Position-based control of access to alternative communication networks

• US 8,831,565 B2
• Filed: 08/12/2009
• Issued: 09/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Karaoguz, Jeyhan
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAM, TIMOTHY X
• Application Number:
  US12/539,759
• Publication Number:
  US 20100048172A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,854 Days
• Field of Search: 455/465.1, 455/411
• US Class Current: 455/411
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service

Abstract

A system and method for determining, based at least in part on communication device position, whether access to an alternative communication network is authorized. Various aspects of the present invention may, for example and without limitation, comprise determining a position of a mobile communication device serviced by a communication network; determining, based at least in part on the determined position of the mobile communication device, whether the mobile communication device is authorized to access an alternative communication network; and communicating information regarding said determined authorization.

Claims

1. A method for at least one module in a native communication network, comprising:

providing authorization to a mobile communication device to access the native communication network, wherein the native communication network is operated by a first service provider and within a billing system of the first service provider;

receiving a request by the mobile communication device to access a non-native communication network, wherein the non-native communication network is operated by and under control of a second service provider and within a billing system of the second service provider;

determining by the at least one module in the native communication network to authorize the mobile communication device to switch from the native communication network to the non-native communication network by;

determining a position of the mobile communication device and current bandwidth utilization of the native communication network at the determined position of the mobile communication device; and

when the current bandwidth utilization of the native communication network at the determined position compares unfavorably to a bandwidth utilization threshold, determining to authorize the mobile communication device to access the non-native communication network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining authorization of the mobile communication device to access the non-native communication network includes:

determining communication quality of the native communication network at the determined position of the mobile communication device; and

when communication quality of the native communication network at the determined position compares unfavorably to a quality communication threshold, determining to authorize the mobile communication device to access the non-native communication network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining authorization of the mobile communication device to access the non-native communication network includes:

predicting a future bandwidth utilization of the native communication network at the determined position of the mobile communication device; and

when the predicted future bandwidth utilization of the native communication network at the determined position compares unfavorably to a bandwidth utilization threshold, determining to authorize the mobile communication device to access the non-native communication network.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining authorization of the mobile communication device to access the non-native communication network includes:

determining a type of information requested by the mobile communication device; and

determining to authorize the mobile communication device to access the non-native communication network in response to the determined position of the mobile communication device and the type of information requested by the mobile communication device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining authorization of the mobile communication device to access the non-native communication network includes:

determining a time-of-day; and

determining to authorize the mobile communication device to access the non-native communication network in response to the determined position of the mobile communication device and the time-of-day.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining authorization of the mobile communication device to access the non-native communication network includes:

determining an identity of a business entity associated with the non-native communication network; and

determining to authorize the mobile communication device to access the non-native communication network in response to the determined position of the mobile communication device and the identity of the business entity associated with the non-native communication network.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

communicating authorization information to the non-native communication network.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

authorizing the mobile communication device to access the non-native communication network; and

tracking utilization of the non-native communication network by the mobile communication device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the position of the mobile communication device includes receiving position information from the mobile communication device.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the position information received from the mobile communication device comprises geographical coordinate information.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the position of the mobile communication device includes receiving position information from the non-native communication network.

12. A network element in a first cellular communication network comprising:

at least one processor operable to;

provide authorization to a mobile communication device to access the first cellular communication network;

receive a request by the mobile communication device to access a wide area network using a second wireless local area (WLAN) network;

determine a position of the mobile communication device;

in response to the determined position of the mobile communication device, determine authorization of the mobile communication device to access the wide area network using the second WLAN network by;

determining a current bandwidth utilization of the cellular communication network at the determined position of the mobile communication device; and

when the current bandwidth utilization of the cellular communication network at the determined position compares unfavorably to a bandwidth utilization threshold, determining to authorize the mobile communication device to access the wide area network using the second WLAN network; and

communicate authorization information to the mobile communication device.

13. The wireless device of claim 12, wherein the at least one processor is operable to determine authorization of the mobile communication device to access the wide area network using the second WLAN network by:

determining communication quality of the cellular communication network at the determined position of the mobile communication device; and

when communication quality of the cellular communication network at the determined position compares unfavorably to a quality communication threshold, determining to authorize the mobile communication device to access the wide area network using the second WLAN network.

14. The wireless device of claim 12, wherein the at least one processor is operable to determine authorization of the mobile communication device to access the wide area network using the second WLAN network by:

predicting a future bandwidth utilization of the cellular communication network at the determined position of the mobile communication device; and

when the predicted future bandwidth utilization of the cellular communication network at the determined position compares unfavorably to a bandwidth utilization threshold, determining to authorize the mobile communication device to access the wide area network using the second WLAN network.

15. The wireless device of claim 12, wherein the at least one processor is operable to determine authorization of the mobile communication device to access the wide area network using the second WLAN network by:

determining a type of information requested by the mobile communication device; and

determining to authorize the mobile communication device to access the wide area network using the second WLAN network in response to the determined position of the mobile communication device and the type of information requested by the mobile communication device.

16. The wireless device of claim 12, wherein the at least one processor is operable to determine authorization of the mobile communication device to access the wide area network using the second WLAN network by:

determining a time-of-day; and

determining to authorize the mobile communication device to access the wide area network using the second WLAN network in response to the determined position of the mobile communication device and the time-of-day.

17. The wireless device of claim 12, wherein the at least one processor is operable to determine authorization of the mobile communication device to access the wide area network using the second WLAN network by:

determining an identity of a business entity associated with the second WLAN network; and

determining to authorize the mobile communication device to access the wide area network using the second WLAN network in response to the determined position of the mobile communication device and the identity of the business entity associated with the second WLAN network.

18. The wireless device of claim 12, wherein the at least one processor is further operable to:

communicate authorization information to the second WLAN network.

19. The wireless device of claim 12, wherein the at least one processor is further operable to:

authorize the mobile communication device to access the second WLAN network; and

track utilization of the second WLAN network by the mobile communication device.

20. The wireless device of claim 12, wherein the at least one processor is operable to determine the position of the mobile communication device by receiving position information from the mobile communication device.

21. The wireless device of claim 20, wherein the position information received from the mobile communication device comprises geographical coordinate information.

22. The wireless device-of claim 12, wherein the at least one processor is operable to determine the position of the mobile communication device by receiving position information from the second WLAN network.

23. A method for at least one module in a native communication network, comprising:

providing authorization to a mobile communication device to access the native communication network, wherein the native communication network is operated by a first service provider;

receiving a request by the mobile communication device to access a non-native communication network, wherein the non-native communication network is operated by a second service provider;

determining by the at least one module in the native communication network to authorize the mobile communication device to switch from the native communication network to the non-native communication network by;

determining a position of the mobile communication device;

predicting a future bandwidth utilization of the native communication network at the determined position of the mobile communication device;

determining the predicted future bandwidth utilization of the native communication network at the determined position compares unfavorably to a bandwidth utilization threshold; and

authorizing the mobile communication device to access the non-native communication network.