ASSISTED INITIAL NETWORK ACQUISITION AND SYSTEM DETERMINATION

• US 20090221283A1
• Filed: 03/03/2008
• Published: 09/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Soliman, Samir S.
• Granted Patent: US 8,861,502 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/426.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/14 using user query or user detection

Abstract

A method and system is provided for initial network acquisition by a first device that is assisted by a second device. Rather than scanning one or more frequency bands to discover local wireless network information, the first device may send a request for local wireless network information over a secondary communication interface (i.e., a communication interface not associated with the wireless network for which information is sought). A second device that may have previously obtained the requested network information (e.g., it may have joined or be communicating through the wireless network) may respond by sending the requested wireless network information to the first device. Upon receiving the wireless network information via its secondary communication interface, the first device may use it to acquire a communication service from the wireless network over a primary communication interface (i.e., different from the secondary communication interface).

Claims

1. A method operational on an access terminal for initial network acquisition, comprising:

sending a request for wireless network information over a secondary communication interface;

receiving the wireless network information over the secondary communication interface; and

acquiring a communication service from a wireless network over a primary communication interface using the wireless network information.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the primary communication interface and the secondary communication interface are adapted to communicate with different types of networks.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the primary communication interface is adapted to communicate within a first frequency band and the secondary communication interface is adapted to communicate within a second frequency band, wherein the first and second frequency bands are non-overlapping.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the primary communication interface is adapted for communications over a wide area wireless network via an access node.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the primary communication interface is adapted for communications over a Public Land Mobile Network.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the secondary communication interface is adapted for communications over at least one of an ad-hoc communication link and a peer-to-peer communication link.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the secondary communication interface is a Bluetooth-compliant communication interface.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the request for wireless network information is broadcasted to other local communication devices.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the access terminal is starting or resuming operations in an unknown wireless network region.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the access terminal is switching operation from a first network type to a second network type.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

searching for a last known wireless network over the primary communication interface before sending the request for wireless network information.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

scanning one or more frequency bands over the primary communication interface to obtain the wireless network information if such wireless network information is not received over the secondary communication interface.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the request for wireless network information is either one of a specific request for a particular type of network or a general request for all available networks.

14. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

ascertaining a network type associated with the received wireless network information; and

selecting a mode of operation for primary communication interface consistent with the network type.

15. An access terminal comprising:

a primary communication interface adapted for communications over a wide area wireless network;

a secondary communication interface adapted for communications over an ad-hoc communication link;

a processing circuit coupled to the primary communication interface and the secondary communication interface, the processing circuit configured to

send a request for wireless network information over the secondary communication interface;

receive the wireless network information over the secondary communication interface; and

acquire a communication service from a wireless network over the primary communication interface using the wireless network information.

16. The access terminal of claim 15 wherein the primary communication interface and the secondary communication interface are adapted to communicate with different types of networks.

17. The access terminal of claim 15 wherein the primary communication interface is adapted to communicate within a first frequency band and the secondary communication interface is adapted to communicate within a second frequency band, wherein the first and second frequency band are non-overlapping.

18. The access terminal of claim 15 wherein the primary communication interface is adapted for communications over a wide area wireless network.

19. The access terminal of claim 15 wherein the primary communication interface is adapted for communications over a Public Land Mobile Network.

20. The access terminal of claim 15 wherein the secondary communication interface is adapted for communications over at least one of an ad-hoc communication link and a peer-to-peer communication link.

21. The access terminal of claim 15 wherein the secondary communication interface is a Bluetooth-compliant communication interface.

22. The access terminal of claim 15 wherein the primary communication interface is adapted for long-range communications relative to the secondary communication interface which is adapted for short-range communications.

23. The access terminal of claim 15 wherein the request for wireless network information is broadcasted to other local communication devices.

24. The access terminal of claim 15 wherein the access terminal is starting or resuming operations in an unknown wireless network region.

25. The access terminal of claim 15 wherein the access terminal is switching operation from a first network type to a second network type.

26. The access terminal of claim 15 wherein the processing circuit is further configured to

search for last known wireless network over the primary communication interface before sending the request for wireless network information.

27. The access terminal of claim 15 wherein the processing circuit is further configured to

scan a frequency band over the primary communication interface to obtain the wireless network information if such wireless network information is not received over the secondary communication interface.

28. The access terminal of claim 15 wherein the request for wireless network information is either one of a specific request for a particular type of network or a general request for all available networks.

29. An access terminal comprising:

means for sending a request for wireless network information over a secondary communication interface;

means for receiving the wireless network information over the secondary communication interface; and

means for acquiring a communication service from a wireless network over a primary communication interface using the wireless network information.

30. The access terminal of claim 29 wherein the primary communication interface and the secondary communication interface are adapted to communicate with different types of networks.

31. The access terminal of claim 29 further comprising:

means for searching for last known wireless network over the primary communication interface before sending the request for wireless network information.

32. The access terminal of claim 29 further comprising:

means for scanning one or more frequency band over the primary communication interface to obtain the wireless network information if such wireless network information is not received over the secondary communication interface.

33. A circuit for wireless network communications, wherein the circuit is adapted to

send a request for wireless network information over a secondary communication interface;

receive the wireless network information over the secondary communication interface; and

acquire a communication service from a wireless network over a primary communication interface using the wireless network information.

34. The circuit of claim 33 wherein the primary communication interface and the secondary communication interface are adapted to communicate with different types of networks.

35. The circuit of claim 33 wherein the circuit is adapted to

scan one or more frequency bands over the primary communication interface to obtain the wireless network information if such wireless network information is not received over the secondary communication interface.

36. A computer-readable medium comprising instructions for initial network acquisition, which when executed by a processor causes the processor to

send a request for wireless network information over a secondary communication interface;

receive the wireless network information over the secondary communication interface; and

acquire a communication service from a wireless network over a primary communication interface using the wireless network information.

37. The computer-readable medium of claim 36 further comprising instructions which when executed by a processor causes the processor to

scan one or more frequency bands over the primary communication interface to obtain the wireless network information if such wireless network information is not received over the secondary communication interface.

38. A method operational on an access terminal for assisting another device in initial network acquisition, comprising:

maintaining a wireless network information for a wireless network associated with a primary communication interface;

receiving a wireless network information request over a secondary communication interface from a requesting communication device; and

sending the wireless network information to the requesting communication device via the secondary communication interface.

39. The method of claim 38 further comprising:

monitoring a frequency band associated with the wireless network via the primary communication interface to obtain the wireless network information.

40. The method of claim 38 further comprising:

ignoring the request for wireless network information if it comes from a device associated with a different network carrier than the wireless network.

41. The method of claim 38 wherein the primary communication interface and the secondary communication interface are adapted to communicate with different types of networks.

42. The method of claim 38 wherein the primary communication interface is adapted for communications over a wide area wireless network.

43. The method of claim 38 wherein the primary communication interface is adapted for communications over a Public Land Mobile Network.

44. The method of claim 38 wherein the secondary communication interface is adapted for communications over at least one of an ad-hoc communication link and a peer-to-peer communication link.

45. The method of claim 38 wherein the secondary communication interface is a Bluetooth-compliant communication interface.

46. The method of claim 38 wherein the received request for wireless network information is one either of a specific request for a particular type of network or a general request for all available networks.

47. An access terminal comprising:

a primary communication interface adapted for communications over a wide area wireless network;

a secondary communication interface adapted for communications over an ad-hoc communication link;

a processing circuit coupled to the primary communication interface and the secondary communication interface, the processing circuit configured to

maintain a wireless network information for a wireless network associated with the primary communication interface;

receive a wireless network information request over the secondary communication interface from a requesting communication device; and

send the wireless network information to the requesting communication device via the secondary communication interface.

48. The access terminal of claim 47 wherein the processing circuit is further configured to

monitor a frequency band associated with the wireless network via the primary communication interface to obtain the wireless network information.

49. The access terminal of claim 47 wherein the processing circuit is further configured to

ignore the request for wireless network information if it comes from a device associated with a different network carrier than the wireless network.

50. The access terminal of claim 47 wherein the primary communication interface and the secondary communication interface are adapted to communicate with different types of networks.

51. The access terminal of claim 47 wherein the primary communication interface is adapted for communications over a wide area wireless network.

52. The access terminal of claim 47 wherein the primary communication interface is adapted for communications over a Public Land Mobile Network.

53. The access terminal of claim 47 wherein the secondary communication interface is adapted for communications over at least one of an ad-hoc communication link and a peer-to-peer communication link.

54. The access terminal of claim 47 wherein the secondary communication interface is a Bluetooth-compliant communication interface.

55. The access terminal of claim 47 wherein the received request for wireless network information is one either of a specific request for a particular type of network or a general request for all available networks.

56. An access terminal comprising:

means for maintaining a wireless network information for a wireless network associated with a primary communication interface;

means for receiving a wireless network information request over a secondary communication interface from a requesting communication device; and

means for sending wireless network information to the requesting communication device via the secondary communication interface.

57. The access terminal of claim 56 wherein the processing circuit is further configured to

means for monitoring a frequency band associated with the wireless network via the primary communication interface to obtain the wireless network information.

58. The access terminal of claim 56 wherein the primary communication interface is adapted to communicate within a first frequency band and the secondary communication interface is adapted to communicate within a second frequency band, wherein the first and second frequency band are non-overlapping.

59. A circuit for wireless network communications, wherein the circuit is adapted to

maintain a wireless network information for a wireless network associated with a primary communication interface;

receive a wireless network information request over a secondary communication interface from a requesting communication device; and

send wireless network information to the requesting communication device via the secondary communication interface.

60. The circuit of claim 59 wherein the circuit is further adapted to

monitor a frequency band associated with the wireless network via the primary communication interface to obtain the wireless network information.

61. A computer-readable medium comprising instructions for initial network acquisition, which when executed by a processor causes the processor to

maintain a wireless network information for a wireless network associated with a primary communication interface;

receive a wireless network information request over a secondary communication interface from a requesting communication device; and

send wireless network information to the requesting communication device via the secondary communication interface.

62. The computer-readable medium of claim 61 further comprising instructions which when executed by a processor causes the processor to

monitor a frequency band associated with the wireless network via the primary communication interface to obtain the wireless network information.