Saturday, May 23, 2015

Apple's US patent application 20150141083 titled HOTSPOT DEVICE

The first published claim of Apple's application titled --HOTSPOT DEVICE -- is


A wireless device for communicating with a portable computing device comprising: a first portion including: a main logic board; an antenna electromagnetically connected to said main logic board; a security information management card electromagnetically connected to said main logic board; a second portion including a power source, said second portion rotatably connected to said first portion; and whereby rotation of said second portion with respect to said first portion electromagnetically connects said power source to said main logic board.



Claim 10 is directed to a system, rather than to a device:


A system for use in a wireless communication network comprising: a computing device; a hotspot device electromagnetically connectable to said computing device, said hotspot device including: a first portion, said first portion including: a main logic board; an antenna electromagnetically connected to said main logic board; a security information management card electromagnetically connected to said main logic board; a second portion including a power source, said second portion rotatably connected to said first portion; and wherein said second portion is rotatable with respect to said first portion to electromagnetically connect said main logic board with said power source thereby providing wireless communication between said computing device and said wireless communication network.



The specification includes the text:


[0003] Closed public networks use a hotspot management system to control the hotspot. This software runs on the router itself or an external computer. With this software, operators can authorize only specific users to access the Internet, and they often limit the free access. Operators are also now able to limit each user's available bandwidth--each user is therefore restricted to a certain speed to ensure that everyone gets a good quality service. Often this is done through service-level agreements. Other hotspot providers charge a fee to users in order to provide internet access through the hotspot.

[0004] Roaming services are expanding among major hotspot service providers. With roaming service the users of a commercial provider can have access to other provider's hotspots with extra fees, in which such a user will usually be charged on the basis of access-per-minute. Hotspots may be provided by retail establishments as an incentive for users to frequent their stores. For example, coffee shops offer free internet connections over Wi-Fi networks. These connections, while free, suffer from limitations such as security and privacy. These networks also suffer from signal limitations such that a user must be within range of the signal to access the connection. Sheer volume of traffic due to many users may also slow down the transfer of information and make the connection less than optimal.

[0005] Many Wi-Fi adapters built into or easily added to consumer computers include the functionality to operate as hotspots. Some third-party software vendors offer applications to allow users to operate their own hotspot, whether to share an existing connection or extend the range of another hotspot. Other methods provide for a user to join a Wi-Fi subscriber service. The intention is to provide better bandwidth and services-on-demand to end-users, while also alleviating traffic overloads of mobile carrier infrastructure.

[0006] Security is a serious concern in connection with hotspots. In particular the wireless connection between the client and the access point is often encrypted to prevent the connection from being compromised. A hotspot gateway is a device that provides authentication, authorization and accounting for a wireless network. This can keep malicious users off of a private network even in the event that they are able to break the encryption. A wireless hotspot gateway helps solve guest user connectivity problems by offering instant Internet access without the need for configuration changes to the client computer or any resident client-side software. Thus the user can still get access to the network with their existing network configuration.

[0007] Existing wireless hotspot devices are limited in their usefulness in that, while more convenient and secure than public hotspot access, they may not be convenient to operate and carry. These devices include external control which may accidentally be activated by a user. It would be useful therefor to have a device which minimizes inadvertent activation. In addition, hotspot gateways should be convenient to carry and have a conveniently available power supply.

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