Enabling interface aggregation of mobile broadband network interfaces

• US 11,405,969 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2010
• Issued: 08/02/2022
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Abraham, Subil M., Bijlani, Vinod A., Thomas, Mathews
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsvey, Gennadiy
• Application Number:
  US12/893,350
• Publication Number:
  US 20120077483A1
• Time in Patent Office: 4,325 Days
• Field of Search: 4554221, 455450, 4555521
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/24 Traffic characterised by specific attributes, e.g. priority or QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/25 with rate being modified by the source upon detecting a change of network conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/60 Subscription-based services using application servers or record carriers, e.g. SIM application toolkits
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/15 Setup of multiple wireless link connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/00 Wireless network protocols or protocol adaptations to wireless operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/00 Interfaces specially adapted for wireless communication networks

Abstract

A network traffic associated with a communication request within a computing device can be identified. The device can comprise of a first and second communication stack which can addresses a first and a second network interface within the computing device. The first network interface can be associated with a mobile broadband network and the second network interface can be associated with a computing network. A first and second portion of the network traffic associated with the communication request can be programmatically determined to be conveyed to the first and second network interfaces. The first and second portions of network traffic can be conveyed simultaneously to the mobile broadband network associated with the first network interface and the computing network associated with the second network interface.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method within a computer hardware system implementing an application layer, a network fusion layer, and a data link layer, comprising:

identifying, using the network fusion layer, a first portion of network traffic originating from a first application in the application layer and a second portion of the network traffic originating from a second application in the application layer; and

dynamically routing, using the network fusion layer employing prioritization criteria and a location profile, each of the first and second portions of the network traffic to one or more of a plurality of network interfaces, wherein

the identifying and the dynamically routing of the first and second portions occur simultaneously,

the network fusion layer is configured to simultaneously route sub-portions of the first portion respectively to a first network interface and another network interface of the plurality of network interfaces,

the network fusion layer uses the location profile to determine a particular combination of the plurality of network interfaces to which to route the network traffic based upon a location of the computer hardware system, and

the network fusion layer includes;

a data composer configured to assemble and disassemble a communication request associated with the network traffic,

a session handler configured to establish a communication session between a source entity and at least one destination entity associated with the network traffic, and

a flow controller configured to moderate transmission speed of the network traffic transmitted over a plurality of network links.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the network fusion layer is configured to perform:

identifying a state change of one of the plurality of network interfaces; and

automatically deactivating the one of the plurality of network interfaces.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the network fusion layer is configured to perform:

receiving a communication request with a network access protocol destined to an interface having a different network access protocol;

translating the communication request into the different network access protocol; and

conveying the communication request over the interface via the different network access protocol.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein

the network fusion layer includes:

a network interface manager configured to manage the plurality of the network interfaces respectively associated with a plurality of network links; and

a routing engine configured to convey at least a portion of the communication request to the source entity and the at least one destination entity utilizing the plurality of network links.

5. A computer hardware system implementing an application layer, a network fusion layer, and a data link layer, comprising:

a hardware processor configured to initiate the following executable operations;

identifying, using the network fusion layer, a first portion of network traffic originating from a first application in the application layer and a second portion of the network traffic originating from a second application in the application layer; and

dynamically routing, using the network fusion layer employing prioritization criteria and a location profile, each of the first and second portions of the network traffic to one or more of a plurality of network interfaces, wherein

the identifying and the dynamically routing of the first and second portions occur simultaneously,

the network fusion layer is configured to simultaneously route sub-portions of the first portion respectively to a first network interface and another network interface of the plurality of network interfaces,

the network fusion layer uses the location profile to determine a particular combination of the plurality of network interfaces to which to route the network traffic based upon a location of the computer hardware system, and

the network fusion layer includes;

a data composer configured to assemble and disassemble a communication request associated with the network traffic,

a session handler configured to establish a communication session between a source entity and at least one destination entity associated with the network traffic, and

a flow controller configured to moderate transmission speed of the network traffic transmitted over a plurality of network links.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the network fusion layer is configured to perform:

identifying a state change of one of the plurality of network interfaces; and

automatically deactivating the one of the plurality of network interfaces.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the network fusion layer is configured to perform:

receiving a communication request with a network access protocol destined to an interface having a different network access protocol;

translating the communication request into the different network access protocol; and

conveying the communication request over the interface via the different network access protocol.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein

the network fusion layer includes:

a network interface manager configured to manage the plurality of the network interfaces respectively associated with a plurality of network links; and

a routing engine configured to convey at least a portion of the communication request to the source entity and the at least one destination entity utilizing the plurality of network links.

9. A computer program product, comprising:

a hardware storage device having stored therein computer usable program code,

the computer usable program code, which when executed by a computer hardware system implementing an application layer, a network fusion layer, and a data link laver, causes the computer hardware system to perform;

identifying, using the network fusion layer, a first portion of network traffic originating from a first application in the application layer and a second portion of the network traffic originating from a second application in the application layer; and

dynamically routing, using the network fusion layer employing prioritization criteria and a location profile, each of the first and second portions of the network traffic to one or more of a plurality of network interfaces, wherein

the identifying and the dynamically routing of the first and second portions occur simultaneously,

the network fusion layer is configured to simultaneously route sub-portions of the first portion respectively to a first network interface and another network interface of the plurality of network interfaces,

the network fusion layer uses the location profile to determine a particular combination of the plurality of network interfaces to which to route the network traffic based upon a location of the computer hardware system, and

the network fusion layer includes;

a data composer configured to assemble and disassemble a communication request associated with the network traffic,

a session handler configured to establish a communication session between a source entity and at least one destination entity associated with the network traffic, and

a flow controller configured to moderate transmission speed of the network traffic transmitted over a plurality of network links.

10. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the network fusion layer is configured to perform:

identifying a state change of one of the plurality of network interfaces; and

automatically deactivating the one of the plurality of network interfaces.

11. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the network fusion layer is configured to perform:

receiving a communication request with a network access protocol destined to an interface having a different network access protocol;

translating the communication request into the different network access protocol; and

conveying the communication request over the interface via the different network access protocol.

12. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the network fusion layer includes:

a network interface manager configured to manage the plurality of the network interfaces respectively associated with a plurality of network links; and

a routing engine configured to convey at least a portion of the communication request to the source entity and the at least one destination entity utilizing the plurality of network links.