Data handoff method between wireless local area network and wireless wide area network

• US 20040218575A1
• Filed: 04/30/2004
• Published: 11/04/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Kraasten Bros Fund BV LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Ibe, Oliver C., Blumenthal, Steven
• Granted Patent: US 7,356,015 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0011 for data sessions of end-to-end connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0019 adapted for mobile IP [MIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/045 involving different protocol versions, e.g. MIPv4 and MIPv6
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/04 Large scale networks; Deep hierarchical networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• 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 method and associated system enables seamless data roaming and handoff between the wireless local area network (WLAN) and the wireless wide-area network (WWAN). This method enables a mobile device to originate a data connection in the WLAN and have this data connection be automatically handed off to the WWAN without losing the connection when the user goes outside the range of the WLAN. Similarly, it enables a mobile device to originate a data connection in the WWAN and have this data connection be automatically handed off to the WLAN without losing the connection when the user loses the signal of the WWAN. This solution assumes that the user has subscribed to data services from a cellular carrier that will authenticate the user before permitting the handoff.

Claims

1. A method for communicating with a mobile terminal comprising:

emulating the mobile terminal on a wide area wireless network using a fixed radio terminal.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

establishing a first communication path passing from the wide area wireless network through the fixed radio terminal over a local network to the mobile terminal.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the local network includes a local wireless network, and the first communication path includes a communication path passing over the local wireless network to the mobile terminal.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the local network includes a local area data network, and the first communication path includes a data communication path passing over the local area data network.

5. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

establishing a second communication path passing from the wide area wireless network directly to the mobile terminal without passing through the fixed radio terminal.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

switching an active communication session between the first communication path and the second communication path.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the active communication session includes a voice communication session.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the voice communication session is passed over the local network on the first communication path using a data session.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the voice communication session is passed over the local network on the first communication path using a voice over Internet Protocol approach.

10. The method of claim 5 wherein the active communication session includes a data communication session.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein switching the active communication session includes switching said session from the first communication path to the second communication path.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein switching the active communication session includes switching said session from the second communication path to the first communication path.

13. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

establishing a third communication path passing from a device on the local network to the mobile terminal, said third communication path not passing through fixed radio terminal.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising handing off an active communication session between the local network and the wide area wireless network.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein handing off the active communication session includes switching said session between the third communication path and the first communication path.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein handing off the active communication session includes switching said session between the first communication path and the second communication path.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein handing off the active communication session includes successively switching said session between the third communication path and the first communication path and switching said session between the first communication path and the second communication path.

18. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

using the fixed radio terminal to emulate each of a plurality of mobile terminals each on a respective different one of a plurality of wide area wireless networks.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising:

for each of the plurality of mobile terminals, switching an active communication session between a communication path passing from the respective one of the wide area networks through the fixed radio terminal over the local network to said mobile terminal and a communication path passing from said wide area wireless network directly to said mobile terminal without passing through the fixed radio terminal.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein emulating the mobile terminal includes passing authentication data between the wide area wireless network and the mobile terminal over the local network.

21. A method for handling off a communication session with a mobile terminal between a local network and a wide area wireless network comprising:

switching the communication session between a communication path passing from the wide area wireless network through a fixed radio terminal and over the local network to the mobile terminal and a communication path passing from a device on the local network to the mobile terminal not passing through fixed radio terminal; and

switching the communication session between the communication path passing from the wide area wireless network through a fixed radio terminal and a communication path passing from the wide area wireless network directly to the mobile terminal without passing through the fixed radio terminal.

22. An apparatus comprising:

a local network, including a network access point for coupling a mobile terminal to the local network; and

a fixed radio terminal including an antenna for communicating on a wide area wireless network, a radio transceiver coupled to the radio antenna, and a network interface for communicating over the local network.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the fixed radio terminal is configured to emulate the mobile terminal on the wide area wireless network.

24. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the fixed radio terminal is configured to pass communication between the wide area wireless network and the mobile terminal.

25. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the local network includes a wireless local area network, and the access point includes a wireless access point.