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|  Infinite Monkey Theorem Blog | |
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| NEC Gets Cell Phone Smart File Downloading Patent |
Location: Blogs IMT Blog |
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| By PatentMonkey on 6/24/2007 9:38 AM |
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Apple notes it is the only player one of two players in WiFi enabled smart phones offering a lot of capabilities. This week, NEC was issued a related patent on wirelessly downloading files by selecting between cellular or WiFi networks which reminds us that the iPhone is going to leverage so many cool features, and has the potential to step on some toes in doing so.
Using a cell phone to optimize download costs, it can determine one of two networks and in knowing the charing styles (flat rate for WiFi + broadband v. variable rate for most cell plans), NEC designed its technology to determine the cheaper path for a smart download.
For a bit of details:
1. A method for downloading a data file to a portable communications terminal comprising:
said portable communication terminal automatically selecting from a first wireless path having flat rate billing and a second wireless path having measured rate billing, said automatic selecting including:
detecting whether said first wireless path is available to said portable communications terminal for downloading said file at the current location and in response to detecting that said first wireless path is available at said current location, said portable communication terminal downloading said file using said first wireless path, and in response to detecting that said first wireless path is not available at said current location, detecting whether said second wireless path is available and, in response to detecting that said second path is available, said portable communication terminal downloading said file from said second wireless path.
With the emergence of all you can get plans in cellular, download speed may be more important than just cost, but not everyone will be up for full access data plans at ~$40/month making this concept worth expanding upon. |
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