Mobile-terminal gateway

• US 20050078620A1
• Filed: 05/27/2004
• Published: 04/14/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Balachandran, Kumar, Wesslen, Anders
• Application Number:
  US10/857,320
• Publication Number:
  US 20050078620A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/313
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/021 adapted for Wireless Local Loop operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/10 between terminal device and access point, i.e. wireless air interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/18 between terminal devices

Abstract

A mobile terminal includes an access subsystem and an application subsystem. The access subsystem includes at least one access-technology interface. The application subsystem is inter-operably connected to the access subsystem. The application subsystem and the access subsystem are separated via a functional split. The access subsystem provides access by the application subsystem to a first wireless network via a first access-technology interface of the at least one access-technology interface. This Abstract is provided to comply with rules requiring an Abstract that allows a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain subject matter of the technical disclosure. This Abstract is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. 37 CFR 1.72(b).

Claims

1. A mobile terminal comprising:

an access subsystem, the access subsystem comprising at least one access-technology interface;

an application subsystem inter-operably connected to the access subsystem;

wherein the application subsystem and the access subsystem are separated via a functional split; and

wherein the access subsystem provides access by the application subsystem to a first wireless network via a first access-technology interface of the at least one access-technology interface.

2. The mobile terminal of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of service components;

wherein each of the plurality of service components is inter-operably connected to at least one of the access subsystem and the application subsystem; and

wherein the plurality of service components provide access to functionality required by at least one of the access subsystem and the application subsystem.

3. The mobile terminal of claim 2, wherein the plurality of service components comprise separable hardware modules.

4. The mobile terminal of claim 2 wherein the plurality of service component comprise separable software modules.

5. The mobile terminal of claim 2, wherein the service components comprise a combination of hardware components and software components.

6. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the access subsystem and the application subsystem communicate via Berkeley Software Distribution (BSD) sockets.

7. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein communications between the access subsystem and the application subsystem occur via the Internet Protocol.

8. The mobile terminal of claim 7, wherein the Internet Protocol is IPv4.

9. The mobile terminal of claim 7, wherein the Internet Protocol is IPv6.

10. The mobile terminal of claim 1, further comprising:

an external device located within a personal area network of the mobile terminal and inter-operably connected to the access subsystem; and

wherein the access subsystem provides access by the external device to a second wireless network via a second access-technology interface of the at least one access-technology interface.

11. The mobile terminal of claim 10, wherein the access subsystem inter-operably connects the application subsystem and the external device to one another.

12. The mobile terminal of claim 10, wherein:

the access provided by the access subsystem via the second access-technology interface is within the personal area network; and

the access subsystem provides access by the external device to a third wireless network, the third wireless network including an area outside the personal area network.

13. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the access subsystem serves as a wireless router that connects at least one external device inter-operably connected to the access subsystem to a second wireless network.

14. The mobile terminal of claim 13, wherein the application subsystem and the at least one external device are inter-operably connected to one another via the access subsystem.

15. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the access subsystem and the application subsystem communicate via a sockets-based interface.

16. The mobile terminal of claim 15, wherein the sockets-based interface is in accordance with Berkeley Software Distribution (BSD) sockets.

17. The mobile terminal of claim 15, wherein a link-specific address and protocol family for a socket library are utilized.

18. The mobile terminal of claim 1, further comprising:

a middleware;

wherein the middleware provides access by an application developer to the access subsystem and to the application subsystem; and

wherein the functional split is hidden from the application developer via an application-programming interface.

19. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein capabilities of the access subsystem are made available to the application subsystem for use by applications executed via the application subsystem.

20. The mobile terminal of claim 19, wherein the capabilities comprise at least one of hardware functionality and software functionality.

21. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein capabilities of the application subsystem are made available to the access subsystem for use by the access subsystem.

22. The mobile terminal of claim 21, wherein the capabilities comprise at least one of hardware functionality and software functionality.

23. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein a network management tool is used to configure and control functions provided by at least one of the access subsystem and the application subsystem.

24. The mobile terminal of claim 23, wherein the network management tool is in accordance with the Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP).

25. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein prioritization of data transmitted between the access subsystem and the application subsystem occurs via quality of service (QoS) provisioning.

26. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the access subsystem is adapted to be implemented without the application subsystem in a telematics application.

27. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the access subsystem comprises at least one of a voice codec and a video codec and the application subsystem is adapted to transparently access the at least one voice codec or video codec.

28. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the access subsystem comprises subscriber identity module (SIM) functionality and the application subsystem is adapted to transparently access the SIM functionality of the access subsystem.

29. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein at least one of the access subsystem and the application subsystem comprises a voice compression library.

30. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the mobile terminal comprises a global positioning system (GPS) module.

31. The mobile terminal of claim 30, wherein the GPS module is adapted to be used by the application subsystem.

32. The mobile terminal of claim 30, wherein the GPS module is adapted to be used by the access subsystem for assisted GPS location.

33. A wireless-network access method comprising:

providing a mobile terminal, the mobile terminal comprising an application subsystem and an access subsystem separated via a functional split;

accessing, by the application subsystem, of a first wireless network via a first access-technology interface of at least one access-technology interface of the access subsystem.

34. The wireless-network access method of claim 33, further comprising:

providing a plurality of service components;

inter-operably connecting the plurality of service components to at least one of the access subsystem and the application subsystem; and

providing, via the plurality of service components, access to functionality required by at least one of the access subsystem and the application subsystem.

35. The wireless-network access method of claim 34, wherein the plurality of service components comprise separable hardware modules.

36. The wireless-network access method of claim 34, wherein the plurality of service components comprise separable software modules.

37. The wireless-network access method of claim 34, wherein the plurality of service components comprise a combination of hardware components and software components.

38. The method of claim 33, wherein the accessing step comprises the access subsystem and the application subsystem communicating via Berkeley Software Distribution (BSD) sockets.

39. The method of claim 33, wherein the accessing step comprises the access subsystem and the application subsystem communicating via the Internet Protocol.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the Internet Protocol is IPv4.

41. The method of claim 39, wherein the Internet Protocol is IPv6.

42. The method of claim 33, further comprising an external device accessing, via the access subsystem, of a second wireless network via a second access-technology interface of the at least one access-technology interface.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein the external device accessing step comprises the access subsystem inter-operably connecting the application subsystem and the external device to one another.

44. The method of claim 42, further comprising:

wherein the access provided by the access subsystem via the second access-technology interface is within the personal area network; and

providing, by the access subsystem of access by the external device to a third wireless network, the third wireless network including an area outside the personal area network.

45. The method of claim 33, further comprising the access subsystem serving as a ireless router to connects at least one external device inter-operably connected to the access subsystem to a second wireless network.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein the application subsystem and the at least one external device are inter-operably connected to one another via the access subsystem.

47. The method of claim 33, wherein the access subsystem and the application subsystem communicate via a sockets-based interface.

48. The method of claim 47, wherein the sockets-based interface is in accordance with Berkeley Software Distribution (BSD) sockets.

49. The method of claim 47, wherein a link-specific address and protocol family for a socket library are utilized.

50. The method of claim 33, further comprising:

providing access by an application developer to the access subsystem and to the application subsystem; and

wherein the functional split is hidden from the application developer via an application-programming interface.

51. The method of claim 33, further comprising providing capabilities of the access subsystem to the application subsystem for use by applications executed via the application subsystem.

52. The method of claim 51, wherein the capabilities comprise at least one of hardware functionality and software functionality.

53. The method of claim 33, further comprising providing capabilities of the application subsystem to the access subsystem for use by the access subsystem.

54. The method of claim 53, wherein the capabilities comprise at least one of hardware functionality and software functionality.

55. The method of claim 33, further comprising using a network management tool to configure and control functions provided by at least one of the access subsystem and the application subsystem.

56. The method of claim 55, wherein the network management tool is in accordance with the Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP).

57. The method of claim 33, further comprising prioritizing data transmitted between the access subsystem and the application subsystem via quality of service (QoS) provisioning.

58. The method of claim 33, wherein the access subsystem is adapted to be implemented without the application subsystem in a telematics application.

59. The method of claim 33, wherein the access subsystem comprises at least one of a voice codec and video codec and the application subsystem is adapted to transparently access the at least one voice codec or video codec.

60. The method of claim 33, wherein the access subsystem comprises subscriber identity module (SIM) functionality and the application subsystem is adapted to transparently access the SIM functionality of the access subsystem.

61. The method of claim 33, wherein at least one of the access subsystem and the application subsystem comprises a voice compression library.

62. The method of claim 33, wherein the mobile terminal comprises a global positioning system (GPS) module.

63. The method of claim 62, wherein the GPS module is adapted to be used by the application subsystem.

64. The method of claim 62, wherein the GPS module is adapted to be used by the access subsystem for assisted GPS location.

65. A mobile terminal comprising:

means for providing access to a first wireless network via a first access-technology interface;

means for executing applications;

wherein the means for providing access and the means for execution applications are separated via a functional split; and

wherein the means for providing access provides access by the means for executing applications to the first wireless network via the first access-technology interface.