Terminal device emulator

Details Terminal device emulator Terminal device emulator

2002-05-24

2004-02-17

Tran, Cong Van (Department: 2685)

Telecommunications

Radiotelephone system

Programming control

C455S003010, C455S003060, C455S558000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06694134

ABSTRACT:

FIELD
The present invention relates generally to communication networks, and more particularly to a communication network, computer program and method for enabling a wireless enabled information processing device, such as a portable computer or personal digital assistant, to emulate a cellular communications terminal, such as a GSM (Global System for Mobile communications) or 3G (third generation) cellular telephone.
BACKGROUND
The use of wireless communication networks and devices, including cellular telephones and portable computers or network access appliances, has increased exponentially in recent years. Many individuals now carry a cellular telephone, and a portable computer or a similar information processing device, such as a laptop computer, notebook computer or personal digital assistant (PDA), adapted to access a wireless local area network (WLAN) or the Internet via a radio link. Maintaining and carrying two devices that perform essentially the same function, i.e., provide wireless access to a communication network, presents a number of difficulties or disadvantages. First is the expense associated with purchasing the two separate devices, and the expense associated with subscribing to separate services for both devices. There is also the weight or bulk of the devices themselves. Although cellular telephones and portable computers or PDAs are decreasing in size, they are still somewhat bulky.
One possible solution to the above problem is a combination portable computer/telephone having dual radio functionality, including a first radio, such as a radio compatible with one or more high performance wireless communication standards, including, for example, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers 802. 11, high performance local area network (HiperLAN) or Bluetooth, for accessing a computer network, and a second GSM or 3G radio transceiver for accessing a cellular network. However, this approach is not wholly satisfactory for a number of reasons. First the integration of two radios into a single combination device adds to the complexity of the device and therefore would probably not result in substantial savings in cost or weight. In fact, the integration of two radios in a single device, would necessarily require additional components, thereby adding to the cost and complexity of the devices. Moreover, because the two radios operate in vastly different frequency ranges, it is not necessarily the case that a single service provider would be able to provide service in both bands, and therefore there may not be any savings in operating or service costs.
There is yet another problem with conventional cellular telephones and with the above combination device. Wide spread use of cellular telephones, particularly in urban areas and along major travel corridors has led to an overload condition with congestion in the available licensed frequency bands oftentimes resulting in delays, denial of services, and degraded service.
Another approach to solving the above problems is the use of voice over an Internet Protocol network (VoIP) with a WLAN. In this approach voice information is ‘packetized’ and transmitted from a portable computer or wireless device to an access point connected to a wired local area network or the Internet. This approach is also not wholly satisfactory for a number of reasons. First, the portable computer lacks the ability to provide many of the services commonly expected with cellular telephones, including supplementary and value-added services such as call waiting, call-forwarding, call-conferencing and short message service. Second, while this approach might work well for a small, privately owned WLAN, traffic over public IP networks, such as the Internet, which would necessarily interconnect the access points, would likely cause problems with loss of packets, prioritization of packets, delay of packets and errors in packets. This in turn would result in an unacceptably degraded service.
Accordingly, there is a need for an apparatus and method capable of providing both wireless voice and data communication. It is desirable that the apparatus be less expensive, less complex, and weigh less or have less bulk than a separate cellular telephone and portable computer or other information processing device combined. It is also desirable that the apparatus be compatible with standardized private WLANs, and public cellular networks and Internet infrastructures. It is further desirable that the apparatus provide voice communication having a quality of service the same as or superior to that provided by single purpose GSM network or 3G network cellular telephones.
The system and method of the present invention provides these and other advantages over the prior art.
SUMMARY
It is an object of the present invention to provide a communication system or network and method for enabling information processing devices, such as portable computers or personal digital assistants (PDAs), to communicate with telephones of private and public networks via an access point of a wireless local area network (WLAN).
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a client computer program or software capable of being downloaded into an information processing device having access to a WLAN to enable the information processing device to communicate with telephones of private and public networks via the access point of the WLAN.
In one aspect, the invention is directed to an information processing device capable of emulating a cellular communications terminal, such as a cellular telephone. Generally, the information processing device includes: (i) a transceiver capable of communicating with an access point of a WLAN; (ii) a computer readable memory; (iii) a processor capable of executing instructions of a computer program stored in the computer readable memory; and (iv) a computer program stored in the computer readable memory, the computer program having program code for enabling the information processing device to emulate a cellular communications terminal. Generally, the communications terminal emulated is a voice terminal, and the computer program further includes program code for marking or identifying packets containing voice information or voice packets to the access point. Preferably, the computer program further includes program code to enable the information processing device to emulate any one of a number of different telephones including: CDMA telephones; Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) cellular telephones; and third generation (3G) cellular telephones. More preferably, the computer program further includes program code to enable the information processing device to emulate a particular model of cellular telephone manufactured by a particular manufacturer.
In one embodiment, the information processing device further includes a subscriber identity module (SIM) card and an adapter that enables it to communicate with and function in a public or private cellular network. Alternatively, the information processing device further includes at least one virtual identity module with subscriber identification and security information stored in the computer readable memory to enable it to communicate with and function in a public or private cellular network.
In another embodiment, the computer program includes program code to enable the information processing device to control supplementary services and/or value added services provided by the public network or private network. Supplementary services controlled by the computer program can include: Voice Group Call Service; Voice Broadcast Service; Service definition Line Identification Supplementary Services; Call Forwarding Supplementary Services; Call Waiting and Call Hold Supplementary Services; Multiparty call conferencing; Closed User Group Supplementary Services; Advice of Charge Supplementary Services; Call Barring Supplementary Services; Unstructured Supplementary Service Data; Explicit Call Transfer; Completion of Calls to Busy Subscriber; Short Message Service; and Follow Me. Value-added servic

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