Switching between connectivity types to maintain connectivity

• US 9,344,462 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2014
• Issued: 05/17/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Inventors: Meenan, Patrick, Chiles, David Clyde, Damick, Jeffrey J.
• Primary Examiner(s): JEAN GILLES, JUDE
• Application Number:
  US14/320,082
• Publication Number:
  US 20140310422A1
• Time in Patent Office: 687 Days
• Field of Search: 709/217, 709/219, 709/228, 709/227, 709/225, 709/224
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2834 Switching of information between an external network and a home network access arrangements H04L12/2856
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/5692 Selection among different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0663 Performing the actions predefined by failover planning, e.g. switching to standby network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0811 by checking connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1066 Session management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment

Abstract

Techniques are provided for leveraging narrowband connectivity (such as dial-up communications or other types of low bandwidth communications) to provision or configure broadband connectivity between a broadband access provider and a broadband device, such as a DSL modem or a cable modem. Specifically, because narrowband connectivity does not require advance configuration or provisioning by the host system of connectivity parameters for an access-seeking device, a modem at an access-seeking device may be leveraged to establish a narrowband connection between that device and a host system and to enable an exchange or negotiation of connectivity parameters necessary to enable future broadband connectivity. Thus, once established, the narrowband connection may be used as a conduit for communicating required provisioning information between the broadband-enabling host and the access-seeking device to enable broadband connectivity by the device in the future.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

establishing a first type of communications connection between a mobile client device and a host system, the first type of communications connection facilitating a client application on the mobile client device to exchange data;

detecting a change in the first type of communications connection;

masking, using at least one processor, the detected change in the first type of communications connection from the client application;

requesting to establish a second type of communications connection between the mobile client device and the host system in response to the detected change in the first type of communications connection; and

establishing the second type of communications connection between the mobile client device and the host system, the second type of communications connection facilitating the client application to continue to exchange data.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending authentication information for the second type of communications connection.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the authentication information comprises at least one of a user identifier, an access password, or a token.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising enabling display of an indication of the detected change in the first type of communications connection.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising enabling display of an indication that the second type of communications connection is established.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the indication of the detected change in the first type of communications connection comprises a first display message and the indication that the second type of communications connection is established comprises a second display message.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the first type of communications connection comprises a wireless telephone network connection and the second type of communications connection comprises a Wi-Fi connection.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the first type of communications connection comprises a Wi-Fi connection and the second type of communications connection comprises a wireless telephone network connection.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising translating from data packets associated with the second type of communications connection to data packets associated with the first type of communications connection.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein masking the detected change in the first type of communications connection from the client application further comprises spoofing an operating system protocol stack.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

requesting to establish a third type of communications connection between the mobile client device and the host system;

establishing the third type of communications connection between the mobile client device and the host system, the third type of communications connection facilitating the client application to continue to exchange data; and

enabling display of an indication that the third type of communications connection is established.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the mobile client device comprises a mobile phone.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the client application comprises a browser application.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the client application comprises an authoring application.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the client application comprises an Internet streaming media application.

16. A mobile client device comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions thereon that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the mobile client device to;

establish a first type of communications connection between the mobile client device and a host system, the first type of communications connection facilitating a client application on the mobile client device to exchange data;

detect a change in the first type of communications connection;

mask the detected change in the first type of communications connection from the client application;

request to establish a second type of communications connection between the mobile client device and the host system in response to the detected change in the first type of communications connection; and

establish the second type of communications connection between the mobile client device and the host system, the second type of communications connection facilitating the client application to continue to exchange data.

17. The mobile client device of claim 16, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the mobile client device to translate from data packets associated with the first type of communications connection to data packets associated with the second type of communications connection.

18. The mobile client device of claim 17, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the mobile client device to translate from data packets associated with the second type of communications connection to data packets associated with the first type of communications connection.

19. The mobile client device of claim 18, wherein the first type of communications connection and the second type of communications connection use different communication devices contained within the mobile client device.

20. The mobile client device of claim 18, wherein the first type of communications connection and the second type of communications connection use a communication device contained within the mobile client device.