System and method for crediting an account associated with a network access node

Abstract

A system and method for crediting an account of a network access node includes receiving a data signal at a network access node, forwarding the data signal wirelessly to a network user node, and providing account crediting information to an accounting system. The account crediting information represents a credit to be recorded for an account associated with the network access node.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of crediting an account of a network access node, comprising: 
 receiving a data signal at the network access node;    forwarding the data signal wirelessly to a network user node; and    providing account crediting information to an accounting system, wherein the account crediting information represents a credit to be recorded for an account associated with the network access node.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the network access node is a repeater.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the network access node is further part of an ad hoc network.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the network access node is an access point.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the data signal is received from a public telephone.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising providing account debiting information to the accounting system, wherein the account debiting information represents a debit to be recorded for an account associated with the network user node.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising providing second account crediting information to the accounting system, wherein the second account crediting information represents a second credit to be recorded to an account associated with the Internet service provider and the data signal is provided by an Internet service provider.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the network user node is a portable, handheld device having a display.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the credit is based on the forwarded data signal.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the credit is based on at least one of the time of day and airtime usage of the data signal.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the credit is calculated on at least one of a per-packet basis and a flat rate basis.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of forwarding includes transmitting the data signal using a wireless local area network (WLAN) protocol.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the WLAN protocol is the IEEE 802.11 protocol.  
     
     
         14 . A portable device configured as a repeater, comprising: 
 means for receiving a data signal wirelessly;    means for forwarding the data signal wirelessly to a network user node; and    means for providing account crediting information to an accounting system, wherein the account crediting information represents a credit to be recorded for an account associated with the portable device.    
     
     
         15 . The portable device of  claim 14 , wherein the portable device is configured to operate in an ad hoc network.  
     
     
         16 . The portable device of  claim 14 , further comprising means for providing account debiting information to the accounting system, wherein the account debiting information represents a debit to be recorded for an account associated with the network user node.  
     
     
         17 . The portable device of  claim 14 , further comprising means for providing second account crediting information to the accounting system, wherein the data signal is provided by an Internet service provider, wherein the second account crediting information represents a second credit to be recorded to an account associated with an Internet service provider.  
     
     
         18 . The portable device of  claim 14 , wherein the credit is based on the forwarded data signal.  
     
     
         19 . The portable device of  claim 18 , wherein the credit is based on airtime usage of the data signal.  
     
     
         20 . The portable device of  claim 18 , wherein the credit is calculated on a per-packet basis of the data signal.  
     
     
         21 . The portable device of  claim 14 , wherein the means for forwarding includes a wireless local area network (WLAN) transmitter.  
     
     
         22 . The portable device of  claim 21 , wherein the network user node is a portable device.  
     
     
         23 . An accounting method for crediting an account associated with a network access node, comprising: 
 receiving a communication event message, wherein the communication event message includes identification data representing a network access node, wherein the communication event message is received in response to the network access node receiving and forwarding a data signal on behalf of a network user node; and    crediting an account associated with the network access node based on the communication event message.    
     
     
         24 . The accounting method of  claim 23 , wherein the communication event message further includes the number of packets in the forwarded data signal.  
     
     
         25 . The accounting method of  claim 23 , wherein the communication event message further includes the duration of a communication between the network access node and the network user node.  
     
     
         26 . The accounting method of  claim 23 , wherein the communication event message is received in response to the network access node repeating the data signal in an ad hoc network.  
     
     
         27 . The accounting method of  claim 23 , wherein the communication event message is received in response to the network access node acting as an access point.  
     
     
         28 . The accounting method of  claim 23 , wherein the communication event message includes second identification data representing the network user node, further comprising debiting an account associated with the network user node.  
     
     
         29 . The accounting method of  claim 23 , further comprising crediting an account associated with an Internet service provider, wherein the data signal is provided by the Internet service provider, wherein the communication event message includes third identification data representing the Internet service provider.  
     
     
         30 . The accounting method of  claim 23 , wherein the network access node receives and forwards the data signal via a wireless local area network (WLAN) protocol.  
     
     
         31 . A method of crediting an account associated with an access point, comprising: 
 receiving a data signal at the access point;    forwarding the data signal wirelessly to a network user node using a wireless local area network (WLAN) communication standard; and    providing account crediting information to an accounting system, wherein the account crediting information represents a credit to be recorded for an account associated with the access point.    
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the data signal is received from a public telephone.  
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the data signal is received from the Internet.  
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising providing account debiting information to the accounting system, wherein the account debiting information represents a debit to be recorded for an account associated with the network user node.  
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising providing second account crediting information to the accounting system, wherein the data signal is provided by a data source, wherein the second account crediting information represents a second credit to be recorded to an account associated with the data source.  
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the network user node is a portable, handheld device having a display.  
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the credit is based on the forwarded data signal.  
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the credit is based on airtime usage of the data signal.  
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the credit is calculated on a per-packet basis.  
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the wireless local area network protocol is the IEEE 802.11 protocol.  
     
     
         41 . An access point, comprising: 
 a receive circuit configured to receive a data signal;    a transmit circuit configured to transmit the data signal over a wireless local area network (WLAN) to a network user node; and    an accounting circuit configured to provide account crediting information, wherein the account crediting information represents a credit to be recorded for an account associated with the access point.    
     
     
         42 . The access point of  claim 41 , wherein the receive circuit is coupled to a public switched telephone network.  
     
     
         43 . The access point of  claim 42 , wherein the data signal is received from an Internet service provider.  
     
     
         44 . The access point of  claim 43 , wherein the account crediting information represents a credit to be recorded for an account associated with the Internet service provider.  
     
     
         45 . The access point of  claim 41 , wherein the wireless local area network operates according to the IEEE 802.11 standard.  
     
     
         46 . The access point of  claim 41 , wherein the credit is based on the transmitted data signal.  
     
     
         47 . The access point of  claim 41 , wherein the credit is based on airtime usage of the data signal.  
     
     
         48 . The access point of  claim 41 , wherein the credit is calculated on a per-packet basis.  
     
     
         49 . The access point of  claim 41 , wherein the accounting circuit is further configured to provide account debiting information, wherein the account debiting information represents a debit to be recorded for an account associated with the network user node.  
     
     
         50 . A system for crediting an account associated with a network access node, comprising: 
 a network access node configured to provide a communication link with a network;    a network user node configured to provide a wireless communication link with the network access node; and    an accounting system configured to credit an account associated with the network access node based on a communication between the network user node and the network.    
     
     
         51 . The system of  claim 50 , wherein the network access node is a repeater configured to provide a wireless communication link with an access point coupled to the network.  
     
     
         52 . The system of  claim 50 , wherein the network access node is an access point coupled to a network, wherein the network includes a public switched telephone network.  
     
     
         53 . The system of  claim 50 , wherein the accounting system is further configured to debit an account associated with the remote node based on the communication between the network user node and the network.  
     
     
         54 . The system of  claim 50 , wherein the network user node is a portable handheld device having a display.  
     
     
         55 . A wireless communication module for a public telephone coupled to a public switched telephone network, comprising a wireless local area network (WLAN) transceiver circuit configured to provide a wireless communication link between the public switched telephone network and a network user node.  
     
     
         56 . The wireless communication module of  claim 55 , further comprising a tamper-resistant casing surrounding the transceiver circuit.  
     
     
         57 . The wireless communication module of  claim 55 , further comprising a digital subscriber line (DSL) circuit configured to communicate between the public switched telephone network and the transceiver circuit.  
     
     
         58 . The wireless communication module of  claim 57 , wherein the transceiver circuit is configured to communicate with the network user node pursuant to the IEEE 802.11 standard.  
     
     
         59 . A method of adjusting at least one of an account of a first person associated with a network access node and an account of a second person associated with a network user node, comprising: 
 receiving a data signal at the network access node;    forwarding the data signal wirelessly to the network user node; and    providing account adjustment information to an accounting system, wherein the account adjustment information represents at least one of a credit to be recorded to the first person's account and a debit to be recorded to the second person's account.    
     
     
         60 . The method of  claim 59 , wherein the network access node is a repeater.  
     
     
         61 . The method of  claim 60 , wherein the network access node is further part of an ad hoc network.  
     
     
         62 . The method of  claim 59 , wherein the network access node is an access point.  
     
     
         63 . The method of  claim 59 , wherein the account information represents a credit to be recorded to the first person's account.  
     
     
         64 . The method of  claim 59 , wherein the account information represents a debit to be recorded to the second person's account.  
     
     
         65 . The method of  claim 59 , further comprising providing second account information to the accounting system, wherein the second account information represents a second credit to be recorded to an account associated with the Internet service provider and the data signal is provided by an Internet service provider.  
     
     
         66 . The method of  claim 59 , wherein the network user node is a portable, handheld device having a display.  
     
     
         67 . The method of  claim 59 , wherein the credit is based on the forwarded data signal.  
     
     
         68 . The method of  claim 59 , wherein the step of forwarding includes transmitting the data signal using a wireless local area network (WLAN) protocol.  
     
     
         69 . The method of  claim 68 , wherein the WLAN protocol is the IEEE 802.11 protocol