Altering communication interface parameters based upon mobility

• US 20080056212A1
• Filed: 03/08/2007
• Published: 03/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bennett, James D., Karaoguz, Jeyhan
• Granted Patent: US 9,173,163 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/32 by location or mobility data, e.g. speed data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/322 by location data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service

Abstract

Altering communication interface parameters based upon mobility. A novel approach is presented in which at least one operational parameter is changed as a function of the mobility of a wireless terminal. The changing of the operational parameter (which can be performed by either the wireless terminal, a WAP, or cooperatively by both) can include changing an entire protocol or only one operational parameter within the protocol. The mobility measure can be any one or combination of velocity (rate of change of position), acceleration, position within the network, or other measure. The mobility can be an average mobility over a period of time, or it can be an instantaneous mobility. The operational parameter can be changed by either communication device at each end of a communication link or in part, by both (e.g., either by a WAP (Wireless Access Point) or a communication device connected thereto, or by cooperation there between).

Claims

1. A wireless terminal in a communication network, the communication network including a plurality of WAPs (Wireless Access Points), the wireless terminal comprising:

a radio that is operable to;

detect the plurality of WAPs; and

connect to the communication network via a WAP within the plurality of WAPs; and

wherein;

when a mobility of the wireless terminal with respect to the WAP is greater than a threshold, the radio is operable to change at least one operational parameter that governs, at least in part, communication between the radio and the WAP.

2. The wireless terminal of claim 1, wherein:

one WAP within the plurality of WAPs is a wireless local area network access point that is compatible with IEEE 802.11 standard or a WiMAX access point that is compatible with IEEE 802.16 standard.

3. The wireless terminal of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one operational parameter is a packet size, a modulation type, or a code rate.

4. The wireless terminal of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one operational parameter is one operational parameter of a plurality of operational parameters that is included within a communication protocol that governs communication between the radio and the WAP.

5. The wireless terminal of claim 1, wherein:

the mobility of the wireless terminal with respect to the WAP within the plurality of WAPs is a velocity or an acceleration; and

the mobility also indicates a position of the wireless terminal within the communication network.

6. The wireless terminal of claim 1, wherein:

the threshold is a first threshold;

the at least one operational parameter is a first operational parameter;

at a first time, there exists a first distance between the wireless terminal and the WAP within the plurality of WAPs; and

when the mobility of the wireless terminal with respect to the WAP within the plurality of WAPs is less than the first threshold and a second distance between the wireless terminal and the first WAP is greater than a second threshold at a second time, the radio is operable to change a second operational parameter that governs, at least in part, communication between the radio and the WAP.

7. The wireless terminal of claim 1, further comprising:

a user interface that is operable to provide information to and receive input from a user; and

wherein;

the wireless terminal is operable to;

provide information to the user via the user interface indicating that the mobility of the wireless terminal with respect to the WAP is greater than the threshold; and

present an operational parameter change authorization request to the user via the user interface.

8. The wireless terminal of claim 1, further comprising:

a user interface that is operable to provide information to and receive input from a user; and

wherein;

the wireless terminal is operable to;

provide information to the user via the user interface indicating that the mobility of the wireless terminal with respect to the WAP is greater than the threshold;

present an operational parameter change authorization request to the user via the user interface; and

wherein;

the radio is operable automatically to change the at least one operational parameter that governs, at least in part, communication between the radio and the WAP if the user does not authorize the operational parameter change authorization request within a period of time.

9. The wireless terminal of claim 1, wherein:

the threshold is a first threshold;

the WAP is a first WAP; and

when the mobility of the wireless terminal with respect to the first WAP is greater than a second threshold, the radio is operable to switch its connectivity from the first WAP to the second WAP.

10. The wireless terminal of claim 1, further comprising:

a GPS (Global Positioning System) module that is operable to;

identify a first location of the wireless terminal on Earth at a first time; and

identify a second location of the wireless terminal on Earth at a second time; and

wherein;

the wireless terminal is operable to receive information from the WAP indicating a location of the WAP on Earth; and

the wireless terminal employs information provided by the GPS module and information corresponding to the location of the WAP on Earth to determine the mobility of the wireless terminal with respect to the WAP.

11. The wireless terminal of claim 1, wherein:

the wireless terminal is operable to transmit first information to the WAP;

the WAP is operable to transmit second information to the radio; and

based on at least one of a first period of time corresponding to the transmission of the first information and a second period of time corresponding to the transmission of the second information, the WAP or the wireless terminal is operable to determine a relative distance between the WAP and the wireless terminal.

12. The wireless terminal of claim 1, wherein:

the WAP directs the radio of the wireless terminal to change the at least one operational parameter that governs, at least in part, communication between the radio and the WAP.

13. The wireless terminal of claim 1, wherein:

the WAP and the wireless terminal operative cooperatively to select the change of the at least one operational parameter that governs, at least in part, communication between the radio and the WAP.

14. A wireless terminal in a communication network, the communication network including a plurality of WAPs (Wireless Access Points), the wireless terminal comprising:

a radio that is operable to;

detect the plurality of WAPs (Wireless Access Points); and

connect to the communication network via a WAP within the plurality of WAPs; and

a GPS (Global Positioning System) module that is operable to determine a location of the wireless terminal on Earth and a mobility of the wireless terminal with respect to the WAP within the plurality of WAPs; and

wherein;

based on a mobility of the wireless terminal with respect to the WAP within the plurality of WAPs, the radio is operable to change at least one operational parameter that governs, at least in part, communication between the radio and the WAP.

15. The wireless terminal of claim 14, wherein:

one WAP within the plurality of WAPs is a wireless local area network access point that is compatible with IEEE 802.11 standard or a WiMAX access point that is compatible with IEEE 802.16 standard.

16. The wireless terminal of claim 14, wherein:

the at least one operational parameter is one operational parameter of a plurality of operational parameters that is included within a communication protocol that governs communication between the radio and the WAP.

17. The wireless terminal of claim 14, wherein:

the at least one operational parameter is one operational parameter of a plurality of operational parameters that is included within a first communication protocol that governs communication between the radio and the WAP; and

based on the mobility of the wireless terminal with respect to the WAP within the plurality of WAPs, the radio changes from the first protocol to a second protocol that governs communication between the radio and the WAP.

18. The wireless terminal of claim 14, wherein:

the WAP within the plurality of WAPs is a first WAP; and

when the mobility of the wireless terminal with respect to the WAP within the plurality of WAPs is greater than a threshold, the radio switches communication between the radio and the first WAP to communication between the radio and a second WAP.

19. The wireless terminal of claim 14, wherein:

the mobility of the wireless terminal includes information corresponding to at least one of a velocity of the wireless terminal and a location of the wireless terminal within the communication network.

20. The wireless terminal of claim 14, wherein:

the WAP directs the radio of the wireless terminal to change the at least one operational parameter that governs, at least in part, communication between the radio and the WAP.

21. The wireless terminal of claim 14, wherein:

the WAP and the wireless terminal operative cooperatively to select the change of the at least one operational parameter that governs, at least in part, communication between the radio and the WAP.

22. A method performed by a wireless terminal in a communication network, the communication network including a plurality of wireless access points (WAPs), the method comprising:

detecting a plurality of WAPs (Wireless Access Points);

connecting to a communication network via a WAP within the plurality of WAPs;

determining a mobility of the wireless terminal within the communication network; and

based on the mobility of the wireless terminal, selectively changing at least one operational parameter that governs, at least in part, communication between the wireless terminal and the WAP.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein:

the mobility of the wireless terminal includes information corresponding to at least one of a velocity of the wireless terminal and a location of the wireless terminal within the communication network.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein:

one WAP within the plurality of WAPs is a wireless local area network access point that is compatible with IEEE 802.11 standard or a WiMAX access point that is compatible with IEEE 802.16 standard.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein:

the at least one operational parameter is one operational parameter of a plurality of operational parameters that is included within a communication protocol that governs communication between the radio and the WAP.

26. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

based on the mobility of the wireless terminal with respect to the WAP within the plurality of WAPs, selectively changing from a first protocol that governs communication between the radio and the WAP to a second protocol that governs communication between the radio and the WAP.

27. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

when the mobility of the wireless terminal with respect to the WAP within the plurality of WAPs is greater than a threshold, selectively switching communication between the wireless terminal and the WAP within the plurality of WAPs to communication between the wireless terminal and another WAP within the plurality of WAPs.

28. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

employing the WAP to direct the radio of the wireless terminal to change the at least one operational parameter that governs, at least in part, communication between the radio and the WAP.

29. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

cooperatively employing the WAP and the wireless terminal to select the change of the at least one operational parameter that governs, at least in part, communication between the radio and the WAP.