System and method for calendar-based cellular smart switching

• US 6,553,232 B1
• Filed: 12/22/1999
• Issued: 04/22/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Unify GmbH & Co. KG (Atos SE)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Information & Communication Networks, Inc. (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Shaffer, Shmuel, Beyda, William Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Trost, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gesesse, Tilahun
• Application Number:
  US09/469,550
• Time in Patent Office: 1,217 Days
• Field of Search: 455/436, 455/437, 455/438, 455/439, 455/456, 455/420, 455/440, 455/442, 455/443, 455/444, 455/445, 455/446
• US Class Current: 455/440
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2072 Schedules, e.g. personal calendars
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/32 by location or mobility data, e.g. speed data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/322 by location data

Abstract

A user'"'"'s access patterns are accounted for in deciding to switch between a plurality of wireless networks 204, 206. A method according to one embodiment of the present invention includes monitoring a location of a wireless communication device 202 Within a region serviced by a first wireless communication network 204 and second region serviced by a second wireless communication network 206. The first and second region have an overlapping region which could be serviced by both networks. The future location of the wireless communication device 202 within the first and second regions is predicted based on the monitoring of the previous locations of the wireless communication device 202. When the wireless communication device 202 is detected as being within the overlapping region, the system determines whether to transfer an active connection between the wireless communication device 202 and one of the networks to the other network. In one embodiment, past patterns of usage of the wireless communication 202 device within the first and second region are identified and used to predict a future location based on the past pattern. In another embodiment, a calender of predetermined time-location associations is input into a controller 203 associated with the wireless communication device 202 and the prediction is based on an actual location and current time being compared with the values input into the calender.

Claims

1. A method for switching a call connection between independent wireless networks, comprising:

servicing a call on a wireless communication device via a first independent wireless network;

detecting entry of said wireless communication device into a region of operation of a second independent wireless network, said region comprising a region of overlap with said first independent wireless network;

predicting, based on past patterns of use, whether said wireless communication device is likely to remain in said region of operation of said second independent wireless network for longer than a predetermined period; and

transferring service of said call to said second independent wireless network if said wireless communication device is predicted to remain in said region of operation of said second independent wireless network for longer than said predetermined period.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said detecting comprises a controller in said second wireless network monitoring said region for registered users.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said predicting comprises storing a database comprising time and location records of said wireless communication device and comparing a current time and location of said wireless communication device with said time and location records.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said storing a database comprises manually entering a predicted schedule of time and location records.

5. A method for controlling the hand-off of a wireless communication device between a plurality of independent wireless communication networks comprising:

compiling a database of past time-location associations of said wireless communication device within a predetermined overlapping region serviced by at least two of said plurality of independent wireless communication networks;

detecting when said wireless communication device is located within said predetermined overlapping region during an active connection;

predicting, responsive to said detecting, a future location of said wireless communication device within said independent wireless communication networks, wherein said predicting uses said database of time-location associations;

transferring, based on a result of said predicting, said active connection between said one of said plurality of independent wireless communication networks to another of said plurality of independent wireless communication networks when said wireless communication device is detected as being within said predetermined overlapping region,

wherein said predicting comprises using said time-location associations to determine a predetermined waiting period and, if said wireless communication device remains within said predetermined overlapping region for longer than said predetermined waiting period, transferring said active connection.

6. A method for switching a call connection between independent wireless networks, comprising:

servicing a call on a wireless communication device via a first independent wireless network;

detecting entry of said wireless communication device into a region of operation of a second independent wireless network;

predicting, based on past patterns of use, whether said wireless communication device is likely to remain in said region of operation of said second independent wireless network for longer than a predetermined period; and

transferring service of said call to said second independent wireless network if said wireless communication device is predicted to remain in said region of operation of said second independent wireless network for longer than said predetermined period.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said detecting comprises a controller in said second wireless network monitoring said region for registered users.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said predicting comprises using said time-location associations to determine a predetermined waiting period and, if said wireless communication device remains within said predetermined overlapping region for longer than said predetermined waiting period, transferring said active connection.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein said predicting comprises storing a database comprising time and location records of said wireless communication device and comparing a current time and location of said wireless communication device with said time and location records.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said storing a database comprises manually entering a predicted schedule of time and location records.

11. A method for controlling the hand-off of a wireless communication device between a plurality of independent wireless communication networks comprising:

compiling a database of past time-location associations of said wireless communication device within a predetermined overlapping region serviced by at least two of said plurality of independent wireless communication networks;

detecting when said wireless communication device is located within said predetermined overlapping region during an active connection;

predicting, responsive to said detecting, a future location of said wireless communication device, wherein said predicting uses said database of time-location associations;

transferring, based on a result of said predicting, said active connection between said one of said plurality of independent wireless communication networks to another of said plurality of independent wireless communication networks when said wireless communication device is detected as being within said predetermined overlapping region.