EP1526682A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Network and interface selection on a computing device
Assignee: Microsoft Corp
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Filing: 2004-08-17
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2024-08-17
Abstract
Abstract A system and method for carrying out network and interface selections across multiple media is disclosed. The disclosed system facilitates automated network interface configuration decision-making that spans a set of networks supporting communications via differing media. A set of media specific modules associated with differing communications media acquire network interface status/capabilities information. A rules engine thereafter applies a designated network selection rule(s) to the acquired network interface status/capabilities information, and any other appropriate parameters attributable to either an interface or network, to select one or more networks and interfaces with which to establish/maintain a connection.
Inventors
- 👤 Abhishek Abhishek
- 👤 Anton W. Krantz
- 👤 Dan A. Knudson
- 👤 Edwin A. Hernandez-Mondragon
- 👤 Florin Teodorecu
- 👤 Mohammad Shabbir Alam
- 👤 Taroon Mandhana
- 👤 Timothy M. Moore
- 👤 Vivek Bhanu
- 👤 Warren Vincent Barkley
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 20:12
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F15/00; G06F15/16; H; H04; H04W; H04W48/00; H04W48/18; H04L; H04L12/00; H04L12/28; H04L12/46; H04L12/54; H04L12/56; H04L12/5691; H04L12/5692; H04W88/00; H04W88/08; H04W88/10; H04W88/02; H04W88/06
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 40
Claim 1
Independent Claim
95 words
A computing system supporting network selection based upon network
information spanning multiple communication media, the system comprising: a rules data store for maintaining network selection criteria; a media specific module interface facilitating acquiring network interface
information potentially spanning multiple communication media associated with a set of
networks to which the computing system is capable of connecting via a set of network
interfaces; and network selection logic for designating one of the set of networks by applying a
network selection criterion from the rules data store to the accumulated network interface
information potentially spanning multiple media.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
30 words
The computing system of claim 1 wherein the media specific module
interface and the network selection logic are associated with a rules engine having access
to the rules data store.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
The computing system of claim 2 wherein the media specific module
interface comprises a normalization module that receives requests from the rules engine
directed to network interfaces.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
29 words
The computing system of claim 1 further comprising a set of media
specific modules configured to acquire network interface information pertaining to
network interfaces associated with particular media types.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
The computing system of claim 4 wherein the media specific modules
acquire network interface information from media specific drivers associated with
particular network interfaces.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
27 words
The computing system of claim 1 wherein the multiple communication
media includes at least a wireless wide area network media and a wireless local area
network media.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
The computing system of claim 6 wherein the wireless local area network
media includes one or more of the 802.11 wireless protocols.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
29 words
The computing system of claim 1 wherein the network selection criterion
specifies a preference order between at least two media based upon a network parameter
associated with the media.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
29 words
The computing system of claim 1 wherein the network selection criterion
specifies a preference order between at least two media based upon a network type
associated with the media.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
24 words
The computing system of claim 1 wherein the network selection criterion
specifies a preference order based upon a current location of the computing system.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
18 words
The computing system of claim 1 wherein the network selection criterion
specifies a preference order between logical networks.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
20 words
The computing system of claim 1 wherein the network selection criterion
specifies a preference order based upon a time parameter.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
60 words
The computing system of claim 1 wherein the network selection logic is
incorporated into a state machine that cyclically scans a set of network interfaces for
networks, applies the network selection criterion to a set of networks and interfaces to
render a current network and interface selection, and issues configuration instructions in
accordance with the current network and interface selection.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
30 words
The computing system of claim 1 further comprising a scanning engine
associated with a network interface for controlling cyclical scanning based upon previous
scan results maintained in a scanning history.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
101 words
A method for selecting a network and interface combination, to which a
computing system will initiate a connection via the network interface, based upon
network information spanning multiple communication media, the method comprising: accessing a network selection criterion; accumulating network interface information potentially spanning multiple
communication media associated with a set of networks to which the computing system
is capable of connecting via a set of network interfaces; and designating one of the set of networks and a network interface from the set of
network interfaces by applying a network selection criterion to the network interface
information potentially spanning multiple media.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 15 wherein the network selection criterion is
accessed from a configurable rules data store.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 15 further comprising issuing network interface
configuration instructions in accordance with the designating step.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 15 wherein the accumulating step is facilitated by a
normalization module interposed between a set of media specific modules associated
with potentially multiple distinct types of communication media drivers and a rules
engine that performs the designating step.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 18 further comprising acquiring, by the media
specific modules, network interface information from the communication media drivers
associated with particular network interfaces.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 15 wherein the multiple communication media
includes at least a wireless wide area network media and a wireless local area network
media.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 15 wherein the network selection criterion specifies a
preference order between at least two media based upon a network parameter associated
with the media.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 15 wherein the network selection criterion specifies a
preference order between at least two media based upon a network type associated with
the media.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 15 wherein the network selection criterion specifies a
preference order based upon a current location of the computing system.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 15 wherein the network selection criterion specifies a
preference order between logical networks.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 15 wherein the network selection criterion specifies a
preference order based upon a time parameter.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
69 words
The method of claim 15 wherein the network selection logic is
incorporated into a state machine, and further comprising cyclically performing, under
the control of the state machine: scanning a set of network interfaces for networks; applying the network selection criterion to a set of networks and interfaces to
render a current network and interface selection; and issuing configuration instructions in accordance with the current network and
interface selection.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 15 further comprising initiating network scanning for
a designated one or more of the set of network interfaces based at least in part upon a
scanning algorithm and previous scan results maintained in a scanning history.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
107 words
A computer-readable medium including computer-executable instructions
for facilitating selecting a network and interface combination, to which a computing
system will initiate a connection via the network interface, based upon network
information spanning multiple communication media, the computer-executable
instructions facilitating: accessing a network selection criterion; accumulating network interface information potentially spanning multiple
communication media associated with a set of networks to which the computing system
is capable of connecting via a set of network interfaces; and designating one of the set of networks and a network interface from the set of
network interfaces by applying a network selection criterion to the network interface
information potentially spanning multiple media.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
19 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 28 wherein the network selection
criterion is accessed from a configurable rules data store.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
23 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 28 wherein the computer-executable
instructions further facilitate issuing network interface configuration
instructions in accordance with the designating step.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
43 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 28 wherein the accumulating
step is facilitated by a normalization module interposed between a set of media specific
modules associated with potentially multiple distinct types of communication media
drivers and a rules engine that performs the designating step.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
30 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 31 further comprising computer-executable
instructions for acquiring, by the media specific modules, network interface
information from the communication media drivers associated with particular network
interfaces.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
27 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 28 wherein the multiple
communication media includes at least a wireless wide area network media and a
wireless local area network media.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
29 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 28 wherein the network selection
criterion specifies a preference order between at least two media based upon a network
parameter associated with the media.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
29 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 28 wherein the network selection
criterion specifies a preference order between at least two media based upon a network
type associated with the media.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
24 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 28 wherein the network selection
criterion specifies a preference order based upon a current location of the computing
system.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
18 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 28 wherein the network selection
criterion specifies a preference order between logical networks.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
20 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 28 wherein the network selection
criterion specifies a preference order based upon a time parameter.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
73 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 28 wherein the network selection
logic is incorporated into a state machine, and further comprising computer-executable
instructions for cyclically performing, under the control of the state machine: scanning a set of network interfaces for networks; applying the network selection criterion to a set of networks and interfaces to
render a current network and interface selection; and issuing configuration instructions in accordance with the current network and
interface selection.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
44 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 28 further comprising computer-executable
instructions for initiating network scanning for a designated one or more of
the set of network interfaces based at least in part upon a scanning algorithm and
previous scan results maintained in a scanning history.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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