System and method of controlling registration on a multi-technology handset

• US 8,406,762 B2
• Filed: 05/14/2012
• Issued: 03/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Inventors: Junela, Anupam, Bajpai, Chinmay
• Primary Examiner(s): Chang, Kent
• Assistant Examiner(s): WOO, KUO-KONG
• Application Number:
  US13/470,988
• Publication Number:
  US 20120225654A1
• Time in Patent Office: 316 Days
• Field of Search: 455/435.1, 455/442, 370/331
• US Class Current: 455/435.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/1446 wherein at least one of the networks is unlicensed
• 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

Embodiments of the present invention are directed to controlling registration on a multi-technology handset. By controlling registration on a multi-technology handset, efficient handoffs between different technologies can occur. In one embodiment, the multi-technology handset operates using a first technology and at least one second technology. The second technology can be wireless fidelity (WiFi) or worldwide interoperability for microwave access (WiMAX), for example. The multi-technology handset includes at least a dual mode controller (DMC), a first technology controller, a second technology controller, as well as radios for the first and second technologies.

Claims

1. A method for performing a handoff between a first technology network and a second technology network, the method comprising, by a wireless communication device:

acquiring a first technology network;

sending a power-up registration command from a dual mode controller (DMC) to a first technology controller;

after acquiring the first technology network and after sending the power-up registration command to the first technology controller, switching a registration flag to a first state which enables registration with the first technology network;

in response to receipt of the power-up registration command by the first technology controller, starting a power-up timer;

if a second technology network is acquired prior to expiration of the power-up timer, registering with the second technology network, aborting registration with the first technology network, and switching the registration flag to a second state which disables registration with the first technology network; and

,

if the second technology network is not acquired prior to expiration of the power-up timer, registering with the first technology network.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a handoff should occur based on one or more of a signal strength, a signal to noise ratio, a quality of service, a dropped packet, a battery use among technologies, and a preference settings.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

after registration with the second technology network, detecting an indication that a handoff to the first technology network should be performed; and

after detection of the indication, sending an immediate power-up registration command from the DMC to the first technology controller, switching the registration flag to the first state, and performing a handoff to the first technology network.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

after the handoff to the first technology network, detecting an indication that a handoff to the second technology network should be performed; and

,

after detection of the indication that a handoff to the second technology network should be performed, sending a power-down registration command from the DMC to the first technology controller, de-registering from the first technology network, and switching the registration flag to the second state after de-registration from the first technology network.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

after receipt of the power-down registration command, switching a registration report flag to a first report state which indicates that a registration status message should be returned from the first technology controller to the DMC; and

,

after de-registration from the first technology network, switching the registration report flag to a second report state which indicates that a registration status message should not be returned from the first technology controller to the DMC.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising switching the registration flag to the second state before the step of sending the power-up registration command.

7. A wireless communication handset device comprising:

a first technology controller configured to establish a communicative coupling to a first technology network using a first technology radio;

a WiFi controller configured to establish a communicative coupling to a WiFi network using a WiFi radio;

a dual mode controller (DMC) configured to control the first technology controller and the second technology controller and to receive responses from the first technology controller and the WiFi controller;

a flagging module configured to switch a flag; and

a handoff logic module configured to determine whether the DMC should instruct the first technology controller or the WiFi controller to complete the communicative coupling with the first technology network or the WiFi network or to break the communicative coupling with the first technology network or the WiFi network;

wherein the DMC is configured to send a power-up registration command to the first technology controller in response to the handoff logic module,

wherein the flagging module is configured to switch registration report flag in response to the handoff logic module,

wherein, after the acquisition of the first technology network and after the sending of the power-up registration command to the first technology controller, switching the registration report flag to a first report state which indicates that a registration status message should be returned from the first technology controller to the DMC,

wherein, in response to receipt of the power-up registration command by the first technology controller, the first technology controller starts a power-up timer,

wherein, if a second technology network is acquired prior to expiration of the power-up timer, the DMC initiates registration with the second technology network, the first technology controller aborts registration with the first technology network, and the flagging module switches the registration report flag to a second report state which indicates that a registration status message should not be returned from the first technology controller to the DMC, and

wherein, if the second technology network is not acquired prior to expiration of the power-up timer, the first technology controller registers with the first technology network.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein, after registration with the second technology network, the handoff logic module determines that a handoff to the first technology network should be performed, and, in response to the determination, the DMC is configured to send an immediate power-up registration command to the first technology controller, the flagging module is configured to switch the registration report flag to the first report state, and the DMC is configured to initiate a handoff to the first technology network.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein, after the handoff to the first technology network, the handoff logic module determines that a handoff to the second technology network should be performed, and, in response to the determination, the DMC is configured to send a power-down registration command to the first technology controller, the first technology controller is configured to de-register from the first technology network, and the flagging module is configured to switch the registration report flag to the second report state.

10. The system of claim 7 wherein, after registration on the first technology network, the first technology controller is configured to switch the registration report flag to the second report state.

11. A multi-technology handset comprising:

a first technology controller communicatively coupled with a non-transitory computer readable medium;

a second technology controller communicatively coupled with the non-transitory computer readable medium;

a dual mode controller communicatively coupled with the non-transitory computer readable medium;

wherein the first technology controller, the second technology controller, and the dual mode controller are configured to facilitate registration with a CDMA network and a second technology network by;

acquiring a first technology network,

sending a power-up registration command from the dual mode controller to the first technology controller,

after acquiring the first technology network and after sending the power-up registration command to the first technology controller, switching a registration flag to a first state which enables registration with the CDMA network,

in response to receipt of the power-up registration command by the CDMA controller, stating a power-up timer,

if a second technology network is acquired prior to expiration of the power-up timer, registering with the second technology network, aborting registration with the first technology network, and switching the registration flag to a second state which disables registration with the CDMA network; and

,

if the second technology network is not acquired prior to expiration of the power-up timer, registering with the first technology network.

12. The handset of claim 11 wherein the first technology controller, the second technology controller, and the dual mode controller are further configured to facilitate registration with a CDMA network and a second technology network by:

after registration with the second technology network, detecting an indication that a handoff to the CDMA network should be performed; and

,

after detection of the indication, sending an immediate power-up registration command from the dual mode controller to the first technology controller, switching the registration flag to the first state, and performing a handoff to the CDMA network.

13. The handset of claim 12 wherein the first technology controller, the second technology controller, and the dual mode controller are further configured to facilitate registration with a CDMA network and a second technology network by:

after receipt of the immediate power-up registration command, switching a registration report flag to a first report state which indicates that a registration status message should be returned from the first technology controller to the DMC; and

,

after registration on the CDMA network, switching the registration report flag to a second report state which indicates that a registration status message should not be returned from the first technology controller to the DMC.

14. The handset of claim 11 wherein the first technology controller, the second technology controller, and the dual mode controller are further configured to facilitate registration with a CDMA network and a second technology network by:

after the handoff to the CDMA network, detecting an indication that a handoff to the second technology network should be performed; and

,

after detection of the indication that a handoff to the second technology network should be performed, sending a power-down registration command from the DMC to the first technology controller, de-registering from the CDMA network, and switching the registration flag to the second state after de-registration from the CDMA network.

15. The handset of claim 14 wherein the first technology controller, the second technology controller, and the dual mode controller are further configured to facilitate registration with a CDMA network and a second technology network by:

after receipt of the power-down registration command, switching a registration report flag to a first report state which indicates that a registration status message should be returned from the first technology controller to the DMC; and

,

after de-registration from the CDMA network, switching the registration report flag to a second report state which indicates that a registration status message should not be returned from the first technology controller to the DMC.