Abstract:
A communication interface device includes a wireless Internet packet (IP) transceiver and a PCMCIA card electrically connected to the transceiver. Also, a universal serial bus (USB) connector is plugged into a hub that holds the PCMCIA card, with a cord extending from the USB connector and terminating in another USB connector. Accordingly, the device can be engaged with the PCMCIA bay of a user terminal or, if a user terminal has no PCMCIA bay, with a USB receptacle of the user terminal, to establish wireless communication between the terminal and a base station of a wireless LAN/WAN.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates generally to wireless Internet Packet (IP) communication devices having more than one interface format. 
   2. Description of the Related Art 
   Networked computing is a powerful tool for business and personal use. With it, the user of a user terminal that communicates with a network such as a company&#39;s local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN) can access and share data with other terminals in the network. 
   Most LAN/WANs are implemented by wired connections, i.e., by requiring that the computers in a network be attached to the network by means of wires. For convenience and to permit easy movement of user terminals within the Network, wireless Networks have been introduced, in which network communication is established via a wireless radiofrequency (rf) or infrared (IR) link. 
   As recognized by the present invention, a wireless communication interface can be established by connecting an interface component to a user terminal such as a laptop computer or personal computer. Once connected, the interface component can be used to transfer data via the wireless link between the user terminal and the network. 
   As also recognized herein, an interface component must be mechanically configured to engage the user terminal and electrically configured to communicate via the particular wireless link being used. Unfortunately, some potentially preferred interface components, such as personal computer memory card interface architecture (PCMCIA) cards which are configured for engaging a PCMCIA slot in a laptop computer, might not be engageable with PCs without a PCMCIA card adaptor, because many PCs do not have PCMCIA slots. Accordingly, the present invention understands that a separate interface component that would include a mechanical connection such as a PCMCIA card adaptor or a universal serial bus (USB) connector would be required to interface such PCs with the wireless link. 
   The present invention has made the critical observation that while two mechanical connections defining two respective interface formats might be required to link two differently-configured user terminals to a network, many of the electrical components that support wireless link communication would remain the same for each terminal. Thus, making separate interface devices for each type of user terminal in the network is wasteful since common communication components would have to be duplicated in separate devices. This increases manufacturing costs and requires a user of both a network laptop and a network PC to purchase and use separate interface devices, one for each of his network terminals. Having recognized the above-noted problem, the present invention provides the solution disclosed herein. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   A communication interface device includes a wireless Internet packet (IP) transceiver and a PCMCIA card electrically connected to the transceiver. A universal serial bus (USB) connector is also electrically connected to the transceiver. 
   In a preferred embodiment, the wireless transceiver operates in a frequency range of between nine kiloHertz and fifty gigaHertz (9 kHz-50 gHz) and more preferably in a range between two thousand three hundred million Hertz and two thousand three hundred ten million Hertz (2300 mHz-2310 mHz), inclusive. The transceiver and PCMCIA card can be integral with each other to establish a housing, with the USB connector being connected to the transceiver with a cord. Specifically, the USB connector is a first USB connector, and the device includes a second USB connector attached to the cord and detachably engageable with the housing. 
   A light emitting diode (LED) can be mounted on the housing and operable to indicate whether the transceiver is communicating with a base station, and to indicate other events. For the same purpose, an audio speaker or beeper can be mounted on the housing. 
   If desired, a battery can be included in the housing, and an audio or visual indication of a low voltage condition of the battery can be provided. A charger port can also be on the housing and electrically connected to the battery to provide for recharging the battery. Also, a directional antenna can be detachably mounted on the housing and electrically connected to the transceiver. 
   In another aspect, a wireless communication device for providing at least two communication interfaces includes an antenna. A first computer communication interface component is electrically associated with the antenna, with the first computer communication interface component defining a first interface format. Moreover, a second computer communication interface component is electrically associated with the antenna, and the second computer communication interface component defines a second interface format. Accordingly, the device can be used to establish wireless communication between a user terminal and a base station using one of the interface formats. 
   In still another aspect, a device for effecting wireless communication between a user terminal and a base station includes wireless transmitting means, and first communication interface means engageable with a user terminal for communicating IP data from the user terminal to the base station using the wireless transmitting means. Additionally, second communication interface means are attached to the first communication interface means and are engageable with a user terminal for communicating IP data from the user terminal to the base station using the wireless transmitting means. 
   In another aspect, a logic device usable by a user terminal determines whether a first or second computer communication interface component is engaged with the terminal. If a computer communication interface component is engaged with the terminal, the logic device determines whether the first computer communication interface component is engaged with the terminal. If it is, a device driver module associated with the first computer communication interface component is invoked. Otherwise, a device driver module associated with the second computer communication interface component is invoked. The logic device can be embodied as an article of manufacture—a machine component—that is used by a digital processing apparatus and which tangibly embodies a program of instructions that are executable by the digital processing apparatus to execute the present logic. This invention is realized in a critical machine component that causes a digital processing apparatus to perform the inventive method steps herein. 
   The details of the present invention, both as to its structure and operation, can best be understood in reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals refer to like parts. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram showing the system architecture of the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of a preferred wireless IP communication interface device; 
       FIG. 3  is a flow chart showing the logic for invoking the appropriate device driver; and 
       FIG. 4  is a flow chart showing the operating logic of the system. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   Referring initially to  FIG. 1 , a system is shown, generally designated  10 , that includes a communication interface device  12  engageable with a user terminal  14  for establishing wireless communication between the terminal  14  and a base station  16  of a wireless network  18 . In one non-limiting embodiment used only for illustration purposes, the network  18  can have a broadband Internet packet (IP) data protocol, such as an i-Burst network made by Arraycomm. Such a network can use space division multiple access (SDMA) directional communication principles and has a data transfer rate in excess of one megabyte per second. 
     FIG. 2  shows one preferred embodiment of the interface device  12 . As shown, the device  12  can include a first computer communication interface component, such as a PCMCIA card  20 , which defines a first interface format. Also, the device  12  includes a second computer communication interface component such as a universal serial bus (USB) connector  22  which defines a second interface format. In one preferred embodiment, the USB connector  22  includes a male USB “A” plug  24  having two rows of pins (five pins in one row and four in the other row), with the USB “A” plug  24  being connected via a cord  26  to a USB “B” plug  28 . The USB plugs  24 ,  28  are preferably in accordance with USB 2.0. In alternate embodiments, the second computer communication interface component can be established by a so-called “ILink” connection in accordance with IEEE standard 1394 or even a wireless component such as a so-called “Bluetooth” rf communication device. 
   In any case, as intended by the present invention both computer communication interface components are electrically associated with a transceiver  30 , such as a wireless IP transceiver provided by Arraycomm. Such a transceiver operates in a frequency range of between nine kiloHertz to fifty gigaHertz (9 kHz-50 gHz) and more preferably in a range between two thousand three hundred million Hertz and two thousand three hundred ten million Hertz (2300 mHz-2310 mHz). It is to be understood that the transceiver  30  can be integral to the PCMCIA card  20 . The transceiver  30  with PCMCIA card  20  establish a housing  32  that can include a raised hub  34  detachably supporting a preferably directional antenna  36 . 
   As shown in  FIG. 2 , a USB “B” receptacle  38  is formed in the hub  34 . Accordingly, the USB “B” plug  28  of the USB connector  22  is configured for mechanically and electrically engaging the receptacle  38 . Thus, the USB connector  22  is detachably engaged with the housing  32 , but a non-detachable connection can also be used. According to present principles, the transceiver  30  is associated with the antenna  36 , such that both computer communication interface components are electrically connected to the antenna  36 . It may now be appreciated that the PCMCIA card  20  can be engaged with a PCMCIA slot of the user terminal  14  to establish wireless communication between the user terminal  14  and the base station  16  using the first interface format, or, if no PCMCIA slot is available, the USB “A” plug  24  can be engaged with a USB receptacle of the user terminal  14  to establish wireless communication between the user terminal  14  and the base station  16  using the second interface format. 
     FIG. 2  shows that if desired, a rechargeable battery  40  can be included with the housing  32 . Also, one or more light emitting diodes (LED)  42  can be mounted on the housing  34  to indicate whether the transceiver  30  is communicating with the base station  16 , and/or to indicate a low voltage condition of the battery, and/or to indicate other events such as power on and so on. Still further, a small audio speaker or beeper  44  can be mounted on the housing to indicate these same or different conditions. It is to be understood that the user terminal  14  can alternatively provide such audible and/or visual indications. 
   To provide for recharging the battery  40 , a charger port  46  configured for receiving a charger plug (not shown) can be formed in the housing and electrically connected to the battery  40  To conserve battery power, a power switch  48  can be provided on the housing  32  and electrically connected to the battery  40  so that a user can selectively connect and disconnect the battery  40  from the remainder of the components in the housing  32 . 
   The chipsets, firmware, or software of the user terminal  14  are configured for operating with the interface device  12 . The flow charts herein illustrate the structure of a logic device of the present invention as embodied in computer program software. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the flow charts illustrate the structures of logic elements, such as computer program code elements or electronic logic circuits, that function according to this invention. Manifestly, the invention is practiced in its essential embodiment by a machine component that renders the logic elements in a form that instructs a digital processing apparatus (that is, a computer) to perform a sequence of function steps corresponding to those shown. Internal logic could be as simple as a state machine. 
   In other words, the present logic may be established as a computer program that is executed by a processor as a series of computer-executable instructions. In addition to residing on hard disk drives, these instructions may reside, for example, in RAM of the appropriate computer, or the instructions may be stored on magnetic tape, electronic read-only memory, or other appropriate data storage device. 
     FIG. 3  shows that the user terminal  14  can determine, at decision diamond  50 , whether the interface device  12  is engaged with the terminal  14 . If not, the logic ends at state  52 , but otherwise the logic flows to decision diamond  54  to determine whether the PCMCIA card  20  has been engaged with a PCMCIA port on the terminal  14 . Of course, for terminals that have no PCMCIA port, the step at decision diamond  54  is skipped. 
   When it is determined that the PCMCIA card  20  has been engaged with the terminal  14 , a PCMCIA software driver module is invoked at state  56 . On the other hand, when it is determined that the device  12  is engaged with the terminal  14  but not via a PCMCIA connection, the logic flows to block  58  to identify the format (e.g., USB) and thence to block  60  to invoke the appropriate software driver module. 
   Once the interface device  12  has been engaged with the user terminal  14 , the logic of  FIG. 4  can be invoked. Commencing at block  62 , an icon representing the device  12  can be placed on the toolbar of the display of the user terminal  14 . As mentioned above, at block  64  the display of the terminal  14  can indicate link status, battery  40  status, device  12  power on status, link signal strength, and so on. Audible feedback of these parameters can also be provided by the user terminal  14  at block  66 . 
   While the particular DUAL INTERFACE WIRELESS IP COMMUNICATION DEVICE as herein shown and described in detail is fully capable of attaining the above-described objects of the invention, it is to be understood that it is the presently preferred embodiment of the present invention and is thus representative of the subject matter which is broadly contemplated by the present invention, that the scope of the present invention fully encompasses other embodiments which may become obvious to those skilled in the art, and that the scope of the present invention is accordingly to be limited by nothing other than the appended claims, in which reference to an element in the singular means “at least one”. All structural and functional equivalents to the elements of the above-described preferred embodiment that are known or later come to be known to those of ordinary skill in the art are expressly incorporated herein by reference and are intended to be encompassed by the present claims. Moreover, it is not necessary for a device or method to address each and every problem sought to be solved by the present invention, for it to be encompassed by the present claims. Furthermore, no element, component, or method step in the present disclosure is intended to be dedicated to the public regardless of whether the element, component, or method step is explicitly recited in the claims. No claim element herein is to be construed under the provisions of 35 U.S.C. §112, sixth paragraph, unless the element is expressly recited using the phrase “means for”.