Location based mode switching for dual mode mobile terminals
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for controlling mode switching between local wireless and cellular modes of a mobile terminal, the method carried out in and automatically by the mobile terminal and comprising:
- obtaining a determination of a current location of the mobile terminal;
obtaining a determination of a current operating mode of the mobile terminal;
obtaining at behest of the mobile terminal and from a mode switching information service that is at least partially outside the mobile terminal, mode switching information whose content is at least partly based on the determined current location and on the determined current operating mode of the mobile terminal, the obtained mode switching information comprising one or more indications of power thresholds for received signals at which handover to another operating mode is to be made allowable based on the determined current location and based on the determined current operating mode; and
switching between a local wireless mode and a cellular mode based on the obtained mode switching information and on repeated measuring of power levels of received signals at the determined current location;
wherein the obtained mode switching information further includes an indication of how often said obtaining of the determination of current location is to be carried out and the mobile terminal obtains the determination of the current location accordingly.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides a dual mode mobile terminal that is capable of supporting both cellular and local wireless communications. The mobile terminal operates to determine when to switch between local wireless communication and cellular modes. To determine when to switch between local wireless and cellular modes, the mobile terminal determines its current location, uses the current location to obtain mode switching information, and switches modes as necessary based on the mode switching information.
-
Citations
24 Claims
-
1. A method for controlling mode switching between local wireless and cellular modes of a mobile terminal, the method carried out in and automatically by the mobile terminal and comprising:
-
obtaining a determination of a current location of the mobile terminal; obtaining a determination of a current operating mode of the mobile terminal; obtaining at behest of the mobile terminal and from a mode switching information service that is at least partially outside the mobile terminal, mode switching information whose content is at least partly based on the determined current location and on the determined current operating mode of the mobile terminal, the obtained mode switching information comprising one or more indications of power thresholds for received signals at which handover to another operating mode is to be made allowable based on the determined current location and based on the determined current operating mode; and switching between a local wireless mode and a cellular mode based on the obtained mode switching information and on repeated measuring of power levels of received signals at the determined current location; wherein the obtained mode switching information further includes an indication of how often said obtaining of the determination of current location is to be carried out and the mobile terminal obtains the determination of the current location accordingly. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
-
-
16. A mobile terminal comprising:
-
at least one wireless communication interface adapted to facilitate local wireless communications in a local wireless mode of the mobile terminal and cellular communications in a cellular mode of the mobile terminal; and a control system associated with the at least one wireless communication interface and adapted to automatically; obtain a determination of a current location for the mobile terminal; obtain a determination of a current operating mode for the mobile terminal; obtain at behest of the mobile terminal and from a mode switching information service that is at least partially outside the mobile terminal, mode switching information that is a function of the obtained determination of the current location and a function of the obtained determination of the current operating mode of the mobile terminal, the mode switching information comprising one or more indications of power thresholds for received signals at which handover to another operating mode is to be made allowable; and switch the mobile terminal between a local wireless mode thereof and a cellular mode thereof based on the obtained mode switching information and on repeated measuring of power levels of received signals at the determined current location; wherein the obtained mode switching information further includes an indication of how often said obtaining of the determination of current location is to be carried out and the control system is configured to obtain the determination of the current location accordingly. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
-
-
24. A method for controlling mode switching by a wireless mobile terminal between a local wireless mode and a cellular mode of the mobile terminal, the method comprising:
-
automatically repeatedly obtaining a determination of a current location for the mobile terminal; obtaining a determination of a current operating mode for the mobile terminal; automatically repeatedly obtaining at behest of the mobile terminal and from a mode switching information service that is at least partially outside the mobile terminal, mode switching information based on the determined current location and based on the determined current operating mode of the mobile terminal, the obtained mode switching information identifying one or more power thresholds for received signals at which handover to another operating mode is to be made allowable, the obtained mode switching information further identifying a utilized update rate for at least one of said automatically repeated obtaining of the determination of the current location and said automatically repeated obtaining of the mode switching information; and automatically switching between a local wireless mode and a cellular mode in accordance with the automatically repeatedly obtaining mode switching information.
-
Specification