Patent Application
20130090060
1. Field
The described technology generally relates to a wireless modem, for example a universal serial bus (USB) modem, for communicating data. The data may be transmitted between one or more client devices and/or one or more cellular cell sites.
2. Description of the Related Technology
With the proliferation of high speed mobile internet services, an increasing number of wireless modems utilize high bandwidth wireless technologies. Examples of such modems include a USB dongle type modem. A USB dongle type modem can be connected to a USB port of a computing device to provide broadband internet access within 3G or WiMax networks, and a portable wireless local area network (WLAN) hot-spot modem.
High bandwidth wireless technologies include code division multiple access (CDMA), global system for mobile (GSM), evolution data only (EVDO), high speed packet access (HSPA), long term evolution (LTE), and WiMax technologies, etc., offered by commercial cellular service providers. Those high bandwidth wireless networks are hereinafter referred to as wireless wide area network (WWAN), to be distinguished from short-range wireless networks such as WLAN (or Wi-Fi according to IEEE 802.11b/g/n), Blue Tooth and Zigbee which cover a limited area, for example, inside a commercial building or residence.
The devices, systems, and methods of the present disclosure have several features, no single one of which is solely responsibly for its desirable attributes. Without limiting the scope of this invention as expressed by the claims which follow, its more prominent features will now be discussed briefly. After considering this discussion, and particularly after reading the section entitled “Detailed Description,” one will understand how the features of this disclosure provide several advantages over other wireless modems.
One inventive aspect is a wireless USB modem which is attached to a client device so as to communicate data with the client device and wirelessly communicate data with at last one client device which is located remotely from the USB modem.
Another aspect is a wireless USB modem which can wirelessly communicate data with a client device without the need for a USB driver or CM program being in the client device.
Another aspect is a wireless USB modem (standalone or hostless modem) which can be plugged into an external power source and wirelessly communicate data with at least one client device which is located within WLAN (Wi-Fi) coverage (or other short distance wireless network that can be used in a building or home), even if the USB modem is not physically connected to the client device.
Another aspect is a wireless USB modem which provides a WLAN interface to a client device located within WLAN coverage regardless of the type of operating system on the client device.
Another aspect is a wireless USB modem which can selectively provide a physical USB interface or a WLAN interface to a client device that is connected to the USB modem.
Another aspect is a wireless USB modem which can be physically connected to a client's device without the client having to select specific USB driver software for a specific operation systems (OS) and installing the USB driver software and CM application program on their device.
Another aspect is a wireless USB modem which allows for a client device to control and monitor data connection and WWAN connections using a commercially available web user interface (web UI) without having to install CM application software.
Another aspect is a wireless universal serial bus (USB) modem comprising: a wireless wide area network (WWAN) transceiver configured to transmit and receive WWAN data via a public wireless network; a physical USB interface configured to communicate USB data with and/or receive power from a first computing device; a WWAN interface configured to interface between the USB data and the WWAN data; a wireless local area network (WLAN) transceiver configured to transmit and receive WLAN data via a WLAN; a WLAN interface configured to communicate data, via the WLAN, with the first computing device and/or at least one second computing device which is not physically connected to the modem; a memory configured to store a USB driver program and a connection manager program, and a web user interface program; and a controller being in data communication with the memory and configured to selectively activate the physical USB interface or the WLAN interface.
Another aspect is a wireless modem comprising: a first transceiver configured to wirelessly transmit and receive first data according to a wireless long-range communication standard; a second transceiver configured to wirelessly transmit and receive second data according to a wireless short-range communication standard; a wireless interface configured to wirelessly communicate the second data with a first computing device according to the short-range communication standard; and a controller configured to perform a signal conversion between the first data and second data.
Another aspect is a method of operating a wireless universal serial bus (USB) modem comprising: wirelessly transmitting and receiving first data according to a long-range communication standard; wirelessly transmitting and receiving second data according to a short-range communication standard; wirelessly communicating the second data with a first computing device according to the short-range communication standard; and performing, at a wireless USB modem, a signal conversion between the first data and the second data.
Another aspect is a wireless universal serial bus (USB) modem, comprising: means for wirelessly transmitting and receiving first data according to a long-range communication standard; means for wirelessly transmitting and receiving second data according to a short-range communication standard; means for wirelessly communicating the second data with a first computing device according to the short-range communication standard; and means for performing, at a wireless USB modem, a signal conversion between the first data and the second data.
The above mentioned and other features of this disclosure will now be described with reference to the drawings of several embodiments of the present wireless modem, systems, and methods of use. The illustrated embodiments of the modem, systems, and methods are intended to illustrate, but not to limit the disclosure. The drawings contain the following figures:
Embodiments will be described with respect to the accompanying drawings. Like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout the detailed description.
Wireless modems attached to client devices allow wireless data transfer between client devices and cellular cell sites, enable clients to browse internet, and to send or receive emails from their fixed or portable computing devices. An exemplary communication standard is the universal serial bus (USB) protocol. USB (Universal Serial Bus) is an industry standard that defines the cables, connectors and protocols used for connection, communication and power supply between computers and electronic devices. Of course the wireless modem is not limited to use with any specific standard.
In order to have the USB modem physically connected to client devices, users of the client devices are generally required to install software in their devices. The software can include, for example, a USB driver and connection manager (CM) software. While USB modem manufacturers offer many USB drivers and CM programs, consumers still need to select the appropriate driver and program that is compatible with the operation system (OS) of their device.
Wireless USB modems generally have a baseband processor and a radio frequency (RF) unit to process a WWAN signal received from cellular cell sites. A typical wireless USB modem includes a modulator and a demodulator which perform a signal conversion between a USB data signal and a WWAN radio frequency (RF) signal. The wireless USB modem also includes a USB physical connector (e.g., USB port) which allows the modem to communicate data with a client device connected thereto. The USB physical connector also allows the USB modem to receive power from the connected client device.
The wireless network cell site 100 can be a base station or any other device or system connected to the Internet. An antenna and RF unit 110 is connected to the wireless network cell site 100. A wireless USB modem 130 and the client device 150 establish a USB connection 140 via respective physical USB interfaces (e.g., USB ports). The USB modem 130 receives power from and communicates data with the client device 150 via the established USB interface 140. The wireless USB modem 130 and the antenna and RF unit 110 allow the client device 150 and the wireless network cell site 100 to wirelessly communicate RF data with each other via the public wireless network 120.
The USB modem 130 may include additional elements (software or hardware) such as an encoder, a decoder and a processor (not shown) so as to convert RF data, received from the cell site 100, to USB data, and transmit the converted data to the client device 150, and to convert USB data, received from the client device 150, to RF data, and transmit the converted data to the cell site 100.
In order to connect the USB modem 130 to the client device 150, a user is required to install a USB driver 220 (see
The USB modem 130 provides only the physical USB interface 140 for physically connecting with the single client device 150, which limits its connectivity. For example, when the user plugs the USB modem 130 into another client device, the user must install the appropriate USB driver and CM software into the other client device. Furthermore, the USB modem 130 can not operate as a standalone device even if the modem 130 receives power from an external power source because the modem 130 cannot wirelessly communicate data with a client device. Moreover, USB Modem manufacturers have to provide different USB deriver and CM programs which are compatible with various operation systems of different client devices such as Windows, Macintosh, Linux, Android and iOS.
The wireless data communication network 20 includes a client device 152 and a wireless network cell site 100 which wirelessly communicate data with each other via a public wireless network 120. The client device 152 can be any computing device, including but not limited to, a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a smart phone, a personal digital assistant or any other computing device that can communicate data with the USB modem 132.
In one embodiment, the USB modem 132 includes a physical USB interface 142 and a wireless interface 160. The physical USB interface 142 establishes a physical connection between the modem 132 and the client device 152. The wireless interface 160 establishes a wireless link between the modem 132 and the client device 152 and/or at least one detached client device 154. In the illustrated embodiment, a user may select one or both of the two interfaces 142 and 160 for the USB modem 132 to communicate data with the client device.
For example, if the USB modem 132 is physically connected to the client device 152 and the user selects the physical interface 142, the USB modem 132 performs data communication based on the selected physical interface. In one embodiment, upon the user's selection, the USB modem 132 receives power from the attached client device 152, and communicates data with the client device 152 via the physical USB interface 142 (“power+data communication” mode). In this embodiment, the user is prompted to install USB driver and CM programs, unless they are already installed in the client device 152.
In another embodiment, the USB modem 132 is physically connected to the client device 152 only for the purpose of power supply. In this embodiment, no wired data communication between the USB modem 132 and the client device 152 is required via the physical interface 142. Instead, a WLAN access point (AP) unit 162 allows the USB modem 132 to wirelessly communicate data with the client device 152 via the wireless interface 160 while receiving power from the client device 152 (“power supply” mode). The advantage of this power supply mode is that there is no need to install USB driver and CM programs in the client device 152. Furthermore, the USB modem 132 can provide the wireless interface 160 to at least one detached client device 154.
The modem 132 can also provide the wireless interface 160 to at least one detached client device 154. In this mode, the wireless modem 132 does not need to be plugged into the client device 154 via the USB port, since the USB modem 132 allows the client device 154 to wirelessly communicate data with the wireless cell site 100 via the wireless interface 160 and the public wireless network 120. Although
In this power supply mode, the USB modem 132 wirelessly communicates data with the attached client device 152 and/or at least one detached client device 154 via the wireless interface 160, while receiving power from the client device 152. That is, even if the USB modem 132 is physically connected to the client device 152, the modem 132 can wirelessly communicate data with wireless units of the client devices 152 and 154, without having to install a USB driver and CM program in the client devices 152 and 154. The wireless interface 160 may be a short-range wireless interface such as WLAN (or Wi-Fi according to IEEE 802.11b/g/n), Blue Tooth, Zigbee or any other short-range wireless interfaces which cover a limited area, for example, inside a commercial building or residence.
In one embodiment, the owner of the USB modem 132 uses a web user interface (UI) to limit the number of client devices accessing the USB modem 132 as shown in
The web UI screen of
In another embodiment, a wireless USB modem 134 is physically connected to an external power source 170 (see
In one embodiment, the external power source 170 is a battery pack which has a USB female connector that can accept the counterpart of the USB modem 134. The battery pack can be charged with the use of a charging circuit or an electric power outlet. In another embodiment, the external power source 170 includes any device or machine that can be electrically wired or wirelessly connected to the USB modem for power supply via, for example, a regular size (type A) USB port provided in the modem 134. The USB modem 134 may additionally, or instead of the type A USB port, include a smaller USB port such as a mini B-type USB port or a micro B-type USB port. In this situation, the external power source 170 may include a smaller USB port corresponding to the smaller port of the USB modem 132.
Plugged into the external power source 170, the wireless USB modem 134 can establish a standalone hotspot modem without a physical connection with a client device. Again, multiple users can wirelessly connect their client devices 152 to the standalone USB modem 134 and can wirelessly communicate data with the wireless cell site 100 via the modem 134 and the public wireless network 120.
The WWAN control processor 530 may supervise the overall operation of the modem 132. For example, the WWAN control processor 530 may perform a signal conversion between WWAN data received from the cell site 100 and USB data received from the client device 152. The WWAN control processor 530 may also forward WWAN data received from the WLAN AP processor 540 to the WWAN interface 512 to be transmitted to the cell site 100 via the public wireless network 120.
The WLAN interface 522 allows the USB modem 132 to wirelessly communicate data with a WLAN unit of the client device 152 or 154 via the WLAN transceiver 520 once the wireless interface 160 (e.g., WLAN) is established between the modem 132 and the client device 152 or 154. The WLAN AP processor 540 may control the WLAN operation of the modem 132. For example, the WLAN AP processor 540 may perform a signal conversion between WLAN data received from the client devices 152 and 154, and WWAN data received from the WWAN control processor 530.
In one embodiment the WLAN control processor 530 is a master and the WLAN AP processor 540 is a slave. In another embodiment the WLAN AP processor 540 is the master and the WLAN control processor 530 is the slave. The WLAN control processor 530 and WLAN AP processor 540 may be incorporated into a single processor or more than two processors. The single processor may also include the memory 560.
In one embodiment, the memory 560 stores a USB driver program 562, a connection manager program 564 and a web UI launcher 566. In another embodiment, the memory 560 does not store the USB driver program 562 and the connection manager program 564. The USB driver program 562 and connection manager program 564 may be prompted to be installed into the client device 152 by the WWAN control processor 530, when the user selects the physical USB interface 142 for data communication between the modem 132 and client device 152. The web UI launcher 566 may be prompted by the WWAN control processor 530 when the user selects the WLAN interface 160 for data communication between the modem 132 and client devices 152 and 154. The web UI launcher 566 can monitor and control the operation status of the modem 132 according to a user's selection of the physical USB interface 142 or the WLAN interface 160.
In one embodiment, the USB modem 132 may include an internal battery 570. The battery 570 may compensate for any difference between the maximum power (e.g., about 500 mmAh) provided through the USB interface 550 and the maximum power intermittently required by the modem 132 during operation. For example, when the modem 132 is consuming less than the maximum power provided by the USB interface 550, the battery 570 is charged by the external power source 170 or the client device 152 connected thereto via the USB interface 550. Furthermore, when the USB modem 132 temporarily requires more power than the USB modem can provide, the battery 570 discharges its power to maintain stable operation of the modem 132 or 134. In another embodiment, the modem 132 may use the internal battery 570 during normal operation.
In one embodiment, at least one of the USB modems 132 and 134 has the configuration of
In one embodiment, the processor is implemented with a variety of computer platforms using a single chip or multichip microprocessors, digital signal processors, embedded microprocessors, microcontrollers, etc. In another embodiment, the processor is implemented with a wide range of operating systems such as Unix, Linux, Microsoft DOS, Microsoft Windows 7/Vista/2000/9x/ME/XP, Macintosh OS, OS/2, Android, iOS and the like. In another embodiment, the procedure can be implemented with embedded software. Depending on the embodiment, additional states may be added, others removed, or the order of the states changes in
Referring to
When the client device 152 detects the WLAN signal, the modem 132 retrieves the web UI program 566 from the memory 560 and launches the web UI program 566 on the screen of the client device 152 to provide the user with a choice of data connection (630). In one embodiment, the user of the client device 152 is prompted to choose the physical USB interface 142 or the WLAN interface 160 (630).
If it is determined in state 630 that the physical USB interface 142 has been selected as data transmission media (“physical USB interface” mode), the modem 132 may deactivate the WLAN function, including discontinuing transmission of the WLAN signal (640). Then, it is determined whether a USB driver program and a CM program are already installed in the client device 152 (642). In one embodiment, if it is determined in state 642 that there is no USB driver and CM programs installed, the modem 132 retrieves and installs the USB driver and CM software 562 and 564, stored in the memory 560, into the client device 152 (644). In another embodiment, the state 642 is omitted, and the USB modem 132 directly installs the USB driver and CM software 562 and 564 into the client device 152.
If it is determined in state 642 that a USB driver and a CM software are already installed, or after the modem 132 installs the USB driver and CM software into the client device 152, the modem 132 requests a WWAN connection to the commercial cellular cell site 100 to which the user subscribes (646). Once the WWAN connection is established between the USB modem 132 and the cellular cell site 100 (648), the modem 132 starts data communication by, for example, converting WWAN data into USB data, and transmitting the USB data to the client device 132 via the physical USB interface 142 (650). In this mode, the physical USB interface 142 is used for both power supply and data transfer between the USB modem 132 and the client device 152. Furthermore, the modem 132 can be accessed only by the client device 152 physically connected thereto.
If it is determined in state 630 that the WLAN interface 160 has been selected, the modem 132 maintains the WLAN connection with the client device 152 and requests a WWAN connection from the commercial cellular cell site 100 (“WLAN interface” or “wireless interface” mode) (652). Once the WWAN connection is established (654), the modem 132 performs the WLAN interface 160, including converting the WWAN signal into the WLAN signal and vice versa (656, 658).
The USB modem 132 or 134 receives power from the client device 152 connected thereto or the external power source 170. In this WLAN interface mode, the user does not need to install USB driver and CM software into the client device 150, and can function as a standalone modem if it is connected to the external power source 170. As described above, at least one other client device 154 also has access to the USB modem 132 or 134 via the WLAN interface 160. Furthermore, the user of the client device 152 or the owner of the modem 132 or 134 can limit the number of accessible client devices through the WEB UI screen as shown in
The USB modem according to at least one of the disclosed embodiments has the following advantages over the comparative USB modem described with respect to
Moreover, the USB modem according to at least one embodiment can relieve clients from having to select appropriate USB driver software for various operation systems (OS) and installing the USB driver software and CM application program into their devices to make physical connection to the USB modem.
While the above description has pointed out features of various embodiments, the skilled person will understand that various omissions, substitutions, and changes in the form and details of the device or process illustrated may be made without departing from the scope of the appended claims.
