METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PERSISTENT CONNECTIONS TO A DEVICE THROUGH THE USE OF MULTIPLE PHYSICAL NETWORK CONNECTIONS AND CONNECTION HAND-OFFS BETWEEN MULTIPLE BANDS, MODES AND NETWORKS

摘要

Embodiments communicate messages between mobile devices and destination devices. An exemplary embodiment includes a first border server operable to establish a first communication connection to the mobile device over a first network operating under a first protocol, a second border server operable to establish a second communication connection to the mobile device over a second network operating under a second protocol, and a transport management server communicatively coupled to the first border server and the second border server, and operable to establish a third communication connection to the destination device over a third network operating under a third protocol. The first protocol is configured to communicate a first encapsulated portion of the message. The second protocol is configured to communicate a second encapsulated portion of the message. The third protocol is configured to communicate the first encapsulated portion of the message and the second encapsulated portion of the message.

主权项

1. A method of communicating a message between a mobile device and a destination device via a network operations center,
wherein the network operations center is communicatively coupled to a first border server that is concurrently communicatively coupled to the mobile device over a first connection of a first communication system operating under a first protocol, wherein the network operations center is communicatively coupled to a second border server, wherein the network operations center is communicatively coupled to the destination device, and wherein the message comprises a series of message portions that are encapsulated as packets by the mobile device for communication, the method comprising: encapsulating, at the mobile device, a first portion of the message into an encapsulated first packet using the first protocol; communicating the encapsulated first packet of the message from the mobile device to the first border server over the first connection; monitoring signal strength of communications over the first connection; in response to a weakening of the signal strength of communications over the first connection, communicatively coupling the mobile device to a second border server over a second connection of a second communication system operating under a second protocol,
wherein the second protocol is different from the first protocol, andwherein the second communication system is different from the first communication system, encapsulating, at the mobile device, a subsequent second portion of the message into an encapsulated second packet using the first protocol and into an encapsulated third packet using the second protocol; and substantially concurrently communicating the encapsulated second packet of the message from the mobile device to the first border server over the first connection and communicating the encapsulated third packet of the message from the mobile device to the second border server over the second connection.