METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING CONFIGURABLE COMMUNICATION NETWORK ROUTING

• US 20140164582A1
• Filed: 12/05/2013
• Published: 06/12/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sirius XM Connected Vehicle Services Inc. (Liberty Media Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sxcvs XM Connected Vehicle Services Incorporated
• Inventors: Hirschenberger, Frank, Farrell, Tod, Dawson, James
• Application Number:
  US14/098,217
• Publication Number:
  US 20140164582A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/221
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data

Abstract

An apparatus for managing a plurality of available network connections is disclosed. The apparatus has a plurality of communication modules. Each communication module provides a different mode of communication. The apparatus includes a configurable network database that stores configurable rules. The configurable rules are received by the configurable network database from a server. The apparatus also includes a connection manager that: manages the plurality of communication modules, and selects an appropriate connection from the plurality of communication modules based on the stored configurable rules located in the configurable network database.

Claims

1. An apparatus for managing a plurality of available network connections, comprising:

a plurality of communication modules, each communication module providing a different mode of communication;

a configurable network database that stores configurable rules, the configurable rules being received by the configurable network database from a server;

a connection manager that;

manages the plurality of communication modules; and

selects an appropriate connection from the plurality of communication modules based on the stored configurable rules located in the configurable network database.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of communication modules include at least two of the following:

a Bluetooth module;

a Wi-Fi module;

a Dedicated Short Range Communications/Wireless Access in Vehicular Environments (DSRC/WAVE) module;

a cellular module; and

a satellite module.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus communicates with an offboard server through a backhaul network.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein networks are saved in the configurable network database.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an application and services module.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the application and services module allows for a remote determination of a best available communication method.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the application and services module defers performing a service or application until a certain financial model for the service or application is present based on available communication measures.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the connection manager further comprises:

an internet protocol multiplexer that provides the ability to manage connections for one or more applications and one or more services; and

a plurality of managers, each manager managing connections for a respective communication measure.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein each manager provides status information for the respective communication measure to the internet protocol multiplexer.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the configurable rules are saved in one or more tables.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein a first table is used to manage available connections for devices communicating through connections provided by the connection manager.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein a second table is used to manage available applications and services.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the one or more tables are configurable over the air from tables maintained in a centralized location.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the configurable rules are managed offboard.

15. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the configurable rules take into account priority data and quality of service data.

16. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the configurable rules allow for selection of an appropriate connection on a per application basis.

17. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the configurable rules allow for selection of an appropriate connection on a per service basis.

18. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the configurable rules allow for selection of an appropriate connection on a cost basis.

19. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the configurable rules allow for selection of an appropriate connection using one or more usage parameters as a basis.

20. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the configurable rules allow for selection of an appropriate connection using service priority as a basis.

21. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the configurable network database comprises one or more databases stored at one or more locations.