Systems and methods for directing mobile device connectivity

• US 9,930,592 B2
• Filed: 02/18/2014
• Issued: 03/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mimosa Networks, Inc. (Airspan Networks Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Mimosa Networks, Inc. (Airspan Networks Inc.)
• Inventors: Hinman, Brian L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mapa, Michael
• Application Number:
  US14/183,375
• Publication Number:
  US 20140235244A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,498 Days
• Field of Search: 4552381, 4554351-444, 4554561-457, 370331
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/14 Reselecting a network or an air interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/1446 wherein at least one of the networks is unlicensed
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided herein for selecting networks for a mobile communications device. Methods for selecting a network connection for a mobile communications device may include receiving signals that comprise location information of the mobile communications device and selecting a first network type or a second network type for the mobile communications device based upon a magnitude of movement of the mobile communications device determined from the location information, the first network type comprising a network that is capable of handing off active sessions for the mobile communications device, the second network type comprising a network that having a reduced capacity or no capacity to hand off active sessions for the mobile communications device.

Claims

1. A method for selecting a network connection for a mobile communications device, the method comprising:

establishing a predetermined minimum velocity, a minimum signal strength for a first network type, and a minimum signal strength for a second network type;

determining when a session type of an active session of the mobile communications device is data intensive;

inferring a magnitude of movement of the mobile communications device based on a comparison of time stamps or time frame data associated with each location based signal generated by the mobile communications device;

selecting, by the mobile communications device, the first network type for the mobile communications device when the magnitude of movement of the mobile communications device is above the predetermined minimum velocity, the first network type comprising a network that is capable of handing off the active session for the mobile communications device, the first network type also being selected so long as a signal strength of the first network type is determined by the mobile communications device to be greater than the minimum signal strength for the first network type, and no other available network has a higher available bandwidth when the session type of the active session is data intensive; and

transferring the active session onto the second network type when the magnitude of the movement of the mobile communications devices is below the predetermined minimum velocity and the second network type has a signal strength that is greater than the minimum signal strength for the second network type, the second network type comprising a network having a reduced capacity or no capacity to hand off active sessions for the mobile communications device, the active session being transferred when the session type of the active session is data intensive and the second network type has a higher available bandwidth than any other available network.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising estimating the magnitude of movement of the mobile communications device by:

comparing the magnitude of the movement of the mobile communications device to a velocity threshold;

when the magnitude of the movement meets or exceeds the velocity threshold the method includes outputting a signal that specifies that the mobile communications device is to use the first network type; and

when the magnitude of the movement does not meet or exceed the velocity threshold the method includes outputting a signal that specifies that the mobile communications device is to use the second network type.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the second network type includes at least one of an ad-hoc network, a microcell, a femtocell, and a WiFi network.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the second network type comprises a microcell network established by a second communications device, the mobile communications device being coupled with the second communications device as a proxy to use the microcell network.

5. A method for selecting a network connection for a mobile communications device, the method comprising:

receiving signals that comprise location information of the mobile communications device;

inferring a magnitude of movement of the mobile communications device based on a comparison of time stamps or time frame data associated with each location based signal generated by the mobile communications device;

determining a signal strength for each of a first network type and a second network type;

based upon the magnitude of the movement of the mobile communications device and the signal strength, dividing voice sessions and data sessions for the mobile communications device between the first network type and the second network type, the data sessions comprising data intensive sessions including media streaming and Internet browsing, the first network type comprising a network that is capable of handing off active sessions for the mobile communications device, the first network type receiving the data sessions, the second network type comprising a network having a reduced capacity or no capacity to hand off active sessions for the mobile communications device, the second network type receiving the voice sessions;

merging the voice sessions back onto the first network type when the magnitude of the movement of the mobile communications device increases above a velocity threshold; and

re-dividing the voice and data sessions between the first and second network types when the movement of the mobile communications device falls below the velocity threshold.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein inferring comprises comparing the magnitude of the movement of the mobile communications device to the velocity threshold.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising merging the active sessions onto the first network type when the signal strength of the second network type falls below a signal threshold.

8. The method according to claim 6, wherein the second network type includes at least one of an ad-hoc network, a microcell, a femtocell, and a WiFi network.

9. A method, comprising:

receiving a first signal from a first network transmitter, the first signal including an indication of a first strength of the first signal;

receiving a second signal from a second network transmitter, the second signal including an indication of a second strength of the second signal;

inferring a magnitude of movement of a mobile communications device based on a comparison of time stamps or time frame data associated with each location based signal generated by the mobile communications device;

selecting one of a first network type and a second network type for one of data and voice transmissions based on the magnitude of movement of the mobile communications device, the first strength of the first signal, and the second strength of the second signal; and

merging active data and voice sessions onto the first network type when the magnitude of the movement of the mobile communications device increases above a velocity threshold and the first strength of the first signal is above a minimum signal strength.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:

comparing the magnitude of the movement of the mobile communications device to the velocity threshold;

when the magnitude of the movement meets or exceeds the velocity threshold the method includes outputting a signal that specifies that the mobile communications device is to use the first network type; and

when the magnitude of the movement does not meet or exceed the velocity threshold the method includes outputting a signal that specifies that the mobile communications device is to use the second network type.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the first network type includes a macro-cell network and the second network type includes at least one of an ad-hoc network, a microcell, a femtocell, and a WiFi network.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein based upon the magnitude of the movement of the mobile communications device, the method comprises dividing voice sessions and data sessions for the mobile communications device between the first network type and the second network type.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein when the voice sessions are placed onto the second network type the data sessions are placed onto the first network type.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the second network type comprises a microcell network established by a second communications device, the mobile communications device being coupled with the second communications device as a proxy to use the microcell network.

15. A mobile communications device, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory for storing executable instructions, the instructions being executed by the processor to;

receive signals that comprise location information of the mobile communications device;

infer a magnitude of movement of the mobile communications device based on a comparison of time stamps or time frame data associated with each instance of the location information generated by the mobile communications device;

receive instructions from a remote server to select a first network type or a second network type for the mobile communications device based upon the magnitude of movement of the mobile communications device, the first network type comprising a network that is capable of handing off active sessions for the mobile communications device, the second network type comprising a network having a reduced capacity or no capacity to hand off active sessions for the mobile communications device;

determine that the network type selected by the remote server has a signal strength that is not greater than a minimum signal strength;

reject the instructions from the remote server and select either the first network type or the second network type when the first network type or the second network type has a signal strength that is greater than the minimum signal strength;

determine when a session type of an active session of the mobile communications device is data intensive; and

select either the first network type or the second network type, whichever has a higher available bandwidth, when the session type of the active session is data intensive.