1. A method of formatting information for transmission to a communication device, comprising:
receiving a device identifier from the communication device that identifies a display format for displaying information based on device characteristics of the communication device;
searching a local database for the display format of the communication device identified by the device identifier;
if the display format of the communication device is not located, then searching an external database that is accessible via a network interface for the display format of the communication device identified by the device identifier and storing the display format of the communication device in the local database; and
formatting information to be transmitted to the communication device based on the device identifier.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
receiving a service identifier from the communication device that identifies at least one service available to a user of the communication device; and
formatting information to be transmitted to the communication device based on the device and service identifiers.
3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:
searching a local database for the at least one service available to the user of the communication device identified by the service identifier; and
if the at least one service available to the user of the communication device is not located, then searching an external database that is accessible via a network interface for the at least one service available to the user of the communication device identified by the service identifier.
4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
using a default format to format information to be transmitted to the communication device if the display format of the communication device is not identifiable by the device identifier in the external database.
5. The method of claim 3, further comprising:
using a default format to format information to be transmitted to the communication device if the at least one service available to the user of the communication device is not identifiable by the service identifier in the external database.
6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
using the device identifier to track a type of the communication device that is being used.
7. An apparatus for formatting information for a communication, comprising:
an interface that receives a device identifier that identifies a display format of a communication device;
a local database that stores a plurality of display formats of a plurality of communication devices, said local database coupled to the controller; and
a controller coupled to the interface and to an external database that stores a plurality of display formats of a plurality of communication devices, wherein said controller searches the local database for the display format of the communication device identified by the device identifier and searches the external database that is accessible via a network interface for the display format of the communication device identified by the device identifier if the display format of the communication device is not located in the local database, stores the display format of the communications device in the local database and formats information to be transmitted to the communication device based on the device identifier.
8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein:
the interface receives a service identifier that identifies at least one service available to a user of the communication device; and
the controller formats information to be transmitted to the communication device based on the device and service identifiers.
9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein:
the controller formats information to be transmitted to the communication device using a default format if the display format of the communication device is not identifiable by the device identifier in the external database.
10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein: if the display format of the communication device is not identifiable by the device identifier in the external database, the controller requests additional information from the communication device about display formats of the communication device; and after receiving a response from the communication device, formats information to be transmitted to the communication device according to the additional information provided by the communication device.
11. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising:
a local database that stores a plurality of services available to users of communication devices, said local database coupled to the controller; and
whereby the controller searches the local database for the at least one service available to the user of the communication device identified by the service identifier.
12. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein:
the controller is further coupled to an external database that is accessible via a network interface and stores a plurality of services available to users of communication devices; and
the controller searches the external database for the at least one service available to the user of the communication device identified by the service identifier if the at least one service available to the user of the communication device is not located in the local database.
13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein:
the controller formats information to be transmitted to the communication device using a default format if the at least one service available to the user of the communication device is not identifiable by the service identifier in the external database.
14. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the apparatus is a server.
15. A system for formatting information for a communication, comprising:
a wireless network;
at least one wireless communication device coupled to the wireless network, the communication device adapted to send through the wireless network,
a first identifier that identifies of a communication device; and
a second identifier that identifies at least one service available to a user of the communication device; and
a server coupled to the wireless network, the server including,
an interface that receives the first identifier and the second identifier; and
a controller that is operatively connected to a local database and an external database that is accessible to the controller via a network interface, wherein the controller:
searches the local database for the at least one physical property of the communication device identified by the first identifier;
searches the external database for the at least one physical property of the communication device identified by the first identifier if the at least one physical property of the communication device is not located in the local database and stores the at least one physical property of the communications device in the local database; and
formats information to be sent to the wireless communication device based on the physical property of the wireless communication device identified by the first identifier and the service available to the user of the wireless communication device identified by the second identifier.
16. A mobile communication device, comprising:
an antenna;
a transceiver coupled to said antenna for transmitting to, and receiving transmissions from, a wireless network;
a processor coupled to the transceiver; and
a display for displaying information to a user;
wherein said processor is programmed to receive a request for a device identifier, respond to the device identifier request by providing the device identifier to the wireless network via the transceiver, receive information formatted in accordance with the provided device identifier, and provide the received information to the display, receive a request for information about the physical properties or capabilities of the mobile communication device, automatically respond to the request by providing the requested information to the wireless network via the transceiver, receive information formatted in accordance with the requested information, and provide the received information to the display.
17. The mobile communication device of claim 16, wherein said device identifier is an International Mobile Equipment Identity.
18. The mobile communication device of claim 16, wherein said device identifier is an Electronic Serial Number.
19. The mobile communication device of claim 16, wherein the requested information provided by the mobile communication device is at least one from the group of processor speed, sound, communication rate, memory, display type, display resolution, mobile communication device operating system, and currently loaded software.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A mobile device for managing multiple flows of communications packets over a plurality of access networks comprising:
communication circuitry that facilitates communications with the plurality of access networks; and
a control system associated with the communication circuitry configured to:
establish a first communications session, via a first access network, with a network proxy;
establish a second communications session, via a second access network with the network proxy;
route the communications packets through the first communications session;
transition a flow of a first portion of the communications packets from the first communications session to the second communications session; and
route the first portion of communications packets through the first communications session, and route a second portion of the communications packets through the second communications session;
wherein the routing the first portion of communications packets through the first communications session and the routing the second portion of the communications packets through the second communications session increases the transfer rate of the communications packets.
2. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the first portion of the communications packets and the second portion of the communications packets are different.
3. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the first portion of the communications packets and the second portion of the communications packets are identical.
4. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the first portion and second portion of the communications packets are communicated simultaneously over the first and second communications sessions.
5. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein a decision to perform the transition is based on cost or quality of service characteristics.
6. The mobile device of claim 1, the control system further configured to:
discontinue use of the first access network after the transition to the second access network.
7. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the control system is further configured to cause the communications packets to be routed over a packet network to communications devices comprising voice and data applications.
8. The mobile device of claim 7, wherein the first portion of the communications packets and the second portion of the communications packets are associated with a same voice or data application.
9. The mobile device of claim 7, wherein the first portion of the communications packets and the second portion of the communications packets are associated with different voice or data applications.
10. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the first access network is a cellular access network.
11. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the second access network is a wireless local area network (WLAN) or a cellular access network.
12. A method for switching multiple flows of communications packets between a mobile device and multiple access networks, the method comprising:
establishing a first communications session between the mobile device and a first access network of the multiple access networks;
establishing a second communications session between the mobile device and a second access network of the multiple access networks;
routing a flow of the communications packets through the first communications session;
deciding to transition a flow of a first portion of the communications packets from the first communications session to the second communications session; and
routing the first portion of communications packets through the first communications session, and routing a second portion of the communications packets through the second communications session;
wherein the routing the first portion of communications packets through the first communications session and the routing the second portion of the communications packets through the second communications session increases the transfer rate of the communications packets.
13. The method of claim 12, wherein the deciding to perform the transition is performed by the mobile device.
14. The method of claim 12, wherein the deciding to perform the transition is based on a service characteristic.
15. The method of claim 14, wherein the deciding to perform the transition is based on a service characteristic related to cost.
16. The method of claim 15, wherein the deciding to perform the transition, based on the service characteristic related to cost, is performed by the mobile device.
17. The method of claim 14, wherein the deciding to perform the transition is based on the service characteristic related to quality of service.
18. The method of claim 17, wherein the deciding to perform the transition, based on the service characteristic related to quality of service, is performed by the mobile device.
19. The method of claim 17, wherein the service characteristic related to quality of service is an observed characteristic of communication errors, transmission rates, or quality of service issues.
20. The method of claim 19, wherein the observed characteristic of communication errors, transmission rates, or quality of service issues is observed by the mobile device.
21. The mobile device of claim 3, wherein the identical portions of the communications packets are routed through the first communication session and the second communication session to facilitate a handoff.