WIRELESS NETWORK SELECTION
First Claim
1. A mobile terminal comprising:
- transceiver apparatus for communicating with a plurality of wireless networks, each wireless network comprising one or more respective wireless connection points providing a respective coverage area;
a location module arranged to determine information on geographical location of the mobile terminal, and based thereon to obtain a prediction that the mobile terminal will enter the coverage area of an expected one of said wireless networks;
a protocol module arranged to at least begin a pre-emptive handshake with the expected wireless network while still outside the respective coverage area and so unable to communicate any information via any of the one or more respective wireless connection points, by instead performing some or all of the handshake with the expected network via another of said wireless networks, and based on said pre-emptive handshake to establish a wireless connection with one of the one or more respective wireless connection points of the expected wireless network once the mobile terminal is within the respective coverage area.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A mobile terminal comprises transceiver apparatus for communicating with a plurality of wireless networks, each network comprising one or more respective wireless connection points providing a respective coverage area. The mobile terminal also comprises a location module arranged to determine information on geographical location of the mobile terminal, and based thereon to obtain a prediction that the mobile terminal will enter the coverage area of an expected one of said wireless networks. Further, the mobile terminal comprises a protocol module arranged to at least begin a pre-emptive handshake with the expected wireless network while still outside the respective coverage area and so unable to communicate any information via any of the one or more respective wireless connection points. It does this by instead performing some or all of the handshake with the expected network via another of said wireless networks.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A mobile terminal comprising:
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transceiver apparatus for communicating with a plurality of wireless networks, each wireless network comprising one or more respective wireless connection points providing a respective coverage area; a location module arranged to determine information on geographical location of the mobile terminal, and based thereon to obtain a prediction that the mobile terminal will enter the coverage area of an expected one of said wireless networks; a protocol module arranged to at least begin a pre-emptive handshake with the expected wireless network while still outside the respective coverage area and so unable to communicate any information via any of the one or more respective wireless connection points, by instead performing some or all of the handshake with the expected network via another of said wireless networks, and based on said pre-emptive handshake to establish a wireless connection with one of the one or more respective wireless connection points of the expected wireless network once the mobile terminal is within the respective coverage area. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A computer program product for operating a mobile terminal to communicate with a plurality of wireless networks, each wireless network comprising one or more respective wireless connection points providing a respective coverage area;
- the computer program product comprising code embodied on a computer-readable storage medium and configured so as when executed on the mobile terminal to perform operations comprising;
determining information on geographical location of the mobile terminal; based on said information, obtaining a prediction that the mobile terminal will enter the coverage area of an expected one of said wireless networks; at least beginning a pre-emptive handshake with the expected wireless network on behalf of the mobile terminal while still outside the respective coverage area and so unable to communicate any information via any of the one or more respective wireless connection points, by instead performing some or all of the handshake with the expected network via another of said wireless networks; and based on said pre-emptive handshake, establishing a wireless connection with one of the one or more respective wireless connection points of the expected wireless network once the mobile terminal is within the respective coverage area.
- the computer program product comprising code embodied on a computer-readable storage medium and configured so as when executed on the mobile terminal to perform operations comprising;
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20. A wireless access point of a local wireless area network or wireless personal area network, the wireless access point comprising:
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a local wireless transceiver arranged to provide a wireless interface having a coverage area within which a mobile terminal can communicate information with the wireless access point over the wireless interface, and outside of which the mobile terminal cannot communicate information with the wireless access point; and a wired transceiver for connecting to a wide area network, and thereby vicariously coupling to another wireless network having a different coverage area; wherein the wired transceiver is arranged to receive at least one message of a pre-emptive handshake from a mobile terminal not currently within said coverage area, by receiving the at least one message via said other wireless network and said wide area network, the handshake being to initiate establishment of a wireless connection between the mobile terminal and the wireless access point over said wireless interface; wherein the wired transceiver is arranged to send at least one response of the pre-emptive handshake to the mobile terminal via said wide area network and said other wireless network; and wherein the local wireless transceiver is arranged, based on said pre-emptive handshake, to establish the wireless connection with the mobile terminal directly over said wireless interface once the mobile terminal is within said coverage area.
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Specification