Method for selecting a wireless communications service provider in a multi-service provider environment
First Claim
1. A method by which a communication device locates a wireless service provider in a multi-service provider environment, the communication device storing a frequency band search schedule having a plurality of bands in a predetermined order, the method comprising:
- determining whether a last frequency band used by the communication device has an acceptable service provider;
if the last frequency band used does not have an acceptable service provider, examining each of the frequency bands in the frequency band search schedule until a frequency band is located having an acceptable service provider; and
stopping the examination of frequency bands as soon as an acceptable service provider is located.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A communication device locates a wireless service provider in a multi-service provider environment using a frequency band search schedule. The frequency band search schedule has a first or home band and a several other frequency bands in a predetermined order. The order of the frequency bands may be programmed by the user or by a home service provider over the air. The communication device searches for an acceptable service provider by examining the home band and then the other bands listed in the frequency band search schedule. The bands are examined in the order specified by the frequency band search schedule. An acceptable service provider is identified by comparing the identity of a service provider specified by an identifier received from a band being examined with a list of acceptable service providers.
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Citations
106 Claims
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1. A method by which a communication device locates a wireless service provider in a multi-service provider environment, the communication device storing a frequency band search schedule having a plurality of bands in a predetermined order, the method comprising:
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determining whether a last frequency band used by the communication device has an acceptable service provider;
if the last frequency band used does not have an acceptable service provider, examining each of the frequency bands in the frequency band search schedule until a frequency band is located having an acceptable service provider; and
stopping the examination of frequency bands as soon as an acceptable service provider is located. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
terminating said step of examining prior to examining all frequency bands in said frequency band search schedule when an optimal service provider is found.
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7. The method of claim 1 wherein a first frequency band in the plurality of frequency bands in the frequency band search schedule is a home frequency band for the communication device.
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8. A method by which a communication device locates a wireless service provider in a multi-service provider environment, the communication device storing a frequency band search schedule having a plurality of bands in a predetermined order, the method comprising:
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determining whether a last frequency band used by the communication device has an acceptable service provider;
if the last frequency band used does not have an acceptable service provider, examining each of the frequency bands in the frequency band search schedule until a frequency band is located having an acceptable service provider;
stopping the examination of frequency bands as soon as an acceptable service provider is located; and
identifying an acceptable service provider by comparing the identity of a service provider specified by an identifier received from a band being examined with a prioritized list of acceptable service providers. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
terminating said step of examining prior to examining all frequency bands in said frequency band search schedule when an optimal service provider is found.
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14. The method of claim 8 further comprising the step of modifying the prioritized list of service providers using information transmitted over a wireless interface.
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15. The method of claim 8, wherein a first frequency band in the plurality of frequency bands in the frequency band search schedule is a home frequency band for the communication device.
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16. The method of claim 8 further comprising the step of modifying the prioritized list of service providers using information from a keypad of the communication device.
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17. A communication device that locates a wireless service provider in a multi-service provider environment using a stored frequency band search schedule, the frequency band search schedule having a plurality of frequency bands in a predetermined order, the communication device comprising:
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a transceiver that receives the plurality of frequency bands; and
a controller that determines whether a last frequency band used by the communication device has an acceptable service provider, and if the last frequency band used does not have an acceptable service provider, examines each of the frequency bands in the frequency band search schedule until a frequency band is located having an acceptable service provider, and stops the examination of frequency bands as soon as an acceptable service provider is located. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A communication device that locates a wireless service provider in a multi-service provider environment using a stored frequency band search schedule, the frequency band search schedule having a plurality of bands in a predetermined order, the communication device comprising:
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a transceiver that receives the plurality of frequency bands; and
a controller that;
(1) determines whether a last frequency band used by the communication device has an acceptable service provider, and if the last frequency band used does not have an acceptable service provider, examines each of the frequency bands in the frequency band search schedule until a frequency band is located having an acceptable service provider, and stops the examination of frequency bands as soon as an acceptable service provider is located, and (2) identifies an acceptable service provider by comparing the identity of a service provider specified by an identifier received from a band being examined with a prioritized list of acceptable service providers.- View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A method of communicating between a communication device and a wireless service provider in a multi-service provider environment using a frequency band search schedule that is stored in the communication device and specifies a predetermined order of a plurality of plurality frequency bands, the communication device:
- 1) examining a last frequency band used during a preceding period of communication device activity and
2) if the last frequency band used is not a frequency band corresponding to a best available service provider, examining the plurality of frequency bands in the order specified by the frequency band search schedule but skipping examination in the frequency band search schedule of the last frequency band used that has been previously examined and found not to have a best available service provider, the method comprising;transmitting a code from the wireless service provider to the communication device, the code enabling identification of the wireless service provider as a wireless service provider permitted to transmit modification information; and
transmitting modification information from the permitted wireless service provider to the communication device for modifying the frequency band search schedule. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
- 1) examining a last frequency band used during a preceding period of communication device activity and
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40. A method of communicating between a communication device and a wireless service provider in a multi-service provider environment using a frequency band search schedule that is stored in the communication device and specifies a predetermined order of a plurality of frequency bands, the communication device:
- 1) examining a last frequency band used during a preceding period of communication device activity and
2) if the last frequency band used is not a frequency band corresponding to a best available service provider, examining the plurality of frequency bands in the order specified by the frequency band search schedule but skipping examination in the frequency band search schedule of the last frequency band used that has been previously examined and found not to have a best available service provider, the method comprising;transmitting modification information from the wireless service provider to the communication device for modifying the frequency band search schedule, receiving confirmation information from the communication device at the wireless service provider that the modification information has been transmitted. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
- 1) examining a last frequency band used during a preceding period of communication device activity and
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47. A communication device that locates a wireless service provider in a multi-service provider environment using a frequency band search schedule that is stored in the communication device and specifies a predetermined order of a plurality of frequency bands, the communication device comprising:
a controller that;
1) examines a last frequency band used during a preceding period of communication device activity, and
2) if the last frequency band used is not a frequency band corresponding to a best available service provider, examines the plurality of frequency bands in the order specified by the frequency band search schedule but skips examination in the frequency band search schedule of the last frequency band used that has been previously examined and found not to have a best available service provider.- View Dependent Claims (48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53)
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54. A method by which a communication device locates a wireless service provider in a multi-service provider environment, the communication device storing a search schedule having a plurality of frequencies in a predetermined order, the method comprising:
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determining whether a last frequency used by the communication device has an acceptable service provider;
if the last frequency used does not have an acceptable service provider, examining one of the frequencies in the search schedule until a frequency is located having an acceptable service provider; and
stopping the examination of frequencies as soon as an acceptable service provider is located. - View Dependent Claims (55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61)
terminating said step of examining prior to examining all frequencies in said search schedule when an optimal service provider is found.
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60. The method of claim 54, wherein a first frequency in the plurality of frequencies in the search schedule is a home frequency for the communication device.
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61. The method of claim 54, wherein a first frequency in the plurality of frequencies in the search schedule is a home frequency for the communication device.
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62. A method by which a communication device locates a wireless service provider in a multi-service provider environment, the communication device storing a search schedule having a plurality of frequencies in a predetermined order, the method comprising:
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determining whether a last frequency used by the communication device has an acceptable service provider;
if the last frequency used does not have an acceptable service provider, examining one of the frequencies in the search schedule until a frequency is located having an acceptable service provider;
stopping the examination of frequencies as soon as an acceptable service provider is located; and
identifying an acceptable service provider by comparing the identity of a service provider specified by an identifier received from a frequency being examined with a prioritized list of acceptable service providers. - View Dependent Claims (63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69)
terminating said step of examining prior to examining all frequencies in said search schedule when an optimal service provider is found.
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68. The method of claim 62, further comprising the step of modifying the prioritized list of service providers using information transmitted over a wireless interface.
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69. The method of claim 62, further comprising the step of modifying the prioritized list of service providers using information from a keypad of the communication device.
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70. A communication device that locates a wireless service provider in a multi-service provider environment using a stored search schedule, the search schedule having a plurality of frequencies in a predetermined order, the communication device comprising:
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a transceiver that receives the plurality of frequencies; and
a controller that determines whether a last frequency used by the communication device has an acceptable service provider, and if the last frequency used does not have an acceptable service provider, examines each of the frequencies in the search schedule until a frequency is located having an acceptable service provider, and stops the examination of frequencies as soon as an acceptable service provider is located. - View Dependent Claims (71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76)
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77. A communication device that locates a wireless service provider in a multi-service provider environment using a stored search schedule, the search schedule having a plurality of frequencies in a predetermined order, the communication device comprising:
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a transceiver that receives the plurality of frequencies; and
a controller that;
(1) determines whether a last frequency used by the communication device has an acceptable service provider, and if the last frequency used does not have an acceptable service provider, examines each of the frequencies in the search schedule until a frequency is located having an acceptable service provider, and stops the examination of frequencies as soon as an acceptable service provider is located; and
(2) identifies an acceptable service provider by comparing the identity of a service provider specified by an identifier received from a frequency being examined with a prioritized list of acceptable service providers.- View Dependent Claims (78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85)
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86. A method of communicating between a communication device and a wireless service provider in a multi-service provider environment using a search schedule that is stored in the communication device and specifies a predetermined order of a plurality of frequencies, the communication device:
- 1) examining a last frequency used during a preceding period of communication device activity and
2) if the last frequency used is not a frequency corresponding to a best available service provider, examining the plurality of frequencies in the order specified by the search schedule but skipping examination in the search schedule of the last frequency used that has been previously examined and found not to have a best available service provider, the method comprising;transmitting a code from the wireless service provider to the communication device, the code enabling identification of the wireless service provider as a wireless service provider permitted to transmit modification information; and
transmitting modification information from the permitted wireless service provider to the communication device for modifying the search schedule. - View Dependent Claims (87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92)
- 1) examining a last frequency used during a preceding period of communication device activity and
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93. A method of communicating between a communication device and a wireless service provider in a multi-service provider environment using a search schedule that is stored in the communication device and specifies a predetermined order of a plurality of frequencies, the communication device:
- 1) examining a last frequency used during a preceding period of communication device activity and
2) if the last frequency used is not a frequency corresponding to a best available service provider, examining the plurality of frequencies in the order specified by the search schedule but skipping examination in the search schedule of the last frequency used that has been previously examined and found not to have a best available service provider, the method comprising;transmitting modification information from the wireless service provider to the communication device for modifying the search schedule, receiving confirmation information from the communication device at the wireless service provider that the modification information has been transmitted. - View Dependent Claims (94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99)
- 1) examining a last frequency used during a preceding period of communication device activity and
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100. A communication device that locates a wireless service provider in a multi-service provider environment using a search schedule that is stored in the communication device and specifies a predetermined order of a plurality of frequencies, the communication device comprising:
a controller that;
1) examines a last frequency used during a preceding period of communication device activity, and
2) if the last frequency used is not a frequency corresponding to a best available service provider, examines the plurality of frequencies in the order specified by the search schedule but skips examination in the search schedule of the last frequency used that has been previously examined and found not to have a best available service provider.- View Dependent Claims (101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106)
Specification