United States Patent 7,616,970
Gorsuch November 10, 2009
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Dual mode unit for short range, high rate and long range, lower rate data communications
Abstract
A technique for communicating with a local area network (LAN) via a wireless connection determines whether a first short-range, high-speed, wireless communication path is available and connects to the LAN using a longer range, lower speed wireless communication path if the short-range, high-speed wireless communication path is not available. The low-range, high-speed wireless communication path is a wireless LAN connection such as an IEEE 802.11-compliant wireless LAN and the long-range, low-speed wireless communication mode is a cellular CDMA-type connection. Determining whether the first IEEE 802.11 mode is available can be done by detecting a beacon signal, or by transmitting a probe request message and detecting a probe response message in response to the probe request, indicating the presence or availability of the short-range, high-speed wireless communication path. Alternatively, the availability of short-range, high-speed wireless communication path can be detected by simply detecting activity on it.
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Inventors: Gorsuch; Thomas E. (Indialantic, FL)
Assignee: IPR Licensing, Inc. (Wilmington, DE)
Appl. No.: 11/326,809
Filed: January 6, 2006
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Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application Number Filing Date Patent Number Issue Date
10358082 Feb., 2003 7013162
10341528 Jan., 2003 7024222
09400136 Sep., 1999 6526034
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Current U.S. Class: 455/553.1 ; 455/552.1
Current International Class: H04M 1/00 (20060101)
Field of Search: 455/553.1,552.1
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