Communication device

Abstract

A communication device includes a main frame, a network gateway device, and a battery pack. The main frame includes a first base, and a second base that is detachably attached to the first base and that is adapted for a satellite dish to be disposed thereon. The network gateway device is disposed on the first base and is in communication with the satellite dish. The battery pack is disposed on the main frame and is electrically connected to the network gateway device.

Description

COMMUNICATION DEVICETECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a communication device and in particular to a portable communication device for wireless and wired communication.BACKGROUND

[0002] Nowadays people are relying more on different means of communication, such as cellular and Internet communication for activities like messaging, phone talk, information access and storage on the cloud, information sharing, etc. Uninterrupted access to cellular signals and the Internet is especially important for people working in the field.

[0003] Accordingly, systems that are multifunctional, reliable, and portable remain highly desirable.SUMMARY

[0004] In accordance with one aspect of the present disclosure, a communication device includes a main frame, a network gateway device, and a battery pack. The main frame includes a first base and a second base that is detachably attached to the first base and that is adapted for a satellite dish to be disposed thereon. The network gateway device is disposed on the first base and is in communication with the satellite dish. The battery pack is disposed on the main frame and is electrically connected to the network gateway device.

[0005] In accordance with one aspect of the present disclosure, the communication device further includes a power over ethernet device that is disposed on the first base and that is adapted to be connected between the satellite dish and the network gateway device.

[0006] In accordance with one aspect of the present disclosure, the first base is provided with a satellite switch button that is electrically connected to the satellite dish and that is operable to turn on or turn off the satellite dish when the network gateway device is turned on.

[0007] In accordance with one aspect of the present disclosure, the first base incudes a first side wall and a second side wall opposite to the first side wall. The communication device further includes a plurality of cellular antennas that are disposed on the first and second side walls and that are connected to the network gateway device.

[0008] In accordance with one aspect of the present disclosure, the communication device further includes a Wi-Fi antenna that is disposed on one of the first and second side walls.

[0009] In accordance with one aspect of the present disclosure, the communication device further includes a plurality of cellular antennas that are disposed on four surrounding walls of the first base.

[0010] In accordance with one aspect of the present disclosure, the second base includes an inner side that faces the first base. The satellite dish is disposed on the inner side.

[0011] In accordance with one aspect of the present disclosure, the second base includes an outer side that faces away from the first base. The satellite dish is disposed on the outer side.

[0012] In accordance with one aspect of the present disclosure, the outer side is provided with a latch mechanism. The satellite dish is detachably engaged with the latch mechanism.

[0013] In accordance with one aspect of the present disclosure, the second base further includes an inner side that faces the first base. The battery pack is disposed on the inner side.

[0014] In accordance with one aspect of the present disclosure, a backside of the first base includes a compartment that receives the battery pack, and a coverthat encloses the battery pack in the compartment.

[0015] In accordance with one aspect of the present disclosure, backside of the first base is provided with at least one socket that is electrically connected to thenetwork gateway device. The communication device further includes a secondary battery pack that is connected to the at least one socket to provide electric power to the network gateway device.

[0016] In accordance with one aspect of the present disclosure, the communication device further includes a holder that is detachably attached to the backside of the first base and encloses the secondary battery pack.

[0017] In accordance with one aspect of the present disclosure, the first base is provided with at least one battery connector that is electrically between the network gateway device and the at least one socket.

[0018] In accordance with one aspect of the present disclosure, the first base is provided with at least one subscriber identity module (SIM) card extender that is connected to the network gateway device, a socket of the SIM card extender being exposed from the main frame.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] Further features and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in combination with the appended drawings, in which:

[0020] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a communication device in accordance with some embodiments of this discourse;

[0021] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the communication device, showing a second base being detached from a first base;

[0022] FIG. 3 shows is a schematic top view of the communication device with the second base being omitted;

[0023] FIGS. 4 and 5 schematically show arrangement of cellular antennas and a Wi-Fi antenna of the communication device;

[0024] FIG. 6 shows a backside of the communication device;

[0025] FIG. 7 is a partly exploded view of the communication device, showing a compartment for accommodating a battery pack;

[0026] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a variation of the communication device in accordance with some embodiments of this discourse;

[0027] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the communication device, showing the second base being detached from the first base;

[0028] FIG. 10 shows is a schematic top view of the communication device with the second base being omitted;

[0029] FIG. 11 schematically shows arrangement of the cellular antennas of the communication device;

[0030] FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing a backside of the communication device; and

[0031] FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing a holder that accommodates a secondary battery pack and that is attachable to the first base of the communication device.

[0032] It will be noted that throughout the appended drawings, like features are identified by like reference numerals.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] Embodiments are described below, by way of example only.

[0034] Referring to FIG. 1, a communication device 100 is disclosed. The communication device 100 is mainly used for wireless communication, but may also provide access to Internet through physical cables.

[0035] The communication device 100 includes a main frame 200, which includes a first base 202 and a second base 204. The main frame 200, including the first base 202 and the second base 204 may be made of metal, plastic, or other suitable materials. As shown in FIG. 2, the second base 204 may be detachably connected to the first base 202 through, for example, multiple screws or snap-fitmechanisms. In some embodiments, the second base 204 may be pivotally connected to the first base 202, such that the second base 204 is pivotable relative to the first base 202 to enclose or expose components / devices received in the communication device 100. The main frame 200 further includes at least one handle 206 that is attached to either one of the first base 202 and the second base 204. The main frame 200 may include two handles that are respectively attached to the first base 202 and the second base 204. The handle 206 may integrally formed with either one of the first base 202 and the second base 204 as one piece. Such handle 206 facilitates a user to carry the communication device 100 to a desired location. In some embodiments, an inner side 208 of the second base 204, which faces the first base 202 when the second base 204 is attached to the first base 202, may be shaped so as to accommodate a satellite dish (not shown), such that the satellite dish is enclosed by the main frame 200 when the second base 204 is attached to the first base 202. In some embodiments, the satellite dish may communicate with satellites, such as low Earth orbit satellites. One example of the satellite dish is a Starlink satellite dish. However, it should be noted that the second base 204 may be configured to receive other types of satellite dishes and / or antennas according to practical requirements.

[0036] Referring to FIG. 3, the second base 204 (see FIGS. 1 and 2) is omitted for showing the components / devices received in the communication device 100. The communication device 100 further includes a network gateway device 300, a power over ethernet (PoE) device 400, at least one cellular antenna 500, and at least one Wi-Fi antenna 502.

[0037] In some embodiments, the network gateway device 300 may be attached to the first base 202 via screws or other suitable mechanisms. The network gateway device 300 may be an Internet modem or router, such as model MAX BR2 Pro by Peplink. It should be noted that the type and functionality of the network gateway device 300 can be changed according to practice requirements. In some embodiments, the network gateway device 300 may provide features, such as cellular connection, wide-area network (WAN) connection, software-defined wide-area network (SDWAN), Wi-Fi connection, etc. In some embodiments, the first base 202 may be provided with a plurality of connectors 214 (e.g., bulkhead connectors or thelike), and the network gateway device 300 may be connected to the connectors 214 through a plurality of Internet cables 216, respectively.

[0038] Referring to FIGS. 3 to 5, in some embodiments, the first base 202 includes a first side wall 210 and a second side wall 212 opposite to the first side wall 210, and the communication device 100 includes eight cellular antennas 500 and one Wi-Fi antenna 502. The Wi-Fi antenna 502 and four of the cellular antennas 500 may be attached to the first side wall 210, and the other four cellular antennas 500 may be attached to the second side wall 212. The cellular antennas 500 and the Wi-Fi antenna 502 may be connected to the network gateway device 300 via a plurality of wires 504.

[0039] Referring to FIG. 3, the PoE device 400 may be attached to the first base 202 via screws or other suitable mechanisms. The PoE device 400 may provide power to the satellite dish, and transmit data to or receive data from the satellite dish. In some embodiments, the PoE device 400 may be, for example, model 4 Pair GigE PoE Injector by Yaosheng. It should be noted that the type and functionality of the PoE device 400 can be changed according to practice requirements. The PoE device 400 may be connected to the network gateway device 300 and the satellite dish via cables 402.

[0040] Referring to FIG. 3, in some embodiments, the first base 202 may be provided with a power button 218, a satellite switch button 219, a power-in connector 221 , and a battery monitor display 223. The network gateway device 300 and the PoE device 400 may be connected to the power button 218 and the satellite switch button 219 via a plurality of signal cables 220. The power button 218 may be operable to turn on or turn off the communication device 100. The satellite switch button 219 may be operable to turn on or turn off the satellite dish when the network gateway device 300 is turned on. The power-in connector 221 may be connected to external power source to power the communication device 100, including the network gateway device 300 and / or the PoE device 400. The external power source may be solar panels, generators, outlets, etc. The battery monitor display 223 may show the battery level of the communication device 100.

[0041] Referring to FIGS. 3 and 5-7, in some embodiments, the first base 202 is formed with a compartment 222 on its backside for receiving a battery pack 600, and the first base 202 includes a cover 224 for enclosing the battery pack 600 in the compartment 222. The battery pack 600 may include a plurality of batteries, which may be single-use batteries or rechargeable batteries. The battery pack 600 is adapted to power the communication device 100, such that when there is a lack of external power source, the communication device 100 may still use the power of the battery pack 600 to be functional. In some embodiments, the battery pack 600 can be recharged when the communication device 100 is connected to an external power source. By having the battery pack 600 installed in the compartment 222 on the backside of the first base 202, it is convenient to replace the battery pack 600 with a new one when needed, and hot swapping of the battery pack 600 without powering off the communication device 100 may also be achieved.

[0042] The communication device 100 may provide a portable and reliable connectivity solution, integrating different technologies, such as software-defined wide area network (SD-WAN), global positioning system (GPS), bonded 5G, Wi-Fi, satellite Internet, etc. In some embodiments, the communication device 100 may be capable of bonding bandwidth of the network gateway device 300 and the satellite dish, thereby providing versatile and reliable connection to the user.

[0043] Referring to FIG. 2, in some embodiments, the first base 202 may be provided with at least one subscriber identity module (SIM) card extender 232 (two are schematically shown in FIG. 2). The SIM card extenders 232 are connected to the network gateway device 300 and sockets of the SIM card extenders 232 are exposed from the main frame 200 such that the user can easily insert, remove, or replace SIM cards.

[0044] FIGS. 8 to 13 illustrate a variation of the communication device 100 as disclosed above. It should be noted that, for the sake of brevity, only the main differences from the communication device 100 are described.

[0045] Referring to FIGS. 8 and 9, in some embodiments, an outer side 209 of the second base 204 faces away from the first base 202 and is provided with a latchmechanism 211 , such that the satellite dish can be detachably engaged with the latch mechanism 211 and be disposed on the outer side 209 of the second base 204. In some embodiments, the first base 202 is not provided with the compartment 222 (see FIG. 7), and the battery pack 600 is detachably attached to the inner side 208 of the second base 204. Such configuration for accommodating the satellite dish and the battery pack 600 allows the communication device 100 to be more compact, making it easier to store, carry, and deploy.

[0046] Referring to FIG. 10, the second base 204 (see FIGS. 8 and 9) is omitted for showing the components / devices received in the communication device 100. In some embodiments, the PoE device 400 (see FIG. 3) is also omitted, based on practical application and requirements. The first base 202 may be provided with at least one battery connector 226 (two are exemplary shown in FIG. 10), which will be described in detail hereinafter.

[0047] Referring to FIGS. 10 and 11 , in some embodiments, the Wi-Fi antenna 502 (see FIG. 4) may be omitted and four cellular antennas 500 are attached to four surrounding walls of the first base 202.

[0048] Referring to FIGS. 12 and 13, in some embodiments, backside of the first base 202 is provided with at least one socket 228, where two of the sockets 228 are schematically shown in FIG. 12, are electrically connected to the battery connectors 226 (see FIG. 10), and can be coved by multiple socket covers 230, respectively. The docket covers 230 may be removed and a holder 604 accommodating a secondary battery pack 602 may be detachably attached to the backside of the first base 202 to enclose the secondary battery pack 602. The secondary battery pack 602 may be connected to the sockets 228, and the network gateway device 300 may be connected to the battery connectors 226, such that the network gateway device 300 can be powered by the secondary battery pack 602. In other words, the secondary battery pack 602 is connected to the sockets 228 to provide electric power to the network gateway device 300, and the battery connectors 226 are electrically connected between the network gateway device 300 and the sockets 228.

[0049] In view of the above, the variation of the communication device 100 provides a more compact but equally functional configuration.

[0050] It would be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art that the system and components shown in the figures may include components not shown in the drawings. For simplicity and clarity of the illustration, elements in the figures are not necessarily to scale and are only schematic. It will be apparent to persons skilled in the art that a number of variations and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as described herein.

[0051] It is contemplated that any part of any aspect or embodiment discussed in this specification can be implemented or combined with any part of any other aspect or embodiment discussed in this specification.

[0052] It should be recognized that features and aspects of the various examples provided above can be combined into further examples that also fall within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0053] When used in this specification and claims, the terms "comprises" and "comprising" and variations thereof mean that the specified features, steps, or components are included. The terms are not to be interpreted to exclude the presence of other features, steps, or components.

[0054] The invention may also broadly consist in the parts, elements, steps, examples and / or features referred to or indicated in the specification individually or collectively in any and all combinations of two or more said parts, elements, steps, examples, and / or features. In particular, one or more features in any of the embodiments described herein may be combined with one or more features from any other embodiment(s) described herein.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A communication device comprising:a main frame that includes a first base and a second base that is detachably attached to the first base and that is adapted for a satellite dish to be disposed thereon;a network gateway device that is disposed on the first base and that is in communication with the satellite dish; anda battery pack that is disposed on the main frame and that is electrically connected to the network gateway device.

2. The communication device of claim 1, further comprising a power over ethernet device that is disposed on the first base and that is adapted to be connected between the satellite dish and the network gateway device.

3. The communication device of claim 2, wherein the first base is provided with a satellite switch button that is electrically connected to the satellite dish and that is operable to turn on or turn off the satellite dish when the network gateway device is turned on.

4. The communication device of claim 1 , wherein:the first base includes a first side wall and a second side wall opposite to the first side wall; andthe communication device further comprises a plurality of cellular antennas that are disposed on the first and second side walls and that are connected to the network gateway device.

5. The communication device of claim 4, further comprising a Wi-Fi antenna that is disposed on one of the first and second side walls.

6. The communication device of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of cellular antennas that are disposed on four surrounding walls of the first base.

7. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the second base includes an inner side that faces the first base, the satellite dish being disposed on the inner side.

8. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the second base includes an outer side that faces away from the first base, the satellite dish being disposed on the outer side.

9. The communication device of claim 8, wherein the outer side is provided with a latch mechanism, the satellite dish being detachably engaged with the latch mechanism.

10. The communication device of claim 8, wherein the second base further includes an inner side that faces the first base, the battery pack being disposed on the inner side.

11. The communication device of claim 1, wherein a backside of the first base includes a compartment that receives the battery pack, and a cover that encloses the battery pack in the compartment.

12. The communication device of claim 1 , wherein:backside of the first base is provided with at least one socket that is electrically connected to the network gateway device; andthe communication device further comprises a secondary battery pack that is connected to the at least one socket to provide electric power to the network gateway device.

13. The communication device of claim 12, further comprising a holder that is detachably attached to the backside of the first base and encloses the secondary battery pack.

14. The communication device of claim 12, wherein the first base is provided with at least one battery connector that is electrically between the network gateway device and the at least one socket.

15. The communication device of claim 1 , wherein the first base is provided with at least one subscriber identity module (SIM) card extender that is connected to the network gateway device, a socket of the SIM card extender being exposed from the main frame.

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