COMMUNICATION NETWORK SELECTION

• US 20120003976A1
• Filed: 05/05/2011
• Published: 01/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Vodafone IP Licensing Limited (Vodafone Group PLC)
• Original Assignee: Vodafone IP Licensing Limited (Vodafone Group PLC)
• Inventors: BHAT, Prakash, IRMER, Ralf F., NOETHEN, Benedikt
• Application Number:
  US13/101,924
• Publication Number:
  US 20120003976A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/436
• 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

Abstract

A mobile telecommunications device includes cellular communication means for communicating with a cellular telecommunications network base station, wireless communication means for communicating with a wireless access point, and control means for selectively enabling the wireless communication means in response to a trigger. The trigger may be the launch of a web browser of a request for a download of data.

Claims

1. A mobile telecommunications device comprising:

cellular communication means operable to communicate with a cellular telecommunications network base station;

wireless communication means operable to communicate with a non-cellular wireless access point; and

control means operable to selectively automatically enable the wireless communication means in response to a trigger.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the trigger is launch of a web browser.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the trigger is a request for transfer of data.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the control means is operable to determine the quality of a communication path to the access point.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the control means is operable to select one of a plurality of access points in dependence upon the quality of the communication path to each of the access points.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the control means is operable to switch between the respective access points in dependence upon changes in quality of the communication paths.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the control means is operable to disable the wireless communication means.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the control means is operable to detect the status of the power supply of the mobile telecommunications device and to disable the wireless communication means in dependence thereon.

9. A method of operating a mobile telecommunications device including cellular communication means operable to communicate with a cellular telecommunications network base station and wireless communication means operable to communicate with a non-cellular wireless access point, the method comprising:

selectively automatically enabling the wireless communication means in response to a trigger.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the trigger is launch of a web browser.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the trigger is a request for transfer of data.

12. The method of claim 9, including determining the quality of a communication path to the access point.

13. The method of claim 12, including selecting one of a plurality of access points in dependence upon the quality of the communication path to each of the access points.

14. The method of claim 13, including switching between the respective access points in dependence upon changes in quality of the communication paths.

15. The method of claim 9, including selectively disabling the wireless communication means.

16. The method of claim 15, including detecting the status of the power supply of the mobile telecommunications device and disabling the wireless communication means in dependence thereon.

17. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions adapted to cause a mobile telecommunications device to perform the method of claim 9.