Federated multiprotocol communication

• US 7,228,355 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2005
• Issued: 06/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Eric M. Dowling
• Inventors: Dowling, Eric Morgan
• Primary Examiner(s): Jean, Frantz B.
• Application Number:
  US11/094,128
• Publication Number:
  US 20050170825A1
• Time in Patent Office: 796 Days
• Field of Search: 709/230, 709/249, 709/250, 709/217, 455/418, 455/456.1, 455/428, 455/436, 455/432.1, 455/421, 370/338, 370/342, 370/328, 370/349, 370/401, 370/331
• US Class Current: 709/230
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/325 using wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/327 Short range or proximity payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0272 Virtual private networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/14 Reselecting a network or an air interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/1446 wherein at least one of the networks is unlicensed
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/22 for handling the traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/38 by fixed network equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/245 from a network towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

Methods, apparatus, and business techniques are disclosed for use in distributed communication systems comprising a plurality of communication protocols. In one embodiment a first air interface is used to initiate communication between a wireless client and a remote server at least partially using a first wireless access point. The server sends the wireless client a stub of a distributed object. The stub is used to instantiate an object class. The object class defines an interface that the remote client can use to communicate with the remote server using an upper layer interface. The distributed object stub also provides an implementation of a software radio configuration for a set of lower protocol layers in a second air interface. The wireless client can thereby communicate with a second wireless access point using said second air interface protocol. Exemplary embodiments of the present invention are disclosed that focus on toll-tag and electronic-commerce related highway systems, distributed federated wireless access systems, and wide area wireless system capacity augmentation.

Claims

1. For use in a system comprising a cellular network and a wireless local area network coupled to an Internet, a method comprising:

establishing a voice telephony call between a mobile unit and a remote voice telephony endpoint, via the cellular network, using a circuit switched cellular telephony protocol for at least a wireless leg of the voice telephony call;

receiving from a remote server system an indication to automatically switch a wireless access portion of the voice telephony call from the cellular network, to the wireless local area network; and

in response to the indication, switching the wireless access portion of the voice telephony call from the cellular network to the wireless local area network, wherein after the switching, at least the wireless access portion of the voice telephony call uses a voice-over-Internet telephony protocol;

wherein the switching is performed while maintaining a voice connectivity with the remote voice telephony endpoint, to thereby provide a seamless call handoff from the cellular network to the wireless local area network.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending, from the mobile unit, via a packet switched data network at a transport layer or above, to the remote server system, an indication that the mobile unit is in a coverage area of the wireless local area network.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

the mobile unit making radio contact with the wireless local area network; and

the wireless local area network informing the remote server system, via a packet network connection implemented at a transport layer or above, that the mobile unit is in a coverage area of the wireless local area network.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending from the remote server system the indication to automatically switch the wireless access portion of the voice telephony call from the cellular network to the wireless local area network.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile unit communicates with the remote server system via the Internet.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the Internet is a member of the group consisting of the ubiquitous global Internet, a corporate intranet, an intranet, a virtual private network, and a virtual private network that is embedded into another network.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the switching is performed in a manner transparent to a user of the mobile unit.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the remote server system accesses a database containing information that is used by the remote server system to make a decision as to whether to send the indication to automatically switch.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein:

the information contained in the database includes subscriber information and information regarding different available wireless local area networks; and

the remote server system uses the subscriber information and the information regarding different available wireless local area networks to decide whether to send the indication to automatically switch, in accordance with an optimization strategy.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein different available wireless local area networks are operated by different service providers and the optimization strategy takes into account an economic factor and a subscriber preference.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the remote server system comprises at least one SIP server.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the remote server system comprises at least one mobile IP server to manage mobile IP addressing on behalf of the mobile unit.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the at least one lower layer includes executable software code sent by the remote server system to enable the mobile unit to communicate with the wireless local area network.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the switching is performed in the mobile unit by activating a voice telephony application that is coupled to a protocol stack; and

the protocol stack comprises at least one lower layer that implements a packet based communication protocol that is compatible with the wireless local area network.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the voice-over-Internet telephony protocol includes a session initiation protocol (SIP), and the remote server system interacts with a SIP server and a mobile IP server to manage mobility and to derive addressing information to support at least a portion of the voice telephony call that routes over the Internet after the switching.

16. For use in a system comprising a mobile unit, a cellular network, a wireless local area network coupled to an Internet, and a remote server system, wherein the remote server system sends via a packet switched data network at a transport layer or above to at least one of the mobile unit, the cellular network, and the wireless local area network, at least one indication to automatically switch a wireless access portion of a voice telephony call from the cellular networks, to the wireless local area network, to facilitate a seamless call handoff operation, a method comprising:

establishing the voice telephony call between the mobile unit and a remote voice telephony endpoint via the cellular network using a circuit switched cellular telephony protocol for at least a wireless leg of the voice telephony call; and

in response to the at least one indication received by at least one of the mobile unit, the cellular network and the wireless local area network, switching the wireless access portion of the voice telephony call from the cellular network to the wireless local area network, wherein after the switching, at least the wireless access portion of the voice telephony call uses a voice-over-Internet telephony protocol;

wherein the switching is performed in such a manner as to maintain voice continuity between a first portion of the voice telephony call which occurs prior to the switching and a second portion of the voice telephony call which occurs subsequent to the switching, to thereby provide a seamless call handoff of the wireless access portion of the voice telephony call from the cellular network, to the wireless local area network.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the packet switched data network is the Internet.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

receiving at the mobile unit from the remote server system, via the packet switched data network, at the transport layer or above, the at least one indication to automatically switch the wireless access portion of the voice telephony call from the cellular network to the wireless local area network.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

receiving at the cellular network from the remote server system, via the packet switched data network, at the at the transport layer or above, the at least one indication to automatically switch the wireless access portion of the voice telephony call from the cellular network to the wireless local area network.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

receiving at the wireless local area network from the remote server system, via the packet switched data network, at the at the transport layer or above, the at least one indication to automatically switch the wireless access portion of the voice telephony call from the cellular network to the wireless local area network.

21. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

sending, via the packet switched data network at the transport layer or above, to the remote server system, an indication that the mobile unit is in a coverage area of the wireless local area network.

22. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

providing an indication that the mobile unit is in a coverage area of the wireless local area network.

23. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

the mobile unit making radio contact with the wireless local area network; and

the wireless local area network informing the remote server system, via the packet switched data network, at the transport layer or above, that the mobile unit is in a coverage area of the wireless local area network.

24. The method of claim 16, wherein the packet switched data network is the Internet.

25. The method of claim 16, wherein the Internet is a member of the group consisting of the ubiquitous global Internet, a corporate intranet, an intranet, a virtual private network, and a virtual private network that is embedded into another network.

26. The method of claim 16, wherein the switching is performed in a manner transparent to a user of the mobile unit.

27. The method of claim 16, wherein the remote server system accesses a database containing information that is used by the remote server system to make a decision as to whether to send the indication to automatically switch.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein:

the information contained in the database includes subscriber information and information regarding different available wireless local area networks; and

the remote server system uses the subscriber information and the information regarding different available wireless local area networks to decide whether to send the indication to automatically switch, in accordance with an optimization strategy.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein different available wireless local area networks are operated by different service providers and the optimization strategy takes into account an economic factor and a subscriber preference.

30. The method of claim 16, wherein the remote server system comprises at least one SIP server.

31. The method of claim 16, wherein the remote server system comprises at least one mobile IP server to manage mobile IP addressing on behalf of the mobile unit.

32. The method of claim 16, wherein:

the switching is performed in the mobile unit by activating a voice telephony application that is coupled to a protocol stack; and

the protocol stack comprises at least one lower layer that implements a packet based communication protocol that is compatible with the wireless local area network.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the at least one lower layer includes executable software code sent by the remote server system to enable the mobile unit to communicate with the wireless local area network.

34. The method of claim 16, wherein the voice-over-Internet telephony protocol includes a session initiation protocol (SIP), and the remote server system interacts with a SIP server and a mobile IP server to manage mobility and to derive addressing information to support at least a portion of the voice telephony call that routes over the Internet after the switching.

35. For use in a system comprising a mobile unit, a cellular network and a wireless local area network coupled to an Internet, wherein at least one of the mobile unit, the cellular network and the wireless local area network communicates via a packet switched data network at a transport layer or above with a remote server system to facilitate a roam operation, the wireless local area network communicates voice media information over the Internet using a voice-over-Internet protocol, and wherein a voice telephony call is in progress between the mobile unit and a remote voice telephony endpoint at least partially via the cellular network, a method comprising:

the remote server system sending to at least one of the mobile unit, the cellular network, and the wireless local area network at least one indication to automatically switch a wireless access portion of the voice telephony call in progress from the cellular network to the wireless local area network, wherein at least the portion of the voice telephony call carried by the wireless local area network uses a voice-over-Internet telephony protocol.

36. The method of claim 35, further comprising;

in response to the at least one indication, automatically switching the wireless access portion of the voice telephony call in progress from the cellular network, the wireless local area network, without user-perceptible interruption of the voice telephony call in progress, to thereby provide a seamless call handoff of the wireless access portion of the voice telephony call in progress from the cellular network to the wireless local area network.

37. The method of claim 35, wherein a wireless leg of the voice telephony call in progress between the mobile unit and the cellular network uses a packetized voice telephony protocol.

38. The method of claim 35, wherein a wireless leg of the voice telephony call in progress between the mobile unit and the cellular network uses a circuit switched voice telephony protocol.

39. The method of claim 35, further comprising:

sending, at a transport layer or above, to the remote server system, an indication that the mobile unit is in a coverage area of the wireless local area network.

40. The method of claim 35, further comprising:

providing an indication that the mobile unit is in a coverage area of the wireless local area network.

41. The method of claim 35, further comprising:

the mobile unit making radio contact with the wireless local area network; and

the wireless local area network informing the remote server system, via the packet switched data network, at the transport layer or above, that the mobile unit is in a coverage area of the wireless local area network.

42. The method of claim 35, wherein the packet switched data network is the Internet.

43. The method of claim 35, wherein the Internet is a member of the group consisting of the ubiquitous global Internet, a corporate intranet, an intranet, a virtual private network, and a virtual private network that is embedded into another network.

44. The method of claim 35, further comprising:

performing a database access to obtain subscriber-specific information and dynamic information regarding current network conditions; and

using the subscriber-specific information and the dynamic information to make a determination to perform the sending, in accordance with an optimization strategy.

45. The method of claim 35, further comprising:

communicating with a session initiation protocol (SIP) server to set up a call leg through the Internet in support of a portion of the voice telephony call that uses the voice-over-Internet telephony protocol to communicate via the Internet.

46. The method of claim 35, wherein the voice-over-Internet telephony protocol includes a session initiation protocol (SIP), and the remote server system interacts with a SIP server and a mobile IP server to manage mobility and to derive addressing information to support at least a portion of the voice telephony call that routes over the Internet after the switching.

47. For use in a system comprising a cellular network, a wireless local area network coupled to an Internet, and a remote server system that communicates with one or more external devices via a packet switched data network at a transport layer or above to facilitate a roam operation, a method comprising:

establishing a voice telephony call between a mobile unit and a remote voice telephony endpoint, including a first wireless call leg between the mobile unit and the cellular network; and

automatically switching at least the first wireless call leg of the voice telephony call to a second wireless call leg between the mobile unit and the wireless local area network, in a manner transparent to a user of the mobile unit, to thereby provide a seamless call handoff of the voice telephony call from the first call leg to the second call leg;

wherein the seamless call handoff is managed by the remote server system and at least the second wireless call leg is used to carry voice data packets that conform to a voice-over-Internet voice transmission protocol.

48. The method of claim 47, wherein the packet switched data network is the Internet.

49. The method of claim 47, wherein the seamless call handoff is transparent to the user.

50. The method of claim 47, wherein the one or more external devices comprises the mobile unit.

51. The method of claim 47, wherein the one or more external devices comprises the wireless local area network.

52. The method of claim 47, wherein the one or more external devices comprises the cellular network.

53. The method of claim 47, wherein the first wireless call leg between the mobile unit and the cellular network uses a packetized voice telephony protocol.

54. The method of claim 47, wherein the first wireless call leg between the mobile unit and the cellular network uses a circuit switched voice telephony protocol.

55. The method of claim 47, wherein the voice-over-Internet telephony protocol includes a session initiation protocol (SIP), and the remote server system interacts with a SIP server and a mobile IP server to manage mobility and to derive addressing information to support at least a portion of the voice telephony call that routes over the Internet after the switching.

56. The method of claim 47, wherein the Internet is a member of the group consisting of the ubiquitous global Internet, a corporate intranet, an intranet, a virtual private network, and a virtual private network that is embedded into another network.

57. For use in a system comprising at least a remote server system, a first wireless access point that uses a cellular wireless packet data air interface protocol, a second wireless access point that uses a wireless local area network air interface protocol, and a mobile unit that initially maintains an Internet connection via the first wireless access point, wherein the first and second wireless access points are both coupled to an Internet, a method comprising;

receiving at the remote server system via a transport layer or above an indication of an event related to one or more wireless communication links between the mobile unit and one or more wireless access points;

determining whether a second wireless access connection between the mobile unit and the second wireless access point is preferable to a first wireless access connection between the mobile unit and the first wireless access point, wherein the determining is performed in accordance with an optimization strategy; and

sending, from the remote server system, via a packet switched data network at a transport layer or above, to at least one of the mobile unit, the first wireless access point, and the second wireless access point, at least one indication to automatically switch the Internet connection from the first wireless access connection to the second wireless access connection, to facilitate a seamless Internet connection handoff operation from the first wireless access point to the second wireless access point, in the event that the determining determines that the second wireless access connection is preferable.

58. The method of claim 57, wherein the optimization strategy involves accessing subscriber information, and information regarding different available wireless local area networks available in a geographic locality.

59. The method of claim 58, wherein the optimization strategy further involves accessing indications of current communication quality conditions of at least the first and second and wireless access points based on feedback information collected from the mobile unit.

60. The method of claim 58, wherein the optimization strategy further involves accessing indications of current communication quality conditions of at least the first and second and wireless access points based on feedback information collected from a plurality of mobile units that access different ones of a plurality of wireless access points.

61. The method of claim 58, wherein different available wireless local area networks are operated by different service providers and the optimization strategy takes into account an economic factor and a subscriber preference.

62. The method according to claim 58, wherein the second wireless access point uses a low power radio transceiver that has a local coverage area less than one mile, and the first wireless access point has a wide coverage area substantially larger than the local coverage area.

63. The method according to claim 58, wherein the second wireless access point uses a low power radio transceiver that has a local coverage area less than a quarter mile.

64. The method according to claim 58, further comprising:

maintaining, via the Internet connection, a transport layer connection between the mobile unit and a remote network server, wherein the transport layer connection is supported at least in part by the first wireless access connection before the seamless Internet connection handoff operation and at least in part by the second wireless access connection after the seamless handoff operation.

65. The method according to claim 58, further comprising:

maintaining, via the Internet connection, an application layer connection between the mobile unit and a remote network server, wherein the application layer connection is supported at least in part by the first wireless access connection before the seamless handoff operation and at least in part by the second wireless access connection after the seamless Internet connection handoff operation.

66. The method according to claim 58, further comprising:

the mobile unit switching one or more first lower protocol stack layers tat use the cellular wireless packet data air interface protocol to one or more second lower protocol stack layers that use the wireless local area network air interface protocol.

67. For use in a system comprising at least a first wireless access point that uses a cellular wireless packet data air interface protocol and a second wireless access point that uses a wireless local area network air interface protocol, a roam management server system configured to facilitate a system-level roam operation of an Internet connection from the first wireless access point to the second wireless access point, and a mobile unit coupled to an Internet via the Internet connection using a first wireless access connection prior to the system-level roam operation, wherein the first and second wireless access points are both coupled to the Internet, a method comprising:

the roam management server system receiving via the Internet at a transport layer or above event information regarding an event;

determining whether a second wireless access connection between the mobile unit and the second wireless access point is preferable to the first wireless access connection, in accordance with an optimization strategy, wherein the determining is at least partially facilitated by the roam management server system and is made at least partially in response to the event information; and

effecting the system-level roam operation in response to the determination, wherein after the roam operation, the Internet connection uses the second wireless access connection.

68. The method of claim 67, wherein the optimization strategy involves accessing subscriber information and information regarding different available wireless local area networks available in a geographic locality, and the event is a member of the group consisting of an indication the mobile unit has established radio contact with the second wireless access point, the mobile unit has reported a change in geographic location, and an indication of a change in a communication link quality between the mobile unit and one or more wireless access points.

69. The method of claim 68, wherein the optimization strategy further involves accessing indications of current communication quality conditions of at least the first and second and wireless access points based on feedback information collected from the mobile unit.

70. The method of claim 68, wherein the optimization strategy further involves accessing indications of current communication quality conditions of at least the first and second and wireless access points based on feedback information collected from a plurality of mobile units that access different ones of a plurality of wireless access points.

71. The method of claim 68, wherein the first and second wireless access points are operated by different service providers and the optimization strategy takes into account an economic factor and a subscriber preference.

72. The method according to claim 68, wherein the second wireless access point uses a low power radio transceiver that has a local coverage area less than one mile, and the first wireless access point has a wide coverage area substantially larger than the local coverage area.

73. The method according to claim 68, wherein the second wireless access point uses a low power radio transceiver that has a local coverage area less than a quarter mile.

74. The method according to claim 68, further comprising:

maintaining, via the Internet connection, a transport layer connection between the mobile unit and a remote network server, wherein the transport layer connection is supported at least in pan by the first wireless access connection before the system-level roam operation and at least in part by the second wireless access connection after the system-level roam operation.

75. The method according to claim 68, further comprising:

maintaining, via the Internet connection, a application layer connection between the mobile unit and a remote network server, wherein the application layer connection is supported at least in part by the first wireless access connection before the system-level roam operation and at least in part by the second wireless access connection after the system-level roam operation.

76. The method according to claim 68, further comprising:

The mobile unit switching one or more first lower protocol stack layers that use the cellular wireless packet data air interface protocol to one or more second lower protocol stack layers that use the wireless local area network air interface protocol.