Patent Document

BACKGROUND  
       [0001]     This invention relates to communication systems and more particularly to providing access for a computing device to a network via a mobile communication device.  
         [0002]     In order for a computing device, such as a personal computer (PC), to access a network, it is common to establish a communication link between the PC and the network via a mobile communication device or mobile station (MS) as illustrated in  FIG. 1 . The PC can be a portable computer (such as a laptop computer) for example. The mobile communication device/station can be a mobile phone and the network can be the internet.  
         [0003]     As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , both PC  110  and mobile station (MS)  120  include USB (Universal Serial Bus) ports  112  and  122  respectively. A connection between PC  110  and MS  120  can be established by connecting a cable, such as USB cable  115 , between ports  112  and  122 .  
         [0004]     In this type of connection, PC  110  controls MS  120 . Mobile station  120  identifies itself as a modem (in USB terms, an Abstract Control Model or ACM modem) to PC  110 . Mobile station  120  is seen as a modem by PC  110  as mobile station  120  emulates a modem.  
         [0005]     To enable PC  110 , to use MS  120  for connecting the PC to network  130 , MS  120  operates in a way such that PC  110  behaves as if it were using a traditional circuit-switched (CS) modem (using a dial-up connection) via the USB port. Such USB modem emulation, entails control of MS  120  by the usual AT commands and in particular that a connection is set up by the AT Dial command. It will be understood that in general the AT prefix (also known as the Attention Code) signals the modem that one or more commands are to follow.  
         [0006]     This type of connection, however, cannot be established easily. Information needed for configuring this set-up is neither commonly known nor is it intuitive. For example, normal phone numbers are not used. The user needs to create a new dial-up networking connection including selecting the correct emulated USB modem and setting the correct virtual telephone number. A virtual telephone number may be represented by an alpha-numeric string such as ATD*99***1#, etc.  
         [0007]     Furthermore, modem communication over USB involves an emulated serial interface which is octet based. All the packets (that are being transmitted and received) need to be serialized; this process affects link and processor capacity.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0008]     Among other things, this invention solves the problem associated with using a mobile station emulating a dial-up modem for establishing a communication connection between a PC and a network.  
         [0009]     In one embodiment, a mobile terminal capable of enabling a terminal equipment to communicate with a network, comprises: a first interface for establishing a connection to the terminal equipment; a second interface for establishing a connection to the network; and a processor configured to identify the mobile terminal to the terminal equipment as an USB Ethernet adapter upon the mobile terminal being connected to the terminal equipment.  
         [0010]     In another embodiment, a method of communication comprises the steps of: connecting a computing device to a mobile communication device via USB; the mobile communication device identifying itself as an USB Ethernet adapter to the computing device; establishing a communication connection between the computing device and the mobile communication device based on the identity provided by the mobile communication device; activating a mobile data connection between the mobile communication device and a network; and communicating data using internet protocol (IP) frames between the computing device and the network via said mobile computing device.  
         [0011]     In yet another embodiment, a computer-readable medium containing a computer program for communicating data between a computer and a network. The computer program causes: the computer to establish connection to a mobile communication device via USB; the mobile communication device to identify itself as an USB Ethernet adapter to the computing device; establishment of a communication connection between the computing device and the mobile communication device based on the identity provided by the mobile communication device; activation of a mobile data connection between the mobile communication device and the network; and communication of data using internet protocol (IP) frames between the computing device and the network via the mobile computing device. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]     The various features, advantages, and objects of this invention will be understood by reading this description in conjunction with the drawings, in which:  
         [0013]      FIG. 1  illustrates a communication connection between a PC and a network via a mobile device emulating a dial-up modem;  
         [0014]      FIG. 2  illustrates an exemplary communication connection between a computing device and a mobile station;  
         [0015]      FIG. 3  is an exemplary flow diagram illustrating translating and bridging of control messages between a PC and a network via a mobile station (MS);  
         [0016]      FIG. 4  illustrates an exemplary method for facilitating communication between a PC and a network via a MS; and  
         [0017]      FIG. 5  illustrates a NDIS status at various stages of the method illustrated in  FIG. 4 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0018]     The following description of the implementations consistent with the present invention refers to the accompanying drawings. The same reference numbers in different drawings identify the same or similar elements. The following detailed description does not limit the invention. Instead, the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims.  
         [0019]     In general, the present invention is a system and method for establishing communication between a computing device, such as a personal computer (PC), and a network. The PC may also be referred to as terminal equipment (TE). Specifically, a mobile station (such as a mobile phone) may facilitate PC access to the network via USB between the PC and the mobile station. The mobile station may also be referred to as a mobile terminal. The mobile station (MS) may emulate (or identify itself to the PC as) an USB Ethernet adapter and facilitate the establishment of a communication connection between the MS and the PC.  
         [0020]     An exemplary embodiment may be described with reference to  FIG. 2 . A PC  110  may be connected to a MS  120  via USB  115 . Upon establishing this connection, MS  120  may identify itself as one or more USB Ethernet adapters. The mobile station (the USB client in this case) may inform the PC (the USB master in this case) of the services it (i.e. MS  120 ) supports. More specifically, MS  120  may inform PC  110  that MS  120  supports Ethernet.  
         [0021]     PC  110 , therefore, may discover that there exists an Ethernet interface  118  on this device (MS  120 ). As a result, an USB Ethernet control protocol may be used to facilitate communication between PC  110  and MS  120 . PC  110  may view MS  120  as an USB Ethernet adapter and control a mobile data connection (to network  130 ) via USB Ethernet control messages sent or communicated to MS  120 .  
         [0022]     A communication connection may be established between PC  110  and MS  120  based on the identity provided by the MS within present operating systems (such as Microsoft® Windows® or Windows XP® operating systems for example). Drivers for a plurality of USB Ethernet adapters may be included within PC  110 . Upon MS  120  identifying itself as an USB Ethernet adapter to PC  110 , an icon may appear on the task bar within a Windows Operating System (OS) user interface of the PC. This icon may indicate that new hardware has been found. An interactive or automatic setup wizard may then complete the task of establishing MS  120  as an USB Ethernet adapter by matching the information received from MS  120  with pre-stored driver information in PC  110 . A driver for the USB Ethernet adapter may be identified for establishing the communication connection between PC  110  and MS  120 .  
         [0023]     In addition to conveying setup information to PC  110  (i.e. MS  120  identifying itself as an USB Ethernet adapter), MS  120  may also control shutdown and status of mobile data connections to PC  110  via the USB Ethernet protocol. The status of mobile data connections (i.e. whether connection between MS and network exists) may be provided by sending an Ethernet cable (i.e. a virtual Ethernet cable between PC  110  and MS  120 ) status from mobile station  120  to PC  110 . PC  110  may initiate this query to MS  120 . If the connection exists, the cable status may be designated as “inserted” and if the connection does not exist, the cable status may be designated as “unplugged”.  
         [0024]     Since MS  120  is intermediate PC  110  and network  130 , MS  120  may translate and bridge messages between PC  110  and network  130 .  
         [0025]     The format for messages between PC  110  and MS  120  is different from the format for messages between MS  120  and network  130 . Therefore, MS  120  needs to translate between the message formats. MS  120  may include logic for translation of the messages from one format to another format. MS  120  may translate USB Ethernet control messages (between PC  110  and MS  120 ) and mobile data connection control messages (between MS  120  and network  130 ).  
         [0026]     MS  120  may also bridge the messages. That is, MS  120  may include logic for knowing that when a message is received in one format, the received message has to be translated and transmitted.  
         [0027]     That is, if a message is received by MS  120  (emulating an USB Ethernet adapter) from PC  110  (USB Ethernet control message), MS  120  may translate the received message into a format (data connection control message) suitable for transmission to network  130 . Similarly, if a message is received by MS  120  from network  130  (data connection control message), MS  120  may translate the received message into a format (USB Ethernet control message) suitable for transmission to PC  110 .  
         [0028]     The translation and bridging of messages as described above may be viewed as two separate functions or, in the alternative, they may be viewed as a single function.  100291  An exemplary flow of translating and bridging of control messages when a mobile data connection is controlled from a PC is illustrated in  FIG. 3 .  
         [0029]     Upon inserting (or connecting) a (physical) USB cable  115  between PC  110  and MS  120  at  305 , USB enumeration may take place between MS  120  and PC  110  at  310  leading to MS  120  identifying itself as an USB Ethernet adapter to PC  110 . The capabilities of the USB Ethernet adapter being emulated by MS  120  (or, the services supported by MS  120 ) may be communicated to PC  110 . PC  110  may then load the appropriate drivers based on, for example, a user selection of the available (as indicated by MS  120 ) Ethernet adapters at  315 . A network driver interface specification (NDIS) may then be enabled based on the identified driver from the pre-stored list of drivers on PC  110  resulting in recognition of MS  120  as an USB Ethernet adapter by PC  110 .  
         [0030]     A NDIS enable request at  320  from PC  110  to MS  120  (query from PC to MS described above) may return an “OK (cable unplugged)” response from MS  120  to PC  110  at  325 . The “OK” may indicate that an emulated Ethernet adapter has been setup and enabled between MS  120  and PC  110 .  
         [0031]     The “cable unplugged” status corresponds to the state of the emulated Ethernet adapter with respect to the network connection between MS  120  and network  130 . At this point, the network connection has not been established thus resulting in the “cable unplugged” status. As described below, if the network connection has been established between MS  120  and network  130 , a “cable inserted” status may instead be communicated between MS  120  and PC  110 .  
         [0032]     An “activate PDP (packet data protocol) context request” may be issued from MS  120  to network  130  at  330  and an “activate PDP context accept” may be issued from network  130  to MS  120  at  335  to establish communication between MS  120  and network  130 .  
         [0033]     In order to establish communication between PC  110  and network  130 , a NDIS status of “cable inserted” may be issued from MS  120  (now seen as an USB Ethernet adapter by PC  110 ) to PC  110  at  340 . The PC is informed that Ethernet traffic may be facilitated on the emulated Ethernet adapter. This will also enable the PC to send IP (internet protocol) frames to network  130  via MS  120 .  
         [0034]     Communication between PC  110  and network  130  may now take place via MS  120  at  345  using an air interface within a cellular communication network for example.  
         [0035]     A “deactivate PDP context request” may be issued at  350  by network  130  to MS  120  (e.g. if the mobile station strays outside a coverage area or loses connection with a base station). MS  120  may then issue a NDIS status of “cable unplugged” to PC  110  at  355  indicating (to PC  110 ) that communication over the emulated Ethernet  118  (that has been configured between PC  110  and MS  120 ) cannot take place as the network connection has been lost, etc. Ethernet  118  is still configured at this point (since the physical USB cable is still connected between PC  110  and MS  120 ) but no communication with the network is possible.  
         [0036]     Since the Ethernet is still configured between PC  110  and MS  120  at this point (physical cable still plugged in and USB enumeration has taken place), MS  120  may automatically re-establish connection to network  130 . An “activate PDP context request” may be issued from MS  120  to network  130  at  360  and an “activate PDP context accept” may be issued from network  130  to MS  120  at  365  to re-establish the communication between MS  120  and network  130  as described above.  
         [0037]     If the communication is re-established, MS  120  may issue a NDIS status of “cable inserted” to PC  110  at  370  to indicate that communication over the Ethernet can be facilitated (IP traffic  375 ) as described above.  
         [0038]     The emulated Ethernet may be disabled by a user of PC  110  at  380 . An NDIS disable may be communicated to MS  120  by PC  110  at  385  indicating that the Ethernet adapter emulation has been terminated by the user.  
         [0039]     A “deactivate PDP context request” may be issued by MS  120  to network  130  at  390  and a “deactivate PDP context accept” may be issued by MS  120  to network  130  at  395  to terminate the network connection. Upon the deactivation, MS  120  may return a “disabled” status to PC  110  indicating termination of the emulated Ethernet.  
         [0040]     An exemplary method may be described with reference to  FIG. 4 . A USB cable may be inserted between a PC and MS at  410 . USB enumeration may take place at  415  to establish a communication connection (i.e. a virtual Ethernet) between PC  110  and MS  120  as described above with reference to  FIG. 3 . A mobile data connection between MS  120  and network  130  may be established at  430 . PC  110  may control MS  120  to transmit and receive IP traffic at  440 .  
         [0041]     This process (IP traffic) may continue while the mobile data connection is active as determined at  450 . If the mobile data connection is not active at  450 , a determination is made at  460  as to whether the Ethernet is configured between PC  110  and MS  120 .  
         [0042]     If the Ethernet is enabled (and mobile data connection is not active as determined at  450 ), mobile data connection may be activated at  430  (or, re-established in this case) since the Ethernet is still configured between PC  110  and MS  120 ).  
         [0043]     If the Ethernet is disabled or removed, data connection between MS  120  and network  130  may be terminated at  470  (Deactivate PDP Context Request  390  and Deactivate PDP Context Accept  395  of  FIG. 3 ).  
         [0044]     The NDIS status requests described with reference to  FIG. 3  may also be illustrated in  FIG. 5  in conjunction with the method described in  FIG. 4 . As illustrated (in  FIG. 5 ), the NDIS status requests may result in a “I” or “U” corresponding to the (virtual) Ethernet or cable being inserted or unplugged at each of points A, B, C, D and E.  
         [0045]     While the network has been referred to as the internet for example, the network may be thought of as a cellular IP based data network. The data network may be connected to the internet or to an intranet or to private network.  
         [0046]     A processor within MS  120  may be configured to identify MS  120  as an USB Ethernet adapter to PC  110  upon PC  110  being connected to MS  120  via USB. A processor within MS  120  may also be configured to interact with PC  110  to establish the communication connection with PC  120  based on the identity provided by the mobile terminal (i.e. as USB Ethernet adapter) and input from PC  110  (user selection of a USB Ethernet adapter, etc.). A processor within MS  120  may additionally be configured to perform the translation and bridging of messages as described above. A processor may further be configured to activate connections with network  130 . The functions described may be performed by separate processors or by a single processor.  
         [0047]     In some embodiments, each data account within a MS may emulate an individual USB Ethernet adapter to the PC. Therefore, if a user has two accounts (one for accessing his or her company&#39;s intranet and one for accessing a public network such as the internet) for example, the user&#39;s MS may present itself as having two separate USB Ethernet adapters to the PC. The user may then be given a choice to enable one or both (or none) of the accounts.  
         [0048]     While the embodiment described herein illustrates GSM/UMTS packet service (GPRS), the present invention may also be used to control a circuit switched GSM/UMTS connection.  
         [0049]     The methods described herein are not limited exclusively to communication via USB between PC  110  and MS  120 . The exemplary methods described herein may be equally applicable to any situation where it is possible to control external Ethernet adapters from a PC. Methods described herein may be adapted to any technology that may be substituted for Ethernet as LAN technology. These methods may also be used where a PC enables and disables an adapter and receives status of data connection (for example, as a “cable inserted” or a “cable unplugged”).  
         [0050]     Exemplary methods as described facilitate setup and configuration of mobile data connections from a PC as an automated procedure (using an icon on screen followed by automatic configuration based on a minimum user input for example). Methods of the present invention may be based on a packet interface as opposed to being based on a serial interface. A packet interface adds less overhead to data being communicated. In comparison to a serial interface, a packet interface requires less CPU resources for a MS to send and receive packet data.  
         [0051]     Moreover, this invention can additionally be considered to be embodied entirely within any form of computer-readable storage medium having stored therein an appropriate set of instructions for use by or in connection with an instruction-execution system, apparatus, or device, such as a computer-based system, processor-containing system, or other system that can fetch instructions from a medium and execute the instructions. As used here, a “computer-readable medium” can be any means that can contain, store, communicate, propagate, or transport the program for use by or in connection with the instruction-execution system, apparatus, or device. The computer-readable medium can be, for example but not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, device, or propagation medium. More specific examples (a non-exhaustive list) of the computer-readable medium include an electrical connection having one or more wires, a portable computer diskette, a random-access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), and an optical fiber.  
         [0052]     It is expected that this invention can be implemented in a wide variety of environments, including for example mobile communication devices. It will also be appreciated that procedures described above are carried out repetitively as necessary. To facilitate understanding, aspects of the invention are described in terms of sequences of actions that can be performed by, for example, elements of a programmable computer system. It will be recognized that various actions could be performed by specialized circuits (e.g., discrete logic gates interconnected to perform a specialized function or application-specific integrated circuits), by program instructions executed by one or more processors, or by a combination of both.  
         [0053]     It is emphasized that the terms “comprises” and “comprising”, when used in this application, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, or components and do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, components, or groups thereof.  
         [0054]     Thus, this invention may be embodied in many different forms, not all of which are described above, and all such forms are contemplated to be within the scope of the invention. The particular embodiments described above are merely illustrative and should not be considered restrictive in any way. The scope of the invention is determined by the following claims, and all variations and equivalents that fall within the range of the claims are intended to be embraced therein.

Technology Category: 5