US 12,438,984 B1
Telephone service powered hotspot
Michael J. Maciolek, Kerrville, TX (US); Donnette L. Moncrief Brown, San Antonio, TX (US); Manfred Amann, San Antonio, TX (US); Snehal Desai, Richardson, TX (US); Nicole Ferretti, Plano, TX (US); Chung Shing Sheldon Lee, South Jordan, UT (US); Martin Lopez, Frisco, TX (US); Kelsey Anne O'Brien, Austin, TX (US); Melissa Jane Porter, Lutz, FL (US); Sayeef Rahim, Allen, TX (US); Eric David Schroeder, San Antonio, TX (US); Steven J. Schroeder, Oak Point, TX (US); and Joseph Michael Vesco, Sparks, NV (US)
Assigned to United Services Automobile Association (USAA), San Antonio, TX (US)
Filed by UIPCO, LLC, San Antonio, TX (US)
Filed on May 26, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/324,267.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/365,435, filed on May 27, 2022.
Int. Cl. H04M 5/02 (2006.01); H04L 12/28 (2006.01)
CPC H04M 5/02 (2013.01) [H04L 12/2858 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A communication device, comprising:
a modem configured to provide a dial-up internet connection;
a telephone plug configured to connect the communication device to a telephone jack of a telephone network;
wherein the telephone plug includes at least one electrical contact configured to receive electrical power from the telephone network;
wherein the telephone plug includes at least one electrical contact configured to connect the modem to the telephone network; and
wherein the modem connects to the telephone network and provides an internet connection by using the telephone network as a source of dial-up internet access; and
a wireless networking module configured to provide wireless internet access to an area near the communication device via the internet connection using Wi-Fi;
wherein the modem and the wireless networking module are packaged within a chassis that is sized and configured such that the communication device is small and lightweight, the telephone plug protrudes from the chassis, and at least one antenna protrudes from the chassis.