Controlling and managing access to multiple networks

• US 20060019653A1
• Filed: 06/23/2005
• Published: 01/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Jain, Nikhil, Stamoulis, Anastasios
• Granted Patent: US 7,962,148 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/425
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/00 Affiliation to network, e.g. registration; Terminating affiliation with the network, e.g. de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup

Abstract

The disclosure is directed to a mobile communication device, and method for registering with a network from a mobile communications device. A processor in the mobile device may be used to establish a network connection with a server in a network. The mobile device may also include a transceiver that receives information from the server relating to the network connection. The processor may use the information, local measurements, or both to determine whether to register with the network.

Claims

1. A mobile communications device, comprising:

a processor configured to establish a network connection with a server in a network; and

a transceiver configured to provide information received from the server to the processor, the information relating to the network connection;

wherein the processor is further configured to determine whether to register with the network based on the information.

2. The mobile communications device of claim 1 wherein the transceiver is further configured to establish a radio connection with an access point to support the network connection, and wherein the information received by the transceiver from the server includes loading on the access point.

3. The mobile communications device of claim 2 wherein the information received by the transceiver from the server includes historical information relating to the access point.

4. The mobile communications device of claim 1 wherein the information received by the transceiver from the server comprises a quality metric related to the network connection.

5. The mobile communications device of claim 4 wherein the quality metric relates to the delay, jitter, or packet loss over the network connection in the reverse direction.

6. The mobile communications device of claim 1 wherein the processor is further configured to measure at least one of delay, jitter, or packet loss over the network connection in the forward direction, and determine whether to register with the network based on both the information received from the server and said at least one measurement.

7. The mobile communications device of claim 1 wherein the transceiver is further configured to establish a radio connection with an access point to the network, and wherein the processor is further configured to measure signal strength of the wireless transmissions from the access point, and determine whether to register with the network based on both the information received from the server and the measured signal strength.

8. The mobile communications device of claim 1 further comprising a second transceiver, and wherein the processor is further configured to register with a second network through the second transceiver if it determines not to register with the network.

9. The mobile communications device of claim 8 wherein the transceiver comprises an IEEE 802.11 transceiver, and the second transceiver comprises a cellular transceiver, and wherein the processor is further configured to use the network to support cellular services if it determines to register with the network.

10. A mobile communications device, comprising:

a processor configured to establish a network connection with a server in a network, and measure at least one of delay, jitter, or packet loss over the network connection in the forward direction, and wherein the processor is further configured to determine whether to register with the network based on said at least one measurement.

11. The mobile communications device of claim 10 further comprising a transceiver configured to provide information received from the server to the processor, the information relating to the network connection, and wherein the processor is further configured to determine whether to register with the network based on both said at least one measurement and the information.

12. The mobile communications device of claim 11 wherein the transceiver is further configured to establish a radio connection with an access point to support the network connection, and wherein the information received by the transceiver from the server includes loading on the access point.

13. The mobile communications device of claim 12 wherein the information received by the transceiver from the server includes historical information relating to the access point.

14. The mobile communications device of claim 12 wherein the information received by the transceiver from the server comprises a quality metric related to the network connection.

15. The mobile communications device of claim 14 wherein the quality metric relates to the delay, jitter, or packet loss over the network connection in the reverse direction.

16. The mobile communications device of claim 10 wherein the transceiver is further configured to establish a radio connection with an access point to the network, and wherein the processor is further configured to measure signal strength of the wireless transmissions from the access point, and determine whether to register with the network based on both said at least one measurement and the measured signal strength.

17. The mobile communications device of claim 10 further comprising a second transceiver, and wherein the processor is further configured to register with a second network through the second transceiver if it determines not to register with the network.

18. The mobile communications device of claim 17 wherein the transceiver comprises an IEEE 802.11 transceiver, and the second transceiver comprises a cellular transceiver, and wherein the processor is further configured to use the network to support cellular services if it determines to register with the network.

19. A method of communicating with a network from a mobile communications device, comprising:

establishing a network connection with a server in a network;

receiving information from the server relating to the network connection; and

determining whether to register with the network based on the information.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising establishing a radio connection with an access point to support the network connection, and wherein the information received by the processor from the server includes loading on the access point.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein the received information comprises a quality metric related to the network connection.

22. The method of claim 19 further comprising measuring at least one of delay, jitter, or packet loss over the network connection in the forward direction, and wherein the determination of whether to register with the network is based on both the information received from the server and said at least one measurement.

23. The method of claim 19 wherein the network comprises an IEEE 802.11 network, the method further comprises registering with the network and providing cellular services over the network connection.

24. A method of communicating with a network from a mobile communications device, comprising:

establishing a network connection with a server in a network;

measuring at least one of delay, jitter, or packet loss over the network connection in the forward direction; and

determining whether to register with the network based on said at least one measurement.

25. The method of claim 24 further comprising receiving information from the server relating to the network connection, and wherein the determination of whether to register with the network is based on both said at least one measurement and the information.

26. The method of claim 25 further comprising establishing a radio connection with an access point to the network, and wherein the received information includes loading on the access point.

27. The mobile communications device of claim 25 wherein the information received by the processor from the server comprises a quality metric related to the network connection.

28. The method of claim 24 wherein the network comprises an IEEE 802.11 network, the method further comprises registering with the network and providing cellular services over the network connection.

29. A mobile communications device, comprising:

means for establishing a network connection with a server in a network;

means for receiving information from the server relating to the network connection; and

means for determining whether to register with the network based on the information.

30. A mobile communications device, comprising:

means for establishing a network connection with a server in a network;

means for measuring at least one of delay, jitter, or packet loss over the network connection in the forward direction; and

means for determining whether to register with the network based on said at least one measurement.