Anticipation of communication connectivity changes for mobile devices

• US 7,263,368 B2
• Filed: 03/28/2002
• Issued: 08/28/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Tahoe Research Limited (f/k/a Learndale Limited) (Vector Capital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Knauerhase, Robert C., Deshpande, Nikhil M.
• Primary Examiner(s): BEAMER, TEMICA M
• Application Number:
  US10/112,007
• Publication Number:
  US 20040203998A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,979 Days
• Field of Search: 455440-444, 4554561-4563, 4554565-4566, 455436-437, 4554321-433, 455/450, 4554521-454, 455/455, 455/445, 370331-334
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/32 by location or mobility data, e.g. speed data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/322 by location data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/006 with additional information processing, e.g. for direction or speed determination

Abstract

According to an embodiment of the invention, the location of a mobile device and a direction in which the mobile device is moving are determined. Communications service changes for the mobile device are anticipated based at least in part on the location of the mobile device and direction in which the mobile device is moving.

Claims

1. A mobile device comprising:

a processor to process communications operations, the processor to automatically determine a location and a direction of travel for the mobile device based on received signals;

a communications link with one or more wireless networks; and

a memory, wherein data stored in the memory includes data regarding the determined location and the determined direction of travel of the mobile device, wherein the mobile device is to anticipate changes in communications service availability for the mobile device based at least in part on the determined location and direction of travel of the mobile device;

wherein the mobile device is to initiate one or more actions to accommodate an anticipated change in communications service availability.

2. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the mobile device is to access a service coverage map to determine the anticipated changes in communications service availability for the mobile device.

3. The mobile device of claim 2, wherein the service coverage map is stored on the mobile device.

4. The mobile device of claim 2, wherein the service coverage map is stored outside the mobile device and the service coverage map is referenced as needed to anticipate changes in communications service availability.

5. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the processor of the mobile device is to further determine a speed of travel of the mobile device, and wherein the anticipation of changes in communications service availability for the mobile device is also based at least in part on the speed of travel of the mobile device.

6. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the mobile device is to provide a warning regarding anticipated changes in communications service availability.

7. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the actions to anticipate a change in communications service availability include performing one or more of the following actions prior to the anticipated change:

saving application data;

pre-fetching application data;

or

switching a mode of operation.

8. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the actions to anticipate a change in communications service availability include prompting a user to install hardware needed for the anticipated change in communications service availability.

30. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the received signals comprise global positioning satellite (GPS) signals.

9. A method comprising:

automatically determining the location of a mobile device and a direction in which the mobile device is moving, the determination of the location and direction being made by the mobile device based upon radio signals received by the mobile device;

anticipating a change in communications service availability for the mobile device, the mobile device anticipating the change in communications service availability based at least in part on the determined location of the mobile device and direction in which the mobile device is moving; and

initiating one or more actions by the mobile device to accommodate the anticipated change in communications service availability.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the anticipation of the change in communications service availability is made by the mobile device using a map of communications service coverage for the mobile device.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising the mobile device determining a speed at which the mobile device is moving and basing the anticipated change in communications service availability at least in part on the speed of movement of the mobile device.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising the mobile device providing a warning regarding the anticipated change in communications service availability.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the one or more actions initiated by the mobile device to accommodate the anticipated change in communications service availability include one or more of the following:

caching application data;

pre-fetching application data;

switching a mode of operation;

or

prompting a user to install hardware needed for the anticipated change in communications service availability.

31. The method of claim 9, wherein the received radio signals comprise global positioning satellite (GPS) signals.

14. A machine-readable medium having stored thereon data representing sequences of instructions that, when executed by a processor of a mobile device, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

determining the location of the mobile device and a direction in which the mobile device is moving, the mobile device making the location and direction determinations based on signals received by the mobile device;

anticipating a change in communications service availability for the mobile device based at least in part on the location of the mobile device and direction in which the mobile device is moving; and

initiating one or more actions to accommodate the anticipated change in communications service availability.

15. The medium of claim 14, wherein the anticipation of the change in communications service availability is made using a map of communications service coverage for the mobile device.

16. The medium of claim 14, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the processor of the mobile device, cause the processor to perform operations comprising determining a speed at which the mobile device is moving and basing the anticipation of the change in communications service availability at least in part on the speed of movement of the mobile device.

17. The medium of claim 14, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the processor of the mobile device, cause the processor to perform operations comprising providing a warning regarding the anticipated change in communications service availability.

18. The medium of claim 14, wherein the one or more actions initiated prior to the anticipated change in communications service availability include one or more of the following:

caching application data;

pre-fetching application data;

switching a mode of operation;

or

prompting a user to install hardware needed for the anticipated change in communications service availability.

32. The medium of claim 14, wherein the received signals comprise global positioning satellite (GPS) signals.

19. A mobile device comprising:

a means for the mobile device to automatically determine the location and direction of travel of the mobile device based on radio signals received by the mobile device;

a means for accessing a service coverage map, the service coverage map including data regarding communications service availability at a plurality of locations;

a means for the mobile device to anticipate changes in communications service availability for the mobile device, the anticipation being based at least in part on the location and direction of travel of the mobile device; and

a means for the mobile device to initiate one or more actions to accommodate an anticipated change in communications service availability.

20. The mobile device of claim 19, further comprising a means for the mobile device to determine a speed of travel of the mobile device.

21. The mobile device of claim 20, wherein the means for anticipating changes in communications availability is to base the anticipation of a change in communications service availability for the mobile device at least in part on the speed of travel of the mobile device.

22. The mobile device of claim 19, further comprising a means for the mobile device to provide a notice regarding an anticipated change in communications service availability.

23. The mobile device of claim 19, wherein the one or more actions to be initiated by the mobile device in anticipation of the change in communications service availability include one or more of the following:

caching application data;

pre-fetching application data;

switching a mode of operation;

or

prompting a user to install hardware needed for the anticipated change in communications service availability.

33. The mobile device of claim 19, wherein the radio signals received by the mobile device comprise global positioning satellite (GPS) signals.

24. A communications system comprising:

a mobile device, the mobile device communicating using a wireless communications link, the mobile device to automatically determine a location and a direction of travel for the mobile device based on received global positioning satellite (GPS) signals;

a plurality of communications services for the mobile device; and

a map of communications services for the mobile device, the map of communications services containing data regarding the communications services available to the mobile device at certain locations, the map being used by the mobile device to anticipate changes in availability of communications connectivity for the mobile device based at least in part on the location and the direction of travel of the mobile device;

wherein the mobile device is to initiate one or more actions to accommodate an anticipated change in communications service availability.

25. The communications system of claim 24, wherein the anticipation of changes in availability of communications connectivity is also based at least in part on a speed of travel of the mobile device.

26. The communications system of claim 24, wherein the mobile device is to provide a warning regarding anticipated changes in availability of communications connectivity.

27. The communications system of claim 26, wherein the mobile device is to provide the warming to a user of the mobile device.

28. The communications system of claim 26, wherein the mobile device is to provide the warming to an application running on the mobile device.

29. The communications system of claim 24, wherein the one or more actions to be initiated in anticipation of the change in availability of communications connectivity include one or more of the following:

caching data;

pre-fetching data;

switching a mode of operation;

or

prompting a user to install hardware needed for the anticipated change in communications service availability.

34. A mobile device comprising:

a processor to process communications operations;

a communications link with one or more wireless networks; and

a memory, wherein data stored in the memory includes data regarding a location and a direction of travel of the mobile device, wherein the mobile device is to anticipate changes in communications service availability for the mobile device based at least in part on the location and direction of travel of the mobile device;

wherein the mobile device is to initiate one or more actions to accommodate an anticipated change in communications service availability, the actions including performing one or more of the following actions prior to an anticipated change in communications service availability;

saving application data;

pre-fetching application data;

switching a mode of operation;

or

prompting a user to install hardware needed for an anticipated change in communications service availability.