Wireless device network rescan rate determination based on wireless coverage availability

• US 8,406,757 B1
• Filed: 03/29/2011
• Issued: 03/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile Innovations LLC (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Singh, Jasinder Pal, Sigg, Jason Peter, Shah, Maulik K., Bhan, Ashish
• Primary Examiner(s): Arevalo, Joseph
• Application Number:
  US13/074,577
• Time in Patent Office: 728 Days
• Field of Search: 709/238, 709/239, 370/331, 370/235, 370/236, 370/237, 455/432.1, 455/456.1, 455/404.1, 455/434, 455/3.06, 455/410, 455/423
• US Class Current: 455/432.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0088 Scheduling hand-off measurements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/14 Reselecting a network or an air interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences

Abstract

What is disclosed is a method of operating a wireless communication device. The method includes receiving home wireless access to communication services over a first wireless communication mode from a home wireless access node associated with a first wireless system identifier, and determining availability of roaming wireless access over a second wireless communication mode from a roaming wireless access node. The method also includes processing the first wireless system identifier to determine a first geographic group associated with the home wireless access node, and determining a network rescan timer for the roaming wireless access over the second wireless communication mode based on the first geographic group and the availability of the roaming wireless access.

Claims

1. A method of operating a wireless communication device, the method comprising:

receiving home wireless access to communication services over a first wireless communication mode from a home wireless access node associated with a first wireless system identifier, and determining availability of roaming wireless access over a second wireless communication mode from a roaming wireless access node;

processing the first wireless system identifier to determine a first geographic group associated with the home wireless access node, wherein the first geographic group comprises a plurality of home wireless access nodes providing wireless access over the first wireless communication mode which are in geographic areas with wireless coverage of wireless access nodes providing home wireless access over the second wireless communication mode and with wireless coverage of wireless access nodes providing roaming wireless access over the second wireless communication mode; and

determining a network rescan timer for the roaming wireless access over the second wireless communication mode based on the first geographic group and the availability of the roaming wireless access by at least determining if the home wireless access node is a member of the first geographic group and determining if the roaming wireless access is available.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first wireless communication mode comprises a single-carrier radio transmission technology link (1xRTT) wireless communication mode, and the second wireless communication mode comprises an Evolution-Data Optimized (EVDO) wireless communication mode.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the home wireless access node comprises a home base transceiver station (BTS), and wherein the first wireless system identifier comprises a system identification number (SID) of the home BTS.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the network rescan timer indicates to scan for availability of wireless access nodes providing wireless access over the second wireless communication mode and does not indicate to scan for availability of wireless access nodes providing wireless access over the first wireless communication mode.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein if the home wireless access node is a member of the first geographic group and if the roaming wireless access is available, then decreasing the network rescan timer.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein if the home wireless access node is not a member of the first geographic group or if the roaming wireless access is not available, then increasing the network rescan timer.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein determining availability of the roaming wireless access over the second wireless communication mode from the roaming wireless access node comprises acquiring the roaming wireless access over the second wireless communication mode from the roaming wireless access node.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

scanning for further wireless access availability over the second wireless communication mode based on the network rescan timer.

9. A wireless communication device, comprising:

a first transceiver configured to receive home wireless access to communication services over a first wireless communication mode from a home wireless access node associated with a first wireless system identifier;

a second transceiver configured to determine availability of roaming wireless access over a second wireless communication mode from a roaming wireless access node;

a processing system configured to process the first wireless system identifier to determine a first geographic group associated with the home wireless access node, wherein the first geographic group comprises a plurality of home wireless access nodes providing wireless access over the first wireless communication mode which are in geographic areas with wireless coverage of wireless access nodes providing home wireless access over the second wireless communication mode and with wireless coverage of wireless access nodes providing roaming wireless access over the second wireless communication mode; and

the processing system configured to determine a network rescan timer for the roaming wireless access over the second wireless communication mode based on the first geographic group and the availability of the roaming wireless access by at least determining if the home wireless access node is a member of the first geographic group and determining if the roaming wireless access is available.

10. The wireless communication device of claim 9, wherein the first wireless communication mode comprises a single-carrier radio transmission technology link (1xRTT) wireless communication mode, and the second wireless communication mode comprises an Evolution-Data Optimized (EVDO) wireless communication mode.

11. The wireless communication device of claim 9, wherein the home wireless access node comprises a home base transceiver station (BTS), and wherein the first wireless system identifier comprises a system identification number (SID) of the home BTS.

12. The wireless communication device of claim 9, wherein the network rescan timer indicates to the second transceiver to scan for availability of wireless access nodes providing wireless access over the second wireless communication mode and does not indicate to the first transceiver to scan for availability of wireless access nodes providing wireless access over the first wireless communication mode.

13. The wireless communication device of claim 9, wherein if the home wireless access node is a member of the first geographic group and if the roaming wireless access is available, then the processing system is configured to decrease the network rescan timer.

14. The wireless communication device of claim 9, wherein if the home wireless access node is not a member of the first geographic group or if the roaming wireless access is not available, then the processing system is configured to increase the network rescan timer.

15. The wireless communication device of claim 9, wherein the second transceiver is configured to acquire the roaming wireless access over the second wireless communication mode from the roaming wireless access node to determine availability of the roaming wireless access over the second wireless communication mode from the roaming wireless access node.

16. The wireless communication device of claim 9, comprising:

the second transceiver configured to scan for further wireless access availability over the second wireless communication mode based on the network rescan timer.