Claims
- 1. A portable electronic device, comprising:
a wireless transceiver; a processor coupled to the wireless transceiver; a memory coupled to the processor; a program stored in the memory and running on the processor, the program providing automatic transitioning between a wireless infrastructure communication mode to an ad-hoc communication mode, the infrastructure mode being used when a request from a mobile device is received to access a communications network, and the ad-hoc mode being used when a request from the mobile device is received to access resources on the portable electronic device.
- 2. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the wireless transceiver supports the IEEE 802.11 wireless communications protocol.
- 3. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the wireless transceiver supports the Bluetooth wireless communications protocol.
- 4. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the portable electronic device is a handheld computer.
- 5. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein a connection to the communications network is through a wireless access point.
- 6. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein a connection to the communications network is through a synchronization cradle coupled to a computer having a connection to the communications network.
- 7. A method of using a handheld computer for ad-hoc networking, comprising:
receiving an ad-hoc communications request from a mobile device; automatically transitioning the handheld computer from an infrastructure communications mode to an ad-hoc communications mode upon receipt of the request.
- 8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:
communicating between the handheld computer and the mobile device.
- 9. A portable device configured as a repeater, comprising:
means for providing communications between the portable device and a wired network; means for automatically putting the portable device in a fixed network communications mode; means for receiving a data signal wirelessly; and means for forwarding the data signal wirelessly to a network user node.
- 10. The portable device of claim 9, wherein the portable device is configured to operate in an ad-hoc network.
- 11. The portable device of claim 9, further comprising means for providing account debiting information to the accounting system, wherein the account debiting information represents a debit to be recorded for an account associated with the portable device.
- 12. The portable device of claim 11, wherein the credit is based on the forwarded data signal.
- 13. The portable device of claim 11, wherein the means for providing communications includes a synchronization cable coupled to a computer.
- 14. An access point, comprising:
a handheld computer; a transceiver associated with the handheld computer for receiving a wireless transmission; and a program running on the handheld computer that automatically transitions the handheld computer into an infrastructure mode when the handheld computer is in communication with a communications network and a mobile device requests access to the communications network.
- 15. The access point of claim 14, wherein the program automatically transitions the handheld computer to an ad-hoc networking mode when the mobile device requests access to the handheld computer.
- 16. The access point of claim 14, wherein the wireless transmission uses an IEEE 802.11 protocol.
- 17. The access point of claim 14, wherein the wireless transmission uses a Bluetooth protocol.
- 18. A method of using a handheld computer as a wireless access point, comprising:
providing a direct communications link between a handheld computer and a communications network; transitioning the handheld computer from an ad-hoc network mode to an infrastructure mode when access to the communications network is requested by a mobile device; and communicating, over a wireless communications channel, data from the mobile device to the handheld computer and to the communications network.
- 19. The method of claim 18, wherein the transitioning step occurs automatically.
- 20. The method of claim 18, wherein the communications network includes the internet.
- 21. The method of claim 18, wherein the communications network includes a local area network.
- 22. A method of using a handheld computer as a wireless access point, comprising:
providing a direct communications link between a handheld computer and a communications network; transitioning the handheld computer from an ad-hoc network when access to the communications network is provided by a synchronization cradle; and communicating, over a wireless communications channel, data from the mobile device to the handheld computer and to the communications network.
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/352,785, filed Jan. 29, 2002, the entirety of which is herein incorporated by reference.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60352785 |
Jan 2002 |
US |