Location information for control of mode/technology

• US 8,634,817 B2
• Filed: 10/28/2008
• Issued: 01/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Kanade, Parag M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Afshar, Kamran
• Assistant Examiner(s): Zewari, Sayed T
• Application Number:
  US12/260,082
• Publication Number:
  US 20100105373A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,911 Days
• Field of Search: 455/211, 455/418, 455/456.1, 455/421, 455/457, 455/440, 455/552.1, 455/553.1
• US Class Current: 455/418
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• 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

A multimode wireless communication device utilizes location information provided by a co-located autonomous position location receiver to determine a preferred provider database and associated operating mode and operating technology when an out-of-service condition is encountered. The multimode wireless communication device can utilize active preferred provider database while in service and while acquired within a network. The multimode wireless communication device can initiate location-based mode and technology control when in an out-of-service condition. The multimode wireless communication device determines its location and based on the location, accesses a database to determine a preferred provider database. The preferred provider database provides a hierarchical list of available systems and associated information for acquiring and registering with the systems. The multimode wireless communication device reduces a search time and associated power consumption using location-based mode and technology control.

Claims

1. A method of controlling an operating mode of a multimode wireless communication device, the method comprising:

determining an out-of-service condition;

determining whether the multimode wireless communication device entered the out-of-service condition due to a dropped communication link or otherwise;

choosing a plurality of possible operating modes by;

in response to the multimode wireless communication entering the out-of-service condition due to a dropped communication link, choosing a current plurality of possible operating modes as a desired plurality of possible operating modes; and

otherwise;

determining a geographic location of the multimode wireless communication device;

replacing the current plurality of possible operating modes with a different plurality of possible operating modes, as the desired plurality of possible operating modes, based in part on the geographic location;

configuring the multimode wireless communication device in accordance with a selected operating mode of the desired plurality of possible operating modes; and

attempting to acquire a signal using the selected operating mode.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

associating the geographic location with a predetermined geographic region; and

identifying the different plurality of possible operating modes based on the geographic region.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein identifying the configuration of the multimode wireless communication device comprises:

identifying a mode table associated with the geographic region; and

determining a wireless system technology from information within the mode table.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising configuring the multimode wireless communication device for a last known network based on a last known position if the out-of-service condition fails to satisfy predetermined conditions.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the geographic location of the multimode wireless communication device comprises:

receiving at least one position location signal from a Satellite Positioning System (SPS); and

determining the geographic location based in part on the at least one position location signal.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein receiving at least one position location signal comprises receiving position location signals from three distinct satellites.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

determining augmentation information, and

wherein determining the geographic location comprises determining the geographic location based on the at least one position location signal and the augmentation information.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein determining the augmentation information comprises determining augmentation information from a sensor within the multimode wireless communication device.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein determining the augmentation information comprises determining a positioning assumption.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein configuring the multimode wireless communication device comprises configuring the multimode wireless communication device for one of CDMA or UMTS technologies supported by the multimode wireless communication device.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein configuring the multimode wireless communication device comprises configuring the multimode wireless communication device for one of CDMA, HDR, GSM, UMTS, or WLAN technologies supported by the multimode wireless communication device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein configuring the multimode wireless communication device further comprises configuring a local oscillator for a frequency associated with a selected technology.

13. A method of controlling an operating mode of a multimode wireless communication device, the method comprising:

determining an out-of-service condition;

determining whether the multimode wireless communication device entered the out-of-service condition due to a dropped communication link or otherwise;

choosing a plurality of possible operating modes by;

in response to the multimode wireless communication entering the out-of-service condition due to a dropped communication link, choosing a current mode table as a desired mode table; and

otherwise;

determining a geographic location of the multimode wireless communication device;

determining a predetermined geographic region associated with the geographic location; and

replacing the current mode table with a different mode table as the desired mode table based on the geographic region, each of the current and different mode tables identifying at least one technology of a plurality of wireless communication technologies supported by the multimode wireless communication device;

determining mode information from a mode entry of the desired mode table; and

configuring the multimode wireless communication device for one of the plurality of wireless communication technologies supported by the multimode wireless communication device based in part on the mode information.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein determining the geographic location comprises determining a position location solution based on at least one signal received from a satellite of a satellite positioning system.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein determining the predetermined geographic region comprises determining the predetermined geographic region in which the geographic location is bounded.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein configuring the multimode wireless communication device comprises:

configuring a reconfigurable wireless transceiver; and

configuring a reconfigurable baseband processor.

17. An apparatus for multimode wireless communication, the apparatus comprising:

a reconfigurable wireless transceiver;

a positioning system receiver configured to determine a geographic location;

a mode database that stores information identifying a plurality of geographic regions and information relating to each of a plurality of modes; and

a mode controller configured to;

access the mode database;

determine that the apparatus is in an out-of-service condition;

determine whether the apparatus entered the out-of-service condition due to a dropped communication link or otherwise;

choose a plurality of possible operating modes by;

in response to the multimode wireless communication entering the out-of-service condition due to a dropped communication link, choosing a current set of modes in the mode database as a desired set of modes; and

otherwise;

changing the current set of modes in the mode database to analyze to a different set of modes as the desired set of modes;

determine a supported mode, of the desired set of modes, based on the geographic location; and

reconfigure the reconfigurable wireless transceiver for the supported mode.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising:

a reconfigurable baseband processor coupled to the reconfigurable wireless transceiver, and

wherein the mode controller reconfigures the reconfigurable baseband processor for the supported mode.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the positioning system receiver comprises a satellite positioning system receiver.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the mode database comprises a plurality of flat files, each flat file including information relating a geographic region to a mode table defining a list of mode entries providing mode configuration information.

21. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the mode database comprises a relational database relating geographic regions to modes supported within the geographic regions.

22. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the plurality of modes comprises at least one of:

a CDMA mode;

an HDR mode;

a GSM mode;

an LTE mode;

a WiMax mode;

or

a UMTS mode.

23. An apparatus for multimode wireless communication, the apparatus comprising:

means for determining an out-of-service condition;

means for determining whether the multimode wireless communication device entered the out-of-service condition due to a dropped communication link or otherwise;

means for choosing a plurality of possible operating modes by;

in response to the multimode wireless communication entering the out-of-service condition due to a dropped communication link, choosing a current plurality of possible operating modes as a desired plurality of possible operating modes; and

otherwise;

determining a geographic location of the multimode wireless communication device;

replacing the current plurality of possible operating modes with a different plurality of possible operating modes, as the desired plurality of possible operating modes, based in part on the geographic location;

means for configuring the multimode wireless communication device in accordance with a selected operating mode of the desired plurality of possible operating modes; and

means for attempting to acquire a signal using the selected operating mode.

24. A non-transitory storage medium encoded with processor executable instructions, when executed by a processor, performing:

determining an out-of-service condition of a multimode wireless communication device;

determining whether the multimode wireless communication device entered the out-of-service condition due to a dropped communication link or otherwise;

choosing a plurality of possible operating modes by;

in response to the multimode wireless communication entering the out-of-service condition due to a dropped communication link, choosing a current mode table as a desired mode table; and

otherwise;

determining a geographic location of the multimode wireless communication device;

determining a predetermined geographic region associated with the geographic location; and

replacing the current mode table with a different mode table as the desired mode table based on the geographic region, each of the current and different mode tables identifying at least one technology of a plurality of wireless communication technologies supported by the multimode wireless communication device;

determining mode information from a mode entry of the desired mode table; and

configuring the multimode wireless communication device for one of the plurality of wireless communication technologies supported by the multimode wireless communication device based in part on the mode information.