SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING NETWORK SCAN PARAMETERS FOR A NETWORK CONNECTION

• US 20140079043A1
• Filed: 09/19/2012
• Published: 03/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Montemurro, Michael Peter, McCann, Stephen, Kennedy, Richard Howard
• Granted Patent: US 9,319,968 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/24 Reselection being triggered by specific parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0209 in terminal devices terminal devices per se H04W88/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0216 using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic indication frame
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A system and method for controlling aspects of network communications from a device to a network are provided. In particular, a method of initiating scans for a network by a communication device for a communication network is provided. The method comprises: monitoring for a first condition relating to a network scan for the communication network; and when the first condition relates to a receipt of at least one request to initiate the network scan and when at least the first condition is satisfied, identifying a first parameter for the network scan and configuring and initiating the network scan at the communication device for the communication network implementing the first parameter.

Claims

1. A method of initiating scans for a network by a communication device for a communication network, the method comprising:

monitoring for a first condition relating to a network scan for the communication network; and

when the first condition relates to a receipt of at least one request to initiate the network scan and when at least the first condition is satisfied,

identifying a first parameter for the network scan; and

configuring and initiating the network scan at the communication device for the communication network implementing the first parameter.

2. The method of initiating scans for a network as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the network is an IEEE 802.11 class network; and

the first parameter indicates how frequently the network scan is conducted.

3. The method of initiating scans for a network as claimed in claim 2, wherein:

the network scan is made for a duration indicated by a second parameter.

4. The method of initiating scans for a network as claimed in claim 2, wherein:

the at least one request to initiate the network scan is provided from an application operating on the communication device; and

the first condition further includes that the receipt of at least one request is received within a time period.

5. The method of initiating scans for a network as claimed in claim 4, wherein:

the first condition further includes that a previous network scan has not been initiated by the communication device within a second time period.

6. The method of initiating scans for a network as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the network scan is implemented with the first parameter when the first condition and a second condition relating a battery level of the communication device are satisfied.

7. The method of initiating scans for a network as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the network scan is implemented with the first parameter when the first condition and a second condition comprising detection of movement of the communication device are satisfied.

8. The method of initiating scans for a network as claimed in claim 7, wherein:

the second condition comprises detection of movement of the communication device from a first jurisdiction to a second jurisdiction.

9. The method of initiating scans for a network as claimed in claim 8, wherein:

in the first jurisdiction, the communication network utilizes available white space in a first frequency spectrum in a defined frequency band; and

in the second jurisdiction, the communication network utilizes a second frequency spectrum in the defined frequency band.

10. The method of initiating scans for a network as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring for a stop condition to stop the network scan; and

when the stop condition is satisfied, terminating network scan.

11. The method of initiating scans for a network as claimed in claim 10, further comprising:

after the stop condition is satisfied, monitoring for a second condition to recommence the network scan for the communication network; and

when the second condition is satisfied, recommencing the network scan.

12. The method of initiating scans for a network as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

when the first condition relates to detection of movement of the communication device at least a predetermined distance from its previous location and when at least the first condition is satisfied,

identifying a first parameter for the network scan; and

configuring and initiating the network scan at the communication device for the communication network implementing the first parameter.

13. The method of initiating scans for a network as claimed in claim 12, wherein:

the communication device utilizes a part of a frequency spectrum that is in a white space of frequencies for television signal transmissions.

14. The method of initiating scans for a network as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the first parameter for the network scan is an aggregation of scan parameters received from all of the at least one request; and

the first condition further includes that a previous network scan has not been initiated by the communication device within a second time period.

15. The method of initiating scans for a network as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the network scan is part of a script of a plurality of network scans that is executed by the communication device.

16. The method of initiating scans for a network as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the first parameter for the network scan is provided in a scan profile associated with the communication device.

17. A method of initiating scans for a network by a communication device for a communication network, the method comprising:

receiving a plurality of requests from at least one application operating on the communication device relating to network scan requests for the communication network;

identify an amalgamated set of parameters for a network scan from the plurality of requests; and

when at least one request from the plurality of requests has been received within a predetermined time period and when a previous network scan has not been initiated from at least a first period of time, configuring and initiating a network scan request that includes the amalgamated set of parameters.

18. A system for initiating scans for a network in a communication device for a communication network, the system comprising:

a processor;

a memory module for storing instructions for execution on the processor; and

a monitoring module for providing instructions for execution on the processor to

monitor for a first condition relating to a network scan for the communication network; and

when the first condition relates to a receipt of at least one request to initiate the network scan and when at least the first condition is satisfied

identify a first parameter for the network scan; and

configure and initiate the network scan at the communication device for the communication network implementing the first parameter.

19. The system for initiating scans for a network in a communication device for a communication network as claimed in claim 18, wherein:

the network is an IEEE 802.11 class network;

the first parameter indicates how frequently the network scan is conducted;

the network scan is made for a duration indicated by a second parameter;

the at least one request to initiate the network scan is provided from an application operating on the communication device; and

the first condition further includes that the receipt of at least one request is received within a time period.

20. The system for initiating scans for a network in a communication device for a communication network as claimed in claim 18, wherein:

the network scan is implemented with the first parameter when the first condition and a second condition comprising detection of movement of the communication device from a first jurisdiction to a second jurisdiction are satisfied;

in the first jurisdiction, the communication network utilizes available white space in a first frequency spectrum in a defined frequency band; and

in the second jurisdiction, the communication network utilizes a second frequency spectrum in the defined frequency band.