Policy-Based Data Routing For A Multi-Mode Device

• US 20090207817A1
• Filed: 02/15/2008
• Published: 08/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Oliver, Brian Alexander, George, Richard, Alfano, Nicholas, Montemurro, Michael, Bakker, John-Luc
• Granted Patent: US 8,825,109 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5011 the resources being hardware resources other than CPUs, Servers and Terminals

Abstract

Communication devices capable of at least two communication modes (e.g. WLAN, WMAN and WWAN and/or wired modes) can be configured to optimize communications using a policy-based mechanism to configure connections and routes. A rules engine evaluates its policies on a state change (e.g. network availability, time of day, etc.) to configure a routing table and, together with communication APIs, provides an appropriate connection to an application for its respective communications. Policies may be responsive to various factors such as Radio Access Technology (high/low bandwidth), cost, presence, time of day, location, application type and quality of service (QoS) requirements among others to optimize communications.

Claims

1. A multi-mode communication device comprising:

at least two communication interfaces configured to enable the device to communicate in at least two modes of communication; and

a processor and memory coupled to the processor for storing instructions for execution by the processor at runtime, said instructions defining;

at least one application configured for communication using at least one of said modes of communication; and

a routing component for routing communications for the at least one application among the communication interfaces, said routing component configured using rules to select a particular communication interface at runtime.

2. The multi-mode communication device of claim 1 wherein the routing component comprises a rules engine configurable by said rules.

3. The multi-mode communication device of claim 1 wherein the rules are responsive to at least one of Radio Access Technology type, bandwidth, cost, presence, time of day, location, application type and quality of service requirements.

4. The multi-mode communication device of claim 1 wherein the routing component operates to at least one of:

a) select an initial mode of communication in accordance with the rules to establish a connection for one of said applications; and

b) monitor said connection for switching the initial mode in accordance with the rules.

5. The multi-mode communication device of claim 4 wherein the instructions provide network address transparency to at least some of the applications in accordance with at least one of Mobile IP protocols and constant addressing techniques.

6. The multi-mode communication device of claim 1 wherein the routing component configures at least one of a routing table and connection table to route said communications via a particular communication interface in accordance with the evaluation of the rules at runtime.

7. The multi-mode communication device of claim 6 wherein the instructions define a communication API for handling communications on behalf of applications, said communication API routing said communications in accordance with the routing table and connection table.

8. The multi-mode communication device of claim 1 wherein a one of said two modes of communication operates in accordance with a mobile telephone standard and a second of said two modes of communication operates in accordance with a wireless LAN (WLAN) standard.

9. A method of multi-mode communication for a device comprising at least two communication interfaces configured to communicate in at least two modes of communication;

and a processor and memory coupled to the processor for storing instructions for execution by the processor at runtime, said instructions defining at least one application configured for communication using at least one of said modes of communication;

said method comprising;

routing communications for the at least one application among the communication interfaces using rules to select a particular communication interface at runtime.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the rules are responsive to at least one of radio access technology type, bandwidth, cost, presence, time of day, location, application type and quality of service requirements.

11. The method of claim 9 comprising providing said rules to a rules engine of a routing component defined by said instructions.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the instructions define a routing table and connection table for routing said communications and wherein the method comprises configuring at least one of the routing table and the connection table to route said communications via a particular communication interface in accordance with the evaluation of the rules at runtime.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the instructions define a communication API for handling communications on behalf of applications, said communication API routing said communications in accordance with the routing table and connection table.

14. The method of claim 13 comprising at least one of:

a) selecting an initial mode of communication in accordance with the rules to establish a connection for one of said applications; and

b) monitoring said connection for switching the initial mode in accordance with the rules.

15. The method of claim 13 comprising providing network address transparency to at least some of the applications in accordance with at least one of Mobile IP protocols and constant addressing techniques

16. A computer-readable storage medium having computer executable instructions stored thereon for routing communications for a device comprising at least two communication interfaces configured to communicate in at least two modes of communication;

and a processor for executing said computer executable instructions at runtime;

said computer executable instructions operable to route communications among the communication interfaces using rules to select a particular communication interface at runtime for at least one application executed by the device.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 wherein the rules are responsive to at least one of radio access technology type, bandwidth, cost, presence, time of day, location, application type and quality of service requirements.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 wherein the computer executable instructions are operable to interpret said rules at runtime using a rules engine.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 18 wherein the computer executable instructions are operable to define a routing table and connection table for routing said communications and to configure at least one of the routing table and the connection table to route said communications via a particular communication interface in accordance with the evaluation of the rules at runtime.

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 19 wherein the computer executable instructions are operable to define a communication API for handling communications on behalf of the application, said communication API routing said communications in accordance with the routing table and connection table.

21. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 19 wherein the computer executable instructions are operable to at least one of:

a) select an initial mode of communication in accordance with the rules to establish a connection for one of said applications; and

b) monitor said connection for switching the initial mode in accordance with the rules.