Method and apparatus for enabling persistent connections with wireless networks

1. A method for providing services to a user device using a service overlay network comprising a plurality of service gateways, the method comprising:

receiving, at a first service gateway of said service overlay network, a request to support a persistent connection between said user device and said service overlay network, said persistent connection having state information associated therewith, wherein said request to support said persistent connection is associated with a first redirector element configured for selecting said first service gateway to support said persistent connection for said user device;

maintaining said state information associated with said persistent connection at said first service gateway;

receiving, at said first service gateway, a request to migrate said state information of said persistent connection from said first service gateway to a second service gateway of said service overlay network, wherein said request to migrate said state information of the persistent connection is associated with a second redirector element configured for selecting said second service gateway to support said persistent connection for said user device; and

propagating said state information from said first service gateway toward said second service gateway.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

said service overlay network is accessible to said user device via multiple access networks having one or more of different access technologies and different service providers associated therewith;

said first redirector element is associated with a first access network having a first access technology and a first service provider associated therewith, and said second redirector element is associated with a second access network having at least one of a second access technology and a second service provider associated therewith.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein said first and second access networks are associated respectively with different technologies and different service providers.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said state information comprises:

at least one data-link layer state parameter;

at least one network layer state parameter;

at least one transport layer state parameter; and

at least one application layer state parameter.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, at said first service gateway, a service request for a service supported by said first service gateway; and

responding to said at least one service request using said persistent connection.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, at said first service gateway, a service request for a service supported by a server accessible to said user device via the service overlay network; and

propagating, from said first service gateway, the service request toward said server.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

receiving, at said first service gateway, a service response of said server that is intended for said user device;

storing, at said first service gateway, at least a portion of said service response in response to a determination that said user device is unavailable; and

transmitting said at least a portion of said service response toward said user device in response to a determination that said user device is available.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, at said first service gateway, a message from said user device; and

transmitting said message from said first service gateway toward at least one other user device.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein said user device is a first user device, said method further comprising:

receiving, at said first service gateway from said second redirector element, a first service request initiated by said first user device for accessing a service; and

receiving, at said first service gateway from a third redirector element, a second service request initiated by a second user device for accessing said service.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein said user device is a first user device, said method further comprising:

receiving, at said first service gateway from said second redirector element, a first service request initiated by said first user device for accessing a service; and

receiving, at said first service gateway from a third service gateway, a second service request initiated by a second user device for accessing said service, wherein said third service gateway is configured for maintaining a persistent connection for said second user device.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

in response to receiving said request to support the persistent connection, authenticating said user device at said first service gateway;

wherein migration of said state information from said first service gateway to said second service gateway obviates a need for authentication of said user device by said second service gateway.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

initiating, by said first service gateway, paging of said user device for determining whether said user device is dormant.

13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

preparing context information associated with said user device, wherein said context information is prepared by said first service gateway dynamically; and

performing at least one of:

transmitting at least a portion of said context information toward said user device for use by said user device to configure itself; and

transmitting at least a portion of said context information toward a server for use by said server in providing service to said user device.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein said state information associated with said persistent connection is maintained at said first service gateway such that said persistent connection is persistent through one or more of:

state changes associated with said user device and

state changes associated with said first service gateway.

15. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a software program, that, when executed by a computer, causes the computer to perform steps for providing services to a user device using a service overlay network comprising a plurality of service gateways, the steps comprising:

receiving, at a first service gateway of said service overlay network, a request to support a persistent connection between said user device and said service overlay network, said persistent connection having state information associated therewith, wherein said request to support said persistent connection is associated with a first redirector element configured for selecting said first service gateway to support said persistent connection for said user device;

maintaining said state information associated with said persistent connection at said first service gateway;

receiving, at said first service gateway, a request to migrate said state information of said persistent connection from said first service gateway to a second service gateway of said service overlay network, wherein said request to migrate said state information of the persistent connection is associated with a second redirector element configured for selecting said second service gateway to support said persistent connection for said user device; and

propagating said state information from said first service gateway toward said second service gateway.

16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein:

said service overlay network is accessible to said user device via multiple access networks having one or more of different access technologies and different service providers associated therewith;

said first redirector element is associated with a first access network having a first access technology and a first service provider associated therewith, and said second redirector element is associated with a second access network having at least one of a second access technology and a second service provider associated therewith.

17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15 , further comprising:

receiving, at said second service gateway, a service request for a service supported by said second service gateway; and

responding to said at least one service request using said persistent connection.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein said user device is a first user device, the method further comprising:

receiving, at said first service gateway from said second redirector element, a first service request initiated by said first user device for accessing a service; and

receiving, at said first service gateway from a third service gateway, a second service request initiated by a second user device for accessing said service, wherein said third service gateway is configured for maintaining a persistent connection for said second user device.

19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 18 , further comprising:

preparing context information associated with said user device, wherein said context information is prepared by said first service gateway dynamically; and

performing at least one of:

transmitting at least a portion of said context information toward said user device for use by said user device to configure itself; and

transmitting at least a portion of said context information toward a server for use by said server in providing service to said user device.

20. An apparatus for providing services to a user device using a service overlay network comprising a plurality of service gateways, comprising:

a processor configured to:

receive, at a first service gateway of said service overlay network, a request to support a persistent connection between said user device and said service overlay network, said persistent connection having state information associated therewith, wherein said request to support said persistent connection is associated with a first redirector element configured for selecting said first service gateway to support said persistent connection for said user device;

maintain said state information associated with said persistent connection at said first service gateway;

receive, at said first service gateway, a request to migrate said state information of said persistent connection from said first service gateway to a second service gateway of said service overlay network, wherein said request to migrate said state information of the persistent connection is associated with a second redirector element configured for selecting said second service gateway to support said persistent connection for said user device; and

propagate said state information from said first service gateway toward said second service gateway.