Patent Document

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the priority benefit of Taiwan application serial no. 96124333, filed on Jul. 4, 2007. The entirety of the above-mentioned patent application is hereby incorporated by reference herein and made a part of this specification. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The invention relates to a method for network connection and, more particularly, to a connection method for Internet access by a communication device. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    In the modern information society, people much rely on electronic products. The electronic products such as computers and mobile phones can be seen everywhere. In the modern life, persons often take a remote communication via the phones. Along with the decrease of the price of the mobile phones and the cost of telecommunications service, the mobile phones are regarded as one of the most convenient and rapidest communication tools. 
         [0006]    To meet the requirement of users for mobile data transmission, telecommunications service of a conventional global system for mobile communications (GSM) standard is inadequate, and telecommunications service of a new third generation communication network (3G for short) standard gradually becomes popular. The wireless data transmission rate of the 3G standard is much greater than that of the GSM standard, and then the telecommunications service of 3G can provide a real-time image transmission function besides a common audio transmission function. The telecommunications service of the 3 G standard is extended, and then a common computer device can realize the mobile Internet access via a mobile phone with the 3G standard as a modem. Then, a user can realize a dial-up Internet access via the 3G mobile phone without network service. Besides the mobile phone, the user also may use other devices to realize a dial-up Internet access. For example, a device having a universal serial bus (USB) or a memory card (such as a memory card modem supporting a 3G connection function) is used to realize 3G dial-up Internet access. 
         [0007]    In the conventional technology, when the user utilizes the 3G mobile phone to realize the dial-up Internet access, he needs to install corresponding software (which is possible to include a driving program therein) in the computer device according to the brand of the mobile phone first. That is, when a computer device in which only the software of the A brand of a 3G mobile phone is installed, it cannot realize the dial-up Internet access via the B brand of a 3 G mobile phone, which causes the inconvenience in use. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    The invention provides a connection method and a connection system for Internet access by a communication device, and then a computer device can realize dial-up Internet access by different communication devices. Thus, software corresponding to different brands of the communication devices does not need to be installed in the computer device. 
         [0009]    The invention provides a connection method for Internet access by a communication device, and the connection method includes the step of searching for a communication device with a mobile Internet access function. When a plurality of communication devices for network connection are searched out, the communication devices are displayed in a list for a user to select. The selected communication device is connected according to the selection of the user, and dial-up network of the communication device which can be connected are set. In this way, the user can establish a dial-up network connection via the set communication device to connect to the Internet via a mobile network connection service on the communication device. 
         [0010]    In one embodiment of the invention, the mobile network connection service may be a third generation communication network. 
         [0011]    In one embodiment of the invention, the step of searching for a communication device includes the step of detecting whether a communication device for network connection exists when a network connection request is received, and in the step, communication devices having a wired interface or a wireless interface all are searched for at the same time. When no communication device for network connection is found, a message showing that no communication device can be used for network connection is sent out. When a communication device for network connection is found, whether a plurality of communication devices for network connection exist is detected. If only one communication device for network connection is detected, the communication device is automatically connected. On the contrary, if a plurality of communication devices for network connection are found, the communication devices are displayed in a list for a user to select, and one of the communication devices is connected according to the selection of the user. 
         [0012]    In the step of connecting the communication device of the invention, when a device connection request is received, whether the communication device which needs to be connected utilizes a wireless mode or a wired mode is checked. When the communication device which needs to be connected utilizes the wireless mode, whether the communication device can be wirelessly connected is checked. If the communication device which needs to be connected utilizes a wired mode, whether the connection port of the communication device can normally operate is checked. 
         [0013]    In the step of setting the communication device which needs to be connected of the invention, connection parameters of the communication device which needs to be connected are set, and corresponding additional initialization instruction is set according to the Internet service provider which needs to be connected. In this way, the invention can utilize the set communication device to set a dial-up network to establish a network connection. 
         [0014]    The invention provides a connection system for Internet access by a communication device, and the connection system at least includes a search unit, a connection unit, a setting unit and a dial-up unit. When a user starts the function of accessing the Internet by a communication device, the search unit can search whether a communication device with a mobile Internet access function exists. When a plurality of communication devices for network connection are searched out by the search unit, the communication devices are displayed in a list for a user to select. The connection unit can connect the communication device which needs to be connected according to the selection of the user and generate a test result for the setting unit. The setting unit can set dial-up network of the communication device which needs to be connected to set up a dial-up connection and generate corresponding setting values. The dial-up unit may be coupled to the setting unit to realize dial-up Internet access via the communication device according to the dial-up connection. 
         [0015]    The wired connection mode of the invention may utilize a universal serial bus (USB) interface, and the wireless connection mode of the invention may utilize a Bluetooth transmission interface. 
         [0016]    The invention utilizes a communication device to realize common dial-up Internet access, and therefore, additional software does not need to be installed. The invention can set parameters in accordance with communication devices and Internet service providers, and therefore, the invention can effectively perform a connection program of dial-up Internet access via a communication device. 
         [0017]    These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0018]      FIG. 1  is a functional block diagram showing a connection system according to a preferred embodiment of the invention. 
           [0019]      FIG. 2  is a flow chart showing a connection method for Internet access by a communication device according to a preferred embodiment of the invention. 
           [0020]      FIG. 3  is a flow chart showing a method for searching for a communication device with an Internet access function according to a preferred embodiment of the invention. 
           [0021]      FIG. 4  is a flow chart showing a method for connecting a communication device according to a preferred embodiment of the invention. 
           [0022]      FIG. 5  is a flow chart showing a method for setting a communication device according to a preferred embodiment of the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
       [0023]      FIG. 1  is a functional block diagram showing a connection system according to a preferred embodiment of the invention. As shown in  FIG. 1 , a connection system  100  provided by the embodiment of the invention and a computer (not shown) are located at the same side, and the connection system  100  allows the computer device to be connected to the Internet  144  via a communication device  140  and a connection service  142  such as a third generation communication network. In the embodiment, the computer device may be a desktop personal computer or a portable computer. The communication device  140  may be, for example, a mobile phone with a mobile Internet access function or a modem or a network card having a related function. A connection interface of the communication device  140  may be a wireless (such as Bluetooth transmission) or wired (such as a universal serial bus) interface. 
         [0024]    The connection system  100  of the embodiment is connected to the communication device  140  via a connection interface  120  on the computer device. Generally speaking, the connection interface  120  may be a wireless connection interface or a wired connection interface. The wireless connection interface includes a Bluetooth transmission interface, a wireless network interface and so on, and the wired connection interface may be a universal serial bus (USB) interface or a memory card interface. 
         [0025]    As shown in  FIG. 1 , the connection system  100  at least includes a search unit  102 , a connection unit  104 , a setting unit  106  and a dial-up unit  108 . In the embodiment, the search unit  102  is coupled to a user interface  110 , the connection unit  104 , the setting unit  106 , the dial-up unit  108 , a database  112  and the communication device  140 , respectively. The connection unit  104  is coupled to the setting unit  106 , and the setting unit  106  is coupled to the dial-up unit  108 . In some embodiments, the connection system  100  may include the user interface  110 , and the user interface  110  may be coupled to the search unit  102 , the connection unit  104  and the setting unit  106 , respectively. In other embodiments, the setting unit  106  may be coupled to the database  112 . 
         [0026]      FIG. 2  is a flow chart showing a connection method for Internet access by a communication device according to a preferred embodiment of the invention. As shown in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , when a user starts a function of accessing the Internet by a communication device via the user interface  110 , the user interface  110  can generate a network connection request, and the network connection request is transmitted to the search unit  102  to allow the search unit  102  to search for a communication device with a mobile Internet access function as shown in the step S 202 . 
         [0027]      FIG. 3  is a flow chart showing the detailed steps of the step S 202  in  FIG. 2 . As shown in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 3 , when the user interface  110  sends out a network connection request, the search unit  102  receives the network connection request as shown in the step S 302 . Afterwards, the search unit  102  performs the step S 304 . That is, the search unit  102  detects whether a communication device having priority is connected to the computer device. When the search unit  102  finds that the communication device having priority is connected to the computer device (“yes” in the step S 304 ), the communication device having priority is directly connected as shown in the step S 306 . 
         [0028]    If the search unit  102  finds that no communication device having priority is connected to the computer device (“no” in the step S 304 ), the step S 308  is performed. That is, a communication device for network connection is searched for. For example, the search unit  102  can check whether a dial-up networking (DUN) profile of a device exists or perform an AT command to check whether a communication device is connected to the computer device in a Bluetooth transmission mode or a wired transmission mode. 
         [0029]    If the search unit  102  finds that no communication device with a mobile Internet access function is connected to the computer device via the connection interface  120  (“no” in the step S 308 ), a message showing that no communication device for network connection exists is sent out via the user interface  110  to notify the user in the step S 310 . 
         [0030]    If the search unit  102  searches out at least a communication device connected to the computer device via the connection interface  120  (“yes” in the step S 308 ), the search unit  102  detects whether a plurality of communication devices for network connection exist in the step S 312 . If one communication device is connected to the computer device via the connection interface  120  (“no” in the step S 312 ) only, a device connection request is generated and sent to the connection unit  104  to automatically connect the only communication device in the step S 314 . 
         [0031]    If the search unit  102  searches out more than one communication device connected to the computer device (“yes” in the step S 312 ), the step S 316  is performed. That is, the communication devices for network connection are listed and displayed via the user interface  110  for a user to select. In the embodiment, the communication device can be listed in sequence according to, but not limited to, priority, the number of times of successful connection and so on. When the user selects one of the communication devices (such as  140 ) via the user interface  110  for network connection, the search unit  102  detects the input of the user via the user interface  110  to send out a device connection request to the connection unit  104  in the step S 318 . 
         [0032]    As shown in  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 4 , after the step S 202  is performed, the connection unit  104  allows the communication device  140  which is searched out to be connected in the step S 204 .  FIG. 4  is a flow chart showing the detailed steps of the step S 204  in  FIG. 2 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , when the search unit  102  sends out a device connection request as shown in  FIG. 3 , the connection unit  104  can receive the device connection request as shown in the step S 402  and check whether the communication device  140  which needs to be connected is connected to the computer device in a wireless or wired mode as shown in the step S 404 . 
         [0033]    When the connection interface  120  utilizes the wireless mode (“wireless” in the step S 404 ), the step S 406  is performed. That is, whether the communication device  140  can wirelessly communicate is tested. If the wireless connection is a Bluetooth transmission connection, the connection unit  104  confirms whether the communication device  140  can perform a Bluetooth pairing. If the connection unit  104  confirms that the communication device  140  can be wirelessly connected (for example, the communication device  140  is successfully paired by Bluetooth), the step S 408  is performed. That is, a connection success message is sent out via the user interface  110 . On the contrary, if the connection unit  104  finds that the communication device  140  cannot be wirelessly connected (for example, the communication device  140  refuses to pair or closes its Bluetooth function), the step S 410  is performed. That is, a connection failure message is sent out to notify the user via the user interface  110 . 
         [0034]    If the connection interface  120  utilizes a wired mode, the connection unit  104  tests whether a connection port of the communication device  140  can normally operate as shown in the step S 412 . If the connection unit  104  confirms that the connection port of the communication device  140  can normally operate (“yes” in the step S 412 ), the step S 408  is performed. On the contrary, if the connection unit  104  finds that the connection port of the communication device  140  cannot normally operate (“no” in the step S 412 ), the step S 410  is performed. 
         [0035]    As shown in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , when the communication device  140  is connected, the step S 206  is performed. That is, the setting unit  106  performs the setting steps.  FIG. 5  is a flow chart showing the detailed steps of the step S 206  in  FIG. 2 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , after the connection unit  104  allows the communication device  140  to be connected, the setting unit  106  can obtain corresponding parameter values from the database according to the type of the communication device  140  to set dial-up network of the communication device as shown in the step S 502 , and the setting unit  106  checks whether the database has the setting of an Internet service provider (ISP) having priority as shown in the step S 504 . If the setting unit  106  finds the setting of the Internet service provider (ISP) having priority in the database (“yes” in the step S 504 ), the step S 506  is performed. That is, additional initialization instruction is set according to the ISP having priority, and the step S 510  is performed, that is, the dial-up network connection is set. 
         [0036]    When the setting unit  106  does not find the setting of any ISP having priority (“no” in the step S 504 ), corresponding additional initialization instruction is set according to the ISP that the communication device is connected to as shown in the step S 508 . 
         [0037]    For example, if the service interface  142  is a third generation communication network, the setting unit  106  can select a corresponding initialization string to set according to a look-up table stored in the database  112 . The initialization string may be as follows:
       AT+CGDCONT=1, “ip”, “internet”       
 
         [0039]    In some embodiments, if the setting unit  106  does not find corresponding initialization instruction in the database  112 , it can require the user to input via the user interface  110  and store data input by the user into the database  112  to facilitate the next connection of the computer device. 
         [0040]    After the step S 508  is performed, the setting unit  106  can set a dial-up network connection via the communication device  140  and generate corresponding setting values as shown in the step S 510 . In some embodiments, the setting unit  106  can store the setting values into the database  112  as priority setting to increase the connection speed of the computer device via the communication device  140  next time, as shown in the step S 512 . 
         [0041]    Assuming that the connection interface  120  is a Bluetooth transmission interface, after the setting unit  106  sets the dial-up network, the communication device  140  has corresponding address information at the Bluetooth interface. The setting unit  106  can store the address information into the database  112  at that moment. When the computer device needs to access the Internet via the communication device  140  next time, the search unit  102  can directly obtain the address information having high priority from the database  112 , and then whether the communication device  140  exists is checked via the address information before a complete search. The setting unit  106  can directly obtain corresponding setting values from the database  112  to set the communication device  140 . 
         [0042]    As shown in  FIG. 2 , after the setting unit  106  performs the step S 206 , the dial-up unit  108  is notified. In this way, the dial-up unit  108  performs the dial-up Internet access via the communication device  140  and the service interface  142  according to the dial-up network set by the setting unit  106 , and then a data package transmission path is built between the computer device and the Internet  144 . 
         [0043]    To sum up, since the invention utilizes a communication device to perform common dial-up Internet access, additional software does not need to be installed. In the invention, different setting may be done according to the type of communication devices and ISPs, and therefore, the connection efficiency increases. The invention allows the user to set parameters himself, and data set by the user can be stored. Thus, the invention is further flexible in use. 
         [0044]    Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof, the disclosure is not for limiting the scope of the invention. Persons having ordinary skill in the art may make various modifications and changes without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Therefore, the scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the preferred embodiments described above.

Technology Category: 5