METHODS AND APPARATUS TO PREDICT ROUTING TO MAINTAIN CONNECTIVITY OVER A GEOGRAPHIC AREA

• US 20110310867A1
• Filed: 06/22/2010
• Published: 12/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Kennedy, Richard Howard, McCann, Stephen, Steer, David, Purnadi, Rene Waraputra
• Application Number:
  US12/820,907
• Publication Number:
  US 20110310867A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3461 Preferred or disfavoured areas, e.g. dangerous zones, toll or emission zones, intersections, manoeuvre types, segments such as motorways, toll roads, ferries
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/10 using broadcasted information

Abstract

Example methods and apparatus to predict routing to maintain connectivity over a geographic area are disclosed. A disclosed example method involves selecting network connection configurations for subsequent connections of a wireless terminal to access networks and generating a listing of network connection locations based on the selected network connection configurations. The example method also involves sending the listing of network connection locations to a geographic navigation program to enable selecting a geographic route based on the network connection locations.

Claims

1. A method to generate geographic routes based on network connection configurations, the method comprising:

selecting network connection configurations for subsequent connections of a wireless terminal to access networks;

generating a listing of network connection locations based on the selected network connection configurations; and

sending the listing of network connection locations to a geographic navigation program to enable selecting a geographic route based on the network connection locations.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the network connection configurations are selected based on maintaining a strongest possible signal strength.

3. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the geographic route is a geographic navigation path.

4. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the network connection configurations are selected based on a least quantity of connection configuration changes when the wireless terminal moves between the network connection locations.

5. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein each network connection configuration includes a selected frequency channel for access network connectivity by the wireless terminal.

6. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the geographic navigation program is a global positioning system navigation program.

7. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein each of the network connection locations is provided wireless coverage by a different one of the access networks.

8. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the network connection configurations are selected based on maximizing connectivity with a preferred network operator.

9. A tangible machine readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed, cause a machine to perform the method of claim 1.

10. An apparatus to generate geographic routes based on network connection configurations, the apparatus comprising:

a processor configured to;

select network connection configurations for subsequent connections of a wireless terminal to access networks;

generate a listing of network connection locations based on the selected network connection configurations; and

send the listing of network connection locations to a geographic navigation program to enable selecting a geographic route based on the network connection locations.

11. An apparatus as defined in claim 10, wherein the processor is configured to select the network connection configurations based on maintaining a strongest possible signal strength.

12. An apparatus as defined in claim 10, wherein the geographic route is a geographic navigation path.

13. An apparatus as defined in claim 10, wherein the processor is configured to select the network connection configurations based on a least quantity of connection configuration changes when the wireless terminal moves between the network connection locations.

14. An apparatus as defined in claim 10, wherein each network connection configuration includes a selected frequency channel for access network connectivity by the wireless terminal.

15. An apparatus as defined in claim 10, wherein the geographic navigation program is a global positioning system navigation program.

16. An apparatus as defined in claim 10, wherein each of the network connection locations is provided wireless coverage by a different one of the access networks.

17. An apparatus as defined in claim 10, wherein the processor is configured to select the network connection configurations based on maximizing connectivity with a preferred network operator.