US 8,135,842 B1 · Internet jack

Abstract

The claimed invention herein provides a simple, economical, and safe way to connect a new class of Internet-ready devices and appliances to the Internet without the use of a personal computer (PC). The claimed invention herein provides an Internet dial-tone, so to speak, to applications ranging from toys and entertainment consoles to electronic books and health equipment just as a traditional telephone jack provides a plain old telephone system (POTS) dial-tone for phones, modems, and fax machines. The invention herein features a modem, network stack, and application protocols alleviating the need for sophisticated logic within attached devices. With one-touch, appliances can quickly and easily connect to the Internet.

Claims56

Dependent claims

An apparatus for a user to connect an Internet-ready device to the Internet by an Internet connection independent means, comprising:

at least two connection ports, wherein the first port connects to an Internet conduit, and the second port connects to said Internet-ready device capable of communicating utilizing Internet-related protocols;
a user interface, allowing a user to initiate passing information between said Internet-ready device and said Internet, and having associated indicators to indicate to said user that said passing of information that was initiated by said user is complete;
a protocol handler block for receiving and handling messages from said user interface and from said Internet-ready device, and for sending on said handled messages to a network stack block;
said network stack block for handling an associated subset of said handled messages, and sending on to a physical connection block;
and
said physical connection block for connecting to said Internet.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Internet jack

Life of this patent

Internet jack

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims56