CONNECTION MANAGER FOR A WIRELESS COMMUNICATION DEVICE

• US 20100302958A1
• Filed: 12/10/2009
• Published: 12/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Wietfeldt, Richard D., Zhang, Dongan
• Granted Patent: US 8,750,178 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/252
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/15 Setup of multiple wireless link connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

Techniques for supporting communication for a wireless device are described. In an aspect, an embedded connection manager may reside within a radio subsystem and support communication for the wireless device. The connection manager may receive at least one connection request sent by at least one application, select at least one radio for use, and provide the selected radio(s) to the application(s). In another aspect, communication may be supported using multiple radios. M out of N available radios may be selected for use, and K applications may be mapped to the M selected radios, where M>1, N>1, and K≧1. In yet another aspect, communication may be supported using profiles, which may define the operation of the wireless device to obtain connectivity. In yet another aspect, communication may be supported with auxiliary services, which are services that assist the wireless device to obtain connectivity.

Claims

1. A method of supporting communication, comprising:

communicating between a connection manager and at least one application via a host interface, the connection manager being embedded within a radio subsystem for a wireless device;

receiving at least one connection request sent by the at least one application to the connection manager;

selecting at least one radio to use for the at least one application in response to the at least one connection request; and

providing the at least one selected radio from the connection manager to the at least one application.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the selecting at least one radio comprises

determining a set of radios available for use, and

selecting a subset of the available radios as the at least one selected radio.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the selecting at least one radio comprises

determining a set of radios available for use, and

providing the set of available radios as the at least one selected radio.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the selecting at least one radio comprises

communicating with a radio controller to obtain measurements for available radios, and

selecting the at least one radio based on the measurements for the available radios.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the selecting at least one radio comprises

determining quality of a plurality of radio links, each radio link corresponding to a communication channel from an available radio on the wireless device to a station in a wireless network, and

selecting the at least one radio based on the quality of the plurality of radio links.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the selecting at least one radio comprises

determining quality of a plurality of data paths, each data path corresponding to an end-to-end communication channel via an available radio on the wireless device to an endpoint transferring data with the wireless device, and

selecting the at least one radio based on the quality of the plurality of data paths.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the selecting at least one radio comprises

determining capabilities of radios available for use, and

selecting the at least one radio from among the available radios based on the capabilities of the available radios and requirements of the at least one application.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

communicating between the connection manager and a wireless network for authentication, or registration, or both.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the radio subsystem comprises a wireless data card, a modem chip, or a modem chipset.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the connection manager operates below and independently of an operating system on the wireless device.

11. An apparatus for supporting communication, comprising:

means for communicating between a connection manager and at least one application via a host interface, the connection manager being embedded within a radio subsystem for a wireless device;

means for receiving at least one connection request sent by the at least one application to the connection manager;

means for selecting at least one radio to use for the at least one application in response to the at least one connection request; and

means for providing the at least one selected radio from the connection manager to the at least one application.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the means for selecting at least one radio comprises

means for determining a set of radios available for use, and

means for selecting a subset of the available radios as the at least one selected radio.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the means for selecting at least one radio comprises

means for determining a set of radios available for use, and

means for providing the set of available radios as the at least one selected radio.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the means for selecting at least one radio comprises

means for determining quality of a plurality of radio links, each radio link corresponding to a communication channel from an available radio on the wireless device to a station in a wireless network, and

means for selecting the at least one radio based on the quality of the plurality of radio links.

15. An apparatus for supporting communication, comprising:

at least one processor configured to communicate between a connection manager and at least one application via a host interface, the connection manager being embedded within a radio subsystem for a wireless device, to receive at least one connection request sent by the at least one application to the connection manager, to select at least one radio to use for the at least one application in response to the at least one connection request, and to provide the at least one selected radio from the connection manager to the at least one application.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine a set of radios available for use and to select a subset of the available radios as the at least one selected radio.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine a set of radios available for use and to provide the set of available radios as the at least one selected radio.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine quality of a plurality of radio links, each radio link corresponding to a communication channel from an available radio on the wireless device to a station in a wireless network, and to select the at least one radio based on the quality of the plurality of radio links.

19. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer-readable medium comprising;

code for causing at least one computer to communicate between a connection manager and at least one application via a host interface, the connection manager being embedded within a radio subsystem for a wireless device,

code for causing the at least one computer to receive at least one connection request sent by the at least one application to the connection manager,

code for causing the at least one computer to select at least one radio to use for the at least one application in response to the at least one connection request, and

code for causing the at least one computer to provide the at least one selected radio from the connection manager to the at least one application.

20. A method of supporting communication, comprising:

determining N radios available for use on a wireless device, where N is greater than one;

selecting M out of the N available radios, where M is greater than one; and

mapping K applications to the M selected radios, where K is one or greater.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

detecting for changes in available radios on the wireless device; and

repeating the determining N available radios, the selecting M out of N available radios, and the mapping K applications to the M selected radios if changes in available radios are detected.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the changes in available radios are due to user mobility, or network availability, or both.

23. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

detecting for changes in active applications; and

repeating the mapping K applications to the M selected radios if changes in applications are detected.

24. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

detecting for changes in active applications; and

repeating the determining N available radios, the selecting M out of N available radios, and the mapping K applications to the M selected radios if changes in applications are detected.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the changes in active applications are due to changes in requirements of the K applications, or termination of one or more of the K applications, or launching of one or more additional applications, or any combination thereof.

26. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

detecting for changes in operating state of the wireless device, or available resources for the wireless device, or both; and

repeating the determining N available radios, the selecting M out of N available radios, and the mapping K applications to the M selected radios if changes in the operating state or the available resources are detected.

27. The method of claim 20, wherein each application is mapped to one or more selected radios, and each selected radio supports one or more applications.

28. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

mapping S service clients to the M selected radios, where S is one or greater, each service client communicating with at least one associated service server via at least one associated radio.

29. An apparatus for supporting communication, comprising:

means for determining N radios available for use on a wireless device, where N is greater than one;

means for selecting M out of the N available radios, where M is greater than one; and

means for mapping K applications to the M selected radios, where K is one or greater.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, further comprising:

means for detecting for changes in active applications; and

means for invoking the means for mapping K applications to the M selected radios if changes in applications are detected.

31. The apparatus of claim 29, further comprising:

means for detecting for changes in operating state of the wireless device, or available resources for the wireless device, or both; and

means for invoking the means for determining N available radios, the means for selecting M out of N available radios, and the means for mapping K applications to the M selected radios if changes in the operating state or the available resources are detected.

32. The apparatus of claim 29, further comprising:

means for mapping S service clients to the M selected radios, where S is one or greater, each service client communicating with at least one associated service server via at least one associated radio.

33. A method of supporting communication, comprising:

determining Q profiles stored on a wireless device, where Q is greater than one, each profile defining operation of the wireless device to obtain connectivity;

selecting P of the Q profiles for use, where P is one or greater;

generating operating rules based on the P selected profiles; and

mapping at least one application to at least one radio based on the operating rules.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the P profiles are selected based on the at least one application, or radios available for use, or user habits, or location of the wireless device, or a combination thereof.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein the Q profiles comprise a user profile storing preferences for connectivity defined by a user of the wireless device.

36. The method of claim 33, wherein the Q profiles comprise an operator profile storing preferences for connectivity defined by a network operator.

37. The method of claim 33, wherein the Q profiles comprise a profile storing preferences for connectivity defined by a original equipment manufacturer (OEM).

38. The method of claim 33, wherein the Q profiles comprise an applications profile storing preferences for connectivity for applications on the wireless device.

39. The method of claim 33, wherein the Q profiles comprise a services profile storing preferences for connectivity for service clients on the wireless device.

40. The method of claim 33, wherein the Q profiles comprise a learned profile storing preferences for connectivity determined based on past activities or behavior of the wireless device.

41. The method of claim 33, further comprising:

updating at least one of the Q profiles based on user inputs, network operator inputs, external inputs, or a combination thereof.

42. The method of claim 33, further comprising:

exchanging at least one of the Q profiles between the wireless device and a network entity or another wireless device.

43. An apparatus for supporting communication, comprising:

means for determining Q profiles stored on a wireless device, where Q is greater than one, each profile defining operation of the wireless device to obtain connectivity;

means for selecting P of the Q profiles for use, where P is one or greater;

means for generating operating rules based on the P selected profiles; and

means for mapping at least one application to at least one radio based on the operating rules.

44. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein the P profiles are selected based on the at least one application, or radios available for use, or user habits, or location of the wireless device, or a combination thereof.

45. The apparatus of claim 43, further comprising:

means for updating at least one of the Q profiles based on user inputs, network operator inputs, external inputs, or a combination thereof.

46. The apparatus of claim 43, further comprising:

means for exchanging at least one of the Q profiles between the wireless device and a network entity or another wireless device.

47. A method of supporting communication, comprising:

obtaining device information for a wireless device at a service server, the service server being external to the wireless device;

obtaining network information for at least one wireless network at the service server;

determining connectivity information for the wireless device based on the device information and the network information; and

sending the connectivity information from the service server to the wireless device for use by the wireless device to obtain connectivity.

48. The method of claim 47, wherein the device information comprises location of the wireless device, or capabilities of the wireless device, or both.

49. The method of claim 47, wherein the network information comprises cost of each wireless network, or availability of each wireless network, or both.

50. The method of claim 47, wherein the connectivity information indicates one or more wireless networks selected for the wireless device.

51. The method of claim 50, wherein the connectivity information further comprises authentication information used to access the one or more selected wireless networks.

52. An apparatus for supporting communication, comprising:

means for obtaining device information for a wireless device at a service server, the service server being external to the wireless device;

means for obtaining network information for at least one wireless network at the service server;

means for determining connectivity information for the wireless device based on the device information and the network information; and

means for sending the connectivity information from the service server to the wireless device for use by the wireless device to obtain connectivity.

53. The apparatus of claim 52, wherein the device information comprises location of the wireless device, or capabilities of the wireless device, or both.

54. The apparatus of claim 52, wherein the network information comprises cost of each wireless network, or availability of each wireless network, or both.

55. The apparatus of claim 52, wherein the connectivity information indicates one or more wireless networks selected for the wireless device, or comprises authentication information used to access the one or more selected wireless networks, or both.

56. A method of supporting communication, comprising:

sending a request for connectivity information by a service client on a wireless device to a service server external to the wireless device;

receiving the connectivity information from the service server; and

connecting to a wireless network based on the connectivity information.

57. The method of claim 56, further comprising:

generating the request to include device information comprising location of the wireless device, or capabilities of the wireless device, or both, and wherein the connectivity information for the wireless device is determined based on the device information.

58. The method of claim 56, further comprising:

identifying one or more wireless networks selected for the wireless device from the connectivity information; and

selecting the wireless network to access from among the one or more wireless networks.

59. The method of claim 58, further comprising:

obtaining authentication information used to access the one or more selected wireless networks from the connectivity information; and

performing authentication with the wireless network based on the authentication information.

60. The method of claim 56, further comprising:

sending a second request for connectivity information by the service client to a second service server;

receiving additional connectivity information from the second service server; and

selecting the wireless network to connect to based on the connectivity information from the service server and the additional connectivity information from the second service server.

61. An apparatus for supporting communication, comprising:

means for sending a request for connectivity information by a service client on a wireless device to a service server external to the wireless device;

means for receiving the connectivity information from the service server; and

means for connecting to a wireless network based on the connectivity information.

62. The apparatus of claim 61, further comprising:

means for generating the request to include device information comprising location of the wireless device, or capabilities of the wireless device, or both, and wherein the connectivity information for the wireless device is determined based on the device information.

63. The apparatus of claim 61, further comprising:

means for identifying one or more wireless networks selected for the wireless device from the connectivity information; and

means for selecting the wireless network to access from among the one or more wireless networks.

64. The apparatus of claim 63, further comprising:

means for obtaining authentication information used to access the one or more wireless networks from the connectivity information; and

means for performing authentication with the wireless network based on the authentication information.