Tune-away and cross paging systems and methods

• US 8,068,835 B2
• Filed: 10/27/2005
• Issued: 11/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Parekh, Nileshkumar J., Ulupinar, Fatih, Prakash, Rajat
• Primary Examiner(s): AJIBADE AKONAI, OLUMIDE
• Application Number:
  US11/261,824
• Publication Number:
  US 20070097931A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,224 Days
• Field of Search: 455436-444, 455/445, 455/458, 455/160.1, 455/161.1, 455/184.1, 455/185.1, 455/186.1, 455/195.1, 455/550.1, 455/552.1, 455/553.1, 455/502, 370328-334, 370/335, 370/350, 370/503
• US Class Current: 455/436
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0085 Hand-off measurements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/08 Reselecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/142 over the same radio air interface technology
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/00 Synchronisation arrangements

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for processing wireless signal components for a mobile wireless access broadband service. This can include processes for measuring signal strength of an alternative frequency by tuning away from an existing frequency associated with an existing communications path. Such processes allow determining if the alternative frequency supports a subsequent communications path in a mobile broadband wireless application. Upon the determination, the process can automatically select the subsequent communications path based in part on the measured signal strength.

Claims

1. A method for detecting pages in a mobile broadband wireless access system, comprising:

providing a tune-away mechanism to sample for a page in a communications system, the tune-away mechanism briefly tunes to a disparate frequency to sample the page;

determining timing differences between rages associated with an access terminal in at least two communications systems;

determining a tune-away schedule that accounts for the timing differences between the pages in the communications systems; and

tuning away from a current communications system temporarily to sample the page associated with the access terminal in another communications system in accordance with the tune-away schedule.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically listening to a Paging Channel.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising tuning away for listening to paging channels at specific times in other radio access technologies that are synchronous or asynchronous to the current communications system.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining the page based on a sampling interval specified by the tune-away schedule.

5. A non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon, the instructions executable by a computer to perform:

generating a tune-away schedule that describes frame timing of a first channel;

determining a timing difference between frame timing of a page associated with an access terminal in the first channel and frame timing of a page associated with the access terminal in a second channel of a disparate technology type;

determining a timing correction for the tune-away schedule to account for the timing difference between the pages in the first channel and the second channel;

tuning away from the first channel temporarily to sample the page associated with the access terminal in the second channel in accordance with the tune-away schedule; and

handing off communications from the first channel to the second channel.

6. The computer readable medium of claim 5, the instructions executable by the computer to further perform determining a Tune Away Schedule N attribute parameter to communicate tune away schedule(s) between access terminals and access networks.

7. The computer readable medium of claim 5, the instructions executable by the computer to further perform determining at least one Super frame parameter, and determining a Start Super frame Offset parameter that specifies time from a beginning of the Super frame parameter.

8. The computer readable medium of claim 5, the instructions executable by the computer to further perform determining a Tune Away Duration parameter that specifies how long an access terminal tunes away.

9. The computer readable medium of claim 5, the instructions executable by the computer to further perform determining a Tune Away Periodicity parameter that determines a time between a start of successive tune away periods.

10. The computer readable medium of claim 5, the instructions executable by the computer to further perform negotiating two or more tune away schedules.

11. The computer readable medium of claim 5, the instructions executable by the computer to further perform providing a time correction per a tune-away schedule.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 5, the instructions executable by the computer to further perform providing a time correction per an active set member.

13. A wireless communications apparatus, comprising:

a memory that includes a tune-away schedule for a tune-away to at least one communication channel of a disparate technology type with respect to an access terminal to sample for a page in the communication channel; and

a processor that determines timing differences between the access terminal and the page associated with the access terminal in an access network associated with the disparate technology type, the processor determines a timing correction parameter for the tune-away schedule in view of the timing differences, tunes away from a current access network temporarily to sample the page associated with the access terminal in the access network associated with the disparate technology type in accordance with the tune-away schedule, and hands-off communication to the communication channel of a disparate technology type.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising a data storage unit that includes one or more tune away parameters to control the tune-away.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, the processor is employed to adjust the timing correction parameter in view of at least one frame boundary.

16. A wireless apparatus, comprising:

means for tuning away from a first frequency to a second frequency to sample for a page in a communications system;

means for determining timing differences between pages associated with an access terminal in at least two communications systems;

means for determining a timing tune-away schedule that accounts for the timing differences between the pages in the communications systems; and

means for tuning away from a current communications system temporarily to sample the page associated with the access terminal in another communications system in accordance with the tune-away schedule.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising means for determining the page based on a sampling interval specified by the tune-away schedule.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising means for automatically listening to a Paging Channel.

19. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising means for tuning away to listen to paging channels at specific times in other radio access technologies that are synchronous or asynchronous to the current communications system.