Switching between connectivity types to maintain connectivity

• US 8,468,254 B2
• Filed: 12/13/2010
• Issued: 06/18/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Inventors: Meenan, Patrick, Chiles, David Clyde, Damick, Jeffrey J.
• Primary Examiner(s): JEAN GILLES, JUDE
• Application Number:
  US12/966,593
• Publication Number:
  US 20110078502A1
• Time in Patent Office: 918 Days
• Field of Search: 709/227, 709/229, 709/228, 709/224, 709/223, 709/203, 709/225, 709/219
• US Class Current: 709/227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2834 Switching of information between an external network and a home network access arrangements H04L12/2856
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/5692 Selection among different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0663 Performing the actions predefined by failover planning, e.g. switching to standby network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0811 by checking connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1066 Session management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment

Abstract

Techniques are provided for leveraging narrowband connectivity (such as dial-up communications or other types of low bandwidth communications) to provision or configure broadband connectivity between a broadband access provider and a broadband device, such as a DSL modem or a cable modem. Specifically, because narrowband connectivity does not require advance configuration or provisioning by the host system of connectivity parameters for an access-seeking device, a modem at an access-seeking device may be leveraged to establish a narrowband connection between that device and a host system and to enable an exchange or negotiation of connectivity parameters necessary to enable future broadband connectivity. Thus, once established, the narrowband connection may be used as a conduit for communicating required provisioning information between the broadband-enabling host and the access-seeking device to enable broadband connectivity by the device in the future.

Claims

1. A method of switching between connectivity types for enabling communications between a mobile user device and a host, the method comprising:

establishing a first communications session between the mobile user device and the host over a wireless broadband connection, the first communications session enabling an application of the mobile user device to render Internet content received over the wireless broadband connection;

detecting a communication failure in the wireless broadband connection;

automatically establishing, in response to detecting the communication failure in the wireless broadband connection, a second communications session between the mobile user device and the host over a wireless mobile network connection, which is different in connectivity type from the wireless broadband connection; and

leveraging the second communications session over the wireless mobile network connection to enable the application of the mobile user device to continue rendering Internet content despite the communication failure, using Internet content received over the wireless mobile network connection.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless broadband connection is a Wi-Fi connection to a wireless access point.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein a bandwidth of the wireless broadband connection is greater than a bandwidth of the wireless mobile network connection.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless mobile network connection comprises a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN).

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

authenticating, in response to establishing the first communications session of the wireless broadband connection between the mobile user device and the host, the user device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein authenticating the user device includes receiving a user identifier.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the user identifier includes one or more of a user name, a screen name, and a phone number.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein authenticating the user device includes receiving a password.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile user device is further configured to reconnect with the wireless broadband connection when the mobile user device detects a sufficiently strong signal from the wireless broadband connection.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile user device comprises at least one of a mobile phone or a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA).

11. The method of claim 1, wherein establishing the first communications session comprises establishing the first communications session with a home network gateway.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

informing, in response to detecting the communication failure in the first communications session of the wireless broadband connection, a user of the mobile user device about the communication failure in the first communications session of the wireless broadband connection.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein informing the user of the mobile user device of the communication failure in the first communications session of the wireless broadband connection includes enabling display of a message regarding the detected communication failure in the first communications session of the wireless broadband connection.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication failure in the first communications session of the wireless broadband connection is an interruption of the first communications session of the wireless broadband connection.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein establishing the second communications session over the wireless mobile network between the mobile user device and the host includes initiating the second communications session between the user device and the host over the wireless telephone network without user intervention.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

periodically detecting, in response to detecting the communication failure in the first communications session over the wireless broadband network, renewed availability of the wireless broadband network;

determining that the wireless broadband network is available; and

establishing, in response to determining that the wireless broadband network is available, a third communications session over the wireless broadband network between the mobile user device and the host.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein determining that the wireless broadband network is available includes receiving a data packet using the wireless broadband network.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

terminating, in response to establishing the third communications session over the wireless broadband network, the second communications session over the wireless mobile network.

19. A tangible computer-readable medium having embodied thereon a computer program configured to enable communications between a mobile user device and a host, the computer program comprising one or more code segments that, when executed, cause a mobile user device processor to:

establish a first communications session between the mobile user device and the host over a wireless broadband connection, the first communications session enabling an application of the mobile user device to render Internet content received over the wireless broadband connection;

detect a communication failure in the wireless broadband connection;

automatically establish, in response to detecting the communication failure in the wireless broadband connection, a second communications session between the mobile user device and the host over a wireless mobile network connection, which is different in connectivity type from the wireless broadband connection; and

leverage the second communications session over the wireless mobile network connection to enable the application of the mobile user device to continue rendering Internet content despite the communication failure, using Internet content received over the wireless mobile network connection.

20. A mobile user device configured to switch between connectivity types for enabling communications with a host, the mobile device comprising a processor connected to a storage device and one or more input/output devices, wherein the processor is configured to:

establish a first communications session between the mobile user device and the host over a wireless broadband connection, the first communications session enabling an application of the mobile user device to render Internet content received over the wireless broadband connection;

detect a communication failure in the wireless broadband connection;

automatically establish, in response to detecting the communication failure in the wireless broadband connection, a second communications session between the mobile user device and the host over a wireless mobile network connection, which is different in connectivity type from the wireless broadband connection; and

leverage the second communications session over the wireless telephone network connection to enable the application of the mobile user device to continue rendering Internet content despite the communication failure, using Internet content received over the wireless mobile network connection.