MOBILE DATA COMUNICATION

• US 20130336275A1
• Filed: 02/17/2012
• Published: 12/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nomad Spectrum Limited (Alstom SA)
• Original Assignee: Nomad Spectrum Limited (Alstom SA)
• Inventors: Carroll, Caleb
• Granted Patent: US 9,949,309 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/329
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/54 Organization of routing tables
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/15 Setup of multiple wireless link connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/005 Data network PoA devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/00 Interfaces specially adapted for wireless communication networks

Abstract

A method of providing connectivity to a device having N communication interfaces and M virtual connections, each interface being connectable to a further device. The method comprises determining, for each of the interfaces, a characteristic of the interface. Respective ones of the M virtual connections are associated with respective ones of the N interfaces based upon the determined characteristics.

Claims

1. A method of providing connectivity to a device having N communication interfaces and M virtual connections, each interface being connectable to a further device the method comprising:

determining, for each of said interfaces, a characteristic of said interface;

associating respective ones of said M virtual connections with respective ones of said N interfaces based upon said determined characteristics.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said characteristic of said interface is based upon whether said interface is connected to a further device.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein said characteristic of said interface is based upon a characteristic of a connection between said interface and a further device.

4. A method according to claim 1, further comprising establishing a connection between one of said interfaces and one of a plurality of further devices.

5. A method according to claim 4, further comprising selecting one of said plurality of further devices with which a connection is to be established based upon respective characteristics associated with said plurality of further devices.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein the respective characteristics represent a signal strength of possible connections between said device and said plurality of further devices.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein each of said virtual connections is a connection between said device and a host device and communication is provided between said device and said host device via said further device.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein all of said virtual connections are associated with a single one of said N interfaces.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein said M virtual connections are distributed evenly among said. N interfaces.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein said M virtual connections are communication tunnels.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein N and M are equal.

12. A method according to claim 1, wherein said device is aboard a vehicle.

13. A method according to claim 1, wherein a data packet to be transmitted from said device is assigned to one of said connections based upon an attribute of that data packet.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein said attribute is a destination of said data packet.

19. A non-transitory computer readable medium carrying a computer program configured to cause a computer to carry out a method according to claim 1.

20. A computer apparatus for providing connectivity to a device having N communication interfaces and M virtual connections, each interface being connectable to a further device the apparatus comprising:

a memory storing processor readable instructions; and

a processor arranged to read and execute instructions stored in said memory;

wherein said processor readable instructions comprise instructions arranged to control the computer to carry out a method according to claim 1.

15. A method of communicating with a device having N communication interfaces and M virtual connections, each interface being connectable to a further device, the method comprising:

receiving a first data packet through one of said M virtual connections, said first data packet comprising an indication of a first time and an indication of a first further device;

associating said first further device with said one of said M virtual connections;

receiving a second data packet through said one of said M virtual connections, said second data packet comprising an indication of a second time and an indication of a second further device;

associating said second further device with said one of said M virtual connections if but only if, said second time is later than said first time; and

transmitting a third data packet to said first device using said one of said M virtual connections and the further device associated with said one of said M virtual connections.

16. Apparatus for providing connectivity to a device having N communication interfaces and M virtual connections, each interface being connectable to a further device, the apparatus comprising:

means for determining, for each of said interfaces, a characteristic of said interface;

means for associating respective ones of said M virtual connections with respective ones of said N interfaces based upon said determined characteristics.

17. Apparatus for communicating with a device having N communication interfaces and M virtual connections, each interface being connectable to a further device, the method comprising:

means for receiving a first data packet through one of said M virtual connections, said first data packet comprising an indication of a first time and an indication of a first further device;

means for associating said first further device with said one of said M virtual connections;

means for receiving a second data packet through said one of said M virtual connections, said second data packet comprising an indication of a second time and an indication of a second further device;

means for associating said second further device with said one of said M virtual connections if but only if, said second time is later than said first time;

means for transmitting a third data packet to said first device using said one of said M virtual connections and the further device associated with said one of said M virtual connections.

18. (canceled)

21. A method of providing communication to a first device, the method comprising:

establishing a plurality of connections, each connection being between a first device and one of a plurality of second devices;

establishing a plurality of virtual connections, each virtual connection being between said first device and one of a plurality of third devices through one of said second devices;

selecting one or more of said virtual connections based upon data indicating characteristics of said virtual connections.

22. A method according to claim 21, wherein said characteristics of said virtual connections comprise a parameter associated with communication using said virtual connections.

23. A method according to claim 22, wherein said parameter is indicative of properties of a link between one of said second devices and one of said third devices.

24. A method according to claim 21, wherein said data provides an indication of a round trip time for data sent using each of said virtual connections.

25. A method according to claim 21, wherein each of said virtual connections is a communication tunnel.

26. A method according to claim 21, further comprising storing a routing table comprising a plurality of entries, each entry associating particular routing data with a particular virtual connection.

27. A method according to claim 26, further comprising:

receiving a data. packet comprising routing data; and

processing said received data packet with reference to said routing table to obtain a virtual connection associated with said routing data.

28. A method according to claim 27, further comprising:

determining whether said obtained virtual connection is one of said one or more selected virtual connections.

29. A method according to claim 28, wherein, if said obtained virtual connection is not one of said one or more virtual connections, obtaining another of said virtual connections, the other of the virtual connections being one of said one or more selected virtual connections.

30. A method according to claim 29, wherein another of said virtual connections is obtained if but only if said obtained virtual connection is not in use.

31. A method according to claim 30, further comprising terminating use of a particular virtual connection if a time out time is reached.

32. A method according to claim 21, wherein said first device is aboard a vehicle.

33. A method according to claim 21, wherein said first device is arranged to receive data packets from client devices.

34. A method according to claim 33, wherein said first device is arranged to wirelessly receive data packets from client devices.

36. A non-transitory computer readable medium carrying a computer program configured to cause a computer to carry out a method according to claim 21.

37. A computer apparatus for providing communication to a first device, the apparatus comprising:

a memory storing processor readable instructions; and

a processor arranged to read and execute instructions stored in said memory,

wherein said processor readable instructions are arranged to control the computer to carry out a method according to claim 21.

35. (canceled)

38. Apparatus for providing communication to a first device, the apparatus comprising:

means for establishing a plurality of connections, each connection being between a first device and one of a plurality of second devices;

means for establishing a plurality of virtual connections, each virtual connection being between said first device and one of a plurality of third devices through one of said second devices;

means for selecting one or more of said virtual connections based upon data indicating characteristics of said virtual connections.