Distributed architecture for IP-based telemetry services

• US 7,949,110 B2
• Filed: 12/12/2006
• Issued: 05/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United States Cellular Corporation (Telephone & Data Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: United States Cellular Corporation (Telephone & Data Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Abichandani, Jaideep, Saxena, Narothum, Irizarry, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Woo; Stella L
• Application Number:
  US11/609,780
• Publication Number:
  US 20080137823A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,624 Days
• Field of Search: 379/106.01, 379/106.03, 379/90.01, 340/870.01, 340/870.02, 370/352
• US Class Current: 379/106.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/654 International mobile subscriber identity [IMSI] numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/344 Out-of-band transfers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2596 Translation of addresses of the same type other than IP, e.g. translation from MAC to MAC addresses

Abstract

A system and method are described whereby an IP telemetry gateway is hosted by an MVNO in order to relay the telemetry information between remote devices located in an IP network and telemetry servers operated by legacy telemetry customers. In an embodiment, the IP network is a CDMA2000 1X wireless network. Once the IP network identifies a device as part of the telemetry network, it assigns such device a static private IP address. A VPN connection is used to extend the private network of remote devices to the IP telemetry gateway. The IP telemetry gateway maps each remote device'"'"'s legacy address to its corresponding IP address in order to communicate with the legacy servers and the wireless network via circuit switched and packet data connections respectively. Preferably, the remote devices maintain an always on data connection to allow the telemetry servers to address the remote devices at any time.

Claims

1. A system for relaying telemetry information, the system comprising:

an Internet Protocol (IP) based wide area wireless telecommunications network comprising a plurality of remote devices having private IP addresses, the remote devices forming a private telemetry network within the IP based wide area wireless telecommunications network and being capable of communicating according to a first communication mode;

a telemetry gateway in communication with the plurality of remote devices according to the first communication mode;

at least one telemetry server monitoring the plurality of remote devices through the telemetry gateway, wherein the at least one telemetry server is capable of communicating with the telemetry gateway according to a second communication mode; and

wherein the telemetry gateway includes a first connection to the IP based wide area wireless telecommunications network, a second connection to the at least one telemetry server, and a management connection exclusive of the IP based wide area wireless telecommunications network and the at least one telemetry server, the first connection comprising a secure connection that extends the private telemetry network of remote devices to the telemetry gateway.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the first communication mode comprises packet switched communication.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the second communication mode comprises circuit switched communication.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein each of the private IP addresses is static.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the secure connection is a VPN connection.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the telemetry gateway maps an IP address assigned to each of the plurality of remote devices to a unique identifier associated with a circuit switched connection.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the unique identifier is one of a Mobile Identification Number (MIN), Electronic Serial Number (ESN), and a Mobile Device Number (MDN).

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of remote devices maintain an always on connection to the telecommunications network.

9. A telemetry gateway for relaying telemetry information between an Internet Protocol (IP) based wide area wireless telecommunications network and at least one telemetry server, wherein the IP based wide area wireless telecommunications network comprises a plurality of remote devices having private IP addresses so as to form a private telemetry network within the IP based wide area wireless telecommunications network which is capable of processing the telemetry information according to a first communication mode, the at least one telemetry server being capable of processing the telemetry information according to a second communication mode;

and

wherein the telemetry gateway includes a first connection to the IP based wide area wireless telecommunications network, a second connection to the at least one telemetry server, and a management connection exclusive of the IP based wide area wireless telecommunications network and the at least one telemetry server, the first connection comprising a secure connection that extends the private telemetry network of remote devices to the telemetry gateway.

10. The telemetry gateway of claim 9 wherein the first communication mode comprises packet switched communication and the second communication mode comprises circuit switched communication.

11. The telemetry gateway of claim 9 wherein each of the plurality of remote devices is assigned a private static IP address within the telecommunications network.

12. The telemetry gateway of claim 9 wherein the first connection extends the telecommunications network to the telemetry gateway via a VPN connection.

13. The telemetry gateway of claim 9 wherein the gateway maps an IP address assigned to each of the plurality of remote devices to a unique identifier associated with a circuit switched connection.

14. The telemetry gateway of claim 13 wherein the unique identifier is one of a Mobile Identification Number (MIN), Electronic Serial Number (ESN), and a Mobile Device Number (MDN).

15. The telemetry gateway of claim 13 wherein the plurality of remote devices maintain an always on connection to the telecommunications network.

16. A method for relaying telemetry information between an Internet Protocol (IP) based wide area wireless telecommunications network and at least one telemetry server, the method comprising:

registering, at a telemetry gateway, a first unique identifier and a second unique identifier, the first and second unique identifiers assigned to a remote device in the IP based wide area wireless telecommunications network, the first unique identifier comprising a private IP address of the remote device so as to form part of a private telemetry network of remote devices within the IP based wide area wireless telecommunications network;

at the telemetry gateway, collecting the telemetry information from the remote device, wherein the remote device is identified to the telecommunications network by the first unique identifier, and communicating the telemetry information to the at least one telemetry server, wherein the remote device is identified to the at least one telemetry server by the second unique identifier; and

wherein the telemetry gateway includes a first connection to the IP based wide area wireless telecommunications network, a second connection to the at least one telemetry server, and a management connection exclusive of the IP based wide area wireless telecommunications network and the at least one telemetry server, the first connection comprising a secure connection that extends the private telemetry network of remote devices to the telemetry gateway.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the private IP address is a private static IP address.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the second unique identifier comprises one of a Mobile Identification Number (MIN), Electronic Serial Number (ESN), and a Mobile Device Number (MDN).

19. The method of claim 16 wherein the first connection is a VPN connection.

20. The method of claim 16 further comprising maintaining an always on connection between the remote device and the telecommunications network.