Cellular communications system providing mobile cellular device battery saving features while accommodating user access requests and related methods

• US 8,160,584 B2
• Filed: 08/15/2011
• Issued: 04/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Zhao, Wen, Liang, Kenneth J., Kim, Jin
• Primary Examiner(s): Ajibade Akonai, Olumide T
• Assistant Examiner(s): STEPHEN, EMEM O
• Application Number:
  US13/209,676
• Publication Number:
  US 20110306342A1
• Time in Patent Office: 246 Days
• Field of Search: 455/434, 455436-444, 455/515, 455/432.1, 455/455, 455/464, 455/161.1, 455/161.3, 455/166.2, 455/150.1, 455/151.1, 455/1, 455/79.1, 455/132.1, 370/328, 370/333, 375/225, 375/231
• US Class Current: 455/434
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0241 where no transmission is received, e.g. out of range of the transmitter
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/18 Management of setup rejection or failure
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A cellular communications system may include at least one base station and at least one mobile cellular communications device. More particularly, the at least one mobile cellular communications device may include a controller, at least one user input device connected to the controller, and a wireless transceiver cooperating with the controller for attempting to establish a wireless communications link with at least one base station, and if the wireless communications link cannot be established, then continuing to attempt to establish the wireless communications link at a first attempt rate. Moreover, if a user provides a request to access the at least one base station via the at least one user input device, then the controller may continue to attempt to establish the wireless communications link based upon a second attempt rate greater than the first attempt rate.

Claims

1. A communications system comprising:

at least one base station; and

at least one mobile cellular communications device comprising a controller, at least one input device coupled to said controller, and a wireless transceiver coupled to said controller, said controller configured to cooperate with said at least one input device and said wireless transceiver to

attempt to establish a wireless communications link with said at least one base station, and if the wireless communications link cannot be established, then continue to attempt to establish the wireless communications link at a first attempt rate, and

if a request to access said at least one base station is provided via said at least one input device, then continue to attempt to establish the wireless communications link based upon a second attempt rate greater than the first attempt rate.

2. The communications system of claim 1 wherein the request to access comprises a request to place a telephone call.

3. The communications system of claim 1 wherein the request to access comprises a request to send an electronic mail (email) message.

4. The communications system of claim 1 wherein said at least one input device comprises a keypad.

5. The communications system of claim 1 wherein said controller is configured to successively decrease at least one of the first and second attempt rates after each unsuccessful attempt to establish the wireless communications link.

6. The communications system of claim 1 further comprising a central switching station for interfacing said at least one base station with a wired communications network.

7. The communications system of claim 1 wherein the wireless communications link is for data service.

8. The communications system of claim 1 wherein the wireless communications link is for voice service.

12. The mobile communications device of claim 1 wherein said at least one input device comprises a keypad.

13. The mobile communications device of claim 1 wherein said controller is configured to successively decrease at least one of the first and second attempt rates after each unsuccessful attempt to establish the wireless communications link.

9. A mobile communications device comprising:

a controller;

at least one input device coupled to said controller; and

a wireless transceiver coupled to said controller;

said controller configured to cooperate with said at least one input device and said wireless transceiver to

attempt to establish a wireless communications link with at least one base station, and if the wireless communications link cannot be established, then continue to attempt to establish the wireless communications link at a first attempt rate, and

if a request to access said at least one base station is provided via said at least one input device, then continue to attempt to establish the wireless communications link based upon a second attempt rate greater than the first attempt rate.

10. The mobile communications device of claim 9 wherein the request to access comprises a request to place a telephone call.

11. The mobile communications device of claim 9 wherein the request to access comprises a request to send an electronic mail (email) message.

14. A method for operating a mobile communications device comprising:

using a controller to attempt to establish a wireless communications link with at least one base station, and if the wireless communications link cannot be established, then continue to attempt to establish the wireless communications link at a first attempt rate; and

if a request to access the at least one base station is provided via at least one input device, then using the controller to continue to attempt to establish the wireless communications link based upon a second attempt rate greater than the first attempt rate.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the request to access comprises a request to place a telephone call.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the request to access comprises a request to send an electronic mail (email) message.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein the at least one input device comprises a keypad.

18. The method of claim 14 further comprising using the controller to successively decrease at least one of the first and second attempt rates after each unsuccessful attempt to establish the wireless communications link.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for causing a mobile communications device to perform steps comprising:

attempting to establish a wireless communications link with at least one base station, and if the wireless communications link cannot be established, then continuing to attempt to establish the wireless communications link at a first attempt rate; and

if a request to access the at least one base station is provided via at least one input device, then continuing to attempt to establish the wireless communications link based upon a second attempt rate greater than the first attempt rate.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19 wherein the request to access comprises a request to place a telephone call.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19 wherein the request to access comprises a request to send an electronic mail (email) message.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19 further comprising successively decreasing at least one of the first and second attempt rates after each unsuccessful attempt to establish the wireless communications link.