Method and apparatus for wireless data services over a selected bearer service

• US 7,912,453 B2
• Filed: 06/10/2003
• Issued: 03/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Luna, Michael, Coan, William Patrick
• Primary Examiner(s): Edouard; Patrick N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Genack; Matthew W
• Application Number:
  US10/457,406
• Publication Number:
  US 20030211858A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,842 Days
• Field of Search: 4554121-4122, 455/414.1, 455/414.3
• US Class Current: 455/412.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements

Abstract

A service message, including a device application identifier and a bearer service indicator, is generated and sent to a wireless communications device. As a result, data can be transmitted between a server and a wireless device over a selected bearer service.

Claims

1. A method of sending a service request to a network application from a wireless device over a wireless communication network, comprising:

generating, by a wireless device, the service request identifying at least a selected wireless bearer service to provide the requested service;

maintaining an active session, if a wireless bearer service of the active session corresponds to the selected wireless bearer service;

suspending the active session, if the wireless bearer service of the active session does not correspond to the selected wireless bearer service;

initiating an active session over the selected wireless bearer service, if there is one of no active session or a suspended active session; and

sending the service request over the selected wireless bearer service via the active session, wherein the selected wireless bearer service is selected from a set or subset of specific bearer services and is identified by a wireless bearer service indicator that specifies a minimum level of service associated with at least the selected wireless bearer service, wherein the set or subset of specific bearer services comprises at least a first plurality of specific bearer services identified by a first wireless bearer service indicator value, and wherein a second wireless bearer service indicator value identifies a subset of bearer services comprising a subset of the first plurality or specific bearer services;

wherein the service request additionally includes at least one of a device application identifier, a network application address, and a displayable name of one or more services.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected wireless bearer service corresponds to a network application and the network application is selected from the group of a Wireless Application Protocol application and a Handheld Device Markup Language application.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected wireless bearer service corresponds to a network application and the network application resides on a server.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the server is coupled to a wireless carrier network, the wireless carrier network providing service content over the selected wireless bearer service.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the server is part of a wireless carriers network, the wireless carrier providing service content over the selected wireless bearer service.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless bearer service indicator identifies a single bearer service.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless bearer service indicator identifies a set of bearer services.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the set of wireless bearer services includes a lowest useable quality bearer service.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected wireless bearer service is a packet data service.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the packet data service is a cellular digital packet data service.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the packet data service is a high speed packet data service.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected wireless bearer service is selected based on a magnitude of bandwidth of the selected wireless bearer service.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected wireless bearer service is selected based on a level of latency of the selected wireless bearer service.

40. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of wireless specific bearer services includes two or more of a digital control channel (DCCH) of an Interim Standard 136 (IS-136) bearer service, an Interim Standard 135 (IS-135) bearer service, a Cellular Digital Packet Data (CDPD) bearer service, and an IS-136 High Speed Packet Data (HSPD) bearer service.

41. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless bearer service indicator is associated with a network application.

43. The method of claim 1, wherein the minimum level of service is associated with more than one bearer service among the plurality of specific wireless bearer services.

14. A method of sending data content to a wireless device over a selected wireless bearer service, comprising:

receiving an initial service request from a wireless device identifying at least the selected wireless bearer service;

maintaining an active session, if a wireless bearer service of the active session corresponds to the selected wireless bearer service;

suspending the active session, if the wireless bearer service of the active session does not correspond to the selected wireless bearer service;

initiating an active session over the selected wireless bearer service, if there is one of no active session or a suspended active session;

sending at least a portion of data content over the selected wireless bearer service via the active session, wherein the selected wireless bearer service is selected from a set or subset of specific wireless bearer services and is identified by a wireless bearer service indicator indicating a minimum level of service associated with at least the selected wireless bearer service, wherein the set or subset of specific bearer services comprises at least a first plurality of specific bearer services identified by a first wireless bearer service indicator value, and wherein a second wireless bearer service indicator value identifies a subset of bearer services comprising a subset of the first plurality or specific bearer services;

reviewing, at the wireless device, the at least a portion of the data content;

receiving a secondary service request from the wireless device identifying at least the selected wireless bearer service based at least in part on the portion of the data content; and

sending additional data content in response to the secondary service request.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the selected wireless bearer service corresponds to a network application, and the network application is selected from the group of a Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) application and a Handheld Device Markup Language (HDML) application.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the selected wireless bearer service corresponds to a network application and the network application resides on a server.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the server is coupled to a wireless carrier network, the wireless carrier network providing service content over the selected wireless bearer service.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the server is part of a wireless carrier network, the wireless carrier network providing service content over the selected wireless bearer service.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the wireless bearer service indicator identifies a single bearer service.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the wireless bearer service indicator identifies a set of bearer services.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the set of wireless bearer services includes a lowest useable quality bearer service.

22. The method of claim 14, wherein the selected wireless bearer service is a packet data service.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the packet data service is a cellular digital packet data service.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the packet data service is a high speed packet data service.

25. The method of claim 14, wherein the selected wireless bearer service is selected based on a magnitude of bandwidth of the selected wireless bearer service.

26. The method of claim 14, wherein the selected wireless bearer service is selected based on a level of latency of the selected wireless bearer service.

42. The method of claim 14, wherein the wireless bearer service indicator is associated with a network application.

27. A method of determining a wireless bearer service indicator based on a network application address and conducting an active session based on the determined wireless bearer service indicator, comprising:

receiving, from a network application, service content, the service content including an address of the network application and a device application identifier;

comparing the device application identifier to a resident application identifier to determine if a matched device application identifier exists;

determining the wireless bearer service indicator from one or more of the matched device application identifier and the network application address of the network application using a predefined table of associations comprising at least a first wireless bearer service indicator associated with a first plurality of specific bearer services and at least a second wireless bearer service indicator associated with a second plurality of specific bearer services comprising a subset of the first plurality or specific bearer services, wherein the wireless bearer service indicator identifies at least one wireless bearer service that meets at least a minimum level of service from a plurality of specific wireless bearer services;

initiating an active session over the wireless bearer service corresponding to the determined wireless bearer service indicator, if there is one of no active session or a suspended active session;

maintaining an active session, if a wireless bearer service of the active session corresponds to the determined wireless bearer service indicator; and

suspending the active session, if the wireless bearer service of the active session does not correspond to the determined wireless bearer service indicator.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the selected wireless bearer service corresponds to the network application and the network application is selected from the group of a wireless application protocol application and a handheld device markup language application.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein the network application resides on a server.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the server is coupled to a wireless carrier network, the wireless carrier network providing service content over the selected wireless bearer service.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein the server is part of a wireless carrier network, the wireless carrier network providing service content over the selected wireless bearer service.

32. The method of claim 27, wherein the wireless bearer service indicator identifies a single wireless bearer service.

33. The method of claim 27, wherein the wireless bearer service indicator identifies a set of wireless bearer services.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the set of wireless bearer services includes a lowest useable quality bearer service.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the lowest useable quality wireless bearer service is selected based on a magnitude of bandwidth of the lowest useable quality wireless bearer service.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein the lowest useable quality wireless bearer service is selected based on a level of latency of the lowest useable quality wireless bearer service.

37. The method of claim 27, wherein the wireless bearer service corresponding to the wireless bearer service indicator is a packet data service.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the packet data service is a cellular digital packet data service.

39. The method of claim 37, wherein the packet data service is a high speed packet data service.