Determining network availability based on geographical location
First Claim
1. A mobile terminal for use in a communication system comprising a packet-based network and a plurality of wireless local area networks providing access to the packet-based network, the mobile terminal comprising:
- a positioning module arranged to determine a geographical location of the mobile terminal;
a local transceiver for connecting to the wireless local area networks; and
processing apparatus coupled to the local transceiver and positioning system, operable to communicate with the packet-based network by forming connections with the wireless local area networks using the local transceiver, the processing apparatus configured to;
control activation of the local transceiver to scan for subsequent availability of one or more of the wireless local area networks, in dependence on one or more measures of connection quality and associated geographical locations in a database relative to the geographical location of the mobile terminal as determined by the positioning module;
select a wireless local area network from the one or more wireless local area networks based on price information associated with individual ones of the one or more wireless networks; and
determine measures of connection quality experienced by the mobile terminal on one or more of the connections and record the determined measures in the database, associating the determined measures of connection quality with one or more geographical locations.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A mobile terminal comprising: a positioning module arranged to determine a geographical location of the mobile terminal; a local transceiver for connecting to local wireless access networks; and processing apparatus for communicating with a first, packet-based network by forming connections with the wireless local area networks using the local transceiver. The processing apparatus is configured to determine measures of connection quality experienced by the mobile terminal on ones of the connections, and to record the determined measures in a database associating measures of connection quality with geographical locations. The processing apparatus is further configured to control activation of the local transceiver to scan for subsequent availability of one or more of the wireless local area networks, in dependence on one or more of the measures of connection quality and associated geographical locations in the database relative to the geographical location of the mobile terminal as determined by the positioning module.
-
Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A mobile terminal for use in a communication system comprising a packet-based network and a plurality of wireless local area networks providing access to the packet-based network, the mobile terminal comprising:
-
a positioning module arranged to determine a geographical location of the mobile terminal; a local transceiver for connecting to the wireless local area networks; and processing apparatus coupled to the local transceiver and positioning system, operable to communicate with the packet-based network by forming connections with the wireless local area networks using the local transceiver, the processing apparatus configured to; control activation of the local transceiver to scan for subsequent availability of one or more of the wireless local area networks, in dependence on one or more measures of connection quality and associated geographical locations in a database relative to the geographical location of the mobile terminal as determined by the positioning module; select a wireless local area network from the one or more wireless local area networks based on price information associated with individual ones of the one or more wireless networks; and determine measures of connection quality experienced by the mobile terminal on one or more of the connections and record the determined measures in the database, associating the determined measures of connection quality with one or more geographical locations. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. A mobile terminal for use in a communication system comprising a packet-based network and a plurality of wireless local area networks providing access to the packet-based network, the mobile terminal comprising:
-
a positioning module arranged to determine a geographical location of the mobile terminal; a local transceiver for connecting to the wireless local area networks; and processing apparatus coupled to the local transceiver and positioning system, operable to communicate with the packet-based network by forming connections with the wireless local area networks using the local transceiver, the processing apparatus configured to; control activation of the local transceiver to scan for subsequent availability of one or more of the wireless local area networks, in dependence on one or more measures of connection quality and associated geographical locations in a database relative to the geographical location of the mobile terminal as determined by the positioning module, the geographical locations in the database comprising locations measured by multiple mobile terminals; select a wireless local area network from the one or more wireless local area networks based on a time of day; and record the geographical location of the mobile terminal and one or more measures of connection quality in the database. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
-
18. A method comprising:
-
determining a current geographical location of a mobile terminal using a positioning system of the mobile terminal; communicating between a local transceiver of the mobile terminal and a network by forming connections with one or more wireless local area networks; controlling activation of the local transceiver to scan for subsequent availability of the one or more wireless local area networks in dependence on one or more measures of connection quality and associated geographical locations in a database relative to the current geographical location of the mobile terminal, the geographical locations in the database comprising locations measured by multiple mobile terminals; selecting a wireless local area network from the one or more wireless local area networks based on price information associated with individual ones of the one or more wireless networks and connecting to the selected network; and recording the geographical location of the mobile terminal and one or more measures of connection quality in the database. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
-
Specification