Intelligent connection manager for seamless interworking of multi-technology mobile devices

As wireless service providers ramp up their Long Term Evolution (LTE) installations, and telecommunications and cable operators continue to expand Wi-Fi coverage, 100 percent wireless coverage with overlapping areas of 3G, 4G, and Wi-Fi access is becoming a reality. Ensuring that a multi-mode device can roam across different radio access technologies while maintaining seamless session and service continuity across virtual private network (VPN), Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), and streaming video applications is critical. Differences in 3GPP, 3GPP2, and WiMAX standards led to the absence of uniform interworking solutions. Specific interworking standards per access technology pair define the behavior and interfaces for common core network components including the IP anchor, AAA, and HSS, as well as the IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS). This paper discusses the Intelligent Wireless Connection Manager (IWCM), a critical component of a mobile device platform that enables seamless and transparent inter technology mobility for user applications through IP session continuity, make-before-break handoff algorithms, and uniform quality of service (QoS) and policy management APIs.