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

• US 8,041,321 B1
• Filed: 09/28/2010
• Issued: 10/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Shi, Jianxiong, Mahe, Isabel
• Primary Examiner(s): Dao; Minh D
• Application Number:
  US12/892,768
• Time in Patent Office: 385 Days
• Field of Search: 455/168.1, 455/188.1, 455/161.1, 455/176.1, 455/180.1, 455/433, 455/13.3, 370/395.5, 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 identify a home country and home network associated with the mobile computing device, to determine a starting frequency band based on the home country and home network by accessing a frequency band lookup database associating starting frequency band information with countries and networks, and to search for an available frequency within the starting frequency band, the frequency band control module to determine whether an acquired network does not support normal service, and to exit or disconnect from the acquired network if normal service is not supported.

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 access a subscriber identity module (SIM) card of the mobile computing device and retrieve a unique identity code associated with the user of the mobile computing device.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, the frequency band control module to identify the home country and home network from the unique identity code.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, the unique identity code comprising an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) including a Mobile Country Code (MCC) and a Mobile Network Code (MNC).

6. The apparatus of claim 1, the starting frequency band information comprising a particular starting frequency band or frequency band pair associated with a specific network available within a specific country.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, the frequency band lookup database structured to associate the starting frequency band information with particular MCCs and MNCs.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, the frequency band lookup database populated with starting frequency band information for countries and networks prior to a first use of the mobile computing device.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, the frequency band lookup database to be updated by receiving currently available information for the various countries and networks.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, the frequency band control module to determine a particular starting frequency band prior to performing an initial search for an available frequency.

11. A method comprising:

identifying a home country and home network associated with a mobile computing device arranged to support multi-band communication in multiple frequency bands;

accessing a frequency band lookup database associating starting frequency band information with countries and networks;

determining a starting frequency band based on the home country and home network;

searching for an available frequency within the starting frequency band;

determining whether an acquired network does not support normal service; and

exiting or disconnecting from the acquired network if normal service is not supported.

12. The method of claim 11, comprising retrieving a unique identity code associated with a user of the mobile computing device.

13. The method of claim 12, the unique identity code comprising an IMSI stored in the SIM card of the mobile computing device.

14. The method of claim 11, the starting frequency band information comprising a particular starting frequency band or frequency band pair associated with a specific network available within a specific country.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein a particular starting frequency band is determined prior to performing an initial search for an available frequency.

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

identify a home country and home network associated with a mobile computing device arranged to support multi-band communication in multiple frequency bands;

access a frequency band lookup database associating starting frequency band information with countries and networks;

determine a starting frequency band based on the home country and home network;

search for an available frequency within the starting frequency band;

determine whether an acquired network does not support normal service; and

exit or disconnect from the acquired network if normal service is not supported.

17. The storage medium of claim 16, further comprising instructions that if executed enable a computing system to retrieve a unique identity code associated with a user of the mobile computing device.

18. The storage medium of claim 17, the unique identity code comprising an IMSI stored in the SIM card of the mobile computing device.

19. The storage medium of claim 16, the starting frequency band information comprising a particular starting frequency band or frequency band pair associated with a specific network available within a specific country.

20. The storage medium of claim 16, further comprising instructions that if executed enable a computing system to determine a particular starting frequency band prior to performing an initial search for an available frequency.