Methods and apparatus for use in switching communication operations between a wireless wide area network and a wireless local area network

• US 20070165583A1
• Filed: 01/18/2006
• Published: 07/19/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Research In Motion Limited (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: Pecen, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 7,505,446 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/008375 based on historical data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/1446 wherein at least one of the networks is unlicensed
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/326 by proximity to another entity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/36 by user or terminal equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for use by a mobile communication device in switching operation for communications from a wireless wide area network (WWAN) to a wireless local area network (WLAN) are disclosed. While providing operation for communications in the WWAN, the mobile device continually maintains visited cell site history information in its memory. The visited cell site history information is indicative of one or more visited cell sites of the WWAN that served the mobile device over a moving time period of its operation. The mobile device continually monitors the visited cell site history information to identify whether it has been contained within a local geographic region over the moving time period. When the mobile device is identified to have been contained within the local geographic region, it is permitted to operate for communications with the WLAN. In response to such permission, the mobile device may enable its WLAN radio transceiver and select the WLAN for communications. Advantageously, switching operation for communications from the WWAN to the WLAN is performed only when appropriate. The WLAN radio transceiver may be enabled only when needed, which reduces power consumption and saves battery life in mobile device.

Claims

1. A method for use by a mobile communication device in switching operation for communications from a wireless wide area network to a wireless local area network, the method comprising the acts of:

providing operation for communications in a wireless wide area network;

continually maintaining, in memory, visited cell site history information which is indicative of one or more visited cell sites of the wireless wide area network that served the mobile communication device over a moving time period of operation of the mobile communication device; and

determining whether the mobile communication device is permitted to operate for communications in a wireless local area network based on the visited cell site history information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of determining comprises the further act of determining, based on the visited cell site history information, whether the mobile communication device has been contained within a local geographic region over the moving time period.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

when a wireless local area network is available for communications with the mobile communication device;

switching operation for communications to the wireless local area network if it is determined that the mobile communication device is permitted to operate in the wireless local area network; and

maintaining operation for communications in the wireless wide area network if it is determined that the mobile communication device is not permitted to operate in the wireless local area network.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the visited cell site history information comprises a number of visited cell sites of the wireless wide area network that served the mobile communication device over the moving time period of operation, and the act of determining comprises the further act of determining that the mobile communication device is permitted to operate for communications in the wireless local area network based on the number of visited cell sites.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the visited cell site history information further comprises a number of times each one of the visited cell sites served the mobile communication device over the moving time period of operation, and -the act of determining comprises the further act of determining that the mobile communication device is permitted to operate for communications in the wireless local area network based on a number of times a visited cell site served the mobile communication device over the moving time period of operation.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the visited cell history information comprises a list of identifiers associated with the visited cell sites that served the mobile communication device over the moving time period of operation.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

enabling a radio transceiver portion for communications with the wireless local area network based on determining that the mobile communication device is permitted to operate in the wireless local area network; and

refraining from the enabling of the radio transceiver portion for communications with the wireless local area network based on the mobile communication device not being permitted to operate in the wireless local area network.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

causing an indicator which indicates that the wireless local area network is permitted for communications to be displayed in a visual display of the mobile communication device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless wide area network comprises a cellular telecommunications network and the wireless local area network comprises an 802.11 -based communication network.

10. A mobile communication device, comprising:

a first wireless transceiver portion which is adapted to operate for communications with a wireless wide area network;

a second wireless transceiver portion which is adapted to operate for communications with a wireless local area network;

one or more processors coupled to the first and the second wireless transceiver portions;

memory coupled to the one or more processors;

the one or more processors being operative to;

provide operation for communications in the wireless wide area network with use of the first wireless transceiver portion;

continually maintain, in the memory, visited cell site history information which is indicative of one or more visited cell sites of the wireless wide area network that served the mobile communication device over a moving time period of operation of the mobile communication device; and

determine, based on the visited cell site history information, whether the mobile communication device is permitted to operate for communications in the wireless local area network with use of the second wireless transceiver portion.

11. The mobile communication device of claim 10, wherein the one or more processors are further operative to:

when a wireless local area network is available for communications with the mobile communication device;

switch operation for communications to the wireless local area network if it is determined that the mobile communication device is permitted to operate in the wireless local area network; and

maintain operation for communications in the wireless wide area network if it is determined that the mobile communication device is not permitted to operate in the wireless local area network.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the one or more processors are further operative to enable the second radio transceiver portion for communications with the wireless local area network based on determining that the mobile communication device is permitted to operate in the wireless local area network but refrain from enabling the second radio transceiver portion for communications with the wireless local area network based on the mobile communication device not being permitted to operate in the wireless local area network.

13. The mobile communication device of claim 10, wherein the visited cell site history information comprises a number of visited cell sites of the wireless wide area network that served the mobile communication device over the moving time period of operation, and the one or more processors are further operative to determine that the mobile communication device is permitted to operate for communications in the wireless local area network based on the number of visited cell sites.

14. The mobile communication device of claim 10, wherein the visited cell site history information comprises a number of times each one of the cell sites served the mobile communication device over the moving time period of operation, and the one or more processors are further operative to determine that the mobile communication device is permitted to operate for communications in the wireless local area network based on a number of times a visited cell site served the mobile communication device over the moving time period of operation.

15. The mobile communication device of claim 10, wherein the visited cell history information comprises a list of identifiers associated with the visited cell sites that served the mobile communication device over the moving time period of operation.

16. The mobile communication device of claim 10, wherein the visited cell site history information comprises a time indicator which is indicative of a time at which a visited cell site served the mobile communication device over the moving time period of operation.

17. The mobile communication device of claim 10, wherein the wireless wide area network comprises a cellular telecommunications network and the wireless local area network comprises an 802.11-based communication network.

18. A communication system, comprising:

a wireless wide area network;

a wireless local area network;

one or more mobile communication devices which are adapted to operate for communications in both the wireless wide area network and the wireless local area network;

each mobile communication device being operative to;

provide operation for communications in the wireless wide area network with use of a first wireless transceiver portion;

continually maintain, in memory, visited cell site history information which is indicative of one or more visited cell sites of the wireless wide area network that served the mobile communication device over a moving time period of operation of the mobile communication device; and

determine, based on the visited cell site history information, whether the mobile communication device is permitted to operate for communications in the wireless local area network with use of a second wireless transceiver portion.

19. The communication system of claim 18, wherein the mobile communication device is further operative to:

when the wireless local area network is available for communications with the mobile communication device;

switch operation for communications to the wireless local area network if it is determined that the mobile communication device is permitted to operate in the wireless local area network; and

inhibit operation for communications in the wireless local area network if it is determined that the mobile communication device is not permitted to operate in the wireless local area network.

20. The communication system of claim 18, wherein the visited cell site history information comprises a number of visited cell sites of the wireless wide area network that served the mobile communication device over the moving time period of operation, and the mobile communication device is further operative to determine that the mobile communication device is permitted to operate for communications in the wireless local area network based on the number of visited cell sites.

21. The communication system of claim 18, wherein the visited cell site history information comprises a number of times each one of the cell sites served the mobile communication device over the moving time period of operation.

22. The communication system of claim 18, wherein the mobile communication device is further operative to enable the second radio transceiver portion for communications with the wireless local area network based on determining that the mobile communication device is permitted to operate in the wireless local area network but refrain from enabling the second radio transceiver portion for communications with the wireless local area network based on the mobile communication device not being permitted to operate in the wireless local area network.

23. The communication system of claim 18, wherein the wireless wide area network comprises a cellular telecommunications network and the wireless local area network comprises an 802.11 based communication network.