Method for establishing network connections between stationary terminals and remote devices through mobile devices

• US 8,369,298 B2
• Filed: 05/03/2012
• Issued: 02/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2004
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Uniloc 2017 LLC (FIG LLC (d/b/a Fortress Investment Group LLC))
• Original Assignee: Pendragon Wireless LLC (Pendrell Corporation)
• Inventors: LIN, Daniel J.
• Primary Examiner(s): MITCHELL, NATHAN A
• Application Number:
  US13/463,540
• Publication Number:
  US 20120214419A1
• Time in Patent Office: 278 Days
• Field of Search: 370/338
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/18 for allowing seamless reselection, e.g. soft reselection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/00 User notification, e.g. alerting and paging, for incoming communication, change of service or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/11 Allocation or use of connection identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/20 Manipulation of established connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/10 adapted for application session management, e.g. SIP [Session Initiation Protocol] connection management H04W76/00; arrangements for session management H04L67/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/10 Small scale networks; Flat hierarchical networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/18 between terminal devices

Abstract

A technique is provided for a seamless and transparent handoff from a user'"'"'s mobile device to the user'"'"'s stationary terminal of a network address of a remote device for the purpose of establishing a direct communication channel between the stationary terminal and a remote device, where the remote device first contacted the user'"'"'s mobile device to initiate communications with the user.

Claims

1. A method for establishing a data communications session between a stationary terminal and an initiating remote device, the method comprising:

establishing a communication link through a short-range wireless technology between the stationary terminal and a proximate mobile device wherein the proximate mobile device operates within a cellular wireless network system;

opening a listening port on the proximate mobile device to receive communications through a page-mode messaging service;

receiving, at the listening port and through the page-mode messaging service, an invitation message from the initiating remote device, wherein such invitation message comprises a network address and listening port related to the initiating remote device; and

transmitting the network address and listening port received by the proximate mobile device to the stationary terminal though the short-range wireless technology, whereupon the stationary terminal receives the network address and listening port, transmits a response to the network address and listening port related to the initiating remote device, and establishes a virtual reliable connection with the initiating remote device for data communications.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the short-range wireless technology comprises Bluetooth.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the page-mode messaging service comprises SMS.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the cellular wireless network system supports TCP/IP based communications, the listening port comprises a TCP port and the virtual reliable connection comprises a TCP connection.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the network address comprises an IP address.

6. A non-transitory computer-readable medium including instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to establish a data communications session between a stationary terminal and an initiating remote mobile device, the instructions of the computer-readable medium comprising instructions for:

establishing a communication link through a short-range wireless technology between the stationary terminal and a proximate mobile device wherein the proximate mobile device operates within a cellular wireless network system;

opening a listening port on the proximate mobile device to receive communications through a page-mode messaging service;

receiving, at the listening port and through the page-mode messaging service, an invitation message from the initiating remote device, wherein such invitation message comprises a network address and listening port related to the initiating remote device; and

transmitting the network address and listening port received by the proximate mobile device to the stationary terminal though the short-range wireless technology, whereupon the stationary terminal receives the network address and listening port, transmits a response to the network address and listening port related to the initiating remote device, and establishes a virtual reliable connection with the initiating remote device for data communications.

7. The computer-readable medium of claim 6, wherein the short-range wireless technology comprises Bluetooth.

8. The computer-readable medium of claim 6, wherein the page-mode messaging service comprises SMS.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 6, wherein the cellular wireless network system supports TCP/IP based communications, the listening port comprises a TCP port and the virtual reliable connection comprises a TCP connection.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 6, wherein the network address comprises an IP address.

11. A mobile device enabled to handoff network address information for the initiation of a data communications session between a stationary terminal and an initiating remote mobile device, the mobile device comprising:

programming means to support establishing a communication link through a short-range wireless technology between the stationary terminal and the mobile device when the mobile device is within a sufficient proximity of the stationary terminal;

programming means to support opening a listening port to receive communications through a page-mode messaging service;

programming means to support receiving, at the listening port and through the page-mode messaging service, an invitation message from the initiating remote mobile device, wherein such invitation message comprises a network address and listening port related to the initiating remote mobile device; and

programming means to support transmitting the network address and listening port received by the mobile device to the stationary terminal though the short-range wireless technology, whereupon the stationary terminal receives the network address and listening port, transmits a response to the network address and listening port related to the initiating remote mobile device, and establishes a virtual reliable connection with the initiating remote device for data communications.

12. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein the short-range wireless technology comprises Bluetooth.

13. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein the page-mode messaging service comprises SMS.

14. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein the mobile device operates within a cellular wireless network system, the cellular wireless network system supports TCP/IP based communications, the listening port comprises a TCP port and the virtual reliable connection comprises a TCP connection.

15. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein the network address comprises an IP address.