Patent · US Expired

Wireless communications apparatus and method

US7146191B2 · kind B2 · utility

1,014Cited by
26References
42Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateAug 16, 2004
Grant dateDec 5, 2006
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 16, 2024

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04W88/02
  • WIPO fieldDigital communication
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A wireless communication method and apparatus are described for increasing security for communication devices utilizing identification chips for accessing wireless networks and the associated billing for services. One aspect of the invention is an enhanced phone chip and a communications device adapted to engage the enhanced phone chip, which then cannot be installed or removed from the wireless communications device by unauthorized users. In one embodiment a security key mates to the identification chip and is utilized for installing and removing the enhanced phone chip. The security key preferably has a display upon which information about the communication device is displayed prior to removing the security key after installing the enhanced phone chip. Other aspects of the invention include wireless base station communication devices which support wired (dedicated and non-dedicated), and more preferably wireless extensions, while providing sharing of wireless network resources and interconnectivity between base station and extensions.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.