Apparatus and methods for providing multi-band operation in a mobile computing device

• US 7,835,712 B1
• Filed: 12/19/2006
• Issued: 11/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Palm, Inc. (TCL Technology Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Shi, Jianxiong, Mahe, Isabel
• Primary Examiner(s): Dao; Minh D
• Application Number:
  US11/613,086
• Time in Patent Office: 1,428 Days
• Field of Search: 455/168.1, 455/188.1, 455/161.1, 455/176.1, 455/180.1, 455/433, 455/13.3, 370/393.5, 370/466
• US Class Current: 455/168.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/183 Processing at user equipment or user record carrier
• 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

Various embodiments for providing multi-band operation in a mobile computing device are described. In one or more embodiments, a mobile computing device may be arranged to support quad-band GSM communication in the GSM-850, GSM-900, GSM-1800, and GSM-1900 frequency bands. The mobile computing device may be arranged to determine a starting frequency band based on the home country and home network. By using the determined starting frequency band associated with the home country and home network of the user, fewer and/or shorter delays may be experienced when searching for and acquiring an available frequency. Once a network search is completed, the mobile computing device may be arranged to determine whether a network can be found in current frequency band pair for normal service, to disconnect from the acquired network if normal service is not supported, and to intelligently search for an available frequency in a different frequency band. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a mobile computing device arranged to support multi-band communication in multiple frequency bands, the mobile computing device comprising a frequency band control module to determine that an acquired network does not support normal service voice and data calls, to terminate a connection to the acquired network if no normal service can be acquired in a current frequency band pair, and to search for an available frequency in a different frequency band after exhausting all available networks in a current band pair and determining that no normal service can be acquired.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, the mobile computing device to support quad-band Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) communication in the 850 MHz frequency band (GSM-850), the 900 MHz frequency band (GSM-900), the 1800 MHz frequency band (GSM-1800), and the 1900 MHz frequency band (GSM-1900) GSM-850, GSM-900, GSM-1800, and GSM-1900 frequency bands.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, the frequency band control module to obtain an indication of network service from a registration status message received from a radio processor of the mobile computing device.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, the registration status message comprising an attention (AT) command.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, the frequency band control module to determine a current location of the mobile computing device based on an unsuccessfully registered network, to identify a home country and home network associated with the mobile computing device, and to search for an available frequency in an appropriate frequency band based on the home country, home network, and current location.

6. A method comprising:

determining whether normal service for voice and data calls can be acquired from a network in a current frequency band pair for a mobile computing device arranged to support multi-band communication in multiple frequency bands;

terminating a connection to the acquired network if normal service is not supported; and

searching for an available frequency in a different frequency band after exhausting all available networks in a current band pair and determining that no normal service can be acquired.

7. The method of claim 6, comprising obtaining an indication of network service from a registration status message.

8. The method of claim 7, comprising receiving the registration status message from a radio processor of the mobile computing device.

9. The method of claim 7, the registration status message comprising an attention (AT) command.

10. The method of claim 6, comprising:

determining a current location of the mobile computing device based on an unsuccessfully registered network;

identifying a home country and home network associated with the mobile computing device; and

searching for an available frequency in an appropriate frequency band based on the home country, home network, and current location.

11. A computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that if executed enable a computing system to:

determine whether an acquired network does not support normal service voice and data calls for a mobile computing device arranged to support multi-band communication in multiple frequency bands;

terminate a connection to the acquired network if normal service is not supported; and

search for an available frequency in a different frequency band.

12. The storage medium of claim 11, further comprising instructions that if executed enable a computing system to obtain an indication of network service from a registration status message.

13. The storage medium of claim 12, further comprising instructions that if executed enable a computing system to receive the registration status message from a radio processor of the mobile computing device.

14. The storage medium of claim 12, the registration status message comprising an attention (AT) command.

15. The storage medium of claim 11, further comprising instructions that if executed enable a computing system to:

determine a current location of the mobile computing device based on an unsuccessfully registered network;

identify a home country and home network associated with the mobile computing device; and

search for an available frequency in an appropriate frequency band based on the home country, home network, and current location.