METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR SELECTING A WIRELESS NETWORK BASED ON QUALITY OF SERVICE (QOS) CRITERIA ASSOCIATED WITH AN APPLICATION

• US 20080062934A1
• Filed: 11/14/2007
• Published: 03/13/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Zhao, Wen
• Granted Patent: US 8,214,536 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/332
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup

Abstract

In one illustrative example, a mobile communication device has a plurality of software applications including an Internet browser application, an electronic mail (e-mail) communication application, and an audio or video player application. The mobile device is adapted to receive, from wireless communication networks or through use thereof, available quality of service data for the wireless networks and store the corresponding data in association with each network identification. The available quality of service data includes at least a bandwidth criterion and a delay criterion associated with each wireless network. For each one of the software applications, the mobile device is adapted to execute the software application; identify, based on the stored quality of service data, one or more wireless networks having a bandwidth criterion and a delay criterion that best match a bandwidth requirement and a delay requirement, respectively, of the executed software application; and select, based on the identifying, an available wireless network for communication using the executed software application.

Claims

1. A method in a mobile communication for use in selecting a wireless communication network for communications, the method comprising the acts of:

maintaining access to a plurality of software applications in memory, the plurality of software applications including an Internet browser application, an electronic mail (e-mail) communication application, and an audio or video player application;

for each one of a plurality of wireless communication networks;

receiving, through the wireless communication network or through use thereof, available quality of service data for the wireless communication network, wherein the available quality of service data includes at least a bandwidth criterion and a delay criterion associated with the wireless communication network;

storing the available quality of service data in association with a system identification of the wireless communication network;

for each one of the software applications including the Internet browser application, the e-mail communication application, and the audio or the video player application;

causing the software application to be executed;

identifying, based on the stored quality of service data, one or more wireless communication networks having a bandwidth criterion and a delay criterion that best match a bandwidth requirement and a delay requirement, respectively, of the executed software application;

scanning to identify a plurality of available wireless communication networks in a coverage area of the mobile communication device; and

selecting one of the available wireless communication networks for communication using the executed software application based on the act of identifying.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the available quality of service data further comprise a data loss criterion, and the act of identifying comprises the further act of:

identifying, based on the stored quality of service data, one or more wireless communication networks having the bandwidth criterion, the delay criterion, and the data loss criterion that best match the bandwidth requirement, the delay requirement, and a data loss requirement, respectively, of the executed software application.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the available quality of service data further comprise a delay variation criterion, and the act of identifying comprises the further act of:

identifying, based on the stored quality of service data, one or more wireless communication networks having the bandwidth criterion, the delay criterion, and the delay variation criterion that best match the bandwidth requirement, the delay requirement, and a delay variation requirement, respectively, of the executed software application.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of software applications include a voice communication application, the method further comprising:

maintaining a network selection table for the voice communication application, the network selection table having a plurality of system identifications, each system identification identifying a wireless communication network and having a priority in the network selection table;

when the voice communication application is executed;

performing system selection and acquisition using the network selection table for selecting one of the available wireless communication networks for communication, by attempting to access service for the voice communication application through available wireless communication networks that are identified in the network selection table in accordance with the priorities associated therewith, until the service is granted from one of them.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

maintaining a network selection table for the Internet browser application, the network selection table having a plurality of system identifications, each system identification identifying a wireless communication network and having a priority in the network selection table;

when the Internet browser application is executed;

performing system selection and acquisition using the network selection table for selecting one of the available wireless communication networks for communication, by attempting to access service for the Internet browser application through available wireless communication networks that are identified in the network selection table in accordance with the priorities associated therewith, until the service is granted from one of them.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

maintaining a network selection table for the e-mail communication application, the network selection table having a plurality of system identifications, each system identification identifying a wireless communication network and having a priority in the network selection table;

when the e-mail communication application is executed;

performing system selection and acquisition using the network selection table for selecting one of the available wireless communication networks for communication, by attempting to access service for the e-mail communication application through available wireless communication networks that are identified in the network selection table in accordance with the priorities associated therewith, until the service is granted from one of them.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

maintaining a first network selection table for the Internet browser application, the first network selection table having a plurality of system identifications, each system identification identifying a wireless communication network and having a priority in the network selection table;

when the Internet browser application is executed;

performing system selection and acquisition using the network selection table for selecting one of the available wireless communication networks for communication, by attempting to access service for the Internet browser application through available wireless communication networks that are identified in the network selection table in accordance with the priorities associated therewith, until the service is granted from one of them;

maintaining a second network selection table for the e-mail communication application, the second network selection table having a plurality of system identifications, each system identification identifying a wireless communication network and having a priority in the network selection table;

when the e-mail communication application is executed;

performing system selection and acquisition using the network selection table for selecting one of the available wireless communication networks for communication, by attempting to access service for the e-mail communication application through available wireless communication networks that are identified in the network selection table in accordance with the priorities associated therewith, until the service is granted from one of them.

8. A mobile communication device, comprising:

a wireless transceiver;

one or more processors coupled to the wireless transceiver;

memory for storing a plurality of software applications, the plurality of software applications including an Internet browser application, an electronic mail (e-mail) communication application, and an audio or video player application;

the one or more processors being adapted to, for each one of a plurality of wireless communication networks;

receive, from the wireless communication network or through use thereof, available quality of service data for the wireless communication network, wherein the available quality of service data includes at least a bandwidth criterion and a delay criterion associated with the wireless communication network;

store the available quality of service data in association with a system identification of the wireless communication network;

the one or more processors being further adapted to, for each one of the software applications including the Internet browser application, the e-mail communication application, and the audio or the video player application;

executing the software application;

identify, based on the stored quality of service data, one or more wireless communication networks having a bandwidth criterion and a delay criterion that best match a bandwidth requirement and a delay requirement, respectively, of the executed software application;

perform a scanning operation to identify a plurality of available wireless communication networks in a coverage area of the mobile communication device; and

select, based on the identifying, one of the available wireless communication networks for communication via the wireless transceiver using the executed software application.

9. The mobile communication device of claim 8, wherein the available quality of service data further comprise a data loss criterion, and the one or more processors are further adapted to identify the one or more wireless communication networks by:

identifying, based on the stored quality of service data, one or more wireless communication networks having the bandwidth criterion, the delay criterion, and the data loss criterion that best match the bandwidth requirement, the delay requirement, and a data loss requirement, respectively, of the executed software application.

10. The mobile communication device of claim 8, wherein the available quality of service data further comprise a delay variation criterion, and the one or more processors are further adapted to identify the one or more wireless communication networks by:

identifying, based on the stored quality of service data, one or more wireless communication networks having the bandwidth criterion, the delay criterion, and the delay variation criterion that best match the bandwidth requirement, the delay requirement, and a delay variation requirement, respectively, of the executed software application.

11. The mobile communication device of claim 8, wherein the plurality of software applications include a voice communication application, and the one or more processors are further adapted to:

maintain a network selection table for the voice communication application, the network selection table having a plurality of system identifications, each system identification identifying a wireless communication network and having a priority in the network selection table; and

when the one or more processors execute the voice communication application;

perform system selection and acquisition using the network selection table for selecting one of the available wireless communication networks for communication, by attempting to access service for the voice communication application through available wireless communication networks that are identified in the network selection table in accordance with the priorities associated therewith, until the service is granted from one of them.

12. The mobile communication device of claim 8, wherein the one or more processors are further operative to:

maintain a network selection table for the Internet browser application, the network selection table having a plurality of system identifications, each system identification identifying a wireless communication network and having a priority in the network selection table; and

when the Internet browser application is executed;

perform system selection and acquisition using the network selection table for selecting one of the available wireless communication networks for communication, by attempting to access service for the Internet browser application through available wireless communication networks that are identified in the network selection table in accordance with the priorities associated therewith, until the service is granted from one of them.

13. The mobile communication device of claim 8, wherein the one or more processors are further adapted to:

maintain a network selection table for the e-mail communication application, the network selection table having a plurality of system identifications, each system identification identifying a wireless communication network and having a priority in the network selection table; and

when the e-mail communication application is executed;

perform system selection and acquisition using the network selection table for selecting one of the available wireless communication networks for communication, by attempting to access service for the e-mail communication application through available wireless communication networks that are identified in the network selection table in accordance with the priorities associated therewith, until the service is granted from one of them.

14. The mobile communication device of claim 8, wherein the one or more processors are further adapted to:

maintain a first network selection table for the Internet browser application, the first network selection table having a plurality of system identifications, each system identification identifying a wireless communication network and having a priority in the network selection table;

when the Internet browser application is executed;

perform system selection and acquisition using the network selection table for selecting one of the available wireless communication networks for communication, by attempting to access service for the Internet browser application through available wireless communication networks that are identified in the network selection table in accordance with the priorities associated therewith, until the service is granted from one of them;

maintain a second network selection table for the e-mail communication application, the second network selection table having a plurality of system identifications, each system identification identifying a wireless communication network and having a priority in the network selection table; and

when the e-mail communication application is executed;

perform system selection and acquisition using the network selection table for selecting one of the available wireless communication networks for communication, by attempting to access service for the e-mail communication application through available wireless communication networks that are identified in the network selection table in accordance with the priorities associated therewith, until the service is granted from one of them.

15. A method in a mobile communication for use in selecting a wireless communication network for communications, the method comprising the acts of:

maintaining access to a plurality of software applications in memory, the plurality of software applications including a voice communication application, an Internet browser application, and an electronic mail (e-mail) communication application;

for each one of a plurality of wireless communication networks;

receiving, through the wireless communication network or through use thereof, available quality of service data for the wireless communication network, wherein the available quality of service data includes at least a bandwidth criterion and a delay criterion associated with the wireless communication network;

storing the available quality of service data in association with a system identification of the wireless communication network;

maintaining a network selection table for the voice communication application, the network selection table having a plurality of system identifications, each system identification identifying a wireless communication network and having a priority in the network selection table;

for the voice communication application;

causing the voice communication application to be executed;

scanning to identify a plurality of available wireless communication networks in a coverage area of the mobile communication device;

performing system selection and acquisition using the network selection table for selecting one of the available wireless communication networks for voice communication, by attempting to access service for voice communication through one or more available wireless communication networks that are identified in the network selection table in accordance with the priorities associated therewith, until the voice service is granted from one of them;

for each one of the Internet browser application and the e-mail communication application;

causing the software application to be executed;

identifying, based on the stored quality of service data, one or more wireless communication networks having a bandwidth criterion and a delay criterion that best match a bandwidth requirement and a delay requirement, respectively, associated with the executed software application;

scanning to identify a plurality of available wireless communication networks in a coverage area of the mobile communication device; and

selecting one of the available wireless communication networks for communication using the executed software application based on the act of identifying, instead of performing system selection and acquisition using the network selection table of the voice communication application.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the available quality of service data further comprise a data loss criterion, and the act of identifying comprises the further act of:

identifying, based on the stored quality of service data, one or more wireless communication networks having the bandwidth criterion, the delay criterion, and the data loss criterion that best match the bandwidth requirement, the delay requirement, and a data loss requirement, respectively, of the executed software application.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the available quality of service data further comprise a delay variation criterion, and the act of identifying comprises the further act of:

identifying, based on the stored quality of service data, one or more wireless communication networks having the bandwidth criterion, the delay criterion, and the delay variation criterion that best match the bandwidth requirement, the delay requirement, and a delay variation requirement, respectively, of the executed software application.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

maintaining a network selection table for the Internet browser application, the network selection table having a plurality of system identifications, each system identification identifying a wireless communication network and having a priority in the network selection table;

when the Internet browser application is executed;

performing system selection and acquisition using the network selection table for selecting one of the available wireless communication networks for communication, by attempting to access service for the Internet browser application through available wireless communication networks that are identified in the network selection table in accordance with the priorities associated therewith, until the service is granted from one of them.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

maintaining a network selection table for the e-mail communication application, the network selection table having a plurality of system identifications, each system identification identifying a wireless communication network and having a priority in the network selection table;

when the e-mail communication application is executed;

performing system selection and acquisition using the network selection table for selecting one of the available wireless communication networks for communication, by attempting to access service for the e-mail communication application through available wireless communication networks that are identified in the network selection table in accordance with the priorities associated therewith, until the service is granted from one of them.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the plurality of software applications further include an audio or video player application, the method comprising the further acts of:

for the audio or the video player application;

causing the software application to be executed;

identifying, based on the stored quality of service data, one or more wireless communication networks having a bandwidth criterion and a delay criterion that best match a bandwidth requirement and a delay requirement, respectively, of the executed software application;

scanning to identify a plurality of available wireless communication networks in a coverage area of the mobile communication device; and

selecting one of the available wireless communication networks for communication using the executed software application based on the act of identifying.

21. A mobile communication device, comprising:

a wireless transceiver;

one or more processors coupled to the wireless transceiver;

memory for storing a plurality of software applications, the plurality of software applications including a voice communication application, an Internet browser application, and an electronic mail (e-mail) communication application;

the one or more processors being adapted to, for each one of a plurality of wireless communication networks;

receive, through the wireless communication network or through use thereof, available quality of service data for the wireless communication network, wherein the available quality of service data includes at least a bandwidth criterion and a delay criterion associated with the wireless communication network;

store the available quality of service data in association with a system identification of the wireless communication network;

the one or more processors being further adapted to maintain access to a network selection table for the voice communication application, the network selection table having a plurality of system identifications, each system identification identifying a wireless communication network and having a priority in the network selection table;

the one or more processors being further adapted to, for the voice communication application;

execute the voice communication application;

scan to identify a plurality of available wireless communication networks in a coverage area of the mobile communication device;

perform system selection and acquisition using the network selection table for selecting one of the available wireless communication networks for voice communication, by attempting to access service for voice communication through one or more available wireless communication networks that are identified in the network selection table in accordance with the priorities associated therewith, until the voice service is granted from one of them;

the one or more processors being further adapted to, for each application of the Internet browser application and the e-mail communication application;

execute the software application;

identify, based on the stored quality of service data, one or more wireless communication networks having a bandwidth criterion and a delay criterion that best match a bandwidth requirement and a delay requirement, respectively, associated with the executed software application;

perform a scanning operation to identify a plurality of available wireless communication networks in a coverage area of the mobile communication device; and

select one of the available wireless communication networks for communication using the executed software application based on the act of identifying, instead of performing system selection and acquisition using the network selection table of the voice communication application.

22. The mobile communication device of claim 21, wherein the available quality of service data further comprise a data loss criterion, and the one or more processors are further adapted to identify the one or more wireless communication networks by:

identifying, based on the stored quality of service data, one or more wireless communication networks having the bandwidth criterion, the delay criterion, and the data loss criterion that best match the bandwidth requirement, the delay requirement, and a data loss requirement, respectively, of the executed software application.

23. The mobile communication device of claim 21, wherein the available quality of service data further comprise a delay variation criterion, and the one or more processors are further adapted to identify the one or more wireless communication networks by:

identifying, based on the stored quality of service data, one or more wireless communication networks having the bandwidth criterion, the delay criterion, and the delay variation criterion that best match the bandwidth requirement, the delay requirement, and a delay variation requirement, respectively, of the executed software application.

24. The mobile communication device of claim 21, further comprising:

the one or more processors are further adapted to maintain a network selection table for the e-mail communication application, the network selection table having a plurality of system identifications, each system identification identifying a wireless communication network and having a priority in the network selection table; and

the one or more processors being further adapted to, when the e-mail communication application is executed;

performing system selection and acquisition using the network selection table for selecting one of the available wireless communication networks for communication, by attempting to access service for the e-mail communication application through available wireless communication networks that are identified in the network selection table in accordance with the priorities associated therewith, until the service is granted from one of them.

25. The mobile communication device of claim 21, wherein the plurality of software applications further include an audio or video player application, the mobile communication device further comprising:

the one or more processors being further adapted to, for the audio or the video player application;

cause the software application to be executed;

identify, based on the stored quality of service data, one or more wireless communication networks having a bandwidth criterion and a delay criterion that best match a bandwidth requirement and a delay requirement, respectively, of the executed software application;

perform a scanning operation to identify a plurality of available wireless communication networks in a coverage area of the mobile communication device; and

select one of the available wireless communication networks for communication using the executed software application based on the act of identifying.