System, Method, and Computer-Readable Medium for User Equipment Decision-Making Criteria for Connectivity and Handover

• US 20080102815A1
• Filed: 10/30/2007
• Published: 05/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seven Networks LLC (SoftBank Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Snrlabs Corporation (Seven Networks Inc)
• Inventors: Lee, Yuan, Sengupta, Chaitali
• Granted Patent: US 8,923,852 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/424
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/14 Reselecting a network or an air interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/24 Reselection being triggered by specific parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0264 by selectively disabling software applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0277 according to available power supply, e.g. switching off when a low battery condition is detected
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A system, method, and computer-readable medium are provided for decision-making criteria in a multi-mode, multi-radio user equipment to choose which radio network to use for connectivity and handover. Decision making depends on a number of different criteria: a user profile that specifies one or more user preference connectivity attributes, available applications of the user equipment, a service subscription of a user associated with the user equipment, a battery monitor of the user equipment, a respective link metrics indicator for each of the plurality of access networks, and application support capabilities of the plurality of access networks.

Claims

1. A method of selecting an access network by a user equipment for provisioning of communication services, comprising:

performing an evaluation of at least one of connectivity rules provided to the user equipment from a network entity related to one or more of a plurality of access networks, connectivity rules provided to the user equipment by a service provider related to one or more of a plurality of access networks, a user profile that specifies one or more user preference connectivity attributes, available applications of the user equipment, a service subscription of a user associated with the user equipment, a battery monitor of the user equipment, a respective link metrics indicator for each of the plurality of access networks, and application support capabilities of the plurality of access networks; and

selecting the access network from the plurality of access networks based, at least in part, on results of the evaluation.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein evaluation of the battery monitor comprises an evaluation of at least one of a battery strength, voltage, and estimated current drain based on any applications running on the user equipment.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein selection of the access network is performed for a handover from another access network to the selected access network.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein selection of the access network is performed for attachment of the user equipment to the selected access network.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more user connectivity preference attributes comprise at least one of a standby time, a talk time, a total cost, a low latency for service start up attribute, a low latency for receiving calls attribute, email availability, an instant messenger availability, a data service availability, a continuity of real time services availability, a sense of always connected for non-real time services attribute, availability of emergency services, and an ease of use attribute.

6. A system of selecting an access network for establishing connectivity with a user equipment, comprising:

a first access network operating in conjunction with a first radio access technology;

a second access network operating in conjunction with a second radio access technology; and

a wireless user equipment adapted to terminate a first communication link with the first access network and a second communication link with the second access network, wherein the wireless user equipment includes a convergence manager that performs an evaluation of at least one of connectivity rules provided to the user equipment from a network entity related to one or more of a plurality of access networks, connectivity rules provided to the user equipment by a service provider related to one or more of a plurality of access networks, a user profile that specifies one or more user preference connectivity attributes, available applications of the user equipment, a service subscription of a user associated with the user equipment, a battery monitor of the user equipment, a respective link metrics indicator for each of the plurality of access networks, and application support capabilities of the plurality of access networks, and wherein the convergence manager selects the access network from the plurality of access networks based, at least in part, on results of the evaluation.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein evaluation of the battery monitor comprises an evaluation of at least one of a battery strength, voltage, and estimated current drain based on any applications running on the user equipment.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein selection of the access network is performed for a from another access network to the selected access network.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein selection of the access network is performed for attachment of the user equipment to the selected access network.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein the one or more user connectivity preference attributes comprise at least one of a standby time, a talk time, a total cost, a low latency for service start up attribute, a low latency for receiving calls attribute, email availability, an instant messenger availability, a data service availability, a continuity of real time services availability, a sense of always connected for non-real time services attribute, availability of emergency services, and an ease of use attribute.

11. A multi-mode user equipment, comprising:

a first modem adapted to transmit data to a first access network and receive data from the first access network;

a second modem adapted to transmit data to a second access network and receive data from the second access network;

a first software stack compliant with the first access network;

a second software stack compliant with the second access network; and

a convergence manager adapted to select one of the first access network and the second access network for connectivity based, at least in part, on one or more of a set of rules configured by a service provider, a user profile based on expected usage of the user equipment, a user profile based on service subscriptions, requirements of applications hosted by the user equipment, environmental conditions, and user equipment power conditions.

12. The user equipment of claim 11, wherein the convergence manager is adapted to select an access network for handover of the user equipment based at least in part of one or more of the rules configured by the service provider, the user profile based on expected usage of the user equipment, the user profile based on service subscriptions, the requirements of applications hosted by the user equipment, environmental conditions, and the user equipment power conditions.

13. The user equipment of claim 11, wherein the convergence manger receives a set of rules provided by the service provider as input for performing a connectivity evaluation.

14. The user equipment of claim 11, wherein the convergence manger receives a user profile based on usage as input for performing a connectivity evaluation.

15. The user equipment of claim 11, wherein the convergence manger receives a user profile based on service subscriptions as input for performing a connectivity evaluation.

16. The user equipment of claim 11, wherein the convergence manger receives a profile of applications supported by the user equipment as input for performing a connectivity evaluation.

17. The user equipment of claim 11, further comprising a battery monitor, wherein the convergence manager receives a battery charge indication from the battery monitor as input for performing a connectivity evaluation.

18. The user equipment of claim 11, wherein the convergence manager receives a signal strength indicator of the first access network and the second access network as input for performing a connectivity evaluation.

19. The user equipment of claim 11, wherein the convergence manger evaluates applications supported by each of the first access network and the second access network for performing a connectivity evaluation.