Handoff of a multimedia call session using background network scanning

• US 8,983,472 B2
• Filed: 01/26/2012
• Issued: 03/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Karaoguz, Jeyhan, Bennett, James D., Seshadri, Nambirajan
• Primary Examiner(s): LEE, JUSTIN YE
• Application Number:
  US13/359,101
• Publication Number:
  US 20120129533A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,146 Days
• Field of Search: 455/432.1, 455/436, 455/437, 455/439, 455/442, 455/443, 370/331, 370/332, 370/333, 370/334
• US Class Current: 455/437
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1043 Gateway controllers, e.g. media gateway control protocol [MGCP] controllers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1083 In-session procedures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1094 Inter-user-equipment sessions transfer or sharing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4126 The peripheral being portable, e.g. PDAs or mobile phones
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0022 for transferring data sessions between adjacent core network technologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/00835 Determination of neighbour cell lists
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/008357 Determination of target cell based on access point [AP] properties, e.g. AP service capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0085 Hand-off measurements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/28 involving a plurality of connections, e.g. multi-call or multi-bearer connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/14 using user query or user detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals

Abstract

A method and system supporting handoff of a multimedia call session using background network scanning is disclosed. A mobile multimedia handset may engage in the exchange of a multimedia information stream via a first wireless network, and may sniff a portion of radio frequency spectrum for a second wireless network. Information about available services and network quality of service for the second network may be received by querying the second wireless network or from advertising by the second wireless network. Hand-off between the two networks may be based upon the results of the comparison and one or more user-defined criteria, and the handoff may be synchronized according to predefined events in the stream of multimedia information.

Claims

1. A method for hand-off of a network communication session using background network scanning, the method comprising:

in a device,

establishing a communication path via a first wireless network for communicating, during a network communication session, an information stream via the first wireless network;

detecting a second wireless network using background network scanning;

determining service characteristics of the second wireless network from an access point of the second wireless network;

determining a transmission delay of the second wireless network, in response to a predetermined criteria being met by the service characteristics of the second wireless network, wherein determining the transmission delay comprises;

establishing a communication path via the second wireless network, and

communicating a portion of the information stream via the second wireless network;

comparing transmission delay of the first wireless network and the transmission delay of the second wireless network;

deciding to hand-off communication of the network communication session to the second wireless network based on the comparison, wherein the hand-off comprises switching communication of the information stream via the second wireless network; and

after comparing and deciding, handing-off communication of the network communication session to the second wireless network.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

in response to the predetermined criteria being met by the service characteristics of the second wireless network, further determining one or more performance characteristics of the second wireless network based on the portion of the information stream communicated via the second wireless network, the one or more performance characteristics comprising a spatial resolution, a grey scale level, a color depth, a frame rate, and an error rate.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein determining the service characteristics comprises:

receiving, from the access point of the second wireless network, advertising information for the one or both of;

a set of services and/or a quality of service of the second wireless network.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

informing the first wireless network of the detection of the second wireless network; and

receiving, from the first wireless network, information about the one or both of;

a set of services and/or a quality of service of the first wireless network.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the handing-off comprises one of:

automatically selecting the second wireless network for communicating the information stream;

or

selecting to communicate the information stream via the second wireless network in response to a user-input.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

generating a user-notification comprising a result of the comparison of the transmission delay; and

receiving, in response, a user-input related to selection of a wireless network for communication of the information stream.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the information stream comprises one or more of:

streaming video, broadcast video, voice, digital data, text, digitized audio, digitized still images, digitized video, and/or digitized music.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first wireless network and the second wireless network occupy separate portions of radio frequency spectrum and/or employ incompatible communication protocols.

9. A mobile access device supporting hand-off of a stream of user multimedia information using background network scanning, the device comprising:

a wireless interface; and

a processor;

wherein,

the wireless interface is configured to;

establish communication of multimedia information via a first wireless network; and

to detect a second wireless network;

the processor is configured to, responsive to the detection of the second wireless network;

determine service characteristics of the second wireless network;

determine performance characteristics of the second wireless network responsive to the service characteristics satisfying a predetermined user-criteria; and

wherein the processor, to determine performance characteristics of the second wireless network, is further configured to;

initiate communication of a portion of the multimedia information via the second wireless network;

monitor the performance characteristics of the second wireless network;

compare the one or more performance characteristics of the second wireless network to one or more performance characteristics of the first wireless network; and

hand off the communication of the multimedia information from the first wireless network to the second wireless network, based on the comparison; and

hand off the communication of the multimedia information from the first wireless network to the second wireless network, responsive to the performance characteristics satisfying a predetermined performance criteria.

10. The device according to claim 9, wherein the multimedia information comprises one or more of:

streaming video, broadcast video, voice, digital data, text, digitized audio, digitized still images, digitized video, and/or digitized music.

11. The device according to claim 9, wherein the one or more performance characteristics comprise:

a cost, a bit rate, a bandwidth, a spatial resolution, a grey scale level, a color depth, a frame rate, an error rate, a quality of service, and/or a network delay.

12. The device according to claim 9, wherein the hand off comprises:

communicating one portion of the multimedia information via the first wireless network while communicating a separate other portion of the multimedia information via the second wireless network.

13. The device according to claim 9, wherein the service characteristics of the second wireless network are determined by the processor from a database via the first wireless network.

14. One or more circuits for use in a handheld communication device supporting hand-off of a multimedia call session using background network scanning, the one or more circuits comprising:

at least one processor operably coupled to circuitry for communicating via a first wireless network and a second wireless network, the at least one processor operable to, at least;

communicate a multimedia information stream via the first wireless network;

detect the second wireless network wherein at least one processor is further operable to;

determine one or more performance characteristics of the first wireless network during communication of the multimedia information stream;

responsive to the detection of the second wireless network, communication a portion of the multimedia information stream via the second wireless network and determine one or more performance characteristics of the second wireless network;

compare the one or more performance characteristics of the first wireless network and the one or more performance characteristics of the second wireless network; and

hand-off communication of the multimedia information stream to the second wireless network based on the comparison; and

simulcast the multimedia information stream via the first wireless network and the second wireless network;

identify a synchronization point in the multimedia information stream; and

hand-off communication of the multimedia information stream from the first wireless network to the second wireless network in response to the identification of the synchronization point.

15. The one or more circuits according to claim 14, wherein the one or more performance characteristics comprise:

a cost, a bit rate, a bandwidth, a spatial resolution, a grey scale level, a color depth, a frame rate, an error rate, a quality of service, or a network delay.

16. The one or more circuits according to claim 14, wherein the at least one processor is further operable to:

receive, from the second wireless network, advertising information for the one or both of;

a set of services and/or a quality of service of the second wireless network, prior to communication of the portion of the multimedia information stream via the second wireless network.

17. The one or more circuits according to claim 14, wherein the at least one processor is further operable to:

inform the first wireless network of the detection of the second wireless network; and

receive, from the first wireless network, information about the one or both of a set of services and/or a quality of service of the first wireless network.

18. The one or more circuits according to claim 14, wherein the synchronization point is a reference frame used by successive frames of the multimedia information stream.