Managing mobile station Wi-Fi communications
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of managing a mobile station'"'"'s wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) communication capability, comprising the steps of:
- turning off the Wi-Fi communication capability when the mobile station is not actively engaged in Wi-Fi communications;
automatically activating a Wi-Fi probing mode for determining whether the Wi-Fi communication capability of the mobile station should remain active, automatically activating the Wi-Fi probing mode responsive to at least one of a dual mode service probe timer of the mobile station expiring or the mobile station losing contact with a source of location information;
determining whether a Wi-Fi access point is available in the vicinity of the mobile station during the Wi-Fi probing mode;
establishing a Wi-Fi communications connection if a Wi-Fi access point is detected;
establishing a list of locations where the mobile station detects a Wi-Fi access point; and
associating an indication of a current time with a location on the list when the mobile station detects a Wi-Fi access point at the location;
determining an amount of time that has elapsed since the most recent time associated with a location in the list; and
deleting the location from the list if the amount of elapsed time exceeds a threshold.
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Abstract
Managing wireless fidelity communications for a mobile station includes automatically activating and deactivating wireless fidelity communication capability on the mobile station. Whenever wireless fidelity communications are not active, the wireless fidelity capability is turned off until at least one of a plurality of preselected triggering events occurs. If at least one of the triggering events occurs, a wireless fidelity probing mode begins and a wireless fidelity communication connection is established if one is available.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. A method of managing a mobile station'"'"'s wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) communication capability, comprising the steps of:
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turning off the Wi-Fi communication capability when the mobile station is not actively engaged in Wi-Fi communications; automatically activating a Wi-Fi probing mode for determining whether the Wi-Fi communication capability of the mobile station should remain active, automatically activating the Wi-Fi probing mode responsive to at least one of a dual mode service probe timer of the mobile station expiring or the mobile station losing contact with a source of location information; determining whether a Wi-Fi access point is available in the vicinity of the mobile station during the Wi-Fi probing mode; establishing a Wi-Fi communications connection if a Wi-Fi access point is detected; establishing a list of locations where the mobile station detects a Wi-Fi access point; and associating an indication of a current time with a location on the list when the mobile station detects a Wi-Fi access point at the location; determining an amount of time that has elapsed since the most recent time associated with a location in the list; and deleting the location from the list if the amount of elapsed time exceeds a threshold. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A mobile station, comprising:
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a first portion having wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) communication capability, the first portion being turned off when the mobile station is not actively engaged in Wi-Fi communications, the first portion being configured to operate in a probing mode to determine whether a Wi-Fi access point is available in the vicinity of the mobile station during the Wi-Fi probing mode and to establish a Wi-Fi communications connection if a Wi-Fi access point is detected; and a Wi-Fi communications manager that activates the first portion in the probing mode for determining whether the Wi-Fi communication capability of the mobile station should remain active, the Wi-Fi communications manager activating the first portion in the probing mode responsive to at least one of a dual mode service probe timer of the mobile station expiring or the mobile station losing contact with a source of location information; wherein the Wi-Fi communications manager is configured to establish a list of locations where the mobile station detects a Wi-Fi access point; associate an indication of a current time with a location on the list when the mobile station detects a Wi-Fi access point at the location; determine an amount of time that has elapsed since the most recent time associated with a location in the list; and delete the location from the list if the amount of elapsed time exceeds a threshold. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of managing a mobile station'"'"'s wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) communication capability, comprising the steps of:
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turning off the Wi-Fi communication capability when the mobile stations is not actively engaged in Wi-Fi communications; automatically activating a Wi-Fi probing mode responsive to at least one of a plurality of preselected triggering events for determining whether the Wi-Fi communication capability of the mobile station should remain active; establishing a list of locations where the mobile station detects a Wi-Fi access point; associating an indication of a time with each location on the list when the mobile station most recently detects a Wi-Fi access point at each location; determining an amount of time that has elapsed since the most recent time associated with each location on the list; and deleting one of the locations from the list if the associated amount of elapsed time exceeds a threshold.
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13. A mobile station, comprising:
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a first portion having a wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) communication capability, the first portion being turned off when the mobile station is not actively engaged in Wi-Fi communications; a Wi-Fi communications manager that activates the first portion in a probing mode responsive to at least one of a plurality of preselected triggering events for determining whether Wi-Fi communication capability of the mobile station should remain active; the Wi-Fi communications manager being configured to establish a list of locations where the mobile station detects a Wi-Fi access point, associate an indication of a time with each location on the list when the mobile station most recently detected a Wi-Fi access point at each location, determine an amount of time that has elapsed since the most recent time associated with each location on the list and delete one of the locations from the list if the associated amount of elapsed time exceeds a threshold.
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Specification