Communication type and congestion based switching of air interface protocols
First Claim
1. A method for managing multi-mode operation of a wireless communication device comprising:
- identifying one or more air interface protocols under which wireless service is available for the device, wherein identifying air interface protocols under which wireless service is available for the device comprises identifying air interface protocols that are supported by the device;
determining a type of communication in which the device is currently engaged; and
based at least in part on the type of communication, selecting one of the air interface protocols available for the device as an air interface protocol under which the device should operate by;
retrieving a required level of network resources for the type of communication in which the device is engaged from a database;
for each identified air interface protocol, retrieving a total level of network resources available under the air interface protocol from a database;
for each identified air interface protocol, determining an existing level of air interface congestion;
for each of the identified air interface protocols, calculating available network resources equal to the total network resources minus the existing level of air interface congestion; and
selecting as the air interface protocol under which the device should operate, one of the identified air interface protocols where the available network resources are greater than or equal to the required network resources for the type of communication in which the device is engaged.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
To facilitate vertical handoff, a radio network will identify air interface protocols currently available for use by a wireless device and will then select one of the available air interface protocols based at least in part on the type of communication in which the device is currently engaged. The radio network may further take into consideration the current level of congestion under each available air interface protocol and may select an air interface protocol that has sufficient bandwidth available to support the type of communication in which the device is currently engaged. If the device is not currently operating under the selected air interface protocol, the radio network may then orchestrate a vertical handoff to the selected protocol.
20 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method for managing multi-mode operation of a wireless communication device comprising:
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identifying one or more air interface protocols under which wireless service is available for the device, wherein identifying air interface protocols under which wireless service is available for the device comprises identifying air interface protocols that are supported by the device; determining a type of communication in which the device is currently engaged; and based at least in part on the type of communication, selecting one of the air interface protocols available for the device as an air interface protocol under which the device should operate by; retrieving a required level of network resources for the type of communication in which the device is engaged from a database; for each identified air interface protocol, retrieving a total level of network resources available under the air interface protocol from a database; for each identified air interface protocol, determining an existing level of air interface congestion; for each of the identified air interface protocols, calculating available network resources equal to the total network resources minus the existing level of air interface congestion; and selecting as the air interface protocol under which the device should operate, one of the identified air interface protocols where the available network resources are greater than or equal to the required network resources for the type of communication in which the device is engaged. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A system comprising:
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an antenna structure for engaging in radio frequency communication with at least one wireless communication device; a processing unit; data storage; program logic stored in the data storage and executable by the processing unit (i) to identify one or more air interface protocols under which wireless service is available for the device, (ii) to identify, from the one or more air interface protocols available for the device, air interface protocols that are supported by the device, (iii) to determine a type of communication in which the device is currently engaged, and (iv) based at least in part on the type of communication, to select one of the identified air interface protocols under which the device should operate, wherein the program logic stored in the data storage and executable by the processing unit to select one of the identified air interface protocols under which the device should operate comprises program logic stored in the data storage and executable by the processing unit to; retrieve a required level of network resources for the type of communication in which the device is engaged from a database; for each identified air interface protocol retrieve a total level of network resources available under the air interface protocol from a database; for each identified air interface protocol determine an existing level of air interface congestion; for each of the identified air interface protocols, calculate available network resources equal to the total network resources minus the existing level of air interface congestion; and select as the air interface protocol under which the device should operate, one of the identified air interface protocols where the available network resources are greater than or equal to the required network resources for the type of communication in which the device is engaged. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification