METHODS FOR AUTOMATICALLY SWITCHING BETWEEN A MOBILE NETWORK AND A LOCAL AREA NETWORK

• US 20170111839A1
• Filed: 07/25/2016
• Published: 04/20/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Shenzhen Antop Technology Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Shenzhen Antop Technology Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Yang, Ruidian
• Granted Patent: US 10,455,470 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0278 using buffer status reports dynamic wireless traffic scheduling definition H04W72/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/14 Reselecting a network or an air interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/1446 wherein at least one of the networks is unlicensed
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/22 for handling the traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

A method for automatically switching between a mobile network and a local area network based on practical situations of both networks, whereby the switch does affect the online experience. For a switch from a mobile network to a local area network, wherein the network device is access to the mobile network, the switch is activated when data buffering meets requirements and a stable local area network signal is available, and then the network device is switched into the local area network. For a switch from a local area network to a mobile network, wherein the network device is access to the local area network, the switch is activated when data buffering meets requirements and the local area network is unstable, and then the network device is switched into the mobile network. The method ensures the watching experience of the user on the premise that the expenses are appropriately reduced.

Claims

1. A method for automatically switching between a mobile network and a local area network, which is used for a network device to switch among different networks including automatic switches from a mobile network to a local area network and from a local area network to a mobile network, wherein,

for a switch from a mobile network to a local area network, wherein the network device is access to the mobile network, the switch is activated when data buffering meets requirements and a stable local area network signal is available, and then the network device is switched into the local area network;

and

for a switch from a local area network to a mobile network, wherein the network device is access to the local area network, the switch is activated when data buffering meets requirements and the local area network is unstable, and then the network device is switched into the mobile network.

2. The method for automatically switching between a mobile network and a local area network according to claim 1, wherein the automatic switch from a mobile network to a local area network comprises steps of:

S10 the network device being access to the mobile network;

S20 determining whether the data buffer meets requirements;

S30 determining whether the local area network is stable and meets switching requirements; and

S40 switching the network device to the local area network.

3. The method for automatically switching between a mobile network and a local area network according to claim 2, wherein the step S30 comprises steps of:

S31 determining whether a stable local area network signal is available;

S32 if yes, determining whether any of the local area network is available that was identity authenticated or has no requirements for identity authentication;

S33 if yes, selecting the local area network and proceeding to step S40.

4. The method for automatically switching between a mobile network and a local area network according to claim 3, wherein the step S30 further comprises a step of:

S35 if no local area network signal is present, determining the stability of the signal of the local area network, and determining the local area network is stable when the electrical level of the local area network is higher than a preset electrical level for a preset number of times.

5. The method for automatically switching between a mobile network and a local area network according to claim 2, wherein the automatic switch from a local area network to a mobile network;

comprises steps of;

S50 the network device being access to the local area network;

S60 determining whether the data buffer meets requirements;

S70 determining whether the signal of the local area network is too weak to continue operation; and

S80 switching the network device to a mobile network.

6. The method for automatically switching between a mobile network and a local area network according to claim 5, wherein in the step S70 the signal of the local area network is determined to be too weak to satisfy continuous operation if the electric level of the local area network signal is lower than the preset level for a preset number of times.

7. The method for automatically switching between a mobile network and a local area network according to claim 5, wherein the step S20 or S60 determines whether the volume of the data buffer is full and determines meeting operation requirements if it is full.

8. The method for automatically switching between a mobile network and a local area network according to claim 7, wherein the volume of the data buffer is 2 to 6 M.

9. The method for automatically switching between a mobile network and a local area network according to claim 8, wherein the volume of the data buffer is 4 M.

10. The method for automatically switching between a mobile network and a local area network according to claim 5, wherein the method restarts from step S20 or S60 when switching requirements is not met.