Method and apparatus for configurable selection and acquisition of a wireless communications system

• US 6,934,544 B2
• Filed: 05/02/2002
• Issued: 08/23/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Chiniga, Yugandhar, Cooper, Rotem
• Primary Examiner(s): Vuong, Quochien B.
• Application Number:
  US10/138,991
• Publication Number:
  US 20030148786A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,209 Days
• Field of Search: 455/434, 455/435.2, 455/455, 455/551, 455/552.1, 455/553.1, 455/62, 455/161.1, 455/168.1, 455/550.1
• US Class Current: 455/435.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 Negotiating wireless communication parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service

Abstract

A mobile station includes client circuitry for facilitating wireless communications with a wireless communications system, and a configurable system selection unit that executes a system selection and acquisition procedure. The configurable system selection unit includes a front end and a system selection core. The front end facilitates communications between the configurable system selection unit and the client circuitry. The system selection core is coupled to the front end and includes a script engine and a nonvolatile memory storing at least one script table. The script table includes a plurality of system selection event conditions and corresponding scripts that define a system selection and acquisition procedure. The script engine is adapted to detect an event condition and execute the corresponding script. The system selection core is adapted to receive a system selection script and store the received script in the script table, thereby altering the system selection and acquisition procedure.

Claims

1. A mobile station comprising:

client circuitiy adapted to facilitate wireless communications; and

a configurable system selection unit including;

a front end coupled to the client circuitry, the front end facilitating communications between the configurable system selection unit and the client circuitry, said client circuitry being further adapted to transmit system selection function calls to the front end; and

a system selection core coupled to the front end, the system selection core including a script engine and a memory storing a least one script table, the script table including a plurality of system selection event conditions and corresponding scripts that define a system selection and acquisition procedure, wherein the front end is adapted to convert the received system function call to a system selection event and transmit the system selection event to the system selection core, the system selection event having a corresponding detectable event condition;

wherein the script engine is adapted to detect an event condition and execute the corresponding script.

2. The mobile station of claim 1 further comprising a systems database, and wherein at least one system selection function call includes a data parameter and wherein the front end is adapted to update the system database with data received through system selection function calls.

3. The mobile station of claim 2 wherein the systems database includes a preferred roaming list.

4. The mobile station of claim 2 wherein at least one script generates a system selection action when executed, the system selection action providing an instruction to the client circuitry.

5. The mobile station of claim 1 wherein the configurable system selection unit is adapted to receive a system selection script and store the received script in the script table, thereby altering the system selection and acquisition procedure.

6. In a wireless device having client circuitry for controlling the operation of the wireless device and facilitating wireless communications with a wireless communications system, a configurable system selection unit comprising:

a system selection core including a script engine and a random access memory storing at least one script table, the script table including a plurality of system selection event conditions and corresponding scripts that define a system selection and acquisition procedure, the random access memory storing a system database including a list of wireless communications systems;

a front end coupled to the client circuitry and adapted to receive system selection function calls from the client circuitry, the front end facilitating communication between the system selection core and the client circuitry and being adapted to convert the received system function call to a system selection event and transmit the system selection event to the system selection core;

wherein the script engine is adapted to detect a system selection event condition and execute the corresponding script,

wherein the system selection core is adapted to receive a system selection script and store the received script in the script table, thereby altering the system selection and acquisition procedure and

wherein at least one system selection function call includes a data parameter and the front end is adapted to update the system database with the received data.

7. The configurable system selection unit of claim 6 wherein at least one script generates a system selection action when executed, the system selection action providing an instruction to the client circuitry.