APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PERFORMING VOICE COMMUNICATION IN MOBILE TERMINAL

• US 20130143564A1
• Filed: 12/03/2012
• Published: 06/06/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: KIM, Dong-Ha
• Application Number:
  US13/691,951
• Publication Number:
  US 20130143564A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/436
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/08 Reselecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/304 due to measured or perceived resources with higher communication quality
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

An apparatus and a method for performing a voice communication in a mobile terminal that is in range of more than one base station. The mobile terminal determines whether a request signal for a voice communication is transmitted or received. A first signal strength, or a first electric field intensity of a first base station connected to the mobile terminal and a second signal strength, or a second electric field intensity of a second base station positioned within transmission/reception range the mobile terminal are measured when transmission or reception of a requested signal is performed. There is a comparison of electric field intensities or signal strength. Voice communication is performed through the second base station when the second electric field intensity is larger than the first electric field intensity. The first and second base stations may be one generation apart in terms of support.

Claims

1. An apparatus for performing a voice communication in a mobile terminal, comprising:

an RF unit for transmitting or receiving a request signal for the voice communication; and

a controller configured for checking whether the request signal is transmitted or received by the RF unit, for measuring a first electric field intensity of a first base station connected to the mobile terminal and a second electric field intensity of a second base station positioned within transmission/reception range of the mobile terminal when determining that at least one of a transmission and a reception of the request signal is performed, for comparing the first electric field intensity with the second electric field intensity, and for performing the voice communication through the second base station when the second electric field intensity is larger than the first electric field intensity as a result of the comparison,

wherein the first base station supports a specific mobile communication system of a particular generation and the second base station supports a mobile communication system of a generation prior to the particular generation of the specific mobile communication system by one generation.

2. The apparatus for performing a voice communication as claimed in claim 1, wherein the particular generation supported by the first base station comprises a third generation mobile communication system and the communication system of a generation prior to the particular generation supported by the second base station comprises a second generation mobile communication system.

3. The apparatus for performing a voice communication as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first electric field intensity and the second electric field intensity that are compared comprise one of a carrier to interference ratio (CINR), a signal to noise ratio (SNR), and a signal to interference plus noise ratio (SINR).

4. The apparatus for performing a voice communication as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controller measures the first electric field intensity and the second electric field intensity when the request signal is transmitted, compares the first electric field intensity with the second electric field intensity, performs a handover from the first base station to the second base station when a value of the second electric field intensity is larger than the first electric field intensity as a result of the comparison, and performs a connection for the voice communication through the second base station.

5. The apparatus for performing a voice communication as claimed in claim 4, wherein the controller performs a handover from the second base station to the first base station when there is a request signal to complete the voice communication, and cancels a connection for the voice communication through the first base station.

6. The apparatus for performing a voice communication as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controller performs a connection for the voice communication through the first base station when the request signal is received and measures the first electric field intensity and the second electric field intensity.

7. The apparatus for performing a voice communication as claimed in claim 6, wherein the controller performs a handover from the first base station to the second base station when the second electric field intensity is larger than the first electric field intensity and performs a connection for the voice communication through the second base station.

8. The apparatus for performing a voice communication as claimed in claim 7, wherein the controller performs a handover from the second base station to the first base station when there is a request signal to complete the voice communication and cancels a connection for the voice communication through the first base station.

9. A method of performing a voice communication in a mobile terminal, comprising:

checking by a controller whether a request signal for a voice communication is transmitted or received by an RF unit;

measuring by the controller a first electric field intensity of a first base station connected to the mobile terminal and a second electric field intensity of a second base station positioned within transmission/reception range the mobile terminal when determining that at least one of a transmission and a reception of the request signal is performed;

comparing by the controller the first electric field intensity with the second electric field intensity; and

performing the voice communication by the controller through the second base station when the second electric field intensity is larger than the first electric field intensity as a result of the comparison of respective first and second electric field intensities,

wherein the first base station supports a specific mobile communication system of a particular generation and the second base station supports a mobile communication system of a generation prior to the particular generation of the specific mobile communication system by one generation.

10. The method of performing a voice communication as claimed in claim 9, wherein the specific mobile communication system of a particular generation supported by the first base station comprises a third generation mobile communication system and the mobile communication system of a generation prior to the particular generation supported by second base station comprises a second generation mobile communication system.

11. The method of performing a voice communication as claimed in claim 9, wherein a measurement of the first electric field intensity and the second electric field intensity comprises one of a carrier to interference ratio (CINR), a signal to noise ratio (SNR), and a signal to interference plus noise ratio (SINR).

12. The method of performing a voice communication as claimed in claim 9, wherein performing of the voice communication by the controller comprises:

when the request signal is transmitted, performing a handover from the first base station to the second base station; and

performing a connection for the voice communication through the second base station.

13. The method of performing a voice communication as claimed in claim 12, further comprising:

when it is requested to complete the voice communication, performing a handover from the second base station to the first base station; and

cancelling a connection for the voice communication through the first base station.

14. The method of performing a voice communication as claimed in claim 9, wherein, in measuring the first electric field intensity and the second electric field intensity, when the request signal is received, the first electric field intensity and the second electric field intensity are measured after performing a connection for the voice communication through the first base station.

15. The method of performing a voice communication as claimed in claim 14, wherein performing of the voice communication by the controller comprises:

when the second electric field intensity is larger than the first electric field intensity, performing a handover from the first base station to the second base station; and

performing a connection for the voice communication through the second base station.

16. The method of performing a voice communication as claimed in claim 15, further comprising:

when it is requested to complete the voice communication, performing a handover from the second base station to the first base station; and

canceling a connection for the voice communication through the first base station.

17. An apparatus for performing a voice communication in a mobile terminal, comprising:

an RF unit for transmitting or receiving a request signal for the voice communication; and

a controller configured for checking whether the request signal is transmitted or received by the RF unit, for measuring a first electric field intensity of a first base station connected to the mobile terminal and a second electric field intensity of a second base station positioned within transmission/reception range of the mobile terminal when determining that at least one of a transmission and a reception of the request signal is performed, for comparing the first electric field intensity with the second electric field intensity, and for performing only the voice communication through the second base station when the second electric field intensity is equal or larger than a predetermined level for voice communication even when the first electric field intensity is greater than the second electric field intensity,

wherein the first base station supports a specific mobile communication system of a particular generation and the second base station supports a mobile communication system of a generation prior to the particular generation of the specific mobile communication system by one generation.

18. A method of performing a voice communication in a mobile terminal, comprising:

checking by a controller whether a request signal for a voice communication is transmitted or received by an RF unit;

measuring by the controller a first electric field intensity of a first base station connected to the mobile terminal and a second electric field intensity of a second base station positioned within transmission/reception range the mobile terminal when determining that at least one of a transmission and a reception of the request signal is performed;

comparing by the controller the first electric field intensity with the second electric field intensity; and

performing only the voice communication through the second base station when the second electric field intensity is equal or larger than a predetermined level for voice communication even when the first electric field intensity is greater than the second electric field intensity,

wherein the first base station supports a specific mobile communication system of a particular generation and the second base station supports a mobile communication system of a generation prior to the particular generation of the specific mobile communication system by one generation.