Tiered wireless, multi-modal access system and method
First Claim
1. In a multi-tiered wireless communication system including a first wireless gateway having a first broadcasting range within a first tier of the multi-tiered wireless communication system, a second wireless gateway having a second broadcasting range within a second tier of the multi-tiered wireless communication system, the first and second tiers being at least partially overlapped geographically, the second broadcasting range being significantly greater than the first broadcasting range, a multi-modal access device operable to communicate with both the first and second wireless gateways, wherein the multi-modal access device communicates with the first wireless gateway using a first protocol and communicates with the second wireless gateway using a second protocol that is different than the first protocol and a system traffic controller for establishing a communication link between the multi-modal access device and one of the first and second wireless gateways to be switched to a communication link between the multi-modal access device and the other wireless gateway when system control commands are issued by the system traffic controller to the first and second wireless gateways, a method comprising the steps of:
- (a) detecting that the multi-modal access device requires transition of a communication link from the wireless gateway within one tier to the wireless gateway in the other tier; and
(b) coordinating the transition of the communication link by issuing system control commands to the first and second wireless gateways to achieve more nearly optimal utilization of the communication system.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A wireless, multi-modal access device and system adapted to integrate a number of communications networks operating in differing communication modes to facilitate transfer of communication links during a communication session to promote efficient use of the communication networks. The system includes a plurality of Universal Multi-Modal Access Devices UMMAD that are capable of operating at different frequencies and different protocols (TDMA, AMPS, CDMA, GSM, PCS etc) to communicate with any one of a number of Wide Bandwidth Gateways (WBG), which are each capable of communication using one or more of the protocols. The communication links may be switched from one WBG to another or from one protocol to another during a communication session to continue the session under the control of a Universal System Traffic Controller. Numerous other applications of the UMMADs for unique identification and e-commerce are disclosed.
127 Citations
8 Claims
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1. In a multi-tiered wireless communication system including a first wireless gateway having a first broadcasting range within a first tier of the multi-tiered wireless communication system, a second wireless gateway having a second broadcasting range within a second tier of the multi-tiered wireless communication system, the first and second tiers being at least partially overlapped geographically, the second broadcasting range being significantly greater than the first broadcasting range, a multi-modal access device operable to communicate with both the first and second wireless gateways, wherein the multi-modal access device communicates with the first wireless gateway using a first protocol and communicates with the second wireless gateway using a second protocol that is different than the first protocol and a system traffic controller for establishing a communication link between the multi-modal access device and one of the first and second wireless gateways to be switched to a communication link between the multi-modal access device and the other wireless gateway when system control commands are issued by the system traffic controller to the first and second wireless gateways, a method comprising the steps of:
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(a) detecting that the multi-modal access device requires transition of a communication link from the wireless gateway within one tier to the wireless gateway in the other tier; and (b) coordinating the transition of the communication link by issuing system control commands to the first and second wireless gateways to achieve more nearly optimal utilization of the communication system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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Specification