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Seamless multistage handoff algorithm to facilitate handoffs between hetergeneous wireless networks

  • US 8,254,986 B2
  • Filed: 08/07/2008
  • Issued: 08/28/2012
  • Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2002
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method for automatically adapting a multi-protocol wireless device to facilitate a seamless multistage handoff, the method comprising:

  • (a) generating a seamless multistage handoff request initiated by a multi-protocol wireless device when the multi-protocol wireless device crosses a boundary area into an overlapping region where the multi-protocol wireless device is capable of simultaneously accessing a plurality of networks;

    (b) providing the multi-protocol wireless device comprising;

    a single transceiver configured to transmit a request and receive a download to store at least one program into a plurality of Digital Radio Platforms (DRPs) to configure a plurality of Software Define Radios (SDRs), respectively, to store multiple transmission technologies to establish communication simultaneously with a plurality of networks;

    a memory for storing data and instructions in at least one database, wherein the at least one database is configured to store network profiles for the plurality of networks to enable the multi-protocol wireless device to simultaneously communicate with the plurality of networks;

    a processor having software modules configured to access the memory and when executing the instructions to perform the steps of;

    (i) monitoring a radio channel of a local unknown network to detect data transmitted in an unknown communication protocol from the local unknown network;

    (ii) receiving the data transmitted in the unknown communication protocol via the radio channel from the local unknown network;

    (iii) analyzing the data transmitted in the unknown communication protocol to decipher the unknown communication protocol to obtain and store in the software modules a learning data to learn a communication format for the unknown communication protocol; and

    (iv) using the learned communication format in the software modules of the processor to dynamically match data of the request transmitted from the transceiver with data of the unknown communication protocol to establish the communication with the plurality of networks, including the local unknown network and to adapt the multi-protocol wireless device to implement the seamless multistage handoff process by performing at least a two-stage handoff process comprising a homogeneous handoff and a heterogeneous handoff without interrupting a communication call session conducted using the multi-protocol wireless device;

    (c) performing the homogeneous handoff between a first network operating on a first communication protocol and a second network operating on a second communication protocol, wherein the first network is an existing network in use by the multi-protocol wireless device at a time of crossing the boundary area and the first communication protocol and the second communication protocol having compatible transmission technologies, and the first network and the second network are different networks of the plurality of networks; and

    (d) performing the heterogeneous handoff within the second network between the second protocol and a third communication protocol, wherein the second communication protocol and the third communication protocol having incompatible transmission technologies.

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