Method for scanning services with a multimode communication device

• US 20070133482A1
• Filed: 12/08/2005
• Published: 06/14/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: SBC Knowledge Ventures LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Grannan, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 8,213,922 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A system and method are disclosed for scanning services with a multimode communication device. A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a communication device (102) having a controller (206) for managing operations of a user interface (UI) (204), and a wireless transceiver (202). The UI conveys messages to an end user and facilitates manipulating operations of the communication device. The wireless transceiver supports software defined radio (SDR) communications and communications on at least one other access technology. The controller is programmed to scan (312, 314) for services in a television (TV) spectrum and at least one among a cellular spectrum, an ultra wideband (UWB) spectrum, a WiFi spectrum and a WiMax spectrum, detect (316) one or more services, and present (318) one or more of the detected services to the end user. Additional embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A communication device, comprising:

a controller that manages operations of a user interface (UI), and a wireless transceiver, wherein the UI conveys messages to an end user and facilitates manipulating operations of the communication device, and wherein the wireless transceiver supports software defined radio (SDR) communications and communications on at least one other access technology, and wherein the controller is programmed to;

scan for services in a television (TV) spectrum and at least one among a cellular spectrum, an ultra wideband (UWB) spectrum, a WiFi spectrum and a WiMax spectrum;

detect one or more services on said access technologies; and

present one or more of the detected services to the end user.

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

establish one or more service preferences from a group of preference criteria comprising cost of service, quality of service (QoS), RF signal strength of a base station, communication range of the base station relative to a location of the communication device, and hand-off capabilities of neighboring base stations; and

scan for services according to the at least one preference.

3. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the one or more service preferences are grouped according to a select one or more end user profiles comprising a stationary end user profile, a mobile end user profile, an economic end user profile, and a data centric end user profile.

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

receive information in a control channel indicating available services in the TV spectrum; and

scan for services in the TV spectrum according to the control channel information.

5. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the TV spectrum is selected from at least one among a group of frequency bands comprising 54-72 MHz, 76-88 MHz, 174-216 MHz, and 470-806 MHz.

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

receive from the end user a service selection from the one or more detected services; and

enable the service selected by the end user.

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

identify one or more service preferences of the end user from a history of end user service selections; and

select one or more of the detected services according to the one or more preferences.

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

establish a buddy list of one or more other communication devices; and

detect a presence of one or more of the buddy list communication devices in the TV spectrum.

9. The communication device of claim 8, wherein the controller is programmed to prevent other communication devices roaming in the TV spectrum from detecting a presence of the communication device.

10. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the controller is programmed to receive in a control channel signaling software for scanning portions of the TV spectrum.

11. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the services comprise at least one among full-duplex voice services, half-duplex voice services, location services, video services, text messaging services, and instant messaging services.

12. A computer-readable storage medium in a communication device, comprising computer instructions for:

establishing one or more service preferences grouped according to a select one or more end user profiles comprising a stationary end user profile, a mobile end user profile, an economic end user profile, and a data centric end user profile;

scanning for services in a television (TV) spectrum and at least one other wireless access technology according to the one or more service preferences; and

detecting one or more services.

13. The storage medium of claim 12, comprising computer instructions for:

receiving information from a control channel indicating available services in the TV spectrum;

scanning for services in the TV spectrum according to the control channel information;

presenting one or more of detected services to an end user of the communication device;

receiving from the end user a service selection from the one or more detected services; and

enabling the service selected by the end user.

14. The storage medium of claim 12, comprising computer instructions for:

monitoring a use behavior of services by the end user;

identifying one or more service preferences of the end user from the monitored use behavior; and

scanning for services in the TV spectrum according to the one or more preferences.

15. The storage medium of claim 12, comprising computer instructions for:

establishing a buddy list of one or more other communication devices;

detecting a presence of one or more of the communication devices in the buddy list;

presenting to the end user the one or more detected communication devices;

receiving from the end user a selection of one or more of the detected communication devices; and

establishing communication with the selected communication devices.

16. The storage medium of claim 15, comprising computer instructions for preventing other communication devices roaming in the TV spectrum from detecting a presence of the communication device in response to a privacy selection by the end user.

17. The storage medium of claim 12, comprising computer instructions for:

receiving on a control channel signaling software for scanning portions of the TV spectrum; and

scanning the TV spectrum according to the signaling software.

18. The storage medium of claim 12, comprising computer instructions for processing information in at least one among a group of services comprising full-duplex voice services, half-duplex voice services, location services, video services, text messaging services, and instant messaging services.

19. A base station, comprising:

a wireless transceiver supporting software defined radio communications in an unlicensed TV spectrum and communications on at least one among a plurality of other access technologies; and

a controller that manages the wireless transceiver, programmed to;

offer one or more services in the unlicensed TV spectrum and at least one among the plurality of access technologies;

receive a service request from a communication device scanning the unlicensed TV spectrum and the access technologies; and

grant the communication device access to the service.

20. The base station of claim 19, wherein the access technologies comprise at least two among WiFi, WiMax, and cellular technologies.