METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PERSISTENT CONNECTIONS TO A DEVICE THROUGH THE USE OF MULTIPLE PHYSICAL NETWORK CONNECTIONS AND CONNECTION HAND-OFFS BETWEEN MULTIPLE BANDS, MODES AND NETWORKS

• US 20100128602A1
• Filed: 11/23/2009
• Published: 05/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Unium LLC
• Original Assignee: CoCo Communications, Corp. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Tucker, Mark L., Bruestle, Jeremy
• Granted Patent: US 8,180,879 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/225
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/318 Received signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/14 Multichannel or multilink protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0011 for data sessions of end-to-end connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0022 for transferring data sessions between adjacent core network technologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/28 involving a plurality of connections, e.g. multi-call or multi-bearer connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/00 Wireless network protocols or protocol adaptations to wireless operation
• 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

Embodiments communicate messages between mobile devices and destination devices. An exemplary embodiment includes a first border server operable to establish a first communication connection to the mobile device over a first network operating under a first protocol, a second border server operable to establish a second communication connection to the mobile device over a second network operating under a second protocol, and a transport management server communicatively coupled to the first border server and the second border server, and operable to establish a third communication connection to the destination device over a third network operating under a third protocol. The first protocol is configured to communicate a first encapsulated portion of the message. The second protocol is configured to communicate a second encapsulated portion of the message. The third protocol is configured to communicate the first encapsulated portion of the message and the second encapsulated portion of the message.

Claims

1. A system for communicating a message between a mobile device and a destination device comprising:

a first border server operable to establish a first communication connection to the mobile device over a first network operating under a first protocol, wherein the first protocol is configured to communicate a first encapsulated portion of the message;

a second border server operable to establish a second communication connection to the mobile device over a second network operating under a second protocol, wherein the second protocol is configured to communicate a second encapsulated portion of the message; and

a transport management server communicatively coupled to the first border server and the second border server, and operable to establish a third communication connection to the destination device over a third network operating under a third protocol, wherein the third protocol is configured to communicate the first encapsulated portion of the message and the second encapsulated portion of the message,

wherein the second network is different from the first network,

wherein the second protocol is different from the first protocol, and

wherein the first communication connection and the second communication connection are concurrently established.

2. The system of claim 1, where in response to a failure of the first communication connection, the first encapsulated portion of the message is communicated over the second communication connection under the second communication protocol.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said first communication connection fails when a capacity of said first communication connection decreases below a threshold, and wherein a capacity of a plurality of first encapsulated portions transmitted over said failed first connection is above the threshold.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first encapsulated portion of the message and the second encapsulated portion of the message are concurrently communicated from the mobile device to the destination device via the transport management server

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first communication protocol is a (WiFi) protocol.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the first communication protocol is a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) protocol.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the first communication protocol is a Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) protocol.

8. A method for communicating a message between a mobile device and a destination device via a network operations center with a first border server communicatively coupled to the mobile device over a first communication connection operating under a first protocol, a second border server communicatively coupled to the mobile device over a second communication connection operating under a second protocol, and a transport management server communicatively coupled to the destination device, the method comprising:

communicating a first encapsulated portion of the message from the mobile device to the first border server over a first maintained network, wherein the first maintained network operates under a first protocol;

substantially concurrently communicating a second encapsulated portion of the message from the mobile device to the second border server over a second maintained network, wherein the second maintained network operates under a second protocol; and

communicating the first encapsulated portion and the second encapsulated portion of the message from the transport management server to the destination device over a third maintained network, wherein the third maintained network operates under a third protocol.

9. The method of claim 8, where in response to a failure of the first communication connection, the first encapsulated portion of the message is communicated over the second communication connection under the second communication protocol.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said first communication connection fails when a capacity of said first communication connection decreases below a threshold, and wherein a capacity of a plurality of first encapsulated portions transmitted over said failed first connection is above the threshold.