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 method of determining a location of a first wireless communication device, comprising:
 receiving a wireless communication signal at the device;   determining a strength of the received signal; and   generating an indication of a location of the device based on the strength of the received signal.   
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising performing a function based on the indication of the location of the device. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising transmitting the determined strength of the received signal to a second wireless communication device, and wherein the second device generates the indication of the location of the first device based on the determined strength of the received signal. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the second device is the device that transmitted the wireless communication signal received at the first device. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the second device has a fixed location. 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the first device is operable to serve as a master device relative to the second device, and the second device is operable to serve as a slave device relative to the first device. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the first device is operable to perform control functions controlling aspects of communications of the second device. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising the second device performing a function based on the indication of the location of the first device. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising the second device executing an application that uses the indication of the location of the first device. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 10  wherein determining the strength of the received signal comprises generating a received signal strength indicator (RSSI). 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising transmitting the indication of the location of the first device to a second wireless communication device. 
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the second device is the device that transmitted the wireless communication signal received at the first device. 
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the second device has a fixed location. 
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 20  further comprising the second device performing a function based on the indication of the location of the first device. 
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 20  further comprising the second device executing an application that uses the indication of the location of the first device. 
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the first device is a mobile device. 
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising generating an indication of the location of the device using a global navigation satellite system. 
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the indication of a location of the device comprises a range value representative of a distance between the first device and a second wireless communication device that transmitted the wireless communication signal received at the first device. 
   
   
       28 . A wireless communication device transceiver, comprising:
 a receiver operable to receive a wireless communication signal;   a control unit operable to determine a strength of the received signal and operable to generate an indication of a location of the device based on the strength of the received signal.   
   
   
       29 . The transceiver of  claim 28  wherein the control unit is further operable to perform a function based on the indication of the location of the device. 
   
   
       30 . The transceiver of  claim 28  further comprising a transmitter, wherein the transceiver resides in a first wireless communication device and wherein the control unit is operable to cause the transmitter to transmit the determined strength of the received signal to a second wireless communication device. 
   
   
       31 . The transceiver of  claim 30  wherein the second device is a device that transmitted the wireless communication signal received by the first device. 
   
   
       32 . The transceiver of  claim 30  wherein the second device has a fixed location. 
   
   
       33 . The transceiver of  claim 30  wherein the first device is operable to serve as a master device relative to the second device, and the second device is operable to serve as a slave device relative to the first device. 
   
   
       34 . The transceiver of  claim 33  wherein the control unit is operable to perform control functions controlling aspects of communications of the second device. 
   
   
       35 . The transceiver of  claim 28  wherein the control unit is operable to generate a received signal strength indicator (RSSI). 
   
   
       36 . The transceiver of  claim 28  further comprising a transmitter, wherein the transceiver resides in a first wireless communication device and wherein the control unit is operable to cause the transmitter to transmit the indication of the location of the first device to a second wireless communication device. 
   
   
       37 . The transceiver of  claim 36  wherein the second device is a device that transmitted the wireless communication signal received by the first device. 
   
   
       38 . The transceiver of  claim 36  wherein the second device has a fixed location. 
   
   
       39 . The transceiver of  claim 28  wherein the transceiver resides in a mobile device. 
   
   
       40 . The transceiver of  claim 28  further comprising global navigation satellite system functionality operable to generate an indication of the location of the device. 
   
   
       41 . The transceiver of  claim 28  wherein the indication of a location of the device comprises a range value representative of a distance between the first device and a second wireless communication device that transmitted the wireless communication signal received by the first device.