Communication devices for network-hopping communications and methods of network-hopping communications

• US 8,081,624 B2
• Filed: 02/13/2009
• Issued: 12/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: US Department of Energy (Government of the United States of America)
• Original Assignee: United States Department of Energy
• Inventors: Buttles, John W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Chi H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MEW, KEVIN D
• Application Number:
  US12/370,854
• Publication Number:
  US 20100208719A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,040 Days
• Field of Search: 370/230, 370/230.1, 370/231, 370/235, 370/345, 370347-348, 370389-390, 370400-401, 370/432, 370/437, 370441-444, 370352-356
• US Class Current: 370/354
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/18 using different networks or channels, e.g. using out of band channels cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key distribution involving distinctive intermediate devices or communication paths H04L9/0827; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for authentication using a plurality of channels H04L9/3215
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/033 of the user plane, e.g. user's traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/02 Data link layer protocols

Abstract

Wireless communication devices include a software-defined radio coupled to processing circuitry. The processing circuitry is configured to execute computer programming code. Storage media is coupled to the processing circuitry and includes computer programming code configured to cause the processing circuitry to configure and reconfigure the software-defined radio to operate on each of a plurality of communication networks according to a selected sequence. Methods for communicating with a wireless device and methods of wireless network-hopping are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A wireless communication device, comprising:

a software-defined radio;

processing circuitry coupled to the software-defined radio;

a storage media coupled to the processing circuitry and comprising a computer programming code configured to cause the processing circuitry to configure and reconfigure the software-defined radio to operate using each of a plurality of communication networks according to a selected sequence; and

wherein the computer programming code comprises at least one wireless network-hopping call table configured to cause the processing circuitry to configure and reconfigure the software-defined radio to operate on at least some of the plurality of communication networks for the selected sequence and for at least one of a plurality of redefined intervals.

2. The wireless communication device of claim 1, wherein the computer programming code is further configured to cause the processing circuitry to configure and reconfigure the software-defined radio to operate using each of a plurality of communication technologies selected from the list consisting of GSM, CDMA, WiFi, WiMAX, LTE, CDMA2000, WCDMA, TD-SCDMA, and WiBRO.

3. The wireless communication device of claim 1, wherein the computer programming code is further configured to cause the processing circuitry to configure and reconfigure the software-defined radio to operate using each of a plurality of communication providers, each communication provider providing at least one communication technology.

4. The wireless communication device of claim 1, wherein the computer programming code is further configured to cause the processing circuitry to configure and reconfigure the software-defined radio to operate using at least one communication provider, the at least one communication provider providing a plurality of communication technologies.

5. The wireless communication device of claim 1, wherein the computer programming code is further configured to cause the processing circuitry to simultaneously maintain a plurality of active communications over the plurality of communication networks.

6. The wireless communication device of claim 1, wherein the computer programming code is further configured to cause the processing circuitry to encrypt data prior to transmitting the data.

7. A method of wireless network-hopping, comprising:

establishing a connection between at least two communication devices on a plurality of wireless networks;

transmitting data between the at least two communication devices using a first wireless network for a predetermined amount of time;

subsequently transmitting data between the at least two communication devices using at least a second wireless network for another predetermined amount of time; and

wherein establishing the connection between the at least two communication devices on the plurality of wireless networks con arises;

establishing a connection between the at least two communication devices on the first wireless network;

synchronizing a wireless network-hopping call table between the at least two communication devices; and

establishing a connection between the at least two communication devices on each remaining wireless network of the plurality of wireless networks,

9. The method of claim 7, wherein establishing the connection between the at least two communication devices comprises establishing a connection between at least one wireless device and at least one other communication device.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein establishing the connection between the at least two communication devices on the plurality of wireless networks comprises maintaining the established connection between the at least two communication devices on each of the plurality of wireless networks.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein maintaining the established connection on each of the plurality of wireless networks comprises communicating keep-alive commands to each of the plurality of wireless networks.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein establishing the connection between the at least two communication devices on the plurality of wireless networks comprises establishing the connection between the at least two communication devices using at least one communication technology selected from the list of communication technologies comprising GSM, CDMA, WiFi, WiMAX, LTE, CDMA2000, WCDMA, TD-SCDMA, and WiBRO.

13. The method of claim 7, further comprising encrypting data prior to transmitting and subsequently transmitting.

8. The method of darn 7, wherein establishing the connection between the at least two communication devices on the plurality of wireless networks comprises:

configuring a software-defined radio of at least one communication device to establish a connection with at least one other communication device on the first wireless network; and

reconfiguring the software-defined radio of the at least one communication device to establish a connection with the at least one other communication device on the second wireless network.