WiFi enable based on cell signals
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A wireless device, comprising:
- a WiFi transceiver;
a wireless wide area network (WWAN) transceiver;
a programmed processor, communicatively coupled to the WiFi transceiver and the WWAN transceiver, the processor being configured for;
connecting the WiFi transceiver to a WiFi access point;
while the WiFi transceiver is connected to the WiFi access point, operating in a learning mode in which a plurality of WWAN cells are characterized at a location of the WiFi access point, each of the plurality stored as a table entry in an access point characterization table, the table entry for each of the plurality of WWAN cells comprising a minimum signal strength value and a maximum signal strength value;
determining that the connection with the WiFi access point has been lost;
upon determining that the connection with the WiFi access point has been lost, operating in a monitoring mode, in which WWAN signals are compared to the table entries stored in the access point characterization table, and in which the WiFi transceiver is disabled;
determining that the WWAN signals from at least some of the WWAN cells match the WiFi access point characterization table, the match comprising detecting a transmission from a WWAN cell that has a signal strength value between the minimum signal strength value and the maximum signal strength value in the respective table entry for the WWAN cell; and
upon determining that the WWAN signals from at least some of the WWAN cells match the WiFi access point characterization, enabling the WiFi transceiver and reconnecting to the WiFi access point.
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Abstract
A wireless device has a WiFi transceiver and a WWAN transceiver. A programmed processor is configured to connect the WiFi transceiver to an access point and while connected, operate in a learning mode in which WWAN signals are characterized at a location of the WiFi access point and stored as an access point characterization. When a connection to the AP is lost, operating in a monitoring mode in which WWAN signals are compared to the stored access point characterization with the WiFi transceiver disabled. When the WWAN signals match the WiFi AP characterization the WiFi transceiver is enabled to reconnect to a WiFi AP.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A wireless device, comprising:
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a WiFi transceiver; a wireless wide area network (WWAN) transceiver; a programmed processor, communicatively coupled to the WiFi transceiver and the WWAN transceiver, the processor being configured for; connecting the WiFi transceiver to a WiFi access point; while the WiFi transceiver is connected to the WiFi access point, operating in a learning mode in which a plurality of WWAN cells are characterized at a location of the WiFi access point, each of the plurality stored as a table entry in an access point characterization table, the table entry for each of the plurality of WWAN cells comprising a minimum signal strength value and a maximum signal strength value; determining that the connection with the WiFi access point has been lost; upon determining that the connection with the WiFi access point has been lost, operating in a monitoring mode, in which WWAN signals are compared to the table entries stored in the access point characterization table, and in which the WiFi transceiver is disabled; determining that the WWAN signals from at least some of the WWAN cells match the WiFi access point characterization table, the match comprising detecting a transmission from a WWAN cell that has a signal strength value between the minimum signal strength value and the maximum signal strength value in the respective table entry for the WWAN cell; and upon determining that the WWAN signals from at least some of the WWAN cells match the WiFi access point characterization, enabling the WiFi transceiver and reconnecting to the WiFi access point. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method, carried out at a WiFi and WWAN capable device, comprising:
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connecting a WiFi transceiver to a WiFi access point; while the WiFi transceiver is connected to the WiFi access point, operating the device in a learning mode in which a plurality of WWAN cells are characterized at a location of the WiFi access point, each of the plurality stored as a table entry in a WiFi access point characterization table, the table entry for each of the plurality of WWAN cells comprising a minimum signal strength value and a maximum signal strength value; determining that the WiFi transceiver has lost connection with the WiFi access point; upon determining that the WiFi transceiver has lost connection with the WiFi access point, operating the device in a monitoring mode, in which WWAN signals are compared to the table entries stored in the WiFi access point characterization table, and in which the WiFi transceiver is disabled; determining that the WWAN signals from at least some of the WWAN cells match the WiFi access point characterization table, the match comprising detecting a transmission from a WWAN cell that has a signal strength value between the minimum signal strength value and the maximum signal strength value in the respective table entry for the WWAN cell; and upon determining that the WWAN signals from at least some of the WWAN cells match the WiFi access point characterization, enabling the WiFi transceiver and connecting to the WiFi access point. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A non-transitory computer readable storage device storing instructions that when executed by one or more programmed processors, carries out a process comprising:
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connecting a WiFi transceiver of a wireless device to a WiFi access point; while the WiFi transceiver is connected to the WiFi access point, operating the wireless device in a learning mode in which a plurality of WWAN cells are characterized at a location of the WiFi access point, each of the plurality stored as a table entry in a WiFi access point characterization table, the table entry for each of the plurality of WWAN cells comprising a minimum signal strength value and a maximum signal strength value; determining that the WiFi transceiver has lost connection with the WiFi access point; upon determining that the WiFi transceiver has lost connection with the WiFi access point, operating the wireless device in a monitoring mode, in which WWAN signals are compared to the table entries stored in the WiFi access point characterization table, and in which the WiFi transceiver is disabled; determining that the WWAN signals from at least some of the WWAN cells match the WiFi access point characterization table, the match comprising detecting a transmission from a WWAN cell that has a signal strength value between the minimum signal strength value and the maximum signal strength value in the respective table entry for the WWAN cell; and upon determining that the WWAN signals from at least some of the WWAN cells match the WiFi access point characterization, enabling the WiFi transceiver and connecting to the WiFi access point. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification