Patents Portfolio

U.S. Patent: 8,972,610


Patent Title

Portable communication USB device for providing mobile internet access service or for providing other communication services

Meta Information

Issued Date: March 3, 2015
Inventor: William Ho Chang et al
External Links: UPSTO, Google Patents

Technical Fields

Abstract

A portable USB device that enables mobile Internet accessing service is disclosed. The portable USB can be plugged into an external USB port of a computing device for enabling the Internet accessing service. Subsequent to receiving the Internet accessing service by the computing device via the portable USB device, the computing device may further share the Internet with other wireless devices over a local area network (e.g., network compatible, at least partly, with IEEE 802 standards). The portable USB device may include a wireless component and may further include wireless communication software or data for running at the computing device. The Internet accessing service may employ security data stored in a memory area of the portable USB device for enabling service verification or for security. The portable USB device may also be a non-wireless device connectable to a USB port for enabling phone calling.

Sample Claim

1. A wireless communication USB (Universal Serial Bus) device that is portable and plug connectable to an external USB port of a first computing device for Internet access service through the wireless communication USB device, the wireless communication USB device being distinct from the first computing device, the wireless communication USB device including,

a USB interface for plug connecting to the external USB port of the first computing device,

a wireless communication component that includes a baseband component and a radio component for wireless communication,

a memory component that includes a private memory area storing protected data, the protected data stored in the private memory area for executing at the first computing device,

a memory controller for managing communication through the USB interface and for accessing the private memory area; and wherein the wireless communication USB device is operable at least for:

drawing power to the wireless communication USB device from the first computing device over the external USB port of the first computing device for operating the wireless communication USB device upon plug connecting the wireless communication USB device to the external USB port of the first computing device;

accessing at least part of the protected data from the private memory area of the wireless communication USB device by the memory controller of the wireless communication USB device, while the wireless communication USB device is being plug connected to the external USB port of the first computing device;

providing, by the wireless communication USB device, at least part of the protected data accessed by the memory controller from the private memory area of the wireless communication USB device, over the USB interface of the wireless communication USB device to a wireless application running and executing on the first computing device, while the wireless communication USB device is being plug connected to the external USB port of the first computing device, the at least part of the protected data being related to the Internet access service;

providing the first computing device with the Internet access service via the wireless communication component of the wireless communication USB device when the wireless communication USB device is plug connected to the external USB port of the first computing device; and

enabling the first computing device to share the Internet access service with a second computing device over a local wireless communication link between the first computing device and the second computing device, the Internet access service being provided via the wireless communication USB device that is plug connected to the external USB port of the first computing device, the second computing device being a distinct device from the first computing device and the wireless communication USB device; and

wherein, the wireless application running and executing at the first computing device activates at least part of the wireless communication operations employing, at least in part, the protected data related, at least in part, to the Internet access service and received from the wireless communication USB device, and the wireless application provides the first computing device with Internet access via the wireless communication component of the wireless communication USB device while the wireless communication USB device is being plug connected to the external USB port of the first computing device; and

wherein, upon disconnection of the wireless communication USB device, which is a portable wireless USB device, from the external USB port of the first computing device, the wireless application running at the first computing device is operable to include one or more operations to automatically: (1) exit at least part of the wireless application, or (2) terminate at least part of the wireless application, or (3) terminate at least part of the protected data, or (4) uninstall at least part of the wireless application, or (5) remove at least part of the protected data from the first computing device.