Patent ID: 7983670
Filing Date: 2011-07-19
Classification: H04M,H04W

Abstract:
1. A device, connected to and interfacing with a subscriber network within a subscriber location, said device enabling network connectivity of said subscriber with a network service provider, the device comprising: a wireless transceiver; an antenna coupled to the wireless transceiver; and a switch interfacing with said subscriber network, said switch being coupled to the wireless transceiver and to a wireline network, the switch exchanging data between said interfaced subscriber network and the network service provider over the wireline network during normal operation and also exchanging data with the network service provider via the wireless transceiver when connectivity is lost on the wireline network; wherein the wireless transceiver is configured to relay data from another wireless transceiver interfacing with another subscriber network that has lost said connectivity to the wireline network due to a problem in a residence or place of business of a network subscriber associated with said another subscriber network, said another wireless transceiver being connected to said wireless transceiver through no more than one other wireless transceiver interfacing with one other subscriber network that has also lost said connectivity to the wireline network when said data is being relayed, said another and said one other wireless transceivers having been wireline-connected to the wireline network during normal operation, said data relay being accomplished by receiving a connect message from said another wireless transceiver at said no more than one other wireless transceiver; encapsulating the connect message within a message addressed from said no more than one other wireless transceiver and transmitting the encapsulated connect message from the no more than one other wireless transceiver to the wireless transceiver; encapsulating the encapsulated connect message within a message addressed from the wireless transceiver and transmitting the further-encapsulated connect message from the wireless transceiver over the wireline network to a network control; receiving an indication of authorization at the wireless transceiver and at the no more than one other wireless transceiver; receiving data packets from said another wireless transceiver at the no more than one other wireless transceiver; and based on the indication of authorization, forwarding the data packets between said no more than one other wireless transceiver to the wireless transceiver and from the wireless transceiver to the wireline network.