Methods and systems for heterogeneous wireless network discovery and selection
First Claim
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1. A method for wireless network discovery and selection, the method comprising:
- obtaining periodically a plurality of parameter values for a plurality of parameters of one or more network layers on a mobile client device, associated with accessing a plurality of heterogeneous wireless networks;
determining whether to request update(s) for one or more of the heterogeneous wireless networks, based at least in part on the obtained parameter values;
requesting an update for each of the heterogeneous wireless networks determined to have an update requested; and
selecting a first of the heterogeneous wireless networks for the mobile client device to access, based at least in part upon the updates received for the heterogeneous wireless networks, thereby replacing a second of the heterogeneous wireless networks currently accessed by the mobile client device;
wherein the obtaining periodically a plurality of parameter values is for a plurality of Physical Layer (PHY) and/or Media Access Control (MAC) layer parameters of the client device; and
wherein the PHY and/or MAC layer parameters comprise two or more selected from a group comprised of a received signal strength parameter, a power consumption parameter, a required bandwidth parameter, and a network availability parameter.
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Abstract
Embodiments of the present invention provide methods and systems for a mobile client device to discover and obtain the parameters of a heterogeneous wireless network via a fuzzy logic operation, within a plurality of heterogeneous wireless networks.
67 Citations
13 Claims
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1. A method for wireless network discovery and selection, the method comprising:
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obtaining periodically a plurality of parameter values for a plurality of parameters of one or more network layers on a mobile client device, associated with accessing a plurality of heterogeneous wireless networks; determining whether to request update(s) for one or more of the heterogeneous wireless networks, based at least in part on the obtained parameter values; requesting an update for each of the heterogeneous wireless networks determined to have an update requested; and selecting a first of the heterogeneous wireless networks for the mobile client device to access, based at least in part upon the updates received for the heterogeneous wireless networks, thereby replacing a second of the heterogeneous wireless networks currently accessed by the mobile client device; wherein the obtaining periodically a plurality of parameter values is for a plurality of Physical Layer (PHY) and/or Media Access Control (MAC) layer parameters of the client device; and wherein the PHY and/or MAC layer parameters comprise two or more selected from a group comprised of a received signal strength parameter, a power consumption parameter, a required bandwidth parameter, and a network availability parameter. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An apparatus comprising:
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a fuzzy logic controller; and a media independent handover function block coupled to the fuzzy logic controller, the media independent handover function block being adapted to obtain periodically a plurality of parameter values of a plurality of network layer parameters of the apparatus, associated with accessing a plurality of heterogeneous wireless networks, and to input the obtained parameter values to the fuzzy logic controller to generate a determination on whether to request for update(s) for the plurality of heterogeneous wireless networks; wherein the media independent function block is adapted to obtain periodically a plurality of parameter values for a plurality of PHY and/or MAC layer parameters of a mobile client device; and wherein the PHY and/or MAC layer parameters comprise two or more layer parameters selected from a group comprised of a received signal strength parameter, a power consumption parameter, a required bandwidth parameter, a network availability parameter; wherein the media independent handover function block is further adapted to input the updates to the fuzzy logic controller to select a first of the heterogeneous wireless networks for a mobile client device to access, replacing a second of the heterogeneous wireless networks currently accessed by the mobile client device. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10)
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11. An article of manufacture utilizing the computer readable programming instructions to perform the fuzzy logic comprising:
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a storage medium; and a plurality of programming instructions stored within the storage medium and designed to enable a controller to fuzzify obtained updates comprising parameter values of a plurality of heterogeneous wireless networks into a plurality of fuzzy sets, and to apply a plurality of user policies to the fuzzy sets to select a first of the heterogeneous wireless networks for a mobile client device hosting the article of manufacture to access, replacing a second of the heterogeneous wireless networks accessed by the mobile client device; wherein the network layer parameters are for a plurality of PHY and/or MAC layer parameters of the mobile client device; and wherein the PHY and/or MAC layer parameters comprise two or more selected from a group comprised of a received signal strength parameter, a power consumption parameter, a required bandwidth parameter, and a network availability parameter. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
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Specification