System and method for integrating WLAN and 3G

• US 20040077374A1
• Filed: 10/08/2003
• Published: 04/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Inventors: Terry, Stephen E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,006,481 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/552.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/1446 wherein at least one of the networks is unlicensed
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

A method and system for providing ubiquitous coverage and seamless connectivity for devices which support Internet access via third generation (3G) cellular and IEEE 802.11 wideband local area network (WLAN) technologies, irrespective of which radio access technology is available.

Claims

1. A wireless system for facilitating seamless network connectivity, the system comprising:

(a) an integrated terminal including;

(i) a first access point (AP); and

(ii) a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) coupled to the AP via a first interface;

(b) a universal terrestrial radio access network (UTRAN) coupled to the integrated terminal via a second interface; and

(c) at least one wireless local area network (WLAN) access device coupled to the integrated terminal via a third interface.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the UTRAN provides the integrated terminal with access to an external network via the third interface.

3. The system of claim 2 further comprising:

(d) a second AP coupled to the WLAN access device via a fourth interface, wherein the WLAN access device provides the integrated terminal with access to the external network via the third and fourth interfaces.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein each of the second, third and fourth interfaces are wireless interfaces.

5. The system of claim 2 wherein the external network is the Internet.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the WTRU and UTRAN manually or automatically establish a Third Generation (3G) connection to the external network.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the WLAN access device realizes the integrated terminal by standard IEEE 802.11 active or passive scanning methods.

8. The system of claim 6 wherein the 3G connection is released upon timeout of a preconfigured inactivity timer.

9. The system of claim 6 wherein the 3G connection is permanently established to consistently provide services or facilitate a fast handover between service providers that use different radio access technology.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein each of the second and third interfaces is associated with a different radio access technology and are logically independent of each other.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the integrated terminal operates in accordance with IEEE 802.11 specifications.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the WLAN access device operates in accordance with IEEE 802.11 specifications.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein the second access point operates in accordance with IEEE 802.11 specifications.

14. The system of claim 1 wherein the UTRAN operates in accordance with Third Generation (3G) specifications.

15. The system of claim 1 wherein the WTRU operates in accordance with Third Generation (3G) specifications.

16. The system of claim 1 wherein the WLAN access device is a laptop computer.

17. The system of claim 1 wherein the WLAN access device is a personal digital assistant (PDA).

18. The system of claim 1 wherein the integrated terminal further comprises an Internet Protocol (IP) application processor coupled to the first AP for enabling several independent access devices and/or IP applications within the integrated terminal to be supported simultaneously.

19. A wireless system for facilitating seamless Internet connectivity, the system comprising:

(a) an integrated terminal including;

(i) an access point (AP) that uses a first type of radio access technology; and

(ii) a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) that uses a second type of radio access technology;

(b) a first wireless routing device coupled to the integrated terminal via a first wireless interface, the first wireless routing device using the first type of radio access technology to provide the integrated terminal with access to the Internet via the first wireless interface; and

(c) at least one second wireless routing device coupled to the integrated terminal via a second wireless interface, the second wireless routing device using the second type of radio access technology to provide the integrated terminal with access to the Internet via the second wireless interface, wherein the first and second wireless interfaces are logically independent of each other.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the first type of radio access technology operates in accordance with Third Generation (3G) specifications.

21. The system of claim 19 wherein the second type of radio access technology operates in accordance with IEEE 802.11 specifications.

22. The system of claim 19 wherein the first wireless routing device is a universal terrestrial radio access network (UTRAN).

23. The system of claim 22 wherein the WTRU and UTRAN manually or automatically establish a Third Generation (3G) connection to the Internet.

24. The system of claim 23 wherein the 3G connection is released upon timeout of a preconfigured inactivity timer.

25. The system of claim 23 wherein the 3G connection is permanently established to consistently provide services or facilitate a fast handover between service providers that use different radio access technology.

26. The system of claim 19 wherein the second wireless routing device is a wireless local area network (WLAN) access device.

27. The system of claim 26 wherein the WLAN access device realizes the integrated terminal by standard IEEE 802.11 active or passive scanning methods.

28. The system of claim 26 wherein the WLAN access device is a laptop computer.

29. The system of claim 26 wherein the WLAN access device is a personal digital assistant (PDA).

30. The system of claim 19 wherein the integrated terminal further comprises an Internet Protocol (IP) application processor coupled to the AP for enabling several independent access devices and/or IP applications within the integrated terminal to be supported simultaneously.