APPLICATION ASSISTED BAND SCANNING METHOD TO REDUCE NETWORK ACQUISITION TIME

• US 20160127983A1
• Filed: 10/29/2014
• Published: 05/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: HAGELTORN, Gran, CORMIER, Jean-Philippe Paul
• Granted Patent: US 10,117,166 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 11/0083 Multi-mode cell search, i.e. where several modes or systems can be used, e.g. backwards compatible, dual mode or flexible systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

A method of selecting a cellular network entails determining a current location of a mobile device by obtaining location data from an application on the mobile device, prioritizing cellular network frequency bands based on the current location to define a band priority, and selecting the cellular network based on the band priority. This method expedites selection of the cellular network when a mobile device is powered on, when its cellular radiofrequency transceiver is activated or when returning from an out-of-coverage area.

Claims

1. A method of selecting a cellular network, the method comprising:

determining a current location of a mobile device by obtaining location data from an application on the mobile device;

prioritizing cellular network frequency bands based on the current location to define a band priority; and

selecting the cellular network based on the band priority.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein determining the current location is based on data from a calendar application.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein determining the current location is based on data from a social media application.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein determining the current location is based on data from a travel-related application.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein determining the current location is based on data from a web browser application.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein determining the current location comprises mining messages for travel-related location data.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the determining of the current location is performed in response to activating a cellular radiofrequency transceiver.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions in code which when loaded into a memory and executed by a processor of a mobile device cause the mobile device to:

determine a current location of a mobile device by obtaining location data from an application on the mobile device;

prioritize cellular network frequency bands based on the current location to define a band priority; and

select a cellular network based on the band priority.

9. The computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 8 wherein the current location is based on data from a calendar application.

10. The computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 8 wherein the current location is based on data from a social media application.

11. The computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 8 wherein the current location is based on data from a travel-booking application.

12. The computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 8 wherein the current location is based on data from a web browser application.

13. The computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 8 wherein the current location is based on messages comprising travel-related location data.

14. The computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 8 comprises code that causes the mobile device to determine the current location in response to detecting that a cellular radiofrequency transceiver has been activated.

15. A mobile device comprising:

a cellular radiofrequency transceiver;

a memory that stores an application and location data for the application; and

a processor coupled to the memory and configured to;

determine a current location by obtaining the location data from the memory;

prioritize cellular network frequency bands to define a band priority; and

select a cellular network based on the band priority.

16. The mobile device as claimed in claim 15 wherein the current location is based on data from a calendar application.

17. The mobile device as claimed in claim 15 wherein the current location is based on data from a social media application.

18. The mobile device as claimed in claim 15 wherein the current location is based on data from a travel-booking application.

19. The mobile device as claimed in claim 15 wherein the current location is based on messages for travel-related location data.

20. The mobile device as claimed in claim 15 wherein the processor determines the current location in response to activating the cellular radiofrequency transceiver.