# US 2020/0403690 A1 · Smartphone Charging Station Connectivity > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2020/0403690 A1 - Document ID: US20200403690A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/966,825 - Filed: 2019-05-23 - Published: 2020-12-24 - Earliest claimed: 2018-06-01 - Assignees: Google Inc. - Applicants: Google LLC - Inventors: Erik Richard Stauffer; Aamir Akram; Jibing Wang - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20200403690A1 ## CPC - H02J 13/1337: {involving the use of Internet protocols} - G06F 13/382: {using universal interface adapter} - H02J 7/685: {using connection detecting circuits (H02J7/68 takes precedence)} - H02J 7/731: {specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries (H02J7/751 takes precedence)} - H02J 13/1311: {using the power network as support for the transmission} - H04B 5/79: for data transfer in combination with power transfer - H04B 7/0805: {with single receiver and antenna switching (H04B7/0822 takes precedence)} - H04B 7/15578: {by gain adjustment} - H04W 84/12: WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks] - G06F 2213/0042: Universal serial bus [USB] - H02J 2105/44: Portable electronic devices - H04B 7/15507: {Relay station based processing for cell extension or control of coverage area, (network planning with network coordinated processing with regard to cell extension H04W16/26; network topologies using dedicated repeater stations H04W84/047; terminal devices adapted for relaying to or from an other terminal H04W88/04)} - H04W 4/80: Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication - H04W 84/22: with access to wired networks - H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - H04B: TRANSMISSION - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract This document describes methods, devices, and systems for configuring a smartphone (102) for network connectivity via a charging station (120), in which the smartphone (102) detects a connection or a coupling to the charging station (120). In response to the detection of the connection or coupling to the charging station (120), the smartphone (102) configures a WLAN transceiver (228) as a WLAN access point and forms a mesh WLAN network with one or more other WLAN access points (114). In other aspects, the charging station (120) detects the presence of the smartphone (102) that is connected or coupled to the charging station (120). In response to sensing the presence of the smartphone (102), the charging station (120) configures power and charging circuitry (244) to charge a battery of the smartphone (102) and configures WLAN radio circuitry (232) to relay WLAN communications for the smartphone (102). ## Claims ### Claim 1 A charging station device, comprising: wireless local area network (WLAN) radio circuitry; power and charging circuitry; a processor; and a memory comprising instructions for a docking manager application, the instructions being executable by the processor to configure the charging station to: sense a presence of a smartphone that is coupled or connected to the charging station; in response to sensing the presence of the smartphone, configure the power and charging circuitry to charge a battery of the smartphone; configure the WLAN radio circuitry to relay one or more WLAN communications sent and received to and from the smartphone; and relay the one or more WLAN communications between the smartphone and a wireless local area network. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The charging station device of claim 1, wherein the WLAN radio circuitry comprises one or more antennas, a low-noise amplifier, one or more transmit-receive switches, a power amplifier, or any combination thereof. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The charging station device of claim 2, wherein the WLAN radio circuitry comprises a WLAN signal sensor to sense a WLAN transmission from the smartphone, and the instructions being executable by the processor to configure the charging station device to: in response to the sensing of the WLAN transmission from the smartphone, configure the one or more transmit-receive switches to route the WLAN transmission from the smartphone through the power amplifier; and in response to not sensing the WLAN transmission from the smartphone, configure the one or more transmit-receive switches to route signals received by the one or more antennas through the low-noise amplifier. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The charging station device of claim 2, wherein the one or more antennas are configured to provide a greater antenna gain than WLAN antennas included in the smartphone. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The charging station device of claim 1, further comprising a housing, wherein the housing includes mechanical features to mount the device to a window to improve transmission and reception of millimeter-wave radio signals, and wherein the mechanical features of the housing are configured to enable mounting the charging station using magnets, adhesive, adhesive tape, suction cups, or snaps. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The charging station device of claim 2, wherein the WLAN radio circuitry comprises a WLAN transceiver and one or more additional antennas, and the instructions being executable by the processor to configure the charging station device to: send and receive data for the smartphone using the WLAN transceiver and the one or more additional antennas. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The charging station device of claim 6, wherein the data is communicated between the charging station and the smartphone via a USB interface, a Near Field Communication link, or a Bluetooth communication link. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The charging station device of claim 6, further comprising a Fifth Generation New Radio (5G NR) femtocell, and the instructions being executable by the processor to configure the charging station to: provide 5G NR wireless communication via a cellular backhaul of the smartphone, a WLAN network, or a combination thereof. ### Claim 9 A method relaying wireless local area network (WLAN) communication by a charging station, the method comprising: sensing, by the charging station, a presence of a smartphone that is coupled or connected to the charging station; in response to the sensing the presence of the smartphone, configuring power and charging circuitry to charge a battery of the smartphone; configuring WLAN radio circuitry of the charging station to relay one or more WLAN communications sent and received to and from the smartphone; and relaying the one or more WLAN communications between the smartphone and a wireless local area network. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the WLAN radio circuitry comprises one or more antennas, a low-noise amplifier, one or more transmit-receive switches, a power amplifier, or any combination thereof. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the WLAN radio circuitry comprises a WLAN signal sensor to sense a WLAN transmission from the smartphone, the method further comprising: in response to the sensing of the WLAN transmission from the smartphone, configuring the one or more transmit-receive switches to route the WLAN transmission from the smartphone through the power amplifier; and in response to not sensing the WLAN transmission from the smartphone, configuring the one or more transmit-receive switches to route signals received by the one or more antennas through the low-noise amplifier. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method of either claim 10, wherein the one or more antennas are configured to provide a greater antenna gain than WLAN antennas included in the smartphone. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the WLAN radio circuitry comprises a WLAN transceiver and one or more additional antennas, the method further comprising: sending and receiving data for the smartphone using the WLAN transceiver and the one or more antennas. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the data is communicated between the charging station and the smartphone via a USB interface, a Near Field Communication link, or a Bluetooth communication link. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the charging station further comprises a Fifth Generation New Radio (5G NR) femtocell, the method further comprising: providing 5G NR wireless communication via a cellular backhaul of the smartphone, a WLAN or a combination thereof. ### Claim 16 A smartphone device comprising: a wireless local area network (WLAN) transceiver; a processor; and a memory comprising instructions for a communication manager application, the instructions being executable by the processor to configure the smartphone device to: detect a connection or a coupling of the smartphone device to a charging station; in response to the detection, configure the WLAN transceiver as a WLAN access point; and relay one or more WLAN communications with a wireless local area network using the charging station. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The smartphone device of claim 16, wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to: form a mesh WLAN with one or more other WLAN access points. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The smartphone device of claim 17, wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to: join an existing WLAN including a WLAN router, the WLAN router being connected to a broadband network. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The smartphone device of claim 18, wherein the broadband network connection of the WLAN router and a cellular network connection of the smartphone device are aggregated to provide data to an application executing on a user device. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The smartphone device of claim 18, wherein the broadband network connection of the WLAN router provides a redundant network connection for a cellular network connection of the smartphone device, or the cellular network connection of the smartphone device provides the redundant network connection for the broadband network connection of the WLAN router.