HETEROGENEOUS NETWORK ACCESS ON DEVICES WITH ONE OR MORE NETWORK INTERFACES

• US 20120071141A1
• Filed: 07/07/2011
• Published: 03/22/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deutsche Telekom AG, Rice University
• Original Assignee: Deutsche Telekom AG, Rice University
• Inventors: Rahmati, Ahmad, Zhong, Lin, Singh, Jatinder Pal, Nicoara, Angela, Shepard, Clayton
• Granted Patent: US 8,880,707 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/414.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/22 Alternate routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/243 using M+N parallel active paths
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/19 at layers above the network layer network arrangements for networked applications for scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/148 Migration or transfer of sessions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/02 Traffic management, e.g. flow control or congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/04 Registration at HLR or HSS [Home Subscriber Server]
• 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

A method for managing TCP flows in a mobile device adapted to connect to two or more wireless network types includes enabling connection to a number of networks of different types at the mobile device and executing a plurality of Internet-enabled applications on the mobile device. Each such application forms an existing TCP connection over a first one of the wireless networks. The routing table is modified such that any additional TCP connection will be created on a second one of the wireless networks. The device determines that a termination condition has occurred and in response to determining that the termination condition has occurred, renders an interface on the mobile device to the first one of the wireless networks inoperative.

Claims

1. A method of managing TCP flows in a mobile device adapted to connect to two or more wireless network types, the method comprising in order:

at the mobile device, enabling connection to a plurality of wireless networks of different types;

executing a plurality of Internet-enabled applications on the mobile device, such that each application forms an existing TCP connection over a first one of the wireless networks;

modifying a routing table of the mobile device such that any additional TCP connection will be created on a second one of the wireless networks;

determining that a termination condition has occurred; and

in response to the determining that the termination condition has occurred, rendering an interface on the mobile device to the first one of the wireless networks inoperative.

2. The method of managing TCP flows in a mobile device according to claim 1, wherein the termination condition is met when the existing connections over the first one of the wireless networks have terminated.

3. The method of managing TCP flows in a mobile device according to claim 1, wherein the termination condition is met when a predetermined timeout period has expired.

4. The method of managing TCP flows in a mobile device according to claim 3, wherein a value of the predetermined timeout period is set based on a type of the application with which the connection is associated.

5. The method of managing TCP flows in a mobile device according to claim 3, wherein a value of the predetermined timeout period is set based on a bandwidth of the associated connection.

6. The method of managing TCP flows in a mobile device according to claim 3, wherein a value of the predetermined timeout period is set based on a power remaining status of the mobile device.

7. The method of managing TCP flows in a mobile device according to claim 1, wherein the termination condition comprises a loss of signal condition.

8. The method of managing TCP flows in a mobile device according to claim 1, wherein the wireless network types include at least a WiFi type and a cellular type.

10. The method of managing TCP flows in a mobile device according to claim 1, wherein the wireless network types include at least a WiFi type and a cellular type.

9. A method of managing TCP flows in a mobile device adapted to connect to a plurality of wireless network types, the method comprising in order:

at the mobile device, enabling connection to multiple wireless networks of different types;

executing a plurality of Internet-enabled applications on the mobile device, such that each application forms an existing TCP connection over a first one of the wireless networks;

monitoring the existing TCP connections and determining, based on the monitoring, a switch time at which switching disruption will be minimized over all connections;

at the switch time, switching the connections to a second one of the wireless networks; and

new connections on the mobile device are over the second one of the wireless network interface.

11. A mobile device comprising:

a processor for executing computer-executable instructions;

a memory module comprising a non-transient computer-readable medium for storing computer-executable instructions and data corresponding to a routing table; and

a network interface module adapted to connect the mobile device to multiple networks having different network types;

wherein the computer-executable instructions stored on the non-transient computer-readable medium of the memory module include;

instructions for enabling connection to a plurality of wireless networks of different types;

instructions for executing a plurality of Internet-enabled applications such that each application forms an existing TCP connection over a first one of the wireless networks;

instructions for modifying a routing table of the mobile device such that any additional TCP connection will be created on a second one of the wireless networks;

instructions for determining that a termination condition has occurred; and

instructions for rendering an interface on the mobile device to the first one of the wireless networks inoperative in response to the determining that the termination condition has occurred.

12. The mobile device according to claim 11, wherein the termination condition is met when the existing connections over the first one of the wireless networks have terminated.

13. The mobile device according to claim 11, wherein the termination condition is met when a predetermined timeout period has expired.

14. The mobile device according to claim 13, wherein a value of the predetermined timeout period is set based on a type of the application with which the connection is associated.

15. The mobile device according to claim 13, wherein a value of the predetermined timeout period is set based on a bandwidth of the associated connection.

16. The mobile device according to claim 13, wherein a value of the predetermined timeout period is set based on a power remaining status of the mobile device.

17. The mobile device according to claim 11, wherein the termination condition comprises a loss of signal condition.

18. The mobile device according to claim 11, wherein the wireless network types include at least a WiFi type and a cellular type.

19. A non-transient computer-readable medium for use by a mobile electronic processing device, the non-transient computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions including:

instructions for enabling connection from the mobile electronic processing device to a plurality of wireless networks of different types;

instructions for executing a plurality of Internet-enabled applications on the mobile electronic processing device such that each application forms an existing TCP connection over a first one of the wireless networks;

instructions for modifying the routing table of the mobile electronic processing device such that any additional TCP connection will be created on a second one of the wireless networks;

instructions for determining at the mobile electronic processing device that a termination condition has occurred; and

instructions for rendering an interface on the mobile electronic processing device to the first one of the wireless networks inoperative in response to the determining that the termination condition has occurred.

20. The non-transient computer-readable medium according to claim 19, wherein the wireless network types include at least a WiFi type and a cellular type.