Services convergence among heterogeneous wired and wireless networks
A system and method for heterogeneous network communication including wired, and wireless communication mediums for seamless data, voice, as well as multimedia applications independent of the actual communication medium, type of device, and protocols running over such communication channels. The devices are structured to operate over both wired and wireless communication mediums individually or simultaneously in the intermittent or continuous fashion in secure or non-secure mode, after obtaining explicit, implicit or no permission for usage. The system and method described herein allow the communication channels operate in their native mode of operation independent of converged application perception by user of the application, a user being a person, a machine, or any other such entity that can be identified as user.
1. An apparatus comprising:
one or more machine-readable media configured to store a program comprising a plurality of executable instructions;
a processor coupled to the machine-readable media and configured to execute the plurality of executable instructions;
the program configured to facilitate communication with a first access network and a second access network, the first access network and the second access network configured to provide access for a terminal to a backbone network, the second access network configured to operate as an alternative to the first access network, the first access network configured to operate as an alternative to the second access network;
the program comprising:
a session convergence layer comprising a first portion of the plurality of executable instructions; and
a transport convergence layer comprising a second portion of the plurality of executable instructions.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , the program configured to:
select one network of the first access network and the second access network; and
communicate information to or from the selected one network.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 , the program configured to:
receive a user preference; and
select one network of the first access network and the second access network according to the user preference.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 , the program configured to:
identify information to be transmitted or received; and
select one network of the first access network and the second access network according to the information.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 , the first access network comprising a first selected one of the following, the second access network comprising a second selected one of the following, the first selected one different from the second selected one:
an Internet Protocol (IP) network;
a wireless access network;
a wireless local area network (LAN); and
a cellular network.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 , the one or more machine-readable media and the processor embodied in a peer.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 , the program configured to:
match resource availability between the first access network and the second access network.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 , the program configured to:
match one or more application requirements between the first access network and the second access network.
9. The apparatus of claim 1 , the program configured to:
communicate a first type of media over the first access network; and
communicate a second type of media over the second access network.
10. The apparatus of claim 1 , the program configured to:
communicate voice over the first access network; and
communicate video over the second access network.
11. An apparatus comprising:
one or more machine-readable media configured to store a program comprising a plurality of executable instructions; and
a processor coupled to the machine-readable media and configured to execute the plurality of executable instructions;
the program configured to:
facilitate communication with a first access network and a second access network, the first access network and the second access network configured to provide access for a terminal to a backbone network, the second access network configured to operate as an alternative to the first access network, the first access network configured to operate as an alternative to the second access network;
determine that there is no connection meeting one or more policy criteria; and
perform an operation on one or more existing connections in response to the determination.
12. A method comprising:
executing, by a processor, a plurality of executable instructions of a program stored in one or more machine-readable media;
facilitating communication with a first access network and a second access network according to the program, the first access network and the second access network configured to provide access for a terminal to a backbone network, the second access network configured to operate as an alternative to the first access network, the first access network configured to operate as an alternative to the second access network;
selecting one network of the first access network and the second access network; and
communicating information to or from the selected one network;
the program comprising:
a session convergence layer comprising a first portion of the plurality of executable instructions; and
a transport convergence layer comprising a second portion of the plurality of executable instructions.
13. The method of claim 12 , the selecting the one network further comprising:
receiving a user preference; and
selecting one network of the first access network and the second access network according to the user preference.
14. The method of claim 12 , the selecting the one network further comprising:
identifying information to be transmitted or received; and
selecting one network of the first access network and the second access network according to the information.
15. The method of claim 12 , the first access network comprising a first selected one of the following, the second access network comprising a second selected one of the following, the first selected one different from the second selected one:
an Internet Protocol (IP) network;
a wireless access network;
a wireless local area network (LAN); and
a cellular network.
16. The method of claim 12 , the one or more machine-readable media and the processor embodied in a peer.
17. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
matching resource availability between the first access network and the second access network.
18. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
matching one or more application requirements between the first access network and the second access network.
19. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
communicating a first type of media over the first access network; and
communicating a second type of media over the second access network.
20. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
communicating voice over the first access network; and
communicating video over the second access network.
21. A method comprising:
executing, by a processor, a plurality of executable instructions of a program stored in one or more machine-readable media;
facilitating communication with a first access network and a second access network according to the program, the first access network and the second access network configured to provide access for a terminal to a backbone network, the second access network configured to operate as an alternative to the first access network, the first access network configured to operate as an alternative to the second access network;
selecting one network of the first access network and the second access network;
communicating information to or from the selected one network;
determining that there is no connection meeting one or more policy criteria; and
performing an operation on one or more existing connections in response to the determination.
22. One or more machine-readable media storing a program comprising a plurality of executable instructions, the program when executed operable to:
facilitate communication with a first access network and a second access network according to the program, the first access network and the second access network configured to provide access for a terminal to a backbone network, the second access network configured to operate as an alternative to the first access network, the first access network configured to operate as an alternative to the second access network;
select one network of the first access network and the second access network; and
communicate information to or from the selected one network;
the program comprising:
a session convergence layer comprising a first portion of the plurality of executable instructions; and
a transport convergence layer comprising a second portion of the plurality of executable instructions.
23. The machine-readable media of claim 22 , the program further operable to select the one network by:
receiving a user preference; and
selecting one network of the first access network and the second access network according to the user preference.
24. The machine-readable media of claim 22 , the program further operable to select the one network by:
identifying information to be transmitted or received; and
selecting one network of the first access network and the second access network according to the information.
25. The machine-readable media of claim 22 , the first access network comprising a first selected one of the following, the second access network comprising a second selected one of the following, the first selected one different from the second selected one:
an Internet Protocol (IP) network;
a wireless access network;
a wireless local area network (LAN); and
a cellular network.
26. The machine-readable media of claim 22 , the one or more machine-readable media and the processor embodied in a peer.
27. The machine-readable media of claim 22 , the program configured to:
match resource availability between the first access network and the second access network.
28. The machine-readable media of claim 22 , the program configured to:
match one or more application requirements between the first access network and the second access network.
29. The machine-readable media of claim 22 , the program configured to:
communicate a first type of media over the first access network; and
communicate a second type of media over the second access network.
30. The machine-readable media of claim 22 , the program configured to:
communicate voice over the first access network; and
communicate video over the second access network.
31. One or more machine-readable media storing a program comprising a plurality of executable instructions, the program when executed operable to:
facilitate communication with a first access network and a second access network according to the program, the first access network and the second access network configured to provide access for a terminal to a backbone network, the second access network configured to operate as an alternative to the first access network, the first access network configured to operate as an alternative to the second access network;
select one network of the first access network and the second access network;
communicate information to or from the selected one network;
determine that there is no connection meeting one or more policy criteria; and
perform an operation on one or more existing connections in response to the determination.