Handheld device capable of providing data tethering services while maintaining suite of handheld service functions

摘要

An improved tethering system is described in which a handheld device can be used by a user to reach the same network that the handheld device also provides access to for a tethering machine. Specifically, as described herein, a handheld device provides a tethering machine with access to a remote network (e.g., the Internet) through a wireless network that the handheld device is communicatively coupled to. Not only is the handheld device able to support multiple data flows between the tethering machine and the remote network, but also, the handheld device is capable of being used by a user to “surf” or otherwise access the same remote network that the handheld device provides the tethering machine with access to. For example, if the remote network is the Internet and the handheld device is a “smart phone”, a user who is holding the smart phone can access the Internet concurrently with one or more applications on the tethering machine that are also access the Internet. Moreover, the smart phone is also capable of concurrently supporting other networked services that the smart phone is designed to provide such as voicemail services, messaging services, and telephony (cell phone) services.

主权项

1. A handheld device, comprising:
a radio; and a processor; wherein said processor is configured to:
instantiate on said handheld device a first interface for accessing a data service via a remote network, said first interface being a first instance of software program code that is configured to receive first packets from an application on said handheld device and prepare said first packets to be transmitted from said handheld device to said remote network via said radio;instantiate on said handheld device a second interface that provides to a tethered device access to said data service via said remote network, said second interface being a second instance of said software program code that is configured to receive second packets from a third interface on said handheld device for said tethered device and prepare said second packets to be transmitted from said handheld device to said remote network via said radio, wherein said instances of said software program code for said first and second interfaces are separate instances of said software program code; andprovide said handheld device and said tethered device with concurrent access to said data service via said remote network by transmitting packets to and from said remote network, said first interface providing for a data flow of said first packets associated with said application's access to said data service, said second interface providing for a data flow of said second packets associated with said tethered device's access to said data service.