Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system – Display driving control circuitry – Controlling the condition of display elements
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-23
2002-10-29
Bayerl, Raymond J. (Department: 2173)
Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system
Display driving control circuitry
Controlling the condition of display elements
C345S215000, C345S215000, C709S201000, C709S203000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06473097
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Technical Field
The present invention relates in general to Internet and data communication via mobile telephone communications and in particular to interfacing between a wireless subscriber and the Internet. More particularly, the present invention relates to an Internet Protocol interface between a wireless subscriber and the Internet.
2. Description of the Related Art
The written description utilizes a large number of acronyms to refer to components, methods and services. Although known, for purposes of this discussion and convenience for the reader, acronyms will be defined as follows:
Base Station Controller (“BSC”)
Base Transceiver Station (“BTS”)
Circuit InterWorking Function (“CIWF”)
Internet Protocol (“IP”)
Internet Service Provider (“ISP”)
Local Exchange Carrier (“LEC”)
Mobile Switching Center (“MSC”)
Mobile Data Interface System (“MDIS”)
Signal Control Point (“SCP”)
Signal Transfer Point (“STP”)
Time Division Multiplex (“TDM”)
Transmission Control Protocol (“TCP”)
Point of Presence (“POP”)
Public Switched Telecommunication Network (“PSTN”)
For the purposes of this application, the term “subscriber” is used to mean a subscriber to a telephone service and generally refers to the party initiating a call. Subscriber and “user” may be used interchangeably throughout this application. In wireless, a subscriber is the party in possession of the “handset”—the portable voice communications device. The term “subscriber” may encompass both business and residential users. Also, the term “off-hook” means the handset or other wireless device is available to receive or send wireless signals.
BACKGROUND ART
The World Wide Web is a convention for linking together text documents, interactive programs and images over the Internet. Internet addresses and links (icons or text on an Internet web page representing Internet web sites) utilizing HyperText Markup Language (“HTML”) provide the navigation means between sites on the internet. The communication protocol employed by the internet via telephone communication devices is Transmission Control Protocol/Internet protocol (“TCP/IP”). An intranet, as opposed to the Internet, is a discreet IP network serving a community of interests that provides a method of distributing information between different Personal Computers (“PC”) within a company, i.e., a Local Area Network: (“LAN”) or Wide Area Network (“WAN”).
An intranet is similar to the Internet's World Wide Web (“Web”) in that it usually employs a browser client that will operate satisfactorily on the internet and within the company's intranet. An intranet may be limited to company wide access, with and typically has provisions for various levels of security for different intranet sites within the company. Also, the company may provide a website on the Internet, that with the appropriate authority will allow outsiders to access internal intranet sites. Some intranets are on a much larger scale and more closely related to Internet usage. For example, America On Line™ (“AOL”) of Dulles, Va., maintains a gateway (portal or entry) to the Internet and provides access to content on AOL servers. Entry to the Internet through AOL is limited to subscribers to AOL. Additionally, AOL generated content (databases, files, applications, etc.) is available only to AOL subscribers. Various databases are available for additional fees and are accessed only by providing a password. A subscriber then has access to the AOL “intranet.”
TCP/IP is the communication protocol required to operate on the Internet and on individual company intranets. As with Internet websites, intranet sites provide content accessible by authorized users in the form of text, graphics and applications. Each site, or workstation, on an intranet has an IP address permanently assigned by the network administrator. The address is accessible by intranet browser client and is usually capable of: displaying a webpage provided by the intranet site, retrieving documents, searching for data on the site, retrieving (downloading) applications, accessing databases, communicating in real time with co-workers via keyboard entry or video/audio, etc. Generally, as with the Internet, the communication between browser and site is accomplished, utilizing telephony communications via a wire circuit. Circuit is a term for the network that telephone communications travel over including wire, optical fibre or microwave, usually via telephone wireline switches.
In the circuit world, Internet and data communications, in general, bypass the wireline switch and are siphoned off to other service providers, limiting the role of circuit operators to “access” providers. An access provider, in this instance a circuit or wireless operator, would provide connection to an Internet Service Provider (“ISP”) that would in turn connect a subscriber to the global Internet. A circuit operator is the traditional telephone service provider utilizing cable or wires to provide telephone communication service. A wireless operator provides telephone service via radio frequency without the use of cable.
Traditionally, access to the Internet is usually accomplished by a browser client operating on a computer via modem through circuit (telephone company) services. A user activates the browser client (application) on the user's computer and clicks on an icon to make connection to the Internet. The browser activates a modem connected to the computer and the modem dials the phone number of an ISP. Connection is made through a local telephone company switch via circuit (copper cable) to an Internet gateway, in this example an ISP. A modem at the ISP makes connection with the user's modem and routes connects the user computer to the Internet through the modems and the circuit service.
An ISP usually has many incoming telephone lines and more customers than telephone lines. Circuit service charges to the ISP are based on the number of lines and type of service provided and due to the number of ISPs, the ISP may operate in an area not served by the user's circuit operator. Also, with the advent of Internet telephony, utilizing the Internet to make long distance telephone calls at very low rates will become more commonplace. Long distance carriers will be bypassed as more and more long distance calls are made via the Internet, increasing revenue to the ISP and decreasing revenue to the long distance carriers.
Referring to
FIG. 7
, a high-level diagram of Internet access by subscribers/customers, is depicted. Telephone
700
represents a residential subscriber telephonic connection to a local circuit telephone provider
704
and computer
702
represents a data communications connection to the provider
704
via circuit based telephone company (“telco”). Normally, because of the graphical interface, the only useful connection to the Internet
712
has been through use of a computer utilizing a modem to communicate through the provider
704
. Recently, devices have been introduced that will allow communication, long distance, by the subscriber's telephone over Internet
712
to another circuit based subscriber telephone (not shown).
Communication transpires between subscriber's computer
702
utilizing a modem (not shown) and the Internet
712
via wire connection between the subscriber and telephone company (“telco”)
704
. A communication from computer
702
is connected to ISP
708
, typically, via wire
706
. The communication is received into an ISP server (not shown), and the connection sets up communications between the computer
702
and ISP
708
. ISP
708
makes connection to Internet
712
usually via a “backbone” (broad bandwidth communications link)
710
. Backbone
710
transmits commands generated by subscriber's computer
702
for navigating and accessing websites on the Internet
712
.
A wireless operator, represented by tower
724
, provides access in a similar fashion to Internet
712
by connecting a subscriber's laptop computer
722
or cell phone
720
via Telco
708
. Connection
703
is replac
Bayerl Raymond J.
Bracewell & Patterson L.L.P.
Crane John D.
Nortel Networks Limited
Thai Cuong T.
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