Proactive deployment of decision mechanisms for optimal handover

• US 7,444,149 B2
• Filed: 06/13/2002
• Issued: 10/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NTT Docomo Incorporated (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation)
• Original Assignee: NTT Docomo Incorporated (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation)
• Inventors: Prehofer, Christian
• Primary Examiner(s): MEHRPOUR, NAGHMEH
• Application Number:
  US10/517,970
• Publication Number:
  US 20060099952A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,329 Days
• Field of Search: 455/437, 455/436, 455/439, 455/443, 455/122.1, 455/435.1, 455/422.1
• US Class Current: 455/436
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/24 Reselection being triggered by specific parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/322 by location data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/324 by mobility data, e.g. speed data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/36 by user or terminal equipment

Abstract

To achieve optimal selection of new access points for mobile devices (10) being located in a mobile communication environment (14), according to the present invention there is provided a method of assisting handovers for a mobile device in a mobile communication environment. It is proposed to proactively deploy a handover decision mechanism in relation to a handover and in view of the operational context of the mobile device (10). This proactively deployed handover decision mechanism is then used to determine a new access point for the mobile device (10).

Claims

1. A method of assisting at least one handover for a mobile device in a mobile communication environment with a plurality of access points, characterized by the steps comprising:

determining an operational context as a profile of applications being executed in the mobile device before or at the time of pro-active deployment of a handover decision mechanism;

proactively deploying the handover decision mechanism in relation to the at least one handover and according to an operational context into a subsystem of the mobile communication environment executing the handover;

identifying at least one candidate access point as input to the proactively deployed handover decision mechanism using existing handover mechanisms; and

determining at least one new access point for the mobile device from the at least one candidate access point using the deployed handover decision mechanism such that the at least one new access point supports the applications running on the mobile devices.

2. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises the step to determine a current position of the mobile device as operational context.

3. Method according to claim 2, characterized in that it further comprises the step of predicting a movement of the mobile device as operational context.

4. A method according to claim 3, characterized in that the step of predicting a movement of the mobile device is related to a movement path of the mobile device.

5. A method according to claim 4, characterized in that the step of predicting a movement of the mobile device is further related to a movement speed of the mobile device.

6. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the profile of applications is related to a group comprising video, still image, audio, text, and speech applications.

7. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the profile of applications is related to a group comprising interactive, point-to-point, one-way and/or multipoint applications.

8. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises the step of determining the operational context of the mobile device as a profile of at least one mobile device user.

9. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that candidate access points are ranked according to dynamic criteria.

10. A method according to claim 9, characterized in that criteria are selected from a group comprising signal strength, bandwidth, supported applications, quality of service, network usage, power consumption.

11. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the handover decision mechanism is deployed into the access point of the mobile communication network.

12. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the handover decision mechanism is deployed in the mobile device.

13. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the handover decision mechanism is deployed in access point of the mobile communication environment and in the mobile device.

14. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises the step of deploying the handover decision mechanism through transfer of code data achieving the determination of the at least one new access point for the mobile device.

15. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises the step of deploying the handover decision mechanism through transfer of criteria for the at least one new access point.

16. A method according to claim 15, characterized in that criteria are described as data structure.

17. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises the step of un-deploying the handover decision mechanism when it is no more relevant.

18. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the mobile device is a mobile telephone, a personal digital agent, a portable computer or a hybrid.

19. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that handover is achieved according to a standard selected from a group comprising GSM, PDG, GPRS, PPP, HSGSD, WLAN, HiperLAN, IrDa, Bluetooth, IS 45, IS 95, MT 2000.

20. A handover assisting apparatus for a mobile device in a mobile communication environment with a plurality of access points, comprising:

an application profile unit adapted to determine an operational context as a profile of applications being executed in the mobile device before or at the time of pro-active deployment of the handover decision mechanism;

a pro-active deployment unit adapted to pro-actively deploying a handover decision mechanism in relation to the at least one handover and according to the operational context into a subsystem of the mobile communication environment executing the handover;

a candidate access point determination unit adapted to identify at least one access point using existing handover mechanisms; and

an access point determination unit adapted to determine at least one new access point for the mobile device from the at least one candidate access point using the deployed handover decision mechanism, such that the at least one new access point supports the application running of the mobile device.

21. A handover assisting apparatus according to claim 20, characterized in that a context determination unit comprises a position unit adapted to determine a current position of the mobile device as operational context.

22. A handover assisting unit according to claim 20, characterized in that a context determination unit further comprises a movement prediction unit adapted to predict a movement of the mobile device as operational context.

23. A handover assisting unit according to claim 22, characterized in that the movement prediction unit is adapted to predict a movement of the mobile device according to a movement path.

24. A handover assisting unit according to claim 22, characterized in that the movement prediction unit is adapted to predict a movement of the mobile device according to a movement speed.

25. A handover assisting unit according to claim 20, characterized in that the application profile unit is adapted to determine the profile of applications in relation to a group comprising video, still image, audio, text, and speech applications.

26. A handover assisting unit according to claim 20, characterized in that the application profile unit is adapted to determine the profile of applications in relation to a group comprising a group comprising interactive, point-to-point, one-way and/or multipoint applications.

27. A handover assisting unit according to claim 20, characterized in that the context determination unit further comprises an user profile unit adapted to determine the operational context of the mobile device as a profile of at least one mobile device user.

28. A handover assisting apparatus according to claim 20, characterized in that the candidate access point determination unit is adapted to rank candidate access points according to dynamic criteria.

29. A handover assisting apparatus according to claim 28, characterized in that the candidate access point determination unit is adapted to rank candidate access points according to dynamic criteria selected from a group comprising signal strength, bandwidth, supported applications, quality of service, network usage, power consumption.

30. A handover assisting apparatus according to claim 20, characterized in that the context determination unit further comprises a handover type determination unit adapted to select a handover type.

31. A handover assisting apparatus according to claim 30, characterized in that the handover type determination unit is adapted to select a network assisted hand over.

32. A handover assisting apparatus according to claim 30, characterized in that the handover type determination unit is adapted to select a mobile device assisted hand over.

33. A handover assisting apparatus according to claim 30, characterized in that the handover type determination unit is adapted to select a combined network assisted and mobile device assisted hand over.

34. A handover assisting apparatus according to claim 20, characterized in that the proactive deployment unit is adapted to deploy the handover decision mechanism through transfer of code data achieving the determination of the at least one new access point for the mobile device.

35. A handover assisting apparatus according to claim 20, characterized in that the proactive deployment unit is adapted to deploy the handover decision mechanism through transfer of criteria for the at least one new access point.

36. A handover assisting apparatus according to claim 35, characterized in that the proactive deployment unit is adapted to transfer criteria according to a data structure.

37. A handover assisting apparatus according to claim 20, characterized in that the proactive deployment unit is adapted to un-deploy the handover decision mechanism when it is no more relevant.

38. A handover assisting apparatus according to claim 20, characterized in that handover is assisted according to a standard selected from a group comprising GSM, PDG, GPRS, PPP, HSGSD, WLAN, HiperLAN, IrDa, Bluetooth, IS 45, IS 95, MT 2000.