Dual mode unit for short range, high rate and long range, lower rate data communications

• US 7,616,970 B2
• Filed: 01/06/2006
• Issued: 11/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: IPR Licensing Incorporated (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: IPR Licensing Incorporated (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gorsuch, Thomas E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Taylor; Barry W
• Application Number:
  US11/326,809
• Publication Number:
  US 20060116129A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,404 Days
• Field of Search: 455/553.1, 455/552.1
• US Class Current: 455/553.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/10 using broadcasted information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/02 Selection of wireless resources by user or terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/15 Setup of multiple wireless link connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/30 Connection release
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A technique for communicating with a local area network (LAN) via a wireless connection determines whether a first short-range, high-speed, wireless communication path is available and connects to the LAN using a longer range, lower speed wireless communication path if the short-range, high-speed wireless communication path is not available. The low-range, high-speed wireless communication path is a wireless LAN connection such as an IEEE 802.11-compliant wireless LAN and the long-range, low-speed wireless communication mode is a cellular CDMA-type connection. Determining whether the first IEEE 802.11 mode is available can be done by detecting a beacon signal, or by transmitting a probe request message and detecting a probe response message in response to the probe request, indicating the presence or availability of the short-range, high-speed wireless communication path. Alternatively, the availability of short-range, high-speed wireless communication path can be detected by simply detecting activity on it.

Claims

1. A subscriber unit comprising:

a cellular transceiver configured to communicate with a cellular network via a cellular layered communication protocol;

an IEEE 802 transceiver configured to communicate with a wireless local area network (WLAN) via an IEEE 802 layered communication protocol;

a detector configured to detect a signal from the WLAN; and

a circuit coupled to the cellular transceiver and the IEEE 802 transceiver and configured to communicate using the IEEE 802 transceiver in response to the signal;

wherein the cellular layered communication protocol includes a plurality of layers above a physical layer, and a plurality of physical layer channels are available for assignment for communication with the cellular network and a communication session above the physical layer is maintained when all assigned physical layer channels have been released.

2. The subscriber unit of claim 1, wherein the IEEE 802 transceiver is configured to transmit TCP/IP data when the communication session is maintained and all assigned physical layer channels have been released.

3. The subscriber unit of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of layers above the physical layer is any one of a TCP layer, a IP layer, or a network layer.

4. The subscriber unit of claim 1, wherein the cellular transceiver and the IEEE 802 transceiver are provided in a single unit.

5. The subscriber unit of claim 1, wherein the subscriber unit is configured in a mobile telephone or personal digital assistant.

6. The subscriber unit of claim 1, wherein the signal is a beacon frame or probe response frame.

7. The subscriber unit of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of physical layer channels is a data channel.

8. The subscriber unit of claim 1, wherein the cellular network is a licensed code division multiple access network and the WLAN is an unlicensed 802.11 network.

9. The subscriber unit of claim 1, wherein the cellular transceiver is a code division multiple access transceiver and the IEEE 802 transceiver is an 802.11 transceiver.

10. A subscriber unit comprising:

a first transceiver configured to communicate with a first wireless network;

a second transceiver configured to communicate with an IEEE 802 compliant wireless network; and

a processor coupled to the first transceiver and the second transceiver, and configured to operate a first protocol stack for the first wireless network and a second protocol stack for the IEEE 802 compliant wireless network, wherein a plurality of physical layer channels are available for assignment for communication with the first wireless network, and to maintain a communication session above a physical layer of the first protocol stack when none of the plurality of physical layer channels are assigned.

11. The subscriber unit of claim 10, further comprising:

a detector configured to detect the IEEE 802 compliant wireless network; and

a circuit configured to select the second transceiver in response to detection of the IEEE 802 compliant wireless network.

12. The subscriber unit of claim 11, wherein detection of the IEEE 802 compliant wireless network is based on receipt of a beacon frame or probe response frame.

13. The subscriber unit of claim 10, wherein the second transceiver is configured to transmit TCP/IP data when the communication session is maintained when none of the plurality of physical layer channels are assigned.

14. The subscriber unit of claim 10, wherein at least one of the plurality of layers above the physical layer is any one of a TCP layer, a IP layer, or a network layer.

15. The subscriber unit of claim 10, wherein at least one of the plurality of physical layer channels is a data channel.

16. The subscriber unit of claim 10, wherein the first wireless network is a licensed code division multiple access network and the IEEE 802 compliant wireless network is an unlicensed IEEE 802.11 network.

17. The subscriber unit of claim 10, wherein the first transceiver is a code division multiple access transceiver and the second transceiver is an 802.11 transceiver.

18. The subscriber unit of claim 10, wherein the first transceiver is a cellular transceiver.