Methods and apparatus for use in controlling wireless transceiver operation in a mobile communication device

• US 8,768,407 B2
• Filed: 07/05/2013
• Issued: 07/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Ekici, Ozgur, Prodanos, Dimitrios Christos, Cormier, Jean-Philippe Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Ferguson, Keith
• Application Number:
  US13/935,818
• Publication Number:
  US 20130295927A1
• Time in Patent Office: 361 Days
• Field of Search: 455/550.1, 455/552.1, 455/553.1, 455/551, 455/445, 455/422.1, 455/403, 455/426.1, 455/426.2, 4554321-4323, 455/435.1, 455/435.2, 455/434, 455/67.11, 455/435.3, 370/310, 370/328, 370/329, 370/338, 370/343
• US Class Current: 455/550.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A mobile device operates for communications via a first wireless network with use of a first transceiver. The device performs scanning operations with use of a second transceiver for identifying a set of cell IDs corresponding to a plurality of stations of one or more second wireless networks. The device stores the set of cell IDs in association with an ID of the first wireless network. While operating for communications with use of the second transceiver, the device maintains the first transceiver in a low power state. The device performs scanning operations with use of the second transceiver for identifying a current set of cell IDs, and compares the cell IDs of the current set with cell IDs of the stored set. The device maintains the first transceiver in the low power state or enables its operation based on the comparison.

Claims

1. A method in a mobile communication device for communications, the method comprising:

performing one or more scanning operations with use of a first transceiver portion in a geographical region;

failing to connect with any first wireless networks in the geographical region;

performing one or more scanning operations with use of a second transceiver portion for identifying a set of cell identifications corresponding to a plurality of stations of one or more second wireless networks available in the geographical region;

storing the set of cell identifications in association with an indication of the failure to connect with any first wireless networks in the geographic region;

while operating for communications via a second wireless network with use of the second transceiver portion;

performing one or more scanning operations with use of the second transceiver portion for identifying a current set of cell identifications, the current set of cell identifications corresponding to a currently-serving station of the second wireless network and one or more neighboring stations;

comparing cell identifications of the current set with cell identifications of the stored set; and

when the number or percentage of matching cell identifications of the current and stored sets meets or exceeds a predetermined threshold, setting the first transceiver portion in a low power state.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

otherwise, when the number or the percentage of the matching cell site identifications of the current and stored sets fails to meet or exceed the predetermined threshold, maintaining the first transceiver portion in an enabled state of operation.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first transceiver portion is operative in accordance with IEEE 802.11 standards.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the second transceiver portion comprises a cellular transceiver.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing the set of cell identifications in a profile of the first wireless network, the profile including the identification of the first wireless network.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

when the number or the percentage of matching cell site identifications of the current and stored sets fails to meet or exceed the predetermined threshold, increasing a scanning rate for performing scanning operations with use of the first transceiver portion.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

when the number or the percentage of matching cell site identifications of the current and stored sets meets or exceeds the predetermined threshold, refraining from enabling operation of the first transceiver portion for communications.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

again performing one or more scanning operations with use of the first transceiver portion in another geographical region;

failing to connect with any first wireless networks in the other geographical region; and

updating the stored set of cell site identifications with one or more newly-identified cell site identifications corresponding to one or more newly-identified stations in association with the indication of the failure to connect with any first wireless networks in the other geographical region.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the predetermined threshold is set to represent less than the number of the cell site identifications in the stored set.

10. The method of claim 1, implemented as a computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium having computer instructions executable on one or more processors of the mobile communication device.

11. A mobile communication device, comprising:

a first transceiver portion configured to operate for communications with one or more first wireless networks;

a second transceiver portion configured to operate for communications with one or more second wireless networks;

one or more processors coupled to the first and the second transceiver portions;

memory coupled to the one or more processors;

the one or more processors being operative to;

perform one or more scanning operations with use of a first transceiver portion in a geographical region;

fail to connect with any first wireless networks in the geographical region;

perform one or more scanning operations with use of a second transceiver portion for identifying a set of cell identifications corresponding to a plurality of stations of one or more second wireless networks available in the geographical region;

store the set of cell identifications in association with an indication of the failure to connect with any first wireless networks in the geographic region;

while operating for communications via a second wireless network with use of the second transceiver portion;

perform one or more scanning operations with use of the second transceiver portion for identifying a current set of cell identifications, the current set of cell identifications corresponding to a currently-serving station of the second wireless network and one or more neighboring stations;

compare cell identifications of the current set with cell identifications of the stored set; and

when the number or percentage of matching cell identifications of the current and stored sets meets or exceeds a predetermined threshold, set the first transceiver portion in a low power state.

12. The mobile communication device of claim 11, wherein the one or more processors are further operative to:

when the number or the percentage of the matching cell site identifications of the current and stored sets fails to meet or exceed the predetermined threshold, maintain the first transceiver portion in an enabled state of operation.

13. The mobile communication device of claim 11, wherein the first transceiver portion is operative in accordance with IEEE 802.11 standards.

14. The mobile communication device of claim 11, wherein the second transceiver portion comprises a cellular transceiver.

15. The mobile communication device of claim 11, wherein the one or more processors are further operative to:

store the set of cell identifications in a profile of the first wireless network, the profile including the identification of the first wireless network.

16. The mobile communication device of claim 11, wherein the one or more processors are further operative to:

when the number or the percentage of matching cell site identifications of the current and stored sets fails to meet or exceed the predetermined threshold, increasing a scanning rate for performing scanning operations with use of the first transceiver portion.

17. The mobile communication device of claim 11, wherein the one or more processors are further operative to:

when the number or the percentage of matching cell site identifications of the current and stored sets fails to meets or exceeds the predetermined threshold, refrain from enabling operation of the first transceiver portion for communications.

18. The mobile communication device of claim 11, wherein the one or more processors are further operative to:

again perform one or more scanning operations with use of the first transceiver portion in another geographical region;

fail to connect with any first wireless networks in the other geographical region; and

update the stored set of cell site identifications with one or more newly-identified cell site identifications corresponding to one or more newly-identified stations in association with the indication of the failure to connect with any first wireless networks in the other geographical region.

19. The mobile communication device of claim 11, wherein the predetermined threshold is set to represent less than the number of the cell site identifications in the stored set.

20. A communication system, comprising:

a first wireless network;

one or more second wireless networks;

one or more mobile communication devices configured to operate for communications;

each mobile communication device being operative to;

perform one or more scanning operations with use of a first transceiver portion in a geographical region;

fail to connect with any first wireless networks in the geographical region;

perform one or more scanning operations with use of a second transceiver portion for identifying a set of cell identifications corresponding to a plurality of stations of one or more second wireless networks available in the geographical region;

store the set of cell identifications in association with an indication of the failure to connect with any first wireless networks in the geographic region;

while operating for communications via a second wireless network with use of the second transceiver portion;

perform one or more scanning operations with use of the second transceiver portion for identifying a current set of cell identifications, the current set of cell identifications corresponding to a currently-serving station of the second wireless network and one or more neighboring stations;

compare cell identifications of the current set with cell identifications of the stored set; and

when the number or percentage of matching cell identifications of the current and stored sets meets or exceeds a predetermined threshold, set the first transceiver portion in a low power state.