Peripheral device for communication over a communications system

A system for communicating over a network comprising:

• a first device having a local connection to a peripheral device, the local connection being independent of the network, the first device comprising:
• user interface means;
• network interface means for connecting to the network and for receiving data packets from the network;
• means for forwarding the received data packets from the first device to the peripheral device via the local connection;
• and
• means for receiving processed data packets from the peripheral device via the local connection such that data contained in the received data packets is conveyed to a user of the first device using the user interface means;
• and the peripheral device comprising:
• means for receiving the received data packets from the first device via the local connection;
• processing means for executing a client engine of a communication client to process the received data packets;
• and
• means for sending processed data packets to the first device via the local connection.

A peripheral device for communicating over a network, the peripheral device comprising:

• means for receiving data packets from a first device via a local connection that is independent of the network, the data packets originating from the network;
• processing means for executing a client engine of a communication client to process the received data packets;
• and
• means for sending processed data packets to the first device via the local connection, the processed data packets being for conveying data contained in the received data packets to a user of the first device.

A method of communicating over a network using a first device and a peripheral device, the first device comprising a user interface and a network interface for connecting to the network, the peripheral device having a local connection to the first device that is independent of the network, the method comprising:

• receiving data at the peripheral device;
• encoding the received data at the peripheral device;
• executing a client engine of a communication client on a processor of the peripheral device to process the received data packets;
• sending the processed data packets from the peripheral device to the first device via the local connection;
• and
• forwarding the received data packets from the first device to the communication network via the network interface.

A method of establishing a bidirectional communication over a network using a first device and a peripheral device, the first device comprising a user interface, the peripheral device comprising a network interface for connecting to the network and a local connection to the first device that is independent of the network, the method comprising:

• receiving data packets from the network at the network interface of the peripheral device;
• executing a client engine of a communication client on a processor of the peripheral device to process the received data packets;
• sending processed data packets from the peripheral device to the first device via the local connection;
• and
• decoding the data at the first device such that data contained in the received data packets is conveyed to a user of the first device using the user interface of the first device;
• and wherein the method further comprises:
• receiving data at the peripheral device;
• encoding the received data at the peripheral device;
• executing a client engine of a communication client on a processor of the peripheral device to process the received data packets;
• sending the processed data packets from the peripheral device to the first device via the local connection;
• and
• forwarding the received data packets from the first device to the communication network via the network interface.

A system for communicating over a network comprising:

• a first device having a local connection to a peripheral device, the local connection being independent of the network, the peripheral device comprising:
• network interface means for connecting to the network and for receiving data packets from the network;
• processing means for executing a client engine of a communication client to process the received data packets;
• and
• means for sending processed data packets to the first device via the local connection,
• the first device comprising:
• means for receiving the processed data packets from the peripheral device;
• means for decoding the processed data packets;
• and
• user interface means for conveying data contained in the processed data packets to a user of the first device.