COMMUNICATION DEVICES THAT UTILIZE VARIOUS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS TO SATISFY COMMUNICATION NEEDS OF DEVICE APPLICATIONS

• US 20090061853A1
• Filed: 08/27/2007
• Published: 03/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Anschutz, Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 8,594,665 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/432.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/5692 Selection among different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/70 Admission control; Resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/824 Applicable to portable or mobile terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/24 Reselection being triggered by specific parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

Communication devices may utilize services of multiple communication networks to obtain service for the various applications that the communication device provides. The communication device and/or one or more communication networks may determine which network is best suited to each application based on dynamic information regarding the service provided by each communication network. The application may be associated with a network at various times, such as upon the communication device encountering a network that supports a service needed by the application and/or upon initial invocation of the application. The communication device may be communicating with several communication networks simultaneously so that a single application may make use of multiple communication networks and/or so that multiple applications may each utilize different networks.

Claims

1. A communication device, comprising:

at least one wireless transceiver in communication with a plurality of communication networks; and

a processor that implements a plurality of applications that utilize wireless communications via the at least one wireless transceiver, the processor making a determination on an application-by-application basis as to which communication network to utilize by applying rules and dynamic information that specifies signal characteristics for the plurality of communication networks.

2. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the at least one wireless transceiver comprises a first transceiver in communication with a first communication network and a second transceiver in communication with a second communication network while the first transceiver is in communication with the first communication network.

3. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the processor implements a first and a second application, and wherein the processor has determined that communications of the first application occur via a first communication network and has determined that communications of a second application occur via a second communication network.

4. The communication device of claim 3, wherein the first application is a voice call application and wherein the second application is a data application.

5. The communication device of claim 3, wherein the first communication network is a native network to the communication device and wherein the second communication network is a roaming network to the communication device.

6. The communication device of claim 3, wherein the first communication network and the second communication network are native networks to the communication device.

7. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the processor receives dynamic information from at least one of the plurality of communication networks and makes the determination based on the received information.

8. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the dynamic information comprises at least one of cost information, data throughput information, and quality of service information.

9. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the dynamic information is a command to select a particular communication network for a particular application.

10. A communication device, comprising:

at least one wireless transceiver in communication with a plurality of communication networks; and

a processor that utilizes wireless communications via the at least one wireless transceiver, the processor receiving dynamic information that comprises at least one of signal characteristics, topological characteristics, network characteristics, application characteristics, and reliability characteristics regarding the plurality of communication networks such that the processor establishes communications for at least one application with a particular communication network of the plurality by applying rules relative to the dynamic information received about the plurality of communication networks.

11. The communication device of claim 10, wherein the dynamic information instructs the processor to utilize a first communication network and a second communication network as a bonded network connection for the first application.

12. The communication device of claim 11, wherein the dynamic information instructs the processor to utilize the bonded network connection for a second application.

13. The communication device of claim 11, wherein the first communication network is a native network to the communication device and wherein the second communication network is a roaming network to the communication device.

14. The communication device of claim 10, wherein the at least one wireless transceiver comprises a first transceiver in communication with a first communication network and a second transceiver in communication with a second communication network while the first transceiver is in communication with the first communication network.

15. The communication device of claim 10, wherein the processor utilizes the dynamic information to select among the plurality of communication networks for purposes of communicating for at least one application of the communication device.

16. A computer readable medium containing instructions that cause a communication device implementing a plurality of applications to perform acts comprising:

establish contact with a plurality of communication networks;

receive dynamic information that specifies signal characteristics for the plurality of communication networks from at least one of the plurality of communication networks;

apply rules relative to the received dynamic information to make a determination on an application-by-application basis as to which communication network to utilize; and

establish communications for at least one of the applications with a particular communication network of the plurality based on the application of the rules relative to the dynamic information received.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the dynamic information instructs the processor to utilize a first communication network for a first application and to utilize a second communication network for a second application.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 16, the acts further comprising utilizing the dynamic information to select among the plurality of communication networks a best communication network for purposes of communicating for at least one application of the communication device.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 16, the acts further comprising communicating with a first communication network for a first application while communication with a second communication network for a second application.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the first communication network is a native network for the communication device and wherein the second communication network is a roaming network for the communication device.