US 9,794,977 B2 · Method and system for facilitating wireless communication via alternate communication pathway

Abstract

A mobile device system and related method are disclosed by which the device is able to communicate wirelessly not only via a Wide Area Network (WAN) communication link but also via an alternate communication link such as a Wi-Fi communication link. In one embodiment, the method includes detecting an availability of an additional (alternate) communication link made possible via an access point (AP), determining whether one or more first criteria relating to one or both of the AP and the device have been met and, provided that the one or more first criteria are met, automatically launching a browser to communicate with one or both of the AP and a remote server. The method further includes determining based upon one or more interactions whether one or more second criteria have been met and, provided that the one or more second criteria are met, conducting communications via the additional communication link.

Claims19

Dependent claims

With respect to a mobile device configured to communicate wirelessly via a Wide Area Network (WAN) communication link, a method of operating the mobile device comprising:

(a) detecting an availability of an additional communication link made possible via an access point (AP);
(b) determining whether one or more first criteria relating to one or both of the AP or the mobile device have been met, wherein the one or more first criteria include whether the mobile device has been stationary for a first minimum period of time;
(c) provided that the one or more first criteria are met, including a determination that the mobile device has been stationary for the first minimum period of time, automatically launching, at the mobile device, a browser program, wherein the browser program is configured to allow the mobile device to operate as a client relative to web-based servers, and to communicate with one or both of the AP or a remote server via the additional communication link;
(d) determining, based upon one or more interactions between the browser program and one or both of the AP or the remote server, whether one or more second criteria for allowing communications to proceed via the additional communication link have been met;
and
(e) provided that the one or more second criteria are met, conducting the communications wirelessly via the additional communication link.

3 more elements

A mobile device configured to conduct both Wide Area Network (WAN) communications and Wi-Fi communications, the mobile device comprising:

at least one memory portion;
a first communication device having one or both of a first transmitter or a first receiver configured to conduct the WAN communications;
a second communication device having one or both of a second transmitter or a second receiver configured to conduct the Wi-Fi communications;
at least one sensing device including at least one location circuit or component;
and
at least one processor portion at least indirectly in communication with each of the at least one memory portion, the first communication device, the second communication device, and the at least one sensing device,
wherein the at least one processor portion is configured to determine that one or more first criteria are met regarding one or both of the mobile device or an access point (AP) with which it is possible for the Wi-Fi communications to be established, including whether the mobile device is stationary for a minimum period of time,
wherein, upon determining that the one or more first criteria have been met, including a determination that the mobile device is stationary for the minimum period of time, the at least one processor portion launches a browser program stored on the at least one memory portion by which the mobile device is configured to interact with a remote server, and
wherein upon one or more second criteria being met as a result of operation of the browser program, the Wi-Fi communications are conducted by the mobile device via the second communication device and the WAN communications are ended.

6 more elements

With respect to a mobile device configured to communicate wirelessly via a Wide Area Network (WAN) communication link, a method of operating the mobile device comprising:

(a) detecting an availability of an additional communication link made possible via a first access point (AP);
(b) determining whether one or more preliminary criteria have been met, and wherein the preliminary criteria include one or more of:
whether the mobile device is in receipt of a signal from the first AP for a first minimum period of time, whether the first AP has been one or more of (i) used before, (ii) whitelisted, or (iii) blacklisted, or whether the mobile device has been stationary for a second minimum period of time;
(c) launching, at the mobile device and in response to a determination that the mobile device has been stationary for the second minimum period of time, a client application to communicate with one or both of the first AP or a remote server via the additional communication link;
(d) determining that communications via the additional communication link are able to proceed on a free basis;
(e) upon determining that the communications are able to proceed on the free basis, determining, based upon one or more interactions between the client application and one or both of the first AP or the remote server, whether one or more additional criteria for allowing the communications to proceed via the additional communication link have been met;
and
(f) provided that the one or more additional criteria are met, conducting the communications wirelessly via the additional communication link.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and system for facilitating wireless communication via alternate communication pathway

Life of this patent

Method and system for facilitating wireless communication via alternate communication pathway

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims19