System and method for network and service selection in a mobile communication station

• US 20020039892A1
• Filed: 07/10/2001
• Published: 04/04/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Lindell, Bo
• Application Number:
  US09/902,516
• Publication Number:
  US 20020039892A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/151.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/16 Central resource management; Negotiation of resources or communication parameters, e.g. negotiating bandwidth or QoS [Quality of Service]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service

Abstract

In a method and system for selecting an access network and a service therein in a mobile communication station capable of accessing multiple access networks, the availability of each of the access networks can be determined based on the requirements of the application requesting service. A particular access network and service can thereafter be selected from the available access networks based on user preferences.

Claims

1. A method of selecting an access network from among one or more access networks capable of providing service to a mobile communication station, the method comprising:

receiving a request for access to an access network, said request including at least one service requirement;

determining an availability of each of at least one access network based on said at least one service requirement;

selecting, based on one or more user preferences, an access network determined to be available from said at least one access network; and

accessing said selected access network.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising selecting a service type in said selected access network based on said user preferences.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising retrieving said user preferences from a user profile stored in said mobile communication station.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising retrieving said user preferences from a subscriber identification module.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising manually entering said user preferences via a man-machine interface.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said user preferences include a lowest service cost.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein said user preferences include a minimum power consumption.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein said determining step includes continuously scanning a broadcast pilot signal from each access network.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein said determining step includes estimating a status of said mobile communication station within each access network.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein said at least one service requirement includes a bit rate requirement.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein said at least one service requirement includes a maximum transfer delay.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein said at least one service requirement includes a maximum frame error rate.

14. The mobile communication station according to claim 13, wherein said software program is further configured to report said access network selection information to said application.

15. The mobile communication station according to claim 13, wherein said software program is further configured to select a service type in said selected access network based on said user preferences.

16. The mobile communication station according to claim 13, wherein said software program is further configured to retrieve said user preferences from a user profile stored in said mobile communication station.

17. The mobile communication station according to claim 13, wherein said software program is further configured to retrieve said user preferences from a subscriber identification module.

18. The mobile communication station according to claim 13, wherein said software program is further configured to accept manually entered user preferences via a man-machine interface.

19. The mobile communication station according to claim 13, wherein said user preferences include a lowest service cost.

20. The mobile communication station according to claim 13, wherein said user preferences include a minimum power consumption.

21. The mobile communication station according to claim 13, wherein said software program is configured to allow said application to select an access network based on said availability of said access networks.

22. The mobile communication station according to claim 13, wherein said software program is configured to continuously monitor a broadcast pilot signal from each access network to determine said access network availability.

23. The mobile communication station according to claim 13, wherein said software program is configured to estimate a status of said mobile communication station within each access network to determine said access network availability.

24. The mobile communication station according to claim 13, wherein said at least one service requirement includes a bit rate requirement.

25. The mobile communication station according to claim 13, wherein said at least one service requirement includes a maximum transfer delay.

26. The mobile communication station according to claim 13, wherein said at least one service requirement includes a maximum frame error rate.

13. A mobile communication station capable of accessing multiple access networks, comprising:

a transceiver capable of sending and receiving radio signals to and from said multiple access networks; and

a processing unit connected to said transceiver and capable of executing a software program, said software program configured to;

receive a request to access an access network from an application executed by said processing unit, said request including at least one service requirement;

determine an availability of each access network based on said at least one service requirement; and

select an access network from said available access networks based on one or more user preferences.