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

• US 20160227478A1
• Filed: 03/14/2016
• Published: 08/04/2016
• 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 9,706,486 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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

1-20. -20. (canceled)

21. A method comprising:

receiving, at an application program interface (API) residing on a communication device, a request to initiate a network scan for a wireless network, the request comprising one or more requested network scan parameters; and

in response to receiving the request;

adjusting network scan parameters for the network scan based on the one or more requested network scan parameters when the request is received within a first time period and a previous network scan has not been initiated by the communication device within a second time period; and

,

configuring and initiating the network scan according to the network scan parameters that have been adjusted.

22. The method as claimed in claim 21, wherein the wireless network is an institute of electrical and electronic engineers (IEEE 802.11) class network.

23. The method as claimed in claim 21, wherein the wireless network is a short-range wireless network.

24. The method as claimed in claim 21, wherein the one or more requested network scan parameters comprise a data rate parameter indicative of a data rate for the network scan.

25. The method as claimed in claim 21, wherein the one or more requested network scan parameters comprise one of a maximum number of scans parameter indicative of maximum number network scan cycles to be performed and a minimum number of scans parameter indicative minimum number of network scan cycles to be performed.

26. The method as claimed in claim 21, wherein the one or more requested network scan parameters comprise a channel list parameter indicative of one or more frequency channels for the network scan.

27. The method as claimed in claim 21, wherein the one or more requested network scan parameters comprise a network scan parameter comprises one of a scan time parameter, a scan period parameter, and a scan interval parameter.

28. The method as claimed in claim 21, wherein the one or more requested network scan parameters comprise a power parameter indicative of a power of a communication signal for the network scan.

29. The method as claimed in claim 21, wherein the one or more requested network scan parameters comprise at least one of a minimum dwell time parameter, a maximum dwell time parameter, and a probes parameter indicative of a number of probes for the scan.

30. The method as claimed in claim 21, further comprising:

in response to detecting a stop condition to stop the network scan, terminating the network scan.

31. The method as claimed in claim 30, further comprising:

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

in response to detecting the restart condition, recommencing the network scan.

32. The method as claimed in claim 31, wherein the communication device utilizes a part of a frequency spectrum that is in a white space of frequencies for television signal transmissions.

33. The method as claimed in claim 21, further comprising:

prior to initiating and configuring, receiving, at the API, a second request to initiate the network scan for the communication network, the second request comprising one or more second requested network scan parameter;

aggregating the one or more requested network scan parameters received from the request and the one or more second requested network scan parameters received from the second request to form aggregated requested network scan parameters; and

wherein adjusting comprises adjusting the network parameters based on the aggregated requested network scan parameters.

34. The method as claimed in claim 21, wherein the network scan is part of a script of a plurality of network scans executed at the communication device.

35. The method as claimed in claim 21, wherein the network scan parameters are provided in a scan profile associated with the communication device.

36. A communication device comprising:

a processor;

a memory storing an at an application program interface (API) comprising computer-readable instructions executable by the processor for;

receiving a request to initiate a network scan for a wireless network, the request comprising one or more requested network scan parameters; and

in response to receiving the request;

adjusting the network scan parameters based on the one or more requested network scan parameters; and

configuring and initiating the network scan according to the network scan parameters that have been adjusted.

37. The communication device as claimed in claim 36, wherein the network is one of an institute of electrical and electronic engineers (IEEE 802.11) class network and a short-range wireless network.

38. The communication device as claimed in claim 36, wherein the one or more requested network scan parameters comprise a data rate parameter indicative of a data rate for the network scan.

39. The communication device as claimed in claim 36, wherein the one or more requested network scan parameters comprise a number of scans parameter indicative of one of a maximum number network scans and a minimum number of network scans.

40. The communication device as claimed in claim 36, wherein the one or more requested network scan parameters comprise a channel list parameter indicative of one or more frequency channels for the network scan.

41. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising computer-readable instructions which when executed by a processor of a communication device cause an application program interface (API) residing on a communication device to:

receive a request to initiate a network scan, the request comprising one or more requested network scan parameters; and

in response to receipt of the request;

adjust the network scan parameters based on the one or more requested network scan parameters when the request is received within a first time period and a previous network scan has not been initiated by the communication device within a second time period; and

,

configure and initiate the network scan according to the network scan parameters that have been adjusted.