Method, system and apparatus for managing transports

• US 9,026,172 B2
• Filed: 07/27/2010
• Issued: 05/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Ruan, Zhigang, Buzdugan, Marian Constantin
• Primary Examiner(s): Htun, San
• Assistant Examiner(s): Navar, Erica
• Application Number:
  US12/844,328
• Publication Number:
  US 20110263246A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,743 Days
• Field of Search: 455/552.1, 455/127.4, 455/167.1, 4555501-5531, 455/3.04, 455/426.1, 4554321-437, 370/334, 370/339
• US Class Current: 455/552.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/5691 Access to open networks; Ingress point selection, e.g. ISP selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service

Abstract

According to embodiments described in the specification, a method, system and apparatus for managing transports is provided. The method comprises: maintaining a transport preference in a memory of the mobile electronic device, the transport preference including an identifier of a preferred transport; monitoring available transports; and selecting a transport for use based on the transport preference and the available transports.

Claims

1. A method of managing transports at a mobile electronic device, the method comprising:

maintaining a plurality of transport preferences in a memory of the mobile electronic device, the transport preferences including an identifier of a preferred transport, and one of the plurality of transport preferences being maintained in association with a flag marking it as the active transport preference, the preferred transport being one of a Wireless Local Area Network transport and a mobile transport;

monitoring available transports, wherein an available transport comprises a transport over which a link to the mobile electronic device has been established;

selecting a transport for use based on the plurality of transport preferences and the available transports;

responsive to selecting the transport, controlling a display device of the mobile electronic device to generate a representation comprising an identification of a selected transport;

receiving a call indication; and

sending an instruction from the mobile electronic device addressed to a session management platform (SMP) server, comprising a parameter including a name of the selected transport, for instructing the SMP server to set up the call using the selected transport.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

repeating the monitoring and selecting; and

dynamically updating the representation to reflect changes in the selected transport.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring available transports comprises:

identifying at least one transport over which a link to the mobile electronic device has been established;

determining that the mobile electronic device has permission to use the link for establishing a call; and

maintaining an identifier of the at least one transport in the memory.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting a transport comprises:

determining a preferred transport from the plurality of transport preferences;

when the preferred transport is available, selecting the preferred transport;

when the preferred transport is not available, determining whether a fallback transport preference exists;

when a fallback transport preference exists and the fallback transport is available, selecting the fallback transport.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an indication of which of the plurality of transport preferences is to be marked as active.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the indication includes a further indication that the selected transport cannot be changed as a result of input data received from an input device of the mobile electronic device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of transport preferences includes a further identifier of a fallback transport.

8. A mobile electronic device, comprising:

a memory for maintaining a plurality of transport preferences in a memory of the mobile electronic device, the transport preferences including an identifier of a preferred transport, and one of the plurality of transport preferences being maintained in association with a flag marking it as the active transport preference, the preferred transport being one of a Wireless Local Area Network transport and a mobile transport;

a communications interface;

a display device; and

,

a processor interconnected with the memory and the communications interface, the processor configured to;

monitor available transports, wherein an available transport comprises a transport over which a link to the mobile electronic device has been established;

to select a transport for use based on the plurality of transport preferences and the available transports; and

, responsive to selecting the transport, control the display device to generate a representation comprising an identification of a selected transport;

the processor further configured to receive a call indication; and

to send an instruction addressed to a session management platform (SMP) server, comprising a parameter including a name of the selected transport, for instructing the SMP server to set up the call using the selected transport.

9. The mobile electronic device of claim 8, the processor being further configured to repeat the monitoring and selecting;

and to dynamically update the representation to reflect changes in the selected transport.

10. The mobile electronic device of claim 8, the processor being further configured to monitor available transports by:

identifying at least one transport over which a link to the mobile electronic device has been established;

determining that the mobile electronic device has permission to use the link for establishing a call; and

maintaining an identifier of the at least one transport in the memory.

11. The mobile electronic device of claim 8, the processor being further configured to select a transport by:

determining a preferred transport from the plurality of transport preferences;

when the preferred transport is available, selecting the preferred transport;

when the preferred transport is not available, determining whether a fallback transport preference exists;

when a fallback transport preference exists and the fallback transport is available, selecting the fallback transport.

12. The mobile electronic device of claim 8, the processor being further configured to receive an indication of which of the plurality of transport preferences is to be marked as active.

13. The mobile electronic device of claim 12, wherein the indication includes a further indication that the selected transport cannot be changed as a result of input data received from an input device of the mobile electronic device.

14. The mobile electronic device of claim 8, wherein the plurality of transport preferences includes a further identifier of a fallback transport.

15. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium for storing computer readable instructions for execution by a processor, the computer readable instructions implementing a method of managing transports, the method comprising:

maintaining a plurality of transport preferences in a memory of the mobile electronic device, the transport preferences including an identifier of a preferred transport, and one of the plurality of transport preferences being

maintained in association with a flag marking it as the active transport preference, the preferred transport being one of a Wireless Local Area Network transport and a mobile transport;

monitoring available transports, wherein an available transport comprises a transport over which a link to the mobile electronic device has been established;

selecting a transport for use based on the plurality of transport preferences and the available transports;

responsive to selecting the transport, controlling a display device of the mobile electronic device to generate a representation comprising an identification of a selected transport;

receiving a call indication; and

sending an instruction from the mobile electronic device addressed to a session management platform (SMP) server, comprising a parameter including a name of the selected transport, for instructing the SMP server to set up the call using the selected transport.

16. A method of managing transports at a mobile electronic device, the method comprising:

maintaining a transport preference in a memory of the mobile electronic device, the transport preference including an identifier of a preferred transport, the preferred transport being one of a Wireless Local Area Network transport and a mobile transport;

monitoring available transports, wherein an available transport comprises a transport over which a link to the mobile electronic device has been established;

selecting a transport for use based on the transport preference and the available transports by;

determining a preferred transport from the transport preference;

when the preferred transport is available, selecting the preferred transport;

when the preferred transport is not available, determining whether a fallback transport preference exists; and

, when a fallback transport preference exists and the fallback transport is available, selecting the fallback transport;

responsive to selecting the transport, controlling a display device of the mobile electronic device to generate a representation comprising an identification of a selected transport;

receiving a call indication; and

sending an instruction from the mobile electronic device addressed to a session management platform (SMP) server, comprising a parameter including a name of the selected transport, for instructing the SMP server to set up the call using the selected transport.