PROVIDING DATA TO A MOBILE APPLICATION ACCESSIBLE AT A MOBILE DEVICE VIA DIFFERENT NETWORK CONNECTIONS WITHOUT INTERRUPTION

• US 20130229270A1
• Filed: 03/04/2013
• Published: 09/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seven Networks LLC (SoftBank Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Seven Networks Inc
• Inventors: Lee, Yuan Kang, Sengupta, Chaitali, Srinivasan, Suresh
• Granted Patent: US 9,066,370 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0221 power availability or consumption
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0027 for a plurality of data sessions of end-to-end connections, e.g. multi-call or multi-bearer end-to-end data connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/14 Reselecting a network or an air interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/1446 wherein at least one of the networks is unlicensed
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/18 for allowing seamless reselection, e.g. soft reselection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/185 using make before break
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/22 for handling the traffic
• 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

System and method of providing data to a mobile application accessible at a mobile device via different network connections without interruption are disclosed. The method, which may be implemented on a system includes, receiving data for the mobile application over a network connection different from a first network connection, and/or providing the data received over the network connection including any other data received from the first network connection, to the mobile application in a manner that is without interruption in data flow. The data is provided to the mobile application without interruption even when connections to the different network connections require change in IP addresses.

Claims

1. A method of providing data to a mobile application accessible at a mobile device via different network connections without interruption, the method, comprising:

receiving data for the mobile application over a network connection different from a first network connection;

providing the data received over the network connection including any other data received from the first network connection, to the mobile application in a manner that is without interruption in data flow.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, the data is provided to the mobile application without interruption even when connections to the different network connections require change in IP addresses.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein, the network connection and the first network connection are accessible to the mobile device at overlapping or partially overlapping periods of time

4. The method of claim 1, wherein, any different network connection parameters utilized by the first network connection and the first network connection are transparent to the mobile application.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising, determining an amount of the any other data received from the first network connection based on connection quality or bandwidth of the first network connection or the network connection to effectuate data flow without interruption to the mobile application.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein, the data for the mobile application is received over the network connection different from the first network connection in response to the first network connection being disconnected at the mobile device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein, the data for the mobile application is received over the network connection different from the first network connection in response to anticipating or predicting that the first network connection is to be disconnected at the mobile device;

wherein, the anticipating or predicting is location based.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein, the data for the mobile application is received over the network connection different from the first network connection in response to the network connection being connected to at the mobile device in addition to the connection to the first network connection.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein, the network connection is connected to at the mobile device to increase bandwidth.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein, the network connection is a cellular connection including one or more of 3G, 3.5G, HSPA, 4G or LTE connection and the first network connection includes a WIFI or WiMax connection.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein, the network connection is a 3G connection and the first network connection is a 4G or LTE connection.

12. A mobile device having an application, the mobile device, comprising:

radios each operable to connect to one or more networks;

a processor;

a memory coupled to the process having instructions stored thereon which when executed causes the processor to;

service the application using data received via a radio connected to a network and further service the application using additional data received using the radio or another radio connected to a different network, such that the data and the additional data is received by the application continuously.

13. The mobile device of claim 12, further comprising, an interface coupled to the radios;

wherein, the interface is operable to aggregate data received from the radios and provide the data from the radios to the application in a continuous fashion.

14. The mobile device of claim 13, wherein, the interface is operable to aggregate data received over at least two of the one or more networks to expedite data retrieval for the application.

15. The mobile device of claim 13, wherein, the interface provides a socket to the application, and provides the aggregated data to the application;

wherein the socket is assigned based on a protocol used by the application.

16. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein, the radio is disconnected before the other radio is connected;

wherein, the interface determines an amount of the additional data to be downloaded for continuous receipt by the application.

17. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein, the other radio is connected before the radio is disconnected;

wherein, the interface determines an amount of the additional data to be downloaded for continuous receipt by the application.

18. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein, the data and the additional data is received by the application continuously even when the different network causes a new TCP session to be established.

19. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein, the radios include a cellular radio and or a Bluetooth radio.

20. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein, the radios include a WiFI or WLAN interface.

21. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein, the radios include a cellular radio able to connect to a 3G network, an LTE network, an enhanced 3G network or a 4G network

22. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein, the application includes one or more of, a mobile browser, a video application, a streaming service, an email service, and an FTP site/service.

23. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein, the application includes, one or more of, a VoIP application, a gaming application.

24. A method that continuously delivers data to an application when a network connection becomes unavailable, the method, comprising:

responsive to detecting or anticipating disconnection of the network connection during operation of the application, establishing a connection with another network connection;

determining an amount data to needed to provide uninterrupted or continuous data flow to the application;

retrieve the amount of data via the other network connection;

providing the data to the application in a continuous manner such that the disconnection of the network connection and the connection with the other network connection is transparent to the application.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein, the amount of data retrieved via the other network connection is a partial retrieval including an HTTP GET request via the RANGE field.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein, the data is provided to the mobile application without interruption even when connections to the different network connections require change in IP addresses.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein, the network connection and the other network connection are accessible to the mobile device at overlapping or partially overlapping periods of time.

28. The method of claim 24, wherein, the network connection and other first network connection are not accessible to the mobile device at overlapping periods of time

29. The method of claim 24, wherein, the network connection is a cellular connection including one or more of 3G, 3.5G, HSPA, 4G or LTE connection and the other network connection includes a WLAN-based connection.

30. A system for providing data to a mobile application via different network connections without interruption, the system, comprising:

means for, receiving data for the mobile application over a network connection different from a first network connection;

means for, providing the data received over the network connection including any other data received from the first network connection, to the mobile application in a manner that is without interruption in data flow;

wherein, the data is provided to the mobile application without interruption even when connections to the different network connections require change in IP addresses.