System and method for re-routing communications based on wireless communication link quality

Claim 3

The method of claim 1 , wherein routing communications comprises transmitting the communications to a communication interface of the mobile station associated with the second wireless communication link.

Claim 4

The method of claim 1 , wherein routing communications comprises communicating routing information associated with the second communication path to one or more routers coupling the mobile station and the destination device.

Claim 5

The method of claim 1 , further comprising abandoning the first wireless communication link after initiating routing of the communications to the second communication path.

Claim 6

The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second communication links use different wireless communication protocols.

Claim 7

The method of claim 5 , wherein at least one of the wireless communication protocols is not a cellular telephone communication protocol.

Claim 8

The method of claim 1 , wherein both the first and second communication links support packet-based communications.

Claim 9

The method of claim 1 , wherein the first communication link supports packet-based communications and the second communication link supports circuit-switched communications.

Claim 10

The method of claim 1 , wherein monitoring the link quality of the first wireless communication link comprises measuring the bit error rate of the wireless communication link.

Claim 11

The method of claim 1 , further comprising abandoning the first communication link after the link quality of the first communication link has decreased below the low link quality threshold.

Claim 12

The method of claim 1 , wherein routing communications using both the first and second communication paths comprises routing substantially identical communications over the first and second communication paths.

Claim 13

The method of claim 1 , wherein routing communications using both the first and second communication paths comprises routing different portions of the communications using the first and second communication paths.

Claim 14

A mobile station, comprising: a first communication interface operable to enable a first wireless communication link with the mobile station, the first wireless communication link included in a first communication path used for communications between the mobile station and a destination device; a second communication interface operable to enable a second wireless communication link with the mobile station, the second wireless communication link included in a second communication path used for communications between the mobile station and the destination device; and a router operable to: monitor the link quality of the first wireless link; determine that the link quality of the first communication link has decreased below a low link quality threshold; route communications between the mobile station and the destination device to the second communication path that includes the second wireless communication link with the mobile station, the second wireless communication link enabled using the second communication interface, the second communication path selected by the router based on an instantaneous internetwork topology and one or more routing metrics; determine that the link quality of the first communication link has decreased below a high link quality threshold that is higher than the low link quality threshold; initiate the establishment of the second wireless communication link included in the second communication path; and route communications between the mobile station and the destination device to both the first and second communication paths.

Claim 15

A mobile station, comprising: a first communication interface operable to enable a first wireless communication link with the mobile station, the first wireless communication link included in a first communication path used for communications between the mobile station and a destination device; a second communication interface operable to enable a second wireless communication link with the mobile station, the second wireless communication link included in a second communication path used for communications between the mobile station and the destination device; and a router operable to: monitor the link quality of the first wireless link; determine that the link quality of the first communication link has decreased below a low link quality threshold; route communications between the mobile station and the destination device to the second communication path that includes the second wireless communication link with the mobile station, the second wireless communication link enabled using the second communication interface, the second communication path selected by the router based on an instantaneous internetwork topology and one or more routing metrics; determine that the link quality of the first communication link has decreased below a high link quality threshold that is higher than the low link quality threshold; initiate the establishment of the second wireless communication link included in the second communication path; and route communications between the mobile station and the destination device to both the first and second communication paths.

Claim 16

The mobile station of claim 13 , wherein routing communications comprises transmitting the communications to the second communication interface.

Claim 17

The mobile station of claim 13 , wherein routing communications comprises communicating routing information associated with the second communication path to one or more routers coupling the mobile station and the destination device.

Claim 18

The mobile station of claim 13 , wherein the router is further operable to initiate the abandonment of the first wireless communication link after initiating routing of the communications to the second communication path.

Claim 19

The mobile station of claim 13 , wherein the first and second communication interfaces use different wireless communication protocols.

Claim 20

The mobile station of claim 17 , wherein at least one of the wireless communication protocols is not a cellular telephone communication protocol.

Claim 21

The mobile station of claim 13 , wherein both the first and second communication links support packet-based communications.

Claim 22

The mobile station of claim 13 , wherein the first communication link supports packet-based communications and the second communication link supports circuit-switched communications.

Claim 23

The mobile station of claim 13 , wherein the router is further operable to determine the bit error rate of the wireless communication link to monitor the link quality.

Claim 24

The mobile station of claim 13 , wherein the router is further operable to initiate the abandonment of the first communication path after the link quality of the first communication link has decreased below the low link quality threshold.

Claim 25

The mobile station of claim 13 , wherein routing communications using both the first and second communication paths comprises routing substantially identical communications over the first and second communication paths.

Claim 26

The mobile station of claim 13 , wherein routing communications using both the first and second communication paths comprises routing different portions of the communications using the first and second communication paths.

Claim 27

Communication software embodied in a computer-readable medium and operable to: establish a first wireless communication link and a second wireless communication link with a mobile station, the first wireless communication link included in a first communication path used for communications between the mobile station and a destination device, the second wireless communication link included in a second communication path used for communications between the mobile station and the destination device; monitor, from the mobile station, the link quality of the first wireless link; determine, at the mobile station, that the link quality of the first communication link has decreased below a low link quality threshold; route communications between the mobile station and the destination device the second communication path that includes the second wireless communication link to the mobile station, the second communication path selected by the router based on an instantaneous internetwork topology and one or more routing metrics; determine, at the mobile station, that the link quality of the first communication link has decreased below a high link quality threshold that is higher than the low link quality threshold; establish the second wireless communication link included in the second communication path; and route communications between the mobile station and the destination device to both the first and second communication paths.

Claim 28

Communication software embodied in a computer-readable medium and operable to: establish a first wireless communication link and a second wireless communication link with a mobile station, the first wireless communication link included in a first communication path used for communications between the mobile station and a destination device, the second wireless communication link included in a second communication path used for communications between the mobile station and the destination device; monitor, from the mobile station, the link quality of the first wireless link; determine, at the mobile station, that the link quality of the first communication link has decreased below a low link quality threshold; route communications between the mobile station and the destination device the second communication path that includes the second wireless communication link to the mobile station, the second communication path selected by the router based on an instantaneous internetwork topology and one or more routing metrics; determine, at the mobile station, that the link quality of the first communication link has decreased below a high link quality threshold that is higher than the low link quality threshold; establish the second wireless communication link included in the second communication path; and route communications between the mobile station and the destination device to both the first and second communication paths.

Claim 29

The software of claim 25 , wherein routing communications comprises transmitting the communications to a communication interface of the mobile station associated with the second wireless communication link.

Claim 30

The software of claim 25 , wherein routing communications comprises communicating routing information associated with the second communication path to one or more routers coupling the mobile station and the destination device.

Claim 31

The software of claim 25 , further operable to abandon the first wireless communication link after initiating routing of the communications to the second communication path.

Claim 32

The software of claim 25 , wherein the first and second communication links use different wireless communication protocols.

Claim 33

The software of claim 29 , wherein at least one of the wireless communication protocols is not a cellular telephone communication protocol.

Claim 34

The software of claim 25 , wherein both the first and second communication links support packet-based communications.

Claim 35

The software of claim 25 , wherein the first communication link supports packet-based communications and the second communication link supports circuit-switched communications.

Claim 36

The software of claim 25 , wherein monitoring the link quality of the first wireless communication link comprises measuring the bit error rate of the wireless communication link.

Claim 37

The software of claim 25 , further operable to abandon the first communication link after the link quality of the first communication link has decreased below the low link quality threshold.

Claim 38

The software of claim 25 , wherein routing communications using both the first and second communication paths comprises routing substantially identical communications over the first and second communication paths.

Claim 39

The software of claim 25 , wherein routing communications using both the first and second communication paths comprises routing different portions of the communications using the first and second communication paths.