QUICK SYSTEM SELECTION AND ACQUISITION FOR MULTI-MODE MOBILE DEVICES

• US 20100067434A1
• Filed: 09/17/2008
• Published: 03/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Shi, Guangming Carl, Siu, Isaac Ta-yan, Pant, Nitin
• Granted Patent: US 9,020,505 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• 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

Methods and apparatus for using network topology and coverage information from one radio access technology (RAT) network to assist acquisition of another different RAT network for a multi-mode mobile station (MS), such as acquiring a WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) network based on topology and coverage information about a 3G (Third Generation) network and vice versa, are provided. Base station (BS) acquisition assisted in this manner may provide for quick restoration of a previously interrupted or deactivated network service, while decreasing the power consumption of the multi-mode MS during a power savings state because periodic scanning and registration need not occur.

Claims

1. A method for accessing a network with a multi-mode mobile station (MS) capable of communicating via at least first and second radio access technologies (RATs), comprising:

establishing a connection with a first base station to access the network via the first RAT;

accessing, based on information about the first base station, a concurrent service acquisition database to obtain information about at least a second base station that provides access to the network via the second RAT; and

attempting to establish a connection with the second base station using the obtained information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the information about the first base station comprises Global Positioning System (GPS) coordinates of the first base station, of the second base station, or of a location covered by network service provided by the first and second base stations.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein accessing the concurrent service acquisition database comprises:

accessing a record of the database indicating concurrent service provided by the first and second base stations; and

examining a time stamp in the record indicating the last time the record was updated.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising updating the time stamp to indicate the connection with the second base station was successfully established using the information obtained in the record.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

scanning for an unknown base station providing network service via the second RAT; and

adding information about the unknown base station to the concurrent service acquisition database with information about the first base station.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

accessing, based on information about the first base station or the second base station, the concurrent service acquisition database to obtain information about at least a third base station that provides access to the network via a third RAT, wherein the multi-mode MS is capable of communicating via the first, second, and third RATs; and

attempting to establish a connection with the third base station using the obtained information.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first RAT comprises a CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access)-based RAT.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the second RAT comprises a WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access)-compliant RAT.

9. A computer-program product for accessing a network with a multi-mode mobile station (MS) capable of communicating via at least first and second radio access technologies (RATs), comprising a computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon, the instructions being executable by one or more processors and the instructions comprising:

instructions for establishing a connection with a first base station to access the network via the first RAT;

instructions for accessing, based on information about the first base station, a concurrent service acquisition database to obtain information about at least a second base station that provides access to the network via the second RAT; and

instructions for attempting to establish a connection with the second base station using the obtained information.

10. The computer-program product of claim 9, wherein the information about the first base station comprises Global Positioning System (GPS) coordinates of the first base station, of the second base station, or of a location covered by network service provided by the first and second base stations.

11. The computer-program product of claim 9, wherein the instructions for accessing the concurrent service acquisition database comprises:

instructions for accessing a record of the database indicating concurrent service provided by the first and second base stations; and

instructions for examining a time stamp in the record indicating the last time the record was updated.

12. The computer-program product of claim 11, further comprising instructions for updating the time stamp to indicate the connection with the second base station was successfully established using the information obtained in the record.

13. The computer-program product of claim 9, further comprising:

instructions for scanning for an unknown base station providing network service via the second RAT; and

instructions for adding information about the unknown base station to the concurrent service acquisition database with information about the first base station.

14. The computer-program product of claim 9, further comprising:

instructions for accessing, based on information about the first base station or the second base station, the concurrent service acquisition database to obtain information about at least a third base station that provides access to the network via a third RAT, wherein the multi-mode MS is capable of communicating via the first, second, and third RATs; and

instructions for attempting to establish a connection with the third base station using the obtained information.

15. The computer-program product of claim 9, wherein the first RAT comprises a CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access)-based RAT.

16. The computer-program product of claim 15, wherein the second RAT comprises a WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access)-compliant RAT.

17. An apparatus for accessing a network and capable of communicating via at least first and second radio access technologies (RATs), comprising:

means for establishing a connection with a first base station to access the network via the first RAT;

means for accessing, based on information about the first base station, a concurrent service acquisition database to obtain information about at least a second base station that provides access to the network via the second RAT; and

means for attempting to establish a connection with the second base station using the obtained information.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the information about the first base station comprises Global Positioning System (GPS) coordinates of the first base station, of the second base station, or of a location covered by network service provided by the first and second base stations.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the means for accessing the concurrent service acquisition database comprises:

means for accessing a record of the database indicating concurrent service provided by the first and second base stations; and

means for examining a time stamp in the record indicating the last time the record was updated.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising means for updating the time stamp to indicate the connection with the second base station was successfully established using the information obtained in the record.

21. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising:

means for scanning for an unknown base station providing network service via the second RAT; and

means for adding information about the unknown base station to the concurrent service acquisition database with information about the first base station.

22. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising:

means for accessing, based on information about the first base station or the second base station, the concurrent service acquisition database to obtain information about at least a third base station that provides access to the network via a third RAT, wherein the apparatus is capable of communicating via the first, second, and third RATs; and

means for attempting to establish a connection with the third base station using the obtained information.

23. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the first RAT comprises a CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access)-based RAT.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the second RAT comprises a WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access)-compliant RAT.

25. A multi-mode mobile device for accessing a network and capable of communicating via at least first and second radio access technologies (RATs), comprising:

first connection logic configured to establish a connection with a first base station to access the network via the first RAT;

database logic configured to access, based on information about the first base station, a concurrent service acquisition database to obtain information about at least a second base station that provides access to the network via the second RAT; and

second connection logic configured to attempt to establish a connection with the second base station using the obtained information.

26. The mobile device of claim 25, wherein the information about the first base station comprises Global Positioning System (GPS) coordinates of the first base station, of the second base station, or of a location covered by network service provided by the first and second base stations.

27. The mobile device of claim 25, wherein the database logic is configured to:

access a record of the database indicating concurrent service provided by the first and second base stations; and

examine a time stamp in the record indicating the last time the record was updated.

28. The mobile device of claim 27, wherein the database logic is configured to update the time stamp to indicate the connection with the second base station was successfully established using the information obtained in the record.

29. The mobile device of claim 25, further comprising scanning logic configured to scan for an unknown base station providing network service via the second RAT, wherein the database logic is configured to add information about the unknown base station to the concurrent service acquisition database with information about the first base station.

30. The mobile device of claim 25, further comprising third connection logic, wherein the database logic is configured to access, based on information about the first base station or the second base station, the concurrent service acquisition database to obtain information about at least a third base station that provides access to the network via a third RAT;

wherein the multi-mode mobile device is capable of communicating via the first, second, and third RATs; and

wherein the third connection logic is configured to attempt to establish a connection with the third base station using the obtained information about the at least the third base station.

31. The mobile device of claim 25, wherein the first RAT comprises a CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access)-based RAT.

32. The mobile device of claim 31, wherein the second RAT comprises a WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access)-compliant RAT.