Method and apparatus providing information transfer
First Claim
1. A method of providing information transfer from at least one data unit to a central server, said at least one data unit being mounted on a mobile carrier and comprising an input/output interface at least for local data collection for said information transfer, the data unit further comprising at least two different communication means, the at least two communication means having an overlapping availability in at least a part of a geographical area in which the at least one data unit is located, characterized in that the method comprises the following steps in each data unit:
- initiating the at least two communication means;
determining a preferred communication means;
determining an availability of the communication means;
selecting a current communication means from one of the at least two communication means, in dependence of;
the determined preferred communication means, and the availability of the communication means;
providing information transfer to the central server by means of the current communication means.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and a system of providing information transfer between at least one data unit and a central server. A data unit in an area within which at least partly two different communication means have an overlapping coverage, transfer information with the central server by means of one of these communication means. Selection of one of the communication means is done from a plurality of parameters governed by a data unit profile. The central server in turn will in most applications be interconnected to one or more users and their applications by means of a further communication network, such as the internet. A user will thus communicate with the central server by means of a single communication network and method even though several different communication networks and methods are used for information transfer to and from the data unit or units.
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Citations
36 Claims
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1. A method of providing information transfer from at least one data unit to a central server, said at least one data unit being mounted on a mobile carrier and comprising an input/output interface at least for local data collection for said information transfer, the data unit further comprising at least two different communication means, the at least two communication means having an overlapping availability in at least a part of a geographical area in which the at least one data unit is located, characterized in that the method comprises the following steps in each data unit:
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initiating the at least two communication means;
determining a preferred communication means;
determining an availability of the communication means;
selecting a current communication means from one of the at least two communication means, in dependence of;
the determined preferred communication means, and the availability of the communication means;
providing information transfer to the central server by means of the current communication means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A data collecting or providing unit for mounting on a mobile carrier arranged to provide information transfer to a central server, said data unit comprising an input/output interface at least for local data collection for said information transfer, the data unit further comprising at least two different communication means, the at least two communication means having an overlapping availability in at least a part of a geographical area in which the data unit is located, characterized in that the data unit comprises:
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initiation means arranged to initiate the at least two communication means;
first determination means arranged to determine a preferred communication means;
second determination means arranged to determine an availability of the communication means;
selection means arranged to select a current communication means from one of the at least two communication means, in dependence of;
the determined preferred communication means, and the availability of the communication means;
providing means arranged to provide information transfer to the central server by means of the current communication means. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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21. The data unit according to claim 21, characterized in that said input/output interface further is used for generating external stimuli.
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29. An information transfer system arranged to provide information transfer between at least one data unit and a central server, said at least one data unit being mounted on a mobile carrier and comprising an input/output interface at least for local data collection for said information transfer, the central server and the at least one data unit each comprising at least two different communication means for communication with each other, the at least two communication means having an overlapping availability in at least a part of a geographical area in which the at least one data unit is located, characterized in that the at least one data unit comprises:
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initiation means arranged to initiate the at least two communication means;
first determination means arranged to determine a preferred communication means;
second determination means arranged to determine an availability of the communication means;
selection means arranged to select a current communication means from one of the at least two communication means, in dependence of;
the determined preferred communication means, and the availability of the communication means;
providing means arranged to provide information transfer to the central server by means of the current communication means;
and in that the central server comprises;
initiation means arranged to initiate the at least two communication means;
first determination means arranged to determine a preferred communication means;
second determination means arranged to determine an availability of the communication means;
selection means arranged to select a current communication means from one of the at least two communication means, in dependence of;
the determined preferred communication means, and the availability of the communication means;
providing means arranged to provide information transfer to the at least one of the at least two data units by means of the current communication means.
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30. A method of providing information transfer from a central server to at least one data unit, said at least one data unit being mounted on a mobile carrier and comprising an input/output interface at least for local data collection for said information transfer, the central server comprising at least two different communication means, the at least two communication means having an overlapping availability in at least a part of a geographical area in which the at least one data unit is located, characterized in that the method comprises the following steps in the central server:
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initiating the at least two communication means;
determining a preferred communication means;
determining an availability of the communication means;
selecting a current communication means from one of the at least two communication means, in dependence of;
the determined preferred communication means, and the availability of the communication means;
providing information transfer to the at least two data units by means of the current communication means. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33)
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34. A central server arranged to provide information transfer to at least one data unit, said at least one data unit being mounted on a mobile carrier and comprising an input/output interface at least for local data collection, the central server comprising at least two different communication means, the at least two communication means having an overlapping availability in at least a part of a geographical area in which the at least one data unit is located, characterized in that and in that the central server comprises:
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initiation means arranged to initiate the at least two communication means;
first determination means arranged to determine a preferred communication means;
second determination means arranged to determine an availability of the communication means;
selection means arranged to select a current communication means from one of the at least two communication means, in dependence of;
the determined preferred communication means, and the availability of the communication means;
providing means arranged to provide information transfer to the at least one data unit by means of the current communication means. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36)
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Specification