SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR RELIABLE COMMUNICATIONS OVER MULTIPLE PACKET RF NETWORKS

• US 20120170518A1
• Filed: 12/07/2011
• Published: 07/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lincoln J. Unruh
• Inventors: Unruh, Lincoln J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,743,340 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/02 Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/06 based on traffic conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• 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

The invention is a method and system for mobile communications. A mobile communicator communicates with a network routing center. The communicator monitors each of two or more wireless carriers for a service characteristic. The communicator selects, based on the monitored service characteristic, one of the two or more wireless carriers. The mobile communicator can then communicate with the network routing center using the selected wireless carrier.

Claims

1-76. -76. (canceled)

77. A transceiver comprising:

(a) a medium access controller;

(b) a first control logic in the medium access controller for configuring the transceiver for communicating over two or more wireless carriers during an uninterrupted communication session;

(c) a second control logic in the medium access controller for monitoring each of the two or more wireless carriers for a service characteristic during the uninterrupted communication session; and

(d) a third control logic in the medium access controller further for selecting, based on the monitored service characteristic, one of the two or more wireless carriers that the first control logic configures the transceiver to use to communicate during the uninterrupted communication session.

78. The transceiver of claim 77, wherein each of the first, second, and third control logic is selected from the group consisting of:

hardware based control logic, software based control logic and combination hardware-software based control logic.

79. The transceiver of claim 77, wherein the service characteristic comprises a quality of service characteristic for the respective wireless carrier.

80. The transceiver of claim 79, wherein the quality of service characteristic comprises a bit error rate for the respective wireless carrier.

81. The transceiver of claim 79, wherein the quality of service characteristic comprises a signal to noise ratio for the respective wireless carrier.

82. The transceiver of claim 79, wherein the quality of service characteristic comprises a packet loss rate for the respective wireless carrier.

83. The transceiver of claim 79, wherein the quality of service characteristic comprises path fade for the respective wireless carrier.

84. The transceiver of claim 79, wherein the quality of service characteristic comprises packet latency for the respective wireless carrier.

85. The transceiver of claim 79, wherein the quality of service characteristic comprises network latency for the respective wireless carrier.

86. The transceiver of claim 77, wherein the service characteristic comprises a least cost routing characteristic for the wireless carrier.

87. The transceiver of claim 77, where the one or more wireless carriers each comprise a wireless frequency carrier.

88. The transceiver of claim 87, where the one or more wireless frequency carrier comprises an IEEE 802.11x wireless short-range local area network.

89. A transceiver comprising:

(a) a medium access controller;

(b) a control logic in the medium access controller for configuring the transceiver for communicating over two or more wireless carriers;

(c) the control logic further for monitoring each of the two or more wireless carriers for a service characteristic; and

(d) the control logic further for selecting, based on the monitored service characteristic, one of the two or more wireless carriers that the first control logic configures the transceiver to use to communicate.

90. A transceiver comprising:

(a) a medium access controller;

(b) a control logic in the medium access controller for configuring the transceiver for communicating over two or more wireless carriers;

(c) the control logic further for monitoring each of the two or more wireless carriers for a service characteristic;

(d) the control logic further for selecting, based on the monitored service characteristic, one of the two or more wireless carriers that the first control logic configures the transceiver to use to communicate; and

(e) the control logic further for converting one or more data packets to an appropriate protocol based on the selected wireless carrier.

91. A transceiver comprising:

(a) a medium access controller;

(b) a control logic in the medium access controller for configuring the transceiver for communicating one or more data packets over two or more wireless carriers;

(c) the control logic further for monitoring each of the two or more wireless carriers for a service characteristic; and

(d) the control logic further for selecting, based on the monitored service characteristic, one of the two or more wireless carriers that the first control logic configures the transceiver to use to communicate the one or more data packets.

92. A transceiver comprising:

(a) a medium access controller;

(b) a control logic in the medium access controller for configuring the transceiver for communicating over one or more wireless carriers during an uninterrupted communication session;

(c) the control logic further for monitoring each of the one or more wireless carriers for one or more service characteristics during the uninterrupted communication session; and

(d) the control logic further for selecting, based on the monitored one or more service characteristics, one of the one or more wireless carriers that the first control logic configures the transceiver to use to communicate during the uninterrupted communication session.

93. A method for configuring a transceiver for communicating during an uninterrupted communication session comprising:

(a) configuring the transceiver for communicating over one or more wireless carriers;

(b) monitoring each of the one or more wireless carriers for a service characteristic; and

(c) selecting, based on the monitored service characteristic, the one or more wireless carriers the transceiver uses for communicating.

94. The method of claim 93, wherein the service characteristic comprises a quality of service characteristic.

95. The method of claim 94, wherein the quality of service characteristic comprises a bit error rate for the respective wireless carrier.

96. The method of claim 94, wherein the quality of service characteristic comprises a signal to noise ratio for the respective wireless carrier.

97. The method of claim 94, wherein the quality of service characteristic comprises a packet loss rate for the respective wireless carrier.