WO2012155517A1

WO2012155517A1 - Terminal expansion device, system, and method

Info

Publication number: WO2012155517A1
Application number: PCT/CN2011/084695
Authority: WO
Inventors: 郭素光
Original assignee: 中兴通讯股份有限公司
Priority date: 2011-11-17
Filing date: 2011-12-26
Publication date: 2012-11-22
Also published as: CN103118441B; CN103118441A

Abstract

Disclosed are a terminal expansion device, system, and method. The device comprises: a transmission module, configured for data transmission in a data format supported by a terminal between a terminal expansion device and the terminal; a conversion module, configured for data format conversion between the data format supported by the terminal and a data format supported by the Internet; an access module, configured for data transmission in the data format supported by the Internet between the terminal expansion device and the Internet through a wired connection. The present invention enables a terminal to access the Internet through a wired network, thereby realizing a WLAN network hotspot coverage function.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to the field of communications, and in particular to a terminal extension apparatus, system, and method. BACKGROUND With the development of technology, a central processing unit (CPU) of a mobile phone has a higher frequency, and even a dual-core, multi-core mobile phone has more and more powerful performance, and even functions on many smart phones. There is a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) function on the mobile phone. The above WLAN function not only ensures that the mobile phone accesses the network through the WLAN, but also can use the mobile phone as a WLAN personal hotspot, thereby providing other WLAN access capable devices (such as computers, tablets, other mobile phones) to access the network by using the WLAN personal hotspot. It should be noted that in the latter way of accessing the network, the mobile phone is often connected to the Internet through a mobile communication network (for example, 3G). However, because the mobile communication network is relatively low in speed and expensive, it affects the user experience. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a terminal extension apparatus, system, and method, to at least solve the related art, a WLAN-enabled terminal can work as a WLAN personal hotspot, but its access rate to access the Internet through a mobile communication network is relatively low. And the problem is expensive. According to an aspect of the present invention, a terminal extension apparatus is provided, including: a transmission module, configured to perform data transmission in a data format supported by a terminal between a terminal extension apparatus and a terminal; and a conversion module configured to support data in the terminal The data format is converted between the format and the data format supported by the Internet; the access module is configured to transmit data in a data format supported by the Internet between the terminal extension device and the Internet through a wired connection. The above apparatus further includes: a power module configured to supply power to the terminal extension device. According to another aspect of the present invention, a terminal extension system is provided, including a terminal extension apparatus and a terminal, wherein the terminal extension apparatus includes: a transmission module, configured to perform a terminal supported data format between the terminal extension apparatus and the terminal Data transfer; conversion module, set to data format supported by the terminal with internet support Data format conversion between data formats; an access module, configured to transmit data in a data format supported by the Internet between the terminal extension device and the Internet through a wired connection. The terminal extension device further includes: a power module configured to supply power to the terminal extension device. The terminal includes: a WLAN chip configured to perform data transmission between the terminal and a device having WLAN access capability through an air interface. The terminal further includes: a mobile communication module, configured to connect the terminal to the Internet through the mobile communication network; and the routing module is configured to connect the terminal to the Internet through the mobile communication network through the mobile communication module when the terminal fails to transmit data through the transmission module. The terminal further includes: a Dynamic Host Configure Protocol (DHCP) module, which is configured to allocate an IP address to a device having WLAN access capability. According to still another aspect of the present invention, a terminal extension method is provided, including: performing data transmission in a data format supported by a terminal with a terminal; performing data format conversion between a data format supported by the terminal and a data format supported by the Internet; Wired connection to the Internet for data transmission in the data format supported by the Internet. Before the data transmission in the data format supported by the terminal and the terminal, the method further includes: the terminal transmitting data through the air interface with the device having the WLAN access capability. After the data transmission between the terminal and the device with the WLAN access capability through the air interface, the method further includes: accessing the Internet through the mobile communication network when the data transmission in the data format supported by the terminal fails. The invention provides a terminal extension device and a terminal, so that the terminal can access the Internet through a wired network, and realize the function of hotspot coverage of the WLAN network. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The accompanying drawings, which are set to illustrate,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the structure of a terminal extension apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the structure of a terminal extension apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 3 is a structural block diagram of a terminal extension system according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 4 is a structural block diagram of a terminal extension system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 5 is a structure of a terminal extension system according to a preferred embodiment 2 of the present invention; Figure 6 is a block diagram showing a structure of a terminal extension system according to a preferred embodiment 3 of the present invention; Figure 7 is a block diagram showing a structure of a terminal extension system according to a preferred embodiment 4 of the present invention; and Figure 8 is a block extension method according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 9 is a schematic structural diagram of a terminal extension apparatus and an extended terminal according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 10 is a schematic structural diagram of an extended terminal according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS It should be noted that the embodiments in the present application and the features in the embodiments may be combined with each other without conflict. The invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings in conjunction with the embodiments. The present invention provides a terminal extension apparatus. FIG. 1 is a structural block diagram of a terminal extension apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the transmission module 12, the conversion module 14 and the access module 16 are included. The structure is described in detail below. The transmission module 12 is configured to perform data transmission in a data format supported by the terminal between the terminal extension device and the terminal; the conversion module 14 is connected to the transmission module 12, and is configured to support the data format and internet support supported by the terminal transmitted by the transmission module 12. Data format conversion between the data formats; the access module 16, connected to the conversion module 14, is configured to perform data transmission in a data format supported by the Internet between the terminal extension device and the Internet through a wired connection. In the related art, a WLAN-enabled terminal can work as a WLAN personal hotspot, but its access rate to the Internet through a mobile communication network is relatively low and expensive. In the embodiment of the present invention, the terminal extension device is provided to cooperate with the terminal, so that the terminal can access the Internet through the wired network, and implement the function of the WLAN network hotspot coverage. 2 is a structural block diagram of a terminal extension apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 2, the terminal extension apparatus further includes a power module 18 configured to supply power to the terminal extension apparatus. The embodiment of the present invention provides a terminal extension system. FIG. 3 is a structural block diagram of a terminal extension system according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 3, the terminal extension device 32 and the terminal 34 are included. The terminal extension device 32 includes: a transmission module 322 (12) configured to perform data transmission in a data format supported by the terminal between the terminal extension device and the terminal; and a conversion module 324 (14) connected to the transmission module 322, configured to Data format conversion between the data format supported by the terminal and the data format supported by the Internet; the access module 326 (16), connected to the conversion module 324, configured to perform Internet support between the terminal extension device and the Internet through a wired connection Data transfer in data format. Preferably, as shown in FIG. 4, the terminal extension device 32 further includes a power module 328 (18) configured to supply power to the terminal extension device. Ensure that the device continues to have power, thus ensuring that the terminal is expanding normally. 5 is a structural block diagram of a terminal extension system according to a preferred embodiment 2 of the present invention, as shown in FIG.

34 includes: a WLAN chip 342 configured to perform data transmission between the terminal and a device having WLAN access capability through an air interface. 6 is a structural block diagram of a terminal extension system according to a preferred embodiment 3 of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 6, the terminal 34 further includes: a mobile communication module 344 connected to the WLAN chip 342, configured to access the terminal through the mobile communication network. The Internet access module 346 is connected to the mobile communication module 344, and is configured to access the terminal through the mobile communication network to the Internet through the mobile communication module 344 when the terminal fails to transmit data through the transmission module 322. In the preferred embodiment, when the terminal data transmission fails, the mobile communication network is used to access the Internet, so that although the network rate is low and expensive, the user's data can be normally transmitted. 7 is a structural block diagram of a terminal extension system according to a preferred embodiment 4 of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 7, the terminal 34 further includes: a DHCP module 348 connected to the WL AN chip 342, configured to provide a device with WLAN access capability. Assign an IP address. The embodiment of the invention further provides a terminal extension method, which is based on the terminal extension device and system. FIG. 8 is a flowchart of a terminal extension method according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 8, the following steps S802 to S806 are included. Step S802: Perform data transmission in a data format supported by the terminal with the terminal. Step S804, performing data format conversion between the data format supported by the terminal and the data format supported by the Internet. Step S806, data transmission in a data format supported by the Internet via the wired connection and the Internet. Before the step S802, the terminal extension method further includes: the terminal performs data transmission with the WLAN access capability device through the air interface. In the preferred embodiment, after the data transmission between the terminal and the device having the WLAN access capability is performed, the data transmission may be performed after the terminal performs the data transmission in the data format supported by the terminal. When the terminal fails to transmit data in the data format supported by the terminal, the terminal accesses the Internet through the mobile communication network. Although the network speed is low and expensive, the user's data can be transmitted normally. It should be noted that the steps shown in the flowchart of the accompanying drawings may be performed in a computer system such as a set of computer executable instructions, and, although the logical order is shown in the flowchart, in some cases, The steps shown or described may be performed in an order different than that herein. The method for extending the terminal described in the present invention is as follows: Before using the user, the extended terminal is connected to the terminal extension device through the data line, and the terminal extension device is connected to the wired network through the Ethernet cable, and the terminal extension device is powered on, and To install an extended application in an extended terminal, the following steps are included:

(1) The user runs the extended application in the extended terminal;

(2) The Ethernet frame conversion module is initialized. (3) The Ethernet interface module determines the type of IP address set by the user. If the IP address is obtained dynamically, the IP address is obtained through the DHCP client module. If the IP address is obtained successfully, execute (4). Otherwise, the user is prompted to obtain the IP address. If the IP address is static, the system directly executes (4).

(4) When other terminals are connected to the extended terminal through the WLAN, the corresponding data packet is sent to the Ethernet through the WLAN module and the routing module through the data distribution module; otherwise, the data received by the data distribution module from the Ethernet is routed. The module and the WLAN module are finally sent to the terminal that accesses the WLAN network of the extended terminal. The implementation process of the embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to examples. 9 is a schematic structural diagram of a terminal extension apparatus and an extended terminal according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 9, the core of the terminal extension apparatus is an Ethernet interface module, that is, a conversion module, which functions to complete an Ethernet data packet. The conversion with the existing format of the extended terminal converts the data interface of the extended terminal into an Ethernet interface, so that the extended terminal that does not support the Ethernet interface can be connected to the Ethernet through the terminal extension device. The module is connected to the extended interface of the extended terminal through the interface data line, and the module is connected to the wired network through the RJ45 data line. In this case, the data packet sent by the extended terminal can be converted into an Ethernet frame by the module and sent to the network; at the same time, the Ethernet frame received from the network can also be converted into the extended terminal. The data packets supported by the terminal are sent to the extended terminal. In addition, since the Ethernet interface module requires DC power supply to work, the terminal expansion device further includes a separate power module. FIG. 10 is a schematic structural diagram of an extended terminal according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The dotted line in the figure is control information, and the solid line is data stream. As shown in FIG. 10, the extended terminal has at least a WLAN module, a mobile communication data module, a DHCP server module, and a routing module. The WLAN module is configured to control the WLAN chip to complete data transmission and reception from the air interface; the mobile communication data module is configured to control the mobile communication MODEM, complete data transmission and reception according to the mobile communication network format; and the routing module is set to the WLAN module and Data transfer between mobile communication data modules; a DHCP server module, configured to assign an IP address to an access device having WLAN access capability. The extended terminal can be used as a wireless hotspot through the above four modules, and can realize the networking function of accessing through the mobile communication network and covering through the WLAN network, and other terminals supporting the WLAN can be connected to the mobile communication network. The extended terminal further includes an expansion module configured to cooperate with the terminal extension device, as follows: an Ethernet frame conversion module, a main control module, a data distribution module, and a DHCP client module. The Ethernet frame conversion module is configured to control the Ethernet interface module of the terminal extension device to complete the conversion of the data format supported by the Ethernet frame and the extended terminal. The role of the main control module is as follows:

(1) Set to maintain the status of the Ethernet connection and check whether the network cable is plugged in or unplugged.

(2) Complete the IP address assignment of the Ethernet interface by controlling the DHCP client module. (3) A routing module, a WLAN module, a DHCP server module, an Ethernet frame conversion module, and a data distribution module of the extended terminal are activated. The data distribution module is configured to convert the IP data to be sent to the Internet in the routing module of the extended terminal into an Ethernet frame, and assemble the received Ethernet frame into an IP packet and send the data to the routing module. It can be seen from the above that after the expansion module is added, once the expansion module is started, the routing module will not send the data to the data distribution module after receiving the data, but the data from the data distribution module, and the routing module. Finally sent to the WLAN module. The format of the data interface of the extended terminal is various, and the present invention is not limited. For example, in the implementation process, if the data interface of the extended terminal is a USB interface format, the expansion module can select a USB to Ethernet module, an Ethernet frame. The conversion module is to complete the conversion of Ethernet frames and USB packets. In summary, according to the above embodiments of the present invention, a terminal extension apparatus, system and method are provided. The invention provides a terminal extension device and a terminal, so that the terminal can access the Internet through a wired network, realize the function of WLAN network hotspot coverage, transmit WLAN network data through the wired network, increase the data transmission rate, and reduce the cost. Obviously, those skilled in the art should understand that the above modules or steps of the present invention can be implemented by a general-purpose computing device, which can be concentrated on a single computing device or distributed over a network composed of multiple computing devices. Alternatively, they may be implemented by program code executable by the computing device, such that they may be stored in the storage device by the computing device, or they may be separately fabricated into individual integrated circuit modules, or they may be Multiple modules or steps are made into a single integrated circuit module. Thus, the invention is not limited to any specific combination of hardware and software. The above is only the preferred embodiment of the present invention, and is not intended to limit the present invention, and various modifications and changes can be made to the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc. made within the spirit and scope of the present invention are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

Claim

1. A terminal extension device, comprising:

a transmission module, configured to perform data transmission in a data format supported by the terminal between the terminal extension device and the terminal;

a conversion module configured to perform data format conversion between a data format supported by the terminal and a data format supported by the Internet;

The access module is configured to perform data transmission of the data format supported by the Internet between the terminal extension device and the Internet through a wired connection.

2. The terminal extension device according to claim 1, further comprising: a power supply module configured to supply power to the terminal extension device.

A terminal extension system, comprising a terminal extension device and a terminal, wherein the terminal extension device comprises:

The terminal extension system according to claim 3, wherein the terminal extension device further comprises: a power module configured to supply power to the terminal extension device.

The terminal extension system according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the terminal comprises: a WLAN chip configured to perform data transmission between the terminal and a device having WLAN access capability through an air interface.

The terminal extension system according to claim 5, wherein the terminal further comprises:

a mobile communication module, configured to connect the terminal to the Internet through a mobile communication network; and a routing module configured to move the terminal by the mobile communication module when the terminal fails to transmit data through the transmission module The communication network is connected to the Internet. The terminal extension system according to claim 5, wherein the terminal further comprises: a dynamic host configuration protocol DHCP module, configured to allocate an IP address to the device having the WLAN access capability. A terminal extension method includes:

Performing data transmission with the terminal in a data format supported by the terminal;

Data format conversion between the data format supported by the terminal and the data format supported by the Internet;

Data transmission in the data format supported by the Internet is performed by a wired connection with the Internet. The terminal extension method according to claim 8, wherein before the data transmission by the terminal in the data format supported by the terminal, the method further comprises: the terminal transmitting data through the air interface with the device having the WLAN access capability. The terminal extension method according to claim 9, wherein after the terminal performs data transmission between the terminal and the device having the WLAN access capability, the method further includes: performing, in the data format supported by the terminal with the terminal When the data transmission fails, the Internet is accessed through the mobile communication network.