Method and system for determining availability of a radio network

• US 7,200,397 B1
• Filed: 07/29/2003
• Issued: 04/03/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Delker, Jason R., Everson, John M., Jones, Bryce A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ferguson; Keith
• Application Number:
  US10/629,406
• Time in Patent Office: 1,344 Days
• Field of Search: 455/436, 455/437, 455/438, 455/439, 455/440, 455/441, 455/432.1, 455/432.2, 455/435.1, 455/435.2, 455/426.1, 455/426.2, 455/414.1, 455/414.2, 455/414.4, 455/422.1, 455/403, 455/550.1, 455/552.1, 455/553.1, 455/500, 455/517, 455/442, 455/443, 455/444, 455/445, 455/434, 370/331, 370/332, 370/333, 370/334
• US Class Current: 455/436
• 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
• 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

A mobile station communicating with a first radio network may detect that it has changed location and thereafter stopped moving. In response to determining that it has changed location and thereafter stopped moving, the mobile station may perform one or more predetermined actions. For example, the mobile station may be communicating with a first radio network, such as a WWAN. In response to this determination, the mobile station may check the availability of a second radio network, such as a WLAN. If the second radio network is available, the mobile station may begin accessing the second radio network for voice, data or other services.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting that a mobile station communicating with a first radio network has changed location and thereafter stopped moving, wherein the first radio network is a wireless wide area network (WWAN); and

in response to detecting that the mobile station has changed location and thereafter stopped moving, performing a predetermined action, wherein the predetermined action comprises checking for availability of a wireless local area network (WLAN).

2. A computer readable medium having stored therein instructions for causing a processor to execute the method of claim 1.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting that the mobile station has changed location and thereafter stopped moving comprises:

detecting that the mobile station has changed location; and

determining that the mobile station has not thereafter changed location again within a predetermined amount of time.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting that the mobile station has changed location and thereafter stopped moving comprises detecting that the mobile station has changed location within a predetermined amount of time.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile station communicates with a plurality of base stations in the WWAN, and wherein detecting that the mobile station has changed location and thereafter stopped moving comprises detecting that the mobile station is communicating with an additional base station not in the plurality of base stations.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile station communicates with a plurality of base stations in the WWAN, and wherein detecting that the mobile station has changed location and thereafter stopped moving comprises determining that the mobile station is no longer communicating with one of the base stations in the plurality of base stations.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile station communicates with a plurality of base stations in the WWAN, and wherein detecting that the mobile station has changed location and thereafter stopped moving comprises detecting a handoff of the mobile station between base stations.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile station communicates with a plurality of base stations in the WWAN, and wherein detecting that the mobile station has changed location and thereafter stopped moving comprises detecting a change in relative strengths of pilot signals of base stations in the plurality of base stations.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined action comprises performing an active power handoff of the mobile station.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined action comprises performing a seamless service handoff of the mobile station.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein checking for availability of a WLAN comprises:

powering up a second radio in the mobile station, wherein the mobile station uses the second radio to communicate with the WLAN;

attempting to establish a connection with the WLAN;

successfully establishing the connection with the WLAN;

in response to successfully establishing the connection with the WLAN, terminating a connection with the WWAN; and

powering down a first radio in the mobile station, wherein the mobile station uses the first radio to communicate with the WWAN.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the WLAN is an IEEE 802.11 network, a HomeRF network, a HiperLAN, and MMDS network or a Bluetooth network.

13. A method comprising:

determining that a mobile station communicating with a wireless wide area network (WWAN) has changed location and thereafter stopped moving;

enabling a wireless local area network (WLAN) radio in the mobile station, wherein the mobile station uses the WLAN radio to communicate with a WLAN and

attempting to communicate with the WLAN.

14. A computer readable medium having stored therein instructions for causing a processor to execute the method of claim 13.

15. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

establishing a connection with the WLAN;

terminating a connection with the WWAN; and

disabling a WWAN radio in the mobile station, wherein the mobile station uses the WWAN radio to communicate with the WWAN.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

failing to establish a connection with the WLAN;

disabling the WLAN radio in the mobile station;

waiting a predetermined period of time;

re-enabling the WLAN radio in the mobile station; and

re-attempting to establish a connection with the WLAN.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the WWAN is a CDMA, WCDMA, TDMA or GSM network.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the WLAN is an IEEE 802.11 network, a HomeRF network, a HiperLAN, a MMDS network or a Bluetooth network.

19. A mobile station comprising:

a processor;

a memory;

a first radio for communicating with a first radio network;

logic stored in the memory and executable on the processor to (i) determine that the mobile station has changed location and thereafter stopped moving, and (ii) in response to determining that the mobile station has changed location and thereafter stopped moving, performing a predetermined action.

20. The mobile station of claim 19, further comprising:

a second radio for communicating with a second radio network; and

logic stored in the memory and executable on the processor to (i) in response to determining that the mobile station has changed location and thereafter stopped moving, enabling the second radio, and (ii) attempting to communicate with the second radio network using the second radio.

21. The mobile station of claim 20, further including logic stored in the memory and executable by the processor to (i) determine that the mobile station successfully communicated with the second radio network, and (ii) power down the first radio.

22. The mobile station of claim 20, wherein the second radio is a removable wireless radio module.

23. The mobile station of claim 20, wherein the first radio network is a WWAN and wherein the second radio network is an IEEE 802.11 network, a HomeRF network, a HiperLAN, a MMDS network or a Bluetooth network.