USB device further includes one or more controllers for executing a security operation that includes an encryption operation and/or a decryption operation.

8. A wireless communication USB (Universal Serial Bus) device that is portable and plug connectable to an external USB port of a first computing device for Internet access service through the wireless communication USB device, the wireless communication USB device being distinct from the first computing device prior to plug connecting to the external USB port of the first computing device, the wireless communication USB device comprising:

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

a wireless communication component that includes a baseband component and

a radio component for wireless communication,

a wireless protocol stack component for conforming wireless communication to one or more wireless communication protocols,

a memory component that includes a memory area storing protected data, the protected data being stored in the memory area for executing at the first computing device upon plug connecting the wireless communication USB device to the first computing device, and the protected data is related, at least in part, to the Internet access service, and

one or more controllers configured at least for;

managing, at least in part, the wireless communication component that includes the baseband component and the radio component, and

accessing at least part of the wireless protocol stack component, the wireless protocol stack component including software for at least one of an encoding operation, a decoding operation, or a conversion operation, individually or in any combination, and

wherein, subsequent to plug connecting the wireless communication USB device to the external USB port of the first computing device, the wireless communication USB device;

draws power to the wireless communication USB device from the first computing device through the USB port of the first computing device for operating the wireless communication USB device;

accesses the protected data from the memory area of the wireless communication USB device by at least one controller included in the wireless communication USB device;

provides, over the USB interface of the wireless communication USB device to the first computing device, at least part of the protected data for enabling the first computing device the Internet access service;

provides the first computing device with the Internet access service over the wireless communication component of the wireless communication USB device by providing at least part of the protected data to a wireless application running or executing at the first computing device, the Internet access service over the wireless communication component of the wireless communication USB device including the one or more controllers managing at least part of the wireless communication component that includes the baseband component and the radio component, and the one or more controllers accessing at least part of the wireless protocol stack component; and

enables data communication between the first computing device and a second computing device via the wireless communication USB device, the second computing device being a distinct device from the wireless communication USB device and the first computing device.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the wireless communication USB device further functions as a key for enabling the first computing device the Internet access service in dependence of whether the wireless communication USB device is being plug connected to the first computing device.

10. The device of claim 8, wherein upon disconnection of the wireless communication USB device from the first computing device, the wireless application running at the first computing device is operable to include one or more operations to:

(1) automatically exit at least part of the wireless application, or (2) automatically terminate at least part of the wireless application, or (3) automatically terminate at least part of the protected data, or (4) automatically remove at least part of the protected data from the first computing device.

11. The device of claim 8, wherein the wireless communication USB device is further operable for receiving data content from the second computing device over the wireless communication component of the wireless communication USB device that is plug connected to the external USB port of the first computing device, the data content being for rendering at an output device associated with the first computing device, the output device including a display device or a projection device, individually or in any combination, for displaying or projecting the data content.

12. The device of claim 8, wherein the wireless communication USB device is further operable for the wireless communication USB device that is plug connected to the external USB port of the first computing device to share the Internet access service with a third computing device over a local wireless communication link between the first computing device and the third computing device, the third computing device being a distinct device from the first computing device and the wireless communication USB device.

13. The device of claim 8, wherein the second 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 device of claim 8, wherein the memory area is implemented to be not accessible to a user of the wireless communication USB device.

15. The device of claim 8, wherein the wireless communication component is compatible with at least one protocol within the IEEE 802 wireless communication protocols.

16. The device of claim 8, wherein the memory component includes a public memory area that is implemented to be accessible to the user of the wireless communication USB device, and the public memory area of the wireless communication USB device storing at least a pointer related to an executable for facilitating at least part of an installing or a running, individually or in any combination, of at least part of the wireless communication software at the first computing device.

17. A portable communication device for enabling Internet access through the portable communication device, the portable communication device having,

an interface that includes a universal serial bus interface (USB) for plug connecting to an external port of a first computing device,

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

a protected software component stored in the private memory area of the communication device for automatically executing, at least partly, at the first computing device upon plug connecting the portable communication device to the external port of the first computing device, the protected software component related at least partly to Internet access,

one or more controllers configured at least for:

managing communication through the interface of the portable communication device,

accessing the private memory area, and

wherein the portable communication device is operable at least for;

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

accessing at least part of 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 interface of the portable communication device to the first computing device the 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 port of the first computing device;

facilitating, by the one or more controllers, an autorun operation, the autorun operation related to at least part of an installing or a running of at least part of protected software at the first computing device automatically, subsequent to plug connecting the portable communication device to the external port of the first computing device, the protected software including 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 Internet access through the portable communication device by the protected software, while the portable communication device is being plug connected to the external port of the first computing device; and

wherein, upon disconnection of the portable communication device from the first computing device, at least part of the protected software running at the first computing device is operable to include one or more operations to;

(1) automatically exit at least part of the protected software, or (2) automatically terminate at least part of the protected software, or (3) automatically remove the at least part of the protected software component from the first computing device, or (4) automatically uninstall at least part of the protected software;

wherein, the protect software component stored in the private memory component in the portable communication device is implemented to be not accessible by the user at the private memory component but is accessible by the one or more controllers subsequent to plug connecting the portable communication device to the external port of the first computing device, and the at least part of the protected software component is associated with security management;

wherein, the portable communication device further functions as a security key for enabling Internet access through the portable communication device in dependence of whether the portable communication device is being plug connected to the first computing device; and

wherein, the portable communication device is configured as an adapter-sized dongle, and the portable communication device is further for enabling Internet access through the portable communication device.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein, the portable communication device further enables phone calling service through the portable communication device.

19. The device of claim 17, wherein the memory component includes 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 the protected software for facilitating installation and or running of the protected software.

20. The device of claim 17, wherein the portable communication device further enables Internet sharing through the portable communication device.

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

22. The device of claim 17, wherein portable communication device further comprising a radio component for wireless communication.

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

24. The device 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.