Intelligent network selection based on quality of service and applications over different wireless networks

• US 7,433,929 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2000
• Issued: 10/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Zhao, Hong, Guilford, Ann C., Verstegen, Mike
• Primary Examiner(s): Maung; Zarni
• Application Number:
  US09/752,487
• Publication Number:
  US 20020087674A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,839 Days
• Field of Search: 709/223, 709/201, 709/217, 709/218, 370/232, 370/233, 370/465, 370/913, 455/3.04, 455/432.3, 455/435.2, 455/436, 455/417, 455/517, 455/154.2, 455433-434, 455/525, 435/552.1
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service

Abstract

A system and method for selecting a wireless network is disclosed. The method relates to selecting a wireless network from a plurality of wireless networks. A variation of the invention includes selecting a new platform from a plurality of platforms offered by the current service provider according to a service request from the wireless device. The method comprises determining a requested service associated with the wireless device, determining whether one of the plurality of wireless networks can provide the requested service, and, if one of the plurality of wireless networks can provide the requested service, choosing the one wireless network of the plurality of wireless networks. The method further involves using a variety of parameters in determining which wireless network to choose for servicing the requested service from the wireless device. These parameters include quality of services, application supported, other business factors such as roaming agreements, traffic load and cost of services. The system comprises at least one wireless network node, a wireless device, and a plurality of wireless networks communicating with each other. Either the wireless device or network node may operate to decide based on the services the wireless device user requires on which network the user will receive service from. The network assignment is accomplished to maximize the speed, cost and efficiency of transmission.

Claims

1. A method for a wireless device associated with a home network to select a wireless network for a specific application service, the method comprising:

downloading a table from the home network to the wireless device, the table listing a plurality of wireless networks and listing associated quality of service parameters for each of plurality of wireless networks;

receiving a service request for one of a plurality of application services; and

if one of the plurality of wireless networks can provide the requested application service within predetermined parameters for that application service, based on the quality of service parameters associated with the one of the plurality of wireless networks, choosing the one of the plurality of wireless networks to provide the application service.

2. The method of selecting a network according to claim 1, wherein choosing the one wireless network of the plurality of wireless networks further comprises choosing at least one network based at least in part on quality of service.

3. The method of selecting a network according to claim 1, wherein choosing the one wireless network of the plurality of wireless networks further comprises choosing the one wireless network based at least in part on cost of service.

4. The method of selecting a network according to claim 1, wherein choosing the one wireless network of the plurality of wireless networks further comprises choosing the one wireless network based at least in part on preferred provider agreements.

5. The method of selecting a network according to claim 1, wherein choosing the one wireless network of the plurality of wireless networks further comprises choosing the one wireless network based at least in part on network capacity.

6. The method of selecting a network according to claim 1, wherein choosing the one wireless network of the plurality of wireless networks further comprises choosing the one wireless network based at least in part on a network load associated with a wireless network presently serving the wireless device.

7. The method of selecting a network according to claim 6, wherein choosing the one wireless network of the plurality of wireless networks further comprises choosing the one wireless network based further on a wireless network load of other wireless networks of the plurality of wireless networks.

8. The method of selecting a network according to claim 1, wherein the table is downloaded on a periodic basis.

9. The method of selecting a network according to claim 8, wherein the table is downloaded on a periodic basis according to updated roaming agreements.

10. The method of selecting a network according to claim 8, wherein the table is downloaded on a periodic basis according to when the wireless device is on.

11. The method of selecting a network according to claim 1, wherein the wireless device is roaming outside a home service area.

12. The method of selecting a network according to claim 1, wherein the wireless device is operating inside a home service area.

13. The method of selecting a network according to claim 11 or 12, further comprising periodically downloading a table to the wireless device.

14. A method for a home network to select a wireless network for an associated wireless device for a specific application service, the method comprising:

establishing a connection between the wireless device and the home network, wherein the establishing the connection comprises establishing a low bandwidth connection between the wireless device and the home network if the wireless device is registered with a roaming service provider;

maintaining a table listing a plurality of wireless networks and listing associated quality of service parameters for each the plurality of wireless networks;

receiving, from the wireless device, a service request for one of a plurality of application services; and

directing the selection of one of the plurality of wireless networks based at least in part on whether the one of the plurality of wireless networks can provide the requested application service within predetermined parameters for that application service, based on the quality of service parameters associated with the one of the plurality of wireless networks.

15. The method of selecting a wireless network according to claim 14, wherein:

directing the selection of the wireless network of the plurality of wireless networks further comprises choosing at least one wireless network of the plurality of networks based at least in part on quality of service.

16. The method of selecting a wireless network according to claim 15, wherein the quality of service relates to a threshold level of toleration for delay in data transmission.

17. The method of selecting a wireless network according to claim 15, wherein the quality of service relates to a minimum data rate.

18. The method of selecting a wireless network according to claim 15, wherein the quality of service is associated with a network load of a wireless network currently servicing the wireless device.

19. The method of selecting a wireless network according to claim 18, wherein the quality of service is further associated with a network load of wireless networks of the plurality of wireless networks with which the wireless device may register.

20. The method of selecting a wireless network according to claim 14, wherein directing the selection of the wireless network of the plurality of wireless networks further comprises choosing the wireless network of the plurality of networks based at least in part on cost of service.

21. The method of selecting a wireless network according to claim 14, wherein directing the selection of the wireless network of the plurality of wireless networks further comprises choosing at least one wireless network of the plurality of networks based at least in part on preferred provider agreements.

22. The method of selecting a wireless network according to claim 14, wherein the wireless device is operating outside a home service area.

23. The method of selecting a wireless network according to claim 14, wherein the wireless device is operating within a home service area.

24. A method for a home network to select a wireless network for an associated wireless device and for a specific application, the method comprising:

establishing a connection between the wireless device and a home network associated with a subscriber of the wireless device, wherein the establishing the connection comprises establishing a low bandwidth connection between the wireless device and the home network if the wireless device is registered with a roaming service provider;

maintaining a table listing a plurality of wireless networks and listing associated quality of service parameters for each of the plurality of wireless networks;

initiating a service request from the wireless device to a home network of a subscriber associated with the wireless device, the service request for one of a plurality of application services;

if the current wireless network cannot support the application service requested within a predetermined parameter associated with the requested application service, choosing a different one of the plurality of wireless networks to provide the requested application service, the chosen wireless network supporting the application service requested from the wireless device within the predetermined parameter.

25. The method of selecting a wireless network of claim 24, wherein the chosen wireless network has the strongest signal of the plurality of wireless networks capable of supporting the service request.

26. The method of selecting a wireless device of claim 24, wherein the plurality of wireless networks are associated with the wireless device in its home service area.

27. The method of selecting a wireless device of claim 24, wherein the plurality of wireless networks are associated with the wireless device while roaming.

28. A method of directing a wireless device of a subscriber associated with a home network service provider to a different network when the wireless device is in a home service area, the method comprising:

establishing a connection between the wireless device and the home network, wherein the establishing the connection comprises establishing a low bandwidth connection between the wireless device and the home network if the wireless device is registered with a roaming service provider;

receiving a service request for an application service from the wireless device at the home network;

determining by the home network whether the different network could provide the requested application service according to predetermined parameters specific to the requested application service and quality of service parameters specific to the different network; and

if the quality of service parameters satisfy the predetermined parameters, the home network service provider directing the wireless device to register with the different network to provide the requested application service.