Cellular phone line replacement adapter

Abstract

An apparatus and system automatically process and route data messages or packets, via a cellular network, from analog or digital data devices, wherein the routing is accomplished without a need for voice call origination on the cellular network. The apparatus includes a fixed cellular communication device and may also include a fixed wireless RF communication device and/or a mobile wireless RF transceiver. The fixed cellular communication device formats and transmits, on a cellular network, data packets received from data devices directly connected to the fixed cellular communication device and/or data packets received wirelessly from the fixed wireless RF communication device and/or from the mobile wireless RF transceiver. The fixed cellular communication device has a physical form of an AC wall adapter.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A communication device, comprising:
 a cellular transceiver that transmits and receives data on a cellular network via data packets;   a non-cellular RF transceiver for receiving signals from a non-cellular RF device that is external to the communication device, wherein the cellular transceiver re-transmits on the cellular network data packets received by the non-cellular RF transceiver from the non-cellular RF device; and   a microcontroller for controlling transmission of data through the communication device,   wherein the communication device is adapted in a physical form of an AC wall adapter that includes an Ethernet jack.   
     
     
         2 . The communication device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a data device, wherein, upon initiation of communication by the data device, the communication device processes the data and forwards the data on to the cellular network, via the cellular transceiver, as a series of data packets. 
     
     
         3 . The communication device according to  claim 2 , further comprising a port for communication with the data device. 
     
     
         4 . The communication device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a GPS receiver, wherein the GPS receiver provides positional data for transmission, by the cellular transceiver, over the cellular network. 
     
     
         5 . The communication device according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an Ethernet transceiver coupled to the Ethernet jack, wherein the Ethernet jack provides a means for connecting a data device to the communication device and wherein the Ethernet transceiver includes provisions for CAT- 5  bi-directional data, wherein the communication device processes data received from the data device, and wherein the cellular transceiver transmits said data as a series of formatted data packets on the cellular network; and   subscriber line interface circuitry including a means to connect an analog modem device to the communication device wherein the subscriber line interface circuitry provides a dial tone and loop voltage.   
     
     
         6 . The communication device according to  claim 5 , wherein the AC wall adapter includes an AC plug on a first side of the AC wall adapter and the Ethernet jack on one or more sides of the AC wall adapter other than the first side. 
     
     
         7 . The communication device of  claim 6 , wherein the Ethernet jack is on a side opposite the first side. 
     
     
         8 . The communication device of  claim 6 , wherein the AC plug is adapted to plug into an AC power outlet. 
     
     
         9 . The communication device of  claim 6 , including a power supply for supplying DC power to components of the communication device, and wherein the Ethernet jack is coupled to the Ethernet transceiver, and the AC plug is coupled to the power supply. 
     
     
         10 . The communication device according to  claim 5 , further comprising an analog modem device connected to the subscriber line interface circuitry. 
     
     
         11 . The communication device according to  claim 1 , wherein the microcontroller includes memory storage means, and means to format data transmitted via the cellular network. 
     
     
         12 . The communication device according to  claim 1 , wherein the non-cellular RF transceiver includes at least one of a WiFi transceiver, a Bluetooth transceiver and a ZigBee transceiver. 
     
     
         13 . The communication device according to  claim 11 , wherein, prior to re-transmission by the cellular transceiver, the signals received by the non-cellular RF transceiver from the non-cellular RF device are reformatted by the communications device into a series of data packets. 
     
     
         14 . The communication device according to  claim 13 , wherein, the data packets are packet-switched data packets. 
     
     
         15 . The communication device according to  claim 5 , further comprising a port for receiving the data from the data device, wherein the communication device processes data received from the data device, and wherein the cellular transceiver transmits said data as a series of formatted data packets on the cellular network. 
     
     
         16 . A system, comprising:
 a fixed communication device including a cellular transceiver, a secondary RF transceiver, subscriber line interface circuitry, an Ethernet transceiver including an Ethernet connection, and a microcontroller, wherein the cellular transceiver transmits data on a cellular network, wherein the microcontroller controls transmission of data, and wherein the secondary RF transceiver provides a non-cellular communication link with non-cellular devices; and   a data device coupled to the fixed communication device via the Ethernet connection, wherein the cellular transceiver transmits, via the cellular network, data received from the data device on the cellular network, and wherein, upon initiation of communication by the data device, the fixed communication device processes the data and forwards the data as a series of data packets,   wherein the fixed communication device is shaped as an AC wall adapter.   
     
     
         17 . The system according to  claim 16 , further comprising:
 a non-cellular RF communication device including a secondary RF transceiver, subscriber line interface circuitry, an Ethernet transceiver, and a microcontroller, wherein the non-cellular RF communication device indirectly transmits and receives data over the cellular network, wherein such data is relayed through the fixed communication device, wherein the secondary RF transceiver of the non-cellular RF communication device transmits and receives data with the secondary RF transceiver of the fixed communication device, and wherein the microcontroller provides a means for controlling data transmissions between the fixed communication device and the non-cellular RF communication device; and   a second data device, coupled to the non-cellular RF communication device, wherein the second data device transmits and receives data via the non-cellular RF communication device for transmission over the cellular network by the fixed communication device.   
     
     
         18 . The system according to  claim 16 , including a data device connected to the fixed communication device, wherein the cellular transceiver transmits, via the cellular network, data received from the data device. 
     
     
         19 . The system according to  claim 16 , wherein the secondary RF transceiver includes at least one of a 802.11a/b/g/n WiFi transceiver, a 802.15.4 ZigBee transceiver and a 802.15.1 Bluetooth transceiver. 
     
     
         20 . The system according to  claim 16 , including a mobile non-cellular RF transceiver that includes a RF transceiver module for transmitting and receiving data with the secondary RF transceiver of the fixed communication device, wherein the mobile non-cellular RF transceiver transmits and receives data via the fixed communication device over the cellular network. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the AC wall adapter includes an AC plug and an Ethernet jack, wherein the AC plug is adapted to plug into an AC power outlet. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the AC plug is on a first side of the AC wall adapter and the Ethernet jack are on one or more sides of the AC wall adapter other than the first side. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the Ethernet jack is on a side opposite the first side. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the fixed communications device includes a power supply and wherein the AC plug is coupled to the power supply and the Ethernet jack is coupled to the Ethernet transceiver. 
     
     
         25 . A communication device, comprising:
 a cellular transceiver that communicates data on a cellular network via data packets;   a secondary RF transceiver for wireless non-cellular communication of data with a non-cellular device;   an Ethernet transceiver for coupling to a data device; and   a microcontroller for controlling transmission of data through the communication device,   wherein, upon initiation of communication of data by one of the non-cellular device and the data device, the communication device processes the data and forwards the data on to the cellular network, via the cellular transceiver, as a series of data packets, and   wherein the communication device has a shape of an AC wall adapter.   
     
     
         26 . The communication device of  claim 25 , including:
 a modem; and   subscriber line interface circuitry, coupled to the modem, the subscriber line interface circuitry for coupling to a data device.   
     
     
         27 . The communication device of  claim 26 , wherein the communication device includes an Ethernet jack coupled to the Ethernet transceiver. 
     
     
         28 . The communication device of  claim 27 , wherein the AC wall adapter includes an AC plug on a first side, and includes, on one or more sides other than the first side, the Ethernet jack. 
     
     
         29 . The communication device of  claim 28 , wherein the Ethernet jack is on a side opposite the first side. 
     
     
         30 . The communication device of  claim 29 , wherein the, wherein the AC plug is adapted to plug into an AC power outlet. 
     
     
         31 . The communication device of  claim 30 , including a power supply for supplying DC power to components of the communication device, and wherein the AC plug is coupled to the power supply. 
     
     
         32 . The communication device of  claim 25 , wherein transmission of the data packets takes place without voice call origination on the cellular network.