Abstract:
An apparatus to provide a multi-media communications access point for vehicles that permits subscribing devices to transmit file data, and telephonic or video data to other remote devices via an HSDPA RF communications network. The apparatus includes a wireless access switch, a cellular data transceiver, an optional data network signal booster, two antennas, and an input-output interface panel. Firmware in the wireless access point allows high-speed access to the cellular data network and point to point mobile communications from one apparatus to another minor apparatus.

Description:
[0001]    This application claims the benefit of filing priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 and 37 C.F.R. §1.78 from U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/097,737 filed Sep. 17, 2008, for Vehicle Multi-Media Communications Point Source. All information disclosed in those prior applications is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates generally to the transmission of data over a global communications network, such as the Internet. In greater particularity, the present invention relates to the receipt and transmission of telecommunications data from a communications point source in a vehicle. In greater particularity, the present invention also relates to devices providing access to a global communications network, such as the Internet, to the passengers in a car vehicle in a consolidated electronics package. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    While single point wireless access to the Internet have been prevalent in homes and businesses since the mid to late 1990s, the availability of Internet access to transportation vehicles, such as automobiles has been limited. Further, even when available to vehicles, such systems are complicated to configure and even more complicated to access. These systems also typically were part of an integrated vehicle automobile network like the “On-Star” warning system and have complicated overhead and must be installed during vehicle manufacturing. 
         [0004]    Certainly, notebook computers have had available to them high-speed cellular data modems from which a notebook computer can be provided internet access from any cellular network accessible location, and whether moving or not, since the late 1990s, but such access points are specific to each computer having been preconfigured to be used on the recipient laptop computer and they do not provide Internet access to other devices held by other vehicle passengers that would benefit from such access. Moreover, such access systems are relatively slow and costly since they require expensive online accounts. 
         [0005]    Hence, what is needed in the vehicle industry, and especially in automobiles, is a relatively low cost, easily installed device that would provide liberal and simple access to the Internet for all types of communications needs, whether data, telephonic (i.e. voice over Internet Protocol or “VoIP”), or video. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    In summary, the present apparatus is a compact, self-contained Internet access point that may installed into a vehicle of choice, such as an automobile, to transmit data, telephone, or video data. The apparatus includes a wireless router switch, a cellular data transceiver an input-output interface panel, two antennas and, optionally, a data network signal booster. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram showing a generalized view of the communications path from the invention to various remote communications destinations; 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is a system block diagram of the invention; 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is a system block diagram of another embodiment of the invention; 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is an exterior view of the wireless access portion of the apparatus showing the I/O interface connection exterior; 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is a functional processing diagram showing the major functions and subsystems of the network router/switch and cellular data transceiver; and, 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  is a data flow diagram showing point to point (apparatus to apparatus) communications path through the supporting cellular network and associated infrastructure. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0013]    Referring to the drawings for a better understanding of the function and structure of the invention,  FIG. 1  shows the communications environment  11  in which apparatus  10  operates. Apparatus  10  is installed into a vehicle  23  in a convenient location and, generally, after manufacturing of the vehicle, and likely at a dealer options installation location. The apparatus  10  is not dependant upon preconfigured electronics of the vehicle and, as such, can be incorporated into any vehicle that provides a compatible power supply. Additional apparatus units  10 ′ may be installed in additional vehicles  24  to permit point to point data communications. The apparatus  10  maintains constant communication through an available cellular network  18  which provides a backbone network superstructure to access and promote data through the Internet  17 . The network  18  allows point to point communications from vehicle to vehicle and vehicle to cellular phone  19  over wireless communications paths  21 , and from a vehicle to land-line subscribers within a home  14  via communications path  22 , which may include the Internet  17 . A requesting personal computer (“PC”)  13  having the appropriate software running thereon  16 , may also make data requests to the apparatus  10  via the Internet  17 , cellular network  18 , and wireless cellular pathway  137  to the apparatus  10  to access audio and video data in real-time from devices connected to the apparatus  10 . Communications over the Internet through a VoIP handset may also be accomplished for devices within the signal access foot-print of the apparatus  10 , as will be described. 
         [0014]    By providing a single point Internet access infrastructure within a vehicle, any person utilizing a communications device  10  within the footprint can access and freely communicate to another communications device within the footprint of another similar apparatus  10 ′, whether within the cellular network confines (e.g.  21 ) or outside via the Internet  17  (e.g.  22 ). Moreover, the data communications speed is far greater than current cellular voice modem performance benchmarks (e.g. far greater than T-mobile&#39;s voice EDGE network). 
         [0015]    Referring now to  FIG. 2 , the apparatus  10  includes various components to achieve the real-time exchange of communications data to a remotely located communications device. A network router switch  34  assigns an IP address to any device to which it will provide communications services. Several wireless access router switches are commercially available that may be utilized for switch  34 . For example, DOVADO FZ-LLC, offers a USB Mobile Broadband Router (aka “UMR”) that supports USB based 3G network modems. In particular, the Dovado router provides a wireless access point (i.e. an 802.11 B/G/N WLAN Access Point) with internal NAT router and DHCP server capabilities. It supports any USB modems that exhibit 3G/HSPA, CDMA2000xEVDO, and iBURST™ features, including speeds of 21 Mbps HSDPA/5.76 Mbps HSPA+. 
         [0016]    While the Dovado UMR access point is the preferred access point for the herein disclosed apparatus, other wireless access points such as Linksys Corporation&#39;s mobile wireless-G Router part no. WRT54G3GV2-ST can provide sufficient performance to accommodate the herein described system  10 . In general, any mobile broadband access point having the above described capabilities with the Dovado access point should suffice. Preferably, wireless switch  34  provides wireless 802.11B/G/ and, optionally, N router capabilities to any device requesting access and meeting such standards. 
         [0017]    An antennae  27  and power supply voltage input  38 , along with a general I/O interface panel  31 , allow the apparatus  10  to communicate with other devices. If used in a vehicle, the power supply is connected to a 12 volt power supply line from the automobile&#39;s power chassis, and the antennae  27  may be positioned adjacent to the housing  12  of the apparatus  10 . A suitable power supply source may be furnished from a 12V cigarette light receptacle connected to the access point  34  via a 12V power cord. The access point  34  includes the ability to receive an RJ-45 data input via I/O interface ports  31  and can be configured to achieve the communications performance required for herein described apparatus  10 . A second antennae  37  such as a magnetic, wind shield, or permanent antennae configured to transmit cellular data signals is positioned advantageously upon or within the vehicle to promote good signal strength and to facilitate communications with a cell tower or cell repeater, as is known in the art. 
         [0018]    Cellular data transceiver  36  provides data communications between wireless switch  34  and cellular data towers and associated cellular data infrastructure. The transceiver is preferably connected to switch  34  via a USB interface. Optionally, a data signal booster  26  (see  FIG. 3 ) amplifies the cellular transmission signals issued by transceiver  36  over link  32  and allows for greater communications transfer rates with the cellular infrastructure where signal strength fluctuations affect data transfer speeds. 
         [0019]    An example of a suitable transceiver for the herein disclosed apparatus  10  is a Compass 885 USB modem available from Sierra Wireless, Inc. based in British Columbia, Canada. While the Sierra USB modem is preferred, other USB based wireless modems Data sheets and technical specifications for these cellular transceivers, also known as “wireless wide-area modems for HSPA networks,” maybe found at www.sierrawireless.com the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties. As may be understood, various types of USB based modems are available from various manufactures, and Huawei, Novatel, and Vodafone all offer suitable USB based Modems. However, it is preferable that these modems meet the following specifications so that video and voice communications exhibit satisfactory performance to a user within a vehicle: (1) HSDPA/HSUPA/UMTS: 3GPP R5 GSM/GPRS/EDGE: 3GPP R99; (2) operating frequencies of UMTS/HSDPA/HSUPA 850/1900/2100 MHz GSM/GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900 MHz; and (3) SIM/USIM card standards (6 PIN SIM card interface). Any suitable USB based modem will necessarily include firmware having cellular communication protocols to transmit data packets to and from a wireless cellular network such that data loss is minimized and speed is maximized. Performance of such USB modems typically provide broadband (i.e. greater than 52 KB bi-directional transmission rate) speeds for the apparatus  10  in order to properly stream video and audio data to a remote device. Notably, as indicated in the specifications above, such communications occur over the HSDPA cellular data network, and not over the standard voice cellular network. Data communication speeds over a cellular voice network are not suitable for the herein described system. Typical broadband speeds utilizing HSDPA average download speeds of 7.2 Mbps and an average upload speeds of 2.0 Mbps (i.e. HSDPA Cat. Aug. 6, 1912). These speeds are superior ranges in order to stream live audio, live video, or Internet graphics data to or from the apparatus  10 , and providing a high-speed data command download path in order to control the apparatus  10 , if desired. It should be noted that while a component topology is disclosed, the inventors envision that a monolithic solution featuring a wireless access point with an integrated HSDPA modem will be available in the future. 
         [0020]    As shown in  FIG. 3 , a data signal radio frequency booster  26  (i.e. an RF amplifier) may be incorporated to amplify the cellular transmission signals issued by transceiver  36  over link  32  and may allow for greater communications transfer rates within the cellular infrastructure, depending upon the range of a unit from a cellular tower. A satisfactory RF amplifier for the purposes of the herein disclosed apparatus is an AirBooster® 350 made by Sierra Wireless, Inc. The AirBooster 350 is an RF amplifier suitable for receiving the output from data modem  36  via link  32  and boosting it. 
         [0021]    Turning now to  FIG. 4 , the physical connections that are available between the apparatus and various devices that subscribe to its services may be seen. Housing  12  is typically made of light weight metal  47 , and provides a wireless switch antenna interface  41 , an uplink connector  47  for connecting broadband apparatuses, standard RJ-45 network connectors  44 , and a power connector  46  that is connected to an automobile power chassis to supply power to the unit. 
         [0022]    The USB  43  and network connectors  44  allow for a rich diversity of devices to connect to the apparatus  10 , in the event that a wireless connection via the access point  34  is blocked by interference or other technical reasons. For example, a wired VoIP handset such as offered by Skype Technologies S.A (“Skype”) may be connected to apparatus  10  to make uninterrupted calls via the Skype network. Similarly, a video input may be provided to the apparatus  10  so that a remote PC or remote mobile user may access video feed from a video source, such as a camera, including audio surveillance feeds, connected to access point  34 . 
         [0023]    Similarly, the inventors fully envision that a vehicle in which the apparatus  10  is located may take advantage of local broadband Internet access to communicate and update vehicle systems functions, such as navigation aids and engine monitoring diagnostics. Such systems may prefer the reliability and security of a wired link to the Internet via apparatus  10  in lieu of a wireless connection via access point  34 . 
         [0024]    Referring to  FIG. 5 , it may be seen that the network router  34  includes a network interface  51 , a wireless transceiver  36 , a processor  52 , and various firmware and high-speed memory  53  from which processor  52  executes instructions. Memory  53  includes communications protocol  54 , an IP router algorithmic processing subroutine  56 , a traffic monitor subroutine  57 , a software module for transmission quality control  58 , and an access point identifier  59  (e.g., assignment and monitoring of MAC addresses). Processor  52  utilizes the subroutine&#39;s present in its memory  53  in order to receive data via network interface  51  and transmit that data in a secure and reliable format via wireless cellular data modem  36 . Processor  52  also controls command access to and from switch  34  to receive and promote instructions to processor  56  within switch  34  in order to execute instructions within it. Processor  52 , in conjunction with cellular modem  36 , controls all of the communications from the apparatus  10  to and from cellular data modem  36 , and further to tower  18  and cellular network  137 . 
         [0025]    Referring now to  FIG. 6 , it may be seen that vehicle to vehicle communications may occur through apparatus  10 . Two vehicles  23  and  24  (see  FIG. 1 ) having an apparatus  10 ,  10 ′ may engage in vehicle to vehicle digital communication  150  as if they were on the same local network. Specifically, apparatuses  10 ,  10 ′ communicate via the HSDPA  136  to a cellular network  137 , such as AT&amp;T, Sprint, T-Mobile, etc. to obtain an assigned IP address. Such an address may be a static or dynamic address, depending upon which cellular network is accessed and, typically, depending upon subscriber contract terms. A bases station  138  provides access to the network  137  and network infrastructure  139 , so that gateway electronics  141  can provide access to apparatus  10  for DNS services  142  on the Internet  17 . 
         [0026]    Access point  34  is assigned an IP address from the cellular infrastructure  139  to the extent that ports within the router subsystem  56  are available or “open” as permitted by the cellular provider and their cellular network  137 . For VoIP transmissions, whether audio or combined audio and video, it is preferable for port  5005  to be open on the USB modem  36  so that IP addressing can be known and utilized to communicate to the apparatus  10  from a remote PC without the reliance of a third party server holding the IP address and associated MAC address of the access point  34  and any tethered devices  29  on the local access point network. However, in topologies of third party service providers retaining MAC identities, finder IDs are assigned to each device on the apparatus  10  network so that a user accessing the third party server may locate a particular broadcasting unit. The cellular provider provides a gateway  141  from within its cellular infrastructure  139  to additional routers and DNS servers  142 , and on to the Internet  17 . A Remote PC  13 , VoIP phone  19 , or other device is then able to access the apparatuses  10 ,  10 ′ by its known pre-assigned IP address assigned by cellular infrastructure  139 . Further, since router  34  has also been assigned an IP address to, for example, another VoIP handset  19 ″ and holds a table within its memory assigning the MAC address for the handset  19 ′, remote handset  19  is able to communicate directly with handset  19 ′ and vice versa. It is important to note that while the cellular infrastructure  139  assigns an IP address to the access point  34 , the IP address of the handset  19 , or any other device tethered to the access point, that IP address may be determined from any remotely communicating device running suitable software to access and communicate with the device if the device has registered its MAC address with the third party server. The result is that, even given the inherent mobility of a vehicle, location is irrelevant as long as an Internet connection is available to the vehicle via apparatus  10 . 
         [0027]    As is known in the industry, third party portal providers offer sophisticated communication services in which servers access, locate, and direct communications from devices assigned local address status on apparatus  10  to and from other accessible apparatuses  10 ′ as discussed above. Such servers repeatedly receive “pings” from remote devices that allow for the continual discernment of a MAC address of a device assigned a local IP address from apparatus  10 . For example, a SKYPE server may track a VoIP phone  19  connected to the Internet  17  via apparatus  10 , identify and save its gateway and local IP address from the apparatus network on a distributed server topology such that other SKYPE subscribers may monitor and make calls to the user with phone  19  via apparatus  10 . In this manner, for example, two VoIP phone users may make calls to one another (e.g.  19  to  19 ′) while in a vehicle having apparatuses  10  and  10 ′ installed therein and roaming from cell to cell within a cellular networks. Similar services exist for video calls  39  (also via SKYPE or similar services), or PC  13  to PC  13 ′ communications. Since the HSDPA networks provide broadband speeds, VoIP and Video telecommunications from vehicle to vehicle will appear smooth and continuous between devices tethered to apparatuses  10  and  10 ′. 
         [0028]    While the inventors have shown access to the apparatus  10  via a remote personal computer  13 , the inventors envision and fully anticipate that other types of data viewing devices such as PDAs, mobile phones, laptop computers, and similar devices, will be able to access the apparatus  10  in the same manner as described above and retrieve video data, such as movies, in real-time to each of them. For example Slingmedia offers a SlingPlayer mobile that currently runs on the Pocket PC 1.5 operating system, Windows Smart phones, Palm OS Systems, and the Mobile Symbian OS. Achos has similar devices running the Android OS. The applications that run on these mobile devices and PDAs allow for remote viewing of video data on apparatus  10  in the same manner that video data would be available for viewing on a PC  13  from the Internet. 
         [0029]    Further, while the above apparatus  10  has been shown to utilize various available elements that include the capabilities necessary for implementation of the apparatus  10 , the inventors fully expect that a reduction of the above referenced elements into a single printed circuit wire board, or even a monolithic silicon design, is anticipated. Nevertheless, the above referenced discrete elements may be installed and arranged within the confines of a vehicle, such as an automobile, in locations such as a trunk or under a dashboard so that the apparatus  10  may be unobtrusive and yet electronically readily accessible. 
         [0030]    While I have shown my invention in one form, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited but is susceptible of various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit thereof.