Communicating network status

• US 9,094,280 B2
• Filed: 01/07/2013
• Issued: 07/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CradlePoint Incorporated (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Original Assignee: CradlePoint Incorporated (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Inventors: Wood, Steven, Sewall, Patrick, Johnson, David A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yuen, Kan
• Application Number:
  US13/735,848
• Publication Number:
  US 20130121253A1
• Time in Patent Office: 932 Days
• Field of Search: 370241-252, 370/328, 370/338, 370/346, 370/449, 709223-225, 709/229, 455/404.2, 455/440, 4554561-4566
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/00 Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/045 for graphical visualisation of monitoring data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0805 by checking availability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0894 Packet rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/06 using polling

Abstract

A method for communicating network status information includes receiving, via a first link, a request for status information from a client device, the first link being a link between a router device and a client device. In response to the request, a data exchanger is polled for status information via a second link. The second link is a link between the router device and the data exchanger. The status information identifies a state of a third link between the data exchanger and a wide area network. The status information is received via the second link and communicated to the client device via the first link.

Claims

1. A method for communicating network status information of a network, wherein the network comprises a client device connected to a router device via a first link, the router device connected to a data enabled cellular communication device via a second link, and the data enabled cellular communication device connected to a wide area network via a cellular data link, wherein the network status information comprises a state of the cellular data link, the method comprising:

receiving, via the first link, a request for status information from the client device, wherein the request for status information comprises requesting that the router device report the state of the cellular data link to the client device;

in response to the request, polling the data enabled cellular communication device for status information via the second link, the status information identifying the state of the cellular data link and wherein polling the data enabled cellular communication device for status information further comprises polling for repositioning data for the data enabled cellular communication device, the repositioning data indicating one or more of a direction or location for repositioning the data enabled cellular communication device to realize an improved signal strength of the cellular data link;

receiving the status information via the second link; and

communicating the status information to the client device via the first link, and wherein the router device is configured to report the state of the cellular data link in response to each request for status information and independent of the state of the cellular data link.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the data enabled cellular communication device is a first data exchanger and the status information is first status information, the method further comprising:

in response to the request, polling a second data exchanger for second status information via a fourth link between the router device and the second data exchanger, the second status information identifying a state of a fifth link between the second data exchanger and the wide area network;

receiving the second status information via the fourth link; and

communicating the second status information to the client device via the first link.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein polling the data enabled cellular communication device for status information further comprises polling the data enabled cellular communication device for one or more of a signal strength of the cellular data link, a data transfer rate of the cellular data link, and position data for the data enabled cellular communication device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing for installation of an application on the client device from the router device and wherein receiving comprises receiving the request for status information from the application and communicating comprises communicating the status information to the application.

5. A non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions that when executed cause a router device to implement a method for communicating network status information of a network, wherein the network comprises a client device connected to a router device via a first link, the router device connected to a data enabled cellular communication device via a second link, and the data enabled cellular communication device connected to a wide area network via a cellular data link, wherein the network status information comprises a state of the cellular data link, the medium including instructions for:

receiving, via the first link, a request for status information from the client device, wherein the request for status information comprises requesting that the router device report the state of the cellular data link to the client device;

in response to the request, polling the data enabled cellular communication device for status information via the second link, the status information identifying the state of the cellular data link and wherein polling the data enabled cellular communication device for status information further comprises polling for repositioning data for the data enabled cellular communication device, the repositioning data indicating one or more of a direction or location for repositioning the data enabled cellular communication device to realize an improved signal strength of the cellular data link;

receiving the status information via the second link; and

communicating the status information to the client device via the first link, and wherein the router device is configured to report the state of the cellular data link in response to each request for status information and independent of the state of the cellular data link.

6. The medium of claim 5, wherein the data enabled cellular communication device is a first data exchanger and the status information is first status information, the medium having further instructions for:

in response to the request, polling a second data exchanger for second status information via a fourth link between the router device and the second data exchanger, the second status information identifying a state of a fifth link between the second data exchanger and the wide area network;

receiving the second status information via the fourth link; and

communicating the second status information to the client device via the first link.

7. The medium of claim 5, wherein the instructions for polling the data enabled cellular communication device for status information include instructions for polling the data enabled cellular communication device for one or more of a signal strength of the cellular data link, a data transfer rate of the cellular data link, and position data for the data enabled cellular communication device.

8. The medium of claim 5, having further instructions for providing for installation of an application on the client device from the router device and wherein the instructions for receiving include instructions for receiving the request for status information from the application and the instructions for communicating comprise instructions for communicating the status information to the application.

9. A router device comprising a client interface, a data exchanger interface, a router and an operating state service, wherein:

the client interface is configured to function as a communication interface between the router device and a client device;

the data exchanger interface is configured to function as a communication interface between the router device and a data enabled cellular communication device capable of establishing a data link with a wide area network;

the router is configured to utilize the client interface and the data exchanger interface to route data communications between the client device and the wide area network via data exchanger; and

the operating state service is configured to;

receive, via the client interface, a request for status information from the client device, wherein the request for status information comprises requesting that the router device report the state of the data link between the data enabled cellular communication device and the wide area network;

in response to the request, poll the data enabled cellular communication device for status information via the data exchanger interface and wherein polling the data enabled cellular communication device for status information further comprises polling for repositioning data for the data enabled cellular communication device, the repositioning data indicating one or more of a direction or location for repositioning the data enabled cellular communication device to realize an improved signal strength of the data link;

receive the status information via the data exchanger interface; and

communicate the status information to the client device via the client interface, and wherein the router device is configured to report the state of the data link in response to each request for status information and independent of the state of the data link.

10. The router device of claim 9, wherein the data exchanger interface is a first data exchanger interface, the data enabled cellular communication device is a first data exchanger, the data link is a first data link and the status information is first status information, the router device further comprising a second data exchanger interface configured to function as a communication interface between the router device and a second data exchanger capable of establishing a second data link with the wide area network and wherein the operating state service is further configured to:

in response to the request, poll the second data exchanger for second status information via the second data exchanger interface, the second status information identifying a state of the second data link with the wide area network;

receive the second status information via the second data exchanger interface; and

communicate the second status information to the client device via the client interface.

11. The router device of claim 9, wherein the operating state service is operable to poll the data enabled cellular communication device for status information in the form of one or more of a signal strength of the data link, a data transfer rate of the data link, and position data for the data enabled cellular communication device.

12. The router device of claim 9, wherein the operating state service is configured to provide for installation of an application on the client device from the router device and wherein the operating state service is configured to receive the request for status information from the application and to communicate the status information to the application.