Leveraging location based services for power conservation in multi-mode wireless communication devices

• US 8,103,291 B2
• Filed: 08/28/2008
• Issued: 01/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Rippon, William J., Nielsen, David W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Corsaro, Nick
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lebassi, Amanuel
• Application Number:
  US12/200,063
• Publication Number:
  US 20100056181A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,244 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.1, 455/552.1, 455/456.2, 455/456.3, 455/46.5, 455/456.6
• US Class Current: 455/456.3
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/22 Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities
• 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

A power saving and security enabling method, system, computer program product, and program storage device are disclosed. Wireless communication technology transceivers in a multi-mode wireless communication device are activated and deactivated based on a location detected by a location-based service system. A set of wireless network connection profiles control activation and deactivation of the wireless communication technology transceivers. Reduction in power consumption and improvement in security is achieved by only activating wireless communication technology transceivers when need and deactivating any other transceivers which are not currently connected to a wireless communication network.

Claims

1. A system for providing power conservation and security in a multi-mode wireless communication device, the multi-mode wireless communication device having three or more wireless communication technology transceivers for three or more wireless communication technologies, the system comprising:

a location-based service system for determining the multi-mode wireless communication device'"'"'s current location, the multi-mode wireless communication device operable and switching among the three or more wireless communication technologies;

a zone constructing means for determining available service areas of each wireless communication technology based on the multi-mode wireless communication device'"'"'s current location;

an activating means for activating an available wireless communication technology transceiver within the multi-mode wireless communication device based on the multi-mode wireless communication device'"'"'s current location; and

a deactivating means configured to deactivate unavailable wireless communication technology transceivers within the multi-mode wireless communication device, based on the multi-mode wireless communication device'"'"'s current location, said deactivating means further configured to place the location-based service system in a sleep mode, while one wireless communication technology transceiver within the multi-mode wireless communication device is activated, said deactivating means further configured to place the location-based service system in an active mode, while all wireless communication technology transceivers within the multi-mode wireless communication device are not activated.

2. The system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a location associating means for associating each available service area constructed by the zone constructing means with a wireless network connection profile of the multi-mode wireless communication device.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein the wireless network connection profile comprising one or more of:

a set of rules for activating and deactivating wireless communication technology transceivers of the multi-mode wireless communication device according to the multi-mode wireless communication device'"'"'s current location, and a set of predefined selection criteria that the multi-mode wireless communication device uses to manage activating and deactivating of wireless communication technology transceivers based on one or more wireless communication technologies provided from one or more service providers.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein the wireless network connection profile comprising parameters, the parameters comprising one or more of:

a priority of a wireless communication technology in relation to other wireless communication technologies supported in the multi-mode wireless communication device, a priority of a service provider in relation to other service providers associated with the multi-mode wireless communication device, cost associated with wireless communication technologies, what wireless communication technology transceivers within the multi-mode wireless communication device can be simultaneously activated, and physical range characteristics of each wireless communication technology supported in the multi-mode wireless communication device.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein when a wireless communication technology transceiver associated with a wireless communication technology with a highest overall preference is activated but is not successfully associated with providing a service, another wireless communication technology transceiver associated with a wireless communication technology with a next highest overall preference is activated and tried to provide a service.

6. The system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a storage device for storing a set of available service areas per each wireless communication technology supported in the multi-mode wireless communication device and respective service providers associated with the available service areas.

7. The system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a downloading means for manually or automatically downloading available service areas of each wireless communication technology supported in the multi-mode wireless communication device.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the location-based service system is one or more of:

GPS (Global Positioning System), Galileo, GLONASS, IRNSS, Beidou Navigation System, and QZSS (Quasi-Zenith Satellite System).

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the three or more wireless communication technologies include:

CDMA, GSM, IEEE 802.11, Wi-Fi, HSDPA, W-CDMA, WiMAX, OFDM, EVDO, UMTS, Bluetooth, EDGE and LTE.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein while the multi-mode wireless communication device is connected to a particular wireless communication network associated with a particular wireless communication technology, the location-based service system is turned off periodically based on a physical range characteristic of the particular wireless communication technology.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein the location-based service system is placed in a sleep mode for a pre-determined time period.

12. A method for providing power conservation and security in a multi-mode wireless communication device, the multi-mode wireless communication device having three or more wireless communication technology transceivers for three or more wireless communication technologies, the method comprising:

determining, via a location-based service system, the multi-mode wireless communication device'"'"'s current location, the multi-mode wireless communication device operable and switching among the three or more wireless communication technologies;

determining available service areas of each wireless communication technology based on the multi-mode wireless communication device'"'"'s current location;

activating an available wireless communication technology transceiver within the multi-mode wireless communication device based on the multi-mode wireless communication device'"'"'s current location;

deactivating unavailable wireless communication technology transceivers within the multi-mode wireless communication device, based on the multi-mode wireless communication device'"'"'s current location; and

placing the location-based service system in a sleep mode, while one wireless communication technology transceiver within the multi-mode wireless communication device is activated, and placing the location-based service system in an active mode, while all wireless communication technology transceivers within the multi-mode wireless communication device are not activated.

13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising:

associating each available service area constructed by the constructing with a wireless network connection profile of the multi-mode wireless communication device.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the wireless network connection profile comprising one or more of:

a set of rules for activating and deactivating wireless communication technology transceivers of the multi-mode wireless communication device according to the multi-mode wireless communication device'"'"'s current location, and a set of predefined selection criteria that the multi-mode wireless communication device uses to manage activating and deactivating of wireless communication technology transceivers based on one or more wireless communication technologies provided from one or more service providers.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the wireless network connection profile comprising parameters, the parameters comprising one or more of:

a priority of a wireless communication technology in relation to other wireless communication technologies supported in the multi-mode wireless communication device, a priority of a service provider in relation to other service providers associated with the multi-mode wireless communication device, cost associated with wireless communication technologies, what wireless communication technology transceivers within the multi-mode wireless communication device can be simultaneously activated, and physical range characteristics of each wireless communication technology supported in the multi-mode wireless communication device.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein when a wireless communication technology transceiver associated with a wireless communication technology with a highest overall preference is activated but is not successfully associated with providing a service, another wireless communication technology transceiver associated with a wireless communication technology with a next highest overall preference is activated and tried to provide a service.

17. The method according to claim 12, her comprising:

storing a set of available service areas per each wireless communication technology supported in the multi-mode wireless communication device and respective service providers associated with the available service areas.

18. The method according to claim 12, further comprising:

manually or automatically downloading available service areas of each wireless communication technology supported in the multi-mode wireless communication device.

19. The method according to claim 12, wherein the location-based service system is one or more of:

GPS (Global Positioning System), Galileo, GLONASS, IRNSS, Beidou Navigation System, and QZSS (Quasi-Zenith Satellite System).

20. The method according to claim 12, wherein the three or more wireless communication technologies include:

CDMA, GSM, IEEE 802.11, Wi-Fi, HSDPA, W-CDMA, WiMAX, OFDM, EVDO, UMTS, Bluetooth, EDGE and LTE.

21. The method according to claim 12, wherein while the multi-mode wireless communication device is connected to a particular wireless communication network associated with a particular wireless communication technology, the location-based service system is turned off periodically based on a physical range characteristic of the particular wireless communication technology.

22. The method according to claim 12, wherein the location-based service system is placed in a sleep mode for a pre-determined time period.

23. A computer program product comprising non-transitory computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied therein for causing functions of a retrieval engine for enabling a computer to provide seamless roaming in a multi-mode wireless communication device, the computer program code means in said computer program product comprising computer readable program code means for causing a computer to effect the functions of claim 12.

24. A computer program storage device, readably by machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by a marine to perform method steps for providing seamless roaming in a multi-mode wireless communication device, said method steps of claim 12.