Abstract:
A wireless communications system for enabling an information handling system to wirelessly couple to a network is disclosed. A peripheral communications device for communicating information is sent to and by the information handling system via a wireless transmission medium. A base station couples to the peripheral communications device via the wireless transmission medium. The information handling system is enabled to communicate over a network via the network communications device. A method for communicating between an information handling system and a network via a wireless transmission medium is disclosed. Information to be transmitted is sent from the information handling system to a peripheral device, translated into a wireless data transmission format, transmitted via a wireless transmission medium to a remote device, converted into a network communications format, and sent to a modem connected to the network for transmission via the network.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention generally relates to the field of information handling systems, and particularly to a wireless communications interface between an information handling system and a standard modem. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Standard interfaces for information handling systems typically utilize a physical wire for transmission of information between the information handling system and a peripheral device such as a modem. As a result, standard, lower cost peripheral devices are typically designed to couple to the information handling system via a physical wire. However, physical wires are limited to a predetermined length. In applications where the user desires the information handling system to by moved, relocated or otherwise utilized beyond the reach of the wire, the length of the wire becomes a limiting factor. 
     In systems where computer system mobility is required, specialized peripheral devices may be utilized which allow wireless communication between the information handling system and a remote device. However, the specialized wireless communication devices are often too costly and specialized for the typical user where the high cost of the specialized wireless devices cannot be justified. Additionally, the specialized wireless devices contain redundant electronics and must replace existing standard devices that the user may already own. Thus, it would be highly desirable to provide a wireless communication system for communicating between an information handling system and a standard peripheral device without the need for specialized wireless communication devices. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to a wireless communications system for enabling an information handling system to wirelessly couple to a network. In one embodiment the wireless communications system includes a peripheral communications device for communicating information sent to and by the information handling system via a wireless transmission medium, wherein the peripheral communications device includes a device interface for interfacing with a bus of the information handling system, a first wireless transmission interface for transmitting and receiving information via the wireless communications medium, and a first controller for managing the transfer of information between the device interface and the wireless transmission interface. The wireless communications system additionally includes a base station coupled to the peripheral communications device via the wireless transmission medium for coupling with a network communications device wherein the information handling system is enabled to communicate over a network via the network communications device, wherein the base station includes an I/O interface for interfacing with the network communications device, a second wireless transmission interface for transmitting and receiving information via the wireless communications medium, and a second controller for managing the transfer of information between the I/O interface and the wireless transmission interface. 
     The present invention is further directed to a method for communicating between an information handling system and a network via a wireless transmission medium. In one embodiment the method includes the steps of sending information to be transmitted from the information handling system to a peripheral device of the information handling system, translating the information to be transmitted into a wireless data transmission format, transmitting the wireless data transmission formatted information via a wireless transmission medium to a remote device, receiving the wireless data transmission formatted information with the remote device, converting the received information into a network communications format, and sending the network communications formatted information to a modem connected to the network for transmission of the network communications formatted information via the network. 
     It is to be understood that both the forgoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention as claimed. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate an embodiment of the invention and together with the general description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The numerous advantages of the present invention may be better understood by those skilled in the art by reference to the accompanying figures in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an information handling system operable to embody the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a wireless modem communications system in accordance with the present invention; and 
     FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a wireless PCMCIA modem communications system in accordance with the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Reference will now be made in detail to the presently preferred embodiment of the invention, an example of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings. 
     Referring now to FIG. 1, a hardware system in accordance with the present invention is shown. The hardware system shown in FIG. 1 is generally representative of the hardware architecture of an information handling system of the present invention. A central processing system  102  controls the hardware system of information handling system  100 . Central processing system  102  includes a central processing unit such as a microprocessor or microcontroller for executing programs, performing data manipulations and controlling the tasks of hardware system of information handling system  100 . Communication with central processor  102  is implemented through a system bus  110  for transferring information among the components of hardware system of information handling system  100 . Bus  110  may include a data channel for facilitating information transfer between storage and other peripheral components of hardware system of information handling system  100 . Bus  110  further provides the set of signals required for communication with central processing system  102  including a data bus, address bus, and control bus. Bus  110  may comprise any state of the art bus architecture according to promulgated standards, for example industry standard architecture (ISA), extended industry standard architecture (EISA), Micro Channel Architecture (MCA), peripheral component interconnect (PCI) local bus, standards promulgated by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) including IEEE 488 general-purpose interface bus (GPIB), IEEE 696/S-100, and so on. Furthermore, bus  100  may be compliant with any promulgated industry standard. For example, bus  100  may be designed in compliance with any of the following bus architectures: Industry Standard Architecture (ISA), Extended Industry Standard Architecture (EISA), Micro Channel Architecture, Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI), Universal Serial Bus (USB), Access.bus, IEEE P1394, Apple Desktop Bus (ADB), Concentration Highway Interface (CHI), Fire Wire, Geo Port, or Small Computer Systems Interface (SCSI), for example. 
     Other components of hardware system  100  include main memory  104 , auxiliary memory  106 , and an auxiliary processing system  108  as required. Main memory  104  provides storage of instructions and data for programs executing on central processing system  102 . Main memory  104  is typically semiconductor based memory such as dynamic random access memory (DRAM) and or static random access memory (SRAM). Auxiliary memory  106  provides storage of instructions and data that are loaded into the main memory  104  before execution. Auxiliary memory  106  may include semiconductor based memory such as read-only memory (ROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM) erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable read-only memory (EEPROM), or flash memory (block oriented memory similar to EEPROM). Auxiliary memory  106  may also include a variety of non-semiconductor based memories, including but not limited to magnetic tape, drum, floppy disk, hard disk, optical, laser disk, compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), digital versatile disk read-only memory (DVD-ROM), digital versatile disk random-access memory (DVD-RAM), etc. Other varieties of memory devices are contemplated as well. Hardware system  100  may optionally include an auxiliary processing system  108  which may be a digital signal processor (a special-purpose microprocessor having an architecture suitable for fast execution of signal processing algorithms), a back-end processor (a slave processor subordinate to the main processing system), an additional microprocessor or controller for dual or multiple processor systems, or a coprocessor. 
     Hardware system  100  further includes a display system  112  for connecting to a display device  114 , and an input/output (I/O) system  116  for connecting to one or more I/O devices  118 ,  120  up to N number of I/O devices  122 . Display system  112  may comprise a video display adapter having all of the components for driving the display device, including video random access memory (VRAM), buffer, and graphics engine as desired. Display device  114  may comprise a cathode ray-tube (CRT) type display such as a monitor or television, or may comprise alternative type of display technologies such as a liquid-crystal display (LCD), a light-emitting diode (LED) display, or a gas or plasma display. Input/output system  116  may comprise one or more controllers or adapters for providing interface functions between one or more of I/O devices  118 - 122 . For example, input/output system  116  may comprise a serial port, parallel port, infrared port, network adapter, printer adapter, radio-frequency (RF) communications adapter, universal asynchronous receiver-transmitter (UART) port, etc., for interfacing between corresponding I/O devices such as a mouse, joystick, trackball, trackpad, trackstick, infrared transducers, printer, modem, RF modem, bar code reader, charge-coupled device (CCD) reader, scanner, compact disc (CD), compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), digital versatile disc (DVD), video capture device, touch screen, stylus, electroacoustic transducer, microphone, speaker, etc. Input/output system  116  and I/O devices  118 - 122  may provide or receive analog or digital signals for communication between hardware system  100  of the present invention and external devices, networks, or information sources. Input/output system  116  and I/O devices  118 - 122  preferably implement industry promulgated architecture standards, including Recommended Standard 232 (RS-232) promulgated by the Electrical Industries Association, Infrared Data Association (IrDA) standards, Ethernet IEEE 802 standards (e.g., IEEE 802.3 for broadband and baseband networks, IEEE 802.3z for Gigabit Ethernet, IEEE 802.4 for token passing bus networks, IEEE 802.5 for token ring networks, IEEE 802.6 for metropolitan area networks, 802.11 for wireless networks, and so on), Fibre Channel, digital subscriber line (DSL), asymmetric digital subscriber line (ADSL), frame relay, asynchronous transfer mode (ATM), integrated digital services network (ISDN), personal communications services (PCS), transmission control protocol/Internet protocol (TCP/IP), serial line Internet protocol/point to point protocol (SLIP/PPP), and so on. It should be appreciated that modification or reconfiguration of hardware system  100  of FIG. 1 by one having ordinary skill in the art would not depart from the scope or the spirit of the present invention. 
     Referring now to FIG. 2, a wireless communications system of the present invention will be discussed. The wireless communications system  200  includes a peripheral communications device  210  operatively connected to a computer based information handling system  100 . Peripheral communications device  210  is adapted for communicating information sent to and by information handling system  100  via a wireless transmission medium  218 . Peripheral communications device  210  preferably includes a device interface  212  for interfacing with a bus  110  of information handling system  100  as shown, for example, in FIG.  1 . Peripheral communication device  210  further includes a wireless transmission interface  216  for transmitting and receiving information via wireless communications medium  218 , and a controller  216  for managing the transfer of information between device interface  212  and wireless transmission interface  218 . Wireless interface  216  is capable of communicating via wireless transmission medium  218  with a remotely disposed base station device  220  having a wireless communications interface  216  similar to and compatible with wireless interface  222 . 
     Base station  220  is adapted for coupling to peripheral communications device  210  via wireless transmission medium  218  for coupling with a network communications device  230  wherein information handling system  100  is enabled to communicate over network  236  via network communications device  230 . Base station  220  preferably includes an I/O interface  226  for interfacing with network communications device  230 , a wireless transmission interface  222  for transmitting and receiving information via wireless communications medium  218 , and a controller  224  for managing the transfer of information between I/O interface  226  and wireless transmission interface  226 . Base station  228  further includes a power supply  228  for supplying operating power to base station  220  and its internal components. Power supply  228  may include an ac-dc converter (not shown) for supplying power to base station  220  from an ac outlet, or may include a battery (not shown) for supplying power to base station  220  from the battery. 
     Wireless communications interfaces  216  and  222  may be any commonly available and known communications interface for commonly available and known wireless communications media  218 . For example, communications interfaces  216  and  222  may be infrared transmission interfaces wherein wireless communications media  218  comprises an infrared spectrum. Preferably, wireless communications interfaces  216  and  222  are in compliance with a standard promulgated by the Infrared Data Association (IrDA). Alternatively, wireless communications interfaces  216  and  222  may be radio-frequency (RF) communications interfaces wherein wireless communications medium  218  comprises a radio-frequency spectrum. 
     Network communications device  230  preferably comprises a modem or similar type of device adapter for communicating over network  236 . Network device  230  includes a device interface  232  for coupling with I/O interface  226  of base station  220 , and a modem interface  234  for converting information received from base station  220  into a format compatible with network  236 . In the case where network  236  is a telephone network utilizing a plain old telephone service (POTS) connection, for example, modem  230  may be a standard analog modem. Alternatively, in the case where network  236  is a cable network, modem  230  may be a cable modem. Preferably, modem  230 , device interfaces  212  and  232 , and I/O interface  226  are in compliance with a standard promulgated by the Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA) such as described with respect to FIG.  3 . 
     Referring now to FIG. 3, a wireless PCMCIA modem communications system of the present invention will be discussed. The wireless communications system  300  includes a peripheral communications device  310  operatively connected to a computer based information handling system  100 . Peripheral communications device  310  is adapted for communicating information sent to and by information handling system  100  via a wireless transmission medium  318 . Peripheral communications device  310  preferably includes a PCMCIA interface  312  for interfacing with a bus  110  of information handling system  100  as shown, for example, in FIG.  1 . Peripheral communication device  310  further includes a wireless transmission interface  216  for transmitting and receiving information via wireless communications medium  318 , and a controller  216  for managing the transfer of information between PCMCIA interface  312  and wireless transmission interface  318 . Wireless interface  316  is capable of communicating via wireless transmission medium  318  with a remotely disposed base station device  320  having a wireless communications interface  316  similar to and compatible with wireless interface  322 . 
     Base station  320  is adapted for coupling to peripheral communications device  310  via wireless transmission medium  318  for coupling with a network communications device  330  wherein information handling system  100  is enabled to communicate over network  336  via network communications device  330 . Base station  320  preferably includes a PCMCIA interface  326  for interfacing with network communications device  330 , a wireless transmission interface  322  for transmitting and receiving information via wireless communications medium  318 , and a controller  324  for managing the transfer of information between PCMCIA interface  326  and wireless transmission interface  322 . Base station  328  further includes a power supply  328  for supplying operating power to base station  320  and its internal components. Power supply  328  may include an ac-dc converter (not shown) for supplying power to base station  320  from an ac outlet, or may include a battery (not shown) for supplying power to base station  320  from the battery. 
     Wireless communications interfaces  316  and  322  may be any commonly available and known communications interface for commonly available and known wireless communications media  318 . For example, communications interfaces  316  and  322  may be infrared transmission interfaces wherein wireless communications media  318  comprises an infrared spectrum. Preferably, wireless communications interfaces  316  and  322  are in compliance with a standard promulgated by the Infrared Data Association (IrDA). Alternatively, wireless communications interfaces  316  and  322  may be radio-frequency (RF) communications interfaces wherein wireless communications medium  318  comprises a radio-frequency spectrum. 
     Network communications device  330  preferably comprises a modem or similar type of device adapter for communicating over network  336 . Network device  330  includes a PCMCIA interface  332  for coupling with PCMCIA interface  326  of base station  320 , and a modem interface  334  for converting information received from base station  320  into a format compatible with network  336 . In the case where network  336  is a telephone network utilizing a plain old telephone service (POTS) connection, for example, modem  330  may be a standard analog modem. Alternatively, in the case where network  336  is a cable network, modem  330  may be a cable modem. As shown in FIG. 3, modem  330 , PCMCIA interfaces  312 ,  332 , and  326  are in compliance with a standard promulgated by the Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA). 
     In operation of a preferred embodiment of the invention as shown in FIG. 3, information handling system  100  comprises a portable computer system or a desktop or tower type system wherein utilization of a physical wire for connection to telephone network  336  is impractical. Peripheral device  310  is a PCMCIA compliant personal computer card (PC card) installed in a PCMCIA slot of computer system  100 . Base station  320  is remotely disposed near a physical connection to telephone network (e.g, near an RJ-11 phone jack), and power supply  328  is connected to an ac power outlet. Modem  330  is a PCMCIA compliant PC card installed in a PCMCIA slot of base station  320 . Modem  330  is then plugged into telephone network  330 . In such an arrangement, information handling system  100  may be utilized at any position with respect to base station  320  that is within the operating range of wireless communications medium  318  without being restricted in freedom and movement by a physical wire. Modem  330  functions as if it were directly installed in a PCMCIA slot of computer system  100 . 
     In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, communications system  300  is adapted for communicating between peripheral device  310  and base station  320  by utilization of existing power lines (e.g., ac power lines). For example, wireless interface  316  may be adapted to couple with a power socket or outlet and communicate with wireless interface  322  also being coupled to a power socket or outlet on the same power circuit to which wireless interface  316  is coupled. In such an arrangement, the ac power lines function as transmission medium  318 . In a further embodiment, transmission medium  318  may comprise a combination of wireless and ac power line transmission media. In such an arrangement, one or more peripheral devices  310  may couple to one or more base stations  320  via a combination of wireless and ac power line transmission media. A suitable method and apparatus for power line communications is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,257,006. Said U.S. Pat. No. 5,257,006 is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     Although the invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it should be recognized that elements thereof may be altered by persons skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. One of the embodiments of the invention can be implemented as sets of instructions resident in the main memory  104  of one or more computer systems configured generally as described in FIG.  1 . Until required by the computer system, the set of instructions may be stored in another computer readable memory such as auxiliary memory  106  of FIG. 1, for example in a hard disk drive or in a removable memory such as an optical disk for utilization in a CD-ROM drive, a floppy disk for utilization in a floppy disk drive, a floptical disk for utilization in a floptical drive, or a personal computer memory card for utilization in a personal computer card slot. Further, the set of instructions can be stored in the memory of another computer and transmitted over a local area network or a wide area network, such as the Internet, when desired by the user. Additionally, the instructions may be transmitted over a network in the form of an applet that is interpreted or compiled after transmission to the computer system rather than prior to transmission. One skilled in the art would appreciate that the physical storage of the sets of instructions or applets physically changes the medium upon which it is stored electrically, magnetically, chemically, physically, optically or holographically so that the medium carries computer readable information. 
     It is believed that the wireless interface for standard modems of the present invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood by the forgoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the components thereof without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention or without sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form herein before described being merely an explanatory embodiment thereof. It is the intention of the following claims to encompass and include such changes.