Mobile terminal and network unit for multi-wireless technologies

• US 8,023,993 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2005
• Issued: 09/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Venken, Kristiaan Johan Hubert Ghislanus
• Primary Examiner(s): Kincaid; Lester
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ajayi; Joel
• Application Number:
  US11/305,017
• Publication Number:
  US 20060153209A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,101 Days
• Field of Search: 455/448, 455/552.1, 455/426.1, 455/553.1
• US Class Current: 455/552.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0216 using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic indication frame
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0219 where the power saving management affects multiple terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0245 according to signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/00 User notification, e.g. alerting and paging, for incoming communication, change of service or the like
• 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: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Mobile terminals (2) for transmitting first signaling signals (11) according to first wireless technologies to first networks (3) and for transmitting second signaling signals (12) according to second wireless technologies to second networks (4), which first signaling signals (11) comprise first information for informing the first networks (3), which second signaling signals (12) comprise second information for informing the second networks (4), and which first and second wireless technologies are different from each other, get a better efficiency by letting the first signaling signals (11) comprise the first information and the second information. This way, the power consumption of the mobile terminals (2) is reduced and the signaling efficiency is increased. The first/second information comprises first/second location information and/or comprises first/second paging-response information.

Claims

1. A mobile terminal for transmitting signaling signals according to a plurality of wireless technologies, said mobile terminal comprising:

at least two wireless communication systems, wherein each of the at least two wireless communications systems is operative to communicate with a different wireless network; and

,

a controller that selects one of the at least two wireless communications systems and uses the selected wireless communications system to transmit a signaling signal to the wireless network associated with the selected wireless communications system, wherein the signaling signal includes individual signaling information for each of the different wireless networks, wherein the individual signaling information for the each of the different wireless networks includes at least one of location information and paging response information.

2. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the each of the at least two wireless communications systems uses a different wireless technology.

3. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the controller transmits the signaling signal to a fixed network unit associated with the wireless network associated with the selected wireless communications system, wherein the fixed network unit relays the individual signaling information for the each of the different wireless networks to the each of the different wireless networks.

4. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the each of the different wireless networks includes a fixed network unit, wherein the fixed network units are interconnected via a communications network.

5. The mobile terminal of claim 4, wherein the controller receives instructions from the fixed network unit of one of the different wireless networks, wherein the instructions instruct the controller as to which one of the at least two wireless communications systems to select.

6. The mobile terminal of claim 5, wherein the fixed network unit of the one of the different wireless networks instructs the mobile terminal based on at least one of network congestion, network traffic, and costs.

7. The mobile terminal of claim 5, wherein the instructions are determined through negotiation between the fixed network units.

8. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the controller selects the signaling signal based upon at least one of signal quality, signal strength, and power consumption.

9. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the controller transmits the signaling signal in response to receiving an area identification message and/or a paging-request message from one of the different wireless networks.

10. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the mobile station communicates directly with the wireless network associated with the selected wireless communications system via a base station associated with the wireless network, wherein the mobile station communicates indirectly with the different wireless networks associated with the unselected wireless communications systems via the base station associated with the wireless network.

11. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the mobile station is directly connected wirelessly to a base station of the each of the different wireless networks.

16. The mobile terminal of claim 4, wherein the fixed network unit of the each of the different wireless networks is individual to the each of the different wireless networks.

12. A fixed network unit associated with a wireless network, said network unit comprising:

an interface for communicating with at least one other wireless network;

a wireless communications system that receives a signaling signal from a mobile station, wherein the signaling signal includes individual signaling information for the wireless network and each of the at least one other wireless network; and

,

a controller that relays the individual signaling information for the each of the at least one other wireless network over the interface to the each of the at least one other wireless network, wherein the individual signaling information for the each of the different wireless networks includes at least one of location information and paging response information.

13. The fixed network unit of claim 12, wherein the mobile station includes a wireless communications system operative to communicate with the wireless network and at least one other wireless communications system, wherein each of the at least one other wireless communications system is operative to communicate with a different one of the at least one other wireless network.

17. The fixed network unit of claim 13, wherein the controller instructs the mobile station as to which wireless communication system to use.

14. A method for transmitting signaling signals from a mobile station, said method comprising:

selecting one of at least two wireless communication systems of the mobile station, wherein each of the at least two wireless communications systems is operative to communicate with a different wireless network; and

,

using the selected wireless communications system to transmit a signaling signal to the different wireless network associated with the selected wireless communications system, wherein the signaling signal includes individual signaling information for each of the different wireless networks, wherein the individual signaling information for the each of the different wireless networks includes at least one of location information and paging response information.

15. A processor program for transmitting signaling signals from a mobile station, said processor program comprising:

selecting one of at least two wireless communication systems of the mobile station, wherein each of the at least two wireless communications systems is operative to communicate with a different wireless network; and

,

using the selected wireless communication system to transmit a signaling signal to the different wireless network associated with the selected wireless communications system, wherein the signaling signal includes individual signaling information for each of the different wireless networks, wherein the individual signaling information for the each of the different wireless networks includes at least one of location information and paging response information.