Apparatus and method for intelligent routing of data between a remote device and a host system

Abstract

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 network layer or a data link layer, the wireless device comprising:
 a plurality of communication interfaces configured to maintain connections with and to communicate over the plurality of wireless communications media; and   a selector section configured to select one of the plurality of communication interfaces based on at least one metric, the selected one of the plurality of communication interfaces communicating over one of the plurality of wireless communications media; and   the selector section being further configured to select another one of the plurality of communication interfaces 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.   
   
   
       2 . The wireless device according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one metric comprises at least one of a communication interface availability, a destination communications media, a time of day, a cost, a type of data speed, a signal strength, an installation status, a network health, a configuration status, a network availability, and a priority of each of the plurality of communications media. 
   
   
       3 . The wireless device according to  claim 1 , wherein the communicating of the at least one of a voice signal and a data signal comprises receiving the at least one of a voice signal and a data signal over said one of the plurality of communications media and transmitting the at least one of a voice signal and a data signal over said another of the plurality of communications media. 
   
   
       4 . The wireless device according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an application operating at a layer above the network layer and executable to communicate the at least one of a voice signal and a data signal to the destination device, wherein selecting the another one of the plurality of communication interfaces occurs transparently to the application.   
   
   
       5 . The wireless device according to  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a transmitter configured to transmit a first voice packet on said one of the plurality of communications media immediately before the selector section selects said another of the plurality of communication interfaces, and to transmit a second voice packet on said another one of the plurality of communications media immediately after the selector section selects said another of the plurality of communication interfaces.   
   
   
       6 . The wireless device according to  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a transmitter configured to transmit a first data packet on said one of the plurality of communications media immediately before the selector section selects said another of the plurality of communication interfaces, and to transmit a second data packet on said another one of the plurality of communications media immediately after the selector section selects said another of the plurality of communication interfaces.   
   
   
       7 . The wireless device according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of communication interfaces is configured to communicate Internet Protocol (IP) signals. 
   
   
       8 . The wireless device according to  claim 6 , wherein at least one of the plurality of communication interfaces is configured to communicate Internet Protocol (IP) signals. 
   
   
       9 . The wireless device according to  claim 8 , further comprising a table configured to store at least one of an IP address of the destination device and at least one intervening intermediate IP address. 
   
   
       10 . The wireless device according to  claim 4 , the selector section comprising:
 a message multiplexer configured to perform a one-to-many function for incoming voice or data signals received from said one of the plurality of communication interfaces or said another one of the plurality of communication interfaces,   the message multiplexer being further configured to perform a many-to-one function for outgoing voice or data signals to transported over said one of the plurality of communication interfaces or said another one of the plurality of communication interfaces.   
   
   
       11 . The wireless device according to  claim 10 , further comprising a table configured to store a list of names or addresses for transmitting and receiving the at least one of a voice signal and a data signal. 
   
   
       12 . The wireless device according to  claim 11 , wherein the selector section is further configured to select said another one of the plurality of wireless communication interfaces based on a destination network address specified within a data packet or datagram. 
   
   
       13 . The wireless device according to  claim 10 , further comprising a table configured to store at least one of an assigned port, communications media priority, or an application. 
   
   
       14 . The wireless device according to  claim 13 , the selector section comprising:
 a plurality of electronic ports connectable to the plurality of communication interfaces for communicating the at least one of a voice signal and a data signal over one or more of the plurality of communications media.   
   
   
       15 . The wireless device according to  claim 12 , further comprising:
 a user configuration interface configured to generate configuration information, the selector section being further configured to select said one and said another of the plurality of communication interfaces based on the configuration information and a status of the plurality of communication interfaces.   
   
   
       16 . The wireless device according to  claim 15 , wherein the configuration information comprises at least one parameter specifying a time or a wireless communications media. 
   
   
       17 . 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 network layer or a data link layer, the method comprising:
 maintaining connections over a plurality of communication interfaces corresponding to the plurality of wireless communications media;   selecting one of the plurality of communication interfaces based on at least one metric, 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 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.   
   
   
       18 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein the at least one metric comprises at least one of a communication interface availability, a destination communications media, a time of day, a cost, a type of data speed, a signal strength, an installation status, a network health, a configuration status, a network availability, and a priority of each of the plurality of communications media. 
   
   
       19 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein the communicating of the at least one of a voice signal and a data signal comprises receiving the at least one of a voice signal and a data signal over said one of the plurality of communications media and transmitting the at least one of a voice signal and a data signal over said another of the plurality of communications media. 
   
   
       20 . The method according to  claim 19 , wherein the selecting of said another one of the plurality of communication interfaces occurs transparently to an application, the application operating at a layer above the network layer and executable to communicate the at least one of a voice signal and a data signal to the destination device. 
   
   
       21 . The method according to  claim 20 , further comprising:
 transmitting a first voice packet on said one of the plurality of communications media immediately before selecting said another of the plurality of communication interfaces; and   transmitting a second voice packet on said another one of the plurality of communications media immediately after selecting said another of the plurality of communication interfaces.   
   
   
       22 . The method according to  claim 20 , further comprising:
 transmitting a first data packet on said one of the plurality of communications media immediately before selecting said another of the plurality of communication interfaces; and   transmitting a second data packet on said another one of the plurality of communications media immediately after selecting said another of the plurality of communication interfaces.   
   
   
       23 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein the selecting of said one of the plurality of communication interfaces and the selecting of said another one of the plurality of communication interfaces comprises:
 demultiplexing incoming voice signals in a one-to-many scheme; and   multiplexing outgoing voice signals in a many-to-one scheme.   
   
   
       24 . The method according to  claim 22 , wherein the selecting of said one of the plurality of communication interfaces and the selecting of said another one of the plurality of communication interfaces comprises:
 demultiplexing incoming data signals in a one-to-many scheme; and   multiplexing outgoing data signals in a many-to-one scheme.   
   
   
       25 . The method according to  claim 20 , further comprising:
 storing a list of names or addresses to which the at least one of a voice signal and a data signal may be transmitted, the selecting of said one of the plurality of communication interfaces and said another one of the plurality of communication interfaces being further based on the list of names and addresses.   
   
   
       26 . The method according to  claim 25 , further comprising:
 generating configuration information for selecting said one and said another of the plurality of communication interfaces.   
   
   
       27 . A computer readable medium embodying a program executable to enable wirelessly 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 network or data link layer, the computer readable medium comprising:
 a communication interface code segment being executable to maintain connections with and to enable communication over the plurality of wireless communications media;   a selector code segment being executable to select one of the plurality of communication interfaces based on at least one metric, the selected one of the plurality of communication interfaces communicating over one of the plurality of wireless communications media; and   the selector code segment being further executable to select another one of the plurality of communication interfaces 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.   
   
   
       28 . The computer readable medium according to  claim 27 , wherein the at least one metric comprises at least one of a communication interface availability, a destination communications medium, a time of day, a cost, a type of data speed, a signal strength, an installation status, a network health, a configuration status, a network availability, and a priority of each of the plurality of communications media. 
   
   
       29 . The computer readable medium according to  claim 27 , further comprising:
 a receiving code segment being executable to receive the at least one of a voice signal and a data signal over said one of the plurality of communications media; and   a sending code segment being executable to send the at least one of a voice signal and a data signal over said another of the plurality of communications media.   
   
   
       30 . The computer readable medium according to  claim 29 , further comprising:
 an application interface code segment being executable to interface with an application, operating at a layer above the network layer, to communicate the at least one of a voice signal and a data signal to the destination device,   wherein selecting the another one of the plurality of communication interfaces occurs transparently to the application.   
   
   
       31 . The computer readable medium according to  claim 30 , wherein the sending code segment is further executable to send a first voice packet on said one of the plurality of communications media immediately before the selector code segment executes to select said another of the plurality of communication interfaces, and to send a second voice packet on said another one of the plurality of communications media immediately after the selector code segment executes to select said another of the plurality of communication interfaces. 
   
   
       32 . The computer readable medium according to  claim 27 , further comprising:
 a sending code segment being executable to send a first data packet on said one of the plurality of communications media, and to send a second data packet on said another one of the plurality of communications media,   said first data packet being sent immediately before the selector code segment selects said another of the plurality of communication interfaces, and said second data packet being sent on said another one of the plurality of communications media immediately after the selector code segment selects said another of the plurality of communication interfaces.   
   
   
       33 . The computer readable medium according to  claim 27 , the selector code segment comprising:
 a multiplexer code segment being executable to perform a one-to-many function for incoming voice or data signals and a many-to-one function for outgoing voice or data signals.   
   
   
       34 . The computer readable medium according to  claim 27 , further comprising:
 a user configuration interface code segment being executable to generate configuration information based on a user input,   the selector code segment being further executable to select said one and said another of the plurality of communication interfaces based on the configuration information and a status of the plurality of communication interfaces.   
   
   
       35 . The medium according to  claim 34 , wherein the user input comprises at least one parameter specifying a time or a wireless communications media.