NETWORK SELECTION BY WIRELESS TERMINALS

• US 20070275717A1
• Filed: 03/06/2007
• Published: 11/29/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Williams, David, Edge, Stephen, Andersen, Niels
• Granted Patent: US 8,437,288 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/434
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information

Abstract

Techniques for efficiently performing network selection using information stored at a terminal are described herein. The terminal may store coverage information for previously detected wireless networks, cell information for previously detected cells in wireless networks, usage information for previously accessed wireless networks, availability information for previously detected wireless networks, almanac information for cells in wireless networks (e.g., information on cells available at different locations and information for acquiring the cells), and/or other information that may be useful for network selection. The terminal may select a wireless network to attempt acquisition based on the stored coverage information and its current location, the stored cell information and information for the current location (e.g., an identity of a cell detected at the current location), the stored usage information, the stored availability information, and/or the stored almanac information.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a memory to store coverage information for previously detected wireless networks; and

a processor to select a wireless network to attempt acquisition based on the stored coverage information for the previously detected wireless networks.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor determines current location of the apparatus and selects a wireless network to attempt acquisition based on the current location of the apparatus and the stored coverage information for the previously detected wireless networks.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the coverage information for each previously detected wireless network comprises location coordinates where the wireless network was previously detected.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the location coordinates are spaced apart by at least a particular minimum distance.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the processor determines current location of the apparatus, identifies wireless networks previously detected at locations within a particular distance of the current location, and selected one of the identified wireless networks to attempt acquisition.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the coverage information for each previously detected wireless network comprises a set of location coordinates defining a visited coverage area of the previously detected wireless network.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the coverage information for each previously detected wireless network comprises a set of parameters for a geometric shape approximating a visited coverage area of the previously detected wireless network.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the coverage information for each previously detected wireless network comprises geographic description of a visited coverage area of the previously detected wireless network.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the processor determines current location of the apparatus, identifies previously detected wireless networks with visited coverage areas overlapping the current location, and selected one of the identified wireless networks to attempt acquisition.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the coverage information for each previously detected wireless network comprises received signal strength for cells in the previously detected wireless network.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the memory stores coverage information for previously detected wireless networks in a list of preferred networks.

12. A method comprising:

storing coverage information for previously detected wireless networks; and

selecting a wireless network to attempt acquisition based on the stored coverage information for the previously detected wireless networks.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

determining current location of a terminal, and wherein the selecting a wireless network to attempt acquisition comprises selecting a wireless network to attempt acquisition based on the current location of the terminal and the stored coverage information for the previously detected wireless networks.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the storing coverage information for the previously detected wireless networks comprises storing location coordinates where each wireless network was previously detected.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the storing coverage information for the previously detected wireless networks comprises storing geographic description of a visited coverage area of each previously detected wireless network.

16. An apparatus comprising:

means for storing coverage information for previously detected wireless networks; and

means for selecting a wireless network to attempt acquisition based on the stored coverage information for the previously detected wireless networks.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising:

means for determining current location of a terminal, and wherein the means for selecting a wireless network to attempt acquisition comprises means for selecting a wireless network to attempt acquisition based on the current location of the terminal and the stored coverage information for the previously detected wireless networks.

18. A processor-readable media for storing instructions to:

direct storage of coverage information for previously detected wireless networks; and

select a wireless network to attempt acquisition based on the stored coverage information for the previously detected wireless networks.

19. The processor-readable media of claim 18, and further for storing instructions to:

determine current location of a terminal, and

select a wireless network to attempt acquisition based on the current location of the terminal and the stored coverage information for the previously detected wireless networks.

20. An apparatus comprising:

a memory to store information for previously detected cells in wireless networks; and

a processor to obtain information for current location and to select a wireless network to attempt acquisition based on the information for the current location and the stored information for the previously detected cells.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the processor receives broadcast information from a cell and obtains an identity of the cell based on the broadcast information, the cell identity being the information for the current location.

22. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the processor obtains a position estimate for the apparatus, the position estimate being the information for the current location.

23. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the stored information for each previously detected cell comprises identities of cells associated with the previously detected cell.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the cells associated with the previously detected cell were receivable when the previously detected cell was received.

25. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the stored information for the previously detected cells comprises wireless networks to which the previously detected cells belong and preferences of the wireless networks.

26. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the stored information for the previously detected cells comprises radio technology and frequency information used to acquire the previously detected cells.

27. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the memory stores a first table of information for the wireless networks and, for each wireless network, a second table of information for previously detected cells in the wireless network.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the first table stores information for at least one of a network identifier, a preference, a frequency band, and a radio technology for each wireless network.

29. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the second table for each wireless network stores information for at least one of a cell identity, a frequency channel, a network identifier, and associated cells for each set of at least one previously detected cell in the wireless network.

30. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the processor sends all or a portion of the information for the previously detected cells to a designated wireless network.

31. A method comprising:

storing information for previously detected cells in wireless networks;

obtaining information for current location; and

selecting a wireless network to attempt acquisition based on the information for the current location and the stored information for the previously detected cells.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the obtaining information for the current location comprises

receiving broadcast information from a cell, and obtaining an identity of the cell based on the broadcast information, the cell identity being the information for the current location.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein the storing information for the previously detected cells comprises

storing identities of cells associated with each previously detected cell.

34. The method of claim 31, wherein the storing information for the previously detected cells comprises

storing a first table of information for the wireless networks, and

storing for each wireless network a second table of information for previously detected cells in the wireless network.

35. The method of claim 31, further comprising:

sending all or a portion of the information for the previously detected cells to a designated wireless network.

36. An apparatus comprising:

means for storing information for previously detected cells in wireless networks;

means for obtaining information for current location; and

means for selecting a wireless network to attempt acquisition based on the information for the current location and the stored information for the previously detected cells.

37. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the means for obtaining information for the current location comprises

means for receiving broadcast information from a cell, and

means for obtaining an identity of the cell based on the broadcast information, the cell identity being the information for the current location.

38. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the means for storing information for the previously detected cells comprises

means for storing identities of cells associated with each previously detected cell.

39. A processor-readable media for storing instructions to:

direct storage of information for previously detected cells in wireless networks,

obtain information for current location, and

select a wireless network to attempt acquisition based on the information for the current location and the stored information for the previously detected cells.

40. The processor-readable media of claim 39, and further for storing instructions to:

receive broadcast information from a cell, and

obtain an identity of the cell based on the broadcast information, the cell identity being the information for the current location.

41. An apparatus comprising:

a memory to store information for previously detected cells in wireless networks; and

a processor to select a wireless network to attempt acquisition based on the stored information for the previously detected cells, and to send all or a portion of the stored information for the previously detected cells to a designated wireless network.

42. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein the processor receives information for cells from the designated wireless network, and wherein the memory stores the received information for cells.

43. An apparatus comprising:

a memory to store usage information for previously accessed wireless networks; and

a processor to select a wireless network to attempt acquisition based on the stored usage information for the previously accessed wireless networks.

44. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein the usage information for each previously accessed wireless network comprises an amount of time the wireless network was previously accessed.

45. An apparatus comprising:

a memory to store availability information for previously detected wireless networks; and

a processor to select a wireless network to attempt acquisition based on the stored availability information for the previously detected wireless networks.

46. The apparatus of claim 45, wherein the availability information for each previously detected wireless network comprises an amount of time or the number of times the wireless network was previously detected.

47. An apparatus comprising:

a memory to store almanac information for cells in wireless networks, the almanac information comprising information on cells available at different locations and information for acquiring the cells; and

a processor to select a wireless network to attempt acquisition based on the almanac information.

48. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein the almanac information comprises information used to assist positioning.

49. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein the almanac information comprises information linking cells with overlapping coverage and belonging in different wireless networks.

50. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein the almanac information comprises information for only wireless networks utilizing radio technologies supported by the apparatus.

51. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein the almanac information comprises information for groups of cells instead of individual cells.

52. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein the almanac information comprises information for cells in designated areas.

53. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein the processor receives the almanac information from a designated wireless network.

54. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein the processor collects information for previously detected cells and sends collected information suitable for use as almanac information to a designated wireless network.

55. A method comprising:

storing almanac information for cells in wireless networks, the almanac information comprising information on cells available at different locations and information for acquiring the cells; and

selecting a wireless network to attempt acquisition based on the almanac information.

56. The method of claim 55, wherein the storing almanac information for cells comprises

storing information linking cells with overlapping coverage and belonging in different wireless networks.

57. The method of claim 55, further comprising:

receiving the almanac information from a designated wireless network.

58. The method of claim 55, further comprising:

collecting information for previously detected cells; and

sending collected information suitable for use as almanac information to a designated wireless network.

59. An apparatus comprising:

means for storing almanac information for cells in wireless networks, the almanac information comprising information on cells available at different locations and information for acquiring the cells; and

means for selecting a wireless network to attempt acquisition based on the almanac information.

60. The apparatus of claim 59, further comprising:

means for collecting information for previously detected cells; and

means for sending collected information suitable for use as almanac information to a designated wireless network.

61. A processor-readable media for storing instructions to:

direct storage of almanac information for cells in wireless networks, the almanac information comprising information on cells available at different locations and information for acquiring the cells; and

select a wireless network to attempt acquisition based on the almanac information.

62. The processor-readable media of claim 61, and further for storing instructions to:

collect information for previously detected cells; and

send collected information suitable for use as almanac information to a designated wireless network.