Mapping wireless proximity identificator to subscriber identity for hotspot based wireless services for mobile terminals

• US 20050097356A1
• Filed: 10/29/2003
• Published: 05/05/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Ventures Assets 19 LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Spyder Navigations LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Zilliacus, Martin, Koli, Ari
• Granted Patent: US 7,734,293 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/4
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0066 of control information between different types of networks in order to establish a new radio link in the target network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/00 Affiliation to network, e.g. registration; Terminating affiliation with the network, e.g. de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

A hotspot access point enables a mobile wireless device to resume a service with a network server when service is interrupted by the mobile device moving out of the coverage area of the access point. A short-range communication link is established by the access point with the mobile device based on a local identification of the device. The access point requests additional information from the wireless device. The additional information relates to a wide area network identification of the device. The mobile device transmits additional information to the access point which stores the local area identification and additional identification. The access point transmits to the mobile device a coded identificator of the wireless device based upon the local area identification and a network identification of the device. The access point determines whether service with the mobile device is open and establishes a wide area connection with the mobile device.

Claims

1. A short-range wireless access point enabling a mobile wireless device to resume service with a network server after the wireless device moves out of the coverage area of the of the access point, comprising:

a) a server including transceivers for short-range wireless communication within a coverage area and with a network server;

b) a mobile device coupled to the server via a short-range communication link;

c) means registering the mobile device when initiating proximity services with a service provider;

d) means transmitting a code to the mobile device for identification purposes in short-range and network communications;

e) means initiating a session for the mobile device with the service provider when within the coverage area; and

f) means maintaining the session with the service provider when the mobile device moves outside the coverage area.

2. The short-range wireless access point of claim 1 further comprising:

g) means for transferring the session to the network server when the mobile device moves outside the coverage area.

3. The short-range wireless access point of claim 1 further comprising:

h) means providing the access point with a first and a second identification of the mobile device.

4. The short-range wireless access point of claim 1 further comprising:

i) means coupling the access point to the service provider via an information network.

5. The short-range wireless access point of claim 3 further comprising:

j) means coupling the first and second identifications in a hashed code as proximity identification of the mobile device.

6. The short-range wireless access point of claim 3 further comprising:

k) means transmitting a message to the mobile device including the hashed code and instructing the mobile device to forward the message to the server for associating the first identification with the second identification in subsequent request for service by the mobile device.

7. The short-range wireless access point of claim 1 further comprising:

l) a service provider incorporated within the access point; and

m) means enabling the access point to contact the mobile device and provide services via the short-range communication link when the mobile device is within the coverage area or through a cellular network if the mobile device is outside the coverage area.

8. The short-range wireless access point of claim 3 wherein the first identification is a MAC address and the second identification is a machine number for the mobile device.

9. The short-range wireless accesses point of claim 1 wherein the short-range communication link implements Bluetooth protocols.

10. The short-range wireless accesses point of claim 1 wherein the network server implements cellular protocols.

11. The short-range wireless access point of claim 4 wherein the information network is the Internet.

12. A method in a short-range wireless access point for enabling a mobile device to resume service with a network server, the service having been interrupted by moving the mobile device out of the coverage area of the access point, comprising;

a) establishing a short-range communication link for initiating a service with the mobile wireless device, wherein the short-range communication link is based on a local area identification the mobile wireless device;

b) requesting from the mobile wireless device an additional identification through the short-range communication link, wherein the requested identification relates to a wide area network identification of the terminal;

c) receiving the additional identification from the mobile wireless device;

d) determining whether the service with the mobile wireless device through the short-range communication link is open; and

e) establishing wide area connection with the mobile wireless device using the stored association in response to detecting that the short-range communication link is closed.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

f) providing the access point with a first and a second identification of the mobile device.

14. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

g) coupling the access point to the service provider via an information network

15. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

h) coupling the first and second identifications in a hashed code as proximity identification of the mobile device.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

i) transmitting a message to the mobile device including the hashed code and instructing the mobile device to forward the message to the server for associating the first identification with the second identification in subsequent request for service by the mobile device.

17. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

j) incorporating a service provider within the access point; and

k enabling the access point to contact the mobile device and provide services via the short-range communication link when the mobile device is within the coverage area or through a cellular network if the mobile device is outside the coverage area.

18. The method of claim 13 wherein the first identification is a MAC address and the second identification is a machine number for the mobile device.

19. The method of claim 12 wherein the short-range communication link implements Bluetooth protocols.

20. The method of claim 12 wherein a network server implements cellular protocols in establishing a wide area connection.

21. The method of claim 14 wherein the information network is the Internet.

22. A system enabling a mobile wireless device to resume service with a network server after the wireless device moves out of a coverage area of an access point, comprising:

a) a hotspot server including transceivers for short-range wireless communication within a coverage area and with a network server;

b) a mobile device including means for short-range communication and network communications;

c) means coupling the hotspot server to a service provider;

c) means stored in the mobile device for implementing short-range communications with the hotspot server when within the coverage area;

d) means stored in the hotspot server for recognizing the mobile device when initiating short-range communication with the mobile device

e) means registering the mobile device when initiating proximity services with the service provider;

f) means transmitting a code to the mobile device for identification purposes in short-range and network communications;

g) means initiating a session for the mobile device with the service provider within the coverage area; and

h) means maintaining the session with the service provider using the code when the mobile device moves outside the coverage area.

23. The system of claim 22 further comprising:

i) means coupling a MAC address and a cellular address number of the mobile device in a code as an identificator of a subscriber of proximity services.

24. The system of claim 22 wherein the hotspot server is coupled to a backend server.

25. The system of claim 22 wherein a service provider is incorporated within the hotspot server and the server selects a first communication protocol to link with the mobile device when the mobile device is within the coverage area and a second communication protocol as a smooth handover when the mobile device leaves the coverage area.

26. The system of claim 22 wherein the service provider continues a consumer relation with the mobile device while out of the coverage area using the cellular address number of the device.

28. The system of claim 22 wherein the service provider provides tailored services to a mobile device.

29. The system of claim 22 wherein the access point tracks and calculates services used by a mobile device within a billing zone and sends the billing data to the mobile device in a SMS message.

30. The system of claim 22 wherein the service provider services are browser/J2ME based.

27. The system of 22 wherein the services provider services are SMS/MMS based.

31. A method enabling a mobile wireless device to resume service with a network server after the wireless device moves out of a coverage area of an access point, comprising:

a) installing transceivers in a hotspot server for short-range wireless communication within a coverage area and with a network server;

b) installing short-range communication and network communications means in a mobile device;

c) coupling the hotspot server to a service provider;

c) storing in the mobile device means for implementing short-range communications with the hotspot server when within the coverage area;

d) storing in the hotspot server means for recognizing the mobile device when initiating short-range communication with the mobile device

e) registering the mobile device when initiating proximity services with the service provider;

f) transmitting a code to the mobile device for identification purposes in short-range and network communications;

g) initiating a session for the mobile device with the service provider when within the coverage area; and

h) maintaining the session with the service provider using the code when the mobile device moves outside the coverage area.

32. The method of claim 31 further comprising:

i) coupling a MAC address and a cellular address number of the mobile device in the code as an identificator of a subscriber of proximity services.

33. The method of claim 31 wherein the hotspot server is coupled to a backend server.

34. The method of claim 31 wherein a service provider is incorporated within the hotspot server and the server selects a first communication protocol to link with the mobile device when the mobile device is within the coverage area and a second communication protocol as a smooth handover when the mobile device leaves the coverage area.

35. The method of claim 31 wherein the service provider continues a consumer relation with the mobile device while out of the coverage area using the cellular address number of the device.

37. The method of claim 31 wherein the service provider provides tailored services to a mobile device.

38. The method of claim 31 wherein the access point tracks and calculates services used by a mobile device within a billing zone and sends the billing data to the mobile device in a SMS message.

39. The method of claim 31 wherein the service provider services are browser/J2ME based.

36. The method of 31 wherein the services provider services are SMS/MMS based.