Electronic message exchange over multiple wireless communication networks with a single device

• US 7,715,843 B2
• Filed: 04/20/2006
• Issued: 05/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gao, Xiaofeng, Zhao, Wei
• Primary Examiner(s): Edouard; Patrick N
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHUONG, DAI
• Application Number:
  US11/407,678
• Publication Number:
  US 20070249372A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,482 Days
• Field of Search: 455/432.1, 455/428, 455/432.3, 455/435.1, 455/435.2, 455/435.3, 455/436, 455/445, 455/446
• US Class Current: 455/436
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/15 Setup of multiple wireless link connections
• 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

Electronic messages such as pages are exchanged between a user device and a message service using one of multiple wireless communication networks. The wireless communication networks may include mobile and/or fixed wireless networks. The user device registers with the message service through at least one of the wireless communications networks. The user device may register through multiple wireless communication devices when available. The user device sends messages through the wireless network through which registration has been established and may apply rules to choose when registration has occurred via multiple wireless networks.

Claims

1. A portable communication device for exchanging electronic messages, comprising:

a first wireless interface for communicating over a first wireless communication network;

a second wireless interface for communicating over a second wireless communication network; and

a processor that;

attempts registration with a message service through both the first and second wireless communication networks, the message service including a presence server which maintains a registration table,

subsequent to attempting registration with the message service, determines whether to exchange electronic messages via the first wireless communication network or via the second wireless communication network,

receives a registration confirmation signaling for a heartbeat to be transmitted, and

in response to the registration confirmation signaling for the heartbeat signal to be transmitted, generates a heartbeat to be transmitted on both the first wireless communication network and the second wireless communication network, the heartbeat including measured performance criteria between the first wireless interface and the first wireless communication network as well as between the second wireless interface and the second wireless communications network,

wherein the registration table of the presence server includes the measured performance criteria between the first wireless interface and the first wireless communication network and the second wireless interface and the second wireless communications network.

2. The portable communication device of claim 1, wherein the processor determining whether to exchange electronic messages via the first or second wireless communication networks is based at least on whether registration is successful with the first or second wireless communication system.

3. The portable communication device of claim 1, wherein the processor determining whether to exchange electronic messages via the first or second wireless communication networks comprises the processor measuring performance criteria for the first wireless communication network, measuring performance criteria for the second wireless communication network, and making the determination based on the performance criteria of the first and second wireless communication networks relative to thresholds for the performance criteria.

4. The portable communication device of claim 3, wherein the performance criteria for the first and second wireless communication networks comprises signal strength and wherein the user defined rule specifies how low the signal strength must be for the second wireless communication network when the signal strength for the first wireless communication network is above a pre-defined minimum in order for the first wireless communication network to be used to exchange the electronic messages.

5. The portable communication device of claim 3, wherein the performance criteria for the first and second wireless communication networks comprises signal strength.

6. The portable communication device of claim 5, wherein the processor makes the determination regarding whether to exchange electronic messages via the first wireless communication network or via the second wireless communication network by determining whether the signal strength of the second wireless communication network is below one predefined minimum threshold when the signal strength of the first wireless communication network is above another predefined minimum threshold.

7. The portable communication device of claim 3, wherein the performance criteria for the first and second wireless communication networks comprises available bandwidth.

8. The portable communication device of claim 7, wherein the processor makes the determination regarding whether to send electronic messages via the first wireless communication network or via the second wireless communication network by determining whether the available bandwidth of the second wireless communication network is less than the available bandwidth of the first wireless communication network.

9. The portable communication device of claim 1, further comprising memory storing a user defined rule and wherein the processor makes the determination regarding whether to send via the first wireless communication network or the second wireless communication network based at least on the user defined rule.

10. The portable communication device of claim 1, wherein the first wireless communication network is a mobile wireless network, and the second wireless communication network is a fixed wireless network.

11. The portable communication device of claim 10, wherein the registration through the first wireless communication network provides a mobile identification number (MIN) to the message service while the registration through the second wireless communication network provides an Internet Protocol (IP) address to the message service.

12. The portable communication device of claim 10, wherein the mobile wireless network is a Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) network, and the fixed wireless network is a Wi-Fi network.

13. The portable communication device of claim 1, wherein the heartbeat comprises a first heartbeat transmitted on the first wireless communication network and a second heartbeat distinct from the first heartbeat transmitted on the second wireless communication network.

14. A computer readable medium containing instructions that are executed by a portable communication device to perform acts comprising:

attempting registration with a message service through both a first wireless communication network and a second wireless communication network, the message service including a presence server which maintains a registration table;

transmitting a heartbeat signal periodically on both the first wireless communication network and the second wireless communication network, the heartbeat signal including measured performance criteria between a first wireless interface and the first wireless communication network as well as between a second wireless interface and the second wireless communications network; and

subsequently determining whether to exchange electronic messages via the first wireless communication network or via the second wireless communication network,

wherein the registration table of the presence server includes the measured performance criteria between the first wireless interface and the first wireless communication network and the second wireless interface and the second wireless communications network.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein determining whether to exchange electronic messages via the first or second wireless communication networks comprises measuring performance criteria for the first wireless communication network, measuring performance criteria for the second wireless communication network, and making the determination based on the performance criteria of the first and second wireless communication networks relative to thresholds for the performance criteria.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein the performance criteria for the first and second wireless communication networks comprises signal strength and wherein a user defined rule specifies how low the signal strength must be for the second wireless communication network when the signal strength for the first wireless communication network is above a pre-defined minimum in order for the first wireless communication network to be used to exchange the electronic messages.

17. A method of exchanging electronic messages, comprising:

attempting registration of a portable communications device with a message service through both a first wireless communication network and a second wireless communication network, the message service including a presence server which maintains a registration table, wherein the first wireless communication network is a Wi-Fi network and the second wireless communication network is a mobile wireless network;

transmitting at least one heartbeat signal periodically on both the first wireless communication network and the second wireless communication network, the heartbeat signal including measured performance criteria between a first wireless interface and the first wireless communication network as well as between a second wireless interface and the second wireless communications network; and

subsequently determining at the portable communications device whether to exchange electronic messages via the first wireless communication network or via the second wireless communication network,

wherein the registration table of the presence server includes the measured performance criteria between the first wireless interface and the first wireless communication network and the second wireless interface and the second wireless communications network.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein determining whether to exchange electronic messages via the first or second wireless communication networks comprises measuring performance criteria for the first wireless communication network, measuring performance criteria for the second wireless communication network, and making the determination based on the performance criteria of the first and second wireless communication networks relative to thresholds for the performance criteria,

wherein the performance criteria for the first and second wireless communication networks comprises signal strength,

wherein determining whether to exchange electronic messages via the first or second wireless communication networks further comprises determining whether the signal strength of the second wireless communication network is below one predefined minimum threshold when the signal strength of the first wireless communication network is above another predefined minimum threshold.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the performance criteria for the first and second wireless communication networks comprises available bandwidth and wherein determining whether to send electronic messages via the first wireless communication network or via the second wireless communication network further comprises determining whether the available bandwidth of the second wireless communication network is less than the available bandwidth of the first wireless communication network.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising storing a user defined rule, wherein determining whether to send via the first wireless communication network or the second wireless communication network is based at least on the user defined rule, and wherein the first wireless communication network is a mobile wireless network, and the second wireless communication network is a fixed wireless network.