Method for switching from a first cellular network to a second cellular network

• US 9,282,495 B1
• Filed: 04/18/2014
• Issued: 03/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Utility Associates Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Utility Associates Incorporated
• Inventors: McKeeman, Robert S., Araya, Simon, Davis, Ted M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sivji, Nizar
• Application Number:
  US14/256,258
• Time in Patent Office: 690 Days
• Field of Search: 455436-439, 455/443, 455/456.1, 370/331, 370/332
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/14 Reselecting a network or an air interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/144 over a different radio air interface technology
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/32 by location or mobility data, e.g. speed data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/324 by mobility data, e.g. speed data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service

Abstract

This invention provides a system and a method to automatically switch cellular data communications from 3G to 4G mode wherever reliable 4G cellular connectivity is available, and to collect and report reliable 4G cellular coverage geo-fence polygon information. The invention also provides a system and method to automatically switch cellular data communications between 4G cellular networks provided by different carriers, and 3G cellular networks provided by different carriers.

Claims

1. A wireless communication device comprising:

a) memory;

b) a processor;

c) a wireless modem configured to communicate on a first wireless network and a second wireless network, wherein the first wireless network is slower than the second wireless network; and

d) a network switching application configured to manage connections of the wireless modem, wherein the network switching application is configured to automatically direct the cellular modem to terminate a first connection to the first wireless network and establish a second connection to the second wireless network while the wireless modem is connected to the first wireless network when the network switching application determines that the second connection to the second wireless network is available based on stored information associated with network coverage area of the second wireless network, wherein the network switching application utilizes information associated with network coverage areas of the first wireless network and the second wireless network to manage the connections of the wireless modem to the second network and the first wireless network, wherein the information for the network coverage areas of the first wireless network and the second wireless network is stored within a geo-fence polygon entry, wherein each geo-fence polygon entry contains the information for portions of the network coverage areas found within a corresponding geo-fence polygon.

2. The wireless communication device of claim 1, wherein the wireless modem is configured to automatically connect to the first wireless network when the second wireless network is unavailable or unreliable.

3. The wireless communication device of claim 1, wherein the information for the network coverage areas of the first wireless network and the second wireless network stored within the geo-fence polygon entries further comprises reliability data.

4. The wireless communication device of claim 3, wherein the wireless modem further comprises a cellular modem, the first wireless network comprises a 3G cellular network, and the second wireless network comprises a 4G cellular network.

5. The wireless communication device of claim 3, wherein the wireless modem further comprises a cellular modem, the first wireless network comprises a first 3G or 4G cellular network, and the second wireless network comprises a second 3G or 4G cellular network.

6. The wireless communication device of claim 3, wherein the information for the network coverage areas of the first wireless network and the second wireless network stored within the geo-fence polygon entries further comprises a reliability indicator indicating which wireless modem should connect to the first wireless network of the second wireless network when the wireless network is within the corresponding geo-fence polygon.

7. The wireless communication device of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication device further comprises a database configured to store the geo-fence polygon entries, wherein the database is accessible to the network switching application.

8. The wireless communication device of claim 7, wherein the geo-fence polygon entries in the database are periodically updated from an outside source.

9. The wireless communication device of claim 1, wherein the geo-fence polygon entries are received by the wireless modem and stored temporarily on the memory, wherein the memory is accessible by the network switching application.

10. The wireless communication device of claim 9, wherein the network switching application is further configured to determine the path of travel by the wireless communication device and can request the geo-fence polygon entries of the geo-fence polygons that correspond to the path of travel.

11. The wireless communication device of claim 1, wherein the networking switching application further utilizes location information of the wireless communication device with the information associated with the second wireless network coverage areas to manage the connections of the wireless modem.

12. The wireless communication device of claim 11, wherein the wireless communication device is configured to receive the location information from a GPS module.

13. The wireless communication device of claim 12, wherein the location information comprises location coordinates, heading, and speed of the wireless communication device.

14. The wireless communication device of claim 1, wherein the network switching application is further configured to create records of connection events of the wireless modem within the second wireless network coverage areas.

15. The wireless communication device of claim 14, wherein the network switching application is configured to prepare a record for the connect event, wherein the record comprises portions of the location information and signal information of the second wireless network in the second wireless network coverage area, wherein the signal information is supplied by the wireless modem.

16. The wireless communication device of claim 15, wherein the signal information comprises signal strength, signal quality, signal availability, and throughput of a signal from the second wireless network.

17. The wireless communication device of claim 15, wherein the network switching application is further configured to communicate the record to a central storage location.

18. The wireless communication device of claim 14, wherein the connect events comprises;

a) a disconnect of the wireless modem from the second wireless network of one of the second wireless network coverage areas;

b) a discovery of a second wireless network not associated with one of the second wireless network coverage areas; and

c) a continued connection of the wireless modem to the second wireless network of one of the second wireless network coverage areas.

19. A method of automatically monitoring and controlling connections of a wireless modem of a wireless communication device between a first wireless network and a second wireless network, the method comprising the steps of:

a. determining if the wireless modem is connected to the second wireless network;

b. determining if the second wireless network is available if the wireless modem is not connected to the second wireless network based on stored information associated with network coverage area of the second wireless network by utilizing information associated with network coverage areas of the first wireless network and the second wireless network, wherein the information for the network coverage areas of the first wireless network and the second wireless network is stored within a geo-fence polygon entry, wherein each geo-fence polygon entry contains the information for portions of the network coverage areas found within a corresponding geo-fence polygon;

c. directing the wireless modem to connect to the second wireless network if the second wireless network is available and the wireless modem is connected to the first wireless network; and

d. directing the wireless modem to connect to the first wireless network if the second wireless network is not available.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein determining if the second wireless network is available comprises:

e. determining the location of the wireless communication device;

f. finding reliability data of the second wireless network corresponding to the location of the wireless communication device, wherein the geo-fence polygon entry corresponding to the location includes the reliability data, wherein directing the wireless modem to connect to the second wireless network further comprises;

i) determining whether the reliability data of the second wireless network indicates that the second wireless network is reliable; and

ii) ordering the wireless modem to connect to the second wireless network if the reliability data indicates the faster wireless network is reliable.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of:

a. determining whether the second wireless network is reliable after ordering the wireless modem to connect to the second wireless network.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising the step of:

a. ordering the wireless modem to maintain the connection to the second wireless network if the second wireless network is reliable;

or

b. ordering the wireless modem to drop the connection to the second wireless network and connect to the first wireless network if the second wireless network is not reliable; and

c. updating the reliability data of the second wireless network.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein determining whether the second wireless network is reliable by obtaining current reliability information from the second wireless network from the wireless modem and comparing the current reliability information to reliability thresholds.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein steps a through d are performed in a continuous loop.

25. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of determining whether the wireless modem is connected to the second wireless network further comprises determining if the second wireless network is reliable if the wireless modem is connected to the second wireless network.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising the steps of:

a. commanding the wireless modem to disconnect from the second wireless network;

b. commanding the wireless modem to connect to the first wireless network; and

c. updating the reliability data to indicate that the second wireless network is not reliable, wherein the steps are performed if the second wireless network is not reliable.

27. The method of claim 24, further comprising the steps of:

a. checking the reliability data of the second wireless network;

b. updating the reliability data of the second wireless network to show that the second wireless network is reliable if

i. the second wireless network is shown to be reliable; and

ii. the reliability data of the second wireless network indicates that the second wireless network is not reliable.