Link context mobility method and system for providing such mobility, such as a system employing short range frequency hopping spread spectrum wireless protocols
First Claim
1. A system for wirelessly exchanging communications with at least one mobile unit, the system comprising:
- a first base station unit coupled to a network;
a second base station unit coupled to the network, wherein the first and second base station units are configured to communicate wirelessly with the mobile unit under a Bluetooth protocol;
wherein the first and second base station units are further configured for;
at the first base station unit, receiving a communication from the mobile unit;
at the first base station unit, requesting a unique session address for the mobile unit, wherein the unique address is associated with a unique Bluetooth Device Address (“
BD_ADDR”
);
at the first base station unit, establishing a communications link with the mobile unit, wherein the communications link includes link context data associated with the mobile unit, and wherein the link context data associated with the mobile unit is identified at least in part based on the unique address;
determining that the mobile unit is to be handed-off to the second base station unit; and
at the first base station unit, handing off to the second base station unit the communications link and link context associated with the mobile unit.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed is a system and method for wirelessly exchanging communications with at least one mobile unit in a network that includes base stations units. The method includes receiving a wireless communication from the mobile unit, where the wireless communication is under a wireless communications protocol that does not provide for handoff of communications links between base station units. The method also includes obtaining a unique session identifier for the communication with the mobile unit, and establishing a communications link with the mobile unit, where the communications link includes link context data associated with the mobile unit. The link context data associated with the mobile unit is identified at least in part based on the unique session identifier. The method further includes determining that the mobile unit is to be handed-off, and handing off to another base station unit the communications link and link context associated with the mobile unit, where the handing off is performed without assistance of the mobile unit.
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Citations
43 Claims
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1. A system for wirelessly exchanging communications with at least one mobile unit, the system comprising:
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a first base station unit coupled to a network;
a second base station unit coupled to the network, wherein the first and second base station units are configured to communicate wirelessly with the mobile unit under a Bluetooth protocol;
wherein the first and second base station units are further configured for;
at the first base station unit, receiving a communication from the mobile unit;
at the first base station unit, requesting a unique session address for the mobile unit, wherein the unique address is associated with a unique Bluetooth Device Address (“
BD_ADDR”
);
at the first base station unit, establishing a communications link with the mobile unit, wherein the communications link includes link context data associated with the mobile unit, and wherein the link context data associated with the mobile unit is identified at least in part based on the unique address;
determining that the mobile unit is to be handed-off to the second base station unit; and
at the first base station unit, handing off to the second base station unit the communications link and link context associated with the mobile unit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. In a network, a method for wirelessly exchanging communications with at least one mobile unit, wherein the network includes first and second base stations units coupled to the network, the method comprising:
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at the first base station unit, receiving a wireless communication from the mobile unit, wherein the wireless communication is under a wireless communications protocol, wherein the wireless communications protocol does not provide for handoff of communications links between base station units;
at the first base station unit, obtaining a unique session identifier for the communication with the mobile unit;
at the first base station unit, establishing a communications link with the mobile unit, wherein the communications link includes link context data associated with the mobile unit, and wherein the link context data associated with the mobile unit is identified at least in part based on the unique session identifier;
determining that the mobile unit is to be handed-off to the second base station unit; and
handing off to the second base station unit the communications link and link context associated with the mobile unit, wherein the handing off is performed without assistance of the mobile unit. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A computer-readable medium whose contents cause a fixed short-range wireless communications switch to perform a peer-to-peer method to handoff of a communications link with a wireless mobile unit to a neighboring and fixed short-range wireless communications switch in a communications network, the method comprising:
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at the fixed short-range wireless switch in the communications network, receiving a wireless communication from the wireless mobile unit, wherein the wireless communication is under a short-range wireless communications protocol, and wherein the wireless communications protocol does not provide for handoff of communications links between short-range wireless switches;
at the fixed short-range wireless switch in the communications network, obtaining a unique session identifier for the communication with the wireless mobile unit;
at the fixed short-range wireless switch in the communications network, establishing a communications link with the wireless mobile unit, wherein the communications link includes link context data associated with the wireless mobile unit, and wherein the link context data associated with the wireless mobile unit is identified at least in part based on the unique session identifier; and
determining that the wireless mobile unit is to be handed-off to the neighboring fixed short-range wireless switch; and
handing off to the neighboring fixed short-range wireless switch the communications link and link context associated with the wireless mobile unit, wherein the handing off is performed without assistance of the wireless mobile unit. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 26, 27, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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25. A computer-readable medium containing a data structure for use by a base station unit in a communications network, the data structure comprising:
at least one record stored at the base station unit for each communication link established with a wireless mobile unit, wherein the record comprises;
link context data associated with the communication link established with the wireless mobile unit; and
a virtual Bluetooth device address for identifying the communication link with the wireless mobile unit and the link context data, wherein the base station unit may communicate wirelessly under a Bluetooth protocol to a neighboring base station unit and the wireless mobile unit.
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28. A computer-readable medium containing a data structure for use by a base station unit in a short-range communications network, the data structure comprising:
at least one record stored at the base station unit for each communication link established with a wireless mobile unit, wherein the record comprises;
link context data associated with the communication link established with the wireless mobile unit; and
a unique session identifier for identifying the communication link with the wireless mobile unit and the link context data, wherein the base station unit may communicate wirelessly under a short-range wireless protocol to a neighboring base station unit and the wireless mobile unit, wherein the short-range wireless protocol permits the base station unit to communicate wirelessly with an effective range of less than 500 meters, and wherein the short-range wireless communications protocol does not provide for handoff of communications links between base station units.
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29. In a picocellular communications network, wherein at least one mobile unit communicates with at least a portion of the network, an apparatus comprising:
a stationary wireless network access point coupled to the picocellular communications network, wherein the base station unit includes a memory and is configured for;
receiving a wireless communication from the mobile unit, wherein the wireless communication is under a wireless communications protocol, and wherein the wireless communications protocol does not provide for handoff of communications links between stationary wireless network access points in the picocellular communications network;
obtaining a unique session identifier for the communication with the mobile unit;
establishing a communications link with the mobile unit, wherein the communications link includes link context data associated with the mobile unit, and wherein the link context data associated with the mobile unit is identified at least in part based on the unique session identifier;
determining that the mobile unit is to be handed-off to a neighboring stationary wireless network access point; and
handing off to the neighboring stationary wireless network access point the communications link and link context associated with the mobile unit, wherein the handing off is performed without assistance of the mobile unit.
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40. In a short-range wireless communications network, wherein at least one mobile unit communicates with at least a portion of the network, an apparatus comprising:
fixed means for providing short-range wireless communications within the communications network, wherein the means for providing shortrange wireless communications comprises;
means for receiving a wireless communication from the mobile unit, wherein the wireless communication is under a wireless communications protocol, and wherein the wireless communications protocol does not provide for handoff of communications links between short-range wireless network nodes in the communications network;
means for obtaining a unique session identifier for the communication with the mobile unit;
means, coupled to the means for receiving, for establishing a communications link with the mobile unit, wherein the communications link includes link context data associated with the mobile unit, and wherein the link context data associated with the mobile unit is identified at least in part based on the unique session identifier;
means for determining that the mobile unit is to be handed-off to a neighboring short-range network node; and
means for handing off to the neighboring short-range network node the communications link and link context associated with the mobile unit, wherein the handing off is performed without assistance of the mobile unit. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43)
Specification