Wireless personal local area network

Abstract

A transceiver apparatus for creating a wireless personal local area network between a computer terminal and one or more peripheral devices. A separate transceiver is connected to the computer terminal and to each peripheral device. The transceivers can be connected to the terminal or peripheral device either internally or externally. A low power radio is used to communicate information between the computer terminal and peripheral devices. Different transceivers can be used for modifying the carrier frequency and power of the local area network. The microprocessor is located inside each transceiver and controls the information flow of the transceiver including the communication protocol which allows each device to know if other devices are communicating, which devices are being communicated to, and selectively address the peripheral devices. An Idle Sense communication protocol is used for information transfer between the computer terminal and the peripheral devices, increasing efficiency in power management and compensating for transmission collisions.

1 - 9 . (canceled)  
   
   
       10 . A wireless communication device comprising: 
 wireless communication circuitry operable to enable the device to wirelessly communicate with a second wireless communication device; and    positioning circuitry operable to determine a location of the device.    
   
   
       11 . The wireless device of  claim 10  wherein the positioning circuitry comprises global positioning system (GPS) circuitry.  
   
   
       12 . The wireless device of  claim 10  wherein the positioning circuitry determines the location of the device based in part on the distance of the device from one or more satellites orbiting the earth.  
   
   
       13 . The wireless device of  claim 10  wherein the positioning circuitry is operable to share positioning data with the wireless communication circuitry.  
   
   
       14 . The wireless device of  claim 13  wherein the wireless communication circuitry is operable to cause positioning data to be transmitted to the second wireless communication device.  
   
   
       15 . The wireless device of  claim 10  wherein the wireless communication circuitry is operable to receive, from the second device, positioning data regarding a location of the second device.  
   
   
       16 . The wireless device of  claim 15  further comprising a processor operable to determine a distance from the second device based on the location of the device and the location of the second device.  
   
   
       17 . The wireless device of  claim 10  wherein the wireless device is a mobile device.  
   
   
       18 . The wireless device of  claim 10  wherein the device is a handheld device configured to be operated while being held in a hand of a user.  
   
   
       19 . The wireless device of  claim 10  wherein the device is portable.  
   
   
       20 . The wireless device of  claim 10 , further comprising a keyboard.  
   
   
       21 . The wireless device of  claim 10 , further comprising a graphical display.  
   
   
       22 . The wireless device of  claim 10  wherein the device is an integrated circuit.  
   
   
       23 . A wireless communication device comprising: 
 transmit circuitry configured to transmit signals on a radio network;    receive circuitry configured to receive signals from the radio network; and    positioning circuitry operable to communicate with a positioning network in order to determine a location of the device.    
   
   
       24 . The wireless device of  claim 23  wherein the positioning network comprises a global positioning system (GPS) and the positioning circuitry comprises GPS circuitry.  
   
   
       25 . The wireless device of  claim 23  wherein the positioning network comprises one or more satellites orbiting the earth and wherein the positioning circuitry determines the location of the device based in part on the distance of the device from one or more of said satellites.  
   
   
       26 . The wireless device of  claim 23  wherein the positioning circuitry is operable to share positioning data with the transmit circuitry, which in turn is operable to cause positioning data to be transmitted to a second device on the radio network.  
   
   
       27 . The wireless device of  claim 23  wherein the receive circuitry is operable to receive, from a second device on the radio network, positioning data regarding a location of the second device.  
   
   
       28 . The wireless device of  claim 27  further comprising a processor operable to determine a distance from the second device based on the location of the wireless device and the location of the second device.  
   
   
       29 . The wireless device of  claim 23  wherein the transmit circuitry is further configured to transmit signals on a second radio network having a shorter range than the first radio network, and wherein the receive circuitry is further configured to receive signals from the second radio network.  
   
   
       30 . The wireless device of  claim 23  further comprising second transmit circuitry configured to transmit signals on a second radio network having a shorter range than the first radio network and second receive circuitry configured to receive signals from the second radio network.  
   
   
       31 . The wireless device of  claim 23  wherein the wireless device is a mobile device.  
   
   
       32 . The wireless device of  claim 23  wherein the device is a handheld device configured to be operated while being held in a hand of a user.  
   
   
       33 . The wireless device of  claim 23  wherein the device is portable.  
   
   
       34 . The wireless device of  claim 23 , further comprising a keyboard.  
   
   
       35 . The wireless device of  claim 23 , further comprising a graphical display.  
   
   
       36 . The wireless device of  claim 23  wherein the device comprises a PCMCIA card containing the transmit circuitry and the receive circuitry.  
   
   
       37 . The wireless device of  claim 29  wherein the transmit circuitry is configured to transmit spread spectrum signals on the second radio network and the receive circuitry is configured to receive spread spectrum signals from the second radio network.  
   
   
       38 . The wireless device of  claim 29  wherein the transmit circuitry is configured to transmit spread spectrum signals on the first radio network utilizing a first spreading code and to transmit spread spectrum signals on the second radio network utilizing a second spreading code and wherein the receive circuitry is configured to receive spread spectrum signals from the first radio network utilizing the first spreading code and to receive spread spectrum signals from the second radio network utilizing a second spreading code.