NETWORKED MOBILE ROUTER

• US 20120203915A1
• Filed: 03/08/2012
• Published: 08/09/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Original Assignee: Autonet Mobile, Inc.
• Inventors: MOELLER, DOUGLAS S., Pashby, Ronald W.
• Granted Patent: US 8,885,625 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/227
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/20 based on geographic position or location
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/005 Moving wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/24 between backbone network devices

Abstract

A method for operating a wireless mobile router comprises the steps of storing information comprising configuration information and main server information utilizable to identify a main network server; establishing initial communication via a wireless link to a network comprising a main server and a plurality of group servers; directing the initial communication to the main server; uploading the configuration information to the main server via said network; establishing a second communication to the main server; receiving group server identification information from said main server during the second communication; storing the group server identification information comprising information identifying one or more servers corresponding with a predetermined group assigned by the main server; and utilizing the group server identification information for subsequent communication via the network.

Claims

1. A method of operating a mobile router, comprising:

an interface to a wireless communications link;

a memory;

a communications agent operable with said interface to establish communication via said wireless communications link to a network comprising a main server and a plurality of group servers; and

a microprocessor operable with said communications agent to interact with said main server, said method comprising;

storing information comprising configuration information and main server information utilizable to identify a main network server in said memory;

operating said communications agent such that its initial communication to said network utilizes said main server information to establish a first communication with said main server;

uploading said configuration information from said memory to said main server via said network;

operating said communications agent to receive group server identification information from said main server when communicating with said main server a second time;

operating said microprocessor to store said group server identification information in said memory, said group server information comprising information identifying one or more servers corresponding with a predetermined group assigned by said main server; and

utilizing said group server identification information for subsequent communication via said network.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1, comprising:

receiving said group server identification information by said communications agent from said main server the second time said mobile router establishes communication with said main server.

3. A method in accordance with claim 2, comprising;

utilizing said group server identification information via said communications agent to access one group server of said plurality of group servers.

4. A method in accordance with claim 2, comprising:

receiving said group server identification information comprising identification information for a predetermined number of group servers selectively assigned from said plurality of group servers.

5. A method in accordance with claim 4, comprising:

operating said microprocessor to select a group server from said predetermined number of group servers with which to communicate via said network.

6. A method in accordance with claim 5, comprising:

operating said microprocessor to select said group server from said predetermined number of group servers in accordance with a predetermined selection algorithm.

7. A method of operating a mobile router, comprising an interface to a wireless communications link, a memory, and apparatus operable to establish communication via said wireless communications link to a network comprising a main server and a plurality of group servers, said method comprising:

storing information in said memory comprising configuration information and main server information utilizable to identify said main server;

operating said apparatus such that its initial communication to said network utilizes said main server information to establish a first communication with said main server;

utilizing said apparatus to upload said configuration information to said main server via said network;

receiving group server identification information from said main server when communicating with said main server a second time;

storing said group server identification information in said memory, said group server information comprising information identifying one or more servers corresponding with a predetermined group assigned by said main server; and

utilizing said group server identification information for subsequent communication via said network.

8. A method in accordance with claim 7, comprising:

receiving said group server identification information from said main server the second time said mobile router establishes communication with said main server.

9. A method in accordance with claim 8, comprising;

utilizing said group server identification information to access one group server of said plurality of group servers for communications.

10. A method in accordance with claim 8, wherein:

said group server identification information comprises identification information for a predetermined number of group servers selectively assigned from said plurality of group servers.

11. A method in accordance with claim 10, comprising:

selecting a group server from said predetermined number of group servers to communicate with via said network.

12. A method in accordance with claim 11, comprising:

selecting said group server from said predetermined number of group servers in accordance with a predetermined selection algorithm.

13. A method for operating a mobile router, comprising an interface to a wireless communications link, a memory, and apparatus to control operation of said mobile router, said apparatus operating in cooperation with said memory and said interface, said method comprising:

storing information in said memory, said information comprising configuration information and main server information utilizable to identify a main network server;

establishing initial communication via said wireless communications link to a network comprising a main server and a plurality of group servers;

directing said initial communication to said main server to establish a first communication with said main server;

uploading said configuration information to said main server via said network;

establishing a second communication to said main server;

receiving group server identification information from said main server during said second communication;

storing said group server identification information, said group server information comprising information identifying one or more servers corresponding with a predetermined group assigned by said main server; and

utilizing said group server identification information for subsequent communication via said network.

14. A method in accordance with claim 13, wherein:

receiving said group server identification the second time said mobile router establishes communication with said main server.

15. A method in accordance with claim 14, comprising:

utilizing said group server identification information to access one group server of said plurality of group servers for communications.

16. A method in accordance with claim 14, wherein:

said group server identification information comprises identification information for a predetermined number of group servers selectively assigned from said plurality of group servers.

17. A method in accordance with claim 16, comprising:

selecting a group server from said predetermined number of group servers to communicate with via said network.

18. A method in accordance with claim 17, comprising:

selecting said group server from said predetermined number of group servers in accordance with a predetermined selection algorithm.