Claims
- 1. A communication system comprising:
a first wireless network; a mobile service station, the mobile service station comprising a plurality of network devices and a battery power supply; the plurality of network devices together forming a second wireless network operating as a subnetwork in the first wireless network; and at least one of the plurality of network devices participating on the first wireless network to provide access for others of the plurality of network devices to the first wireless network.
- 2. The communication system of claim 1 wherein one of the plurality of network devices comprising an access server.
- 3. The communication system of claim 2 wherein the access server participates as a slave device in the first wireless network pursuant to a first communication protocol and as a master device in the second wireless network pursuant to a second communication protocol.
- 4. The communication system of claim 3 wherein the access server resolves conflicts between the first and second communication protocols.
- 5. The communication system of claim 1 wherein the at least one of the plurality of network devices participates as a slave device in the first wireless network pursuant to a first communication protocol and as a master device in the second wireless network pursuant to a second communication protocol.
- 6. The communication system of claim 1 wherein one of the plurality of network devices other than the at least one of the plurality of network devices participates as a slave device in the first wireless network pursuant to a first communication protocol and as a slave device in the second wireless network pursuant to a second communication protocol.
- 7. A communication system comprising:
a wireless premises network; a wireless peripheral subnetwork having a relatively shorter range than the wireless premises network; a mobile network device capable of communicating with the wireless premises network and the wireless peripheral subnetwork; and a mobile service station having a battery power supply, the mobile service station configured to receive the mobile network device in mounting relation therewith, thereby providing the mobile network device access to the battery power supply.
- 8. The communication system of claim 7 wherein the mobile network device participates on the peripheral subnetwork when the mobile network device is within the relatively shorter range of the peripheral subnetwork.
- 9. The communication system of claim 7 further comprising a peripheral device disposed on the mobile service station which participates in the peripheral subnetwork.
- 10. The communication system of claim 7 wherein the mobile network device participates as a slave device in the wireless premises network pursuant to a first communication protocol while participating as a master device in the peripheral subnetwork pursuant to a second communication protocol.
- 11. The communication system of claim 10 wherein the mobile network device resolves conflicts between the first and second communication protocols.
- 12. The communication system of claim 7 wherein the mobile network device enters a state of low power consumption when not communicating with either the wireless premises network or the peripheral subnetwork.
- 13. The communication system of claim 7, the wireless premises network having a first plurality of network devices and the peripheral subnetwork having a second plurality of network devices such that when within range of one of the second plurality of network devices, the mobile network device participates as a master device in the peripheral subnetwork and when within range of one of the first plurality of network devices, the mobile network device participates as a slave device in the wireless premises network.
- 14. The communication system of claim 7 further comprising:
a network device independent of the mobile network device; means within the network device for identifying a range value indicative of the distance between the network device and the mobile network device; the network device responsive to the identifying means by transmitting the range value to the mobile network device; and the mobile network device, upon receipt of the range value, identifying an appropriate data rate for subsequent transmission to the network device.
- 15. The communication system of claim 7 further comprising:
a network device independent of the mobile network device; means within the network device for identifying a range value indicative of the distance between the network device and the mobile network device; and the network device responsive to the identifying means by indicating to the mobile network device an appropriate rate for subsequent data transmission to the network device.
- 16. The communication system of claim 7 further comprising:
a premises network device independent of the mobile network device; means within the network device for identifying a range value indicative of the distance between the network device and the mobile network device; the network device responsive to the identifying means by transmitting the range value to the mobile network device; means within the mobile network device for identifying battery parameter information; and the mobile network device, based on the received range value and battery parameter information, identifying an appropriate data rate and power level for subsequent transmission to the network device.
- 17. A communication system to facilitate a transaction, the communication system comprising:
a first communication network comprising a first network device for capturing transaction information, and for generating therefrom code information representative of the transaction information; said first communication network further comprising a code printer for printing the code information in printed code form; and a second communication network comprising a service station, the service station comprising a second network device for reading the printed code and for accessing therefrom the captured transaction information.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation in part of U.S. application Ser. Nos. 08/232,628, filed Apr. 25, 1994 (Attorney Docket Nos. 10063US04 and DN36837AAX), and Ser. No.______ , filed Jun. 7, 1995 (Attorney Docket Nos. 10082US12 and DN37998XE). This application is also a continuation in part of PCT Application Serial No. PCT/US93/12628 filed Dec. 23, 1993 (Attorney Docket Nos. DN37967C and 10082WO01).
[0002] The application U.S. Ser. No. 08/232,628, filed Apr. 29, 1994 (Attorney Docket Nos. 10063US04 and DN36837AAX) is a continuation of Ser. No. 08/044,351, filed Apr. 7, 1993 (10063US03 and DN36837AA), which is a continuation of U.S. Ser. No. 07/727,021, filed Jul. 8, 1991 (Attorney Docket Nos. 91P330 and DN36837A), now U.S. Pat. No. 5,202,825 issued Apr. 13, 1993, which is itself a divisional application of U.S. Ser. No. 07/345,146, filed Apr. 28, 1989 (Attorney Docket Nos. 91P396 and DN36837), now U.S. Pat. No. 5,031,098.
[0003] The application U.S. Ser. No. ______ , filed Jun. 7, 1995 (Attorney Docket Nos. 10082US12 and DN37998XE) is a continuation in part of U.S. application Ser. Nos.: a) Ser No. 08/279,148, filed Jul. 22, 1994 (Attorney Docket Nos. 10082US11; DN37998XD); b) Ser. No. 07/876,629, filed Apr. 30, 1992 (Attorney Docket Nos. 92P275; DN36837D) ; and c) Ser. No. 08/267,758, filed Jul. 5, 1994 (Attorney Docket Nos. 10554US02; DN37613A)
[0004] The application U.S. Ser. No. 08/279,148 is a continuation-in-part of: PCT Application Serial No. PCT/US94/05037 filed May 6, 1994 (Attorney Docket Nos. 10082WO08; DN37998XAX) ; U.S. application Ser. No. 08/205,639 filed Mar. 4, 1994 (Attorney Docket Nos. DN37139XXA; 10458US03); and U.S. application Ser. No. 08/275,821, filed Jun. 10, 1994 (Attorney Docket Nos. 10082US10; DN37998XC).
[0005] PCT Application Serial No. PCT/US94/05037 is based on U.S. application Ser. No. 08/198,404, filed Feb. 22, 1994 (Attorney Docket Nos. 10082US07; DN37998XA), which is itself a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 08/198,452, filed Feb. 18, 1994 (Attorney Docket Nos. 10082US06; DN37998X), which is in turn a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 08/168,478, filed Dec. 16, 1993 (Attorney Docket Nos. 10092US06; DN37998E), and PCT Application Serial No. PCT/US93/12628 filed Dec. 23, 1993 (Attorney Docket Nos. DN37967C and 10082WO01). The application U.S. Ser. No. 08/168,478 is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 08/147,377 filed Nov. 3, 1993 (Attorney Docket No. DN37998D), which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 08/101,254 filed Aug. 3, 1993 (Attorney Docket No. DN37998C), which is itself a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 08/085,662 filed Jun. 29, 1993 (Attorney Docket No. DN37998B), which is itself a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 08/076,340 filed Jun. 11, 1993 (Attorney Docket No. DN37998A), which is in turn a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 08/062,457, filed May 11, 1993 (Attorney Docket No. DN37998).
[0006] PCT Application Serial No. PCT/US93/12628 is based on pending U.S. application Ser. No. 08/027,140 filed Mar. 5, 1993 (Attorney Docket Nos. DN37967B; 10082US05), which is itself a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. 07/997,693 filed Dec. 23, 1992 (Attorney Docket Nos. DN37967A; 10005US02), now abandoned, which is a continuationin-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 07/982,292 filed Nov. 27, 1992 (Attorney Docket Nos. DN37967; 92 P 837), now abandoned, which is itself a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 07/700,704 filed May 14, 1991 (Attorney Docket Nos. DN37834X; 91P383), now abandoned, which is itself a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 07/699,818 filed May 13, 1991 (Attorney Docket Nos. DN37834; 91P862), now abandoned.
[0007] The application U.S. Ser. No. 08/205,639 is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 07/735,128 filed Jul. 22, 1991 (Attorney Docket Nos. DN37139XX; 91P326), which is itself a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 07/467,096 filed Jan. 18, 1990 (Attorney Docket Nos. DN37139), now U.S. Pat. No. 5,052,020.
[0008] U.S. application Ser. No. 08/062,457 is a continuation in part of U.S. Ser. No. 07/876,776, filed Apr. 28, 1992 (Attorney Docket Nos. 92P334; DN36649XZB), which is itself a continuation in part of U.S. Ser. No. 07/854,115, filed Mar. 18, 1992 (Attorney Docket Nos. 92P241; DN36649XZA), which is in turn a continuation in part of U.S. Ser. No. 07/558,895, filed Jul. 25, 1990 (Attorney Docket Nos. 91P387; DN36649XZ). U.S. Ser. No. 07/558,895 is a continuation in part of U.S. Ser. No. 07/529,353, filed May 25, 1990 (Attorney Docket Nos. 91P869; DN36649XY), which is itself a continuation in part of U.S. Ser. No. 07/347,602, filed May 3, 1989 (Attorney Docket Nos. 91P386; DN36649XX), which is itself a continuation of U.S. Ser. No. 07/345,771, filed May 2, 1989 (Attorney Docket Nos. 91P844; DN36649Y), which is itself a continuation of U.S. Ser. No. 07/345,200, filed Apr. 28, 1989 (Attorney Docket Nos. 91P423; DN36649X), which is itself a continuation of U.S. Ser. No. 07/305,302, filed Jan. 31, 1989 (Attorney Docket Nos. 91P422; DN36649).
[0009] The application U.S. Ser. No. 07/876,629 is also a continuation in part of U.S. Ser. No. 07/854,115, filed Mar. 18, 1992 (Attorney Docket No. DN36649XZA), with its parentage as listed above.
[0010] The application U.S. Ser. No. 08/267,758 is a continuation in part of U.S. Ser. No. 07/748,150, filed Aug. 21, 1991 (Attorney Docket Nos. 10554US01; DN37613), now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 5,349,678 on Sep. 20, 1994.
Continuations (2)
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Continuation in Parts (10)
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