System, method, and apparatus for extending wireless personal area networks using conferencing connection
View Patent ↗A system, method, and apparatus are disclosed whereby a wireless Personal Area Network such as a Bluetooth piconet may be extended to a remote location beyond the normal range by means of a conferencing connection. The conferencing connection may comprise, for example, one or more ISDN lines or an IP connection between two or more conference endpoints. The broadband connection may include a video channel, an audio channel, a control channel, and a Bluetooth channel.
1. A method of extending a wireless Personal Area Network (PAN), the method comprising the acts of:
establishing a first PAN comprising a first PAN-enabled device and a first PAN-enabled conferencing unit;
establishing a conferencing connection between the first PAN-enabled conferencing unit and a second PAN-enabled conferencing unit, wherein the second PAN-enabled conferencing unit is at a location remote from the first PAN-enabled conferencing unit;
establishing a second PAN comprising a second PAN-enabled device and the second PAN-enabled conferencing unit; and
linking the first PAN to the second PAN via the conferencing connection.
2. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first PAN-enabled device, the second PAN-enabled device, the first PAN-enabled conferencing unit, and the second PAN-enabled conferencing unit each comply with the Bluetooth specification.
3. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the conferencing connection comprises a Bluetooth channel.
4. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the conferencing connection comprises an ISDN line.
5. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the conferencing connection comprises an Internet Protocol connection.
6. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the conferencing connection comprises a broadband connection.
7. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first PAN-enabled conferencing unit comprises a video conferencing unit.
8. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first PAN-enabled conferencing unit comprises an audio conferencing unit.
9. A method of extending a wireless Personal Area Network (PAN), the method comprising the acts of:
establishing a first PAN comprising a first Bluetooth-enabled device and a first Bluetooth-enabled video conferencing unit;
establishing a second PAN comprising a second Bluetooth-enabled device and a second Bluetooth-enabled video conferencing unit, wherein the second Bluetooth-enabled video conferencing unit is at a location remote from the first Bluetooth-enabled video conferencing unit;
establishing a video conferencing connection between the first Bluetooth-enabled conferencing unit and the second Bluetooth-enabled video conferencing unit; and
linking the first PAN to the second PAN via the video conferencing connection.
10. The method as recited in claim 9 , wherein the video conferencing connection comprises an audio channel, a video channel, a control data channel, and a Bluetooth channel.
11. The method as recited in claim 9 , wherein the video conferencing connection comprises an ISDN line.
12. The method as recited in claim 9 , wherein the video conferencing connection comprises an Internet Protocol connection.
13. The method as recited in claim 9 , wherein the video conferencing connection comprises a broadband connection.
14. A method of exchanging data via a wireless Personal Area Network (PAN), the method comprising the acts of:
establishing a first PAN comprising a first PAN-enabled device and a first PAN-enabled video conferencing unit;
establishing a second PAN comprising a second PAN-enabled device and a second PAN-enabled video conferencing unit, wherein the second PAN enabled video conferencing unit is at a location remote from the first PAN-enabled video conferencing unit;
establishing a video conferencing connection between the first PAN-enabled conferencing unit and the second PAN-enabled video conferencing unit;
linking the first PAN to the second PAN via the video conferencing connection;
determining respective capabilities of the first PAN-enabled video conferencing unit and the second PAN-enabled video conferencing unit;
identifying one or more devices in the first PAN;
identifying one or more devices in the second PAN; and
transmitting data from the first PAN-enabled device to the second PAN enabled device.
15. The method as recited in claim 14 , wherein the data transmitted from the first PAN-enabled device to the second PAN-enabled device comprises an electronic business card.
16. The method as recited in claim 14 , wherein the data transmitted from the first PAN-enabled device to the second PAN-enabled device comprises an image drawn on a Bluetooth-enabled whiteboard.
17. The method as recited in claim 14 , wherein the data transmitted from the first PAN-enabled device to the second PAN-enabled device comprises an image drawn using a Bluetooth-enabled pen.
18. The method as recited in claim 14 , wherein the data transmitted from the first PAN-enabled device to the second PAN-enabled device comprises an image drawn on a PDA.
19. A conferencing system for enabling wireless communications via a virtual Personal Area Network (PAN), the system comprising:
a first wireless PAN comprising a first PAN-enabled conferencing unit, a first PAN-enabled device, and a second PAN-enabled device; and
a second wireless PAN comprising a second PAN-enabled conferencing unit, the first PAN-enabled device, and the second PAN-enabled device;
wherein the first PAN-enabled conferencing unit and the first PAN-enabled device are at a first location;
wherein the second PAN-enabled conferencing unit and the second PAN-enabled device are at a second location that is physically remote from the first location; and
wherein the first PAN-enabled conferencing unit and the second PAN-enabled conferencing unit are capable of communicating via a conference connection.
20. The system as recited in claim 19 , wherein the conference connection comprises a Bluetooth channel.
21. The system as recited in claim 19 , wherein the conference connection comprises an ISDN line.
22. The system as recited in claim 19 , wherein the conference connection comprises an Internet Protocol connection.
23. The system as recited in claim 19 , wherein the conference connection comprises a broadband connection.
24. The system as recited in claim 19 , wherein the first PAN-enabled device comprises a Personal Digital Assistant.
25. The system as recited in claim 19 , wherein the first PAN-enabled device comprises a personal computer.
26. The system as recited in claim 19 , wherein the first PAN-enabled device comprises a mobile telephone.
27. The system as recited in claim 19 , wherein the first PAN-enabled device comprises a camera.
28. The system as recited in claim 19 , wherein the first PAN-enabled device comprises a microphone.
29. The system as recited in claim 19 , wherein the first PAN-enabled device comprises a speaker.
30. The system as recited in claim 19 , wherein the first PAN-enabled device comprises a Bluetooth whiteboard.
31. The system as recited in claim 19 , wherein the first PAN-enabled device comprises a Bluetooth pen.
32. The system as recited in claim 19 , wherein the first PAN-enabled device comprises a printer.
33. The system as recited in claim 19 , wherein the first PAN-enabled device comprises a mouse.
34. The system as recited in claim 19 , wherein the first PAN-enabled device comprises a keyboard.
35. The system as recited in claim 19 , wherein the first PAN-enabled conferencing unit comprises a video conferencing unit.
36. The system as recited in claim 19 , wherein the first PAN-enabled conferencing unit comprises an audio conferencing unit.