Abstract:
A method and apparatus for transmitting audio information and digital images via a wireless switching network by performing the operations of starting a photo or audio session by a digital camera or audio appliance; connecting the digital camera or audio appliance to a wireless telecommunication terminal; reserving bandwidth on the wireless switching network; transmitting digital images or audio information between the digital camera or audio appliance and a centralized database via a first path on the wireless switching network; and establishing a second path for transmission of digital images or audio information upon the first path being interrupted using the reserved bandwidth for the second path.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     This invention relates to cellular and wireless switching systems. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Cellular telephones provide a convenient mobile communication media. However, their utilization for the transfer of data is limited because of the problem of the RF reception being interrupted and packets being lost during transmission. Whereas this is not a major problem for the transmission of short email messages or single pictures which can be manually resent if necessary; it does pose a problem for an ongoing communication of data between a device utilizing the cellular telephone for a communication path and an end application. Packet cell technologies are included in CDMA, CDMA-2000, GSM-GPRS, UMTS and 3G protocols. However, none of these protocols describe or incorporate a hosted solution for packet sessions. It is critical for the mobile service provider to offer higher-level sessions meant to survive packet session failures. These services do not exist nor do auto-reconnect technologies on such failures. This greatly decreases the utilization of cellular telephones as a communication path for many types of applications. 
     SUMMARY 
     A method and apparatus transmit digital images via a wireless switching network by performing the operations of starting to capture digital images for a photo session by a digital camera; connecting the digital camera to a wireless telecommunication terminal; reserving bandwidth on the wireless switching network; transmitting digital images as each is captured to a centralized database via a first path on the wireless switching network; and establishing a second path for transmission of digital images upon the first path being interrupted using the reserved bandwidth for the second path. 
     A method and apparatus transmit audio information to an audio appliance connected to a wireless telecommunication terminal via a wireless switching network by performing the operations of starting an audio session by the audio appliance; establishing a connection between the audio appliance to the wireless telecommunication terminal; reserving bandwidth on the wireless switching network; transmitting audio information from a centralized database via a first path on the wireless switching network; and establishing a second path for transmission of audio information upon the first path being interrupted using the reserved bandwidth for the second path. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a system for implementing an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates, in flowchart form, operations performed by an embodiment of a session executing on a session server; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates, in flowchart form, operations performed by an embodiment of a session operating on a cellular telephone supporting a digital camera; 
         FIG. 4  illustrates, in flowchart form, operations performed by an embodiment of a session operating on a cellular telephone supporting an audio appliance; 
         FIG. 5  illustrates, in block diagram form, a cellular or wireless telephone handset; 
         FIG. 6  illustrates, in block diagram form, an embodiment of a session server; 
         FIG. 7  illustrates, in block diagram form, an embodiment of a digital camera; and 
         FIG. 8  illustrates, in block diagram form, an embodiment of an audio device. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     One embodiment of the invention allows a high-level session established for hosting the transfer of data between a cell-phone and a wireless switching system while it maintains control over the operations dealing with the processing of the call from the high-level to the low-level. Such that if the call is lost because of RF reception problems, the bandwidth allocated within the cellular spectrum for that call is not reallocated, as it would be the normal situation, but rather is retained so that the call can immediately be set up again. In one embodiment this means that the cellular base station handling the call maintains the same reservation for RF bandwidth once the call is dropped. The high level session then attempts to reestablish this call to the cellular telephone. The actual reestablishment of the connection once it is lost is performed at the cellular network end rather than at the cell telephone side of the call. The reason for this is that the network can control the bandwidth and reuse resources that have been preserved upon the loss of the call to reestablish the call. 
     In one embodiment of the invention, a session is established between a digital camera that is taking a plurality of photographs and a centralized database to store those photographs. This session is maintained for a long period of time. As the user of the digital camera captures photo images, these photo images are automatically transferred to the database via the high-level session set up via a cellular telephone and cellular network. Since the high-level session will be maintained regardless of momentary interruptions in the RF bandwidth, the user can proceed to take photographs without being aware of the transfer of these photographs to the database. This embodiment allows the user to have a virtual unlimited memory for the recording of digital photos since the information is transferred to the database without any manual intervention of the user. 
     In another embodiment, the high-level session is established to allow the transmission of audio information such as music or voice to a digital device via the cellular network and cellular telephone. The cellular telephone buffers a certain amount of audio information probably no more than one minute so that even if the call is momentarily lost, it can be reestablished by the cellular network without interrupting the flow of music to the digital device. Clearly, this embodiment could also provide multi-media programming. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates an embodiment of system  100  for implementing the invention. Switching nodes  101 - 103  and base stations  104 - 107  with network management system  111  form a cellular/wireless switching system. The wireless switching system is interconnected to public telephone switching network  116 . The operation of a wireless switching system such as illustrated in system  100  is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,521,962 of D. L. Chavez, Jr. This patent is hereby incorporated by reference. One skilled in the art would readily appreciate that other types of cellular switching systems could be utilized for implementing the invention. 
     When a cellular telephone such as cellular telephone  108  establishes a session for an appliance such as appliance  109 , the session is established through base station  106 , switch node  108  and wide area network (WAN)  112  to session server  113 . Once the cellular telephone starts the session, session server  113  controls the session thereafter. The connection through the wireless switching system is more robust than an ordinary wireless call. The switch node or switching nodes assigned to communicate this call will not release the path until a message is received from session server  113  to do so. In addition, the switch node and base station will not attempt to reuse the wireless bandwidth if cellular telephone  108  is temporarily disconnected but will wait until informed to do so by session server  113  or until cellular telephone  108  registers on a new base station. The base station originally providing service for cellular telephone  108  will attempt to reestablish the connection to cellular telephone  108 . 
     Appliance  109  is interconnected to cellular telephone  108  via link  114 . Link  114  may be a wire link or a wireless link. The type of wireless link can be any wireless link known to one skilled in the art. Appliance  109  can be, for an example, a MP3 audio player or a digital camera. If, for example, appliance  109  is a MP3 or other type of audio player, session server  113  is transmitting the audio information to the appliance  109  via the communication link established through the wireless switching system and WAN  118 . Session server  113  may obtain the audio information from database  117 . If, for example, appliance  109  is a digital camera, then the information is being uploaded from the digital camera via link  114  and the wireless system plus WAN  112  as pictures are taken. Session server  113  then will store these pictures so as not to utilize an excessive amount of digital storage space within the digital camera. Session server  113  may also transfer the pictures to database  117  after the session is over or while the session is in progress. Advantageously, the digital camera may be a video or still digital camera or a combination of both. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates, in flowchart form, an embodiment of operations performed to maintain a session once the session has been established between a cellular telephone and session server  113 . After the session is established in block  201 , decision block  202  determines if the session has been released or terminated by the session server. If the answer is yes, the operations illustrated in  FIG. 2  are done, and control is transferred from decision block  202  to block  203 . If the answer in decision block  202  is no, decision block  204  determines if the session has been lost i.e. if the connection through the wireless system or the WAN has been interrupted. If the answer is no, control is transferred back to decision block  202 . 
     If the answer in decision block  204  is yes, block  206  reserves the bandwidth such that the base station or switching node/switching nodes involved in the communication path will not attempt to reuse this bandwidth before transferring control to decision block  207 . Decision block  207  continues to determine if the connection has been reestablished. If the answer in decision block  207  is yes, control is transferred back to decision block  202 . If the answer in decision block  207  is no, decision block  208  determines if the cellular telephone has registered on another base station. This other base station may be connected to the same switching node as the original base station or may be connected to another base station. If the answer in decision block  208  is no, control is transferred back to decision block  207 . If the answer in decision block  208  is yes, block  209  performs the handoff to the other base station, and block  211  releases the first/original base station before control is transferred back to decision block  202 . 
       FIG. 3  illustrates, in flowchart form, operations performed by an embodiment for transferring pictures from a digital camera to a session server. After operations are started in block  301 , decision block  302  determines if a picture has been taken. If the digital camera is a video camera this means that one of the sequence of video images is ready to be transferred to the session server. If the answer in decision block  302  is no, control is transferred back to block  302 . If the answer in decision block  302  is yes, control is transferred to block  303  which initiates the session. After execution of block  303 , decision block  304  waits for the session to be fully established. If the answer in decision block  304  is no, control is transferred back to block  303 . If the answer in decision block  304  is yes, block  306  transmits the picture to the session server before transferring control to decision block  307 . 
     Decision block  307  determines if the picture has been transmitted. If the answer is no in decision block  307 , decision block  308  determines if a time out has occurred. This time out interval will normally be a long interval of time. If the answer in decision block  308  is yes, block  309  performs error recovery. If the answer in decision block  308  is no, control is transferred back to decision block  307 . If the answer in decision block  307  is yes, decision block  311  determines if the photo session is over. If the answer is yes, block  312  terminates the session. If the answer is no in decision block  311 , decision block  313  determines if another picture has been taken. When another picture has been taken, control is transferred back to block  306 . 
       FIG. 4  illustrates, in flowchart form, operations performed by an embodiment  400  for transferring audio information from a session server to an audio appliance via a cellular telephone. After the operations are started in block  401 , decision block  402  determines if there has been a request for audio information received. This request for audio information may take a variety of forms. For example, the user may want to continue listening to an audio book that is stored on the session server or a database or the user may want to listen to an album. It is the session server&#39;s responsibility to determine from the information received the type of audio information that is being requested. If the answer is no in decision block  402 , decision block  402  is re-executed. If the answer is yes in decision block  402 , block  403  attempts to initiate the session before transferring control to decision block  404 . The latter decision block determines if the session has been established. If the answer is no, control is transferred back to block  403 . If the answer in decision block  404  is yes, block  406  transmits the audio request to the session server before transferring control to decision block  407 . 
     Decision block  407  determines if the requested audio is being received. If the answer is no, control is transferred to decision block  408  which determines if a time out has occurred. If the answer is yes in decision block  408 , block  409  executes error recovery. If the answer is no in decision block  408 , control is transferred back to decision block  407 . 
     If the answer is yes in decision block  407 , block  411  determines if the requested audio session is done. If the answer is no, control is transferred back to decision block  407 . If the answer is block  411  is yes, decision block  412  determines whether there is a request for new audio information. If the answer is no, the process terminates in block  413 . If the answer is yes in decision block  412 , control is transferred back to block  406 . 
       FIG. 5  illustrates, in block diagram form, an embodiment  500  of a cellular telephone handset. Elements  503 - 508  along with clock  509  provide the basic radio frequency functions. Clock  509  provides timing for the basic radio frequency functions as well as providing clock signals for processor  501 . Hybrid  510  and elements  511 - 514  provide audio output and input for a user. Audio transducer  517  provides either an audio or vibrating alerting signal to the user for different types of situations of which processor  501  wishes to make the user aware. Display  516  is utilized to display information to the user by processor  501 . User input interface  505  provides the basic interface by which a user signals processor  501  of the wishes of the user. User interface  505  may include, but is not limited to, a keypad, distinct buttons, and a menu actuation pad. Processor  501  controls the overall operation of the cellular telephone handset by executing control routine  521  in memory  518 . The appliance control functions are performed by processor  501  executing routine  522 . Data  519  stores the data that processor  501  utilizes to perform its functions. 
       FIG. 6  illustrates, in block diagram form  600 , one embodiment of session server  113 . Processor  602  provides the overall control for the functions of a session server by executing programs and storing and retrieving data from memory  601 . Processor  602  connects to WAN  112  via interface  603 . Processor  602  interfaces to user input device  611  via interface  607  and connects to display  619  via interface  609 . 
     Processor  602  performs the operations of a session server by executing the routines illustrated in memory  601 . Operating system provides overall control. Control routine  614  provides overall session control. Interface to database control controls the interaction with a remote database. Interfaces  617  provide control over interfaces  603 ,  604 ,  607 , and  609 . Camera control  618  performs control when the appliance is a digital camera via the session. Audio device control  619  performs control when the appliance is an audio device via the session. 
       FIG. 7  illustrates, in block diagram form, an embodiment  700  of a digital camera. Main processor  704  provides the overall control of the camera&#39;s operation by execution of programs stored in main memory  701 . In addition, main processor  704  may utilize internal picture storage  702  for the storage of digital pictures and other information. Internal picture storage  702  may be permanently part of the digital camera or may be a removable memory element. Appliance interface  703  provides the interface to the cellular telephone. This interface may be wireless or wired and if wireless may be any known wireless media known to those skilled in the art. 
     Camera optical functions  706  includes the lens, focusing mechanism, zoom mechanism, etc. as are well known to those skilled in the art. Camera imaging function  707  includes the imaging sensor as well as the processing logic needed to process the digital image received from the imaging sensor. Normally this processing logic is one or more digital signal processors, although it is also known for the imaging processing to be performed by main processor  704 . Camera user interface  708  provides the mechanism that allows the user to input information and receive information from the digital camera. This type of a camera user interface is well known in the art and normally consists of a variety of buttons for inputting information and a display screen for receiving information from the digital camera. The user of the digital camera uses the camera user interface  708  to a request a session for the transfer of photos be established. 
     Main processor  704  controls the operations of the digital camera by executing routines stored in main memory  701 . User interface control routine  714  provides control over the camera user interface  708 . Internal picture storage control routine  713  controls the storage and accessing of pictures in internal picture storage  702 . Session control routine  711  is responsible for the establishment of a session with the session server. Picture acquisition control routine  709  controls the acquisition of digital images by performing overall control of camera optical logic  706  and camera imaging functions  707 . 
       FIG. 8  illustrates, in block diagram form, an embodiment  800  of an audio appliance for producing audio information either from audio information received from a session server, additional audio sources  806  or audio information stored in internal audio storage  802 . Overall control of the audio appliance is performed by main processor  804  executing routines stored in main memory  801 . Under control of main processor  804 , audio processing section  807  takes digital information converts it to analog information and reproduces it on audio transducer  816 . 
     Additional audio sources  806  can include, but is not limited to, such audio sources as a CD deck, tape deck, radio tuner, etc. Device user interface  808  is an interface that allows the user to input information and to receive information from main processor  804 . The user of the audio appliance uses device user interface  808  to initiate a session and to request specific audio content. Internal audio storage  802  may be a random access memory or a hard drive. Appliance interface  803  supports the link to the cellular telephone. Appliance interface  803  may be wireless or hardwired and may utilize any protocol known to those skilled in the art. 
     Main processor  804  controls the operation of the audio appliance by execution of routines stored in main memory  801 . User interface control routine  814  is executed to receive and transmit information to the user via device user interface  808 . Internal audio storage control routine  813  is used to control the storage and accessing of audio information stored in internal audio storage  802 . Audio transmission control routine  812  performs the overall control of audio processing section  807 . Session control routine  811  is responsible for the establishment and maintaining the session via the cellular telephone to the session server. Other audio sources control routine  809  performs the control of the additional audio sources of block  806 . 
     When the operations of a server or appliance are implemented in software, it should be noted that the software can be stored on any computer-readable medium for use by or in connection with any computer related system or method. In the context of this document, a computer-readable medium is an electronic, magnetic, optical, or other physical device or means that can contain or store a computer program for use by or in connection with a computer related system or method. The server or appliance can be embodied in any computer-readable medium for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device such as a computer-based system, processor-containing system, or other system that can fetch the instructions from the instruction execution system, apparatus, or device and execute the instructions. In the context of this document, a “computer-readable medium” can be any means that can store, communicate, propagate, or transport the program for use by or in connection with the instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. For example, the computer-readable medium can be, but is not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, device, or propagation medium. More specific examples (a non-exhaustive list) of the computer-readable medium would include the following: an electrical connection (electronic) having one or more wires, a portable computer diskette (magnetic), a random access memory (RAM) (electronic), a read-only memory (ROM) (electronic), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM, EEPROM, or Flash memory) (electronic), an optical fiber (optical), and a portable compact disc read-only memory (CDROM) (optical). Note that the computer-readable medium could even be paper or another suitable medium upon which the program is printed, as the program can be electronically captured, for instance, via optical scanning of the paper or other medium, then compiled, interpreted or otherwise processed in a suitable manner if necessary, and then stored in a computer memory. 
     In an alternative embodiment, where the server or appliance is implemented in hardware, the server or appliance can be implemented with any or a combination of the following technologies, which are each well known in the art: a discrete logic circuit(s) having logic gates for implementing logic functions upon data signals, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) having appropriate combinational logic gates, a programmable gate array(s) (PGA), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), etc. 
     Of course, various changes and modifications to the illustrated embodiments described above will be apparent to those skilled in the art. These changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and without diminishing its intended advantages. It is therefore intended that such changes and modifications be covered by the following claims except insofar as limited by the prior art.