INTELLIGENT NETWORK SELECTION BASED ON QUALITY OF SERVICE AND APPLICATIONS OVER DIFFERENT WIRELESS NETWORKS

• US 20100048205A1
• Filed: 08/25/2008
• Published: 02/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ann C. Guilford, Hong Zhao, Mike Verstegen
• Original Assignee: Ann C. Guilford, Hong Zhao, Mike Verstegen
• Inventors: Zhao, Hong, Guilford, Ann C., Verstegen, Mike
• Granted Patent: US 8,849,276 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/432.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8038 Roaming or handoff
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/34 Roaming
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0247 based on conditions of the access network or the infrastructure network central resource management H04W28/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/24 Negotiating SLA [Service Level Agreement]; Negotiating QoS [Quality of Service]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service

Abstract

A system and method for selecting a wireless network is disclosed. The method relates to selecting a wireless network from a plurality of wireless networks. A variation of the invention includes selecting a new platform from a plurality of platforms offered by the current service provider according to a service request from the wireless device. The method comprises determining a requested service associated with the wireless device, determining whether one of the plurality of wireless networks can provide the requested service, and, if one of the plurality of wireless networks can provide the requested service, choosing the one wireless network of the plurality of wireless networks. The method further involves using a variety of parameters in determining which wireless network to choose for servicing the requested service from the wireless device. These parameters include quality of services, application supported, or other business factors such as roaming agreements, traffic load and cost of services. The system comprises at least one wireless network node, a wireless device, and a plurality of wireless networks communicating with each other. Either the wireless device or network node may operate to decide based on the services the wireless device user requires on which network the user will receive service from. The network assignment is accomplished to maximize the speed, cost and efficiency of transmission.

Claims

1. A method of selecting a wireless platform from a plurality of wireless platforms offered by a service provider for a wireless device, the method comprising:

receiving a request for service associated with the wireless device;

determining whether one of the plurality of wireless platforms can provide the requested service; and

if one of the plurality of wireless platforms can provide the requested service, choosing the one wireless platform of the plurality of wireless platforms.

2. The method of selecting a wireless platform of claim 1, further comprising downloading a table including the plurality of wireless platforms for use in determining whether one of the plurality of wireless platforms can provide the requested service.

3. The method of selecting a wireless platform of claim 2, wherein the wireless 20 device is operating in a home service area and the plurality of platforms are offered by a home service. provider.

4. The method of selecting a wireless platform of claim 3, wherein the wireless device is operating outside a home service area and the plurality of platforms are offered by a roaming service provider.

5. A method of selecting a wireless platform from a plurality of wireless platforms offered by a service provider currently serving a wireless device, the method comprising:

initiating a service request associated with the wireless device;

determining whether a current wireless platform serving the wireless device can support the service request according to a predetermined parameter; and

if the current wireless platform does not support the service request within the predetermined parameter, choosing a wireless platform from the plurality of wireless platforms, the chosen wireless platform supporting the service request within the predetermined parameter.

6. The method of selecting a wireless platform from a plurality of wireless platforms of claim 5, wherein the service provider is a roaming service provider.

7. The method of selecting a wireless platform from a plurality of wireless platforms of claim 5, wherein the service provider is a home service provider.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the predetermined parameter is associated with a quality of service.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the predetermined parameter is associated with a platform traffic load.

10. The method of claim 5, wherein the predetermined parameter is associated with a latency period of delivering the requested service.

11. The method of claim 5, wherein the predetermined parameter is associated with a cost of processing the requested service.

12. A method of selecting between a wireless platform and wireless network for servicing a wireless device, the method comprising:

initiating a service request associated with the wireless device;

determining whether a current wireless platform serving the wireless device can support the service request according to a predetermined parameter,

if the current wireless platform does not support the service request within the predetermined parameter, searching for a new wireless platform from a plurality of wireless platforms offered by a current service provider;

if a new wireless platform is available from the plurality of wireless platforms offered by the current service provider that will support the service request within the predetermined parameter, switching the wireless device to the new wireless platform;

if no new wireless platform from the plurality of wireless platforms offered by the current service provider can service the service request within the predetermined parameter, searching for a new wireless network; and

if a new wireless network can service the service request within the predetermined parameter, registering the wireless device with the new wireless network.

13. The method of selecting a wireless platform from a plurality of wireless platforms of claim 12, wherein the current service provider is a roaming service provider.

14. The method of selecting a wireless platform from a plurality of wireless platforms of claim 12, wherein the current service provider is a home service provider.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the predetermined parameter is associated with a quality of service.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the predetermined parameter is associated with a platform traffic load.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the predetermined parameter is associated with a latency period of delivering the requested service.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the predetermined parameter is associated with a cost of processing the requested service.

19. A method of selecting a wireless network from a plurality of wireless networks when a wireless device is roaming, the method comprising:

selecting the wireless network from the plurality of networks based at least in part on roaming agreements; and

registering the wireless device with the wireless network selected.

20. A method of selecting a wireless network from a plurality of wireless networks of claim 19, further comprising:

selecting the wireless network based at least in part on services offered by the wireless network.