Abstract: Methods and apparatus for transmitting service information in a neighborhood of peer-to-peer communication groups are disclosed. A peer-to-peer client device connects to a peer-to-peer communication group via a peer-to-peer group owner. The peer-to-peer client generates a service notification including a category and a sub-category and transmits the service notification to the first peer-to-peer group owner. The first peer-to-peer group owner then forwards the service notification (a) to a first group member that is associated with the category and the sub-category, and (b) to a second group member that is identified as a first bridge and is associated with the category.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for transmitting data between different peer-to-peer communication groups are disclosed. A wireless device determines if it is simultaneously connected to a plurality of peer-to-peer communication groups and instantiates a bridge interface at the wireless device (e.g., TRILL RBridge) for communications between each peer-to-peer communication group. The wireless device also determines if it is simultaneously connected to at least one peer-to-peer communication device and an access point. In such an instance, the wireless device determines if the access point also includes a bridge interface. If the access point does not include a bridge interface, the wireless device instantiates/runs the bridge interface at the wireless device for communications between the at least one peer-to-peer communication device and the access point.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are for automatically accessing a social network account that provides member information about each of a plurality of social network members. The member information about at least one of the social network members, denoted as a particular member, includes a network detection portion and a security portion. The network detection portion is retrieved from the social network for at least the particular member. A detection is made that the wireless device is within range of a secure wireless network associated with the particular member. The detection uses the network detection portion of the particular member as an input. The security portion of the member information of the particular member is retrieved from the social network. The security portion is used to derive access credentials for the secure wireless network. The derived access credentials are used to securely access the secure wireless network.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a system and method that provides a user within a P2P network the ability to discover other devices in their vicinity, but under control of the network operator.

Abstract: In order to facilitate a handoff of a communication session between a legacy circuit switched network and a packet data network such as a 3GPP LTE, 3GPP2 UMB, or WiMAX network, which communication session is anchored in an IMS Voice Call Continuity Application Server (VCC AS), a Circuit Switched Proxy (CS Proxy) is provided in the packet data network that communicates with a Mobile Switching Center (MSC) of the circuit switched network. The CS Proxy allows the packet data network to communicate with the VCC AS, the MSC to communicate with the packet data network, and the MSC to communicate with the VCC AS via the packet data network, thereby allowing an exchange of handoff-related information between the packet data network and the VCC AS, the packet data network and the circuit switched network, and the circuit switched network and the VCC AS via the packet data network.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods and apparatus for providing an access point for connection to the Internet. The methods may be performed using one or more user devices (e.g. smartphones or other mobile communications devices) which may be part of a residential Local Area Network or “home” network. A user device may detect that a connection to the Internet via a first access point is unavailable. This connection may be via a residential gateway. In response to the detection that Internet connectivity via the first access point is unavailable, a user device (e.g. the same or different user device) may activate a second access point (e.g. a wireless or mobile access point) to the Internet for use by other user devices. Other user devices may then connect to the Internet using this second access point. The second access point may be de-activated if Internet connectivity via the first access point is re-established.

Abstract: A wireless communication device retrieves a continuous stream of data by receiving a request for retrieval of content from a remote server, retrieving data of the requested content over a first radio access technology (RAT) interface and connection, and determining if the data retrieved meets a content playback threshold. When the retrieved data does not to meet the content playback threshold, the device activates a second RAT interface for retrieval of data of the requested content over a second RAT connection. The first and second RAT interfaces simultaneously retrieve part of the requested content during a multipath time period, which part is divided into at least a first portion for retrieval over the first RAT connection and a second portion for retrieval over the second RAT connection and which first and second portions are selected such that their retrieval is estimated to meet the content playback threshold.

Abstract: In a wireless communication device (102), a method for retrieving content comprises receiving (300) a request for retrieval of content from a remote server (118), determining (302) a total number of connections to be used for retrieving the requested content based on a size of the requested content and transfer policies provided to the wireless communication device and dividing (304) the size of the requested content into segments of requested content to be retrieved based on the determined total number of connections. When the determined total number of connections is greater than one, a plurality of connections to the remote server are established (306), the number of established connections corresponding to the determined total number of connections. Each of the segments of the requested content is retrieved (308) over a respective one of the established connections and the retrieved segments are assembled (312) to provide the requested content.

Abstract: A wireless communication system (100) comprises a plurality of access points (102) for communicating with a plurality of wireless communication devices (104) within an enterprise (106). A local gateway (108) provides access to a local network (110) within the enterprise and an access point gateway (114) is coupled to the local gateway (108) and is communicably coupled to each of the plurality of access points (102) and to a core network (116) of the wireless communication system. The access point gateway (114) is arranged to receive control messages sent between the core network (116) and the plurality of access points (102) via the access point gateway (114) and to selectively route data via at least one of a communication path (118) between the access points (102) and the core network (116) and a communication path (120) between an access point (102) and the local network (110) via the local gateway (108) based on a received control message.

Abstract: A device, method and system for establishing data connectivity between the device (108) and a first access network (102). The method includes receiving (300) information associated with at least the first access network (102). The information includes a first connectivity type when the first access network is configured to establish a connection to a second access network (104) and tunnel all data traffic from the device (108) to the second access network (104) and a second connectivity type when the first access network (102) is configured to not establish a connection to the second access network (104) and provide direct access to services. When a request to establish data connectivity with the first access network (102) that supports the first connectivity type is received (302), the device provides connectivity parameters to be used to establish a connection between the first (102) and second (104) access networks.

Abstract: A method for triggering a group of one or more detached wireless communication devices (122) to attach to a wireless communications network (101) for enabling data communications is disclosed. A trigger request message including a group identifier, size information for the group, and location information for the one or more wireless communication devices (122) is received (302) at the network (101). Based on this information, the network (101) determines (304) a delay time period during which the one or more wireless communication devices (122) are to transmit an access request message to the network (101) when triggered to attach to the network. The delay time period is based on the size of the group. During a trigger period, the delay time period and group identifier is transmitted (306) to the one or more wireless communication devices (122) in a trigger message. A wireless communication device (122) is also described.

Abstract: A wireless communication device retrieves a continuous stream of data by receiving a request for retrieval of content from a remote server, retrieving data of the requested content over a first radio access technology (RAT) interface and connection, and determining if the data retrieved meets a content playback threshold. When the retrieved data does not to meet the content playback threshold, the device activates a second RAT interface for retrieval of data of the requested content over a second RAT connection. The first and second RAT interfaces simultaneously retrieve part of the requested content during a multipath time period, which part is divided into at least a first portion for retrieval over the first RAT connection and a second portion for retrieval over the second RAT connection and which first and second portions are selected such that their retrieval is estimated to meet the content playback threshold.

Abstract: In order to facilitate a handoff of a communication session between a legacy circuit switched network and a packet data network such as a 3GPP LTE, 3GPP2 UMB, or WiMAX network, which communication session is anchored in an IMS Voice Call Continuity Application Server (VCC AS), a Circuit Switched Proxy (CS Proxy) is provided in the packet data network that communicates with a Mobile Switching Center (MSC) of the circuit switched network. The CS Proxy allows the packet data network to communicate with the VCC AS, the MSC to communicate with the packet data network, and the MSC to communicate with the VCC AS via the packet data network, thereby allowing an exchange of handoff-related information between the packet data network and the VCC AS, the packet data network and the circuit switched network, and the circuit switched network and the VCC AS via the packet data network.

Abstract: A method and wireless communication device are provided that establish data connectivity between the wireless communication device and a core network over an IP access network. The wireless communication device receives a request to establish data connectivity over an IP access network and provides required connectivity parameters for establishing the data connectivity requested. The wireless communication device then sends a message to initiate an authentication procedure with the core network over the IP access network, receives an authentication request message and sends a response to the authentication request message, the response including the required connectivity parameters when the IP access network is determined to be a trusted IP access network.

Abstract: In a wireless communication device having a first and a second radio access interface for respectively communicating with a first and a second access network, a method for retrieving content comprises receiving a request for retrieval of content from a remote server and retrieving a first part of the requested content over a first radio access technology connection. When the retrieval of the first part is determined not to meet a required QoS threshold, the second radio access interface is activated. A next part of the requested content to be retrieved is divided into a first portion for retrieval over the first radio access technology connection and a second portion for retrieval over a second radio access technology connection such that retrieval of the first and second portions are estimated to meet the required QoS threshold, and are retrieved over the first and second radio access technology connections, respectively.

Abstract: A wireless communication system 5 comprises a wireless communication device arranged to detect multiple wireless access networks available for connection to the wireless communication device for providing data services. The device is arranged to discover one or more access capabilities of at least one of the detected wireless access networks, and compares the discovered access capabilities with a mobility policy so as to select an available wireless access networks for connection. Access capabilities may include aspects such as IP protocols and ports allowed by an access network, and capacity constraints such as available uplink and downlink transmission rates.

Abstract: A method for facilitating access to a first access network (110) of a wireless communication system (100) comprises authenticating (300) a wireless communication device (102) with a second access network (104) and generating temporary access credentials using access information provided by the second access network (104). The wireless communication device (102) then transforms (302) the temporary access credentials and an identifier of the first access network (110) to provide first transformed access credentials which are transmitted (304) for performing authentication with the first access network (110). The identifier of the first access network (110) is provided to the second access network (104) which generates (308) second transformed access credentials using the identifier of the first access network (110) and the temporary access credentials.

Abstract: A method for enabling a wireless communication device (122), connected to a first domain (106) of a wireless communication network (101), to access a service in a second domain (114) is disclosed. The method comprises receiving (404) at the wireless communication device (122) a service message from the first domain (106) indicating that a service in the second domain is available and including connectivity information for indicating how a connection to the second domain can be established and service access information for indicating how the service can be accessed after establishing a connection to the second domain. In response to a user of the wireless communication device requesting (408) access to the service in the second domain, establishing (410) a connection to the second domain using the received connectivity information, and accessing (412) the service in the second domain using the received service access information. A device and system are also disclosed and claimed.

Abstract: A wireless communication system (5) comprises a wireless communication device 40 adapted to communicate an IP flow (35) simultaneously over multiple heterogeneous network access interfaces (46, 48). A flow combine and split function in the network combines the multiple IP sub-flows for communication with another network node such as an application server (44). A wireless communication device for use in such a system, and a method of routing data in such a system are also provided.

Abstract: A method for facilitating a handover of a communication device (202) active on a first radio access network (210) to a second radio access network (206) comprises while the communication device is active on the first radio access network (210), detecting (502) a target access node (216) in the second radio access network for communication with the communication device, deciding (540) to handover the communication device from the first radio access network to the detected target access node, in response to a decision to handover and prior to handing over, initiating (506) by the communication device an access control process to authenticate and authorize the communication device for access to the second radio access network, including sending by the communication device a handover request message via the first radio access network to an application server (222) communicably coupled to the first and second radio access networks to initiate the access control process, and after the communication device is authen