Wireless Tethering Control via Secondary Channel
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Solution Overview
Problem
Cellular wireless networks face limitations in data transfer due to cost and capacity issues, and short-range wireless technologies have geographically limited access points, making it difficult for mobile devices to access networks efficiently.
Innovation Solution
A system that uses a secondary communication channel to control and initiate the establishment of a tethering connection over a primary communication channel between mobile devices, allowing one device to act as a mobile access point for another, enabling network access even in areas without direct connectivity, and allowing partial resource downloading to a local proxy before primary channel activation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If cellular wireless networks are used for data transfer, then coverage area is large, but cost and capacity issues arise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the communication system into two parts: a wide-area cellular network for general connectivity and a short-range wireless tethering connection for high-speed data transfer. The mobile device acts as a gateway, providing dedicated high-speed connectivity to peer devices through Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, thereby segmenting the data transfer function from the cellular network to resolve the contradiction between wide coverage and data transfer efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The mobile device serves as an intermediary between the cellular network and peer devices. It establishes a tethering connection with peer devices and uses this as a gateway to access the cellular network, thereby mediating the data transfer process. This intermediary approach allows peer devices to access high-speed cellular data through the mobile device's tethering connection, resolving the contradiction between coverage and data transfer efficiency.
2Productivity
If short-range wireless technologies are used, then cost and capacity issues are alleviated, but geographically limited access points reduce availability
Solution Approach 1:
The mobile device is designed with multi-functionality, serving both as a client device accessing the cellular network and as a tethering gateway providing short-range wireless connectivity to peer devices. This universal design allows the mobile device to function as a mobile access point, extending the availability of high-speed data transfer to locations without fixed infrastructure, thereby resolving the contradiction between data transfer efficiency and geographic availability.
3Productivity
If tethering connection is established over primary communication channel, then data transfer occurs, but setup time and delays increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by establishing a secondary communication channel for control information exchange before the primary data channel is fully set up. The mobile device and peer device can exchange control information, negotiate connection parameters, and prepare for data transfer through the secondary channel (e.g., Bluetooth Low Energy) before initiating the primary tethering connection, thereby reducing overall setup time and delays.
Data Source
AI summary
A technique for tethering over a wireless communication channel is provided. According an example embodiment, the technique comprises exchanging, over a secondary communication channel between a first mobile device and a second mobile device, control information related to a tethering connection provided over a primary communication channel between the first and second mobile devices, and initiating, by the first mobile device, establishment, activation or reactivation of said primary communication channel in response to receiving, via said secondary communication channel, a request to access a resource in a remote network over said tethering connection using a mobile access point functionality provided by the first mobile device. The technique may further comprise the first mobile device initiating downloading of said resource to a local proxy in response to receiving the request to access the resource, thereby downloading at least part of said resource to the local proxy before completion of the establishment, activation or reactivation of the primary communication channel.