Method for conserving energy in a multimode communication device

• US 20070129092A1
• Filed: 12/06/2005
• Published: 06/07/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Sbc Knowledge Ventures, L.P.
• Inventors: Doradla, Anil, Bridges, J. Bradley, Wolter, David
• Granted Patent: US 7,657,239 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/515
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0225 using monitoring of external events, e.g. the presence of a signal
• 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 methods (300, 400) are disclosed for conserving energy in a multimode communication device (106). A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a communication device having a multimode wireless transceiver (202) for accessing a plurality of wireless access technologies (103), and a controller (214) for managing operations of the multimode wireless transceiver. The controller is programmed to enable (300) scanning for a select one of the wireless access technologies when the communication device is near a known location of a wireless access point. An embodiment for a network management system (100) is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A communication device, comprising:

a multimode wireless transceiver for accessing a plurality of wireless access technologies; and

a controller for managing operations of the multimode wireless transceiver, wherein the controller is programmed to enable scanning for a select one of the wireless access technologies when the communication device is near a known location of a wireless access point, wherein prior to the enabling step the select one of the access technologies was disabled.

2. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the controller is programmed to:

receive an indication from a network management system (NMS) that the communication device is near the wireless access point; and

enable scanning in response to said indication.

3. The communication device of claim 1, comprising a location receiver, wherein the controller is programmed to:

monitor a location of the communication device;

detect that the communication device is near the known location of the wireless access point; and

enable scanning in response to said detection.

4. The communication device of claim 3, wherein the controller is programmed to receive the known location information of the wireless access point from a network management system (NMS).

5. The communication device of claim 3, comprising a memory pre-programmed with the known location of the wireless access point.

6. The communication device of claim 1, comprising a global positioning system (GPS) receiver, wherein the controller is programmed to:

monitor a location of the communication device;

transmit the location of the communication device to an NMS;

receive an indication from the NMS that the communication device is near the wireless access point according to the location of the communication device; and

enable scanning in response to said indication.

7. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the controller is programmed to conserve energy while the communication device is out of a communication range of the wireless access point.

8. A network management system (NMS), comprising:

a communications interface for exchanging messages with communication devices capable of accessing a plurality of wireless access technologies; and

a controller for managing operations of the communications interface, wherein the controller is programmed to assist a communication device in locating one among the plurality of wireless access points to conserve energy in the communication device.

9. The NMS of claim 8, wherein the controller is programmed to:

monitor a location of the communication device; and

transmit a vicinity indication to the communication device when it is near a select one of the plurality of wireless access points for enabling in the communication device a process for scanning said wireless access point.

10. The NMS of claim 9, wherein the controller is programmed to locate the communication device by triangulation in a communication system.

11. The NMS of claim 9, wherein the controller is programmed to:

retrieve one or more locations corresponding to the wireless access points;

receive from the communication device a location; and

transmit the vicinity indication to the communication device when detecting the communication device is located near one of the wireless access points.

12. The NMS of claim 8, wherein the controller is programmed to transmit to the communication device a plurality of locations of a corresponding plurality of wireless access points for conserving energy in the communication device.

13. A computer-readable storage medium in a communication device, comprising computer instructions for conserving energy by scanning for a select one of a plurality of wireless access technologies only when the communication device is near a known location of a wireless access point.

14. The storage medium of claim 13, comprising computer instructions:

receiving an indication from a network management system (NMS) that the communication device is near the wireless access point; and

scanning for the wireless access point in response to said indication.

15. The storage medium of claim 13, comprising computer instructions for:

monitoring a location of the communication device;

detecting that the communication device is near the known location of the wireless access point; and

scanning for the wireless access point in response to said indication.

16. The storage medium of claim 15, comprising computer instructions for receiving the known location information of the wireless access point from a network management system (NMS).

17. The storage medium of claim 15, comprising computer instructions for retrieving the known location information of the wireless access point.

18. The storage medium of claim 13, comprising computer instructions for:

monitoring a location of the communication device;

transmitting the location of the communication device to an NMS;

receiving an indication from the NMS that the communication device is near the wireless access point according to the location of the communication device; and

scanning for the wireless access point in response to said indication.

19. The storage medium of claim 13, comprising computer instructions for conserving energy while the communication device is out of a communication range of the wireless access point.

20. The storage medium of claim 13, comprising computer instructions for enabling communications with the wireless access point upon detecting a desired signal strength.

21. A computer-readable storage medium in a network management system (NMS), comprising computer instructions for assisting a multimode communication device to conserve energy according to location information corresponding to a plurality of wireless access points.