System scanning method and arrangement for mobile wireless communication devices

• US 7,706,790 B2
• Filed: 04/04/2006
• Issued: 04/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Inventors: Juneja, Anupam, Kalhan, Amit, Dunn, Doug
• Primary Examiner(s): RAMPURIA, SHARAD K
• Application Number:
  US11/398,421
• Publication Number:
  US 20070232350A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,484 Days
• Field of Search: 455/434, 455/552.1, 455/435.2, 455/432.1, 455/41.2, 370/338, 370/328, 370/331
• US Class Current: 455/434
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 Negotiating wireless communication parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

An exemplary method for searching one of a plurality of systems on a multi-mode device capable of communicating on a first air interface technology and a second air interface technology is disclosed. The exemplary method includes storing a default system search period for one of the air interface technologies, such as WLAN system, receiving user input representative of a user-defined system search period for the WLAN system, storing the user-defined system search period, detecting a system search event for WLAN services, searching WLAN services in response to the system search event, and terminating the WLAN system search after expiration of the user-defined search period.

Claims

1. A method for searching one of a plurality of systems on a multi-mode device capable of communicating on a first air interface technology and a second air interface technology, the method comprising:

storing a default system search period for one of the first and second air interface technologies;

receiving user input representative of a user-defined system search period for the one of the first and second air interface technologies;

determining if an enabled flag has been set, wherein the enabled flag indicates whether the user-defined system search period is allowed to be specified for the one of the first and second air interface technologies;

comparing the user-defined system search period against a maximum system search period only if the enabled flag has been set;

storing the user-defined system search period, wherein the storing the user-defined system search period is carried out only if the user-defined system search period does not exceed the maximum system search period, wherein another user input is requested if the user-defined system search period exceeds the maximum system search period;

detecting a system search event corresponding to the one of the first and second air interface technologies;

searching for systems according to the one of the first and second air interface technologies responsive to the system search event;

terminating the searching if the searching fails to acquire a system according to the one of the first and second air interface technologies after expiration of the user-defined search period.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising overwriting the default system search period with the user-defined system search period.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving an update message via the other of the first and second air interface technologies, the update message including an updated system search period;

overwriting the default system search period with the updated system search period.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the one of the first and second air interface technologies comprises a wireless local area network radio interface technology, and the other one of the first and second air interface technologies comprises a wireless wide area network radio interface technology.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the wireless wide area network radio interface technology comprises a cellular radio interface technology.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising further comprising terminating the searching after the expiration of the default system search period if the user-defined system search period is undefined.

7. A multi-mode device comprising:

a first transceiver coupled to a first antenna configured to communicate via a first air interface technology;

a second transceiver coupled to a second antenna configured to communicate via a second air interface technology;

a memory;

a processor coupled to the memory and configured to execute instructions for;

storing a default system search period for one of the first and second air interface technologies;

receiving user input representative of a user-defined system search period for the one of the first and second air interface technologies;

determining if an enabled flag has been set, wherein the enabled flag indicates whether the user-defined system search period is allowed to be specified for the one of the first and second air interface technologies;

comparing the user-defined system search period against a maximum system search period only if the enabled flag has been set;

storing the user-defined system search period, wherein the storing the user-defined system search period is carried out only if the user-defined system search period does not exceed the maximum system search period, wherein another user input is requested if the user-defined system search period exceeds the maximum system search period;

detecting a system search event corresponding to the one of the first and second air interface technologies;

searching for systems according to the one of the first and second air interface technologies for a period corresponding’

to the user-defined system search period;

terminating the searching it the searching fails to acquire a system according to the one of the first and second air interface technologies after the user-defined search period.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the instructions further comprise overwriting the default system search period with the user-defined system search period.

9. The device of claim 7, wherein the instructions further comprise receiving an update message via the other of the first and second air interface technologies, the update message including an updated system search period;

overwriting the default system search period with the updated system search period.

10. The device of claim 7, wherein the one of the first and second air interface technologies comprises a wireless local area network radio interface technology, and the other one of the first and second air interface technologies comprises a wireless wide area network radio interface technology.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the wireless wide area network radio interface technology comprises a cellular radio interface technology.

12. The device of claim 7, wherein the instructions further comprise terminating the searching after the expiration of the default system search period if the user-defined system search period is undefined.