Simultaneously routing data over multiple wireless networks

• US 20050243857A1
• Filed: 04/30/2004
• Published: 11/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Mobile Sonic Incorporated (Absolute Software Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Padcom Incorporated (NetMotion Software, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ellison, Randy, Hofstaedter, Christian, Bogdon, Christopher
• Application Number:
  US10/835,396
• Publication Number:
  US 20050243857A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/447
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/04 Interdomain routing, e.g. hierarchical routing

Abstract

A method manages the flow of packetized data over multiple dissimilar wireless networks. The method includes assigning a weight to each of the wireless networks, and allocating a portion of the packetized data to each network based upon the assigned network weights. Finally, the allocated data is simultaneously sent across the corresponding wireless networks.

Claims

1. A method for managing flow of packetized data over multiple dissimilar wireless networks, the method comprising:

allocating a portion of the packetized data to each network; and

simultaneously sending the allocated data across the corresponding wireless networks.

2. A method for managing flow of packetized data over multiple dissimilar wireless networks, the method comprising:

assigning a weight to each of the wireless networks;

allocating a portion of the packetized data to each network based upon the assigned network weights; and

simultaneously sending the allocated data across the corresponding wireless networks.

3. The method of claim 2, in which the allocating packetized data further comprises allocating entire packets to each wireless network based upon the assigned network weights.

4. The method of claim 2, in which the allocating packetized data further comprises allocating a portion of each packet to each wireless network based upon the assigned network weight.

5. The method of claim 4, in which the allocating further comprises associating a network packet with each network and allocating the portion of each packet to the network packet associated with the designated network.

6. The method of claim 2, further comprising encoding in the allocated data a rule describing the allocation.

7. The method of claim 4, in which the allocating is random.

8. The method of claim 4, in which the allocating is alternating.

9. The method of claim 2, further comprising sending a loopback control packet across each network to determine a latency of each network.

10. The method of claim 9, in which the assigning weights further comprises assigning weights based upon the determined latency of each network.

11. The method of claim 2, wherein when the allocated data cannot be sent across the corresponding wireless networks, sending The allocated data over a single network without allocating the packetized data.

12. The method of claim 2, further comprising defining a plurality of multipath groups, each group comprising a plurality of wireless networks,

wherein the assigning further comprises assigning a weight for each of the wireless networks in a selected group;

wherein the allocating further comprises allocating the data to each network in the selected group; and

wherein the sending further comprises sending the allocated data across the corresponding wireless networks in the selected group.

13. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

defining packet criteria associated with a rule;

comparing each packet of the data with the defined criteria;

when the packet matches the criteria, allocating the packet to one of the multiple networks based upon the associated rule; and

when the packet does not match the criteria, sending the packet without allocating the packet.

14. A system for managing flow of packetized data over multiple dissimilar wireless networks, the system comprising:

a multipath component that assigns a weight to each of the wireless networks, and allocates a portion of the packetized data to each network based upon the assigned network weights; and

a router that receives the allocated data from the multipath component and simultaneously sends the allocated data across the corresponding wireless networks.

15. The system of claim 14, in which the multipath component allocates entire packets to each wireless network based upon the assigned network weights.

16. The system of claim 14, in which the multipath component allocates a portion of each packet to each wireless network based upon the assigned network weight.

17. The system of claim 16, in which the multipath component associates a network packet with each network and allocates the portion of each packet to the network packet associated with a designated network.

18. The system of claim 14, in which the multipath component encodes in the allocated data a rule describing the allocation.

19. The system of claim 14, in which the multipath component generates a loopback control packet for sending across each network to determine a latency of each network.

20. The system of claim 19, in which the multipath component assigns weights based upon the determined latency of each network.

21. The system of claim 14, wherein packet criteria is associated with a rule;

and

in which the multipath component compares each packet of the data with the defined criteria;

when the packet matches the criteria, allocates the packet to one of the multiple networks based upon the associated rule; and

when the packet does not match the criteria, the router sends the packet without the packet being allocated.

22. A computer readable medium storing a program for managing flow of packetized data over multiple dissimilar wireless networks, the medium comprising:

an assigning code segment that assigns a weight to each of the wireless networks;

an allocating code segment that allocates a portion of the packetized data to each network based upon the assigned network weights; and

a transmission code segment that simultaneously sends the allocated data across the corresponding wireless networks.

23. The medium of claim 22, in which the allocating code segment further comprises allocating entire packets to each wireless network based upon the assigned network weights.

24. The medium of claim 22, in which the allocating code segment further comprises allocating a portion of each packet to each wireless network based upon the assigned network weight.

25. The medium of claim 24, in which the allocating code segment further comprises associating a network packet with each network and allocating the portion of each packet to the network packet associated with the designated network.

26. The medium of claim 22, further comprising an encoding code segment that encodes in the allocated data a rule describing the allocation.

27. The medium of claim 22, in which the transmission code segment further comprises sending a loopback control packet across each network to determine a latency of each network.

28. The medium of claim 27, in which the assigning code segment further comprises assigning weights based upon the determined latency of each network.

29. The medium of claim 22, wherein when the allocated data cannot be sent across the corresponding wireless networks, the transmitting code segment sends the packetized data over a single network without allocating the data.

30. The medium of claim 22, wherein a plurality of multipath groups are defined, each group comprising a plurality of wireless networks,

wherein the assigning code segment further comprises assigning a weight for each of the wireless networks in a selected group;

wherein the allocating code segment further comprises allocating the data to each network in the selected group; and

wherein the sending code segment further comprises sending the allocated data across the corresponding wireless networks in the selected group.

31. The medium of claim 22, in which packet criteria is associated with a rule;

the medium further comprising a comparing code segment compares each packet of the data with the defined criteria;

when the packet matches the criteria, the allocating code segment allocates the packet to one of the multiple networks based upon the associated rule; and

when the packet does not match the criteria, the transmitting code segment sends the packet without allocating the packet.