System, terminal, network entity, method, and computer program product for system selection in a multi-mode communication system

• US 20060285538A1
• Filed: 06/21/2005
• Published: 12/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Oommen, Paul
• Granted Patent: US 9,525,996 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/356
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/183 Processing at user equipment or user record carrier

Abstract

A terminal, network entity, system, method and computer program product enable communications to be established with an available system that is on a priority list and that has a desired service available. Communications may be established automatically with the system that is highest on the priority list and that has the desired service available. Alternatively, all of the systems that are on the priority list and that have the desired service available may be displayed to a user, such that the user may select one of the displayed systems and communications may be established with the selected system.

Claims

1. A terminal for flexible system selection, the terminal comprising:

a processor capable of receiving signals from at least two communication systems and establishing communication with one of the at least two communication systems based on respective availability information for at least one desired service from each of the at least two communication systems.

2. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the at least one desired service is selected from the group comprising instant messaging, push-to-talk, multimedia messaging service, device management, and voice over internet protocol.

3. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the processor receives the respective availability information from the at least two communication systems.

4. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the processor receives respective geographic information from the at least two communication systems, and wherein the processor is further capable of determining the respective availability information for the at least one desired service based on the geographic information.

5. The terminal of claim 1, further comprising a storage element capable of accessing at least one system priority list, wherein the at least one system priority list defines respective geographic information for the at least two communication systems, and wherein the processor is further capable of determining the respective availability information for the at least one desired service based on the geographic information defined in the at least one system priority list.

6. The terminal of claim 1, further comprising a storage element capable of accessing the at least one desired service and accessing at least one system priority list, wherein the at least one system priority list defines the respective availability information for the at least one desired service.

7. The terminal of claim 1, further comprising a storage element capable of accessing the at least one desired service and accessing at least one system priority list, wherein the processor is further capable of establishing communication with the at least one communication system that has a highest priority on the system priority list and has the desired service available.

8. The terminal of claim 1, further comprising a storage element capable of accessing the at least one desired service and accessing at least one system priority list, wherein the processor is further capable of receiving a user communication system selection from among all communication systems that are on the system priority list and that have the desired service available, and wherein the processor is further capable of establishing communication with the communication system selected by the user.

9. A network entity for flexible system selection, the network entity comprising:

a processor capable of directing transmission of a signal independent of a transmission from a terminal, wherein the signal is capable of being received by a terminal, wherein the signal comprises availability information for at least one desired service, wherein the processor is capable of receiving a communication request from the terminal based on the availability information.

10. The network entity of claim 9, wherein the at least one desired service is selected from the group comprising instant messaging, push-to-talk, multimedia messaging service, device management, and voice over internet protocol.

11. The network entity of claim 9, wherein the processor is further capable of receiving the communication request from the terminal based on a system priority list accessible by the terminal and the availability information.

12. A system for flexible system selection, the system comprising:

at least two network entities capable of transmitting signals; and

a terminal capable of receiving the signals from the at least two network entities and establishing communication with one of the at least two network entities based on respective availability information for at least one desired service.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one desired service is selected from the group comprising instant messaging, push-to-talk, multimedia messaging service, device management, and voice over internet protocol.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the terminal receives the respective availability information from the at least two network entities.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the terminal receives respective geographic information from the at least two network entities, and wherein the terminal is further capable of determining the respective availability information for the at least one desired service based on the geographic information.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the terminal is further capable of accessing at least one system priority list, wherein the at least one system priority list defines respective geographic information for the at least two communication systems, and wherein the terminal is further capable of determining the respective availability information for the at least one desired service based on the geographic information defined in the at least one system priority list.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the terminal is further capable of accessing the at least one desired service and accessing at least one system priority list, wherein the at least one system priority list defines the respective availability information for the at least one desired service.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the terminal is further capable of accessing the at least one desired service and accessing at least one system priority list, wherein the terminal is further capable of establishing communication with the at least one network entity that has a highest priority on the system priority list and has the desired service available.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein the terminal is further capable of accessing the at least one desired service and accessing at least one system priority list, wherein the terminal is further capable of receiving a user network entity selection from among all network entities that are on the system priority list and that have the desired service available, and wherein the terminal is further capable of establishing communication with the network entity selected by the user.

20. A method for flexible system selection, the method comprising:

receiving signals from at least two communication systems; and

establishing communication with one of the at least two communication systems based on respective availability information for at least one desired service from each of the at least two communication systems.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the at least one desired service is selected from the group comprising instant messaging, push-to-talk, multimedia messaging service, device management, and voice over internet protocol.

22. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

receiving the respective availability information from the at least two communication systems.

23. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

receiving respective geographic information from the at least two communication systems; and

determining the respective availability information for the at least one desired service based on the geographic information.

24. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

accessing at least one system priority list, wherein the at least one system priority list defines respective geographic information for the at least two communication systems; and

determining the respective availability information for the at least one desired service based on the geographic information defined in the at least one system priority list.

25. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

accessing the at least one desired service; and

accessing at least one system priority list, wherein the at least one system priority list defines the respective availability information for the at least one desired service.

26. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

accessing the at least one desired service;

accessing at least one system priority list; and

establishing communication with the at least one communication system that has a highest priority on the system priority list and has the desired service available.

27. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

accessing the at least one desired service;

accessing at least one system priority list;

receiving a user communication system selection from among all communication systems that are on the system priority list and that have the desired service available; and

establishing communication with the communication system selected by the user.

28. A computer program product for flexible system selection, the computer program product comprising at least one computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein, the computer-readable program code portions comprising:

a first executable portion capable of receiving signals from at least two communication systems; and

a second executable portion capable of establishing communication with one of the at least two communication systems based on respective availability information for at least one desired service from each of the at least two communication systems.

29. The computer program product of claim 28, wherein the at least one desired service is selected from the group comprising instant messaging, push-to-talk, multimedia messaging service, device management, and voice over internet protocol.

30. The computer program product of claim 28, further comprising:

a third executable portion capable of receiving the respective availability information from the at least two communication systems.

31. The computer program product of claim 28, further comprising:

a third executable portion capable of receiving respective geographic information from the at least two communication systems; and

a fourth executable portion capable of determining the respective availability information for the at least one desired service based on the geographic information.

32. The computer program product of claim 28, further comprising:

a third executable portion capable of accessing at least one system priority list, wherein the at least one system priority list defines respective geographic information for the at least two communication systems; and

a fourth executable portion capable of determining the respective availability information for the at least one desired service based on the geographic information defined in the at least one system priority list.

33. The computer program product of claim 28, further comprising:

a third executable portion capable of accessing the at least one desired service; and

a fourth executable portion capable of accessing at least one system priority list, wherein the at least one system priority list defines the respective availability information for the at least one desired service.

34. The computer program product of claim 28, further comprising:

a third executable portion capable of accessing the at least one desired service;

a fourth executable portion capable of accessing at least one system priority list; and

a fifth executable portion capable of establishing communication with the at least one communication system that has a highest priority on the system priority list and has the desired service available.

35. The computer program product of claim 28, further comprising:

a third executable portion capable of accessing the at least one desired service;

a fourth executable portion capable of accessing at least one system priority list;

a fifth executable portion capable of receiving a user communication system selection from among all communication systems that are on the system priority list and that have the desired service available; and

a sixth executable portion capable of establishing communication with the communication system selected by the user.