System and Method for Facilitating Accelerated Network Selection Using a Weighted Network List

• US 20070268877A1
• Filed: 05/18/2007
• Published: 11/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Buckley, Adrian, Crowley, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 8,010,105 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service

Abstract

A scheme for facilitating accelerated network selection by a wireless user equipment (UE) device. In one exemplary embodiment, prior to performing a full band scan, the wireless UE device is operable to interrogate a list of networks with which the wireless UE device has registered at least once in a given period of time, wherein a network availability likelihood score may be associated with each of the list of networks. A particular network is selected from the list of networks based on its network availability likelihood score.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating accelerated network selection by a wireless user equipment (UE) device, comprising:

prior to performing a full band scan, interrogating a list of networks with which said wireless UE device has registered at least once in a given period of time;

determining a network availability likelihood score associated with each of said list of networks; and

selecting a network from said list of networks based on its network availability likelihood score.

2. The method for facilitating accelerated network selection by a wireless UE device as recited in claim 1, wherein said selecting is performed as part of an initial scan procedure.

3. The method for facilitating accelerated network selection by a wireless UE device as recited in claim 1, wherein said selecting is performed after losing coverage of a network with which said wireless UE device was previously registered and said wireless UE device is powered back up.

4. The method for facilitating accelerated network selection by a wireless UE device as recited in claim 1, further comprising scanning in a frequency band associated with said network selected from said list of networks.

5. The method for facilitating accelerated network selection by a wireless UE device as recited in claim 1, wherein said list of networks includes a network that is operable with at least one of IEEE 802.11b standard, IEEE 802.11a standard, IEEE 802.11 g standard, IEEE 802.11n standard, HiperLan standard, HiperLan II standard, Wi-Max standard, OpenAir standard, and Bluetooth standard.

6. The method for facilitating accelerated network selection by a wireless UE device as recited in claim 1, wherein said list of networks includes at least one of a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) network, an Enhanced Data Rates for Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) Evolution (EDGE) network, a 3^rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP)-compliant network, an Integrated Digital Enhanced Network (IDEN), a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) network, a Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) network, a 3GPP2 network, and a Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) network.

7. The method for facilitating accelerated network selection by a wireless UE device as recited in claim 1, wherein said list of networks is provided as part of a Universal Subscriber Identity Module (USIM) card, Removable User Identity Module (RUIM) card, a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card, a compact Flash card, a Secure Digital (SD) card, or a memory circuit integrated within said wireless UE device.

8. The method for facilitating accelerated network selection by a wireless UE device as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

if multiple networks are determined to have identical network availability likelihood scores, choosing a particular network for service based on a priority parameter.

9. The method for facilitating accelerated network selection by a wireless UE device as recited in claim 1, wherein said list of networks is populated based on where said wireless UE device was last powered off.

10. A method of assigning values to networks in a list of networks operable for connecting a wireless user equipment (UE) device, comprising:

determining an array of data values corresponding to at least one prior connection attempt of said wireless UE device to a particular network, if said wireless UE device has previously attempted to connect to said particular network; and

determining a network availability likelihood score for said particular network based upon said array of data values.

11. The method of assigning values to networks in a list of networks as recited in claim 10, wherein said determining a network availability likelihood score for said particular network further includes determining a function of (a) a weighting factors array and (b) said array of data values.

12. The method of assigning values to networks in a list of networks as recited in claim 11, wherein determining said function includes at least one of (a) multiplying a connections count, corresponding to a number of prior connections of said wireless UE device with said particular network, by a connections count weighting factor of said weighting factors array;

(b) multiplying a minutes count, corresponding to a total duration of prior connections of said wireless UE device with said particular network, by a minutes count weighting factor of said weighting factors array; and

(c) multiplying a time lapse value, corresponding to an amount of elapsed time since at least one time stamp of at least one prior connection of said wireless UE device with said particular network, by a time lapse weighting factor of said weighting factors array.

13. The method of assigning values to networks in a list of networks as recited in claim 12, further comprising adjusting at least one weighting factor of said weighting factors array such that said particular network is more likely to be selected upon a subsequent connection attempt.

14. The method of assigning values to networks in a list of networks as recited in claim 12, further comprising at least one of:

updating said connections count corresponding to said particular network;

updating said minutes count corresponding to said particular network; and

appending said time stamp to a list of time stamps corresponding to said particular network.

15. The method of assigning values to networks in a list of networks as recited in claim 10, further comprising determining a network availability likelihood score associated with each network of said list of networks for rearranging said list of networks in an order based on said network availability likelihood score.

16. The method of assigning values to networks in a list of networks as recited in claim 15, further comprising:

iteratively attempting a connection to each network of said list of networks in accordance with said network availability likelihood scores until a connection attempt is successful;

updating said array of data values corresponding to a selected network for which said connection attempt is successful; and

updating said weighting factors array.

17. A wireless user equipment (UE) device, comprising:

a storage module operative to contain;

(a) a weighting factors array, each weighting factor of said weighting factors array being associated with a data type;

(b) a list of networks; and

(c) for each network of said list of networks, an array of data values including a data value of each data type; and

a computation module operative to determine a network availability likelihood score of a selected network, of said list of networks, based upon said array of data values corresponding thereto and said weighting factors.

18. The wireless UE device as recited in claim 17, further comprising an update module operative to update said weighting factors array based on history of connections by said wireless UE device with one or more networks of said list of networks.

19. The wireless UE device as recited in claim 17, wherein said array of data values corresponding to the selected network includes at least one of:

(a) a connections count, corresponding to a number of prior connections of said wireless UE device and a selected network;

(b) a minutes count, corresponding to a total duration of prior connections of said wireless UE device and a selected network; and

(c) a time lapse value, corresponding to an amount of elapsed time since at least one prior connection of said wireless UE device and a selected network.

20. The wireless UE device as recited in claim 17, further comprising means for manipulating a scanning order sequence based on said network availability likelihood scores associated with said list of networks.

21. The wireless UE device as recited in claim 17, wherein said storage module comprises a removable module.

22. The wireless UE device as recited in claim 17, wherein said storage module comprises a memory circuit integrated within said wireless UE device.