Method and apparatus for facilitating switched packet data services on multiple networks

• US 20070171879A1
• Filed: 01/25/2006
• Published: 07/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola Mobility LLC (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Bourque, Francis
• Granted Patent: US 8,199,731 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1607 Details of the supervisory signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/17 Selecting a data network PoA [Point of Attachment]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/00 Local resource management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/11 Allocation or use of connection identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

A method and apparatus for establishing data connections between multiple networks is provided. A portable, electronic device 300, such as a mobile telephone, includes a communication module 303 configured to initiate the data connection by transmitting an initiation request. The device 300 establishes the data connection, which may be a packet data protocol-context data connection in a general packet radio service environment, by transmitting an initiation request that includes a network identifier such as access point name to obtain an Internet protocol address. Upon determining available network channels suitable for establishment of the network connection, a processing module 304 selects a corresponding network identifier from a look-up table 305 of network identifiers and corresponding networks. The communication module 303 then transmits the data connection initiation request having the selected network identifier so as to establish a switched packet data connection with the selected network.

Claims

1. A method of establishing a data connection between a communication device and a network, the method comprising the steps of:

a. determining available network channels that are compatible with the communication device;

b. selecting from a list of network indication addresses a network indication address corresponding to the available network channels; and

c. initiating the data connection by transmitting a data connection initiation request comprising the network indication address.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining the available network channels comprises determining a number and availability of data paths through which the data connection may be established.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of determining the available network channels is completed by an operation selected from the group consisting of receiving input from a user and detecting nearby network gateway nodes.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the list of network indication addresses comprises a look-up table of access point names, with each access point name having a corresponding data path associated therewith.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the look-up table is arranged according to a user-defined priority.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the corresponding data paths associated with the network indication addresses are selected from the group consisting of local area network connection data paths, wireless service provider connection data paths, virtual private network connection data paths, secured gateway connection node data paths, private intranet connection data paths, servicing general packet radio service support node data paths, World Wide Web connection data paths, and Internet connection data paths.

7. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of receiving an acknowledgement response in response to transmitting the data connection initiation request.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein when a first data connection is unavailable, further comprising the steps of:

a. selecting from the list of network indication addresses a second network indication address corresponding to a second available data path; and

b. initiating the data connection by transmitting a second data connection initiation request comprising the second network indication address.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein when an acknowledgement response is not received, further comprising the steps of:

a. selecting from the list of network indication addresses a second network indication address corresponding to a second available data path; and

b. initiating the data connection by transmitting a second data connection initiation request comprising the second network indication address.

10. The method of claim 3, wherein the data connection initiation request comprises a request to establish a packet data protocol-context data connection with a general packet radio service network node.

11. A system for establishing a data connection between an electronic device and a network, the system comprising:

a. a communication module configured to initiate the data connection by transmitting an initiation request comprising an access point name;

b. a processing module operable with the communication module, the processing module being capable of determining an availability of network channels that are compatible with the electronic device; and

c. a look-up table comprising at least one network channel and at least one corresponding network gateway address;

wherein the processing module determines an availability of network channels and selects a corresponding network gateway address from the look-up table; and

wherein the communication module transmits a request to initiate the data connection, the request to initiate the data connection comprising the corresponding network gateway address selected from the table.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the available network channels comprise access to an available data connection, further wherein the look-up table comprises a plurality of network channels and a corresponding plurality of network gateway addresses.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the plurality of network channels and corresponding plurality of network gateway addresses are arranged according to a user-specified priority.

14. The system of claim 11, further comprising a switching module capable of handing an existing data connection from a first network gateway address to a second network gateway address when the processing module determines a change in an operating network channel.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the communication module and processing module are disposed within a portable, electronic device selected from the group consisting of mobile telephones, two-way radios, personal digital assistants, portable computers and pagers.

16. A method for establishing a packet data communications connection through a data path selected from a plurality of available data paths, the method comprising the steps of:

a. referencing a look-up table comprising a plurality of network identification parameters;

b. selecting a network identification parameter based upon a criterion selected from the group consisting of user input, detected available data paths and a user-configured priority; and

c. transmitting a packet data communications connection request, the packet data communications request comprising the network identification parameter.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the look-up table comprises at least a first network identification parameter and a second network identification parameter, wherein the first network identification parameter comprises a wide area network access point name, further wherein the second network identification parameter comprises a local area network access point name.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the packet data communications connection initiation request comprises a request to establish a packet data protocol-context data connection with a servicing general packet radio service support node.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of receiving an acknowledgement in response to transmitting the packet data communications connection initiation request, wherein the acknowledgement comprises a handle.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of employing the handle to bind a TCP socket for packet data exchange with the network.

21. The method of claim 16, further comprising switching an existing packet data communications connection to a new packet data communications connection after transmitting the packet data communications connection request.