Patent ID: 6269252
Filing Date: 2001-07-31
Classification: H04L,H04W

Abstract:
A bridging apparatus for use in a wireless communications system suitable for being programmed by software programs to communicate wireless signals of different formats between a plurality of external wireless communication networks and a user, comprising:a plurality of network interfaces for use in communicating with the plurality of external wireless communications networks, each of said plurality of network interfaces being capable of converting a wireless communications signal between a signal format used by an associated external wireless communications network and a common signal format used by said bridging apparatus;a bridge, operatively coupled to said plurality of network interfaces, for establishing at least one bridge connection between the external wireless communications networks, said bridge operating on communications signals having said common signal format, wherein said bridge includes a processor and a memory, said processor for executing programs stored in said memory, wherein said memory includes a program for effecting said at least one bridge connection;a user interface, coupled to said bridge, for use in transferring information to said bridge from the user of said bridging apparatus and for transferring information to the user from said bridge;said user interface being adapted for use in delivering the software programs from said user to said bridge;at least one of said plurality of network interfaces being electronically reconfigurable for operating with the different signal formats;said at least one bridge connection being reconfigured by changing a software program executed by said processors;at least two of the plurality of external communications networks using signal formats that are different from one another; andat least one of the plurality of network interfaces communicating a wireless signal with a corresponding external communications network via a wireless communications channel.