Context based connectivity for mobile devices

• US 7,983,682 B2
• Filed: 09/23/2005
• Issued: 07/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Solutions and Networks US LLC (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Solutions and Networks US LLC (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Mäki, Jussi E., Halkka, Vesa
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; David Q
• Application Number:
  US11/576,476
• Publication Number:
  US 20090054068A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,125 Days
• Field of Search: 455/445, 455/414, 455/432.2, 370/338, 370/349
• US Class Current: 455/445
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72406 by software upgrading or downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72448 with means for adapting the functionality of the device according to specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data

Abstract

A system for automatically creating a preferred wireless connection medium order in a wireless communication device (WCD) for connecting to a network. A server on the network detects when a new device has entered a designated space, identifies the device, determines its capabilities and creates a wireless connection medium order for the device. The preferred connection medium order may be determined in view of a device profile corresponding to the WCD. The server may then set the preferred medium order in the WCD. The server may also control further information synchronization once the WCD is connected to the network.

Claims

1. A wireless communication device, comprising:

a communication interface configured to access at least one wireless communication medium;

a processor, coupled to at least the communication interface, the processor being configured to set a preferred wireless communication medium in the wireless communication device; and

a user interface, coupled to at least the processor,

wherein the user interface comprises at least a display, the display being configured to display at least information related to the communication connection state of the wireless communication device to the user, wherein the information related to the communication connection state of the wireless communication device is displayed by at least one of colors and patterns in a stable or flashing state, and wherein the colors and patterns are displayed in at least one of a stoplight-type indicator, a window border and a background.

2. The wireless communication device of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication medium is a short-range wireless communication medium comprising at least one of a Bluetooth™

. Network, a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), or an Ultra Wide Band Network (UWB), or a long-range wireless communication medium comprising at least one of Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) or Short Messaging Service (SMS).

3. The wireless communication device of claim 1, wherein the preferred wireless communication medium is a short-range wireless communication medium comprising at least one of a Bluetooth™

. Network, a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) or an Ultra Wide Band Network (UWB), or a long-range wireless communication medium comprising at least one of Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) or Short Messaging Service (SMS).

4. The wireless communication device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to receive information from the server regarding whether a synchronization may occur for the wireless communication device by evaluating the status of the wireless communication device and the status of the network.

5. The wireless communication device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to provide identification information of the wireless communication device to a server as is further configured to set the preferred wireless communication medium as suggested by the server.

6. The wireless communication device of claim 1, further comprising machine-readable media, the machine-readable media configured to respond with identification information of the wireless communication device when it is read by a scanner.

7. The wireless communication device of claim 6, wherein machine-readable media comprises information provided by at least one of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) communication, Infra-Red communication (IR), Bar Code Reader (BCR) communication including processes related to interpreting UPC labels, Optical Character Recognition (OCR) communication or Magnetic Ink Character Recognition (MICR) communication.

8. The wireless communication device of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication device further comprises location-determining functionality configured to trigger the processor to send identification information of the wireless communication device to the server when the wireless communication device enters a designated area.

9. The wireless communication device of claim 8, wherein the location-determining functionality is configured to determine location via at least one of a global positioning system (GPS) or with respect to at least one access point of a wireless communicating system.

10. A method, comprising:

accessing at least one wireless communication media using a wireless communication device;

setting a preferred wireless communication media in the wireless communication device;

displaying information related to the preferred wireless communication media on the wireless communication device, wherein displaying information related to the preferred wireless communication media further comprises displaying at least information related to the communication connection state of the wireless communication device on a user interface of the wireless communication device; and

using at least one of colors and patterns in a stable or flashing state to display the communication connection state of the wireless communication device and displaying colors in at least one of a stoplight-type indicator, a window border and a background.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

providing identification information from the wireless communication device to a server via the wireless communication media.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising responding with identification information when a machine-readable media of the wireless communication device is read by a scanner.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein machine-readable data includes information provided by at least one of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) communication, Infra-Red communication (IR), Bar Code Reader (BCR) communication including processes related to interpreting UPC labels, Optical Character Recognition (OCR) communication or Magnetic Ink Character Recognition (MICR) communication.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising providing identification information to a server when the wireless communication device enters a designated area.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising receiving information from the server regarding whether synchronization may occur for the wireless communication.

16. A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied in said medium, comprising:

a computer readable program configured to access at least one wireless communication media using a wireless communication device;

a computer readable program configured to set a preferred wireless communication media in the wireless communication device;

a computer readable program configured to display information related to the preferred wireless communication media on the wireless communication device; and

a computer readable program configured to display at least information related to the communication connection state of the wireless communication device to the user, wherein the information related to the communication connection state of the wireless communication device is displayed by at least one of colors and patterns in a stable or flashing state, and wherein the colors and patterns are displayed in at least one of a stoplight-type indicator, a window border and a background.

17. A communication system, comprising:

a wireless communication device;

an access point configured to communicate with the wireless communication device; and

a server, coupled to the access point, configured to obtain identification information of the wireless communication device and to determine at least one preferred wireless communication medium for connecting the wireless communication device to a network;

the server further configured to transmit information to the wireless communication device via the access point regarding the at least one preferred wireless communication medium for connecting to the network;

the wireless communication device configured to provide the identification information to the server, to set the at least one preferred wireless communication medium as the preferred communication medium for connecting the wireless communication device to the network, and to display information related to the preferred wireless communication medium on a user interface in the wireless communication device and to display at least information related to the communication connection state of the wireless communication device to the user, wherein the information related to the communication connection state of the wireless communication device is displayed by at least one of colors and patterns in a stable or flashing state, and wherein the colors and patterns are displayed in at least one of a stoplight-type indicator, a window border and a background.