Mobile device having network interface selection

• US 7,180,876 B1
• Filed: 05/14/2002
• Issued: 02/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Leung, Kin K, Kim, Byoung-Jo J, Henry, Paul Shala, McNair, Bruce Edwin
• Primary Examiner(s): Kizou; Hassan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ahmed; Salman
• Application Number:
  US10/145,973
• Time in Patent Office: 1,743 Days
• Field of Search: 370/332, 370/331, 370/333, 370/338, 4554351-435
• US Class Current: 370/329
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

An access interface module includes a first network interface module for interfacing with a first access network and a second network interface module for interfacing with a second access network of a type that is different from the first network. The access module can further include a processor coupled to the first and second network interface modules and a device interface module coupled to the processor for interfacing with a host device.

Claims

1. A method of selectively accessing a plurality of wireless access networks, comprising:

measuring a link quality of a first one of the plurality of wireless access networks via a first interface module;

selecting the first interface module for use if predetermined link quality criteria for the first one of the plurality of wireless networks are met;

determining average link qualities for the plurality of wireless access networks measured over a period of time;

examining the average link qualities;

selecting a second interface module for communicating over a second one of the plurality of wireless access networks that has an associated average link quality that meets associated link quality criteria;

scheduling communication over the first and second interface modules to access the plurality of wireless access networks;

determining a target probability of interruption for using the first interface module;

determining whether the first interface module is idle and setting an elapsed time to zero if the first interface module is active and measuring an elapsed time of an idle period if the first interface module is idle; and

determining a first probability that a sum of the elapsed idle time, a measurement time to measure signal quality, and an interface activation time is larger than a duration of an arbitrary idle period based upon a probability distribution for the idle period.

2. The method according to claim 1, further including determining whether the first probability is less than the target probability.

3. The method according to claim 2, further including, if the first probability is less than the target probability, deactivating the first interface module, activating a second interface module for accessing a further one of the plurality of wireless access networks, measuring a signal quality of the further network, deactivating the second interface module, and re-activating the first interface module.