Apparatus and method for transparent wireless communication between a remote device and host system

• US 6,418,324 B1
• Filed: 09/17/1997
• Issued: 07/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mobile Sonic Incorporated (Absolute Software Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Padcom Incorporated (NetMotion Software, Inc.)
• Inventors: Houvig, Flex, Doviak, William, Whitmore, David L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Legree, Tracy
• Assistant Examiner(s): GELIN, JEAN ALLAND
• Application Number:
  US08/932,532
• Time in Patent Office: 1,756 Days
• Field of Search: 455/413, 455/419, 455/420, 455/428, 455/432, 455/433, 455/436, 455/445, 455/452, 455/466, 455/502, 455/509, 455/520, 455/524, 455/550, 455/553, 455/554, 455/555, 455/556, 455/557, 455/426, 455/422, 379/100.13, 379/93.29, 379/93.05, 370/338, 370/340, 370/401, 370/465, 370/327, 370/332, 370/349
• US Class Current: 455/426.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/5692 Selection among different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/00 Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/851 Dynamic network selection or re-selection, e.g. after degradation of quality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/06 Optimizing the usage of the radio link, e.g. header compression, information sizing , discarding information system modifying transmission characteristic according to link quality by modifying frame length H04L1/0007; dynamic adaptation of the packet size for flow control or congestion control H04L47/365
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 Negotiating wireless communication parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/00 Communication routing or communication path finding
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/02 Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/00 Wireless network protocols or protocol adaptations to wireless operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

An apparatus and method is provided for transparent communication between a remote or mobile device and a fixed communication host network. The apparatus and method may include a remote network controller that logically resides between the host network and the existing infrastructure(s) that are used to provide communications network contact with one or more remote devices. The remote network controller is connected to the host communication network as a protocol-appropriate communications controller so that remote devices are indistinguishable to the host network from the locally-attached devices. Each remote device may be provided with an asynchronous serial data interface to communicate with a mobile data controller. The mobile data controller, in combination with the remote network controller, provides end-to-end data communication such that incompatible protocols are transparent to the remote device and host communication network. A router may be provided which selects a communications network in accordance with user configured parameters. The router communicates over a plurality of incompatible networks and is capable of using a variety of different protocols. Switching between the plurality of incompatible networks is transparent to the remote device and host communication network.

Claims

1. A method of dynamically routing data in a system comprising a first device and a plurality of remote devices, the first device being connected to a plurality of parallel wireless networks so that the plurality of networks can be monitored during a transmission, each of the remote devices being connected to one parallel wireless network or the plurality of parallel wireless networks so that the plurality of networks can be monitored during the transmission, the method comprising:

maintaining active networks between the first device and at least one of the remote devices, at least two of the plurality of parallel wireless networks being autonomous, dissimilar, connected to both the first device and the remote device, and available for data transmission;

monitoring the status of the plurality of parallel dissimilar wireless networks;

transmitting over a first available network as needed;

switching from the first network to a second available network;

transmitting over the second network;

receiving over the first available network as needed; and

receiving over the second network,

wherein the transmission between the first device and the remote device occurs while switching from the first network to the second network.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising routing the data through at least one of the dissimilar networks.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting a network to be used for data transport based upon the monitoring.

4. The method of claim 3, in which the selecting occurs when the selected network becomes unavailable.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining network selection criteria.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising selecting a network to be used for data transport based upon the monitoring and the network selection criteria.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising switching to the selected network.

8. The method of claim 7, in which the switching networks occurs immediately after transporting a first data packet and before transporting a subsequent consecutive data packet.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising transporting data via a plurality of protocols comprising at least Internet Protocol (IP), and transparent protocol over the plurality of networks.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising transporting data between the first device and the second device in accordance with the routing, and detecting and correcting errors in transmission of the transported data.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising interfacing protocolized data into the plurality of dissimilar networks using different protocols.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising adapting data to be transported between the first device and the second device, the data being adapted between a first device format utilized by the first device and at least one of a plurality of digital and analog network formats utilized by the plurality of networks.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

determining network selection criteria;

dynamically selecting a network from the plurality of networks in accordance with the selection criteria;

switching to the selected network;

dynamically selecting a next network from the plurality of networks in accordance with the selection criteria;

determining whether to switch to the next selected network;

switching to the next selected network in response to a result of the determination.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

transporting the data over the selected network in accordance with one of the network transmission formats;

receiving the transported data from the network;

adapting the transported data between one of the network formats and a second device format utilized by the second device; and

forwarding the transported data to the first device in accordance with the first device format.

15. The method of claim 1, in which the plurality of parallel wireless networks comprise at least one of digital networks and analog networks.

16. The method of claim 1, in which the plurality of parallel wireless networks comprise at least one wireless network and at least one wireline network.

17. The method of claim 1, in which the data comprises digital data.

18. The method of claim 17, in which the digital data further comprises digital voice.

48. The computer readable medium of claim 7, further comprising selecting a next available network from the plurality of networks in accordance with network selection criteria when the monitoring determines that the first network becomes unavailable for data transport.

49. The computer readable medium of claim 48, in which the switching further comprises switching to the next available network, immediately after transporting a first data packet and before transporting a subsequent consecutive data packet, when the monitoring determines that the first network is unavailable for data transport.

19. A system for end-to-end data communications where data is transported between a local device and a plurality of remote devices using at least one of a plurality of parallel wireless networks, at least two of the networks being dissimilar, autonomous, and connected to both the local device and each of the remote devices so that the plurality of networks can be monitored during a transmission, which includes transmitting and receiving, the system comprising:

a plurality of network interfaces, each network interface interfacing the local device with one of the networks, the network interface comprising a local device protocol-appropriate communications controller connected to the local device; and

a router that interfaces at least one of the plurality of dissimilar parallel wireless networks to the plurality of remote devices, the router comprising a monitoring system that monitors the status of the plurality of dissimilar networks,

wherein the transmission can occur over the plurality of parallel dissimilar networks when a single transmission is initiated, and

wherein the transmission occurs while the system switches from a first one of the plurality of parallel dissimilar networks to a second one of the plurality of parallel dissimilar networks and while the system switches back to the first one of the plurality of parallel dissimilar networks.

20. The system of claim 19, in which at least two of the wireless networks simultaneously actively connect the network interfaces and the router so that data can be transmitted.

21. The system of claim 19, further comprising a mobile data controller that communicates over at least one of the plurality of parallel wireless networks to the remote device, the mobile data controller comprising a remote device communication interface module that adapts data to be transported between the local device and the remote device, the remote device communication interface module adapting the transported data between a remote device transmission format utilized by the remote device and one of a plurality of analog and digital wireless link transmission formats utilized by the plurality of parallel networks.

22. The system for transporting data according to claim 19, wherein the network interface is adapted to be connected to a plurality of different types of local devices having distinct transmission characteristics.

23. The system for transporting data according to claim 19, in which the plurality of network interfaces are connected by a local network and a synchronization system that synchronizes the transfer of information between the plurality of network interfaces, the information comprising routing tables and health and status information.

24. The system of claim 19, in which the status comprises at least one of installation status, network health, configuration status, and network availability.

25. The system of claim 19, in which the router furthers comprises:

a system for determining network selection criteria;

a selector for dynamically selecting at least one of the plurality of networks in accordance with the network selection criteria; and

a switch for switching to the at least one selected network so that data can be transported between the local device and the remote device over the at least one selected network.

26. The system of claim 25, in which the switch switches networks immediately after transporting a first data packet and before transporting a subsequent consecutive data packet.

27. The system of claim 25, in which the selector determines a next network from the plurality of networks in accordance with the network selection criteria when the selected network becomes unavailable.

28. The system of claim 27, in which the switch switches to the next network when the selected network becomes unavailable.

29. The system of claim 19, in which the plurality of wireless networks comprise at least one wireless network and at least one wireline network.

30. The system of claim 19, in which the router further comprises a system for interfacing protocolized data into the plurality of dissimilar networks using different protocols.

31. The system of claim 19, in which the plurality of networks comprise switched networks.

32. The system of claim 19, in which the plurality of networks comprise dedicated networks.

33. The system of claim 19, in which the plurality of networks comprise switched networks and dedicated networks.

34. The system of claim 19, in which the plurality of networks comprise at least one of digital networks and analog networks.

35. The system of claim 19, in which at least one of the plurality of networks comprises a packet based wireless network.

36. The system of claim 19, in which the monitoring system determines whether a next network is available for data transport.

37. The system of claim 21, wherein the mobile data controller is connected to a plurality of different types of remote devices having distinct operational characteristics.

38. The system of claim 19, wherein each network interface further comprises a plurality of communication interfaces adapted to transfer the transported data to a plurality of networks.

39. The system of claim 19, in which the data is transported via a plurality of protocols comprising at least Internet Protocol (IP), and transparent protocol over the plurality of networks.

40. The system of claim 25, in which the selector further determines a next wireless communications link from the plurality of networks in accordance with the network selection criteria when the selected network becomes unavailable.

41. The system of claim 25, in which the network selection criteria comprises network availability and the selector selects at least one of the plurality of dissimilar networks when a current network becomes unavailable.

42. The system of claim 19, in which the local device comprises a plurality of local devices.

43. The system of claim 19, in which the data comprises digital data.

44. The system of claim 43, in which the digital data further comprises digital voice.

45. A computer readable medium storing a computer program for routing data between a first device and a remote device over a plurality of parallel wireless networks, at least two of the networks being autonomous, dissimilar, connected to both the first device and the remote device, and available for data transmission, the computer program comprising:

transmitting over a first one of the networks; and

transmitting over the second network;

wherein a transmission between the first device and the remote device occurs while switching from the first network to the second network.

46. The computer readable medium of claim 45, in which the switching further comprises switching networks immediately after transporting a first data packet and before transporting a subsequent consecutive data packet.

47. The computer readable medium of claim 45, further comprising monitoring to determine whether a next network is available for data transport.

50. The computer readable medium of claim 45, in which the plurality of parallel dissimilar networks comprise at least one wireless network and at least one wireline network.

51. The computer readable medium of claim 45, further comprising interfacing protocolized data into the plurality of parallel dissimilar networks using different protocols.

52. The computer readable medium of claim 45, in which the plurality of parallel dissimilar networks comprise switched networks.

53. The computer readable medium of claim 45, in which the plurality of parallel dissimilar networks comprise dedicated networks.

54. The computer readable medium of claim 45, in which the plurality of parallel dissimilar networks comprise switched networks and dedicated networks.

55. The computer readable medium of claim 45, in which the plurality of parallel dissimilar networks comprise at least one of digital networks and analog networks.

56. The computer readable medium of claim 45, in which at least one of the plurality of networks comprises a packet based wireless network.

57. The computer readable medium of claim 45, in which the data comprises digital data.

58. The computer readable medium of claim 57, in which the digital data further comprises digital voice.

59. A computer readable medium storing a program for dynamically routing data in a system comprising a first device and a plurality of remote devices, the first device being connected to a plurality of parallel wireless communications links so that the plurality of communications links can be monitored during a transmission, each of the remote devices being connected to one parallel wireless communications link or the plurality of parallel wireless communications links so that the plurality of communications links can be monitored during the transmission, comprising:

maintaining active communications links between the first device and at least one of the remote devices, at least two of the plurality of parallel wireless communications links being autonomous, dissimilar, connected to both the first device and the remote device, and available for data transmission;

contemporaneously monitoring the status of the plurality of parallel dissimilar wireless communication links;

transmitting over a first available communications link as needed;

switching from the first communications link to a second available communications link;

transmitting over the second communications link;

receiving over the first available communications link as needed; and

receiving over the second communications link,

wherein the transmission between the first device and the remote device occurs while switching from the first communications link to the second communications link.

60. The computer readable medium of claim 59, in which the switching further comprises switching communications links immediately after transporting a first data packet and before transporting a subsequent consecutive data packet.

61. The computer readable medium of claim 59, further comprising interfacing protocolized data into the plurality of parallel dissimilar communications links using different protocols.

62. The computer readable medium of claim 59, in which the plurality of parallel dissimilar communications links comprise switched networks.

63. The computer readable medium of claim 59, in which at least one of the plurality of communications links comprises a packet based wireless network.

64. The computer readable medium of claim 59, in which the data comprises digital data.

65. The computer readable medium of claim 64, in which the digital data further comprises digital voice.

66. A computer readable medium storing a program for dynamically routing data in a system comprising a first device and a plurality of remote devices, the first device being connected to a plurality of parallel wireless communications links so that the plurality of communications links can be monitored during a transmission, each of the remote devices being connected to one parallel wireless communications link or the plurality of parallel wireless communications links so that the plurality of communications links can be monitored during the transmission, comprising:

maintaining active communications links between the first device and at least one of the remote devices, at least two of the plurality of parallel wireless communications links being autonomous, dissimilar, connected to both the first device and the remote device, and available for data transmission;

monitoring the status of the plurality of parallel dissimilar wireless communications links;

transmitting over a first available communications link as needed;

receiving over a second available communications link as needed;

switching from the first communications link to a third available communications link; and

transmitting over the third communications link;

wherein the transmission between the first device and the remote device occurs while switching from the first communications link to the third communications link.

67. The computer readable medium of claim 66, in which the switching further comprises switching communications links immediately after transporting a first data packet and before transporting a subsequent consecutive data packet.

68. The computer readable medium of claim 66, further comprising interfacing protocolized data into the plurality of parallel dissimilar communications links using different protocols.

69. The computer readable medium of claim 66, in which the plurality of parallel dissimilar communications links comprise switched networks.

70. The computer readable medium of claim 66, in which at least one of the plurality of communications links comprises a packet based wireless networks.

71. The computer readable medium of claim 66, in which the data comprises digital data.

72. The computer readable medium of claim 71, in which the digital data further comprises digital voice.