Mobile device configured to operate on multiple different networks

• US 8,249,649 B2
• Filed: 07/02/2010
• Issued: 08/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Tseng, Erick
• Primary Examiner(s): Magloire, Vladimir
• Application Number:
  US12/829,909
• Publication Number:
  US 20120003973A1
• Time in Patent Office: 781 Days
• Field of Search: 455/550.1, 455/552.1, 455/553.1, 455/432.1, 455/435.2, 455436-444, 370/331
• US Class Current: 455/552.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• 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 includes a code division multiple access (CDMA) antenna that is configured to transmit and receive communication signals. The apparatus includes a memory that is configured to store multiple mobile equipment identifiers (MEIDs), multiple activation protocols and instructions, where each MEID includes an identifier that is uniquely recognizable on one of multiple networks and where the activation protocols include protocols for uniquely activating the apparatus on one of multiple different networks each of which have different communication protocols. The apparatus includes a processor that is coupled to the CDMA antenna and to the memory and that is configured to execute the instructions to enable a user to select a network from the multiple different networks on which to activate and operate the apparatus and activate and operate the apparatus on a selected network using an MEID recognizable by the selected network and the activation protocol for the selected network.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a code division multiple access (CDMA) antenna that is arranged and configured to transmit and receive communication signals;

a global system for mobile communications (GSM) anenna;

a memory that is configured to;

store multiple mobile equipment identifiers (MEIDs), multiple activation protocols and instructions, wherein each MEID comprises an identifier that is uniquely recognizable on one of a plurality of networks and wherein the activation protocols comprise protocols for uniquely activating the apparatus on one of a plurality of different networks each of which have different communication protocols,

store multiple access point network (APN) configurations, wherein each of the APN configurations comprises protocols for uniquely activating the apparatus on one of a plurality of different GSM networks each of which has different communication protocols; and

a processor that is operably coupled to the CDMA antenna, the GSM antenna and to the memory and that is arranged and configured to execute the instructions stored on the memory to;

enable a user to select a network from the multiple different networks on which to activate and operate the apparatus,

activate and operate the apparatus on a selected network using one of the MEIDs recognizable by the selected network and the activation protocol for the selected network,

enable the user to switch from the selected network to a GSM network on which to activate and operate the apparatus,

recognize a presence of a subscriber identity module (SIM) chip associated with a specific GSM network, and

activate and operate the apparatus on the specific GSM network using the APN configuration for the specific GSM network.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:

the CDMA antenna comprises a dual band CDMA antenna that is configured to operate at multiple different frequencies; and

the processor is configured to execute the instructions stored on the memory to operate the dual band CDMA antenna at a frequency for operation on the selected network.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the processor is configured to execute the instructions stored on the memory to activate the apparatus on the selected network over-the-air.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the processor is configured to execute the instructions stored on the memory to activate the apparatus on the selected network over a wireless local area network.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the processor is configured to execute instructions stored on the memory to:

enable a user to switch from the selected network to a different network; and

activate and operate the apparatus on the different network using a different MEID of the MEIDs recognizable by the different network and the activation protocol for the different network.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the selected network comprises a first CDMA network and the different network comprises a second CDMA network, wherein the second CDMA network is different from the first CDMA network.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the GSM antenna comprises a quad band GSM antenna.

8. An apparatus comprising:

a first antenna that is arranged and configured to transmit and receive communication signals on at least a first network;

a second antenna that is arranged and configured to transmit and receive communication signals on at least a second network, wherein the second network is a different network than the first network and the second network has a different communication protocol than the first network and wherein the second antenna comprises a global system for mobile communications (GSM) antenna;

a memory that is configured to store protocols and instructions to activate and operate the apparatus on the first network and the second network, the memory storing multiple access point network (APN) configurations, wherein each of the APN configurations comprises protocols for uniquely activating the apparatus on one of a plurality of different GSM networks each of which has different communication protocols and the memory storing muliple mobile equipment identifiers (MEIDs), wherein each MEID comprises an identifier that is uniquely recognizable on one of a plurality of networks; and

a processor that is operably coupled to the first antenna, the second antenna and the memory and that is arranged and configured to execute the instructions stored on the memory to;

enable a user to select one of the first network and the second network on which to activate and operate the apparatus,

activate and operate on the selected network using the protocols for the selected network,

enable the user to switch from the selected network to a GSM network,

recognize a presence of a subscriber identity module (SIM) chip associated with a specific GSM network, and

activate and operate the apparatus on the specific GSM network using the APN configuration for the specific GSM network.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein:

the first antenna comprises a code division multiple access (CDMA) antenna and the processor is configured to activate and operate the apparatus on the selected network using one of the MEIDs recognizable by the selected network.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the processor is configured to execute instructions stored on the memory to:

enable a user to switch from the selected network to a different network from the first network and the second network; and

activate and operate the apparatus on the different network.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the selected network comprises a code division multiple access (CDMA) network and the different network comprises a global system for mobile communications (GSM) network.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the selected network comprises a global system for mobile communications (GSM) network and the different network comprises a code division multiple access (CDMA) network.

13. A non-transitory recordable storage medium having recorded and stored thereon instructions that, when executed, perform the actions of:

enabling a user to select a network from multiple different networks, each of which have different communication protocols, on which to activate and operate a mobile device;

activating and operating the mobile device on a selected network using one of multiple mobile equipment identifiers (MEIDs) and one of multiple activation protocols stored on the mobile device and recognizable by the selected network;

enabling the user to switch from the selected network to a global system for mobile communications (GSM) network;

recognizing a presence of a subscriber identity module (SIM) chip associated with a specific GSM network; and

activating and operating the mobile device on the specific GSM network using one of multiple access point network (APN) configurations for the specific GSM network, wherein each of the APN configurations comprises protocols for uniquely activating the mobile device on one of a plurality of GSM networks each of which has different communication protocols.

14. The recordable storage medium of claim 13 wherein the instructions that, when executed, perform the action of activating and operating the mobile device comprise instructions that, when executed, perform the action of activating the mobile device on the selected network over-the-air.

15. The recordable storage medium of claim 13 wherein the instructions that, when executed, perform the action of activating and operating the mobile device comprise instructions that, when executed, perform the action of activating the mobile device on the selected network over a wireless local area network.

16. The recordable storage medium of claim 13 wherein the selected network comprises a code division multiple access (CDMA) network.

17. The recordable storage medium of claim 13 further comprising instructions that, when executed, perform the actions of:

enabling a user to switch from the selected network to a different network; and

activating and operating the mobile device on the different network using a different MEID recognizable by the different network and the activation protocol for the different network.

18. The recordable storage medium of claim 17 wherein the selected network comprises a first code division multiple access (CDMA) network and the different network comprises a second CDMA network, wherein the second CDMA network is different from the first CDMA network.

19. A method, comprising:

enabling, using a processor, a user to select a network from multiple different networks, each of which have different communication protocols, on which to activate and operate a mobile device;

activating and operating, using the processor, the mobile device on a selected network using one of multiple mobile equipment identifiers (MEIDs) and one of multiple activation protocols stored on the mobile device and recognizable by the selected network;

enabling, using the processor, the user to switch from the selected network to a global system for mobile communications (GSM) network;

recognizing, using the processor, a presence of a subscriber identity module (SIM) chip associated with a specific GSM network; and

activating and operating, using the processor, the mobile device on the specific GSM network using one of multiple access point network (APN) configurations for the specific GSM network, wherein each of the APN configurations comprises protocols for uniquely activating the mobile device on one of a plurality of GSM networks each of which has different communication protocols.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein activating and operating the mobile device comprises activating, using the processor, the mobile device on the selected network over-the-air.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein activating and operating the mobile device comprises activating, using the processor, the mobile device on the selected network over a wireless local area network.

22. The method of claim 19 wherein the selected network comprises a code division multiple access (CDMA) network.

23. The method of claim 19 further comprising:

enabling, using the processor, a user to switch from the selected network to a different network; and

activating and operating, using the processor, the mobile device on the different network using a different MEID recognizable by the different network and the activation protocol for the different network.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the selected network comprises a first code division multiple access (CDMA) network and the different network comprises a second CDMA network, wherein the second CDMA network is different from the first CDMA network.

25. A non-transitory recordable storage medium having recorded and stored thereon instructions that, when executed, perform the actions of:

enabling a user to select between at least one code division multiple access (CDMA) network and at least one global system for mobile communications (GSM) network, on which to activate and operate a mobile device;

activating and operating the mobile device on the selected network using protocols and identifiers stored on the mobile device for the selected network, wherein the identifiers include multiple mobile equipment identifiers (MEIDs) and each MEID comprises an identifier that is uniquely recognizable on one of a plurality of networks;

enabling the user to switch from the selected network to a GSM network;

recognizing a presence of a subscriber identity module (SIM) chip associated with a specific GSM network; and

activating and operating the mobile device on the specific GSM network using one of multiple access point network (APN) configurations for the specific GSM network, wherein each of the APN configurations comprises protocols for uniquely activating the mobile device on one of a plurality of GSM networks each of which has different communication protocols.

26. The recordable storage medium of claim 25 further comprising instructions that, when executed, performs the actions of:

enabling a user to switch from the selected network to a different network; and

activating and operating the mobile device on the different network.

27. The recordable storage medium of claim 26 wherein the selected network comprises the CDMA network and the different network comprises the GSM network.

28. The recordable storage medium of claim 26 wherein the selected network comprises the GSM network and the different network comprises the CDMA network.

29. A method, comprising:

enabling, using a processor, a user to select between at least one code division multiple access (CDMA) network and at least one global system for mobile communications (GSM) network, on which to activate and operate a mobile device;

activating and operating, using the processor, the mobile device on the selected network using protocols and identifiers stored on the mobile device for the selected network, wherein the identifiers include multiple mobile equipment identifiers (MEIDs) and each MEID comprises an identifier that is uniquely recognizable on one of a plurality of networks;

enabling, using the processor, the user to switch from the selected network to a GSM network;

recognizing, using the processor, a presence of a subscriber identity module (SIM) chip associated with a specific GSM network; and

activating and operating, using the processor, the mobile device on the specific GSM network using one of multiple access point network (APN) configurations for the specific GSM network, wherein each of the APN configurations comprises protocols for uniquely activating the mobile device on one of a plurality of GSM networks each of which has different communication protocols.

30. The method of claim 29 further comprising:

enabling, using the processor, a user to switch from the selected network to a different network; and

activating and operating, using the processor, the mobile device on the different network.

31. The method of claim 30 wherein the selected network comprises the CDMA network and the different network comprises the GSM network.

32. The method of claim 30 wherein the selected network comprises the GSM network and the different network comprises the CDMA network.