Wireless network connection switching management system and method

• US 20040014474A1
• Filed: 06/13/2003
• Published: 01/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo PC International Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kanada, Yoshihisa
• Granted Patent: US 8,014,779 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/444
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0229 where the received signal is a wanted signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0254 detecting a user operation or a tactile contact or a motion of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A system and method for wireless network connection switching management is shown. The system notifies a mobile user that his portable terminal is within an area where it can be provided with local fast wireless communication service such as a hot-spot service versus using a low speed, but wide coverage wireless access network. Radio waves for communication transmitted by a mobile wireless terminal are received at a WWAN receiving system provided in a WLAN system. The radio waves are capable of communicating with a WWAN (Wireless Wide Area Network) system utilizing a third generation mobile phone network and a WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network) system providing a hot-spot service. Instructions are output to the terminal via the Internet and a base station of the WWAN system that the mobile terminal is within an AP service area of an access point of the WLAN system. The user may choose to switch wireless network access networks in order to achieve faster access to the Internet. Additionally, the method incorporates mechanisms to achieve reduced power consumption by the mobile terminal.

Claims

1. ) A wireless communication system, comprising:

a base station providing a low-speed wireless communication service for a wide area;

an access point providing a high-speed wireless communication service for a limited area; and

a terminal capable of receiving both of said low-speed wireless communication service and said high-speed wireless communication service,

wherein said wireless communication system detects the presence of said terminal utilizing the low-speed wireless communication service within the limited area, and directs said terminal to switch to the high-speed wireless communication service via the low-speed wireless communication service.

2. ) The wireless communication system according to claim 1 wherein said access point detects the presence of said terminal utilizing the low-speed wireless communication service within the limited area, and directs said terminal to switch to the high-speed wireless communication service via the low-speed wireless communication service.

3. ) The wireless communication system according to claim 2 receiving low-speed wireless communication signals transmitted by said terminal at said access point and detecting the presence of said terminal within the limited area.

4. ) An access point comprising:

communication logic for providing a limited-area wireless communication service;

detection logic which detects the presence of a terminal within the limited area wherein the terminal is receiving a public wireless communication service from a base station of the public wireless communication system; and

output logic which sends a direction for the terminal to switch to the limited-area wireless communication service based on the detection by said detection logic.

5. ) The access point according to claim 4 wherein said detection logic recognizes an ID of the terminal included in the public wireless communication signals transmitted by the terminal, and said output logic sends the switching direction in association with the ID to the base station.

6. ) The access point according to claim 4 wherein said output logic sends the switching direction via a network connected to the base station.

7. ) A terminal detection device comprising:

detection logic which detects the presence of a terminal within a limited area where a limited-area wireless communication service is provided, the terminal receiving a public wireless communication service from a base station of the public wireless communication system; and

output logic which sends a direction for the terminal to switch to the limited-area wireless communication service based on detection by said detection logic.

8. ) The terminal detection device according to claim 7 wherein said detection logic detects the presence of the terminal within the limited area based on reception of public wireless communication signals transmitted by the terminal.

9. ) A base station comprising:

communication logic which provides a wireless communication service in a wide area;

reception logic which receives information about a terminal from an access point providing a limited-area wireless communication service for a predetermined limited area within the wide area; and

sending logic which transmits information on connection of the limited-area wireless communication service to the terminal based on the information about the terminal received from said reception logic.

10. ) The base station according to claim 9 wherein said sending logic transmits said information on connection of the limited-area wireless communication service by utilizing the wide-area wireless communication service.

11. ) A terminal comprising:

a first communication logic which provides a wide-area wireless communication;

a second communication logic for receiving a wireless communication service provided within a limited area; and

reception logic which receives information via said first communication logic through a wide-area wireless communication service, that the wireless communication service can be executed.

12. ) The terminal according to claim 11 wherein said first communication logic and said second communication logic are comprised of one communication logic capable of executing wireless communication through multiple different communication methods.

13. ) The terminal according to claim 11 further comprising switching logic which switches from said first communication logic to said second communication logic when said reception logic receives the information that the wireless communication service can be executed.

14. ) A method comprising the steps of:

detecting the presence of a terminal within a limited area where a limited-area wireless communication service is provided, the terminal receiving a public wireless communication service from a base station of a public wireless communication system; and

directing the base station to switch the terminal to the limited-area wireless communication service based on said detection of the presence of the terminal.

15. ) The method according to claim 14, wherein said detecting the presence of the terminal within the limited area is based on reception of public wireless communication signals transmitted by the terminal.

16. ) A method comprising the steps of:

receiving information that a predetermined terminal being provided with a low-speed wireless communication service for a wide area is present within a limited area where a high-speed wireless communication service is provided; and

notifying the terminal via the low-speed wireless communication service based on said received information, that the high-speed wireless communication service is available.

17. ) A method comprising the steps of:

receiving direction to switch to a wireless communication service for a limited area, via a wide-area wireless communication service; and

switching from the wide-area wireless communication service to the wireless communication service in response to said switching direction.

18. ) A program product comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein for use with a computer, the computer readable program code in said program product implementing functions effective to;

detect the presence of a terminal within a limited area where a limited-area wireless communication service is provided, the terminal receiving a public wireless communication service from a base station of a public wireless communication system; and

direct the base station to direct the terminal to switch to the limited-area wireless communication service based on the detection of the presence of the terminal.

19. ) A program product comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein for use with a computer, the computer readable program code in said program product implementing functions effective to;

receive information that a predetermined terminal is present within a limited area where a high-speed wireless communication service is provided, the terminal being provided with a low-speed wireless communication service for a wide area; and

notify the terminal via the low-speed wireless communication service based on said received information, that the high-speed wireless communication service is available.

20. ) A program product comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein for use with a computer, the computer readable program code in said program product implementing functions effective to;

receive a direction to switch to a limited-area wireless communication service via a wide-area wireless communication service; and

switch from the wide-area wireless communication service to the limited-area wireless communication service in response to said received direction.