Apparatus and method for message routing using disparate communications networks

• US 6,493,556 B1
• Filed: 08/30/1999
• Issued: 12/10/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Stinson, Michael Keith
• Primary Examiner(s): Urban, Edward F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ZEWDU, MELESS NMN
• Application Number:
  US09/384,988
• Time in Patent Office: 1,198 Days
• Field of Search: 455/12.1, 455/13.1, 455/406, 455/426, 455/427-430, 455/445
• US Class Current: 455/445
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/1856 for call routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1414 in real-time
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/145 trading network capacity or selecting route based on tariff
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1485 Tariff-related aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/5692 Selection among different networks
• 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: H04Q 2213/13098 Mobile subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13106 Microprocessor, CPU
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13141 Hunting for free outlet, circuit or channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13148 Maximum profit routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13166 Fault prevention
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13204 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13333 Earth satellites
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/66 Traffic distributors
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

A master routing hub (50, FIG. 1 ) selects a communications path which enables subscriber units (10, 140) using disparate networks to communicate with each other. The master routing hub (50) receives a quality of service indicator (FIG. 4, 410) from a subscriber unit (FIG. 1, 10) as well as cost information from alternate communications networks and terrestrial communications networks. The master routing hub (50) selects an appropriate communications path in accordance with the quality of service indicator and thus provides the best available quality of service at the lowest cost to the subscribers (10, 140). The master routing hub (50) also provides the protocol conversion in order to enable the disparate communications networks to communicate with each other.

Claims

1. A method for establishing a communications path between first and second subscriber units, wherein said first subscriber unit is interfaced to a first communications network and said second subscriber unit is interfaced to a second communications network, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving by a master routing hub information regarding a cost of routing data between said first and second communications networks expressed as a function of a time of day at a location of one of said first or second subscriber units;

receiving a quality of service indicator from at least one of said first and second subscriber units;

determining a communications path between said first and second subscriber units based on an optimization of said cost of routing and said quality of service indicator;

routing by the master routing hub to the first subscriber via one of a plurality communications networks based on the optimization, the plurality of communications networks including said first and second communications networks;

routing by the master routing hub the first subscriber to a slave routing hub via one of the plurality of communications networks based on the optimization; and

routing by the slave routing hub the second subscriber to the first subscriber by one of the plurality of communications networks based on the optimization.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said receiving a quality of service indicator step further comprises the step of receiving an indicator which includes a maximum latency of said communications path.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said receiving a quality of service indicator step further comprises the step of receiving an indicator which includes a minimum limit of channel bandwidth of said communications path.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said receiving a quality of service indicator step further comprises the step of receiving an indicator which includes a maximum number of errors introduced by said communications path.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said first and second communications networks are satellite communications networks.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said first and second communications networks are terrestrial communications networks.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said first communications network is a satellite communications network and said second communications network is a terrestrial communications network.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said determining step further includes the step of selecting an intervening satellite communications network to serve as a portion of said communications path.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said receiving a quality of service indicator step includes receiving information which is expressed as a function of a time of day within a coverage area of said intervening satellite communications network.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said determining step further includes the step of selecting an intervening terrestrial communications network to serve as a portion of said communications path.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said receiving information step includes receiving information which is expressed as a function of a time of day within a coverage area of said intervening terrestrial communications network.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said determining step further comprises the step of selecting a communications path having a lowest cost and a highest quality of service.

13. A master routing hub for establishing a communications path between first and second subscriber units, wherein said first subscriber unit is interfaced to a first communications network and said second subscriber unit is interfaced to a second communications network, comprising:

a first receiver for receiving information regarding a cost of routing data between said first and second communications networks expressed as a function of a time of day at a location of one of said first or second subscriber units;

a second receiver for receiving a quality of service indicator from at least one of said first and second subscriber units;

a processor for determining a communications path between said first and second subscriber units based on an optimization of said cost of routing and said quality of service indicator;

means for routing the first subscriber to the master routing hub via one of a plurality of communications networks based upon the optimization, said plurality of communications networks including the first and second communications networks;

means for routing the first subscriber to a slave routing hub via one of the plurality of communications networks based upon the optimization.

14. The master routing hub of claim 13, wherein said quality of service indicator includes a minimum limit of channel bandwidth of said communications path.

15. The master routing hub of claim 13, wherein said quality of service indicator includes a maximum number of errors introduced by said communications path.

16. The master routing hub of claim 13, wherein said quality of service indicator includes a maximum latency of said communications path.

17. The master routing hub of claim 13, wherein said optimization determines a highest degree of quality of service at a lowest cost based on said quality of service indicator.

18. The master routing hub of claim 13, wherein said first communications network is a satellite communications network.

19. The master routing hub of claim 13, wherein said first communications network is a terrestrial communications network.

20. The master routing hub of claim 13, wherein said first communications network is a satellite communications network, and said second communications network is a terrestrial based communications network.

21. The master routing hub as claimed in claim 13, wherein there is further included a slave routing hub for routing the second subscriber to the first subscriber via one of the plurality of communications networks based upon the optimization.