Patent ID: 7293110
Filing Date: 2007-11-06
Classification: G06Q,H04L,H04W

Abstract:
1. For use in a system comprising at least a first wireless access point that uses a first air interface protocol and a second wireless access point that uses a second air interface protocol, wherein the first and second wireless access points are both coupled to an Internet, at least one member of the group consisting of the mobile unit, the first wireless access point and the second wireless access point communicates via the Internet at a transport layer or above with a roam management server system to facilitate a system-level handoff operation from the first wireless access point to the second wireless access point, and the mobile unit couples to the Internet using a first connection via the first wireless access point prior to the system-level handoff operation, a method comprising: receiving at the roam management server system an indication of an event that identifies the second wireless access point as a potential point of attachment for the mobile unit; determining whether a second connection between the mobile unit and the second wireless access point is preferable to the first connection, wherein the determining is performed by the roam management server system in accordance with an optimization strategy; and sending from the roam management server system to the mobile unit an indication to switch from the first connection to the second connection in the event that the roam management server system determines that the second connection is preferable.