IP Library Granted Patent US 7,579,809
Granted Patent B2
US 7,579,809 · App. 11/491,478 · Granted Aug 25, 2009

Rechargeable wireless adapters

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,579,809
App. No.
11/491,478
Granted
Aug 25, 2009
Kind
B2
Abstract

Charging a battery is disclosed. An electrical connection is formed between a wireless adapter having a battery and a host. The wireless adapter is configured to be able to be removably coupled to a device to provide a wireless channel between the device and the host. The battery of the wireless adapter is charged using the host.

Claims (53)

1. A method of charging including:

forming a first electrical connection directly between a first wireless adapter having a battery and a second wireless adapter without an intermediary device, wherein:

the first wireless adapter and the second wireless adapter are configured to provide wireless communications capability for a legacy device that does not have wireless communication capabilities and a host that does not have wireless communication capabilities by coupling, respectively, to the legacy device and the host and exchanging data on a wireless channel on behalf of the legacy device or the host to which the first wireless adapter or the second wireless adapter is respectively coupled during a data exchange mode; and

the first wireless adapter is configured to be able to be removably coupled to the legacy device to provide the wireless channel between the device and the host;

forming a second electrical connection directly between the second wireless adapter and the host without an intermediary device; and

charging the battery of the first wireless adapter via the second wireless adapter using the host.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the wireless channel is associated with Ultra Wideband (UWB).

3. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the wireless channel is associated with a WiMedia specification.

4. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein charging the battery includes using Universal Serial Bus (USB).

5. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein charging the battery includes using ExpressCard.

6. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the wireless adapter includes a memory.

7. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising indicating that charging the battery has completed.

8. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein forming the second electrical connection includes removably coupling the second wireless adapter to the host.

9. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising obtaining an encryption key while the first wireless adapter and the second wireless adapter are removably coupled.

10. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising determining whether the first wireless adapter is in a charging mode, wherein charging occurs in the event the first wireless adapter is in a charging mode.

11. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

breaking the first electrical connection between the first wireless adapter and the second wireless adapter;

removably coupling the first wireless adapter to the legacy device; and

wirelessly exchanging data between the legacy device and the host using the first wireless adapter.

12. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

breaking the first electrical connection between the first wireless adapter and the second wireless adapter;

removably coupling the first wireless adapter to the legacy device;

removably coupling the second wireless adapter to the host; and

wirelessly exchanging data between the device and the host using the first wireless adapter and the second wireless adapter.

13. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

breaking the first electrical connection between the first wireless adapter and the second wireless adapter;

removably coupling the first wireless adapter to the legacy device; and

wirelessly exchanging data between the legacy device and the host using the first wireless adapter, wherein the first wireless adapter is in a power save mode for a non-zero period of time when not wirelessly exchanging data.

14. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein:

while the first wireless adapter is coupled to the second wireless adapter, the first wireless adapter is in a lower power state.

15. A system for charging including:

a first connector configured to form a first electrical connection directly between a first wireless adapter having a battery and a second wireless adapter without an intermediary device, wherein:

the first wireless adapter and the second wireless adapter are configured to provide wireless communications capability for a legacy device that does not have wireless communication capabilities and a host that does not have wireless communication capabilities by coupling, respectively, to the legacy device and the host and exchanging data on a wireless channel on behalf of the legacy device or the host to which the first wireless adapter or the second wireless adapter is respectively coupled during a data exchange mode; and

the first wireless adapter is configured to be able to be removably coupled to the legacy device to provide the wireless channel between the device and the host;

a second connector configured to form a second electrical connection directly between the second wireless adapter and the host without an intermediary device; and

a battery charger configured to charge the battery of the first wireless adapter via the second wireless adapter using the host.

16. A system as recited in claim 15 , wherein the battery charger is configured to charge the battery using Universal Serial Bus (USB).

17. A system as recited in claim 15 , wherein the battery charger is configured to charge the battery includes using ExpressCard.

18. A system as recited in claim 15 further comprising a processor configured to obtain an encryption key while the first wireless adapter and the second wireless adapter are removably coupled.

19. A computer program product for charging, the computer program product being embodied in a computer readable medium and comprising computer instruction for:

forming a first electrical connection directly between a first wireless adapter having a battery and a second wireless adapter without an intermediary device, wherein:

the first wireless adapter and the second wireless adapter are configured to provide wireless communications capability for a legacy device that does not have wireless communication capabilities and a host that does not have wireless communication capabilities by coupling, respectively, to the legacy device and the host and exchanging data on a wireless channel on behalf of the legacy device or the host to which the first wireless adapter or the second wireless adapter is respectively coupled during a data exchange mode; and

the first wireless adapter is configured to be able to be removably coupled to the legacy device to provide the wireless channel between the device and the host;

forming a second electrical connection directly between the second wireless adapter and the host without an intermediary device; and

charging the battery of the first wireless adapter via the second wireless adapter using the host.

20. A computer program product as recited in claim 19 , wherein the computer instructions for charging the battery include computer instructions for using Universal Serial Bus (USB).

21. A computer program product as recited in claim 19 , wherein the computer instructions for charging the battery include computer instructions for using ExpressCard.

22. A computer program product as recited in claim 19 ,

the computer program product further comprising computer instructions for obtaining an encryption key while the first wireless adapter and the second wireless adapter are removably coupled.

23. A computer program product as recited in claim 19 , the computer program product further comprising computer instructions for:

breaking first the electrical connection between the first wireless adapter and the second wireless adapter;

removably coupling the first wireless adapter to the legacy device; and

wirelessly exchanging data between the legacy device and the host using the first wireless adapter.

Assignments (4)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 7, 2012
From: VEEBEAM CORPORATION
To: INTEL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 028170/0058 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Oct 28, 2010
From: VEEBEAM CORPORATION
To: BLUECREST VENTURE FINANCE MASTER FUND LIMITED
Reel/Frame 025214/0089 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Oct 18, 2010
From: STACCATO COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
To: VEEBEAM CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 025150/0187 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 11, 2006
From: BOWLES, MARK V.; TOU, JARVIS C.
To: STACCATO COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 018245/0858 →