Enabling communication between end points of different networks

• US 8,462,677 B1
• Filed: 08/23/2006
• Issued: 06/11/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile Innovations LLC (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Gailloux, Mike, Biere, Devon
• Primary Examiner(s): Daniel, Jr., Willie J
• Application Number:
  US11/466,558
• Time in Patent Office: 2,484 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/310
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/141 Setup of application sessions admission control or resource allocation in data switching networks H04L47/70
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/12 Inter-network notification
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for enabling a first end point associated with a first network to communicate with a second end point associated with a second network. In one embodiment, a request to initiate communication from the second end point is received at a short-range wireless device associated with the first end point. The first end point communicates with the second end point through the short-range wireless device to receive a message from the second end point at the short-range wireless device. The message is translated at the short-range wireless device for the first end point.

Claims

1. One or more non-transitory computer-storage media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon that, when executed by a processor, perform a method for enabling a media host device associated with a media-delivery network to communicate with a mobile end point associated with a wireless communications network through a base transceiver station, the method comprising:

receiving from the mobile end point at a short-range wireless device in communication with the media host device a message in a first format used by the mobile end point and the short-range wireless device requesting that media content of the media-delivery network be delivered to the mobile end point;

converting the message in the first format to a second format used by the media host device and the media-delivery network;

communicating the message in the second format from the media host device to the media-delivery network;

storing the message in a database shared between the wireless communications network and the media-delivery network, wherein both an authenticated entity on the wireless communications network and an authenticated entity on the media-delivery network are able to access the message from the database;

notifying the authenticated entity on the wireless communications network that the message is available and placing a media identifier of the media content in the database; and

retrieving by the authenticated entity of the wireless communications network the media identifier and moving the media identifier to the mobile end point to permit retrieval of the media content at the mobile end point.

2. The one or more computer-storage media of claim 1, wherein the first format is an encryption specific to the wireless network and the second format is an encryption specific to the media-delivery network.

3. The one or more computer-storage media of claim 1, wherein the message includes one or more of account information update, a request to update account information, user information update, a request to update user information, a request to register a mobile end point, and a request to perform one or more task.

4. The one or more computer-storage media of claim 1, wherein the database includes subscribers account information shared by the media-delivery network and the wireless communications network.

5. One or more non-transitory computer-storage media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon that, when executed by a processor, perform a method for enabling a first end point associated with a first network to communicate with a plurality of end points associated with a second network through a base transceiver station, the method comprising:

initiating by a short-range wireless device associated with the first end point communication with a second end point and a third end point, each associated with the second network, wherein the second and third end points are each associated with a different user profile having different user preferences;

communicating by the short-range wireless device a first media content message to the second end point and a second media content message to the third end point, to provide information about available media content of the first network according to the user profile of the second end point and the user profile of the third end point, respectively;

receiving from the second end point at the first end point short-range wireless device a message in a first format used by the first end point and the short-range wireless device;

translating the message at the short-range wireless device into a second format used by the first end point and the first network;

communicating the translated message from the first end point to the first network for processing thereof;

making the message available for the second network by storing the message on the first network in a database that is shared between the first network and the second network, wherein the database is associated with and accessible by an authenticated entity on the first network and an authenticated entity on the second network;

communicating a notification to the authenticated entity on the second network that the message is available for access by the authenticated entity on the second network and placing in the database a media identifier of the available media content of the first network according to the user profile; and

retrieving by the authenticated entity on the second network the media identifier and moving the media identifier to the second end point to permit retrieval of the media content at the second end point.

6. The one or more computer-storage media of claim 5, wherein the short-range wireless device and the plurality of end points must be within a short-range distance.

7. The one or more computer-storage media of claim 6, wherein the short-range distance is on the order of ten feet.

8. The one or more computer-storage media of claim 5, wherein the short-range wireless device uses a software module to translate the message.

9. The one or more computer-storage media of claim 5, wherein the short-range wireless device is communicatively coupled to the first end point.

10. The one or more computer-storage media of claim 5, wherein the short-range wireless device is integrated within the first end point.