Wireless internet access with enhanced bandwidth capabilities

• US 7,245,634 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2001
• Issued: 07/17/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert C. Yen
• Original Assignee: Robert C. Yen
• Inventors: Yen, Robert C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Steven
• Assistant Examiner(s): HAN, CLEMENCE S
• Application Number:
  US09/967,532
• Publication Number:
  US 20020078235A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,119 Days
• Field of Search: 370/329, 370/332, 370/333, 370/341, 370/348, 455/450, 455/451, 455/452.1, 455/452.2, 455/464, 455/509, 455/511, 455/513, 455/516
• US Class Current: 370/468
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/14 Multichannel or multilink protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/00 Local resource management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0453 Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/20 Control channels or signalling for resource management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/23 in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/14 Backbone network devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/182 Network node acting on behalf of an other network entity, e.g. proxy

Abstract

Techniques for efficiently and economically providing data transfer through wireless data networks. These techniques are particularly suitable for Internet data transfers. In one aspect, mobile devices are able to be allocated additional wireless channels to obtain increased data transfer capabilities. The additional wireless channels can be used for unicast, multicast or broadcast of data. These techniques provide additional wireless bandwidth to mobile devices and allows control over allocation of the additional wireless bandwidth.

Claims

1. A method for transmitting data between a mobile device and a wireless Internet Service Provider (ISP) via a wireless network, said method comprising:

receiving, at the wireless ISP, a data request for a particular resource via the wireless network, the data request not requesting additional channels;

determining, at the wireless ISP, available additional channels suitable for use by the mobile device, said determining being in response to the data request;

allocating at least one of the available additional channels for data transfer of the particular resource between the wireless network and the mobile device;

informing the mobile device of the at least one of the available additional channels that have been allocated;

transmitting data of the particular resource to the mobile device via the wireless network using at least the at least one of the available additional channels that have been allocated;

deallocating the at least one of the available additional channels following said transmitting; and

informing the mobile device that the at least one of the available additional channels have been deallocated,

wherein said allocating operates to allocate the at least one of the available additional channels to another mobile device so that said transmitting can transmit the particular resource over the wireless network concurrently to the mobile device and the another mobile device using the at least one of the available channels.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said transmitting is downloading.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the mobile device has a dedicated channel associated therewith, and

wherein said transmitting comprises:

transmitting a first portion of the data between the mobile device and the wireless network using the dedicated channel; and

transmitting a second portion of the data between the mobile device and the wireless network using the at least one of the available additional channels that have been allocated.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said determining of the available additional channels is dependent on a subscription plan with the wireless ISP, the subscription plan being associated with the mobile device.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the another mobile device has also requested the particular resource.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said transmitting of the particular resource to the mobile devices utilizes multi-destination data packets.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said method further comprises:

identifying a geographical region associated with the mobile devices,

wherein, for each of the mobile devices, said allocating of the at least one of the available additional channels is performed based on the corresponding geographical region.

8. A method for transmitting data between a mobile device and a wireless Internet Service Provider (ISP) via a wireless network, said method comprising:

receiving, at the wireless ISP, a data request for a particular resource via the wireless network, the data request not requesting additional channels;

determining, at the wireless ISP, available additional channels suitable for use by the mobile device, said determining being in response to the data request;

allocating at least one of the available additional channels for data transfer of the particular resource between the wireless network and the mobile device;

informing the mobile device of the at least one of the available additional channels that have been allocated;

transmitting data of the particular resource to the mobile device via the wireless network using at least the at least one of the available additional channels that have been allocated;

deallocating the at least one of the available additional channels following said transmitting; and

informing the mobile device that the at least one of the available additional channels have been deallocated,

wherein said allocating operates to allocate the at least one of the available additional channels to a plurality of other mobile devices so that said transmitting can transmit the particular resource over the wireless network concurrently to the mobile device and the plurality of other mobile devices using the at least one of the available channels.

9. A method as recited in claim 8, wherein said transmitting of the particular resource to the mobile devices utilizes multi-destination data packets.

10. A method as recited in claim 9, wherein said method further comprises:

identifying a geographical region associated with the mobile devices,

wherein, for each of the mobile devices, said allocating of the at least one of the available additional channels is performed based on the corresponding geographical region.

11. A method for transmitting data between a mobile device and a wireless Internet Service Provider (ISP) via a wireless network, said method comprising:

receiving, at the wireless ISP, a data request for a particular resource via the wireless network, the data request not requesting additional channels;

determining, at the wireless ISP, available additional channels suitable for use by the mobile device, said determining being in response to the data request;

allocating at least one of the available additional channels for data transfer of the particular resource between the wireless network and the mobile device;

informing the mobile device of the at least one of the available additional channels that have been allocated; and

transmitting data of the particular resource to the mobile device via the wireless network using at least the at least one of the available additional channels that have been allocated,

wherein said determining of the available additional channels is dependent on additional channel support provided by the mobile device,

wherein said allocating operates to allocate the at least one of the available additional channels to another mobile device so that said transmitting can transmit the particular resource over the wireless network concurrently to the mobile device and the another mobile device using the at least one of the available channels.

12. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein the additional channel support available on the mobile device is provided to the wireless ISP with the data request.

13. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein said transmitting of the particular resource to the mobile devices utilizes multi-destination data packets.

14. A method as recited in claim 13, wherein said method further comprises:

identifying a geographical region associated with the mobile devices,

wherein, for each of the mobile devices, said allocating of the at least one of the available additional channels is performed based on the corresponding geographical region.

15. A method for transmitting data between a mobile device and a wireless Internet Service Provider (ISP) via a wireless network, said method comprising:

receiving, at the wireless ISP, a data request for a particular resource via the wireless network, the data request not requesting additional channels;

determining, at the wireless ISP, available additional channels suitable for use by the mobile device, said determining being in response to the data request;

allocating at least one of the available additional channels for data transfer of the particular resource between the wireless network and the mobile device;

informing the mobile device of the at least one of the available additional channels that have been allocated; and

transmitting data of the particular resource to the mobile device via the wireless network using at least the at least one of the available additional channels that have been allocated,

wherein said determining of the available additional channels is dependent on additional channel support provided by the mobile device,

wherein said allocating operates to allocate the at least one of the available additional channels to a plurality of other mobile devices so that said transmitting can transmit the particular resource over the wireless network concurrently to the mobile device and the plurality of other mobile devices using the at least one of the available channels.

16. A method as recited in claim 15, wherein the plurality of other mobile devices have also requested the particular resource.

17. A method as recited in claim 16, wherein said transmitting of the particular resource to the mobile devices utilizes multi-destination data packets.

18. A method as recited in claim 17, wherein said method further comprises:

identifying a geographical region associated with the mobile devices,

wherein, for each of the mobile devices, said allocating of the at least one of the available additional channels is performed based on the corresponding geographical region.