System and method for operating a mobile device, such as providing an out of box connection system for UMA type mobile devices

• US 7,646,745 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2006
• Issued: 01/12/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile USA, Inc. (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: T-Mobile USA, Inc. (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Hsu, James, Linkola, Janne, Senour, Jelena, Caldwell, Christopher, Chugh, Jasdeep
• Primary Examiner(s): Anderson; Matthew D
• Assistant Examiner(s): Aminzay; Shaima Q
• Application Number:
  US11/480,821
• Publication Number:
  US 20080002609A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,292 Days
• Field of Search: 370/328, 370/230, 370/318, 370/329, 370/331, 370/338, 370/352, 370/401, 370/490, 455/414.1, 455/435.3, 455/450, 455/456.1, 455/566
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

Methods and systems are disclosed to enable users of mobile devices to have an easy out of the box experience. In some examples, during the initial powering on of a mobile device, subsequent powering on of the mobile device, or at user direction, the device queries a user about connecting to an alternate wireless access network supported by the mobile device and upon receiving an indication from the user of the mobile device to proceed with the connection to the alternate wireless access network, connects the mobile device to an alternate wireless access network.

Claims

1. A mobile device capable of communicating with a cellular telephone network over a licensed spectrum, and capable of accessing alternate wireless access networks, the mobile device comprising:

a user interface subsystem, wherein the mobile device invokes the user interface subsystem upon at least one of;

an initial powering on of the device, each powering on of the device, and in response to user input, the user interface subsystem comprising;

a connection request component, the connection request component configured to receive input from the user, wherein the user interface subsystem infers from the input that the user desires the mobile device to implement an alternate wireless access network mode;

a tutorial component, the tutorial component providing information related to content of a tutorial and a display of the tutorial to the user, wherein the tutorial describes one or more elements of the alternate wireless access network mode of the mobile device, and

wherein the tutorial of the tutorial component is displayed to the user when the user interface system infers that the user desires the mobile device to implement the alternate wireless access network mode;

a stored network component, the stored network component containing one or more settings that enable the mobile device to attempt to connect to an alternate wireless access network when the user interface system infers that the user desires the mobile device to implement the alternate wireless access network mode, and wherein the one or more settings include identifications or addresses of predetermined access points; and

a connection subsystem capable of connecting the mobile device to an alternate wireless access network, wherein the alternate wireless access network operates on licensed, semilicensed or unlicensed wireless spectrum, and wherein the connection subsystem comprises;

a scanning component configured to determine one or more available alternate wireless access networks to be connected to the mobile device; and

an alternate wireless access network ordering component configured to order the determined one or more alternate wireless access networks based on a measure of network signal strength,

wherein the connection subsystem connects to a one of the alternate wireless access networks highest in the order of alternate wireless access networks, and either adds the identification and address of the alternate wireless access network to a database stored in the mobile device or prompts the user whether to add identifications or addresses of the determined one or more alternate wireless access networks to a database stored in the mobile device.

2. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the user interface subsystem further comprises:

an informational display component, the informational display component containing information related to providing a user with one or more help screens, wherein the help screens describes one or more elements of the alternate wireless access network mode of the mobile device, and

wherein further the informational display component chooses which help screen to display to the user based on input received by the user.

3. A method of connecting a mobile device to an alternate wireless access network, the method comprising:

during at least one of the initial powering on of the mobile device, each powering on of the mobile device, and in response to user input, querying a user about whether to connect to an alternate wireless access network supported by the mobile device; and

upon receiving an indication from the user of the mobile device to proceed with connection to the alternate wireless access network, initiating connection of the mobile device to the alternate wireless access network by;

searching for available alternate wireless access networks to be accessed by the mobile device;

determining one or more available alternate wireless access networks to be accessed by the mobile device; and

ordering the determined one or more available alternate wireless access networks by a measure of network signal strength,

wherein the mobile device connects to the available alternate wireless access network highest in the order of determined one or more available alternate wireless access networks.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the mobile device is one of a mobile handset, personal digital assistant, or laptop computer.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the alternate wireless access network is an IEEE 802.11a, IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g or IEEE 802.11n network.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the alternate wireless access network is one of an IEEE 802.16 network, an IEEE 802.20 Mobile Broadband Wireless Access network, an Ultra Wideband network, or a Bluetooth network.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein identification information related to the alternate wireless access network is already stored in a database of the mobile device.

8. The method of claim 3, wherein the alternate wireless access network is a secure network, further comprising:

querying a user to input security credentials, wherein the security credentials enable the mobile device to connect to the secure network.

9. The method of claim 3, wherein the alternate wireless access network is a secure network, further comprising:

upon receiving input from the user, obtaining security credentials from an associated router, wherein the security credentials enable the mobile device to connect to the secure network.

10. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

upon receiving an indication from the user of the mobile device to not proceed with the connection to the alternate wireless access network, querying the user whether to attempt to connect to an alternate wireless access network the next time the mobile device is powered on.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

displaying to the user an information display screen related to alternate wireless access networks, wherein the device chooses the information display screen based on whether the user wishes to attempt to connect to an alternate wireless access network the next time the mobile device is powered on.

12. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

before connecting the mobile device to an available alternate wireless access network, displaying to the user a tutorial related to alternate wireless access networks.

13. The method of claim 3, wherein a database of the mobile device contains identification information related to at least a local area network accessible by public users and a local area network accessible by private users.

14. The method of claim 3, wherein connecting the mobile device to the alternate wireless access network further comprises:

querying the user regarding whether to add the alternate wireless access network to an alternate wireless access network list stored on the mobile device when the alternate wireless access network is not already stored in the alternate wireless access network list; and

adding the alternate wireless access network to the alternate wireless access network list upon receiving an indication from the user to add the alternate wireless access network.

15. A communication device for establishing communications with at least one cellular telephone system and with an access point of an alternate wireless access network, the communication device comprising:

an antenna;

a microphone;

at least one wireless transceiver, coupled to the antenna, for wirelessly exchanging signals between the communication device and at least one access point of the alternate wireless access network, and between the communication device and the cellular telephone system;

memory means for storing data;

a portable power generation subsystem;

an audio portion for processing voice signals;

processor means, coupled among the microphone, the transceiver, the audio portion, the portable power generation subsystem and the memory, for permitting wireless communication, in a first mode, with the alternate wireless access network over at least a local wireless link to the alternate wireless access network, and, in a second mode, with the cellular telephone system;

a housing configured to carry the antenna, microphone, transceiver, portable power generation subsystem, memory, audio portion and processor means; and

a user interface means, carried by the housing and coupled to the processor means, for providing a user-interface to permit user activation of the communication device, and

wherein the processor means includes;

means for automatically identifying any predetermined alternate wireless access networks in response to activation of the communication device, wherein identifiers for the predetermined alternate wireless access networks are stored in the memory means;

means for automatically identifying available alternate wireless access networks, wherein the identified available alternate wireless access networks can include open and closed alternate wireless access networks; and

means for at least semi-automatically creating an ordered list of any identified predetermined alternate wireless access networks and any identified available alternate wireless access networks,

wherein the network list is ordered in accordance with a measure of network signal strength, and wherein identified predetermined alternate wireless access networks have a priority over any identified available alternate wireless access networks.

16. The communication device of claim 15 wherein the activation of the communication device includes powering up of the device, and

wherein the predetermined alternate wireless access networks are alternate wireless access networks having predetermined identifiers or addresses, or predetermined identifiers or addresses falling within a predetermined range.

17. The communication device of claim 15, wherein the processor means further comprises:

means for automatically querying a user if the user is interested in wireless communication with the alternate wireless access network in the first mode based on a user input; and

means for automatically providing information to the user about implementing wireless communication with the alternate wireless access network in the first mode, and for at least temporarily disabling initiation of the means for automatically identifying any predetermined alternate wireless access networks or of the means for automatically identifying available alternate wireless access networks.

18. The communication device of claim 15, wherein the processor means further comprises:

means for providing to a user a tutorial on wireless communication with the alternate wireless access network in the first mode.

19. The communications device of claim 15, wherein the means for automatically identifying any predetermined alternate wireless access networks employs wildcard matching to identify alternate wireless access networks having predetermined identifiers or addresses.

20. A tangible computer-readable medium whose contents cause at least one mobile device to perform a method to automatically establish communications with at least one cellular telephone system through at least one alternate wireless access network, the method comprising:

at the mobile device, automatically identifying at least one available alternate wireless access network,

wherein the mobile device is configured to provide voice communications over the cellular telephone system, and configured to provide voice communications with the cellular telephone system through at least a local connection with at least one alternate wireless access network;

at the mobile device, automatically analyzing a status of, or connection with, an identified alternate wireless access network; and

at the mobile device, providing a user a tutorial on wireless communication describing one or more elements of the alternate wireless access network mode of the device and querying the user regarding whether to add the identified alternate wireless access network to an alternate wireless access network list stored on the mobile device.

21. The computer-readable medium of claim 20 wherein the automatically identifying is performed after one of several initial activations of the mobile device.

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 20 wherein the method further comprises:

at the mobile device, prompting the user whether to provide information on establishment of communications with the cellular telephone system through an alternate wireless access network or whether to perform the automatically identifying.

23. The computer-readable medium of claim 20 wherein the automatically identifying includes identifying open and secure alternate wireless access networks, and wherein the automatically analyzing includes determining whether a key or code is required for network access.

24. The computer-readable medium of claim 20 wherein the automatically analyzing includes wirelessly retrieving a key or code from a secure alternate wireless access network to permit access to the secure alternate wireless access network.