Seamless enterprise and consumer mobility

• US 7,711,366 B1
• Filed: 07/14/2006
• Issued: 05/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hicks, John Alson III, O'Neil, Douglas
• Primary Examiner(s): Le; Danh C
• Application Number:
  US11/457,541
• Time in Patent Office: 1,390 Days
• Field of Search: 455/436, 455/437, 455/438, 370/331
• US Class Current: 455/438
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0022 for transferring data sessions between adjacent core network technologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/00224 between packet switched [PS] and circuit switched [CS] network technologies, e.g. circuit switched fallback [CSFB]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/30 by measured or perceived connection quality data

Abstract

Tools and techniques for providing seamless enterprise and consumer mobility are described. More particularly, the tools manage network connections between a communications device and two or more networks. A first network has a first type, and a second network has a second type different type than the first network. When the communications device is proximate the first network, a first device detection signal is generated. Also, a first presence signal is associated with the first network, and varies in response to a condition of a connection between the communications device and the first network. The first presence signal indicates whether the condition of the connection permits an ongoing communication to use the first network. When the condition of the connection does not permit the ongoing communication to continue using the first network, the communication is handed over to the second network.

Claims

1. A method for managing network connections between a communications device and at least two networks having different types, the method comprising:

receiving, at a first network interface module, a first device detection signal associated with a first one of the networks, wherein;

the first network has a first type; and

the first device detection signal is generated in response to the communications device coming into proximity to the first network;

generating, at the first network interface module, a first presence signal associated with the first network, wherein the first presence signal varies in response to a condition of a first connection between the communications device and the first network;

evaluating, at a network selection module in communication with the first network interface module, the first presence signal to assess whether the condition of the first connection permits an ongoing communication facilitated by the first network; and

initiating, at the network selection module, a handover of the ongoing communication to a second network when the condition of the first connection does not permit the ongoing communication to continue using the first network, wherein the second network has a second type that is different than the first type.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, at a second network interface module, a second device detection signal associated with the second network, wherein the second device detection signal is generated in response to the communications device coming into proximity of the second network.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating, at the second network interface module, a second presence signal associated with the second network, wherein the second presence signal varies in response to a condition of a second connection between the communications device and the second network.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising evaluating, at the network selection module, the second presence signal to assess whether the condition of the second connection permits the ongoing communication to use the second network.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein initiating, at the network selection module, the handover of the ongoing communication is performed in response to the network selection module evaluating the second presence signal and the first presence signal.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating, at the network selection module, a selection signal that selects one of the first network and the second network for handling the ongoing communication.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein initiating, at the network selection module, the handover of the ongoing communication is performed in response to the selection signal.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the first network is a cellular communication network; and

the second network is a WiFi network.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the first network is a circuit-switched communication network; and

the second network is a packet-switched network.

10. A mobility management component comprising:

a first network interface module for;

receiving a first device detection signal associated with a first network, wherein;

the first network has a first type; and

the first device detection signal is generated in response to the communications device coming into proximity to the first network; and

generating a first presence signal associated with the first network, wherein the first presence signal varies in response to a condition of a first connection between the communications device and the first network; and

a network selection module for;

evaluating the first presence signal to assess whether the condition of the first connection permits an ongoing communication facilitate by the first network; and

initiating a handover of the ongoing communication to a second network when the condition of the first connection does not permit the ongoing communication to continue using the first network, wherein the second network has a second type that is different than the first type.

11. The mobility management component of claim 10, wherein the first network interface module is for communicating with a circuit-switched network.

12. The mobility management component of claim 10, further comprising a second network interface module for:

receiving a second device detection signal indicating that the communications device is in proximity to the second network; and

generating a second presence signal that varies in response to a condition of a second connection between the communications device and the second network.

13. The mobility management component of claim 12, wherein the network selection module is for initiating the handover of the ongoing communication from the first network to the second network in response to the second presence signal.

14. The mobility management component of claim 12, wherein the network selection module is for generating a selection signal based on evaluating the first presence signal and the second presence signal, wherein the selection signal selects one of the first network interface module and the second network interface module.

15. The mobility management component of claim 12, wherein the second network interface module is for communicating with a packet-switched network.

16. The mobility management component of claim 12, wherein:

the first network interface module is for communicating with a cellular communication network; and

the second network interface module is for communicating with a WiFi communication network.

17. A computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, perform the steps of a method, comprising:

receiving a first device detection signal associated with a first network, wherein;

the first network has a first type; and

the first device detection signal is generated in response to a communications device coming into proximity to the first network;

generating a first presence signal associated with the first network, wherein the first presence signal varies in response to a condition of a first connection between the communications device and the first network;

evaluating the first presence signal to assess whether the condition of the first connection permits an ongoing communication facilitated by the first network; and

initiating a handover of the ongoing communication to a second network when the condition of the first connection does not permit the ongoing communication to continue using the first network, wherein the second network has a second type that is different than the first type.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, further comprising instructions for receiving a second device detection signal associated with the second network, wherein the second device detection signal is generated in response to the communications device coming into proximity of the second network.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, further comprising instructions for generating a selection signal that selects one of the first network and the second network for handling the ongoing communication.