`
`US 20050286466A1
`
`as) United States
`a2) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: US 2005/0286466 Al
`
` Tagget al. (43) Pub. Date: Dec. 29, 2005
`
`
`(54) SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING MOBILE VOIP
`
`Related U.S. Application Data
`
`(76)
`
`Inventors: James Peter Tagg, Edenbridge (GB);
`Andrew Donald McEwan, Hanwell
`(GB)
`
`(63) Continuation-in-part of application No. 09/706,406,
`filed on Nov. 3, 2000.
`Publication Classification
`
`Correspondence Address:
`REED SMITH. LLP
`?
`ATTN: PATENT RECORDS DEPARTMENT
`599 LEXINGTON AVENUE, 29TH FLOOR
`NEW YORK, NY 10022-7650 (US)
`
`(21) Appl. No.:
`
`11/129,184
`
`Inte C0?eecccccccccceeeeesscccessssnnnseeceesnssnnnnensss H04Q 7/00
`(SV)
`.
`(52) US. Che eeececeesncsstertsenseneenneenes 370/329; 370/401
`(57)
`ABSTRACT
`Asystem for providing handoff for a mobile devices com-
`prising a mobile phone programmed to automatically han-
`dover between differing data bearers and to optimally detect
`those bearers in a roaming environment keeping power
`consumption to a minimum. Repeating means for these
`mobile devices to extend the range of coverage and the
`
`(22)
`
`Filed:
`
`May12, 2005
`
`protocol for that coverage.
`
`Bose Exhibit 1031
`
`Bosev. Koss
`
`
`
`Patent Application Publication Dec. 29,2005 Sheet 1 of 32
`
`US 2005/0286466 Al
`
`Fig. I
`
`
`
`Patent Application Publication Dec. 29, 2005 Sheet 2 of 32
`
`US 2005/0286466 Al
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`
`
`Obtain Access
`
`Repeatuntil
`connection found
`
`Find network host
`node
`
`Establish Physical Link
`
`Establish Logical Link
`
`Send Client Info to Host
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Can local Match
`be made?
`
`No| Send Client & Host
`Information to Server
`
`
`
`206
`
`208
`
`
`Can Server
`
`Match be made?
`
`Done (Success)
`Done (Fail)
`
`Fig. 2
`
`
`
`Patent Application Publication Dec. 29, 2005 Sheet 3 of 32
`
`US 2005/0286466 Al
`
`General Member Information
`
`301
`
`# N
`
`ame, Addressetc..
`
`302
`
`YES/NO
`
`YES/NO
`
`5%-ALL
`
`1-16
`
`n n n $
`
`/hour
`
`MemberID
`
`Customer Record
`
`Tunnel Provider
`
`Allow data link
`
`Allow voice link
`
`Bandwidth share
`
`Numberof simultaneous users
`
`Numberof provided minutes
`
`Numberof discrete connection events
`
`Total bits provided.
`
`Charge for uplink
`
`Cost to establish connection
`
`$per connect
`
`low-high
`
`low-high
`
`max $/hour
`
`n m
`
`ax $/day
`per hour
`|
`Carrier, numberetc...
`
`Table of desired content
`
`Tunnel user
`
`303
`
`Encryption level (data)
`
`Encryption level (voice)
`Pay for up-link
`
`Number of used minutes (budget)
`
`Link budget
`
`Polling Frequency
`
`Cell
`
`phone record
`
`Synchronize or buy
`
`Fig. 3
`
`
`
`Patent Application Publication Dec. 29, 2005 Sheet 4 of 32
`
`US 2005/0286466 Al
`
`
`
`Enable Cooperative Networking
`
`401
`
` Software download to member
`
`device
`
`Configuration of Member Device
`
`
`
` Log onto Website
`
`
`
`
`Set tunnel provision preferences
`
`Set Access provision preferences
`
`Return Summary & Confirmation
`
`
`
`Fig. 4
`
`
`
`Patent Application Publication Dec. 29, 2005 Sheet 5 of 32
`
`US 2005/0286466 Al
`
`
`
`Client 601
`Host
`611
`Server
`
`602
`
`
`
`Browser
`Browser &
`613
`Nene
`
`
`Application
`
`
`Pages
`603
`601
`606
`607
`608
`
`
`
`
`cta||IP Stack IP Stack||CTA||IP Stack 615 616
`
`
`
`Configuration
`Matching
`Software
`Rules
`
`Sowa
`
`
`we il
`
`M
`
`Patent Application Publication Dec. 29, 2005 Sheet 6 of 32
`
`US 2005/0286466 Al
`
`612
`
`
`
`
`
`Drivers
` Drivers
`Drivers
`
`
`Server Engine
`
`
`
`617
`
`Fig. 6
`
`
`
`Patent Application Publication Dec. 29,2005 Sheet 7 of 32
`
`US 2005/0286466 Al
`
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`Patent Application Publication Dec. 29, 2005 Sheet 8 of 32
`
`US 2005/0286466 Al
`
`Matching Algorithm
`
`Matching Process
`
`
`
`Obtain Host ID Obtain Client ID
`
`
`
` Look up records on
`
`database.
`
` Match permissions with
`desired access.
`
`
`
` Ask Client to change
`Do permission
`desired access.
`and desire
`
`match?
`
`
`
`DoesClient
`have alternative
`
`
`
`preferences
`
`
`
`
`Patent Application Publication Dec. 29, 2005 Sheet 9 of 32
`
`US 2005/0286466 Al
`
`Server
`
`908
`
`VOIP
`Server
`
`903
`
`
`
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`
` "
`
`Internet
`901
`
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`=_——
`Cellular
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`Infrastructure
` 904
`
`
`
`
`Patent Application Publication Dec. 29,2005 Sheet 10 of 32
`
`US 2005/0286466 Al
`
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`Patent Application Publication Dec. 29,2005 Sheet 11 of 32
`
`US 2005/0286466 Al
`
`Phone
`
`1100
`
`
`
`Audio Play 1103
`
`CODEC 1105
`
`Authenticate 1126
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`3™ Auth 1136
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`HW 11418
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`Figure 11
`
`
`
`Patent Application Publication Dec. 29,2005 Sheet 12 of 32
`
`US 2005/0286466 Al
`
`Mobile
`1214-1215
`WWAN WLAN Phone
`C)
`M C/[M 4991
`
`Access
`Point
`Proxy
`1202
`
`SIP
`Server
`1203
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`1204
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`Call in progress 1205
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`UMTS: Invite 1208
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`Call'broken 1206 Call held 1207
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`
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`Re-establishedmediastream 1213
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`Figure 12
`
`
`
`Patent Application Publication Dec. 29, 2005 Sheet 13 of 32
`
`US 2005/0286466 Al
`
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`Patent Application Publication Dec. 29,2005 Sheet 14 of 32
`
`US 2005/0286466 Al
`
`Handoff WWAN 4P->WWAN -A
`Case §
`1457
`
`WLANoff
`WWAN -Audio/Data
`VoIP Call WWAN 4P
`1456
`
`Handoftwon>“ ”
`1458
`
`WLANConnection
`
`WWAN Connection
`verre aS.nA
`
`
`
`1463
`
`146:
`
`Handoff WLAN ->WWAN-IP
`Case 1
`1460
`
`
`
`Handoff WWAN +P->WLAN
`Case 6
`
`WLAN off
`WWAN -Audio
`Voice Call WWAN -A
`
`1452
` Discover WLAN & Autheticate
`Authenticate ,
`Discover Case 1
`
`Handoff WWAN -A->WWAN -IP
`1453
`Case 4
`
`
`1454 Handover WLAN ->WLAN
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`WLAN Connection
`
`
`WWANConnection
`
`VolP Call WLAN
`1461
`
`Handoff Voice ->WLAN
`Case 2
`1459
`45
`
`1464
`
`
`1462
`
`Handover WLAN ->WLAN
`1463
`
`KEY
`WLANSiatus
`WWAN Status
`Voice Calt Path
`
`Active Call States Onty
`
`Figure 14
`
`
`
`Patent Application Publication Dec. 29,2005 Sheet 15 of 32
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`US 2005/0286466 Al
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`Patent Application Publication Dec. 29, 2005 Sheet 16 of 32
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`US 2005/0286466 Al
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`Figure 16
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`
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`Patent Application Publication Dec. 29, 2005 Sheet 17 of 32
`
`US 2005/0286466 Al
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`Figure 17
`
`Rear view
`
`Side view
`
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`
`Figure 18
`
`
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`Patent Application Publication Dec. 29, 2005 Sheet 18 of 32
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`US 2005/0286466 Al
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`Patent Application Publication Dec. 29,2005 Sheet 19 of 32
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`Patent Application Publication Dec. 29,2005 Sheet 20 of 32
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`Patent Application Publication Dec. 29,2005 Sheet 22 of 32
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`US 2005/0286466 Al
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`Patent Application Publication Dec. 29,2005 Sheet 23 of 32
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`Patent Application Publication Dec. 29,2005 Sheet 24 of 32
`
`US 2005/0286466 Al
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` Basic Product 2501
`
`Perea
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Internet
`2508
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`Figure 26
`
`
`
`Patent Application Publication Dec. 29, 2005 Sheet 25 of 32
`
`US 2005/0286466 Al
`
` Telco Network 2702
`
`
`
`Location
`Plus AP Info
`
`Figure 27
`
`
`
`Patent Application Publication Dec. 29,2005 Sheet 26 of 32
`
`US 2005/0286466 Al
`
`
`
`
`
`2802
`
`2801
`
`User enters phone
`Userselects from
`number
`
`
`
`phone book
`
`
`2804
`
`
`
`Search for APsin
`2805
`
`
`
`2803
`Is AP set?
`the area and display
`
`User chooses AP
`list to user
`
`
`
`
`2806
`
`Connectto AP via
`WLAN
`
` 2807
`
`Send phone
`numberto AP
`
`
`
`
` 2808
`
`Wait for call
`connection
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Tale
`
`CALLIN
`
`PROGRESS
`
`2811
`
`2812
`
`Receive PCM
`
`Receive PCM
`
`samples from
`
`samples from AP
`
`Audio In stream
`
`
` 2813
`
`Receive hangup
`
`from AP
`
`2814
`2816
`
`2815
`
`Send PCM
`
`Send PCM
`
`Send hangup to
`
`samples to Audio
`
`AP
`samples to AP
`Out stream
`
`
`
`
`
`
`2817
`
`Stop Streaming
`
`2818
`
`
`Disconnect from
`AP
`
`
`
`2819
`END
`
`(back to start)
`
`
`
`
`Figure 28a
`
`
`
`Patent Application Publication Dec. 29, 2005 Sheet 27 of 32
`
`US 2005/0286466 Al
`
`2820
`START
`
`2822
`
`Receive phone
`numberfrom
`handset
`
`2823
`
`
`Perform
`
`
`registration with
`SIP server
`
`
` 2821
`
`Wait for incoming
`
`connection from
`handset
`
`
`
` 2824
`
`Negotiate SIP
`INVITE with SIP
`
`server
` 2825
`
`Connect to RTP
`endpoint
`
`
`
`2826
`
`
`CALLIN
`
`PROGRESS
`
`2828
`2827
`
`
`
`Receive PCM
`Receive RTP
`
`
`
`samples from
`
`packet from RTP
`
`
`
`2830
`handset
`2829
`
`endpoint
`
`Receive SIP BYE
`
`
`
`Receive hang-up
`from RTP or SIP
`
`from handset
`
`endpoints
`
`2831
`2832
`
`
`
`Convert to RTP
`Convert to PCM
`
`
`
`packets
`samples
`
`
`
`2833
`2834
`
`
`
`Send SIP BYE to
`Send hang-up to
`
`
`
`handset
`RTP endpoint
`
`2835
`
`2836
`
`Send PCM
`
`
`
`Send RTP packets
`
`samples to
`
`
`to Proxy server
`handset
`
`
`
`
`
`2837
`
`Disconnect from
`handset
`
`2838
`
`END
`
`(Back to Start)
`
`Figure 286
`
`
`
`Patent Application Publication Dec. 29,2005 Sheet 28 of 32
`
`US 2005/0286466 Al
`
`2839
`START
`
`
`
`
`2841
`2840
`
`
`User enters phone
`User selects from
`number
`
`
`phone book
`
`
`
`
`2843
`
`
`
`Search for APs in
`2844
`
`
`
`the area and display
`Is AP set?
`2842
`
`
`
`
`User chooses AP
`list to user
`
`
` 2845
`
`Connect to AP via
`
`WLAN
` 2846
`
`Perform
`registration with
`
`
`IP servervia AP
`
`
`
`
`
`
`2847
`Negotiate SIP
`INVITE with SIP
`
`
`server via AP
`
`
`
`2848
`
`Connect to RTP
`endpoint via AP
`
`
`
`
`
`2849
`
`CALL IN
`
`PROGRESS
`
`2851
`
`
`2852
`
`Receive PCM
`
`Receive RTP
`
`
`samples from
`
`packets from AP
`Audio In stream
`
`
`
`2853
`
`
`Receive SIP BYE
`
`from AP
`2854
`2855
`
`
`
`
`
`Convert to RTP
`Convert to PCM
`
`
`2856
`samples
`
`
`
`Send SIP BYEto
`
`
`AP
`
`
`2858
`
`
` to RTP endpoint
`samples to Audio
`via AP
`
`Out stream
`
`
`
`
`
`2859
`
`Stop Streaming
`
`2861
`
`
`END
`
`(back to start)
`
`
`Figure 28c
`
`
`
`Patent Application Publication Dec. 29, 2005 Sheet 29 of 32
`
`US 2005/0286466 Al
`
` 2862
`
`
`START
`
`Wait for incoming
`connection from
`handset
`
` 2864
`
`
`
`IP address fix-up and
`forwarding between
`handset and SIP/RTP
`endpoints, via Proxy if
`necessary
`
` 2863
`
`
`
`
`
`
`2865
`
`Handset shuts
`down connection
`
`
`
`2866
`END
`
`(Backto Start)
`
`Figure 28d
`
`
`
`Patent Application Publication Dec. 29, 2005 Sheet 30 of 32
`
`US 2005/0286466 Al
`
`
`
` 2867
`
`
`START 2868
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Peer-to-peer
`radio layer
`Discovery
`and Routing
`
`
`
`
`
`
` 2869
`LAN Segment
`Discovery
`and Routing
`nclude PC Bridge
`
` 2870
`
`
`
`SIP Proxy
`Discovery
`
`
`and Routing
`
`
`2871
`
`
`
`Terminate to PSTN
`
`Figure 28e
`
`
`
`Patent Application Publication Dec. 29, 2005 Sheet 31 of 32
`
`US 2005/0286466 Al
`
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`
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`Figure 29
`
`
`
`
`3002
`Power Output
`
`3003
`
`dB Sensitivity
`
`
`
`3008
`+20dBM
`Power Output
`dB Sensitivity
`-88dBm
`
`
`
`Figure 30
`
`
`
`Patent Application Publication Dec. 29, 2005 Sheet 32 of 32
`
`US 2005/0286466 Al
`
`3100
`
`3101
`IP Layer
`
`Hardware Control layer
`3103
`Driver
`
`
`
`3104
`Interface
`
`
`
`
`
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`
`3106
`3105
`
`Interface Co-Existence
`
`3107
`3108
`
`80211 Subsystem
`
`
`Bluetooth Subsystem
`
`bt Active
` 3108
`RFCOMM
`3110
`L2CAP
`3111
`HCI
`3114
`HW
`
`
`
`
`
`3115
`Beacon WakeSlot
`
`3116
`
`Beacon WakeSlot
`
`Time
`<0TXStintervali—$§_—TTX_$_$$—$<—-rgSr
`
`Figure 31
`
`
`
`US 2005/0286466 Al
`
`Dec. 29, 2005
`
`SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING MOBILE VOIP
`
`CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED
`APPLICATIONS
`
`[0001] This patent application is a continuation in part of
`patent application Ser. No. 09/706,406 filed Nov. 3, 2000,
`the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by
`reference.
`
`FIELD OF THE INVENTION
`
`invention relates to a system that
`[0002] The present
`provides VoIP over wireless LAN and WAN networks.
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`HDML, WAP and I-Mode being the main standards. All of
`these standards suffer to some extent from problems such as
`limited bandwidth and complex authoring environments.
`
`In SMS(short message service) users can send and
`[0010]
`receive simple, short text messages from their phone. A
`server at the mobile phone service either routes them to other
`mobile phoneusers or provides a gatewaythat translates the
`messages and sends them as e-mail
`to Internet e-mail
`services. The gatewaywill also translate incoming email and
`send it to the user in SMS format. Although rudimentary,
`large successful businesses have been founded from sending
`these short messages demonstrating that people need data on
`the move and are prepared to payforit.
`
`In HDML(Handheld Device Markup Language) a
`(0011]
`[0003] The Internet cameinto being in its current form in
`web site is composed using specially modified tags. A
`1983 when all the computers connected to ARPANET—a
`wireless gateway translates these tags so that the mobile
`military network—began using the same communication
`
`protocol. In 1986 ARPANET became NSFNETinabid to device may view them. A mobile device equipped with a
`link the USA’s supercomputers. E-mail began to be com-
`micro browser capable of interpreting HDMLcan display
`this information on a small LCD.
`mercially available in 1990 at much the same time that
`Mosaic—the first worldwide web browser—becamea use-
`
`ful product. The Internet, comprising mainly the WWW
`(world wide web) and e-mail is now an extremely important
`business tool.
`
`[0004] The world is now networked, much of this pro-
`vided by TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet
`Protocol) but ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode) isstill
`dominant in telecommunications. Most major companies
`have access to the Internet and the Internet backbone runs
`thru much of our environment. This infrastructure is made
`
`up from largely fixed, rigid connections; wires, routers,
`switches and similar.
`
`[0005] Human beings tend to move around when engaged
`in work and leisure. An easy way to connect to the fixed
`network is needed for these mobile users. Mobile users are
`commonly envisaged as people using a cell phone or other
`radio device, but for our purposes a ‘mobile user’ is anyone
`away from their fixed homebase.
`
`1. Wireless connections are inherently expen-
`[0006]
`sive as they use a rare resource—radio frequency
`spectrum—and require large infrastructure invest-
`ments.
`
`2. There are practical difficulties when away
`[0007]
`from home base, such as determining IP addresses,
`proxy server settings, negotiating billing and pay-
`ment and security and privacy concerns.
`
`[0008] Even the simple task of moving from oneoffice to
`another within the same company can be fraught with
`complications and more often than not people fail to make
`connection when traveling away from home base. With so
`many companiesrelying on e-mail and the World Wide Web
`as a critical business tool, an inability to connect can prove
`costly to companies. In the last three years the ability to
`access the Internet has begun to migrate to mobile devices.
`Small mobile devices have tended to use a variety of
`specialist
`Internet access methodologies with varying
`degrees of commercial success. They all suffer from the
`limitation of low bandwidth and high cost.
`
`[0009] There are a number of methods by which users can
`get access to data from mobile wireless devices: SMS,
`
`In WAP (wireless application protocol) a website
`{0012]
`is composed using WML(wireless markup language) and
`this information sent to a WAP gateway. The user gains
`access to this gateway either by dialing a RAS (remote
`access server) or by using a packet based system, commonly
`referred to as ‘always on’.
`
`In I-Mode specialist tags are again used to create
`[0013]
`pages formatted in compact-HTML.These are served over
`a gateway to users on a packet-based system.
`
`Inthe above systemsa specialist gateway is used to
`[0014]
`provide output formatted for mobile devices. An alternative
`method of accessing the Internet from a mobile device is
`provided by fixed wireless systems such as Bluetooth and
`the IEEE 802.11 wireless LAN standard.
`
`In the 802.11 and Bluetooth standard two wireless
`[0015]
`devices establish a point to point or point to multi-pointlink
`using spread spectrum radio technology. The two wireless
`devices can be any type of electronic appliance—PC, PDA,
`Cell phone, microwave oven, home security system. This
`link replaces wires and does nothing to reformat the content
`of data.
`
`[0016] Another wireless standard that has reached ubiq-
`uity in availability but has very little usage is IrDA (Infrared
`Data Association). In the IrDA standard two devices with
`IrDA capability positioned near one other can communicate
`using infra-red beams. The standard suffers from two prob-
`lems. Firstly that the link is optical and therefore requires a
`clear line of sight. The devices must be positioned so that
`their ports are visible to each other or at
`least so that
`sufficient reflected light reaches the, ports. Secondly the two
`computers need to have their IrDA ports configured and
`switched on. This is a non-trivial task: The hardware must be
`
`enabled—commonly powersaving and compatibility issues
`mean that computers are shipped with the port disabled. A
`device driver must be installed. Once the physical link is
`available a logical link is needed to allow file transfer or
`access to the hard disk of the companion computer. Security
`and privacy must be ensured.
`
`
`
`US 2005/0286466 Al
`
`Dec. 29, 2005
`
`[0017] Looking at problems of getting Internet access
`when mobile a numberof steps are required.
`
`1. Some form of driver software is needed to
`[0018]
`configure the user’s hardwareto allow a link to be
`made.
`
`2. The physical link needs to be made. This
`[0019]
`may be by pointing the two computers at each other
`or connecting a back-to-back USB cable, which has
`been provided by, for example, the hotel at which the
`user is staying.
`
`3. The host user needs to enable and share
`[0020]
`certain services, such as printers and hard disks and
`network connections.
`
`4. The host user needs,itself, to log onto the
`[0021]
`Internet.
`
`5. The host user needs to act as a gateway for
`[0022]
`the connecting user,
`translating and forwarding
`packets onto the Internet.
`
`6. The IP address of the host’s interface needs
`[0023]
`to be configured to a non conflicting address with
`that of its Internet link.
`
`7. The IP address of the connecting user needs
`[0024]
`to point to the host user.
`
`8. The ports and proxy servers needto be set
`[0025]
`up. Even if no special set up is required a user who
`normally works in a corporate network with special
`settings will need to write these downand then delete
`them from the system, remembering to type them
`back in whenreturning to the corporate environment.
`
`to it a financial
`9. If the link has a cost
`[0026]
`transaction needs to be entered into with metering
`and billing.
`
`10. No simple solution is available to ensure
`[0027]
`a secure link.
`
`11. E-mail may or may not require yet more
`{0028]
`steps to enable.
`
`[0029] This multi-step process is fraught with difficulties
`and there are numerous potential points of failure. Most
`connections fail because either one of the steps cannot be
`completed, or each step is so time consuming that the user
`gives up before completing the task. Since mobile users are
`usually short of time, have limited resources (such as driver
`disks, spare cables) and have to configure multiple times as
`they travel thru different environments, the effort is very
`frustrating. Typically the above exercise is completed
`around 30% of the time with a meantimeofeffort of two and
`a half hours. Although many operating systems (such as
`Windows 2000™) allow connection sharing the implemen-
`tation of these makes the task very complex.
`
`[0030] An additional further complexity has been gener-
`ated by the lack of interoperability between IEEE 802.11 and
`Bluetooth. Since both standards operate in the same fre-
`quency spectrum the two systems will tend to interference
`with each other.
`
`is
`[0031] Additional difficulties occur when a firewall
`present. If a shared connection is obtained in the homeor
`office, access to the Internet may be blockedorrestricted by
`
`the activities of a firewall. The same technology that pro-
`vides the firewall capability may also track usage and web
`sites visited providing a risk to privacy. Additionally infor-
`mation that
`is sent or received may be logged causing
`considerable security risk.
`
`[0032] Although the cellular system provides some degree
`of roaming it provides no solution to inter-system roaming
`and uses expensive infrastructure, which results in high call
`cost. In addition the process of connecting a PC or PDA to
`a cell phone is complex and requires considerable recon-
`figuration of the device. The current mode of access to the
`Internet is predominantly through a one-to-one commercial
`negotiation. Each person has a connection to the Internet via
`their own ISP. Whenvisiting someoneelse’s home obtaining
`access to the Internet is difficult. Calling the ISP requires
`another phoneline. In the case of ADSLor cable systemsthe
`MACaddress of the network adaptor is registered to the ISP
`so that a second user can’t use the connection. You can
`
`install a network and enable connection sharing in your
`OS—for example Windows 2000™ but
`this involves a
`number of complex steps. In addition there is a significant
`security implications to this. Generally home and commer-
`cial networks are not sel up with the anticipation that
`roaming users will be physically connected to the network
`inside the Firewall. Thus many network services are not
`secured against internal access. (It is not uncommon for a
`corporate network running Windows™ 2000 to have numer-
`ous hard disks shared without passwords.) Although the
`firewall blocks this from external access, a local connection
`would be inside the firewall.
`
`[0033] Although these problems have existed for some
`time,
`the emergence of Bluetooth and IEEE 802.11 are
`encouraging people to connect more often. While the above
`discussion is centered on the difficulty of human beings
`obtaining connection to the Internet it should be bourn in
`mind that autonomous machines have similar difficulties.
`Muchtalk is made of microwaveovens, video recorders and
`refrigerators talking together using home networks.It is also
`envisaged that automobiles will be similarly equipped.
`These systemsare likely to become ubiquitous over the next
`five years as networking capabilities are built into appl-
`ances. These devices need to obtain services from some-
`where and needto obtain a connection to the Internet. It will
`be prohibitively expensive to give each device it’s own
`dedicated connection. The devices will also need services
`
`tailored to them. One can consider that an appliance once
`manufactured an shipped becomes a roaming device in need
`of connection to the Internet.
`
`[0034] As described above, there are two main types of
`wireless network present in the world today—wide area
`networks (WWAN) exemplified by cellular systems and
`local area networks (WLAN)provided typically by 802.11
`(also referred to generically as “Wi-Fi’) and Bluetooth
`technologies. Some examples are named in
`
`WWAN
`
`GSM
`UMTS
`W-CDMA
`CDMA2000
`
`TABLE 1
`
`WLAN
`
`Wi-Fi (802.11 a/b/g)
`Bluetooth
`DECT
`ZigBee (802.15.4)
`
`
`
`US 2005/0286466 Al
`
`Dec. 29, 2005
`
`TABLE 1-continued
`
`WLAN
`
`WiMAX
`HomeRF
`HyperLAN
`
`WWAN
`
`FOMA
`TETRA
`GPRS
`HSCSD
`HSDPA
`EDGE
`
`[0035] Some technologies defy this simple classification.
`Bluetooth, when usedin its low power mode, is often called
`a personal area network (PAN) and WiMAX technology can
`have extended rangethatrivals cellular macro-cell coverage.
`The distinctions can often be based on heritage and infra-
`structure ownership, but nevertheless today there is general
`agreement on the two classifications and the distinction
`between them—a WWAN connects to the core cellular
`
`network first, while a WLAN connects to a computer
`networkfirst.
`
`[0036] A complication of WWANSsin particular, but all
`networks in general, is that they distinguish between voice
`bearers and data bearers. Thus in GSM there are GSM audio
`channels and GSM data channels such as EDGE. For the
`purposes of this patent, WWAN-audio and WWAN-IP(-In-
`ternet Protocol) will refer to these distinctions respectively.
`Additionally, WWAN-VoIP(-Voice over IP).will refer to the
`situation of carrying voice over WWAN-IP.
`
`[0037] A number of methods have been proposed for
`implementing mobile voice and data systems so that they
`operate on both WWAN and WLAN basedinfrastructure. In
`implementing such mobile voice and data systems, these
`systems will have to deal with the problems of roaming and
`handoff between them. Roaming is the feature where a
`mobile phone can acquire a radio connection and signal to
`an authentication method to request a connection to services,
`while handoff is the feature where a mobile phone moves
`from one radio connection to the next maintaining a voice
`call or data connection with aslittle interruption as possible.
`When this interruption is not noticeable to the user the
`handoff is deemed “seamless.” Seamless handoff is not
`always an advantage. For example, when the user moves
`from a low cost connection to a high cost connection they
`generally want the transition to be madeclear. The ability to
`do seamless handoff is an important feature of these systems
`even if, on occasion, it is deliberately switched off or the
`handoff made non-seamless through the use of notifications.
`When a mobile phone moves from one radio connection to
`another and the bearer technologies are the same we will
`hereafter refer to this as handover to differentiate it from
`
`handoff—for example when moving from one Wi-Fi access
`point to another.
`
`[0038] Two types of systems that have implemented
`mobile voice and data systems that operate on both WWAN
`and WLAN based infrastructure are; (1) UMA-based sys-
`tems and (2) Bluetooth CTP-based systems.
`
`[0039] UMA-Based Systems
`
`[0040] The most prominent standard for WWLAN to
`WWAN interoperability is the Unlicensed Mobile Access
`(UMA) system, whose specifications can be obtained from
`www.umatechnology.orgz. UMA technology provides
`a
`
`method for using the cellular network infrastructure and
`specially modified handsets with WLAN Access Points
`(APs) to implement micro-cells in the network. UMAis
`described in relation to the GSM system but can be gener-
`alized to WWAN-Audio systems including 3G. Weshall
`refer to the GSM case for this discussion. In the UMA
`
`system a handset is modified to send voice and data via a
`WLAN connection (such as 802.11 alb/g or Bluetooth).
`When using the WLAN connection,
`the GSM protocols
`(speech encoding and mobility management et. al.) are
`encapsulated and sent over WLAN via an access point which
`routes traffic to a UMA Network Controller (UNC) that
`de-encapsulates the protocol and sendsit on to the cellular
`infrastructure. The primary object of the UMAspecification
`is to make connection to the core cellular network as quickly
`as possible and then make all
`further communication
`through that core cellular network.
`
`[0041] Roamingis possible on UMAbecausethe protocol
`encapsulation and emulation of a GSM basestation allows
`the handset-AP combination to appear as a GSM cellular
`phone and GSM base-station even though the wireless
`protocol being used is WLAN. Handoff
`is supported
`between cells where the initial cell is a WLAN-AP and the
`handoff is made to a GSM cell or vice versa. In these cases
`the handset must simultaneously switch radio layer proto-
`cols while maintaining the GSM signaling and audio chan-
`nel connectivity.
`
`[0042] Because of this requirement to emulate the GSM
`cellular protocols (signaling and voice) in complex handoff
`scenarios these systems suffer from a number ofpractical
`problems: The GSM specification was not written with the
`assumption that
`the radio layer could change mid way
`through a transaction andit therefore organizes the signaling
`channel with precise time slot assignments, interleaved with
`the voice channels.
`Implementation of UMA therefore
`requires complex integration with the GSM softwarestackat
`a low level in the phone such that the phone can perform
`these handoff tasks.
`
`In particular the phone maysignal a handoff ‘start’
`[0043]
`while using one radio layer and then signal the handoff
`‘completion’ using another radio layer. Because of these
`timing, slotting, encapsulation and signaling elements, the
`system design is complex with many points of integration
`between the WLAN signaling elements and the GSM ele-
`ments at low levels in the stack. Presently, such low level
`integration requires considerable engineering time to imple-
`ment as the software elements are real-time and timecriti-
`cal—often upwards of 18 months for software work, manu-
`facturing and test prior to launch in the network.
`
`[0044] While these time scales are appropriate for prod-
`ucts in the mobile domain the convergence of fixed and
`mobile networks brings Internet development
`timescales
`into play with the problem that by the time deeply embed-
`ded, real-time software stacks have been implemented for a
`phoneit is often the case that the Internet protocols have
`moved forward or the handset is obsolete before launch.
`
`Even with considerable design effort system performance
`can still be limited with handoff failures and intcroperability
`restrictions.
`
`In addition, although the specification calls for the
`[0045]
`use of standard access points, in practice the access points
`have to be specially designed to cope with the timing
`
`
`
`US 2005/0286466 Al
`
`Dec. 29, 2005
`
`requirement inherent in the protocol managementand this
`means the systems can not work with general purpose access
`points such as those deployed in the market already in
`hotspots, homes andoffices. This need to specifically design
`each AP dramatically increases the total cost to deploy a
`system as every Access Point must be visited where the older
`units need to be swapped out and the newer unit installed.
`
`iii) The CTP algorithm is not IP based and so
`[0052]
`when switching from one network (Bluetooth) to
`another (WWAN or WLAN),the phone and AP must
`swap protocols. This typically involves unhooking
`the Bluetooth hardware audio system andre-imitial-
`ing a completely new audio path through the phone’s
`digital signal processing (DSP) subsystem which
`causes an interruption in the audio stream and a
`changein the audio characteristics requiring an end-
`to-end renegotiation of elements such as CODECs,
`Quality of Service (QoS) and echo cancellation
`parameters. A similar reconfiguration of the AP is
`also needed.
`
`iv) Differing compression algorithms are used
`[0053]
`on the differing radio connection methods and this
`makes for very complex control when trying to
`throttle bandwidth.
`
`In addition UMA handsets require a full cellular
`[0046]
`infrastructure to operate, consisting of a Mobile Switching
`Centre (MSC) within the HPLMN (Home Public Land
`Mobile Network)
`interworking with location databases
`including HLR (Home Location Register) and VLR(Visitor
`Location Register) or SGSN (Serving GSM Support Nodes).
`This requirement is disadvantageous because it 1s architec-
`turally complex—data packets must
`transit
`through the
`cellular system even when they originated from WLAN
`Access Points as Internet Protocol (IP) and are often des-
`tined to terminate via IP, say as a VoIP call, thus putting
`[0054] v) Because CTP isarelatively high bandwidth
`
`unnecessary stress on these systems and causing numerous
`protocol and because CTP is a low level timing
`unnecessary protocoltranslations that introduce latency and
`critical protocol few connections can be supported
`potential for failure. A call which might have been routed
`by an AP. Three connections can be supported in
`locally perhaps over