Adaptive omni-modal radio apparatus and methods

• US 6,934,558 B1
• Filed: 09/28/2000
• Issued: 08/23/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Anton Innovations Inc. (Quarterhill Inc. (f/k/a Wi-LAN Inc.))
• Original Assignee: MLR, LLC
• Inventors: Sainton, Joseph B., Leedom, Jr., Charles M., Robinson, Eric J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Trinh, Sonny
• Application Number:
  US09/670,696
• Time in Patent Office: 1,790 Days
• Field of Search: 455/453, 455/454, 455/456.1, 455/456.3, 455/432.1, 455/166.2, 455/266, 455/77, 455/435.3, 455/552.1, 455/432.2, 455/432.3, 455/434, 455/435.1, 455/435.2
• US Class Current: 455/552.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/44 Augmented, consolidated or itemized billing statement or bill presentation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/55 for hybrid networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/745 Customizing according to wishes of subscriber, e.g. friends or family
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/7655 shared by technologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/772 per service, e.g. prepay or post-pay
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/773 per technology, e.g. PSTN or wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/88 Provision for limiting connection, or expenditure
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0104 Augmented, consolidated or itemised billing statement, e.g. additional billing information, bill presentation, layout, format, e-mail, fax, printout, itemised bill per service or per account, cumulative billing, consolidated billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0108 Customization according to wishes of subscriber, e.g. customer preferences, friends and family, selecting services or billing options, Personal Communication Systems [PCS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0116 Provision for limiting expenditure, e.g. limit on call expenses or account
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/2026 Wireless network, e.g. GSM, PCS, TACS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/2046 Hybrid network
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/725 Shared by technologies, e.g. one account for different access technologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7263 per service, e.g. prepay and post-pay
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7268 per technology, e.g. PSTN or wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/06 Hybrid resource partitioning, e.g. channel borrowing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 Negotiating wireless communication parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/22 : Negotiating communication rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 : Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 : Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/10 : using broadcasted information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 : Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 : Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0453 : Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/00 : Wireless channel access, e.g. scheduled or random access
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/00 : Wireless network protocols or protocol adaptations to wireless operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 : adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A frequency and protocol agile wireless communication product, and chipset for forming the same, including a frequency agile transceiver, a digital interface circuit for interconnecting the radio transceiver with external devices, protocol agile operating circuit for operating the radio transceiver in accordance with one of the transmission protocols as determined by a protocol signal and an adaptive control circuit for accessing a selected wireless communication network and for generating the frequency control signal and the protocol control signal in response to a user defined criteria Among the possible user defined criteria would be (1) the cost of sending a data message, (2) the quality of transmission link (signal strength, interference actual or potential), (3) the potential for being bumped off of the system (is service provider at near full capacity), (4) the security of transmnission, (5) any special criteria which the user could variably program into his omni-modal wireless product based on the user'"'"'s desires or (6) any one or more combinations of the above features that are preprogrammed, changed or overridden by the user. The disclosed invention allows wireless service providers to broadcast electronically as part of any “handshaking” procedure with a omni-modal wireless product information such as (1) rate information and (2) information regarding system operating characteristics such as percent of system capacity in use and/or likelihood of being dropped. The disclosed invention creates a user oriented source enrollment and billing service in the wireless data market by establishing uniform standard for “handshakes” to occur between cell service providers and omni-modal wireless products. In addition, the disclosed invention can be implemented on a standard chip or chipset including a radio transceiver specifically designed to be used in all types of omni-modal wireless products.

Claims

1. A multi-modal device for facilitating wireless communication over any one of a plurality of wireless communication networks at least some of which may be available and operating at a given time and location using differing radio frequency modulation protocols and over differing radio frequencies, comprising

a frequency agile radio transceiver capable of operating at any frequency or frequencies appropriate for each of the plurality of wireless communication networks, said frequency or frequencies selected in response to a frequency control signal;

an interface circuit for interconnecting said frequency agile radio transceiver with an external signal circuit to allow signal information to be sent and received over said frequency agile radio transceiver;

a protocol agile operating circuit for operating said frequency agile radio transceiver and said interface circuit in accordance with any one modulation protocol of a plurality of modulation protocols, said one modulation protocol selected in response to a protocol control signal;

adaptive control circuit for determining which wireless communications networks are available at a given location and time, for accessing a selected wireless communication network, and for generating the frequency control signal and the protocol control signal in response to a user defined individual priority to cause the device to communicate with the selected wireless communication network using the frequencies and modulation protocol suitable for transmission of said signal information over said selected wireless communication network; and

input means for receiving and storing the user defined individual priority for selecting among the plurality of wireless communication networks and for allowing subsequent changes by the user of the stored user defined individual priority whenever desired by the user, said user defined individual priority defining which one of the wireless communication networks is accessed among the wireless communication networks that are determined by said adaptive control circuit to be available;

wherein said adaptive control circuit operates to generate said frequency control signal and said protocol control signal appropriate for the wireless communication network that is determined by said adaptive control means to be available and satisfies said user defined individual priority.

2. A multi-modal device as defined in claim 1 wherein the plurality of wireless communications network includes three or more wireless communication networks and wherein said input means stores said user defined individual priority for allowing said input means to select from among said three or more wireless communication networks the wireless communication network identified by said user defined individual priority.

3. The multi-modal device as defined in claim 1, wherein said adaptive control circuit is adapted to communicate in accordance with an electronic handshake with selected wireless communication networks to determine on a real time basis the cost for desired services from the corresponding wireless communication network.

4. The multi-modal device as defined in claim 1, further including a modem means for modulating and/or demodulating a carrier signal with user data.

5. The multi-modal device as defined in claim 1, further including a data processor means for processing digital data sent and/or received over said frequency agile transceiver.

6. The multi-modal device as defined in claim 1, wherein said protocol agile operating circuit means is adapted to cause said frequency agile transceiver to control telephone call placement and call answering functions over wireless communication networks having such telephone functions.

7. A software controlled multi-mode portable handset permitting a user to communicate over multiple wireless networks including at least a first wireless network normally operating within a first frequency band using a first wireless network protocol and a second wireless network normally operating within a second frequency band, different from the first frequency band, using a second wireless network protocol, different from the first wireless network protocol, comprising

a multi-modal circuit including at least one large scale integrated circuit having components suitable to allow access to the first wireless network and to the second wireless network, said multi-modal circuit including:

a memory, including one or more memory devices,

an operating program stored in said memory,

at least a first wireless network protocol software stored in said memory for implementing the first wireless network protocol,

at least a second wireless network protocol software stored in said memory for implementing the second wireless network protocol,

a transceiver including a programmable circuit, responsive to a control signal, to generate a radio frequency signal within either the first frequency band or the second frequency band to cause the transceiver to access either the first wireless network or the second wireless network,

network signal processing circuit for processing signals sent and received over either the first wireless network or the second wireless network using the corresponding first wireless network protocol or the second wireless network protocol, and

a microprocessor connected with said memory and said transceiver; and

a user interface connected with said microprocessor for allowing the user to indicate preferences for network access to cause said microprocessor, under control of said operating program, to generate appropriate control signals including said control signal for the transceiver, to cause said transceiver to send and receive signals wirelessly over said at least first wireless network or over said second wireless network using either said first wireless network protocol software or said second wireless network protocol software depending on which network is being accessed.

8. A software controlled multi-mode portable handset permitting a user to communicate over multiple wireless networks including at least a first wireless network normally operating within a first frequency band using a first wireless network protocol and a second wireless network normally operating within a second frequency band, different from the first frequency band, using a second wireless network protocol, different from the first wireless network protocol, comprising:

a multi-modal circuit including at least one large scale integrated circuit having components suitable to allow access to the first wireless network and to the second wireless network, said multi-modal circuit including

a memory, including one or more memory devices,

an operating program stored in said memory,

at least a first wireless network protocol software stored in said memory for implementing the first wireless network protocol,

at least a second wireless network protocol software stored in said memory for implementing the second wireless network protocol,

a transceiver including a programmable oscillator circuit, responsive to a digital oscillator control signal, to generate a radio frequency signal within either the first frequency band or the second frequency band to cause the transceiver to access either the first wireless network or the second wireless network,

network signal processing circuit for processing signals sent and received over either the first wireless network or the second wireless network using the corresponding first wireless network protocol or the second wireless network protocol, and

a microprocessor connected with said memory and said transceiver; and

a user interface connected with said microprocessor for allowing the user to indicate preferences for network access to cause said microprocessor, under control of said operating program, to generate appropriate control signals including said oscillator control signal for the transceiver, to cause said transceiver to send and receive signals wirelessly over said at least first wireless network or over said second wireless network using either said first wireless network protocol software or said second wireless network protocol software depending on which network is being accessed.