Advanced multi-network client device for wideband multimedia access to private and public wireless networks

• US 8,155,642 B2
• Filed: 04/10/2008
• Issued: 04/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: incNetworks, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Jesse E. Russell
• Inventors: Russell, Jesse E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Edouard, Patrick
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ho, Huy C
• Application Number:
  US12/081,139
• Publication Number:
  US 20090024728A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,461 Days
• Field of Search: 455/432.1
• US Class Current: 455/432.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0003 Software-defined radio [SDR] systems, i.e. systems wherein components typically implemented in hardware, e.g. filters or modulators/demodulators, are implented using software, e.g. by involving an AD or DA conversion stage such that at least part of the signal processing is performed in the digital domain digital baseband systems H04L25/00; digital modulation/demodulation H04L27/00; CDMA H04B1/707; TDMA H04B7/2643; image transmission H04N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/04 based on user or terminal location or mobility data, e.g. moving direction, speed
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/245 from a network towards a terminal
• 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

A wireless device (e.g., a wireless smart phone) uses Global Positioning System (GPS) data, or other position-indicating data, to accurately determine its location in relation to multi-layered wireless networks that the device may see concurrently. If location information is available, the device employs a user-defined priority table to select the order of user-contracted networks available at that location in which the device will register. If location information is unavailable, the device employs a technology priority table to select Common Air Interface (CAI) options for the invention device radio parameters (e.g., GSM, cdma2000, IS-136, IEEE 802.11x, etc.) to search for an available network to access. Information is gathered and stored in databases within the invention device allowing it to be registered in multiple wireless networks. The inventive device provides unique access codes to each wireless network with which a user has contracted, without the intervention of any “anchor” (home) network. The invention facilitates equivalent “home”, or personalized, service in any network by using these features for automatic technology adaptation. This allows the invention device to receive service as if it is in a “home” network no matter what network it is traveling through. The invention provides a ubiquitous experience allowing the user to traverse multiple wireless networks with seamless access to multiple systems and services provided by those networks. It also provides a platform to facilitate the customization of wireless services for business customers.

Claims

1. A method for accessing a network using a wireless device, comprising the steps of:

(a) determining a physical location of the wireless device;

(b) accessing a list of all available networks at the physical location;

(c) selecting by using the wireless device at least one network from the list of all available networks based on the physical location of the wireless device, if available, said at least one selected network having a particular transmission technology;

(d) retrieving a network profile for the at least one selected network, wherein the network profile indicates information usable by the wireless device to communicate with the at least one selected network;

(e) automatically configuring the wireless device for communication with the at least one selected network using the transmission technology of the at least one selected network without the addition of specific hardware that supports only said selected transmission technology; and

(f) transmitting registration data to the at least one selected network using the configured wireless device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one selected network is one of a wide area wireless network, an in-building wireless network, a campus wireless network, or an enterprise wireless network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one selected network is a contracted network and the wireless device is provided with Home Network Services.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one selected network comprises a Virtual Private Network (VPN).

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the physical location of step (a) utilizes Global Positioning System data.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein step (c) comprises selecting a preferred available contracted network from a plurality of available contracted networks using Access Priority information.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving enhancement information;

and using the enhancement information to enhance a capability of the wireless device.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the enhancement comprises information to support an updated version of a transmission technology currently known to the wireless device.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the enhancement comprises information to support a new transmission technology not currently known to the wireless device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected transmission technology of step (e) is one of CDMA, TDMA, CSMA, OFDM, a technology that supports a High Speed Internet Access transmission, Bluetooth, a technology that supports the transmission of Video data, a technology that supports the transmission of audio data, and a technology that supports the transmission of multimedia data.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

registering a phone number of the wireless device with the at least one selected network so that a requester on the at least one selected network can contact the wireless device.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless device is one of a mobile phone, a PDA, a home appliance, and a mobile computer.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein step (e) comprises configuring a transceiver by storing radio parameter information to create a plurality of Digital Radio Processing platforms to establish access to a plurality of wireless networks.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of configuring the transceiver further comprising:

creating the plurality of Digital Radio Processing platforms to establish simultaneous access to the plurality of wireless networks.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the at least one selected network is one of a wide area wireless network, an in-building wireless network, a campus wireless network, or an enterprise wireless network.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the at least one selected network is a contracted network and the wireless device is provided with Home Network Services.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the at least one selected network comprises a Virtual Private Network (VPN).

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the network profile information comprises information concerning at least one of a plurality of contracted networks, a plurality of non-contracted networks, and a plurality of private and public networks.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising selectively downloading the radio parameter information for the at least one available network to the plurality of Digital Radio Processing platforms when the wireless device is located within a geographical area that overlaps at least two available networks.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of selectively downloading comprises selectively downloading using the wireless device to determine at least one of:

(i) to download the radio parameter information for each of the available networks;

(ii) to connect to at least one of the available networks; and

(iii) to conduct a communication session with at least one of the available networks.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the network profile information comprises information concerning at least one of a plurality of contracted networks, a plurality of non-contracted networks, and a plurality of private and public networks.

22. The method of claim 1, further comprising selectively downloading radio parameter information for the at least one selected network to a plurality of Digital Radio Processing platforms when the wireless device is located within a geographical area that overlaps at least two available networks.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the step of selectively downloading comprises selectively downloading using the wireless device to determine at least one of:

(i) to download the radio parameter information for each of the selected networks;

(ii) to connect to at least one of the selected networks; and

(iii) to conduct a communication session with at least one of the selected networks.

24. The method of claim 1 wherein steps (a)-(f) occur when the device crosses a boundary area, wherein the boundary area represents an intersection in a physical boundaries of one of the at least one network and a second network, wherein the second network is a network in use by the wireless device at a time of the crossing of the boundary area and the second network is one of an unknown network or a known network to the wireless device before the wireless device crosses the boundary area and is recognized by the wireless device as a known network when crossing the boundary area.

25. A method for accessing a network using a wireless device, comprising the steps of:

(a) attempting to determine a physical location of the wireless device using the wireless device;

(b) if the physical location of the wireless device is known, accessing a list of all available networks at the physical location;

(c) determining that either no position information has been received, or that a comparison of received position information with a network profile information fails to yield a known network at a current position of said wireless device;

(d) searching out information on at least one available network using Common Air Interface (CAI) protocol parameters;

(e) automatically configuring the wireless device for communication with the at least one available network using a transmission technology of the at least one available network without the addition of specific hardware that supports only said selected transmission technology; and

(f) transmitting registration data to the at least one available network using the configured wireless device.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

searching out at least one available network information using Common Air Interface (CAI) protocol parameters in an order established by CAI Protocol priority information, wherein the CAI Protocol priority information contains an order of CAI protocols to scan in the search for the at least one available network information.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein further comprising the step of:

requesting an enhancement to support a communication with the at least one available network.

28. The method of claim 25, further comprising the step of:

updating the list of all available contracted networks information to include the at least one available network.

29. The method of claim 25 further comprising the step of:

automatically transmitting transaction data to the at least one selected network from the available network for the purchase of services from the at least one selected network.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the transaction data is comprised of encrypted payment information.

31. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

configuring a transceiver by storing radio parameter information to create a plurality of Digital Radio Processing platforms to establish access to a plurality of wireless networks.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the step of configuring the transceiver further comprising:

creating a plurality of Digital Radio Processing platforms to establish simultaneous access to the plurality of wireless networks.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the at least one available network is one of a wide area wireless network, an in-building wireless network, a campus wireless network, or an enterprise wireless network.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein the at least one available network is a contracted network and the wireless device is provided with Home Network Services.

35. The method of claim 32, wherein the at least one available network comprises a Virtual Private Network (VPN).

36. The method of claim 32, wherein the network profile information comprises information concerning at least one of a plurality of contracted networks, a plurality of non-contracted networks, and a plurality of private and public networks.

37. The method of claim 32, further comprising selectively downloading the radio parameter information for the at least one available network to the plurality of Digital Radio Processing platforms when the wireless device is located within a geographical area that overlaps at least two available networks.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the step of selectively downloading comprises selectively downloading using the wireless device to determine at least one of:

(i) to download the radio parameter information for each of the available networks;

(ii) to connect to at least one of the available networks; and

(iii) to conduct a communication session with at least one of the available networks.

39. The method of claim 25, wherein the network profile information comprises information concerning at least one of a plurality of contracted networks, a plurality of non-contracted networks, and a plurality of private and public networks.

40. The method of claim 25, further comprising selectively downloading radio parameter information for the at least one available network to a plurality of Digital Radio Processing platforms when the wireless device is located within a geographical area that overlaps at least two available networks.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the step of selectively downloading comprises selectively downloading using the wireless device to determine at least one of:

(i) to download the radio parameter information for each of the available networks;

(ii) to connect to at least one of the available networks; and

(iii) to conduct a communication session with at least one of the available networks.

42. The method of claim 25, further comprising receiving enhancement information;

and using the enhancement information to enhance a capability of the wireless device.

43. The method of claim 42 wherein the enhancement comprises information to support an updated version of a transmission technology currently known to the wireless device.

44. The method of claim 43 wherein the enhancement comprises information to support a new transmission technology not currently known to the wireless device.

45. The method of claim 25 wherein steps (a)-(f) occur when the device crosses a boundary area, wherein the boundary area represents an intersection in a physical boundaries of one of the at least one available network and a second network, wherein the second network is a network in use by the wireless device at a time of the crossing of the boundary area and the second network is one of an unknown network or a known network to the wireless device before the wireless device crosses the boundary area and is recognized by the wireless device as a known network when crossing the boundary area.