METHOD AND A COMMUNICATION PLATFORM FOR PACKET COMMUNICATION BETWEEN A SERVICE PROVIDER IN A FIRST NETWORK AND A RADIO COMMUNICATION DEVICE IN A SECOND NETWORK

• US 20100135199A1
• Filed: 06/15/2005
• Published: 06/03/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: X Corp. (f/k/a Twitter, Inc.) (X Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Yahoo! Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Edlund, Johan, Backelin, Thomas, Gertéll, Johan, Malmkvist, Daniel, Söderström, Gustav, Nordin, Andreas, Swende, Martin Holst
• Granted Patent: US 7,848,233 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

The present invention relates to a communication platform for packet communication between at least one service provider in a first network and a radio communication device in a second network, the second network comprises a first network node provided to, at least partly, handle communication between the radio communication device and a gateway located in the second network. The gateway is provided to handle communication between the second network and the communication platform, and the communication platform comprises an application programming interface provided to handle two-way communication between the service provider and the radio communication device.

Claims

1-21. -21. (canceled)

22. A communication platform for packet communication between at least one service provider in a first network and a radio communication device in a second network, said second network comprises a first network node provided to, at least partly, handle communication between said radio communication device and a gateway located in said second network, wherein

said gateway is provided to handle communication between said second network and said communication platform, and

wherein said communication platform comprises an application programming interface provided to handle two-way communication between said service provider and said radio communication device.

23. The communication platform according to claim 22, wherein

said communication platform is provided to set up a control channel between said communication platform and said radio communication device.

24. The communication platform according to claim 22, wherein

said radio communication device comprises a radio device platform providing means for a radio device application to communicate with a service provider application using said radio device platform and said communication platform.

25. The communication platform according to claim 22, wherein

a service provider application is provided to communicate with said radio communication device, through said communication platform, using an application protocol supported by said communication platform and a radio communication device application.

26. The communication platform according to claim 22, wherein

said radio communication device is provided to connect to said communication platform and receive and store first data information generated at said communication platform, and

said communication platform is provided to store said first data information in relation to second data information identifying said radio communication device and a session context in said communication platform.

27. The communication platform according to claim 22, wherein,

said communication platform is provided to generate a unique key upon reception of a connection from said radio communication device uniquely identifying said radio communication device, and to send said key to said radio communication device.

28. The communication platform according to claim 27, wherein—

said radio communication device is provided to send said received key to said communication platform whenever a connection is resumed after a temporary loss of the connection.

29. The communication platform according to claim 26, wherein

the at least one service provider is provided to use said second data information in said communication platform to initiate communication to said radio communication device.

30. The communication platform according to claim 23, wherein

said communication platform is provided to establish a data channel with said radio communication device using said control channel.

31. The communication platform according to claim 23, wherein—

at least a second radio communication device having a control channel established to said communication platform and wherein said radio communication device is provided to establish a data channel, through said communication platform, to said second radio communication device using said control channel.

32. The communication platform according to claim 24, wherein

said radio communication device is provided to connect to said communication platform using HTTP-protocol, and

said communication platform is provided to delay a HTTP-response to any HTTP-request from said radio communication device, and said radio communication device is provided to send a new HTTP-request upon reception of a HTTP-response to thereby establish a communication channel.

33. The communication platform according to claim 22, wherein

said communication platform receives and stores information about a state of said radio communication device and any application of said service provider.

34. The communication platform according to claim 24, wherein

said service provider application is an application in a second radio communication device.

35. The communication platform according to claim 31, wherein

said second radio communication device is located in said second network.

36. The communication platform according to claim 22, wherein

said first network node is a SGSN, said gateway is a GGSN and where the communication between the SGSN and the radio communication device is using GPRS.

37. A method for packet communication between a service provider located in a first network and a radio communication device located in a second network, said second network comprises a first network node for communication between said radio communication device and a gateway and said gateway is provided for communication between said first network node and said first network, the method comprising the steps of:

a) sending a request for a communication channel from said radio communication device to a communication platform located in said first network and being in communication with said gateway;

b) generating a unique key in said communication platform;

c) storing said key in said communication platform in relation to a session context and at least a first data information identifying said radio communication device;

d) sending said key to said radio communication device;

e) storing said key in said radio communication device; and

f) using said at least first data information for establishing a communication channel between said service provider and said radio communication device.

38. The method according to claim 37, comprising the further step of:

if the communication between said radio communication device and said communication platform is lost, sending said key, stored in said radio communication device, from said radio communication device to said communication platform when said communication between said radio communication device and communication platform is restored.

39. The method according to claim 37, comprising the further step of:

establishing a control channel between said radio communication device and said communication platform using the steps a) to e).

40. The method according to claim 37, comprising the steps of:

sending a data channel request from said service provider to said communication platform, requesting a data channel from said service provider to said radio communication device,

identifying a control channel for said radio communication device,

establishing said data channel between said radio communication device and said communication platform using said control channel, and

sending data between said service provider and said radio communication device using said data channel.

41. The method according to claim 37, comprising the steps of:

—

receiving a data packet from said service provider to said communication platform,

storing said data packet at said communication platform,

sending said data packet to said radio communication device,

waiting for an acknowledgement packet from said radio communication device indicating a successful reception of said data packet, and

resending said data packet to said radio communication device if said acknowledgement packet is not received within a specified time period or if said acknowledgment packet indicates a failure in the reception of said data packet at said radio communication device.

42. The method according to claim 37, wherein said communication platform comprises a plurality of communication platform units and where a first communication platform unit of said plurality of communication platform units comprises a database relating said key with an identity of the communication platform unit handling a session, comprising the further steps of:

receiving said key at a second of said plurality of communication platform units,

sending a identity request comprising said key to said first communication platform unit,

receiving a communication platform unit identity from said first communication platform unit at said second platform unit identifying a handling communication platform unit,

sending said key to said handling communication platform unit, and

responding to said radio communication device from said handling communication platform unit.