Band scan optimization for an electronic device

• US 9,125,146 B1
• Filed: 04/09/2013
• Issued: 09/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Edara, Kiran Kumar, Vallurupalli, Pratima
• Primary Examiner(s): Beamer, Temica M
• Application Number:
  US13/859,647
• Time in Patent Office: 875 Days
• Field of Search: 455/432.1, 455/433, 455/434, 455/435.2, 455/456.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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

Abstract

Approaches enable a service such a network optimization service of a computing device (e.g., a mobile phone, table computer, etc.) or other electronic device to monitor certain conditions of the device, such as device location, to determine a region in which the device is operating in. The device location can be used to determine a region in which the device is operating, and based at least on that region, a group of frequencies (e.g., a band group) including at least a subset of band frequencies and technologies that the device supports can be determined. The device can then search bands/technologies from the band group to determine a network provider (e.g., a public land mobile network (PLMN)) from which to gain telecommunication service access.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for optimizing network connectivity in an electronic device, the method comprising:

determining a geographic location of a mobile computing device when network communications of the mobile computing device are activated, the mobile computing device configured to support one or more radio access technologies (RATs);

determining, based at least in part on the geographic location of the mobile computing device, a region code;

determining, based at least in part on the region code, one or more region RATs each configured to support a set of frequencies provided by one or more network providers associated with the region code;

determining that a first RAT of the one or more RATs matches a second RAT of the one or more region RATs;

identifying a first set of frequencies supported by the second RAT; and

scanning, for at least a predetermined period of time, the first set of frequencies to locate an available network connection having at least a minimum signal strength, wherein the mobile computing device is configured to use the available network connection of one of the one or more network providers to perform network communications.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

scanning a second set of frequencies at an expiration of the predetermined period of time for an available network provider, the second set of frequencies associated with a second geographic location.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein

determining the geographic location of the mobile computing device includes determining at least one of a region code of a previous successful network provider registration, a location based on current GPS location information, connection information to a known wi-fi location, or computing device sensor information indicating an amount of movement of the mobile computing device from at least the previous successful network provider registration.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

maintaining, for each of a plurality of region codes, a prioritized list of RATs configured to support a set of frequencies, wherein the set of frequencies for a particular RAT includes one or more frequencies organized in a priority order; and

scanning, based at least in part on a determined one of the plurality of region codes, one or more frequencies as prioritized based at least in part on the prioritized list of RATs.

5. A computer implemented method, comprising:

determining a location of a computing device, the computing device configured to support a network access technology;

determining one or more network access technologies available for the location;

determining that a first network access technology of the one or more network access technologies matches a second network technology of the one or more network access technology available for the location;

identifying a first set of frequencies supported by the second network technology; and

scanning, starting with the first set of frequencies, for at least one available network connection supported by the computing device, wherein the computing device is configured to utilize the at least one available network connection to connect to a network associated with the first set of frequencies.

6. The computer implemented method of claim 5, further comprising:

scanning a second set of frequencies upon scanning the set of frequencies for at least a predetermined period of time for at least one available network connection supported by the computing device, the second set of frequencies associated with a second location, wherein the second set of frequencies is selected based at least in part on an estimated location, the estimated location being based at least in part on travel data from a plurality of users.

7. The computer implemented method of claim 5, further comprising:

maintaining, for each of a plurality of locations, a prioritized list of network access technologies, each of the network access technologies in the prioritized list of network access technologies being configured to support a set of frequencies, wherein the set of frequencies for a particular network access technology includes one or more frequencies organized in a priority order; and

scanning, based at least in part on a determined one of the plurality of locations, one or more frequencies as prioritized based at least in part on the prioritized list of network access technologies.

8. The computer implemented method of claim 5, further comprising:

in response to activating network communications of the computing device, determining a previously registered network provider; and

scanning, starting with a set of frequencies associated with the previously registered network provider, for at least one available network connection supported by the computing device to connect to an associated network.

9. The computer implemented method of claim 5, further comprising:

in response to activating network communications of the computing device, determining at least one network provider the computing device previously camped on; and

scanning, starting with a set of frequencies associated with the at least one network provider the computing device previously camped on, for at least one available network connection supported by the computing device to connect to an associated network.

10. The computer implemented method of claim 5, further comprising:

in response to activating network communications of the computing device, determining a set of frequencies associated with at least one network provider based at least in part on region information stored on a subscriber identity module (SIM) of the computing device; and

scanning, starting with the set of frequencies, for at least one available network connection supported by the computing device to connect to an associated network.

11. The computer implemented method of claim 5, further comprising:

determining, based at least in part on the location of the computing device, a region code, wherein determining the region code includes determining a mobile country code (MCC) from at least one network provider by reading system information broadcasted by a cellular tower of the at least one network provider; and

determining at least a set of frequencies provided by at least one network provider based at least in part on the region code and the one or more network access technologies supported by the computing device.

12. The computer implemented method of claim 5, further comprising:

in response to determining the at least one network connection, providing access to at least one resource provided by a network provider of the at least one available network connection;

locking a frequency band group to which at least one network provider is associated with; and

storing information indicating the locked frequency band group on the computing device.

13. The computer implemented method of claim 5, further comprising:

determining one or more network access technologies supported by the computing device; and

wherein scanning further includes scanning, starting with a set of frequencies associated with a network access technology determined to be supported by the computing device for the location.

14. The computer implemented method of claim 5, wherein activating network communications of the computing device includes at least one of powering up the computing device, turning a flight mode off on the computing device, or coming back from a no network service area.

15. A computing system, comprising:

at least one processor;

memory including instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the computing system to;

determine a location of a computing device, the computing device configured to support a network access technology;

determine one or more network access technologies available for the location;

determine that a first network access technology of the one or more network access technologies matches a second network technology of the one or more network access technology available for the location;

identify a first set of frequencies supported by the second network technology; and

scan, starting with the first set of frequencies, for at least one available network connection supported by the computing device, wherein the computing device is configured to utilize the at least one available network connection to connect to a network associated with the first set of frequencies.

16. The computing system of claim 15, wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the computing system to:

scan a second set of frequencies upon scanning the set of frequencies for at least a predetermined period of time for at least one available network connection supported by the computing device, the second set of frequencies associated with a second location, wherein the second set of frequencies is selected based at least in part on an estimated location, the estimated location being based at least in part on travel data from a plurality of users.

17. The computing system of claim 15, wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the computing system to:

maintain, for each of a plurality of locations, a prioritized list of network access technologies, each of the network access technologies in the priorities list of network access technologies being configured to support a set of frequencies, wherein the set of frequencies for a particular network access technology includes one or more frequencies organized in a priority order; and

scan, based at least in part on a determined one of the plurality of locations, one or more frequencies as prioritized based at least in part on the prioritized list of network access technologies.

18. The computing system of claim 15, wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the computing system to:

in response to activating network communications of the computing device, determine a previously registered network provider; and

scan, starting with a set of frequencies associated with the previously registered network provider, for at least one available network connection supported by the computing device to connect to an associated network.

19. The computing system of claim 15, wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the computing system to:

in response to activating network communications of the computing device, determine at least one network provider the computing device previously camped on; and

scan, starting with a set of frequencies associated with the at least one network provider the computing device previously camped on, for at least one available network connection supported by the computing device to connect to an associated network.

20. The computing system of claim 15, wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the computing system to:

in response to activating network communications of the computing device, determine a set of frequencies associated with at least one network provider based at least in part on region information stored on a subscriber identity module (SIM) of the computing device; and

scan, starting with the set of frequencies, for at least one available network connection supported by the computing device to connect to an associated network.

21. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more sequences of instructions executable by one or more processors to perform a set of operations comprising:

determining a location of a computing device, the computing device configured to support a network access technology;

determining one or more network access technologies available for the location;

determining that a first network access technology of the one or more network access technologies matches a second network technology of the one or more network access technology available for the location;

identifying a first set of frequencies supported by the second network technology; and

scanning, starting with the first set of frequencies, for at least one available network connection supported by the computing device, wherein the computing device is configured to utilize the at least one available network connection to connect to a network associated with the first set of frequencies.

22. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 21, further comprising instructions executed by the one or more processors to perform a set of operations comprising:

determining, based at least in part on the location of the computing device, a region code, wherein determining the region code includes determining a mobile country code (MCC) from at least one network provider by reading system information broadcasted by a cellular tower of the at least one network provider; and

determining at least a set of frequencies provided by the at least one network provider based at least in part on the region code and the one or more network access technologies supported by the computing device.

23. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 21, further comprising instructions executed by the one or more processors to perform a set of operations comprising:

determining one or more network access technologies supported by the computing device; and

wherein scanning further includes scanning, starting with a set of frequencies associated with a network access technology determined to be supported by the computing device for the location.

24. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 21, further comprising instructions executed by the one or more processors to perform a set of operations comprising:

scanning a second set of frequencies upon scanning the set of frequencies for at least a predetermined period of time for at least one available network connection supported by the computing device, the second set of frequencies associated with a second location, wherein the second set of frequencies is selected based at least in part on an estimated location, the estimated location being based at least in part on travel data from a plurality of users.