Method of intelligent roaming using network information

• US 6,223,042 B1
• Filed: 06/26/1997
• Issued: 04/24/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Wireless Services Incorporated (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Raffel, Michael Allen
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Lee
• Application Number:
  US08/883,111
• Time in Patent Office: 1,398 Days
• Field of Search: 455/422, 455/432, 455/433, 455/434, 455/435, 455/62, 455/455, 455/456, 455/516, 455/161.1
• US Class Current: 455/455
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/00 Affiliation to network, e.g. registration; Terminating affiliation with the network, e.g. de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/04 using triggered events
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/205 Transfer to or from user equipment or user record carrier

Abstract

A wireless communication device identifies a preferable wireless service provider in a multi-service provider environment using a search schedule based on information gathered by the wireless telecommunications network. The information may be related to prior registrations of the said devices or of other devices. The information may be used to establish the last location of the said device to within a cell and to project the likely location of the device when next powered up. Based on this information, an optimal search schedule may be designed, either in the network or outside of the network, and used by the device on the next power-up. The information or the search schedule may be downloaded to the device either over the air or manually. Additionally, the user may transmit to the network specific information on the user'"'"'s next location and that information may be combined with other information gathered by the network in the design of a new search schedule for the next power-up of the device. The information or search schedule provided to the device may be changed dynamically to reflect changes in the location of the device or in prior usage history.

Claims

1. A method for determining a selection of a particular operating frequency band from among a plurality of available operating frequency bands in a frequency band search schedule comprising a plurality of items listed in a predetermined order, the frequency band search schedule being used by a wireless communication device operating on a wireless communication network in a multi-service provider environment, comprising:

a) predicting a future location of the wireless communication device based on information gathered by the network; and

thereafter

b) establishing a frequency band search schedule using the predicted future location.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the future location is predicted based on registrations made by the wireless communication device with the network.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the future location is predicted based on registrations with the network made by wireless communication devices other than the wireless communication device.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the future location is predicted based on registrations with the network made by the wireless communication device and by wireless communication devices other than the wireless communication device.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the items in the frequency band search schedule are selected from the group comprising of frequencies, SOCs and SIDs.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the information includes the location of the wireless communication device during a last registration.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the information includes an identification of a service provider that completed a last call made by the wireless communication device.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the information includes the frequency band used during a last call made by the wireless communication device.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising downloading the frequency band search schedule from the wireless communication network to the wireless communication device and storing the frequency band search schedule in the wireless communication device.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the frequency band search schedule is downloaded manually.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the frequency band search schedule is downloaded over the air.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising designing the frequency band search schedule in the network.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising downloading the frequency band search schedule from the wireless communication network to the wireless communication device.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising downloading the frequency band search schedule from the wireless communication network to the wireless communication device over-the-air.

15. The method of claim 13 further comprising downloading the frequency band search schedule from the wireless communication network to the wireless communication device manually.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the frequency band search schedule is designed outside of the wireless communication network.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the frequency band search schedule is designed in the wireless communication device.

18. The method of claim 1, 12, 16 or 17 further comprising storing the frequency band search schedule in the wireless communication device.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein the information includes location information provided by the user of the wireless communication device.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the location information provided by the user of the wireless communication device overrides the frequency band search schedule based on the predicted future location of the wireless communication device.

21. The method of claim 1, further comprising removing at least one frequency band from the plurality of frequency bands in the frequency band search schedule based on the predicted future location of the wireless communication device.

22. A wireless communication network that provides service to a plurality of wireless communication devices in a multi-service provider environment and determines a frequency band search schedule for selecting a particular frequency band from among a plurality of available frequency bands, the wireless communication network comprising:

a memory that gathers usage information from the network related to usage of the wireless communication devices; and

a processor that predicts a future location of at least one wireless communication device based on the usage information from the network, and thereafter establishes, for at least one wireless communication device, a frequency band search schedule using the predicted future location of the at least one wireless communication device.

23. A wireless communication device operating in a wireless communication network and locating a wireless service provider in a multi-service provider environment, comprising:

a memory for storing a frequency band search schedule comprising a prioritized list of a plurality of frequency bands; and

a processor for predicting a future location of the wireless communication device based on information gathered by the network and thereafter establishing a frequency band search schedule using the predicted future location of the wireless communication device, the processor examining the frequency band search schedule to select a particular frequency band from the plurality of frequency bands.

24. A recording medium that stores a control program for use by a wireless communication device operating on a wireless communication network in a multi-service provider environment, the control program including instructions for:

selecting a particular frequency band from among a plurality of available frequency bands listed in a prioritized order in a frequency band search schedule; and

predicting a future location of the wireless communication device based on information gathered by the network and thereafter establishing a frequency band search schedule using the predicted future location of the wireless communication device.

25. A method for determining a selection of a particular operating frequency from among a plurality of available operating frequencies in a frequency search schedule comprising a plurality of items listed in a predetermined order, the frequency search schedule being used by a wireless communication device operating on a wireless communication network in a multi-service provider environment, comprising:

a) predicting a future location of the wireless communication based on information gathered by the network; and

thereafter

b) establishing the frequency search schedule using the predicted future location.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the future location is predicted based on registrations made by the wireless communication device with the network.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the future location is predicted based on registrations with the network made by wireless communication devices other than the wireless communication device.

28. The method of claim 25 wherein the future location is predicted based on registrations with the network made by the wireless communication device and by wireless communication devices other than the wireless communication device.

29. The method of claim 25, wherein the items in the frequency search schedule are selected from the group comprising of frequencies, SOCs and SIDs.

30. The method of claim 25, wherein the information includes the location of the wireless communication device during a last registration.

31. The method of claim 25, wherein the information includes an identification of a service provider that completed a last call made by the wireless communication device.

32. The method of claim 25 wherein the information includes the frequency used during a last call made by the wireless communication device.

33. The method of claim 25 further comprising downloading the frequency search schedule from the wireless communication network to the wireless communication device and storing the frequency search schedule in the wireless communication device.

34. The method of claim 33 wherein the frequency search schedule is downloaded manually.

35. The method of claim 33 wherein the frequency search schedule is downloaded over the air.

36. The method of claim 25 further comprising designing the frequency search schedule in the network.

37. The method of claim 36 further comprising downloading the frequency search schedule from the wireless communication network to the wireless communication device.

38. The method of claim 37 further comprising downloading the frequency search schedule from the wireless communication network to the wireless communication device over the air.

39. The method of claim 37 further comprising downloading the frequency search schedule from the wireless communication network to the wireless communication device manually.

40. The method of claim 25 wherein the frequency search schedule is designed outside of the wireless communication network.

41. The method of claim 25 wherein the frequency search schedule is designed in the wireless communication device.

42. The method of claim 25 further comprising storing the frequency search schedule in the wireless communication device.

43. The method of claim 25 wherein the information includes location information provided by the user of the wireless communication device.

44. The method of claim 43 wherein the location information provided by the user of the wireless communication device overrides the frequency search schedule based on the predicted future location of the wireless communication device.

45. The method of claim 25, further comprising removing at least one frequency from the plurality of frequencies in the frequency search schedule based on the predicted future location of the wireless communication device.

46. A wireless communication network that provides service to a plurality of wireless communication devices in a multi-service provider environment and determines a frequency search schedule for selecting a particular frequency from among a plurality of available frequencies, the wireless communication network comprising:

a memory that gathers usage information from the network related to usage of the wireless communication devices; and

a processor that predicts a future location of at least one wireless communication device based on the usage information from the network, and thereafter establishes, for at least one wireless communication device, a frequency search schedule using the predicted future location of the at least one wireless communication device.

47. A wireless communication device operating in a wireless communication network and locating a wireless service provider in a multi-service provider environment, comprising:

a memory for storing a frequency search schedule comprising a prioritized list of a plurality of frequencies; and

a processor for predicting a future location of the wireless communication device based on information gathered by the network and thereafter establishing the frequency search schedule using the predicted future location of the wireless communication device, the processor examining the frequency search schedule to select a particular frequency from the plurality of frequencies.

48. A recording medium that stores a control program for use by a wireless communication device operating on a wireless communication network in a multi-service provider environment, the control program including instructions for:

selecting a particular frequency from among a plurality of available frequencies listed in a prioritized order in a frequency search schedule; and

predicting a future location of the wireless communication device based on information gathered by the network and thereafter establishing the frequency search schedule using the predicted future location of the wireless communication device.

49. A method for determining a selection of a particular operating frequency band from among a plurality of available operating frequency bands, in a frequency band search schedule comprising a plurality of items listed in a predetermined order, the frequency band search schedule being used by a wireless communication device operating on a wireless communication network in a multi-service provider environment, comprising:

a) predicting a future location of the wireless communication device based on first and second types of information gathered by the network, the first type of information related to a last registration made by the wireless communication device, and the second type of information related to usage information of prior registrations with the network made by the wireless communication device and by wireless communication devices other than the wireless communication device; and

b) establishing the frequency band search schedule using the predicted future location.

50. A wireless communication network that provides service to a plurality of wireless communication devices in a multi-service provider environment and determines a frequency band search schedule for selecting a particular frequency band from among a plurality of available frequency bands, the wireless communication network comprising:

a memory that gathers first and second types of information from the network related to usage of the wireless communication devices, the first type of information related to a last registration made by one wireless communication device, and the second type of information related to usage information of prior registrations with the network made by the one wireless communication device and by wireless communication devices other than the one wireless communication device; and

a processor that predicts a future location of at least one wireless communication device based on the first and second types of information from the network, and establishes, a frequency band search scheduled using the predicted future location of the at least one wireless communication device.

51. A wireless communication device operating on a wireless communication network and locating a wireless service provider in a multi-service provider environment, comprising:

a memory for storing a frequency band search schedule comprising a prioritized list of a plurality of frequency bands; and

a processor for predicting a future location of the wireless communication device based on first and second types of information gathered by the network, the first type of information related to a last registration made by the wireless communication device, and the second type of information related to usage information of prior registrations with the network made by the wireless communication device and by wireless communication devices other than the wireless communication device, and establishing a frequency band search schedule using the predicted future location of the wireless communication device, the processor examining the frequency band search schedule to select a particular frequency band from the plurality of frequency bands.

52. A recording medium that stores a control program for use by a wireless communication device operating on a wireless communication network in a multi-service provider environment, the control program including instructions for:

selecting a particular frequency band from among a plurality of available frequency bands listed in a prioritized order in a frequency band search schedule;

predicting a future location of the wireless communication device based on first and second types of information gathered by the network, the first type of information related to a last registration made by the wireless communication device, and the second type of information related to usage information of prior registrations with the network made by the wireless communication device and by wireless communication devices other than the wireless communication device; and

establishing the frequency band search schedule using the predicted future location of the wireless communication device.

53. A method for determining a selection of a particular operating frequency from among a plurality of available operating frequencies in a frequency schedule comprising a plurality of items listed in a predetermined order, the frequency search schedule being used by a wireless communication device operating on a wireless communication network in a multi-service provider environment, comprising:

a) predicting a future location of the wireless communication device based on first and second types of information gathered from the network, the first type of information related to a last registration made by the wireless communication device, and the second type of information related to usage information of prior registrations with the network made by the wireless communication device and by wireless communication devices other than the wireless communication device; and

b) establishing the frequency search schedule using the predicted future location, the frequency search schedule comprising a plurality of items listed in a predetermined order.

54. A wireless communication network that provides service to a plurality of wireless communication devices in a multi-service provider environment and determines a frequency search schedule for selecting a particular frequency from among a plurality of available frequencies, the wireless communication network comprising:

a memory that gathers first and second types of information from the network related to usage of the wireless communication devices, the first type of information related to a last registration made by one wireless communication device, and the second type of information related to usage information of prior registrations with the network made by the one wireless communication device and by wireless communication devices other than the one wireless communication device; and

a processor that predicts a future location of at least one wireless communication device based on the first and second types of information from the network, and establishes, for at least one wireless communication device, the frequency search schedule using the predicted future location of the at least one wireless communication device.

55. A wireless communication device operating on a wireless communication network and locating a wireless service provider in a multi-service provider environment, comprising:

a memory for storing a frequency search schedule comprising a prioritized list of a plurality of frequencies; and

a processor for predicting a future location of the wireless communication device based on first and second types of information gathered by the network, the first type of information related to a last registration made by the wireless communication device, and the second type of information related to usage information of prior registrations with the network made by the wireless communication device and by wireless communication devices other than the wireless communication device, and establishing the frequency search schedule using the predicted future location of the wireless communication device, the processor examining the frequency search schedule to select a particular frequency from the plurality of frequencies.

56. A recording medium that stores a control program for use by a wireless communication device operating on a wireless communication network in a multi-service provider environment, the control program including instructions for:

selecting a particular frequency from among a plurality of available frequencies listed in a prioritized order in a frequency search schedule, predicting a future location of the wireless communication device based on first and second types of information gathered by the network, the first type of information related to a last registration made by the wireless communication device, and the second type of information related to usage information of prior registrations with the network made by the wireless communication device and by wireless communication devices other than the wireless communication device and establishing the frequency search schedule using the predicted future location of the wireless communication device.