SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR RADIO ACCESS TECHNOLOGY-SPECIFIC ROUTING FOR MULTI-MODE MOBILE DEVICES

• US 20100009676A1
• Filed: 11/13/2008
• Published: 01/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: CORMIER, Jean-Philippe, PLESTID, Trevor, ISLAM, M. Khaledul
• Granted Patent: US 8,774,805 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/426.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/52 Multiprotocol routers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/00 Communication routing or communication path finding
• 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

Systems and methods for radio access technology specific routing for multi-mode mobile devices are provided. For each of a number of radio access technologies supported by a mobile device, the mobile device is configured to use respective routing information. This has the advantage of allowing radio access technology specific processing to be performed.

Claims

1. A mobile device comprising:

a respective wireless access radio for each of a plurality of RATs (radio access technologies);

a mobile device RAT-specific routing information routing information repository containing respective RAT-specific routing information for each of the plurality of RATs;

a routing information selector configured to select the RAT-specific routing information for a given RAT of the plurality of RATs;

the mobile device configured to operate using the selected RAT-specific routing information.

2. The mobile device of claim 1 wherein:

the mobile device is configured to operate using the selected RAT-specific routing information by obtaining a service from an application server; and

the RAT-specific routing information in the mobile device RAT-specific routing information repository comprises RAT-specific routing information in respect of obtaining the service from the application server.

3. The mobile device of claim 2 wherein the service is a push e-mail service.

4. The mobile device of claim 1 wherein:

the mobile device RAT-specific routing information repository contains respective RAT-specific routing information for each of at least two different RATs, for each of at least two services being provided to the mobile device;

the routing information selector is configured to select a respective RAT-specific routing information for the given radio access technology for each of the at least two services; and

for each of the at least two services, the mobile device is configured to operate using the respective selected RAT-specific routing information by communicating with a respective application server providing the service using the selected RAT-specific routing information.

5. The mobile device of claim 1 wherein:

the at least two wireless access radios comprise at least one cellular wireless access radio and at least one Wi-Fi wireless access radio.

6. The mobile device of claim 1 further configured to populate the mobile device RAT-specific routing information repository with RAT-specific routing information received over the air.

7. The mobile device of claim 1 further configured to populate the mobile device RAT-specific routing information repository with RAT-specific routing information received via user configuration.

8. The mobile device of claim 1 wherein the mobile device RAT-specific routing information repository is populated with RAT-specific routing information during factory configuration.

9. The mobile device of claim 1 further configured to, for at least one of the plurality of RATs, when the mobile device is operating using that RAT, use a respective at least one RAT-specific configuration parameter.

10. The mobile device of claim 9 further configured to receive the at least one RAT-specific configuration parameter for the at least one RAT over the air and to receive the RAT-specific routing information over the air.

11. A method in a multi-mode mobile device, the method comprising:

storing respective RAT-specific routing information for each of a plurality of RATs;

when operating using a given one of the plurality of RATs, operating using a respective wireless access radio for the given RAT and using the RAT-specific routing information for the given RAT.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein:

operating using the RAT-specific routing information comprises obtaining a service from an application server; and

the RAT-specific routing information comprises RAT-specific routing information in respect of obtaining the service from the application server.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the service is a push e-mail service.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein:

storing a respective RAT-specific routing information for each of the plurality of RATs comprises storing respective RAT-specific routing information for each of the plurality of RATs, for each of at least two services being provided to the mobile device;

wherein for each of the plurality of RATs, operating using a respective wireless access radio when using that RAT and using the RAT-specific routing information comprises;

for each service, operating using the respective selected RAT-specific routing information by communicating with a respective application server providing the service using the selected RAT-specific routing information.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein:

operating using an active one of a plurality of wireless access radios each providing a respective RAT (radio access technologies) comprises operating using an active one of a plurality of wireless access radios comprising at least one cellular wireless access radio and at least one Wi-Fi wireless access radio.

16. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

populating the mobile device RAT-specific routing information repository with RAT-specific routing information received over the air.

17. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

for at least one of the plurality of RATS, when the RAT is operating using that RAT, using at least one RAT-specific configuration parameter.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

receiving the at least one RAT-specific configuration parameter for at least one RAT over the air and receiving the RAT-specific routing information for at least one RAT over the air.

19. A routing information server comprising:

a mobile device capability repository from which can be determined which of a plurality of RATs (Radio Access Technologies) are supported by each of a plurality of mobile devices;

a RAT-specific routing information containing a respective routing information for each of a plurality of RATs;

a RAT-specific routing information generator that determines which of a plurality of RATs are supported by a given mobile device from the mobile device capability repository, obtains the respective routing information from the RAT-specific routing information repository for each RAT supported by the device, and outputs a communication containing the RAT-specific routing information for the mobile device; and

at least one network connection for receiving a request for RAT-specific routing information for a mobile device, and for outputting the RAT-specific routing information for the mobile device.

20. An application server comprising:

at least one application processor for implementing a service;

a plurality of RAT-specific endpoints;

the application server configured to use the at least one application processor and one of the plurality of RAT-specific endpoints to provide a service to a mobile device by sending data to and receiving data from the mobile device through the one of the plurality of RAT-specific endpoints;

an endpoint switcher configured to automatically switch to using another one of the plurality of RAT-specific endpoints to provide the service to the mobile device upon receiving data from the mobile device through the other of the plurality of RAT-specific endpoints.

21. The application server of claim 20 wherein the service is a push e-mail service.

22. The application server of claim 20 further comprising:

a mobile device capability repository from which can be determined which of a plurality of RATs are supported by each of a plurality of mobile devices;

a RAT-specific routing information routing information repository containing respective routing information for each of a plurality of RATs;

a RAT-specific routing information generator that determines which of a plurality of RATs are supported by a given mobile device from the mobile device capability repository, obtains the respective routing information from the RAT-specific routing information repository for each RAT supported by the device, and outputs a communication containing the RAT-specific routing information for the mobile device.