Wireless communication network having voice and data communication capability

A wireless network including a backbone and a plurality of access points coupled to the backbone, the wireless network comprising:

• a plurality of portable network telephones each including:
• a processor;
• at least one of a keypad and a barcode reader coupled to the processor for entry of data;
• audio communication circuitry coupled to the processor for converting audio communication between an analog and digital format;
• and
• an RF transceiver for wirelessly communicating the data and the audio communication with the backbone via one of the plurality of access points;
• a host computer coupled to the backbone, wherein the host computer receives at least a portion of the data from the plurality of portable network telephones;
• and
• a gateway coupled to the backbone, wherein the gateway receives at least a portion of the audio communication and establishes a pseudo full duplex
• audio communication link between two or more of the plurality of portable network telephones;
• wherein the gateway establishes a pseudo full duplex audio communication link among at least three of the plurality of portable network telephones.

A portable network telephone for use in a wireless network including a backbone and a plurality of access points coupled to the backbone, the wireless network comprising a plurality of portable network telephones each including a processor, at least one of a keypad and a barcode reader coupled to the processor for entry of data, audio communication circuitry coupled to the processor for converting audio communication between an analog and digital format;

• and an RF transceiver for wirelessly communicating the data and the audio communication with the backbone via one of the plurality of access points;
• a host computer coupled to the backbone, wherein the host computer receives at least a portion of the data from the plurality of portable network telephones;
• a gateway coupled to the backbone, wherein the gateway receives at least a portion of the audio communication and establishes a pseudo full duplex audio communication link between two or more of the plurality of portable network telephones, said network telephone comprising:
• a keypad for providing entry of a destination code representative of a destination device with which the portable network telephone desires to establish a pseudo full duplex audio communication link via the pseudo full duplex audio communication gateway and for providing entry of data for processing by the host computer;
• a processor coupled to the keypad, the processor operative to distinguish between keypad entries representative of the destination code for transmission to the pseudo full duplex audio communication gateway and keypad entries representative of the data for transmission to the host computer;
• and
• an RF transceiver wirelessly communicating the data to the host computer and the destination code to the pseudo full duplex audio communication gateway in accordance with instructions from the processor.

A method of conducting a telephonic session with a wireless network including a backbone and a plurality of access points coupled to the backbone, the wireless network comprising:

• a plurality of portable network telephones each including:
• a processor;
• at least one of a keypad and a barcode reader coupled to the processor for entry of data;
• audio communication circuitry coupled to the processor for converting audio communication between an analog and digital format;
• and
• an RF transceiver for wirelessly communicating the data and the audio communication with the backbone via one of the plurality of access points;
• a host computer coupled to the backbone, wherein the host computer receives at least a portion of the data from the plurality of portable network telephones;
• and
• a gateway coupled to the backbone, wherein the gateway receives at least a portion of the audio communication and establishes a pseudo full duplex audio communication link between two or more of the plurality of portable network telephones;
• said method comprising the steps of:
• establishing an active telephonic session between the first and second telephones via the pseudo full duplex audio communication gateway;
• and
• transmitting data from at least one of the first and second telephones to a host computer to during the active telephonic session;
• wherein upon establishing an active telephonic session between the first and second telephones, the pseudo full duplex audio communication gateway enters an address of the first and second telephones in a table.

A method of communicating with a wireless network including a backbone and a plurality of access points coupled to the backbone, the wireless network comprising:

• a plurality of portable network telephones each including:
• a processor;
• at least one of a keypad and a barcode reader coupled to the processor for entry of data;
• audio communication circuitry coupled to the processor for converting audio communication between an analog and digital format;
• and
• an RF transceiver for wirelessly communicating the data and the audio communication with the backbone via one of the plurality of access points;
• a host computer coupled to the backbone, wherein the host computer receives at least a portion of the data from the plurality of portable network telephones;
• and
• a gateway coupled to the backbone, wherein the gateway receives at least a portion of the audio communication and establishes a pseudo full duplex audio communication link between two or more of the plurality of portable network telephones;
• said method comprising the steps of:
• transmitting from the first portable network telephone audio communication for receipt by the second portable network telephone;
• receiving the audio communication at a gateway coupled to the backbone, the gateway establishing a pseudo full duplex audio communication link between the first portable network telephone and the second portable network telephone;
• and
• forwarding the audio communication from the gateway to the second portable network telephone;
• said method further comprising the steps of:
• transmitting from one of the first portable network telephone and the second portable network telephone a request for a third portable network telephone to be included in the pseudo full duplex audio communication link established by the gateway;
• and
• establishing by the gateway a pseudo full duplex audio communication link with the first portable network telephone, the second portable network telephone, and the third portable network.