Cellular converter apparatus and method
A cellular conversion apparatus, system and method is disclosed and described. A cellular conversion apparatus comprises circuitry for communicating with a first local cellular device and circuitry for communicating with a second wide-area cellular system, where the first local cellular device and the second wide-area cellular system use different communication protocols.
1. A method implemented by a cellular converter module for providing cellular service, the method comprising:
performing a first provisioning function for provisioning first cellular communication circuitry associated with a first cellular communication protocol that is different from a second cellular communication protocol;
performing a second provisioning function for provisioning second cellular circuitry associated with the second cellular communication protocol;
receiving, from a cellular device using the second communication protocol, a first cellular signal according to the second cellular communication protocol;
in response to the first cellular signal, authenticating the cellular device for communication with the cellular converter module using the second cellular communication protocol;
receiving, from the cellular device, a second cellular signal according to the second cellular communication protocol;
demodulating the second cellular signal to generate a demodulated cellular signal according to the second cellular communication protocol;
converting the demodulated cellular signal into a plurality of data packets; and
wirelessly transmitting, to a cellular network, the plurality of data packets using the first cellular communication protocol.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second cellular communication protocol is one of a third generation (3G) cellular communication protocol or a fourth generation long term evolution (4G LTE) communication protocol.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first cellular communication protocol is one of a fourth generation long term evolution (4G LTE) cellular communication protocol or a fifth generation (5G) cellular communication protocol.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving the second cellular signal from a security system according to the second cellular communication protocol, the second cellular signal indicates an event was detected by a security system during an armed state.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second provisioning function comprises provisioning based on the second cellular communication protocol.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising powering-up of the cellular converter module; and
the first provisioning function for provisioning first cellular communication circuitry associated with the first cellular communication protocol occurring in response to the powering-up of the cellular converter module.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first provisioning function comprises registering with the cellular network using the first cellular communication protocol.
8. A cellular converter apparatus for providing cellular service, the cellular converter apparatus comprising:
a processor configured to:
perform a first provisioning function associated with a first cellular communication protocol that is different from a second cellular communication protocol that is used by a cellular device;
perform a second provisioning function associated with the second cellular communication protocol;
receive, from the cellular device using the second communication protocol, a first cellular signal according to the second cellular communication protocol; and
in response to the first cellular signal, authenticating the cellular device for communication with the cellular converter apparatus using the second cellular communication protocol;
a cellular receiver configured to receive, from the cellular device, a second cellular signal according to the second cellular communication protocol;
a modem in communication with the cellular receiver, the modem configured to demodulate the second cellular signal and convert the second cellular signal into a plurality of data packets; and
a transceiver in communication with the modem, the transceiver configured to wirelessly transmit, to a cellular network, the plurality of data packets using the first cellular communication protocol.
9. The cellular converter apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the cellular second communication protocol is one of a third generation (3G) cellular communication protocol or a fourth generation long term evolution (4G LTE) cellular communication protocol.
10. The cellular converter apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the first cellular communication protocol is one of a fourth generation long term evolution (4G LTE) cellular communication protocol or a fifth generation (5G) cellular communication protocol.
11. The cellular converter apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the second provisioning function comprises provisioning based on the second cellular communication protocol.
12. The cellular converter apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the cellular converter apparatus is configured to power-up; and
the first provisioning function associated with the first cellular communication protocol occurring in response to the power-up of the cellular converter apparatus, the first provisioning function comprises registering with the cellular network using the first cellular communication protocol.
13. The cellular converter apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the cellular receiver is configured to receive the second cellular signal from a security system according to the second cellular communication protocol, the second cellular signal indicates an event was detected by a security system during an armed state.
14. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed, perform a method, the method comprising:
performing a first provisioning function for provisioning first cellular communication circuitry associated with a first cellular communication protocol that is different from a second cellular communication protocol;
performing a second provisioning function for provisioning second cellular circuitry associated with the second cellular communication protocol;
receiving, from a cellular device, a first cellular signal according to the second cellular communication protocol;
in response to the first cellular signal, authenticating the cellular device for communication with a cellular converter module using the second cellular communication protocol;
receiving, from the cellular device using the second communication protocol, a second cellular signal according to the second cellular communication protocol;
demodulating the second cellular signal to generate a demodulated cellular signal according to the second cellular communication protocol;
converting the demodulated cellular signal into a plurality of data packets; and
wirelessly transmitting, to a cellular network, the plurality of data packets using the first cellular communication protocol.
15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the second cellular communication protocol is one of a third generation (3G) cellular communication protocol or a fourth generation long term evolution (4G LTE) cellular communication protocol.
16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the first cellular communication protocol is one of a fourth generation long term evolution (4G LTE) cellular communication protocol or a fifth generation (5G) cellular communication protocol.
17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the method further comprises authenticating with the cellular network using subscriber identity module (SIM) information.
18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the method further comprises receiving the second cellular signal from a security system according to the second cellular communication protocol, the second cellular signal indicates an event was detected by the security system during an armed state.
19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the method further comprises:
receiving a data signal from the cellular network using the first cellular communication protocol;
converting the data signal to a cellular data signal according to the second cellular communication protocol; and
wirelessly transmitting the cellular data signal to the cellular device.
20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19 , wherein the data signal comprises a firmware update for the cellular device.