GPS-ASSISTED CELL SELECTION FOR MOBILE DEVICES

• US 20100124924A1
• Filed: 11/14/2008
• Published: 05/20/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Lee, Kuo-Chun, Chin, Tom, Cheng, Steven D.
• Granted Patent: US 9,148,831 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/434
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0061 of neighbour cell information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/00835 Determination of neighbour cell lists
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0085 Hand-off measurements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/322 by location data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/36 by user or terminal equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for using a location of a mobile station (MS) and information about neighbor base stations (BSs) to assist network entry and initialization, scanning, and/or handover operations are provided. The location of the MS may be ascertained by determining the Global Positioning System (GPS) coordinates of the MS internally or by receiving the location from, e.g., a GPS device external to the MS. The information about neighbor BSs may be retrieved from a BS information database based on the location of the MS. The BS information database may reside within the MS, be broadcast periodically to the MS in an effort to update the MS'"'"'s internal database, or be stored in the network operator'"'"'s database. Knowledge of the MS'"'"'s location and information about neighbor BSs may reduce the time spent during network entry, scanning, or handover, and thereby, power consumption; and may increase the bandwidth usage efficiency.

Claims

1. A method for determining one or more neighbor base station (BS) candidates for a mobile station (MS) to scan for handover, comprising:

based on a location of the MS, retrieving information from a BS information database about one or more nearby base stations;

based on the information, selecting one or more neighbor BS candidates from the one or more nearby base stations; and

scanning at least one of the neighbor BS candidates.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining the location of the MS using the Global Positioning System (GPS).

3. The method of claim 2, wherein determining the location of the MS comprises communicating with a GPS device external to the MS.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the location of the MS comprises GPS coordinates.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the BS information database is stored in the MS or is stored in a network operator'"'"'s database.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting the location of the MS to one of the nearby base stations; and

receiving the BS information database from the one of the nearby base stations.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

periodically receiving at least a portion of a network operator'"'"'s BS information database; and

updating at least a portion of the BS information database with the received network operator'"'"'s BS information database, wherein the BS information database is maintained internal to the MS.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein retrieving information from the BS information database about the one or more nearby base stations comprises:

calculating distances between locations for a plurality of base stations and the location of the MS, wherein the locations for the plurality of base stations are provided in the BS information database; and

grouping into the one or more nearby base stations any of the plurality of base stations with a calculated distance to the location of the MS less than a threshold.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the information comprises a location for each of the one or more nearby base stations.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting the one or more neighbor BS candidates comprises grouping into the one or more neighbor BS candidates any of the one or more nearby base stations having parameters the MS can support, wherein the information retrieved from the BS information database comprises the parameters.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the parameters comprise, for each of the one or more nearby base stations, at least one of a BS identification (BSID), a subscription privilege, a frequency, a frequency band, a standards release, and a radio access technology (RAT).

12. A mobile device, comprising:

logic for retrieving, based on a location of the mobile device, information from a base station (BS) information database about one or more nearby base stations;

logic for selecting one or more neighbor BS candidates from the one or more nearby base stations based on the information; and

logic for scanning at least one of the neighbor BS candidates.

13. The mobile device of claim 12, further comprising logic for determining the location of the mobile device using the Global Positioning System (GPS).

14. The mobile device of claim 13, wherein determining the location of the mobile device comprises communicating with a GPS device external to the mobile device.

15. The mobile device of claim 13, wherein the location of the mobile device comprises GPS coordinates.

16. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein the BS information database is stored in the mobile device or is stored in a network operator'"'"'s database.

17. The mobile device of claim 12, further comprising:

a transmitter configured to transmit the location of the mobile device to one of the nearby base stations; and

a receiver configured to receive the BS information database from the one of the nearby base stations.

18. The mobile device of claim 12, further comprising:

a receiver configured to periodically receive at least a portion of a network operator'"'"'s BS information database; and

logic for updating at least a portion of the BS information database with the received network operator'"'"'s BS information database, wherein the BS information database is maintained internal to the mobile device.

19. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein the logic for retrieving information from the BS information database about the one or more nearby base stations comprises:

logic for calculating distances between locations for a plurality of base stations and the location of the mobile device, wherein the locations for the plurality of base stations are provided in the BS information database; and

logic for grouping into the one or more nearby base stations any of the plurality of base stations with a calculated distance to the location of the mobile device less than a threshold.

20. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein the information comprises a location for each of the one or more nearby base stations.

21. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein the logic for selecting the one or more neighbor BS candidates comprises logic for grouping into the one or more neighbor BS candidates any of the one or more nearby base stations having parameters the mobile device can support, wherein the information retrieved from the BS information database comprises the parameters.

22. The mobile device of claim 21, wherein the parameters comprise, for each of the one or more nearby base stations, at least one of a BS identification (BSID), a subscription privilege, a frequency, a frequency band, a standards release, and a radio access technology (RAT).

23. An apparatus for wireless communications, comprising:

means for retrieving, based on a location of the apparatus, information from a base station (BS) information database about one or more nearby base stations;

means for selecting one or more neighbor BS candidates from the one or more nearby base stations based on the information; and

means for scanning at least one of the neighbor BS candidates.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, further comprising means for determining the location of the apparatus using the Global Positioning System (GPS).

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the means for determining the location of the apparatus comprises means for communicating with a GPS device external to the apparatus.

26. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the location of the apparatus comprises GPS coordinates.

27. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the BS information database is stored in the apparatus or is stored in a network operator'"'"'s database.

28. The apparatus of claim 23, further comprising:

means for transmitting the location of the apparatus to one of the nearby base stations; and

means for receiving the BS information database from the one of the nearby base stations.

29. The apparatus of claim 23, further comprising:

means for periodically receiving at least a portion of a network operator'"'"'s BS information database; and

means for updating at least a portion of the BS information database with the received network operator'"'"'s BS information database, wherein the BS information database is maintained internal to the apparatus.

30. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the means for retrieving information from the BS information database about the one or more nearby base stations comprises:

means for calculating distances between locations for a plurality of base stations and the location of the apparatus, wherein the locations for the plurality of base stations are provided in the BS information database; and

means for grouping into the one or more nearby base stations any of the plurality of base stations with a calculated distance to the location of the apparatus less than a threshold.

31. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the information comprises a location for each of the one or more nearby base stations.

32. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the means for selecting the one or more neighbor BS candidates comprises means for grouping into the one or more neighbor BS candidates any of the one or more nearby base stations having parameters the apparatus can support, wherein the information retrieved from the BS information database comprises the parameters.

33. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the parameters comprise, for each of the one or more nearby base stations, at least one of a BS identification (BSID), a subscription privilege, a frequency, a frequency band, a standards release, and a radio access technology (RAT).

34. A computer-program product for determining one or more neighbor base station (BS) candidates for a mobile station (MS) to scan or handover, comprising a computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon, the instructions being executable by one or more processors and the instructions comprising:

instructions for retrieving, based on a location of the MS, information from a BS information database about one or more nearby base stations;

instructions for selecting one or more neighbor BS candidates from the one or more nearby base stations based on the information; and

instructions for scanning at least one of the neighbor BS candidates.

35. The computer-program product of claim 34, further comprising instructions for determining the location of the MS using the Global Positioning System (GPS).

36. The computer-program product of claim 35, wherein the instructions for determining the location of the MS comprise instructions for communicating with a GPS device external to the MS.

37. The computer-program product of claim 35, wherein the location of the MS comprises GPS coordinates.

38. The computer-program product of claim 34, wherein the BS information database is stored in the MS or is stored in a network operator'"'"'s database.

39. The computer-program product of claim 34, further comprising:

instructions for transmitting the location of the MS to one of the nearby base stations; and

instructions for receiving the BS information database from the one of the nearby base stations.

40. The computer-program product of claim 34, further comprising:

instructions for periodically receiving at least a portion of a network operator'"'"'s BS information database; and

instructions for updating at least a portion of the BS information database with the received network operator'"'"'s BS information database, wherein the BS information database is maintained internal to the MS.

41. The computer-program product of claim 34, wherein the instructions for retrieving information from the BS information database about the one or more nearby base stations comprise:

instructions for calculating distances between locations for a plurality of base stations and the location of the MS, wherein the locations for the plurality of base stations are provided in the BS information database; and

instructions for grouping into the one or more nearby base stations any of the plurality of base stations with a calculated distance to the location of the MS less than a threshold.

42. The computer-program product of claim 34, wherein the information comprises a location for each of the one or more nearby base stations.

43. The computer-program product of claim 34, wherein the instructions for selecting the one or more neighbor BS candidates comprise instructions for grouping into the one or more neighbor BS candidates any of the one or more nearby base stations having parameters the MS can support, wherein the information retrieved from the BS information database comprises the parameters.

44. The computer-program product of claim 43, wherein the parameters comprise, for each of the one or more nearby base stations, at least one of a BS identification (BSID), a subscription privilege, a frequency, a frequency band, a standards release, and a radio access technology (RAT).