System and method for transitioning to a vehicle network resource

• US 9,730,116 B2
• Filed: 06/26/2016
• Issued: 08/08/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Bradley, Bob, Rosario, Daniel De Rocha
• Primary Examiner(s): MILLER, BRANDON J
• Application Number:
  US15/193,078
• Publication Number:
  US 20160309371A1
• Time in Patent Office: 408 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0016 Hand-off preparation specially adapted for end-to-end data sessions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/24 Reselection being triggered by specific parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/26 by agreed or negotiated communication parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/12 using downlink control channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/005 Moving wireless networks

Abstract

Systems and methods for transitioning between networks are disclosed. A multifunction device detects a vehicle network advertisement beacon over a first communication channel. The vehicle network advertisement beacon indicates wireless network capabilities of a wireless networking device hosting a wireless network in a vehicle. Responsive to detecting the vehicle network beacon over the first communication channel, a handoff process for migrating the multifunction device from a first wireless network to the wireless network in the vehicle is performed.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

at a multifunction device;

communicating with a first wireless network provided by a fixed-location base station using a first communication protocol;

determining one or more capabilities of the first wireless network;

querying, over a first communication channel, one or more capabilities of a mobile wireless networking device hosting a mobile wireless network in a vehicle;

determining a set of conditions for transitioning the multifunction device from the first wireless network to the mobile wireless network in the vehicle;

responsive to an occurrence of one or more of the set of conditions, performing a handoff process for migrating the multifunction device from the first wireless network to the mobile wireless network in the vehicle; and

communicating with the mobile wireless network in the vehicle using the first communication protocol.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein performing the handoff process for migrating the multifunction device from the first wireless network in the vehicle further comprises:

querying entitlements of a set of other multifunction devices in the vehicle;

determining a set of conditions for allocating one or more resources of the vehicle; and

responsive to an occurrence of one or more of the set of conditions for allocating the one or more resources of the vehicle, allocating the one or more resources of the vehicle.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the allocating the one or more resources of the vehicle comprises allocating:

one or more view screens;

one or more speakers;

or

an external network antenna.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the first wireless network is a first wireless local area network;

the mobile wireless network is a second wireless local area network; and

the first communication protocol is an 802.11 protocol.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the authentication information comprises:

a personal identification number (PIN);

or

a quick response (QR) code.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the one or more resources of the vehicle comprise one or more human interface devices.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein performing the handoff process for migrating the multifunction device from the first wireless network to the wireless network in the vehicle further comprises:

providing authentication information for verifying the multifunction device as an authorized user of the wireless networking device hosting a wireless network in the vehicle; and

automatically establishing communication with resources of the vehicle over the wireless network in the vehicle without user intervention.

8. A multifunction device, comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more memories storing instructions executable on the one or more processors to perform;

communicate with a first wireless network provided by a fixed-location base station using a first communication protocol;

determine one or more capabilities of the first wireless network;

query, over a first communication channel, one or more capabilities of a mobile wireless networking device hosting a mobile wireless network in a vehicle;

determine a set of conditions for transitioning the multifunction device from the first wireless network to the mobile wireless network in the vehicle;

responsive to an occurrence of one or more of the set of conditions, perform a handoff process for migrating the multifunction device from the first wireless network to the wireless network in the vehicle; and

communicate with the wireless network in the vehicle using the first communication protocol.

9. The multifunction device of claim 8, wherein the instructions executable on the one or more processors to perform the handoff process for migrating the multifunction device from the first wireless network to the wireless network in the vehicle further comprise instructions executable on the one or more processors to:

query entitlements of a set of other multifunction devices in the vehicle;

determine a set of conditions for allocating one or more resources of the vehicle; and

responsive to an occurrence of one or more of the set of conditions for allocating the one or more resources of the vehicle, allocate the one or more resources of the vehicle.

10. The multifunction device of claim 9, wherein the instructions executable on the one or more processors to allocate the one or more resources of the vehicle comprise instructions executable on the one or more processors to allocate:

one or more view screens;

one or more speakers;

or

an external network antenna.

11. The multifunction device of claim 8, wherein the instructions executable on the one or more processors to perform the handoff process for migrating the multifunction device from the first wireless network to the wireless network in the vehicle further comprise instructions executable on the one or more processors to:

provide authentication information for verifying the multifunction device as an authorized user of the wireless networking device hosting a wireless network in the vehicle; and

automatically establish communication with resources of the vehicle over the wireless network in the vehicle without user intervention.

12. The multifunction device of claim 11, wherein the authentication information comprises:

a personal identification number (PIN);

or

a quick response (QR) code.

13. The multifunction device of claim 11, wherein the one or more resources of the vehicle comprise one or more human interface devices.

14. The multifunction device of claim 8, wherein:

the first wireless network is a first wireless local area network;

the mobile wireless network is a second wireless local area network; and

the first communication protocol is an 802.11 protocol.

15. A non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium, storing program instructions executable on a computer to implement:

communicating with a first wireless network provided by a fixed-location base station using a first communication protocol;

determining one or more capabilities of the first wireless network;

querying, over a first communication channel, one or more capabilities of a mobile wireless networking device hosting a mobile wireless network in a vehicle;

determining a set of conditions for transitioning the multifunction device from the first wireless network to the mobile wireless network in the vehicle; and

responsive to an occurrence of one or more of the set of conditions, performing a handoff process for migrating the multifunction device from the first wireless network to the wireless network in the vehicle; and

communicating with the wireless network in the vehicle using the first communication protocol.

16. The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the program instructions executable on the computer to implement performing the handoff process for migrating the multifunction device from the first wireless network to the wireless network in the vehicle further comprise program instructions executable on the computer to implement:

querying entitlements of a set of other multifunction devices in the vehicle;

determining a set of conditions for allocating one or more resources of the vehicle; and

responsive to an occurrence of one or more of the set of conditions for allocating the one or more resources of the vehicle, allocating the one or more resources of the vehicle.

17. The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the program instructions executable on the computer to implement allocating the one or more resources of the vehicle comprise program instructions executable on the computer to implement allocating:

one or more view screens;

one or more speakers;

or

an external network antenna.

18. The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the program instructions executable on the computer to implement performing the handoff process for migrating the multifunction device from the first wireless network to the wireless network in the vehicle further comprise program instructions executable on the computer to implement:

providing authentication information for verifying the multifunction device as an authorized user of the wireless networking device hosting a wireless network in the vehicle; and

automatically establishing communication with resources of the vehicle over the wireless network in the vehicle without user intervention.

19. The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the authentication information comprises:

a personal identification number (PIN);

or

a quick response (QR) code.

20. The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the one or more resources of the vehicle comprise one or more human interface devices.