Cross-technology coverage mapping system and method for modulating scanning behavior of a wireless user equipment (UE) device

• US 20070207815A1
• Filed: 03/02/2006
• Published: 09/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Research In Motion Limited (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: George, Richard, Carpenter, Paul, Alfano, Nicholas, Gopalan, Balaji, Oliver, Brian, Pletsch, Mark, Lam, Yiu, Kezys, Vytautas
• Granted Patent: US 7,953,410 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/04 based on user or terminal location or mobility data, e.g. moving direction, speed

Abstract

A cross-technology coverage mapping system and method for modulating scanning behavior of a wireless user equipment (UE) device in a radio network environment. In one exemplary embodiment, the wireless UE device is operable to determine its geographic area location. A logic module of the wireless UE device is adapted for interrogating a database to determine which radio access technologies (RATs) have coverage in the geographic area location. Responsive to the interrogation, scanning by the wireless UE device is restricted to only those RATs that have coverage in the particular geographic area.

Claims

15. A system for modulating scanning behavior of a wireless UE device, comprising:

means for determining a geographic area location as to where said wireless UE device is located;

means for interrogating a database to determine which radio access technologies (RATs) have coverage in said geographic area location; and

means, responsive to said interrogating, for restricting scanning by said wireless UE device to only those RATs that have coverage in said geographic area location.

16. A wireless user equipment (UE) device operable to modulate its scanning behavior, comprising:

a logic module adapted for determining a geographic area location as to where said wireless UE device is located;

a logic module adapted for interrogating a database to determine which radio access technologies (RATs) have coverage in said geographic area location; and

a logic module, responsive to said interrogating, for restricting scanning by said wireless UE device to only those RATs that have coverage in said geographic area location.

1. A method for modulating scanning behavior of a wireless UE device, comprising:

determining a geographic area location as to where said wireless UE device is located;

interrogating a database to determine which radio access technologies (RATs) have coverage in said geographic area location; and

based on said interrogating, restricting scanning by said wireless UE device to only those RATs that have coverage in said geographic area location.

2. The method for modulating scanning behavior of a wireless UE device as recited in claim 1, wherein said geographic area location is determined by using a satellite-based positioning system.

3. The method for modulating scanning behavior of a wireless UE device as recited in claim 1, wherein said geographic area location is determined based on a cell identifier code available to said wireless UE device.

4. The method for modulating scanning behavior of a wireless UE device as recited in claim 1, wherein said geographic area location is determined based on a location area code available to said wireless UE device.

5. The method for modulating scanning behavior of a wireless UE device as recited in claim 1, wherein said scanning is performed upon power-up.

6. The method for modulating scanning behavior of a wireless UE device as recited in claim 1, wherein said scanning is effectuated in a RAT compliant with at least one of a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) standard selected from IEEE 802.11b standard, IEEE 802.11a standard, IEEE 802.11g standard, IEEE 802.16 standard, HiperLan standard, HiperLan II standard, Wi-Max standard, OpenAir standard, and Bluetooth standard.

7. The method for modulating scanning behavior of a wireless UE device as recited in claim 1, wherein said scanning is effectuated in a RAT compliant with at least one of a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) network, an Enhanced Data Rates for Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) Evolution (EDGE) network, a 3^rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP)-compliant network, an Integrated Digital Enhanced Network (IDEN), a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) network, a Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) network, and a Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) network.

8. The method for modulating scanning behavior of a wireless UE device as recited in claim 1, wherein said scanning is performed as an initial scan procedure.

9. The method for modulating scanning behavior of a wireless UE device as recited in claim 1, wherein said scanning is performed as a background scan procedure.

10. The method for modulating scanning behavior of a wireless UE device as recited in claim 1, wherein said scanning is performed upon losing coverage of a network with which said wireless UE device was previously registered.

11. The method for modulating scanning behavior of a wireless UE device as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

if multiple RATs are determined have coverage in said geographic area, applying a prioritization scheme for choosing a particular RAT for service.

12. The method for modulating scanning behavior of a wireless UE device as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

if multiple RATs are determined have coverage in said geographic area, manually choosing a particular RAT for service.

13. The method for modulating scanning behavior of a wireless UE device as recited in claim 1, wherein said database is located within said wireless UE device.

14. The method for modulating scanning behavior of a wireless UE device as recited in claim 1, wherein said database is located on a network accessible to said wireless UE device.

17. The wireless UE device as recited in claim 16, wherein said logic module for determining said geographic area location is operable based on a satellite-based positioning system.

18. The wireless UE device as recited in claim 16, wherein said logic module for determining said geographic area location is operable based on a cell identifier code available to said wireless UE device.

19. The wireless UE device as recited in claim 16, wherein said logic module for determining said geographic area location is operable based on a location area code available to said wireless UE device.

20. The wireless UE device as recited in claim 16, wherein said logic module for restricting said scanning is adapted to restrict scanning performed by said wireless UE device upon power-up.

21. The wireless UE device as recited in claim 16, wherein said logic module for restricting said scanning is adapted to restrict scanning performed by said wireless UE device as an initial scan procedure.

22. The wireless UE device as recited in claim 16, wherein said logic module for restricting said scanning is adapted to restrict scanning performed by said wireless UE device upon losing coverage of a network with which said wireless UE device was previously registered.

23. The wireless UE device as recited in claim 16, wherein said scanning is effectuated in a RAT compliant with at least one a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) standard selected from IEEE 802.11b standard, IEEE 802.11a standard, IEEE 802.11g standard, IEEE 802.16 standard, HiperLan standard, HiperLan II standard, Wi-Max standard, OpenAir standard, and Bluetooth standard.

24. The wireless UE device as recited in claim 16, wherein said scanning is effectuated in a RAT compliant with at least one of a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) network, an Enhanced Data Rates for Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) Evolution (EDGE) network, a 3^rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP)-compliant network, an Integrated Digital Enhanced Network (IDEN), a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) network, a Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) network, and a Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) network.

25. The wireless UE device as recited in claim 16, further comprising a logic module for applying a prioritization scheme for choosing a particular RAT for service if multiple RATs are determined have coverage in said geographic area.

26. The wireless UE device as recited in claim 16, wherein said database is integrated within said wireless UE device.

27. The wireless UE device as recited in claim 16, wherein said database is located on a network accessible to said wireless UE device.

21-1. The wireless UE device as recited in claim 16, wherein said logic module for restricting said scanning is adapted to restrict scanning performed by said wireless UE device as a background scan procedure.