Autonomous And Heterogeneous Network Discovery And Reuse

• US 20090219833A1
• Filed: 02/17/2009
• Published: 09/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Four Batons Wireless LLC
• Original Assignee: Telcordia Technologies Incorporated (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson), Toshiba Corporation
• Inventors: Yaqub, Raziq, Zhang, Tao
• Granted Patent: US 8,036,192 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/254
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/00835 Determination of neighbour cell lists
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/008375 based on historical data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information

Abstract

In some embodiments, a method is disclosed involving a mobile device discovery and use of target wireless networks which are at least partly within a coverage area of another wireless network which provides location information which includes: acquiring data from a plurality of said target wireless networks; acquiring location information from said another wireless network; mapping said data from said plurality of said target wireless networks with said location information; and selecting one of said plurality of target wireless networks based on said mapped data.

Claims

1. A method of a mobile device discovery and use of target wireless networks which are at least partly within a coverage area of another wireless network which provides location information, comprising the steps of:

acquiring data from a plurality of said target wireless networks;

acquiring location information from said another wireless network;

mapping said data from said plurality of said target wireless networks with said location information; and

selecting one of said plurality of target wireless networks based on said mapped data.

2. The method of claim 1, further including having at least some of said target wireless networks operated by a same entity as the owner and operator of said another wireless network or by another entity having a roaming agreement with said same entity.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said target wireless networks include WLANs, and said acquiring of data from at least one of said target wireless networks includes receiving WLAN broadcasts from said WLANs.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said another wireless network includes a plurality of base stations which each wirelessly transmit within a particular cell area.

5. A system for mobile device discovery and use of target wireless networks which are at least partly within a coverage area of another wireless network which provides location information, comprising:

means for acquiring data from a plurality of said target wireless networks;

means for acquiring location information from said another wireless network;

mapping said data from said plurality of said target wireless networks with said location information; and

means for selecting one of said plurality of target wireless networks based on said mapped data.

6. The system of claim 5, further including means for having at least some of said target wireless networks operated by a same entity as the owner and operator of said another wireless network or by another entity having a roaming agreement with said same entity.

7. The system of claim 5, further including said target wireless networks include WLANs, and said acquiring of data from at least one of said target wireless networks includes receiving WLAN broadcasts from said WLANs.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein said another wireless network includes a plurality of base stations which each wirelessly transmit within a particular cell area.