Switching between connectivity types to maintain connectivity

• US 7,409,451 B1
• Filed: 05/30/2003
• Issued: 08/05/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AOL LLC (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Damick, Jeffrey J., Meenan, Patrick, Chiles, David Clyde
• Primary Examiner(s): Meky; Moustafa M
• Application Number:
  US10/448,176
• Time in Patent Office: 1,894 Days
• Field of Search: 709220-227, 709200-202, 370/220, 379/93.05, 379/93.06, 379/93.07, 379/93.08, 379/100.15
• US Class Current: 709/227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2834 Switching of information between an external network and a home network access arrangements H04L12/2856
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/5692 Selection among different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0663 Performing the actions predefined by failover planning, e.g. switching to standby network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0811 by checking connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1066 Session management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment

Abstract

Techniques are provided for leveraging narrowband connectivity (such as dial-up communications or other types of low bandwidth communications) to provision or configure broadband connectivity between a broadband access provider and a broadband device, such as a DSL modem or a cable modem. Specifically, because narrowband connectivity does not require advance configuration or provisioning by the host system of connectivity parameters for an access-seeking device, a modem at an access-seeking device may be leveraged to establish a narrowband connection between that device and a host system and to enable an exchange or negotiation of connectivity parameters necessary to enable future broadband connectivity. Thus, once established, the narrowband connection may be used as a conduit for communicating required provisioning information between the broadband-enabling host and the access-seeking device to enable broadband connectivity by the device in the future.

Claims

1. A method for enabling communications between a user system and an accessible system, the method comprising:

detecting a communications failure in a first communications session between a user system and an accessible system, the first communications session leveraging a first connectivity type;

establishing a second communications session between the user system and the accessible system, the second communications session leveraging a second connectivity type that differs from the first connectivity type, automatically in response to the detected communication failure in the first communications session leveraging the first connectivity type;

using the second communications session between the user system and the accessible system to exchange, between the user system and the accessible system, a request from the user system to access the accessible system using the second communications session and a reconnection token from the user system that enables identification by the accessible system of the user system as the user system with which the accessible system had been communicating using the first communications session, wherein enabling identification of the user system by the accessible system as the user system with which the accessible system had been communicating using the first communications session enables at least one application making use of the first communications session to continue despite the interruption of the first communications session and the establishment of the second communications session; and

in response to exchanging the request from the user system to access the accessible system using the second communications session and the reconnection token, enabling the exchange of future communications between the user system and the accessible system using the second communications session.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein establishing the second communications session leveraging the second connectivity type, automatically in response to the detected communication failure comprises establishing a second communications session leveraging the second connectivity type, without requiring user manipulation in response to the detected communications failure in the first communications session leveraging the first connectivity type.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the first connectivity type comprises broadband connectivity.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the second connectivity type comprises narrowband connectivity.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising using the second communications session leveraging the second connectivity type to transfer, from the user system to the accessible system, diagnostic information regarding the communications failure in the first communications session leveraging the first connectivity type.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein using the second communications session to transfer, from the user system to the accessible system, diagnostic information regarding the communications failure in the first communications session leveraging the first connectivity type includes using the second communications session to transfer, from the user system to the accessible system, one or more of the detected communications failure, a status or problem of the first connectivity type, a status or problem of the user system, a status or problem of the accessible system, and a status or problem of a communication pathway between the user system and the accessible system leveraging the first connectivity type.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising using the second communications session leveraging the second connectivity type to continue execution of at least one application that had been making use of the first communications session such that the at least one application is unaffected by the interruption of the first communications session and the establishment of the second communications session.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

detecting availability of the first connectivity type for communications between the user system and the accessible system; and

establishing a third communications session between the user system and the accessible system, the third communication session leveraging the first connectivity type, automatically in response to the detected availability of the first connectivity type.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising using a token to transparently establish the third communications session leveraging the first connectivity type such that at least one application making use of the second communications session is unaffected by the interruption of the second communications session and the establishment of the third communications session.

10. A computer-readable medium having embodied thereon a computer program configured to enable communications between a user system and an accessible system, the medium comprising one or more code segments configured to:

detect a communications failure in a first communications session between a user system and an accessible system, the first communications session leveraging a first connectivity type;

establish a second communications session between the user system and the accessible system, the second communications session leveraging a second connectivity type that differs from the first connectivity type, automatically in response to the detected communication failure in the first communications session leveraging the first connectivity type;

use the second communications session between the user system and the accessible system to exchange, between the user system and the accessible system, a request from the user system to access the accessible system using the second communications session and a reconnection token from the user system that enables identification by the accessible system of the user system as the user system with which the accessible system had been communicating using the first communications session, wherein enabling identification of the user system by the accessible system as the user system with which the accessible system had been communicating using the first communications session enables at least one application making use of the first communications session to continue despite the interruption of the first communications session and the establishment of the second communications session; and

in response to exchanging the request from the user system to access the accessible system using the second communications session and the reconnection token, enable the exchange of future communications between the user system and the accessible system using the second communications session.

11. The medium of claim 10 wherein the one or more code segments configured to establish the second communications session leveraging the second connectivity type, automatically in response to the detected communication failure comprise one or more code segments configured to establish a second communications session leveraging the second connectivity type, without requiring user manipulation in response to the detected communications failure in the first communications session leveraging the first connectivity type.

12. The medium of claim 10 wherein the first connectivity type comprises broadband connectivity.

13. The medium of claim 10 wherein the second connectivity type comprises narrowband connectivity.

14. The medium of claim 10 wherein the one or more code segments are further configured to use the second communications session leveraging the second connectivity type to transfer, from the user system to the accessible system, diagnostic information regarding the communications failure in the first communications session leveraging the first connectivity type.

15. The medium of claim 14 wherein the one or more code segments configured to use the second communications session to transfer, from the user system to the accessible system, diagnostic information regarding the communications failure in the first communications session leveraging the first connectivity type include one or more code segments configured to use the second communications session to transfer, from the user system to the accessible system, one or more of the detected communications failure, a status or problem of the first connectivity type, a status or problem of the user system, a status or problem of the accessible system, and a status or problem of a communication pathway between the user system and the accessible system leveraging the first connectivity type to the accessible system.

16. The medium of claim 10 wherein the one or more code segments are further configured to use the second communications session leveraging the second connectivity type to continue execution of at least one application that had been making use of the first communications session such that the at least one application is unaffected by the interruption of the first communications session and the establishment of the second communications session.

17. The medium of claim 10 wherein the one or more code segments are further configured to:

detect availability of the first connectivity type for communications between the user system and the accessible system; and

establish a third communications session between the user system and the accessible system, the third communication session leveraging the first connectivity type, automatically in response to the detected availability of the first connectivity type.

18. The medium of claim 17 wherein the one or more code segments are further configured to use a token to transparently establish the third communications session leveraging the first connectivity type such that at least one application making use of the second communications session is unaffected by the interruption of the second communications session and the establishment of the third communications session.

19. A system for enabling communications between a user system and an accessible system, the system comprising a processor connected to a storage device and one or more input/output devices, wherein the processor is configured to:

detect a communications failure in a first communications session between a user system and an accessible system, the first communications session leveraging a first connectivity type;

establish a second communications session between the user system and the accessible system, the second communications session leveraging a second connectivity type that differs from the first connectivity type, automatically in response to the detected communication failure in the first communications session leveraging the first connectivity type;

use the second communications session between the user system and the accessible system to exchange, between the user system and the accessible system, a request from the user system to access the accessible system using the second communications session and a reconnection token from the user system that enables identification by the accessible system of the user system as the user system with which the accessible system had been communicating using the first communications session, wherein enabling identification of the user system by the accessible system as the user system with which the accessible system had been communicating using the first communications session enables at least one application making use of the first communications session to continue despite the interruption of the first communications session and the establishment of the second communications session; and

in response to exchanging the request from the user system to access the accessible system using the second communications session and the reconnection token, enable the exchange of future communications between the user system and the accessible system using the second communications session.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the processor configured to establish the second communications session leveraging the second connectivity type, automatically in response to the detected communication failure comprises a processor configured to establish a second communications session leveraging the second connectivity type, without requiring user manipulation in response to the detected communications failure in the first communications session leveraging the first connectivity type.

21. The system of claim 19 wherein the first connectivity type comprises broadband connectivity.

22. The system of claim 19 wherein the second connectivity type comprises narrowband connectivity.

23. The system of claim 19 wherein the processor is further configured to use the second communications session leveraging the second connectivity type to transfer, from the user system to the accessible system, diagnostic information regarding the communications failure in the first communications session leveraging the first connectivity type.

24. The system of claim 23 wherein the processor configured to use the second communications session to transfer, from the user system to the accessible system, diagnostic information regarding the communications failure in the first communications session leveraging the first connectivity type comprises a processor configured to use the second communications session to transfer, from the user system to the accessible system, one or more of the detected communications failure, a status or problem of the first connectivity type, a status or problem of the user system, a status or problem of the accessible system, and a status or problem of a communication pathway between the user system and the accessible system leveraging the first connectivity type to the accessible system.

25. The system of claim 19 wherein the processor is further configured to use the second communications session leveraging the second connectivity type to continue execution of at least one application making use of the first communications session such that the at least one application is unaffected by the interruption of the first communications session and the establishment of the second communications session.

26. The system of claim 19 wherein the processor is further configured to:

detect availability of the first connectivity type for communications between the user system and the accessible system; and

establish a third communications session between the user system and the accessible system, the third communication session leveraging the first connectivity type, automatically in response to the detected availability of the first connectivity type.

27. The system of claim 26 wherein the processor is further configured to use a token to transparently establish the third communications session leveraging the first connectivity type such that at least one application making use of the second communications session is unaffected by the interruption of the second communications session and the establishment of the third communications session.

28. A method comprising:

establishing a broadband communications connection between a client system and a host system;

receiving a reconnection token at the client system from the host system over the broadband communications connection between the client system and the host system, the reconnection token enabling identification of the client system as the client system with which the host system established the broadband communications connection;

detecting an interruption in the broadband communications connection between the client system and the host system;

in response to detecting the interruption in the broadband communications connection between the client system and the host system, automatically establishing a narrowband communications connection between the client system and the host system;

using the narrowband communications connection between the client system and the host system to send, from the client system to the host system, a request for narrowband access to the host system and the reconnection token; and

in response to sending the request for narrowband access and the reconnection token to the host system, receiving narrowband access to the host system and exchanging communications with the host system using the narrowband communications connection.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein establishing a broadband communications connection between a client system and a host system comprises establishing a digital subscriber line connection between the client system and the host system.

30. The method of claim 28 wherein establishing a broadband communications connection between a client system and a host system comprises establishing a cable Internet connection between the client system and the host system.

31. The method of claim 28 wherein automatically establishing a narrowband communications connection between a client system and a host system comprises establishing a dial-up connection between the client system and the host system.

32. The method of claim 28 further comprising:

after detecting the interruption in the broadband communications connection between the client system and the host system, detecting that the broadband communications connection between the client system and the host system is available again; and

in response to detecting that the broadband communications connection between the client system and the host system is available again, automatically reestablishing the broadband communications connection between the client system and the host system.

33. The method of claim 32 further comprising automatically ending the narrowband communications connection between the client system and the host system after reestablishing the broadband communications connection between the client system and the host system.

34. The method of claim 28 further comprising:

after detecting the interruption in the broadband communications connection between the client system and the host system, detecting that the broadband communications connection between the client system and the host system is available again;

in response to detecting that the broadband communications connection between the client system and the host system is available again, automatically reestablishing the broadband communications connection between the client system and the host system;

receiving, at the host system, the reconnection token from the client system over the reestablished broadband communications connection between the client system and the host system; and

in response to receiving the reconnection token from the client system over the reestablished broadband communications connection, providing the client system access to the host system over the reestablished broadband communications connection.

35. The method of claim 28 further comprising:

after detecting the interruption in the broadband communications connection between the client system and the host system, detecting that the broadband communications connection between the client system and the host system is available again;

in response to detecting that the broadband communications connection between the client system and the host system is available again, automatically reestablishing the broadband communications connection between the client system and the host system; and

providing, to the host system, the reconnection token over the reestablished broadband communications connection between the client system and the host system.

36. A method comprising:

establishing a broadband communications connection between a client system and a host system;

providing a communications address for the broadband communications connection between the client system and the host system to the client system;

transmitting a reconnection token from the host system to the client system over the broadband communications connection between the client system and the host system, the reconnection token enabling identification of the client system as the client system with which the host system established the broadband communications connection;

detecting an interruption in the broadband communications connection between the client system and the host system;

in response to detecting the interruption in the broadband communications connection between the client system and the host system;

reserving the communications address for the broadband communications connection between the client system and the host system, and

automatically establishing a narrowband communications connection between the client system and the host system;

receiving, at the host system over the narrowband communications connection between the client system and the host system, both a request from the client system for narrowband access to the host system and the reconnection token; and

in response to receiving the request for narrowband access and the reconnection token, providing, to the client system, narrowband access to the host system using the communications address.