Distributed disparate wireless switching network

• US 7,733,822 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2004
• Issued: 06/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sanjay M. Gidwani
• Original Assignee: Sanjay M. Gidwani
• Inventors: Gidwani, Sanjay M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ly; Nghi H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gonzalez; Amancio
• Application Number:
  US11/001,255
• Publication Number:
  US 20060168111A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,016 Days
• Field of Search: 455/411, 455/433, 455436-444, 370/260, 370/261, 370/263, 370/264, 370/310, 370/328
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0892 by using authentication-authorization-accounting [AAA] servers or protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/11 Allocation or use of connection identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/182 Network node acting on behalf of an other network entity, e.g. proxy

Abstract

A distributed disparate wireless switching network is described herein. In one embodiment, an exemplary network architecture includes, but is not limited to, a connection origination exchange (COX), a proxy controller coupled to the COX, an access point coupled to the proxy controller, and a mobile node wirelessly coupled to the access point. The mobile node communicates with a terminating node of a network through the access point and the proxy controller using an identification maintained by the proxy controller. The COX originates a connection with the terminating node on behalf of the mobile node using the identification provided by the proxy controller. Other methods and apparatuses are also described.

Claims

1. A network architecture, comprising:

a connection origination exchange (COX);

a first proxy controller coupled to the COX;

a first access point coupled to the first proxy controller; and

a mobile node wirelessly coupled to the first access point,

wherein the mobile node communicates with a terminating node of a network through the first access point and the first proxy controller using an identification maintained by the first proxy controller,

wherein the COX originates a connection with the terminating node on behalf of the mobile node using the identification provided by the first proxy controller,

wherein connection services are provided via a first connection segment between the mobile node and the COX at a first time and are provided via a second connection segment between the mobile node and the COX at a second time,

wherein, when the mobile node moves out a coverage area of the first access point into a coverage area of a cellular network, the first proxy controller identifies the first access point as an egress access point, sends a data ping signal to the mobile node through the cellular network to locate the mobile node, and adds a participant to the connectivity maintained by the COX between the mobile node and the terminating node;

wherein, after receiving a message from the first proxy server for adding the participant, the COX provides a multi-party conference connection between the mobile node and the terminating node to simultaneously communicate with the terminating node via the first access point and the cellular network; and

wherein, when the mobile node becomes temporarily unavailable for a period of time within a timeout period, the COX elects to notify the terminating node of the temporary loss of communication with the mobile node, and maintains the connection to the terminating node such that the connection is not lost and is not re-originated when the mobile node becomes available within the timeout period.

2. The network architecture of claim 1, wherein the COX cooperates with the mobile node to provide virtualized origination of the connection to the terminating node over the network, and wherein the identification is a virtual subscriber identification associated with a subscriber of the mobile node.

3. The network architecture of claim 1, wherein the first proxy controller maintains a record containing preferences, localization characteristics, localization information, authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA) information associated with a subscriber of the mobile node.

4. The network architecture of claim 3, wherein the authentication is performed using a dynamic authentication identifier associated with the subscriber that changes from time to time to provide access to the network.

5. The network architecture of claim 3, wherein the first proxy controller cooperates with the mobile node to provide AAA, network management, and network accesses to resources of the network.

6. The network architecture of claim 1, wherein connection services are provided via the first connection segment between a first subscriber of the mobile node and the COX, and wherein connection services are provided via the second connection segment between a second subscriber of the mobile node and the COX.

7. The network architecture of claim 1, wherein the COX maintains a plurality of simultaneous connections with multiple devices to an originating mobile subscriber.

8. The network architecture of claim 1, wherein the COX maintains a plurality of simultaneous connections with multiple devices to a terminating subscriber.

9. The network architecture of claim 1, wherein connection services are provided by the COX using a virtual subscriber identifier associated with a plurality of subscribers.

10. The network architecture of claim 1, further comprising a master information base to store subscriber elected preference profile and application behavioral preferences associated with types of connections when establishing a connection within the network.

11. The network architecture of claim 1, wherein the first proxy controller is coupled to a plurality of access points including the first access point and a second access point, and wherein the mobile node is able to wirelessly communicate with one or more of the access points.

12. The network architecture of claim 11, wherein the first proxy controller maintains historical and current network traffic information of the access points to provide switching functionality of the mobile node from the first access point to the second access point based on a historical likelihood of subscriber roaming.

13. The network architecture of claim 12, further comprising a second proxy controller coupled to the COX and one or more other access points, wherein the first and second proxy controllers communicate with each other regarding historical and current network traffic information of the access points.

14. The network architecture of claim 13, wherein the first and second proxy controllers exchange information regarding application behavior preferences based on subscriber elected preferences, traffic policies, quality of service, a subscriber'"'"'s profile, an application'"'"'s profile or a combination thereof

15. A method, comprising:

a first proxy controller communicating with a connection origination exchange (COX) and one or more access points over a wired connection;

a mobile node wirelessly communicating with at least one of the one or more access points and the mobile node communicating with a terminating node of a network through a first access point and the first proxy controller using an identification maintained by the first proxy controller; and

the COX originating a connection with the terminating node on behalf of the mobile node using the identification provided by the first proxy controller,

wherein connection services are provided via a first connection segment between the mobile node and the COX at a first time and are provided via a second connection segment between the mobile node and the COX at a second time,

wherein, when the mobile node moves out a coverage area of the first access point into a coverage area of a cellular network, the first proxy controller identifies the first access point as an egress access point, sends a data ping signal to the mobile node through the cellular network to locate the mobile node, and adds a participant to the connectivity maintained by the COX between the mobile node and the terminating node,

wherein, after receiving a message from the first proxy server for adding the participant the COX provides a multi-party conference connection between the mobile node and the terminating node to simultaneously communicate with the terminating node via the first access point and the cellular network; and

wherein, when the mobile node becomes temporarily unavailable for a period of time within a timeout period, the COX elects to notify the terminating node of the temporary loss of communication with the mobile node, and maintains the connection to the terminating node such that the connection is not lost and is not re-originated when the mobile node becomes available within the timeout period.

16. An apparatus, comprising:

means for a first proxy controller communicating with a connection origination exchange (COX) and one or more access points over a wired connection;

means for a mobile node wirelessly communicating with at least one of the one or more access points and the mobile node communicating with a terminating node of a network through a first access point and the first proxy controller using an identification maintained by the first proxy controller; and

means for the COX originating a connection with the terminating node on behalf of the mobile node using the identification provided by the first proxy controller,

wherein connection services are provided via a first connection segment between the mobile node and the COX at a first time and are provided via a second connection segment between the mobile node and the COX at a second time,

wherein, when the mobile node moves out a coverage area of the first access point into a coverage area of a cellular network, the first proxy controller identifies the first access point as an egress access point, sends a data ping signal to the mobile node through the cellular network to locate the mobile node, and adds a participant to the connectivity maintained by the COX between the mobile node and the terminating node,

wherein, after receiving a message from the first proxy server for adding the participant the COX provides a multi-party conference connection between the mobile node and the terminating node to simultaneously communicate with the terminating node via the first access point and the cellular network; and

wherein, when the mobile node becomes temporarily unavailable for a period of time within a timeout period, the COX elects to notify the terminating node of the temporary loss of communication with the mobile node, and maintains the connection to the terminating node such that the connection is not lost and is not re-originated when the mobile node becomes available within the timeout period.