Method and system for facilitating wireless communication via alternate communication pathway

• US 10,499,314 B2
• Filed: 10/05/2017
• Issued: 12/03/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Vogedes, Jerome, Panda, Ajit Kumar
• Primary Examiner(s): Huq, Obaidul
• Application Number:
  US15/725,447
• Publication Number:
  US 20180035239A1
• Time in Patent Office: 789 Days
• Field of Search: 370310, 370328, 370338
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/248 Connectivity information update
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A mobile device system and related method are disclosed by which the device is able to communicate wirelessly not only via a Wide Area Network (WAN) link but also via an alternate link such as a Wi-Fi link. In one embodiment, the method includes receiving a command from a remote server, via the WAN link, to establish a Wi-Fi link when possible. The method further includes, upon establishing the Wi-Fi link, sending a message for receipt by the server indicating that the Wi-Fi link has been established, and receiving software update information from the server, the information being communicated to the mobile device via the Wi-Fi link. Further, the method includes one or both of (1) sending an acknowledgement for receipt by the server indicating that the information has been received and (2) receiving an instruction from the server that communications via the Wi-Fi link be ended.

Claims

1. With respect to a remote server capable of communicating wirelessly via a Wide Area Network (WAN) communication link, a method of operating the remote server comprising:

prior to receiving a request from a mobile device, transmitting a command from the remote server to the mobile device, via the WAN communication link, to indicate that software update information is available at the remote server and to direct the mobile device to take at least one action in response to the command so as to establish a Wi-Fi communication link when possible;

receiving a message from the mobile device indicating that the Wi-Fi communication link has been established in response to the command indicating that the software update information is available;

transmitting the software update information from the remote server to the mobile device, the software update information being communicated to the mobile device via the Wi-Fi communication link; and

transmitting an instruction from the remote server to the mobile device indicating that communications via the Wi-Fi communication link be ended.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request from the mobile device, via the WAN communication link, for credential information; and

transmitting the credential information via the WAN communication link to the mobile device.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving an acknowledgement from the mobile device indicating that the software update information has been received.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting a request to another device for the software update information; and

receiving the software update information from the another device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the remote server is a device management (DM) server and wherein the mobile device interacts with one or both of the DM server and a re-direct server by way of a browser program or client operating on the mobile device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the command includes one or more service set identifiers (SSIDs) and at least some of the information of the command is delivered within an Open Mobile Alliance (OMA) DM session/package.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the software update information concerns at least one of a software upgrade, a patch, a new application to be installed on the mobile device, or firmware of the mobile device.

8. A remote server capable of conducting both Wide Area Network (WAN) communications and Wi-Fi communications, the remote server comprising:

a communications interface capable of conducting the WAN communications via a WAN communication link and the Wi-Fi communications via a Wi-Fi communication link; and

at least one processor portion in communication with the communications interface, the at least one processor portion configured to;

prior to receiving a request from a mobile device, transmit, to the mobile device via the WAN communication link, a command to indicate that software update information is available at the remote server and to direct the mobile device to take at least one action in response to the command so as to establish the Wi-Fi communication link when possible;

receive a message from the mobile device indicating that the Wi-Fi communication link has been established in response to the command indicating that the software update information is available;

transmit the software update information to the mobile device, the software update information being communicated to the mobile device via the Wi-Fi communication link; and

transmit an instruction to the mobile device indicating that communications via the Wi-Fi communication link be ended.

9. The remote server of claim 8, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to receive a request from the mobile device for credential information and to transmit the credential information to the mobile device.

10. The remote server of claim 8, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to receive an acknowledgement from the mobile device indicating that the software update information has be received.

11. The remote server of claim 8, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

transmit a request to another device for the software update information; and

receive the software update information from the another device.

12. The remote server of claim 8, wherein the remote server is a device management (DM) server and wherein the mobile device interacts with one or both of the DM server and a re-direct server by way of a browser program or client operating on the mobile device.

13. The remote server of claim 12, wherein the command includes one or more service set identifiers (SSIDs) and at least some of the information of the command is delivered within an Open Mobile Alliance (OMA) DM session/package.

14. With respect to a remote server capable of communicating wirelessly via a Wide Area Network (WAN) communication link, a method of operating the remote server comprising:

prior to receiving a request from a mobile device, transmitting, from the remote server to the mobile device via the WAN communication link, a command to indicate that software update information is available at the remote server and to direct the mobile device to take at least one action in response to the command so as to establish a Wi-Fi communication link when possible;

receiving a request from the mobile device via the WAN communication link, for credential information in response to the command indicating that the software update information is available;

transmitting the credential information from the remote server to the mobile device via the WAN communication link;

receiving a message from the mobile device indicating that the Wi-Fi communication link has been established in response to the command indicating that the software update information is available; and

transmitting the software update information from the remote server to the mobile device, the software update information being communicated to the mobile device via the Wi-Fi communication link.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

receiving an acknowledgement from the mobile device indicating that the software update information has been received.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

transmitting an instruction to the mobile device indicating that communications via the Wi-Fi communication link be ended.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

transmitting a request to another device for the software update information; and

receiving the software update information from the another device.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the remote server is a device management (DM) server and wherein the mobile device interacts with one or both of the DM server and a re-direct server by way of a browser program or client operating on the mobile device.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the command includes one or more service set identifiers (SSIDs) and at least some of the information of the command is delivered within an Open Mobile Alliance (OMA) DM session/package.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the software update information concerns at least one of a software upgrade, a patch, a new application to be installed on the mobile device, or firmware of the mobile device.