US 7,072,975 B2Granted

Apparatus and method for communicating information to portable computing devices

AssigneeWideray Corporation

InventorSaul Kato

Life of this patent

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Abstract

An information distributor comprises a processor, a network receiver connected to the processor, a transceiver system connected to the processor, and a memory connected to the processor. The memory includes network receiver communication stacks configured to direct the network receiver to wirelessly receive information from a system communication network and transceiver protocol stacks configured to direct the transceiver system to wirelessly transmit the information on demand to a portable computing device located within transmission range of the transceiver system. The transceiver protocol stacks include a first module configured to direct the transceiver system to generate a beacon, a second module configured to direct the transceiver system to detect an acknowledgement signal generated, in response to the beacon, by the portable computing device, and a third module configured to direct the transceiver system to generate, in response to the acknowledgement signal, a broadcast incorporating the information.

Claims6

Dependent claims

An information distributor, comprising:

a processor;
a battery connected to the processor;
a network receiver connected to the processor, wherein the network receiver is switchable between a sleep mode with reduced battery power consumption and an active mode with increased battery power consumption;
a transceiver system connected to the processor;
and
a memory connected to the processor, wherein the memory includes:
a first module configured to switch the network receiver from the sleep mode to the active mode to receive a the first scheduled transmission from a structuring system via a system communication network, wherein the first scheduled transmission incorporates information;
a second module configured to switch the network receiver from the active mode to the sleep mode after receiving the first scheduled transmission;
a third module configured to direct the transceiver system to transmit the information received from the structuring system on demand to a portable computing device located within transmission range of the transceiver system;
an initial schedule, wherein the initial schedule indicates a start of transmission time of the first scheduled transmission, wherein the first module is configured to switch the network receiver from the sleep mode to the active mode in accordance with the initial schedule;
wherein the first scheduled transmission further incorporates an updated schedule indicating a start of transmission time of a second scheduled transmission from the system communication network;
and
wherein the first module is configured to switch, in accordance with the updated schedule, the network receiver from the sleep mode to the active mode to receive the second scheduled transmission.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 09/842,359Filed 24 Apr 2001
Published: US 2002/0184385 A15 Dec 2002
Granted: 4 Jul 2006
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification9 codes

H04L 67/04
Protocols: specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
H04W 4/06
Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor: selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia…
H04L 69/329
Intralayer communication protocols among peer entities or protocol data unit [PDU] definitions: in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
H04W 52/0216
Managed by the network, e.g. network or access point is leader and terminal is follower: using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic…