iOS或是Android手機可以透過軟體設定作為網路分享器（路由器），Nokia握有相關美國專利US5884190（申請日：1996.6.7；優先權為1995年的芬蘭專利，快到期），並於美國國際貿易委員會（ITC）對Google與hTC提出告訴。
在Android手機中，tethering功能包括可以從USB將網路分享給電腦，也可以透過無線方式將網路分享給其他行動裝置，之後這隻手機就成為路由器，執行封包路由。
US5884190揭露一種建立電腦到行動通訊網路連線的方法（Method for making a data transmission connection from a computer to a mobile communication network for transmission of analog and/or digital signals），從說明書與下圖來看，其中提供行動網路連線服務有兩種工作模式，也就是數位與類比的兩種。圖式中，手機2連線到基地台的33, 34顯示對應到兩種工作模式（The mobile communication network 33, 34 informs the telecommunication terminal 2 about the different operation modes available for forming a connection.）；第一工作模式是類比工作模式，為的是連線到類比行動通訊網路，第二工作模式是數位工作模式，連線到數位行動通訊網路（The first operation mode is an analog operation mode for entering an analog mobile communication network and the second operation mode is a digital operation mode for entering a digital mobile communication network.）
手機提供連線的選項有：
A. analog data only,
B. digital data only,
C. analog data preferred, but also digital data accepted, and
D. digital data preferred, but also analog data accepted.
1. Method for making a data transmission connection from a computer to any one of a plurality of mobile communication networks for transmission of analog and/or digital signals, wherein the computer is connected with one of the mobile communication networks via a telecommunication terminal which is in local data transmission connection with the computer; and wherein the data transmission connection utilises at least a first operation mode for connection with a first of said telecommunication networks and a second operation mode for connection with a second of said telecommunication networks, the method comprising steps of:
- testing said communication networks to determine which of said plurality of mobile communication networks are available for a connection to be made via the telecommunication terminal;
- selecting one of the available mobile communication networks;
- at the telecommunication terminal, setting an operation mode corresponding to the selected one of the mobile communication networks; and
- setting the data transmission connection for transmission via the selected operation mode.
Claim 14：
14. Apparatus for making a data transmission connection from a computer to one of a plurality of mobile communication networks for transmission of analog and/or digital signals, said apparatus comprising:
- a telecommunication terminal operative via a first operation mode for connection to a first of said mobile communication networks and operative via a second operation mode for connection to a second of said mobile communication networks;
- a computer which is in local data transmission connection with said telecommunication terminal, and means for making a local data transmission connection between the computer and the telecommunication terminal;
- means for testing said mobile communication networks to determine which of said communication networks are available for making a connection via said telecommunication terminal;
- means for selecting an available one of said mobile communication networks for making the connection;
- means for setting the telecommunication terminal in an operation mode corresponding to the selected mobile communication network; and
- means for setting the data transmission connection according to the selected operation mode.
解釋權利範圍（claim construction）時，上述的權利範圍文字中明白地顯示（前言部份先交待整個網路設置）這個是建立一個電腦連線到行動通訊網路上的資料傳輸連線，這個電腦利用本地端的連線與電信終端（手機）連線，在藉此連線到行動通訊網路。更進一步，這個資料傳輸連線有兩種工作模式（first, second），也就是這個行動終端提供至少兩種行動通訊網路（數位/類比的）的連線服務，步驟中，第一步是先測試哪一個行動通訊網路是可行的，經選擇後，行動終端就提供對應的連線服務。
這件ITC訴訟會成立嗎？從權利範圍文意上的解釋可能不見得成立！
權利範圍獨立項在某些描述確實與現在手機tethering網路服務一樣，但是文字中卻又提到多個行動通訊網路的連線，這可能會影響權利範圍解釋的廣度，因為整個權利範圍的主軸是透過偵測行動通訊網路來確定哪一種工作模式，還在摘要中特別提到"different types of mobile communication networks"，這顯然是兩種行動通訊網路，也就是多年前進入到2G/3G網路時代的過渡期中，仍保有過去類比（大哥大）的通訊網路的服務。因此我認為，雖然FOSS Patents認為可能難以迴避，但我覺得可以據此爭辯（Google也是這樣想）！
雖然手機確實可能會偵測哪一種行動網路可行（連線測試中華電、遠傳、台哥大），但是否這些叫做"different types"，且非雙模的手機一般僅會有一種行動通訊網路服務才是（剩下數位的）！
Ron
資料參考：FOSS Patents
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