Method of efficiently processing dormant state in packet service and multi-mode terminal for the same

• US 8,068,446 B2
• Filed: 01/11/2007
• Issued: 11/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Ho-Joong, Noh, Jeong-Min
• Primary Examiner(s): Gelin; Jean A
• Assistant Examiner(s): TAYLOR, NATHAN SCOTT
• Application Number:
  US11/652,382
• Publication Number:
  US 20070177617A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,783 Days
• Field of Search: 370/311, 370/401, 370/352, 370/458, 370/320, 370/331
• US Class Current: 370/311
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/19 Connection re-establishment
• 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

An apparatus and method for efficiently processing a dormant state in a packet service between communication networks providing the packet service using different mobile communication technologies is disclosed. This method includes disconnecting, by a multi-mode terminal, a current packet call and changing to a new serviceable mode, if a multi-mode terminal moves to a poor communication area in a dormant or preservation state occurring during a packet service. In this state, by immediately returning to a packet call reconnection state if a user performs a subsequent operation, an area in which the packet service cannot be provided can be minimized, and a communication mode in which a best communication service can be provided can be established.

Claims

1. A method of processing a dormant state in a packet service, which is performed by a multi-mode terminal comprising first and second modems supporting different communication services, the method comprising:

if it is determined that the multi-mode terminal has entered into the dormant state during a packet service through a first communication network, determining whether a command received from the first communication network corresponds to a command for connecting a packet call to a second communication network, requesting the first communication network to disconnect the packet call when it is determined that the command received from the first communication network corresponds to the command for connecting the packet call to the second communication network, monitoring whether an intensity of a signal of a communication state with the first communication network falls below a threshold value in the dormant state during a predetermined period when it is determined that the command received from the first communication network does not correspond to the command for connecting the packet call to the second communication network, wherein the dormant state is a state in which an application using the packet service is operating but not transmitting or receiving data to or from the first communication network;

setting a count value if it is determined that the intensity of the signal during the predetermined period is less than the threshold;

if the count value is equal to a threshold counting value, requesting the first communication network to disconnect the packet call;

when it is determined that

if the packet call with the first communication network is disconnected, turning on the second modem, by the first modem, through a communication path coupling the first and second modems;

determining whether registration between the second modem and the second communication network succeeds; and

if the registration succeeds, connecting a packet call to the second communication network by the second modem.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the monitoring whether the intensity of the signal of the communication state with the first communication network falls below the threshold value comprises determining whether the multi-mode terminal is located in at least one of one of a shadow area, a boundary area, and an overlay area.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first communication network and the second communication network are a wideband code division multiple access (WCDMA) network and a code division multiple access (CDMA) network, respectively, and the first modem and the second modem process signals transmitted or received through the WCDMA network and the CDMA network, respectively.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first communication network is one of WCDMA, global systems for mobile communication (GSM), and general packet radio service (GPRS) networks, the second communication network is a code division multiple access (CDMA) network, the first modem processes signals transmitted or received through one of the WCDMA, GSM, and GPRS networks, and the second modem processes signals transmitted or received through the CDMA network.

5. A multi-mode terminal, comprising:

first and second modems supporting different communication services, for efficiently processing a dormant state in a packet service, the first modem for, when it is determined that the multi-mode terminal has entered into the dormant state during a packet service through a first communication network, determining whether a command received from the first communication network corresponds to a command for connecting a packet call to a second communication network, requesting the first communication network to disconnect the packet call if it is determined that the command received from the first communication network corresponds to the command for connecting the packet call to the second communication network, monitoring whether an intensity of signal of a communication state with the first communication network falls below a threshold value in the dormant state during a predetermined period if it is determined that the command received from the first communication network does not correspond to the command for connecting the packet call to the second communication network, wherein the dormant state is a state in which an application using the packet service is operating but not transmitting or receiving data to or from the first communication network, setting a count value if it is determined that the intensity of the signal during the predetermined period is less than the threshold, requesting the first communication network to disconnect a packet call if the count value is equal to a threshold counting value, turning on the second modem through a communication path coupling the first and second modems if the packet call with the first communication network is disconnected in response to the request; and

the second modem for determining whether registration between the second modem and the second communication network succeeds, and connecting the packet call to the second communication network if the registration succeeds.

6. The multi-mode terminal of claim 5, wherein the first modem determines whether the multi-mode terminal is located in at least one of a shadow area, a boundary area, and an overlay area in the dormant state.

7. The multi-mode terminal of claim 5, wherein the first communication network and the second communication network are a wideband code division multiple access (WCDMA) network and a code division multiple access (CDMA) network, respectively, and the first modem and the second modem process signals transmitted or received through the WCDMA network and the CDMA network, respectively.

8. The multi-mode terminal of claim 5, wherein the first communication network is one of WCDMA, global system for mobile communications (GSM), and general packet radio service (GPRS) networks, the second communication network is a code division multiple access (CDMA) network, the first modem processes signals transmitted or received through one of the WCDMA, GSM, and GPRS networks, and the second modem processes signals transmitted or received through the CDMA network.

9. A method of processing a dormant state in a packet service, which is performed by a multi-mode terminal having first and second modems supporting different communication services, the method comprising:

if it is recognized that the multi-mode terminal has entered the dormant state during a packet service in a first communication network mode, determining whether the multi-mode terminal is located in a communication area receiving a signal having a lower intensity than a threshold, in the dormant state, by determining whether a command for changing to a second communication network is set by checking a command received from the first communication network, activating a ping-pong timer if the command for changing to the second communication network is set, and repeating the determination of whether the multi-mode terminal is located in the communication area receiving the signal having the lower intensity than the threshold when the ping-pong timer expires, wherein the dormant state is a state in which an application using the packet service is operating but not transmitting or receiving data to or from the first communication network;

if it is determined that the multi-mode terminal is located in the communication area receiving the signal having the lower intensity than the threshold, commanding the second modem, through a communication path coupling the first and second modems, to perform location registration in the second communication network;

the location registration succeeds, continuing performance of the packet service by changing to a second communication network mode and deleting an Internet Protocol (IP) address and Quality of Service (QoS) information assigned in the first communication network mode; and

canceling the change to the second communication network mode and returning to the first communication network mode if the location registration fails.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first communication network and the second communication network are a code division multiple access (CDMA) network and a wideband CDMA (WCDMA) network, respectively, and the first modem and the second modem process signals transmitted or received through the CDMA network and the WCDMA network, respectively.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the first communication network is a code division multiple access (CDMA) network, the second communication network is one of wideband CDMA (WCDMA), global systems for mobile communication (GSM), and general packet radio service (GPRS) networks, the first modem processes signals transmitted or received through the CDMA network, and the second modem processes signals transmitted or received through one of the WCDMA, GSM, and GPRS networks.

12. A multi-mode terminal, comprising:

first and second modems supporting different communication services, for efficiently processing a dormant state in a packet service, the first modem for monitoring whether the multi-mode terminal is located in a communication area receiving a signal having a lower intensity than a threshold, in the dormant state if it is determined that the multi-mode terminal had entered into the dormant state during a packet service in a first communication network mode, wherein the dormant state is a state in which an application using the packet service is operating but not transmitting or receiving data to or from the first communication network, commanding the second modem through a communication path, which couples the first and second modems, to perform location registration in a second communication network if it is determined that the multi-mode terminal is located in the communication area receiving the signal having the lower intensity than the threshold, and deleting an Internet Protocol (IP) address and Quality of Service (QoS) information assigned in the first communication network mode if the location registration succeeds; and

the second modem for performing the location registration in the second communication network in response to the command of the first modem and continuing performance of the packet service in a second communication network mode if the location registration succeeds, and canceling the change to the second communication network mode and returning to the first communication network mode if the location registration fails;

wherein the first modem determines whether a command for changing to the second communication network is set by checking a command received from the first communication network, activates a ping-pong timer if the command for changing to the second communication network is set, and repeats the determinations of whether the multi-mode terminal is located in the communication area receiving the signal having the lower intensity than the threshold, if the ping-pong timer expires.

13. The multi-mode terminal of claim 12, wherein the first communication network and the second communication network are a code division multiple access (CDMA) network and a wideband CDMA (WCDMA) network, respectively, and the first modem and the second modem process signals transmitted or received through the CDMA network and the WCDMA network, respectively.

14. The multi-mode terminal of claim 12, wherein the first communication network is a code division multiple access (CDMA) network, the second communication network is one of wideband CDMA (WCDMA), global system for mobile communication (GSM), and general packet radio service (GPRS) networks, the first modem processes signals transmitted or received through the CDMA network, and the second modem processes signals transmitted or received through one of the WCDMA, GSM, and GPRS networks.