Apparatus and methods for networking omni-modal radio devices

Abstract

A network and method of operating a network of wireless service providers adapted to interact with a plurality of omni-modal wireless products within a given geographic area in a manner to permit the wireless service providers to “borrow” radio frequencies from other wireless service providers within the same geographic region. As a cellular service provider in a given region finds that one of its service areas or cells has become nearly or fully loaded, frequency could be borrowed from a competitor, such as a PCS provider serving the same region. Selected omni-modal wireless product users in the overloaded area would be told to switch their omni-modal to the “leased” frequency but to use the non-PCS communications protocol appropriate to the type of service desired by the user. Implementation of this method broadly within a given geographic region will have the effect of insuring that the available radio spectrum is used to its maximum capacity to serve the needs of the wireless users on a real time basis.

Description

[0001]This application is a Continuation of Ser. No. 08 / 167,002, filed Dec. 15, 1993, now abandoned.More than one reissue application has been filed for the reissue of U.S. Pat. No. 5,761,621 issued on application Ser. No. 08 / 709,112 filed Sep. 6, 1996 which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 08 / 167,002 filed Dec. 15, 1993. The reissue applications are application Ser. No. 09 / 392,676 filed Sep. 8, 1999 (now RE38,787), Ser. No. 10 / 737,670 filed Dec. 17, 2003 and Ser. No. 12 / 112,276 filed Apr. 30, 2008 (the present application), all three of which are divisional reissues of U.S. Pat. No. 5,761,621. The present application claims the benefit of application Ser. Nos. 08 / 167,002; 08 / 709,112; 09 / 392,676 and 10 / 737,670.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]This invention relates generally to frequency and protocol agile, wireless communication devices and systems adapted to enable voice and / or data transmission to occur using a variety of different radio frequencies, transmission protoco...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

"The invention is a wireless system and method that can adapt to the needs of users and change to the available radio frequency spectrum in a given geographic area. It allows multiple portable wireless devices to access various data services based on user preferences and the quality of service provided by service providers. The system can also induce intense competition among service providers and promote real-time adaptive price and service competition. The invention also allows wireless service providers to broadcast electronically with omni-modal wireless devices and establish a uniform standard for \"handshakes\" between them. The omni-modal radio circuit, which includes a chip and modem, can be used to implement various omni-modal devices and provide computing resources for wireless communication."

Problems solved by technology

Previous attempts to provide such multi modal units have produced a variety of interesting, but less than ideal, product and method concepts.

While multi-modal in some regard, each of the technologies disclosed in the above listed patents is highly specialized and limited to a specific application.

The systems disclosed are clearly non-adaptive and are incapable of being easily reconfigured to adapt to different transmission protocols or different radio infrastructures.

While the limited attempts to deal with the fragmentation of the wireless communication industry have had some merits, no one has yet disclosed a truly self adaptive, omni-modal wireless product which enables an end user to access conveniently various wireless services in accordance with a selection process which is sufficiently under the control of the end user.

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