Apparatus and method for intelligent routing of data between a remote device and a host system
View Patent ↗An apparatus and method is provided for transparent communication between a remote or mobile device and a fixed communication host network. The apparatus and method may include a remote network controller that logically resides between the host network and the existing infrastructure(s) that are used to provide communications network contact with one or more remote devices. The remote network controller is connected to the host communication network as a protocol-appropriate communications controller so that remote devices are indistinguishable to the host network from the locally-attached devices. Each remote device may be provided with an asynchronous serial data interface to communicate with a mobile data controller. The mobile data controller, in combination with the remote network controller, provides end-to-end data communication such that incompatible protocols are transparent to the remote device and host communication network. A router may be provided which selects a communications network in accordance with user configured parameters. The router communicates over a plurality of incompatible networks and is capable of using a variety of different protocols. Switching between the plurality of incompatible networks is transparent to the remote device and host communication network.
1. A wireless device for communicating with a destination device, the communicating including transmitting and receiving at least one of a voice signal and a data signal over a plurality of wireless communications media that are autonomous and differ at a data link layer, the wireless device comprising:
an application executable to communicate the at least on of a voice signal and a data signal to the destination device;
a plurality of communication interfaces configured to enable communicating over the plurality of wireless communications media;
a network availability determiner section configured to determine at least one metric;
a user configuration processor configured to receive at least one parameter;
a decider section configured to generate a deciding signal based on the at least one metric and the at least one parameter;
a core section configured to generate a selecting signal based on the deciding signal;
a selector section configured to select one of the plurality of communication interfaces based on the selecting signal, the selected one of the plurality of communication interfaces communicating over one of the plurality of wireless communications media,
the selector section being further configured to select another one of the plurality of communication interfaces transparently to said application for communication over another one of the plurality of wireless communications media while the selected one of the plurality of communication interfaces communicates over the one of the plurality of wireless communications media.
2. A method for communicating with a destination device, including transmitting and receiving at least one of a voice signal and a data signal over a plurality of wireless communications media that are autonomous and differ at a data link layer, the method comprising:
enabling a plurality of communication interfaces to communicate over the plurality of wireless communications media;
communicating the at least one of a voice signal and a data signal from an application to the destination device;
determining at least one metric;
receiving at least one parameter;
generating a selecting signal based on the at least one metric and the at least one parameter;
selecting one of the plurality of communication interfaces based on the selecting signal, the selected one of the plurality of communication interfaces communicating over one of the plurality of wireless communications media; and
selecting another one of the plurality of communication interfaces transparently to said application for communication over another one of the plurality wireless communications media while the selected one of the plurality of communication interfaces communicates over the one of the plurality of wireless communications media.
3. A computer readable medium embodying a program executable for communicating at least one of a voice signal and a data signal from an application over a plurality of wireless communications media that are autonomous and differ at a data link layer, the computer readable medium comprising:
a communication code segment being executable to communicate the at least one of a voice signal and a data signal from the application to the destination device;
a communication interface code segment being executable to enable communicating over the plurality of wireless communications media;
a metric determiner code segment being executable to determine at least one metric;
a user configuration code segment being executable to receive at least one parameter;
a core configuration code segment being executable to generate a selecting signal based on the at least one metric and the at least one parameter;
a selector code segment being executable to select a first interface of a plurality of communication interfaces based on the selecting signal, the selected communication interface enabling communication over a first one of the plurality of wireless communications media,
the selector code segment being further executable to select a second interface of the plurality of communication interfaces transparently to the application for enabling communication over a second one of the plurality wireless communications media while the first communication interface continues to enable communication over the first one of the plurality of wireless communications media.