Wireless intelligent switch engine

• US 20040100923A1
• Filed: 03/11/2003
• Published: 05/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Yam, Eric
• Granted Patent: US 7,702,357 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/14 Reselecting a network or an air interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/1446 wherein at least one of the networks is unlicensed
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• 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 wireless intelligent switch engine (WISE) is described. The wireless intelligent switch engine provides for automatic switching between different physical wireless interfaces in mobile devices while roaming to maintain a wireless network connection. WISE functions as a bridge between a mobile device and multiple wireless network interfaces to provide automatic and seamless switching among networks while roaming. The mobile device sees WISE as a LAN interface and communicates with WISE using the TCP/IP protocol stack, thus providing a PPP-less configuration that uses the TCP/IP protocol stack regardless of the wireless interface.

Claims

1. A network interface switching apparatus, comprising:

a switch engine configured to automatically select a corresponding one of a plurality of wireless network interface devices associated with a mobile device while said mobile device roams among a plurality of wireless networks.

2. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said switch engine communicates with said mobile device using TCP/IP protocol.

3. An apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein said switch engine provides a PPP-less interface with said mobile device.

4. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said switch engine communicates with said wireless interface devices using a Ethernet OSI Layer 2 packet header with an IEEE 802.1p tag control information field having a priority field.

5. An apparatus as recited in claim 4, wherein the priority field is used to select a wireless interface based on a priority criteria selected from the group consisting essentially of frame quality, receive frame CRC error, and signal strength.

6. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said switch engine comprises a QoS priority queuing module, a VLAN bandwidth tagging module, a bridge switching module, and a switching/packet management table.

7. A network interface switching apparatus, comprising:

a switch engine configured as a bridge between a mobile device and a plurality of wireless network interface devices associated with said mobile device;

wherein as said mobile device roams among a plurality of wireless networks said switch engine automatically selects a corresponding wireless network device for seamless roaming.

8. An apparatus as recited in claim 7, wherein said switch engine communicates with said mobile device using TCP/IP protocol.

9. An apparatus as recited in claim 8, wherein said switch engine provides a PPP-less interface with said mobile device.

10. An apparatus as recited in claim 7, wherein said switch engine communicates with said wireless interface devices using a Ethernet OSI Layer 2 packet header with an IEEE 802.1p tag control information field having a priority field.

11. An apparatus as recited in claim 10, wherein the priority field is used to select a wireless interface based on a priority criteria selected from the group consisting essentially of frame quality, receive frame CRC error, and signal strength.

12. An apparatus as recited in claim 7, wherein said switch engine comprises a QoS priority queuing module, a VLAN bandwidth tagging module, a bridge switching module, and a switching/packet management table.

13. A network interface switching apparatus, comprising:

a switch engine;

said switch engine including means for, as a mobile device roams among a plurality of wireless networks, automatically selecting a corresponding one of a plurality of wireless network interface devices associated with said mobile device for seamless roaming.

14. An apparatus as recited in claim 13, wherein said switch engine communicates with said mobile device using TCP/IP protocol.

15. An apparatus as recited in claim 14, wherein said switch engine provides a PPP-less interface with said mobile device.

16. An apparatus as recited in claim 13, wherein said switch engine communicates with said wireless interface devices using a Ethernet OSI Layer 2 packet header with an IEEE 802.1p tag control information field having a priority field.

17. An apparatus as recited in claim 16, wherein the priority field is used to select a wireless interface based on a priority criteria selected from the group consisting essentially of frame quality, receive frame CRC error, and signal strength.

18. An apparatus as recited in claim 13, wherein said switch engine comprises a QoS priority queuing module, a VLAN bandwidth tagging module, a bridge switching module, and a switching/packet management table.

19. A network interface switching apparatus, comprising:

a switch engine;

said switch engine including means for communicating with a mobile device;

said switch engine including means for communicating with a plurality of wireless network interface devices associated with said mobile device;

said switch engine including means for, as said mobile device roams among a plurality of wireless networks, selecting a corresponding one of said plurality of wireless network interface devices for seamless roaming.

20. An apparatus as recited in claim 19, wherein said switch engine communicates with said mobile device using TCP/IP protocol.

21. An apparatus as recited in claim 20, wherein said switch engine provides a PPP-less interface with said mobile device.

22. An apparatus as recited in claim 19, wherein said switch engine communicates with said wireless interface devices using a Ethernet OSI Layer 2 packet header with an IEEE 802.1p tag control information field having a priority field.

23. An apparatus as recited in claim 22, wherein the priority field is used to select a wireless interface based on a priority criteria selected from the group consisting essentially of frame quality, receive frame CRC error, and signal strength.

24. An apparatus as recited in claim 19, wherein said switch engine comprises a QoS priority queuing module, a VLAN bandwidth tagging module, a bridge switching module, and a switching/packet management table.

25. A network interface switching apparatus, comprising:

a switch engine;

said switch engine including means for bridging a mobile device and a plurality of wireless network interface devices associated with said mobile device;

wherein as said mobile device roams among a plurality of wireless networks said switch engine automatically selects a corresponding wireless network device for seamless roaming.

26. An apparatus as recited in claim 25, wherein said switch engine communicates with said mobile device using TCP/IP protocol.

27. An apparatus as recited in claim 26, wherein said switch engine provides a PPP-less interface with said mobile device.

28. An apparatus as recited in claim 25, wherein said switch engine communicates with said wireless interface devices using a Ethernet OSI Layer 2 packet header with an IEEE 802.1p tag control information field having a priority field.

29. An apparatus as recited in claim 28, wherein the priority field is used to select a wireless interface based on a priority criteria selected from the group consisting essentially of frame quality, receive frame CRC error, and signal strength.

30. An apparatus as recited in claim 25, wherein said switch engine comprises a QoS priority queuing module, a VLAN bandwidth tagging module, a bridge switching module, and a switching/packet management table.

31. A network interface switching apparatus, comprising:

a switch engine;

said switch engine including means for communicating with a mobile device;

said switch engine including means for communicating with a plurality of wireless network interface devices associated with said mobile device;

said switch engine including means for bridging a mobile device and a plurality of wireless network interface devices associated with said mobile device;

wherein as said mobile device roams among a plurality of wireless networks said switch engine automatically selects a corresponding wireless network device for seamless roaming.

32. An apparatus as recited in claim 31, wherein said switch engine communicates with said mobile device using TCP/IP protocol.

33. An apparatus as recited in claim 32, wherein said switch engine provides a PPP-less interface with said mobile device.

34. An apparatus as recited in claim 31, wherein said switch engine communicates with said wireless interface devices using a Ethernet OSI Layer 2 packet header with an IEEE 802.1p tag control information field having a priority field.

35. An apparatus as recited in claim 34, wherein the priority field is used to select a wireless interface based on a priority criteria selected from the group consisting essentially of frame quality, receive frame CRC error, and signal strength.

36. An apparatus as recited in claim 31, wherein said switch engine comprises a QoS priority queuing module, a VLAN bandwidth tagging module, a bridge switching module, and a switching/packet management table.

37. A multi-network communication apparatus, comprising:

a mobile device; and

a switch engine associated with said mobile device;

said switch engine configured to automatically select a corresponding one of a plurality of wireless network interface devices associated with said mobile device while said mobile device roams among a plurality of wireless networks.

38. An apparatus as recited in claim 37, wherein said switch engine communicates with said mobile device using TCP/IP protocol.

39. An apparatus as recited in claim 38, wherein said switch engine provides a PPP-less interface with said mobile device.

40. An apparatus as recited in claim 37, wherein said switch engine communicates with said wireless interface devices using a Ethernet OSI Layer 2 packet header with an IEEE 802.1p tag control information field having a priority field.

41. An apparatus as recited in claim 40, wherein the priority field is used to select a wireless interface based on a priority criteria selected from the group consisting essentially of frame quality, receive frame CRC error, and signal strength.

42. An apparatus as recited in claim 37, wherein said switch engine comprises a QoS priority queuing module, a VLAN bandwidth tagging module, a bridge switching module, and a switching/packet management table.

43. A multi-network communication apparatus, comprising:

a mobile device;

a switch engine associated with said mobile device;

said switch engine configured as a bridge between said mobile device and a plurality of wireless network interface devices associated with said mobile device;

wherein as said mobile device roams among a plurality of wireless networks said switch engine automatically selects a corresponding wireless network device for seamless roaming.

44. An apparatus as recited in claim 43, wherein said switch engine communicates with said mobile device using TCP/IP protocol.

45. An apparatus as recited in claim 44, wherein said switch engine provides a PPP-less interface with said mobile device.

46. An apparatus as recited in claim 43, wherein said switch engine communicates with said wireless interface devices using a Ethernet OSI Layer 2 packet header with an IEEE 802.1p tag control information field having a priority field.

47. An apparatus as recited in claim 46, wherein the priority field is used to select a wireless interface based on a priority criteria selected from the group consisting essentially of frame quality, receive frame CRC error, and signal strength.

48. An apparatus as recited in claim 43, wherein said switch engine comprises a QoS priority queuing module, a VLAN bandwidth tagging module, a bridge switching module, and a switching/packet management table.

49. A multi-network communication apparatus, comprising:

a mobile device; and

a switch engine; and

said switching engine including means for, as said mobile device roams among a plurality of wireless networks, automatically selecting a corresponding one of a plurality of wireless network interface devices associated with said mobile device for seamless roaming.

50. An apparatus as recited in claim 49, wherein said switch engine communicates with said mobile device using TCP/IP protocol.

51. An apparatus as recited in claim 50, wherein said switch engine provides a PPP-less interface with said mobile device.

52. An apparatus as recited in claim 49, wherein said switch engine communicates with said wireless interface devices using a Ethernet OSI Layer 2 packet header with an IEEE 802.1p tag control information field having a priority field.

53. An apparatus as recited in claim 52, wherein the priority field is used to select a wireless interface based on a priority criteria selected from the group consisting essentially of frame quality, receive frame CRC error, and signal strength.

54. An apparatus as recited in claim 49, wherein said switch engine comprises a QoS priority queuing module, a VLAN bandwidth tagging module, a bridge switching module, and a switching/packet management table.

55. A multi-network communication apparatus, comprising:

a mobile device; and

a switch engine;

said switch engine including means for communicating with said mobile device;

said switch engine including means for communicating with a plurality of wireless network interface devices associated with said mobile device;

said switch engine including means for, as said mobile device roams among a plurality of wireless networks, selecting a corresponding one of said plurality of wireless network interface devices for seamless roaming.

56. An apparatus as recited in claim 55, wherein said switch engine communicates with said mobile device using TCP/IP protocol.

57. An apparatus as recited in claim 56, wherein said switch engine provides a PPP-less interface with said mobile device.

58. An apparatus as recited in claim 55, wherein said switch engine communicates with said wireless interface devices using a Ethernet OSI Layer 2 packet header with an IEEE 802.1p tag control information field having a priority field.

59. An apparatus as recited in claim 58, wherein the priority field is used to select a wireless interface based on a priority criteria selected from the group consisting essentially of frame quality, receive frame CRC error, and signal strength.

60. An apparatus as recited in claim 55, wherein said switch engine comprises a QoS priority queuing module, a VLAN bandwidth tagging module, a bridge switching module, and a switching/packet management table.

61. A multi-network communication apparatus, comprising:

a mobile device; and

a switch engine;

said switch engine including means for bridging said mobile device and a plurality of wireless network interface devices associated with said mobile device;

wherein as said mobile device roams among a plurality of wireless networks said switch engine automatically selects a corresponding wireless network device for seamless roaming.

62. An apparatus as recited in claim 61, wherein said switch engine communicates with said mobile device using TCP/IP protocol.

63. An apparatus as recited in claim 62, wherein said switch engine provides a PPP-less interface with said mobile device.

64. An apparatus as recited in claim 61, wherein said switch engine communicates with said wireless interface devices using a Ethernet OSI Layer 2 packet header with an IEEE 802.1p tag control information field having a priority field.

65. An apparatus as recited in claim 64, wherein the priority field is used to select a wireless interface based on a priority criteria selected from the group consisting essentially of frame quality, receive frame CRC error, and signal strength.

66. An apparatus as recited in claim 61, wherein said switch engine comprises a QoS priority queuing module, a VLAN bandwidth tagging module, a bridge switching module, and a switching/packet management table.

67. A multi-network communication apparatus, comprising:

a mobile device; and

a switch engine;

said switch engine including means for communicating with said mobile device;

said switch engine including means for communicating with a plurality of wireless network interface devices associated with said mobile device;

said switch engine including means for bridging a mobile device and a plurality of wireless network interface devices associated with said mobile device;

wherein as said mobile device roams among a plurality of wireless networks said switch engine automatically selects a corresponding wireless network device for seamless roaming.

68. An apparatus as recited in claim 67, wherein said switch engine communicates with said mobile device using TCP/IP protocol.

69. An apparatus as recited in claim 68, wherein said switch engine provides a PPP-less interface with said mobile device.

70. An apparatus as recited in claim 67, wherein said switch engine communicates with said wireless interface devices using a Ethernet OSI Layer 2 packet header with an IEEE 802.1p tag control information field having a priority field.

71. An apparatus as recited in claim 70, wherein the priority field is used to select a wireless interface based on a priority criteria selected from the group consisting essentially of frame quality, receive frame CRC error, and signal strength.

72. An apparatus as recited in claim 67, wherein said switch engine comprises a QoS priority queuing module, a VLAN bandwidth tagging module, a bridge switching module, and a switching/packet management table.