Apparatus and method for intelligent routing of data between a remote device and a host system

• US 20050002419A1
• Filed: 07/26/2004
• Published: 01/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/1995
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Mobile Sonic Incorporated (Absolute Software Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Padcom Incorporated (NetMotion Software, Inc.)
• Inventors: Houvig, Flex, Doviak, William, Whitmore, David L.
• Application Number:
  US10/898,283
• Publication Number:
  US 20050002419A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/466
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/5692 Selection among different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/00 Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/851 Dynamic network selection or re-selection, e.g. after degradation of quality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/06 Optimizing the usage of the radio link, e.g. header compression, information sizing , discarding information system modifying transmission characteristic according to link quality by modifying frame length H04L1/0007; dynamic adaptation of the packet size for flow control or congestion control H04L47/365
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 Negotiating wireless communication parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/00 Communication routing or communication path finding
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/02 Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/00 Wireless network protocols or protocol adaptations to wireless operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

An apparatus and method is provided for transparent communication between a remote or mobile device and a fixed communication host network. The apparatus and method may include a remote network controller that logically resides between the host network and the existing infrastructure(s) that are used to provide communications network contact with one or more remote devices. The remote network controller is connected to the host communication network as a protocol-appropriate communications controller so that remote devices are indistinguishable to the host network from the locally-attached devices. Each remote device may be provided with an asynchronous serial data interface to communicate with a mobile data controller. The mobile data controller, in combination with the remote network controller, provides end-to-end data communication such that incompatible protocols are transparent to the remote device and host communication network. A router may be provided which selects a communications network in accordance with user configured parameters. The router communicates over a plurality of incompatible networks and is capable of using a variety of different protocols. Switching between the plurality of incompatible networks is transparent to the remote device and host communication network.

Claims

1. A method of end-to end data communications where data is transported via incompatible transmission formats in a transparent manner between a remote device and a host communication network using a wireless communications link, said remote device and said wireless communications link being connected to a mobile data controller, said host communication network and said wireless communications link being interfaced by a network interface device logically residing on said host communication network as a protocol-appropriate communications controller, said method comprising the steps of:

converting data to be transported between said remote device and said host communication network, said converting step converting said transported data between a remote device transmission format utilized by said remote device and one of a plurality of digital and analog wireless link transmission formats utilized by said wireless communications link;

transporting said transported data over said wireless communications link in accordance with said one of said wireless link transmission formats;

receiving said transport data from said wireless communications link;

converting said transported data between said one of said wireless link transmission formats and a network interface format utilized by said network interface device, said one of said wireless link transmission formats and said host network format being incompatible;

further converting said transported data between said network interface format and a host network format utilized by said host communication network; and

forwarding said transported data to said host communication network in accordance with said host network format.