Patent Application
20110058537
This application claims the benefit of Taiwan application Serial No. 98130585, filed Sep. 10, 2009, the subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates in general to a mobile electronic device and a communication method applicable thereto, and more particularly to a mobile electronic device with broadband sharing function and a communication method applicable thereto.
2. Description of the Related Art
The mobile communication industry is booming globally, and convenient mobile communication network become available to the consumers via the mobile electronic devices. Furthermore, if the mobile broadband Internet access provided by the telecommunications industry is available, the consumers can have Internet access anywhere and anytime via the mobile electronic devices. Also, computers can be connected to the Internet via the mobile electronic devices. Examples of the mobile electronic device include mobile phones, personal digital assistance (PDA) and so on.
Conventional mobile electronic devices can only enable one computer to be connected to the Internet at one time, and cannot enable multiple computers to be connected to the Internet at the same time. Therefore, it is still not popular for the households or the workplaces, which normally have more than one computer, to replace the existing cable broadband Internet access with the mobile broadband Internet access provided through a mobile electronic device. In consequence, the consumers cannot use more convenient Internet access at low cost.
Therefore, how to provide Internet access to multiple computers/users by a single mobile electronic device so as to share Internet access cost and increase the convenience in anywhere and anytime Internet access has become a prominent task for the industries.
Examples of the invention are a mobile electronic device and a communication method applicable thereto. A routing IC of the mobile electronic device is used to enable one or more first external device to be connected to the Internet through the mobile electronic device. It's noted that the word “routing” herein is the present participle of the verb “route” which may ordinarily mean to send by a selected route or to divert in a specified direction. Thus, first external devices may be connected to the Internet at the same time, hence providing the convenience of allowing multiple users of the first external devices to access Internet at the same time, and providing e.g. a benefit of reducing the fees for Internet access paid by each of the multiple users, as only one mobile electronic device is needed to achieve the multiple-user Internet access. In addition, the mobile electronic device may also connect with a second external device via an I/O interface to allow the second external device to be connected to the Internet as well. Examples of the first and the second external device include a computer, a PDA and a mobile phone.
A first example of the present invention is a mobile electronic device including: a routing integrated circuit (IC); a microprocessor for connecting with at least one first external device via the routing IC; and a modem unit coupled to the microprocessor for connecting with a base station, in order to enable the first external device to communicate with the base station via the mobile electronic device.
A second example of the present invention is a communication method applicable to a mobile electronic device. The communication method includes the following steps. The mobile electronic device is connected with at least one first external device via a routing integrated circuit (IC). The mobile electronic device is connected with a base station. The first external device communicates with the base station via the mobile electronic device.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the disclosed embodiments, as claimed.
A mobile electronic device or a hand-held electronic device, such as a mobile phone, a PDA, or a smart phone, is disclosed as an embodiment of the invention. The mobile electronic device or the hand-held electronic device is hereinafter collectively called the mobile electronic device. The mobile electronic device includes a microprocessor and a modem unit (a modulator-demodulator device). The user could achieve mobile broadband Internet access with the mobile electronic device, so as to provide Internet access function to a first external device connecting to the mobile electronic device via a routing IC, or to provide Internet access function to a second external device connecting to the I/O interface of the mobile electronic device. It's noted that the word “routing” herein is the present participle of the verb “route” which may ordinarily mean to send by a selected route or to divert in a specified direction.
Referring to
Based on the setting by the setting unit 10, the microprocessor 30 is used for connecting with the first external device 20 via the routing IC 50 or connecting with the second external device 40 via the I/O interface 90. The first external device 20 is used for communicating with the base station 95 via the mobile electronic device 100, or, the second external device 40 is used for communicating with the base station 95 via the mobile electronic device 100.
In an embodiment, the mobile electronic device 100 is used for connecting with at least one first external device 20 by for example the Bluetooth technology or the infrared data association (IrDA) technology.
The routing IC 50 and the first external device 20 may both support a wireless local area network standard. For example, the routing IC 50 is used for transmitting signals wirelessly with the first external device 20 via one of the set of IEEE 802.11 standards. Examples of the first external device 20 include a computer, a PDA and a mobile phone.
In an embodiment, the modem unit 70 is used to connect with the base station 95 for enabling the first external device 20 to communicate with the base station 95 via the mobile electronic device 100. The modem unit 70 may support the point-to-point protocol (PPP); and the base station 95 may support, for example, the 3rd generation (3G) communication technology or the 3.5G mobile communication technology.
As indicated in
As indicated in
When multiple users would like to be individually connected to the Internet via the respective first external devices 20, they can make use of the mobile broadband Internet access function of the mobile electronic device 100 to allow their first external devices 20 to communicate with the base station 95 thereby connecting to the Internet at the same time. Thus, the users can not only share in paying the fees for the Internet access as only one mobile electronic device is required, but also can have the convenience of mobile accessing the Internet at anytime.
As indicated in
Referring to both
In step S120, the mobile electronic device 100 is connected with the base station 95 by for example the modem unit 70. In step S130, the first external device 20 is used to communicate with the base station 95 via the mobile electronic device 100 by for example the modem unit 70. A detailed flowchart is further disclosed below.
Referring to
In step S304, the mobile electronic device 100 is connected with the base station 95 by for example the modem unit 70.
In step S306, the first external device 20 is used to communicate with the base station 95 via the mobile electronic device 100 by for example the modem unit 70.
In step S308, the microprocessor 30 determines whether the mobile electronic device 100 receives a data package. If yes, then step S310 is performed. If no, then the current step S308 is repeated.
In step S310, the mobile electronic device 100 transmits the data package to the first external device 20. The data package is received by for example the modem unit 70 of the mobile electronic device 100. The mobile electronic device 100 is used to communicate with the first external device by for example the Bluetooth technology or the infrared data association (IrDA) technology. The data package is transmitted to the first external device 20 by for example the routing IC 50 of the mobile electronic device 100.
In an example, the data package could be transmitted to the first external device 20 via for example the microprocessor 30 and the routing IC 50, so as to enhance the encryption of the data package. In another example, the data package could be transmitted to the first external device 20 via the routing IC 50 but not pass through the microprocessor 30.
In step S312, the mobile electronic device 100 is connected with the base station 95 by for example the modem unit 70.
In step S314, the second external device 20 is used to communicate with the base station 95 via the mobile electronic device 100 by for example the modem unit 70.
In step S316, the microprocessor 30 determines whether the mobile electronic device 100 receives a data package. If yes, then step S318 is performed. If no, then the current step S316 is repeated.
In step S318, the mobile electronic device 100 transmits the data package to the second external device 40 via for example the I/O interface 90. The data package is received by for example the modem unit 70 of the mobile electronic device 100.
The mobile electronic device and the communication method applicable thereto disclosed as the above or other possible embodiments of invention enable one or more first external devices to be connected to the Internet through the mobile electronic device at the same time. The mobile electronic device is connected to the Internet first; and the routing IC enables multiple users (i.e. multiple first external devices) to be individually connected to the Internet, wherein the routing IC and the multiple first external devices may support the Bluetooth technology or the infrared data association (IrDA) technology. Thus, the mobile electronic device and the communication method applicable thereto disclosed as the above or other possible embodiments of invention not only provide e.g. a benefit of reducing the fees for Internet access that are to be paid by each of the multiple users as only one mobile electronic device is needed to achieve the multiple-user Internet access but also provide the convenience of allowing multiple users of the first external devices to access Internet at the same time. Example of the present invention has the potential for replacing conventional cabled broadband and is very competitive in the market.
It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes could be made to the disclosed embodiments described above without departing from the broad inventive concept thereof. It is understood, therefore, that the disclosed embodiments are not limited to the particular examples disclosed, but is intended to cover modifications within the spirit and scope of the disclosed embodiments as defined by the claims that follow.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 98130585 | Sep 2009 | TW | national |
