Device for transmitting communications data of a computer via a communication network

• US 6,356,541 B1
• Filed: 11/08/1999
• Issued: 03/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Enterprise Systems Technologies S.a.r.l. (Atos SE)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Muller, Wilhelm, Takanen, Seppo
• Primary Examiner(s): MARCELO, MELVIN C
• Application Number:
  US09/436,477
• Time in Patent Office: 855 Days
• Field of Search: 370/338, 370/352-356, 370/252, 370/254
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/5692 Selection among different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8044 Least cost routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8214 Data or packet based
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/2013 Fixed data network, e.g. PDN, ATM, B-ISDN
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/2026 Wireless network, e.g. GSM, PCS, TACS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/42 Least cost routing, i.e. provision for selecting the lowest cost tariff
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/745 Least cost routing, e.g. Automatic or manual, call by call or by preselection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/782 Data or packet based
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/183 Processing at user equipment or user record carrier

Abstract

A device for transmitting communications data between a computer and further computers of a computer network, in particular the Internet, via a communications (i.e. telephone) network. The device has a memory for storing address data which contains at least two different Internet addresses or telephone numbers of the communications network at which a user can access the computer network. A selection unit selects the most economical Internet access, or the respective telephone number of the Internet provider, as a function of the cost data provided for each of the stored Internet addresses.

Claims

1. A device for transmitting communications data of a computer via a communications network, comprising:

a circuit, including;

an address-data memory for storing address data and storing at least two different addresses of the communications network from which a user is authorized to access a computer network, said address-data memory further storing associated cost data corresponding to the addresses;

a selection unit connected to said address-data memory, said selection unit automatically selecting a most economical address of the addresses of the communications network relating to the computer network in dependence on the cost data corresponding to the addresses; and

at least one transceiver unit for setting up a communications link to the most economical address selected by said selection unit and via which the communications data are transmitted.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the address data stored in said address-data memory constitute access authorizations to an Internet provider.

3. The device according to claim 1, including an interface connected to said selection unit, said interface provided for coupling to a computer generating the communications data to be transmitted.

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein said circuit is configured to be installed in the computer.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the cost data provided for the addresses contains service fee information for the use of the computer network.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the address data contains the addresses of at least two different providers each providing access to a respective computer network, the cost data provided for the addresses being stored in said address-data memory and containing provider-specific use fees for access to the respective computer network.

7. The device according to claim 6, wherein the address data for at least one provider of the at least two different providers contains two different addresses assigned to the at least one provider, and said selection unit selects the most economical provider of the at least two different providers for access to the computer network and selects a most economical address associated with the most economical provider.

8. The device according to claim 1, including an input apparatus for a user-specific inputting and storage of the address data in said address-data memory.

9. The device according to claim 1, including an updating unit connected to said address-data memory and at regular intervals updates the cost data stored in said address-data memory.

10. The device according to claim 9, including a registration-data memory connected to said selection unit for storing registration data corresponding to at least two different registrations and associated registration cost data, each registration of the at least two different registrations authorizing the user to transmit the communications data in accordance with a communication standard corresponding to the registration, the selection unit selecting a most economical address of the at least two different registrations taking into account the registration cost data provided for the registrations, and selecting a most economical registration for transmitting the communications data via the communications network.

11. The device according to claim 10, wherein said circuit transmits the communications data in accordance with at least two different communications standards, and in each case has one of said at least one transceiver unit for each of the at least two different communications standards.

12. The device according to claim 10, wherein said address-data memory and said registration-data memory are interchangeable with one another.

13. The device according to claim 10, wherein said updating unit is connected to said registration-data memory and also at regular intervals updates the registration cost data stored in said registration-data memory.

14. The device according to claim 13, wherein said updating unit regularly interrogates, in response to a mobile radio signal from an information station, new cost data being updated fee rates for the addresses and new registration cost data being updated fee rates for the registrations, and stores the new cost data as the cost data in said address-data memory and the new registration cost data as the registration cost data in said registration-data memory.

15. The device according to claim 10, including an input unit connected to said selection unit for user-specific inputting and storage of the registration data in said registration-data memory.

16. The device according to claim 10, including a determination unit connected to said selection unit, said determination unit ascertaining which of the at least two different registrations stored in said registration-data memory are registrations which are actually available at a location of said circuit.

17. The device according to claim 16, including a registration memory connected to said selection unit, said registration memory continuously storing which of the at least two different registrations are actually available at a given moment.

18. The device according to claim 16, wherein said selection unit selects the most economical address taking into account the registration cost data corresponding to the registrations available at the location of said circuit and containing registration-specific mobile radio service fees and fixed network service fees.

19. The device according to claim 1, wherein said selection unit selects the most economical address in dependence on an expected period of communication.

20. The device according to claim 19, wherein the expected period of communication corresponds to a continuously renewed mean value of a specific number of periods of communication of previous communications links.

21. The device according to claim 16, wherein after the communications link has been set up via the most economical registration to the computer network, said selection unit continuously determines the registrations which are actually available with reference to the computer network and a currently most economically available registration for providing the communications link to the computer network in dependence on the location of said circuit, and said circuit generates a warning signal if the currently most economically available registration deviates from the most economical registration initially selected.

22. The device according to claim 21, wherein after confirmation by the user, said circuit provides a current communications link to the computer network using the currently most economically available registration, and disconnects the communications link which uses the most economical registration initially selected by said selection unit.

23. The device according to claim 10, including a display and an input unit, the address data and the registration data are to be displayed on said display, said input unit provided for stipulating to said selection unit, on a user-specific basis, at least one of a specific address of the addresses and a specific registration of the registrations.

24. The device according to claim 10, wherein said at least one transceiver unit is a component of a mobile phone which is intended for connection to said selection unit.

25. The device according to claim 3, wherein said circuit is configured to be connected to the computer.

26. The device according to claim 13, wherein said updating unit regularly interrogates, in response to a signal from the computer network, new cost data being updated fee rates for the addresses and new registration cost data being updated fee rates for the registrations, and stores the new cost data as the cost data in said address-data memory and the new registration cost data as the registration cost data in said registration-data memory.