Methods and apparatus for selecting a wireless network based on quality of service (QoS) criteria associated with an application

• US 7,318,111 B2
• Filed: 09/16/2003
• Issued: 01/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Zhao, Wen
• Primary Examiner(s): Vaughn; William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mirzadegan; Saeed S
• Application Number:
  US10/663,599
• Publication Number:
  US 20050059397A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,575 Days
• Field of Search: 709223-238, 709/250, 370/331, 370/338, 370/395.31, 370/395.21, 455/435
• US Class Current: 709/250
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/61 taking into account QoS or priority requirements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/183 Processing at user equipment or user record carrier

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for selecting a wireless communication network based on quality of service criteria associated with an application are disclosed. In one illustrative example, one of several different software applications of a mobile communication device is executed. The software application may be, for example, an e-mail application, an Internet data application, a voice-over-IP application, a video player application, an audio player application, or a video game application. Each software application is associated with different quality of service (QoS) criteria for data communications through a wireless network. The quality of service criteria may include, for example, a bandwidth criterion, a delay criterion, a delay variation criterion, and a data loss criterion. A scanning operation is performed to identify a plurality of a wireless networks available in a coverage area of the mobile device. One of the identified wireless networks is selected for communication based on a match between its available quality of service and the quality of service criterion associated with the executed software application. Advantageously, the most suitable network may be chosen and utilized for each software application.

Claims

1. In a mobile communication device, a method for use in selecting a wireless communication network for communications comprising the acts of:

maintaining access to a plurality of network selection tables in memory, each network selection table corresponding to one of a plurality of traffic classes associated with quality of service criteria and including a plurality of system identifications, each system identification in each network selection table identifying one of a plurality of wireless communication networks and having a priority or selection in the network selection table;

causing one of a plurality of software applications for the mobile communication device to be executed;

selecting one of the network selection tables associated with a traffic class of the executed software application;

scanning to identify a plurality of available wireless communication networks in a coverage area of the mobile communication device;

causing a network selection method to be performed in accordance with the selected network selection table in attempt to identity one of the available wireless communication networks that grants service needed for the executed software application, where network selection preference for the network selection method is based on the priorities of the plurality of system identifications in the selected network selection table; and

selecting and registering with one of the available wireless communication networks for communication based on the network selection method.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

constructing the plurality of network selection tables for the plurality of traffic classes based on past network service history.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of network selection tables include a preferred roaming list associated with a voice application and an additional network selection able associated with a Web browser application.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of software applications comprises at least two of:

a video player application, an audio player application, a video game application, a voice-over-IP application, an e-mail application, and an Internet data application.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the quality of service criteria comprises one of:

a delay criterion, a delay variation criterion, and a data loss criterion.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of network selection tables are pre-programmed.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the quality of service criteria comprises at least two of:

a bandwidth criterion, a delay criterion, a delay variation criterion, and a data loss criterion.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of traffic classes include at least two of the following:

a background traffic class, an interactive traffic class, and a streaming traffic class.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein each software application is associated with a corresponding one of the traffic classes, which is associated with a corresponding one of the network selection tables.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the priority is determined for at least some of the plurality of system identifications in each network selection table based on a previous access attempt.

11. A mobile communication device, comprising:

memory;

a plurality of software applications for storing in the memory;

a plurality of network selection tables for storing in the memory, each network selection table corresponding to one of a plurality of traffic classes associated with quality of service criteria and including a plurality of system identifications, each system identification in each network selection table identifying one of a plurality of wireless communication networks and having a priority for selection in the network selection table;

a wireless transceiver;

one or more processors coupled to the wireless transceiver;

the one or more processors being operative to;

execute one of the software applications;

select one of the network selection tables associated with a traffic class of the executed software application;

scan, with use of the wireless transceiver, to identify a plurality of available wireless communication networks available in a coverage area of the mobile communication device;

cause a network selection method to be performed in accordance with the selected network selection table in attempt to identify one of the available wireless communication networks that grants service needed for the executed software application, where network selection reference for the network selection method is based on the priorities of the plurality of system identifications in the selected network selection table; and

select and register with one of the available wireless communication networks for communication, via the wireless transceiver, based on the network selection method.

12. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein the one or more processors are further operative to:

construct the plurality of network selection tables for the plurality of traffic classes based on past network service history.

13. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein the plurality of network selection tables include a preferred roaming list associated with a voice application and an additional network selection table associated with a Web browser application.

14. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein the plurality of software applications comprises at least two of:

a video player application, an audio player application, a video game application, a voice-over-IP application, an e-mail application, and an Internet data application.

15. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein the quality of service criteria comprises one of:

a delay criterion, a delay variation criterion, and a data loss criterion.

16. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein the plurality of network selection tables are pre-programmed.

17. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein the quality of service criteria comprises at least two of:

a bandwidth criterion, a delay criterion, a delay variation criterion, and a data loss criterion.

18. The mobile device of claim 11 wherein the plurality of traffic classes include at least two of the following:

a background traffic class, an interactive traffic class, and a streaming traffic class.

19. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein each software application is associated with a corresponding one of the traffic classes, which is associated with a corresponding one of the network selection tables.

20. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein the priority is determined for at least some of the plurality of system identifications in each network selection table based on a previous access attempt.

21. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer storage medium;

computer instructions stored o the computer storage medium;

the computer instructions being executable by one or more processors of a mobile communication device for;

maintaining access to a plurality of network selection tables in memory, each network selection table corresponding to one of a plurality of traffic classes associated with quality of service criteria and including a plurality of system identifications, each system identification in each network selection table identifying one of a plurality of wireless communication networks and having a priority for selection in the network selection table;

causing one of a plurality of software applications for the mobile communication device to be executed;

selecting one of the network selection tables associated with a traffic class of the executed software application;

scanning to identify a plurality of available wireless communication networks in a coverage area of the mobile communication device;

causing a network selection method to be performed in accordance with the selected network selection table in attempt to identify one of the available wireless communication networks that grants service needed for the executed software application, where network selection preference for the network selection method is based on the priorities of the plurality of system identifications in the selected nab ark selection table; and

selecting one of the available wireless communication networks for communication based on the network selection method.

22. The computer program product of claim 21, further comprising:

constructing the plurality of network selection tables for the plurality of traffic classes based on past network service history.

23. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein the plurality of network selection tables include a preferred roaming list associated with a voice application and an additional network selection table associated with a Web browser application.

24. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein the plurality of software applications comprises at least two of:

a video player application, an audio player application, a video game application, a voice-over-IP application, an e-mail application, and a Web browser application.

25. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein the quality of service criteria comprises one of:

a delay criterion, a delay variation criterion, and a data loss criterion.

26. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein the plurality of network selection tables are pre-programmed.

27. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein the quality of service criteria comprises at least two of:

a bandwidth criterion, a delay criterion, a delay variation criterion, and a data loss criterion.

28. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein the plurality of traffic classes include at least two of the following:

a background traffic class, an interactive traffic class, and a streaming traffic class.

29. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein each software application is associated with a corresponding one of the traffic classes, which is associated with a corresponding one of the network selection tables.

30. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein a priority is determined for at least some of the plurality of system identifications in each network selection table based on a previous access attempt.