System and method for integrated service access

• US 7,742,487 B2
• Filed: 08/22/2006
• Issued: 06/22/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Embarq Holdings Company LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bugenhagen, Michael K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Duong; Frank
• Application Number:
  US11/508,052
• Publication Number:
  US 20080049781A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,400 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/401
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/5692 Selection among different networks

Abstract

A method of operating a service provider system comprising receiving first traffic, determining a first traffic type of the first traffic from a plurality of traffic types, selecting the first communication link from a plurality of communication links based on the first traffic type, and transmitting the first traffic on a first communication link to a communication system.

Claims

1. A service provider system comprising:

an interface configured to receive first traffic communicated with a user device and transmit the first traffic on a first communication link to a communication system;

a processing system configured to determine a first traffic type of the first traffic from a plurality of traffic types and select the first communication link from a plurality of communication links based on the first traffic type; and

the interface configured to receive second traffic communicated with the user device and wherein the processing system is further configured to determine a second traffic type from the plurality of traffic types and select a second communication link from the plurality of communication links based on the second traffic type and wherein the interface is further configured to transmit the second traffic on the second communication link.

2. The service provider system of claim 1 wherein the first communication link comprises a wireless communication link and wherein the second communication link comprises a wireline communication link.

3. The service provider system of claim 2 wherein the first traffic type comprises best effort traffic and wherein the second traffic type comprises real-time traffic.

4. The service provider system of claim 2 wherein the first traffic type comprises public traffic and wherein the second traffic type comprises secure traffic.

5. A method of operating a service provider system, the method comprising:

receiving first traffic communicated with a user device;

determining a first traffic type of the first traffic from a plurality of traffic types;

selecting the first communication link from a plurality of communication links based on the first traffic type;

transmitting the first traffic on a first communication link to a communication system; and

receiving second traffic communicated with the user device, determining a second traffic type from the plurality of traffic types, selecting a second communication link from the plurality of communication links based on the second traffic type, and transmitting the second traffic on the second communication link.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the first communication link comprises a wireless communication link and wherein the second communication link comprises a wireline communication link.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the first traffic type comprises best effort traffic and wherein the second traffic type comprises real-time traffic.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the first traffic type comprises public traffic and wherein the second traffic type comprises secure traffic.

9. A communication network comprising:

a communication system configured receive first traffic communicated with a user device, determine a first traffic type of the first traffic from a plurality of traffic types, select a first communication link from a plurality of communication links based on the first traffic type, and transmit the first traffic on the first communication link;

a service provider system coupled to the communication system by the plurality of communication links and configured to receive the first traffic on the first communication link and transmit the first traffic to a destination; and

the communication system configured to receive second traffic communicated with the user device, determine a second traffic type from the plurality of traffic types, select a second communication link from the plurality of communication links based on the second traffic type, and transmit the second traffic on the second communication link.

10. The communication network of claim 9 wherein the first communication link comprises a wireless communication link and wherein the second communication link comprises a wireline communication link.

11. The communication network of claim 10 wherein the first traffic type comprises best effort traffic and wherein the second traffic type comprises real-time traffic.

12. The communication network of claim 10 wherein the first traffic type comprises public traffic and wherein the second traffic type comprises secure traffic.

13. A method of operating a communication network, the method comprising:

receiving first traffic communicated with a user device in a communication system;

determining a first traffic type of the first traffic from a plurality of traffic types;

selecting a first communication link from a plurality of communication links based on the first traffic type;

transmitting the first traffic on the first communication link from the communication system;

receiving in a service provider system the first traffic on the first communication link;

transmitting the first traffic to a destination; and

the communication system receiving second traffic communicated with the user device, determining a second traffic type from the plurality of traffic types, selecting a second communication link from the plurality of communication links based on the second traffic type, and transmitting the second traffic on the second communication link.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the first communication link comprises a wireless communication link and wherein the second communication link comprises a wireline communication link.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the first traffic type comprises best effort traffic and wherein the second traffic type comprises real-time traffic.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the first traffic type comprises public traffic and wherein the second traffic type comprises secure traffic.

17. A communication system comprising:

a user device configured to transmit first traffic;

an access device coupled to the user device and configured to provide the user device with access to a service provider system, receive the first traffic from the user device, process the first traffic to determine a first traffic type of the first traffic from a plurality of traffic types, select the first communication link from a plurality of communication links based on the first traffic type, and transmit the first traffic on a first communication link to the service provider system; and

a user device further configured to transmit second traffic to the access device and wherein the access device is further configured to receive the second traffic, process the second traffic to determine a second traffic type from the plurality of traffic types, select a second communication link from the plurality of communication links based on the second traffic type, and transmit the second traffic on the second communication link.

18. The communication system of claim 17 wherein the first communication link comprises a wireless communication link and wherein the second communication link comprises a wireline communication link.

19. The communication system of claim 18 wherein the first traffic type comprises best effort traffic and wherein the second traffic type comprises real-time traffic.

20. The communication system of claim 18 wherein the first traffic type comprises public traffic and wherein the second traffic type comprises secure traffic.