SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR WIRELESS ACCESS TERMINAL COMMAND PROCESSING

• US 20080056214A1
• Filed: 08/02/2007
• Published: 03/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Via Telecom Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Low, Su-Lin, Su, Jing, Marsh, Gene W.
• Granted Patent: US 7,860,063 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/20 Manipulation of established connections
• 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 wireless access terminal is configured to enter into a freeze state where the wireless access terminal temporarily stops decoding an receiving data for a first access network, when the wireless access terminal'"'"'s modem tunes away from the first access network to monitor signals form a second access network. When the modem tunes back, the wireless access terminal continues processing signals form the first access network without re-initializing with the first access network. When the terminal enters the freeze state, state variables for the terminal'"'"'s various protocols, including layer 1, layer 2, and modem controller protocols can be stored so that the protocols can continue processing when the modem tunes back, without the need to reinitialize.

Claims

1. A wireless access terminal configured to monitor signals from at least two different access networks configured to use different communication technologies, the wireless access terminal comprising:

a modem configured to transition between the two communication technologies to monitor signals from the different access networks; and

a protocol module configured to process commands associated with a first communication technology associated with a selected one of the access networks, the protocol module further configured to enter a specific state in response to the modem tunes away from the selected network to monitor a second access network using a second communication technology and to resume processing commands associated with the first communication technology, without the need to reinitialize, in response to the modem tunes back to the selected access network.

2. The wireless access terminal of claim 1, wherein an idle state protocol, executed by the protocol module, configured to provide sleep/monitor state control for the wireless access terminal after it has acquired one of the access networks, but before it has established a connection with the acquired access network, wherein the protocol is configured to store at least some state information for the current communication technology, when the protocol module tunes away from the acquired access network to monitor for signals from the other access network.

3. The wireless communication device of claim 2, wherein the idle state protocol comprising:

an Inactive State;

a Freeze Pending State; and

a Monitor State;

wherein the wireless access terminal is configured to wait for an activate command when the idle state protocol is in the Inactive State,

wherein the idle state protocol is configured to transition from the Inactive State to the Monitor State when the activate command is received,

wherein the idle protocol is configured to transition from the Inactive State to the Freeze Pending State when the modem tunes away while a traffic channel established between the wireless access terminal and the access network is active, and

wherein the idle state protocol is configured to transition from the Freeze Pending State to the Inactive State when the modem tunes back to the acquired access network.

4. The wireless communication device of claim 1, wherein the wireless access terminal is configured to monitor a control channel established between the wireless access terminal and the acquired access network and to receive page messages over a page channel assigned to the wireless access terminal by the access network.

5. The wireless access terminal of claim 3, wherein the idle state protocol comprising a Monitor Sate and a Freeze State, wherein the idle state protocol is configured to transition from the Monitor State to the Sleep State when sleep state conditions are satisfied,

wherein the idle protocol is configured to transition from the Sleep State to the Monitor State periodically in order to monitor the control channel and the page channel,

wherein the idle state protocol is configured to transition from the Monitor State to the Freeze State if the modem tunes away while the idle state protocol is in the Monitor State, and

wherein the wireless access terminal is configured to stop monitoring the control channel and paging channel while the idle state protocol is in the Freeze State.

6. The wireless access terminal of claim 5, wherein the idle state protocol comprising a Connection Setup Sate and a Connection Frozen State, wherein the idle state protocol is configured to transition from the Monitor State to the Connection Setup State when the wireless access terminal attempts to set up a connection,

wherein the idle protocol is configured to transition from the Connection Setup State to the Connection Frozen State when the modem tunes away while the idle state protocol is attempting to set up a connection in the Connection Setup State,

wherein the idle state protocol is configured to transition from the Connection Frozen State to the Connection Setup State and continue the connection set up process when the modem tunes back to the acquired access network, and

wherein the connection set up is not aborted while the idle state protocol is in the Connection Frozen State.

7. The wireless access terminal of claim 6, wherein the idle state protocol is configured to transition back to the Monitor State if the connection set up fails.

8. The wireless access terminal of claim 5, wherein the idle state protocol is configured to transition from the Freeze State to the Monitor State when the modem tunes back to the acquired access network, and resume operation in the Monitor State without going through an initial acquisition process.

9. The wireless access terminal of claim 3, wherein the traffic channel is not released while the idle state protocol is in the Freeze Pending State.

10. The wireless access terminal of claim 6, wherein the idle state protocol is configured to transition from the Connection Frozen State to the Connection Setup State and continue the connection set up process when the modem tunes back to the acquired access network.

11. The wireless access terminal of claim 6, wherein the idle state protocol is configured to transition from the Freeze State to the Connection Frozen State when the idle state protocol receives an open connection command while in the Freeze State, and wherein the idle state protocol is configured to transition from the Connection Frozen State to the Freeze State when the idle state protocol receives a connection denied message while in the Connection Frozen State.

12. The wireless access terminal of claim 5, wherein the freeze state process further comprises a Freeze State, and wherein the idle state protocol is configured to transition from the Freeze Pending State to the Freeze State when the idle state protocol receives an activate command while in the Freeze Pending State, and wherein the idle state protocol is configured to transition from the Freeze State to the Freeze Pending State when the idle state protocol receives a deactivate command while in the Freeze State.

13. The wireless access terminal of claim 1, wherein an initialization state protocol, executed by the protocol module, configured to enable the wireless access terminal to acquire the access networks,

wherein the protocol is configured to store at least some state information for the current communication technology, when the modem tunes away from a selected one of the access network to monitor for signals from the other access network.

14. The wireless access terminal of claim 13, wherein the initialization state protocol comprising:

an Inactive State;

a Network Determination State, wherein wireless access terminal is configured to select an access network while the initialization state protocol is in the Network Determination State;

a Pilot Acquisition State, wherein the wireless access terminal is configured to attempt to acquire a pilot channel associated with the selected access network while the initialization state protocol is in the Pilot Acquisition State;

a Synchronization State, wherein the wireless access terminal is configured to synchronize with the selected access network while the initialization state protocol is in the Synchronization State,

wherein the wireless access terminal is configured to wait for an activate command when the initialization state protocol is in the Inactive State, wherein the initialization state protocol is configured to transition from the Inactive State to the Network Determination State when the activate command is received,

wherein the initialization state protocol is configured to transition from the Network Determination State to the Pilot Acquisition State when the access network is selected.

15. The wireless access terminal of claim 14, wherein the initialization state protocol is configured to transition from the pilot acquisition to the Network Determination State, when the wireless access terminal is unable to acquire the pilot channel, and wherein the initialization state protocol is configured to transition from the Pilot Acquisition State to the Synchronization State when the pilot channel is acquired by the wireless access terminal.

16. The wireless access terminal of claim 14, wherein the initialization state protocol is configured to transition from the Synchronization State to the Network Determination State, when the wireless access terminal is unable to synchronize with the selected access network, and wherein the initialization state protocol is configured to transition from the Synchronization State to the Inactive State, when the wireless access terminal is able to synchronize with the selected access network.

17. The wireless access terminal of claim 14, wherein the freeze state process comprises a Freeze State, and wherein the initialization state protocol is configured to transition from the Synchronization State to the Freeze State, when the modem tunes away from the selected network, wherein the wireless access terminal is configured to temporarily stop monitoring the control channel while the initialization state protocol is in the Freeze State, and wherein the initialization state protocol is configured to transition from the Freeze State to the Synchronization State when the modem tunes back to the selected network, and wherein the wireless access terminal is configured to continue synchronization with the selected access network when the initialization state protocol transition back to the Synchronization State.

18. The wireless access terminal of claim 1, wherein a modem controller protocol, executed by the protocol module, configured to enable the wireless access terminal to control the modem, wherein the protocol is configured to store at least some state information for the current communication technology, when the modem tunes away from a selected one of the access network to monitor for signals from the other access network.

19. The wireless access terminal of claim 18, wherein the modem controller protocol comprising:

an Inactive State;

an Initial Acquisition State, wherein the modem is configured to tune to a selected channel and search for a pilot signal while the modem controller protocol is in the Initial Acquisition State;

a Mini Acquisition State, wherein the modem is configured to search for pilot signals in an active set while the modem controller protocol is in the Mini Acquisition State, and wherein the modem controller protocol is configured to transition to the Active State when a pilot signal in the active set is found;

an Active State; and

at least one state associated with a freeze state process, wherein the wireless access terminal is configured to wait for a pilot acquisition command while the modem controller protocol is in the Inactive State, wherein the modem controller protocol is configured to transition from the Inactive State to the Initial Acquisition State when the pilot acquisition command is received,

wherein the modem controller protocol is configured to transition from the Initial Acquisition State to the Inactive State, when the modem is unable to locate the pilot signal,

wherein the modem controller protocol is configured to transition from the Initial Acquisition State to the Mini Acquisition State when the pilot is located.

20. The wireless access terminal of claim 19, wherein the freeze state process comprises an Initial Acquisition Freeze State, and wherein the modem controller protocol is configured to transition from the Initial Acquisition State to the Initial Acquisition Freeze State when the modem tunes away from the selected access network, wherein the wireless access terminal is configured to store all modem state variables and suspend modem processing while the modem controller protocol is in the Initial Acquisition Freeze State, wherein the modem controller protocol is configured to transition from the Initial Acquisition Freeze State to the Initial Acquisition State when the modem tunes back to the selected network, wherein the wireless access terminal is configured to restore all modem state variables and resume modem processing when the modem controller protocol transitions back to the Initial Acquisition State.

21. The wireless access terminal of claim 19, wherein the freeze state process comprises a Freeze State, and wherein the modem controller protocol is configured to transition from the Mini Acquisition State to the Freeze State when the modem tunes away from the selected access network, wherein the wireless access terminal is configured to store all modem state variables and suspend modem processing while the modem controller protocol is in the Freeze State, wherein the modem controller protocol is configured to transition from the Freeze State to the Mini Acquisition State when the modem tunes back to the selected network, wherein the wireless access terminal is configured to restore all modem state variables and resume modem processing when the modem controller protocol transitions back to the Mini Acquisition State.

22. A method for monitoring signals from at least two different access networks configured to use different communication technologies, the method comprising:

communicating associated with a first communication technology associated with a selected one of the access networks;

entering a specific state in response of turning away from the selected network to monitor a second access network using a second communication technology; and

resuming communicating associated with the first communication technology without reinitializing in response of turning back to the selected access network.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the entering comprising:

storing state information for the first communication technology in response of turning away.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the method is configured to execute at least one of the following protocols:

an idle state protocol, configured to provide sleep/monitor state control for a wireless access terminal after it has acquired one of the access networks, but before it has established a connection with the acquired access network;

an initialization state protocol, configured to enable the wireless access terminal to acquire the access networks; and

a modem controller protocol, configured to enable the wireless access terminal to control a modem.