Cellular connections between user equipment and wireless stations based on user equipment location and wireless station locations

• US 9,467,922 B1
• Filed: 06/15/2015
• Issued: 10/11/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Buchmueller, Daniel, Hensel, Fabian, Kimchi, Gur
• Primary Examiner(s): SIVJI, NIZAR N
• Application Number:
  US14/740,105
• Time in Patent Office: 484 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/19 using electrically powered motors
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3822 specially adapted for use in vehicles H04B1/3827 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18506 Communications with or from aircraft, i.e. aeronautical mobile service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/30 by measured or perceived connection quality data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/302 due to low signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/32 by location or mobility data, e.g. speed data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/322 by location data

Abstract

Described are systems and methods for considering a user equipment (UE) location and Evolved Node B (eNodeBs) locations as a factor in determining whether a handoff of a wireless connection between the UE and a first eNodeB to a second eNodeB should be initiated. Alternatively, the systems and methods include selection of an eNodeB with which a wireless connection is to be established. In addition to considering a signal strength for an eNodeB and determining whether to established a wireless communication or initiate a handoff based on the signal strength, the UE location and eNodeB locations may likewise considered. Likewise, a navigation path or anticipated trajectory of the UE may also be considered when selecting an eNodeB with which a wireless communication is to be established or to which a handoff of an existing wireless communication is to be initiated.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed on one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform acts comprising:

measuring at a user equipment (UE) a first signal strength for a first wireless station;

measuring at the UE, a second signal strength for a second wireless station, wherein the first signal strength is stronger than the second signal strength;

receiving at the UE, a first wireless station location of the first wireless station;

receiving at the UE, a second wireless station location of the second wireless station;

receiving at the UE, a UE location of the UE;

determining at the UE, based at least in part on the UE location, the first wireless station location, the second wireless station location, the first signal strength, and the second signal strength, that a wireless communication between the UE and the second wireless station is to be established;

determining, at the UE, a navigation path of the UE;

initiating a wireless communication establishment between the second wireless station and the UE; and

wherein determining that the wireless communication is to be established between the UE and the second wireless station is to be established, is further based at least in part on the navigation path of the UE.

2. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, the acts further comprising:

transmitting to a wireless network provider at least one of the first signal strength, the second signal strength, the first wireless station location, the second wireless station location, or UE location.

3. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein determining that the wireless communication between the UE and the second wireless station is to be established, further includes:

determining that the first wireless station provides wireless coverage for a first portion of the navigation path at least at a minimum quality of service;

determining that the second wireless station provides wireless coverage for a second portion of the navigation path at least at the minimum quality of service; and

determining that UE will be located in the second portion of the navigation path for a longer period of time than the first portion of the navigation path.

4. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, the acts further comprising:

determining a current UE path indicating a path that has already been traversed by the UE;

determining, based at least in part on the current UE path, a UE trajectory indicating an anticipated trajectory of the UE; and

wherein determining that the wireless communication between the UE and the second wireless station is to be established, is further based at least in part on the UE trajectory.

5. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 4, wherein determining that the wireless communication between the UE and the second wireless station is to be established, further includes:

determining that the first wireless station provides wireless coverage for a first portion of the UE trajectory at least at a minimum quality of service;

determining that the second wireless station provides wireless coverage for a second portion of the UE trajectory at least at the minimum quality of service; and

determining that second portion is larger than the first portion.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 4, the acts further comprising:

determining an anticipated navigation path of the UE based on a stored path history that corresponds with current path of the UE, wherein the stored path history is representative of a recurring navigation path that is navigated by the UE on a recurring basis; and

wherein determining that the wireless communication between the UE and the second wireless station is to be established, further includes;

determining that the first wireless station provides wireless coverage for a first portion of the anticipated navigation path at least at a minimum quality of service;

determining that the second wireless station provides wireless coverage for a second portion of the anticipated navigation path at least at the minimum quality of service; and

determining that second portion is larger than the first portion.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 4, the acts further comprising:

determining an anticipated navigation path of the UE based on a stored path history that corresponds with a current path of the UE, wherein the stored path history is representative of a recurring navigation path that is navigated by the UE on a recurring basis; and

wherein determining that the wireless communication between the UE and the second wireless station is to be established, further includes;

determining that the first wireless station provides wireless coverage for a first portion of the anticipated navigation path at least at a minimum quality of service;

determining that the second wireless station provides wireless coverage for a second portion of the anticipated navigation path at least at the minimum quality of service; and

determining that the UE will be positioned within the first portion for a longer period of time than the UE will be positioned in the second portion.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein:

establishing a wireless communication is part of a handoff from the first wireless station to the second wireless station; and

initiating the handoff includes;

adjusting at least one of the first signal strength or the second signal strength; and

transmitting to a wireless network provider the adjusted at least one first signal strength or the second signal strength.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, the acts further comprising:

measuring at the UE, a third signal strength for a third wireless station, wherein the third signal strength is stronger than the second signal strength;

determining at the UE, a third wireless station location of the third wireless station; and

wherein establishing a wireless connection between the UE and the second wireless station includes;

reporting to a wireless network provider the second signal strength without reporting the third signal strength.

10. A method, comprising:

measuring at a user equipment (UE) a first signal strength of a first wireless station, wherein a wireless communication is active between the UE and first wireless station;

measuring at the UE, a second signal strength of a second wireless station;

measuring at the UE, a third signal strength of a third wireless station, wherein the second signal strength is stronger than the third signal strength;

determining at the UE, a first wireless station location of the first wireless station;

determining at the UE, a second wireless station location of the second wireless station;

determining at the UE, a third wireless station location of the third wireless station;

determining at the UE, a UE location;

determining at the UE, based at least in part on the UE location, the first wireless station location, the second wireless station location, the third wireless station location, the first signal strength, the second signal strength, and the third signal strength, that a handoff of the wireless communication from the first wireless station to the third wireless station is to be initiated;

initiating the handoff of the wireless communication from the first wireless station to the third wireless station;

determining a navigation path of the UE; and

wherein determining that the handoff of the wireless communication from the first wireless station to the third wireless station is to be initiated, is further based at least in part on the navigation path of the UE.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein:

the third wireless station location is a farther distance from the UE location than the second wireless station location.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the third wireless station provides at least a minimum signal quality level along a longer portion of the navigation path that is provided by the second wireless station.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the navigation path is a path from a source location to a destination location that has been determined at least in part by one or more of the UE, a first navigation application operating on the UE, or a second navigation application operating on a computing system in communication with the UE.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein determining that the handoff of the wireless communication from the first wireless station to the third wireless station is to be initiated, further includes:

determining that the third wireless station provides wireless coverage for a first portion of the navigation path at least at a minimum signal quality level;

determining that the second wireless station provides wireless coverage for a second portion of the navigation path at least at the minimum signal quality level; and

determining that the first portion is larger than the second portion.