Method for a radiotelephone to scan for alternate radiotelephone systems

• US 6,477,372 B1
• Filed: 11/06/2000
• Issued: 11/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hefner, Eric J., Howell, Stephen A., Otting, Marcia J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Maung, Nay
• Assistant Examiner(s): GELIN, JEAN ALLAND
• Application Number:
  US09/707,059
• Time in Patent Office: 729 Days
• Field of Search: 455/432, 455/435, 455/434, 455/437, 455/439, 455/444, 455/445, 455/450, 455/464, 455/551, 455/552, 455/553, 455/574, 455/515, 455/161--16, 370/400, 370/401, 370/402
• US Class Current: 455/434
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/12 Inter-network notification

Abstract

A method for allowing a radiotelephone to scan for alternate radiotelephone systems, where each cellular radiotelephone system is within a corresponding geographic area and each cell has a base station providing paging and voice communication, includes a first step of registering the radiotelephone on a radiotelephone system. A next step includes establishing whether alternate technology scanning has been enabled for the radiotelephone. If alternate technology scanning is disabled, the radiotelephone receives paging messages from the base station and acknowledges the paging messages addressed to the radiotelephone. If alternate technology scanning is enabled, the radiotelephone scans for an alternate technology while the base station repeats any paging messages addressed to the radiotelephone and ignores a lack of acknowledgement from the radiotelephone for paging messages addressed to the radiotelephone.

Claims

1. A method for allowing a radiotelephone to scan for alternate radiotelephone systems using a single receiver, each radiotelephone system having a plurality of cells for providing radiotelephone service to a radiotelephone within a corresponding geographic area, each cell having paging and voice communication and a radio coverage area established by fixed site base stations, and each base station operable to send paging messages to radiotelephones, the method comprising the steps of:

registering the radiotelephone on a radiotelephone system by a base station;

establishing by the base station whether to enable alternate technology scanning for the radiotelephone; and

if alternate technology scanning is disabled;

the radiotelephone receiving paging messages from the base station;

the radiotelephone acknowledging to the base station paging messages addressed to the radiotelephone;

if alternate technology scanning is enabled;

the radiotelephone scanning for an alternate technology;

the base station concurrently repeating any paging messages addressed to the radiotelephone during performance of the scanning step;

the base station ignoring a lack of acknowledgement from the radiotelephone for paging messages addressed to the radiotelephone.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein before the registering step, further comprising the steps of powering up the radiotelephone, and scanning for available alternate technologies for service.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein after the establishing step, further comprising a step of detecting if service has been lost on the current network whereupon continuing at the previous scanning step.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the registering step includes registering on one of a GSM radiotelephone system and a ANSI-136 radiotelephone system.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the scanning step includes an alternate technology including at least one of a ANSI-136 radiotelephone system and a GSM radiotelephone system.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the ignoring step includes the base station retaining the radiotelephone on an active list.

7. A method for allowing a radiotelephone to scan for alternate radiotelephone systems using a single receiver, each radiotelephone system having a plurality of cells for providing radiotelephone service to a radiotelephone within a corresponding geographic area, each cell having paging and voice communication and a radio coverage area established by fixed site base stations, and each base station operable to send paging messages to radiotelephones, the method comprising the steps of:

powering up the radiotelephone;

scanning for available technologies for service;

registering and camping the radiotelephone on a preferred radiotelephone system;

establishing by the radiotelephone system whether to enable alternate technology scanning for the radiotelephone; and

if alternate technology scanning is disabled;

the radiotelephone receiving paging messages from the base station;

the radiotelephone acknowledging to the base station paging messages addressed to the radiotelephone;

if alternate technology scanning is enabled;

the radiotelephone scanning for an alternate technology for service;

the base station concurrently repeating any paging messages addressed to the radiotelephone during performance of the scanning step;

the base station ignoring a lack of acknowledgement from the radiotelephone for paging messages addressed to the radiotelephone and retaining the radiotelephone on an active list.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein after the establishing step, further comprising a step of detecting if service has been lost on the current network whereupon continuing at the previous scanning step.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the registering step includes registering on one of a GSM radiotelephone system and a ANSI-136 radiotelephone system.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the scanning step includes an alternate technology including at least one of a ANSI-136 radiotelephone system and a GSM radiotelephone system.

11. A method for allowing a radiotelephone to scan for alternate radiotelephone systems using a single receiver, each radiotelephone system having a plurality of cells for providing radiotelephone service to a radiotelephone within a corresponding geographic area, each cell having paging and voice communication and a radio coverage area established by fixed site base stations, and each base station operable to send paging messages to radiotelephones, the method comprising the steps of:

powering up the radiotelephone;

scanning for available technologies for service;

registering and camping the radiotelephone on a preferred radiotelephone system;

establishing by the radiotelephone system whether to enable alternate technology scanning for the radiotelephone;

detecting if service has been lost on the current network whereupon continuing at the previous scanning step; and

if alternate technology scanning is disabled;

the radiotelephone receiving paging messages from the base station;

the radiotelephone acknowledging to the base station paging messages addressed to the radiotelephone;

if alternate technology scanning is enabled;

the radiotelephone scanning for an alternate technology for service;

the base station concurrently repeating any paging messages addressed to the radiotelephone during performance of the scanning step;

the base station ignoring a lack of acknowledgement from the radiotelephone for paging messages addressed to the radiotelephone and retaining the radiotelephone on an active list.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the registering step includes registering on a GSM radiotelephone system.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the scanning step includes an alternate technology including at least an ANSI-136 radiotelephone system.