Context aware application level triggering mechanism for pre-authentication, service adaptation, pre-caching and handover in a heterogeneous network environment

• US 7,161,914 B2
• Filed: 04/11/2002
• Issued: 01/09/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NTT Docomo Incorporated (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation)
• Original Assignee: NTT Docomo Incorporated (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation)
• Inventors: Watanabe, Fujio, Kurakake, Shoji, Cao, Jingjun, Shoaib, Shahid
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham; Chi
• Assistant Examiner(s): ABELSON, RONALD B
• Application Number:
  US10/120,884
• Publication Number:
  US 20030193910A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,734 Days
• Field of Search: 370331-333, 455436-438
• US Class Current: 370/331
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/14 Reselecting a network or an air interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/24 Reselection being triggered by specific parameters

Abstract

A network selection system that includes a mobile terminal in communication with a first network, a second network in communication with the first network and an application layer triggering mechanism that determines which one of a plurality of triggers is required in a certain set of circumstances to provide a particular application.

Claims

1. A method of handing over from a first network to a second network, comprising:

operating a mobile terminal via a first network;

evaluating the handing over based on a state of an application and at least one criteria of either said first network or a second network, when the application is running on the mobile terminal;

initiating a trigger that causes a handover from said first network to said second network so that said mobile terminal operates via said second network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said first network and said second network are each wireless.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one criteria comprises a location of said mobile terminal relative to said first network and said second network.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one criteria comprises cost of operation of said mobile terminal within either said first network or said second network.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one criteria comprises quality of service of either said first network or said second network.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one criteria comprises a condition of either said first network or said second network.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one criteria comprises a preference of a user of said mobile terminal of either said first network or said second network.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one criteria comprises a local signal level received by said mobile terminal.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one criteria comprises battery consumption by said mobile terminal when using an application.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one criteria comprises a user indicating a preference for either said first network or said second network via said mobile terminal.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said at least one criteria does not include cost of handover.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said trigger comprises a pre-authentication request.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said trigger comprises a service adaptation request.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein said trigger comprises a precaching request.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein said trigger comprises a handoff initiation request.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one criteria comprises two or more criteria.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising forming a composite decision based on said evaluating of said two or more criteria, and wherein said initiating said trigger is based on said composite decision.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said two or more criteria comprise cost of handover criteria and handoff ping-pong effects that may occur upon handing off from said first network to said second network.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein said composite decision is based in part on current access network signal level information.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein said initiating is based on said composite decision.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein said initiating said trigger is based on access network location map information.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein said trigger comprises a request and if a target access network signal level is satisfied, then said request is initiated.

23. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a user'"'"'s authentication information to said second network before said initiating occurs.

24. The method of claim 21, further comprising correcting said access network location map information.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising correcting network context information.

26. The method of claim 1, further comprising caching current application content and data before said initiating occurs.

27. A network selection system comprising:

a mobile terminal in communication with a first network;

a second network in communication with said first network;

an application layer triggering mechanism that determines which one of a plurality of triggers is required in a certain set of circumstances to trigger a handover of the mobile terminal from communication with the first network to a communication with the second network based on a state of a particular application running on the mobile terminal.

28. The network selection system of claim 27, further comprising:

an internet network that is in communication with said first network and said second network;

a service operator in communication with said internet network, said service operator comprises;

a pre-authentication arrangement controller;

a cache server; and

a pre-authentication arrangement controller.

29. The network selection system of claim 28, wherein said pre-authentication arrangement controller arranges for authentication with said first and second networks and content service providers, before said mobile terminal establishes connection with said second network.

30. The network selection system of claim 28, wherein said cache server caches current application content/data before handoff to said second network occurs in order to have seamless communications and maintain the quality of service.

31. The network selection system of claim 28, wherein said external database server stores access network location map information and network context information.

32. The network selection system of claim 27, wherein said mobile device comprises a trigger module component that checks triggering criteria and comprises an application detection component that detects an application that is running.

33. The network selection system of claim 32, wherein said application detection component comprises:

an operating system process table;

an application port number;

an IP type of service field; and

an explicit notification by application.

34. The network selection system of claim 32, wherein said trigger module component further comprises:

a context external information database;

a context local/internal information database; and

a current access network signal level that measures a current active access network signal level.

35. The network selection system of claim 34, wherein said context external information database consists of information selected from the group consisting of user context, network cost, application cost, access network location map or access network QoS.

36. The network selection system of claim 34, wherein said context local/internal information database consists of information selected from the group consisting of application battery consumption check, user context, application cost or application QoS requirement.

37. The network selection system of claim 27, wherein said plurality of triggers comprises a pre-authentication trigger signal that triggers pre-authentication initiation of said mobile terminal with said second network.

38. The network selection system of claim 27, wherein said plurality of triggers comprises a service adaptability trigger signal that signals an application that it can perform any necessary adaptation in anticipation of an impending handover to said second network.

39. The network selection system of claim 27, wherein said plurality of triggers comprises a pre-caching trigger signal that sends a trigger signal to a cache management system in order to pre-cache content at a cache server nearest said second network.

40. The network selection system of claim 27, wherein said plurality of triggers comprises a handover trigger signal that initiates a handover process with said second network.

41. The network selection system of claim 27, wherein said mobile terminal comprises a cell phone.

42. The network selection system of claim 27, wherein said mobile terminal comprises a lap top computer.