System and method of transmitting data messages between subscriber units communicating with/between complementary/disparate networks

Abstract

A system and method for enabling a first device that may optionally roam between at least first and second wireless networks to communicate with a second device that may optionally roam between the at least first and second wireless networks. The devices are preferably registered to each network in which the device may roam. A routing switch first transmits a data message to the receiving device at the last known location of the receiving device. If a negative acknowledgement is received, the message is routed to all other networks to which the receiving device is registered, either serially or in parallel, depending upon the configuration of the transmitting network. Routing devices and/or gateways are preferably provided for each network to provide any required protocol and/or message format conversions.

1 . A system enabling a first device operatively communicable with at least a first wireless network to transmit a data message to at least one wireless device operatively communicable with said first wireless network and at least a second wireless network, said system comprising: 
 a host computer, operatively communicable with said first wireless network, capable of receiving a data message from the first device;    said first wireless network comprising a routing switch that: 
 receives the data message from said host computer;  
 reads a profile of the at least one wireless device, the profile comprising data pertaining to at least a primary network and a secondary network to which the at least one wireless device is registered with, wherein the primary network and secondary network are said first wireless network and said second wireless network, respectively;  
 adds a radio frequency header to the message;  
 transmits the message to said at least one wireless device in the primary network and, after a predetermined number of transmission attempts, receives a negative acknowledgement message from the primary network;  
 adds a message transmission header in accordance with the protocol used by the secondary network; and  
 transmits the message to the secondary network; and  
   a switch operatively communicable with the secondary network for receiving the message transmitted by said routing switch and transmitting the message to at least one of said at least one wireless device via the secondary network.    
   
   
       2 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said routing switch queues each message prior to transmitting to said at least one second wireless network.  
   
   
       3 . The system according to claim I wherein said switch receives a negative acknowledgement message from the secondary network.  
   
   
       4 . The system according to  claim 1  wherein the first device is a wireless device registered with at least said first wireless network.  
   
   
       5 . The system according to  claim 1  wherein the first device is a non-wireless device registered with at least said first wireless network.  
   
   
       6 . A method for enabling a first device operatively communicable with at least a first wireless network to transmit a data message to at least one wireless device operatively communicable with the first wireless network and at least a second wireless network, said method comprising the steps of: 
 transmitting a message from the first device to at least the first wireless network;    reading a profile of the at least one wireless device, the profile comprising data pertaining to at least a primary network and a secondary network to which the at least one wireless device is registered with, wherein the primary network and secondary network are said first wireless network and said second wireless network, respectively;    adding a radio frequency header to the message;    transmitting the message to at least one of said at least one wireless device in the primary network and, after a predetermined number of transmission attempts, optionally receiving a negative acknowledgement message from the primary network;    adding a message transmission header in accordance with the protocol used by the secondary network;    transmitting the message to the secondary network; and    receiving the message at the secondary network and further transmitting the message to at least one of said at least one wireless device via the secondary network.    
   
   
       7 . The method according to  claim 6 , further comprising the step of queuing each message prior to transmitting to the at least one second wireless network.  
   
   
       8 . The method according to  claim 6  wherein the secondary network generates a negative acknowledgement message subsequent to determining that the message cannot be delivered.  
   
   
       9 . The method according to  claim 6  wherein the first device is a wireless device registered with at least the first wireless network.  
   
   
       10 . The method according to  claim 6  wherein the first device is a non-wireless device registered with at least the first wireless network.  
   
   
       11 . A method for enabling a first device operatively communicable with at least a first wireless network to transmit a data message to at least one wireless device operatively communicable with the first wireless network and at least a second wireless network, said method comprising the steps of: 
 transmitting a message from the first wireless device to a a host computer operatively communicable with said first wireless network;    providing at least a first line handler for receiving the data message from the host computer;    reading a profile of the at least one wireless device, the profile comprising data pertaining to at least a primary network and a secondary network to which the at least one wireless device is registered with, wherein the primary network and secondary network are said first wireless network and said second wireless network, respectively;    adding a radio frequency header to the message;    transmitting the message to at least one of said at least one wireless device in the primary network and, after a predetermined number of transmission attempts, receiving a negative acknowledgement message from the primary network;    adding a message transmission header in accordance with the protocol used by the secondary network;    transmitting the message to the secondary network; and    transmitting the message to at least one of said at least one wireless device via the secondary network.    
   
   
       12 . The method according to  claim 11 , further comprising the step of queuing the message prior to transmission from the at least one first wireless network to the at least one second wireless network.  
   
   
       13 . The method according to  claim 11  further comprising the steps of: 
 adding at the secondary network a radio frequency header to the message; and    transmitting the message to the secondary network and, after a predetermined number of transmission attempts, optionally receiving a negative acknowledgement message from the secondary network.    
   
   
       14 . The method according to  claim 11  wherein the first device is a wireless device registered with at least the first wireless network.  
   
   
       15 . The method according to  claim 11  wherein the first device is a non-wireless device registered with at least the first wireless network.  
   
   
       16 . A communication system enabling communication devices to communicate across complimentary networks, comprising: 
 a first communication device transmitting a data message and communicating in accordance with a first communication format;    a primary wireless network operatively connected to, and directly communicating with, said first communication device and receiving the data message, said primary wireless network determining responsive to the data message whether the data message is to be broadcast within said primary wireless network and outside said primary wireless network, and when the data message is to be broadcast within said primary wireless network, formatting the data message to be received in accordance with the first communication format, routing the data message to a device destination within said primary wireless network via first wireless communication, and when the data message is to be transmitted outside said primary wireless network, optionally in addition to the routing the data message within said primary wireless network, said primary wireless network formatting the data message in accordance with a second communication format and routing the data message outside said primary network;    a second communication device not capable of directly communicating with said primary wireless network and communicating in accordance with the second communication format;    a complimentary wireless network operatively connected to, and directly communicating with, said second communication device and said primarily wireless network, said complimentary wireless network receiving the data message from the primary wireless network and routing the data message to said second communication device responsive to said second communication format formatted by said primary wireless network.    
   
   
       17 . The system according to  claim 16  wherein the first communication device is a wireless device registered with at least said first wireless network.  
   
   
       18 . The system according to  claim 16  wherein the first communication device is a non-wireless device registered with at least said first wireless network.