Protocols for facilitating broader access in wireless communications

• US 9,635,605 B2
• Filed: 06/03/2013
• Issued: 04/25/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Hyde, Roderick A., Levien, Royce A., Lord, Richard T., Lord, Robert W., Malamud, Mark A., Tegreene, Clarence T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Figueroa, Marisol
• Application Number:
  US13/908,738
• Publication Number:
  US 20140274056A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,422 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/14 Reselecting a network or an air interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service

Abstract

Structures and protocols are presented for signaling a status or decision concerning a wireless service or device within a region to a communication device (smartphone or wearable device, e.g.) or other wireless communication participant (motor vehicle having a wireless communication capability, e.g.).

Claims

1. A communication management system comprising:

a wearable assembly operable as a first device including at least;

a first event-sequencing circuit including at least a first antenna, the first event-sequencing circuit configured for receiving a first wireless signal indicative of a wireless local area network (WLAN) service boundary via the first antenna;

a second event-sequencing circuit including at least a signal processor, the second event-sequencing circuit configured for extracting WLAN-service-boundary-indicative data from the first wireless signal via the signal processor, the extracting WLAN-service-boundary-indicative data from the first wireless signal including at least determining whether the first device exceeded a wireless service boundary crossing rate threshold within a predetermined recent time interval and whether the first device is within a wireless communication range of a second device; and

a third event-sequencing circuit including at least an output component, the third event-sequencing circuit configured to transmit the WLAN-service-boundary-indicative data as a second wireless signal via the output component, the output component including at least one of an earphone, a display, or a second antenna, the third event-sequencing circuit including at least one or more electrical nodes, the WLAN-service-boundary-indicative data manifested as an arrangement of one or more voltage levels on the one or more electrical nodes including at least an indication of availability to participate in a bidirectional interpersonal communication conditionally, at least partly based on the determination of whether the first device exceeded the wireless service boundary crossing rate threshold within the predetermined recent time interval and the determination of whether the first device is within the wireless communication range of the second device.

2. The communication management system of claim 1 wherein the wearable assembly includes at least:

an integrated circuit (IC) chip having a first portion, a second portion, and a third portion, the first portion of the IC chip being the first event-sequencing circuit configured to receive the first wireless signal indicative of the WLAN service boundary via the first antenna, the second portion of the IC chip being the second event-sequencing circuit configured to extract WLAN-service-boundary-indicative data from the first wireless signal via the signal processor, the third portion of the IC chip being the third event-sequencing circuit configured to transmit the WLAN-service-boundary-indicative data as the second wireless signal via the output component.

3. The communication management system of claim 1, wherein:

the output component is configured to generate an audible indication of whether a second device is available to participate in a bidirectional interpersonal communication conditionally, partly based on an indication whether the second device exceeded a wireless service boundary crossing rate threshold within the predetermined recent time interval and partly based on an indication of the second device having WLAN service.

4. The communication management system of claim 1, wherein:

the wearable assembly is configured as at least one of eyewear, wristwear, or a clip.

5. The communication management system of claim 1, wherein the signal processor includes:

a data first queue;

transistor-based circuitry configured to cause a configurable core in a first core operating mode to draw from the first data queue; and

transistor-based circuitry configured to signal a decision whether to cause the configurable core to draw from the first data queue of the wearable assembly in a second core operating mode as an automatic and conditional response to an indication of a data volume of the first data queue crossing a volume threshold.

6. The communication management system of claim 1, wherein:

the second event-sequencing circuit configured for extracting WLAN-service-boundary-indicative data from the first wireless signal via the signal includes at least transistor-based circuitry configured for detecting a series of service region departure events and transistor-based circuitry configured for comparing a data block delivery failure rate against a threshold; and

the third event-sequencing circuit configured to transmit the WLAN-service-boundary-indicative data as a second wireless signal via the output component further includes at least transistor-based circuitry configured for signaling a decision whether to adjust a latency threshold for user data.

7. A communication management system comprising:

a wireless mobile device operable as a first device including at least;

a first event-sequencing circuit including at least a first antenna, the first event-sequencing circuit configured for receiving a first wireless signal indicative of a wireless local area network (WLAN) service boundary via the first antenna;

a second event-sequencing circuit including at least a signal processor, the second event-sequencing circuit configured for extracting WLAN-service-boundary-indicative data from the first wireless signal via the signal processor, the extracting WLAN-service-boundary-indicative data from the first wireless signal including at least determining whether the first device exceeded a wireless service boundary crossing rate threshold within a predetermined recent time interval and whether the first device is within a wireless communication range of a second device; and

a third event-sequencing circuit including at least an output component, the third event-sequencing circuit configured to transmit the WLAN-service-boundary-indicative data as a second wireless signal via the output component, the WLAN-service-boundary-indicative data manifested as an arrangement of one or more voltage levels on the one or more electrical nodes including at least an indication of availability to participate in a bidirectional interpersonal communication conditionally, at least partly based on the determination of whether the first device exceeded the wireless service boundary crossing rate threshold within the predetermined recent time interval and the determination of whether the first device is within the wireless communication range of the second device.

8. The communication management system of claim 7, wherein the second event-sequencing circuit configured for extracting WLAN-service-boundary-indicative data from the first wireless signal via the signal processor includes:

a transistor-based circuit configured for determining a decision whether to cause a unidirectional communication at least between the wireless mobile device and a second mobile device as a conditional response to whether a user apparently preferred a first option at the second mobile device, the unidirectional communication at least between the wireless mobile device and the second mobile device including at least a wireless signal from the second mobile device.

9. The communication management system of claim 7, wherein:

the first antenna is configured to use a nominal frequency of at least about 900 MHz and of at most about 2.2 GHz in wireless signal reception but inoperable to perform wireless signal transmission at any frequency between 900 MHz and 2.2 GHz.

10. The communication management system of claim 7, wherein the second event-sequencing circuit configured for extracting WLAN-service-boundary-indicative data from the first wireless signal via the signal processor includes:

a transistor-based circuit configured for determining whether the wireless mobile device is viable for communication at least partly based on the determination of whether the first device exceeded the wireless service boundary crossing rate threshold within the predetermined recent time interval.

11. The communication management system of claim 7 wherein:

the second event-sequencing circuit configured for extracting WLAN-service-boundary-indicative data from the first wireless signal via the signal processor includes at least a transistor-based circuit configured for determining whether a second device is available to participate in a bidirectional interpersonal communication conditionally, partly based on an indication whether the second device exceeded a wireless service boundary crossing rate threshold within a recent time interval and partly based on an indication of the second device having WLAN service; and

the output component is configured to generate an audible indication of whether the second device is available to participate in a bidirectional interpersonal communication conditionally, partly based on the indication whether the second device exceeded a wireless service boundary crossing rate threshold within a recent time interval and partly based on the indication of the second device having WLAN service.

12. The communication management system of claim 7, wherein:

the output component is configured to present at least some of a map that includes at least a cost-indicative service boundary relating to a prospective interpersonal communication as a component of the WLAN-service-boundary-indicative data.

13. The communication management system of claim 7, wherein the second event-sequencing circuit configured for extracting WLAN-service-boundary-indicative data from the first wireless signal via the signal processor includes:

transistor-based circuitry configured for incrementally decreasing a dataflow through a wireless communication channel in the wireless mobile device.

14. The communication management system of claim 7 wherein:

the second event-sequencing circuit configured for extracting WLAN-service-boundary-indicative data from the first wireless signal via the signal processor includes at least a transistor-based circuit configured for determining a decision whether to adjust a latency threshold for user data in the wireless mobile device; and

the output component is configured for signaling the decision whether to adjust the latency threshold for user data in the wireless mobile device.

15. The communication management system of claim 7, wherein the second event-sequencing circuit configured for extracting WLAN-service-boundary-indicative data from the first wireless signal via the signal processor includes:

transistor-based circuitry configured for comparing a data block delivery failure rate against a threshold in the wireless mobile device.

16. The communication management system of claim 7, wherein the wireless mobile device is a handheld device and the signal processor includes:

transistor-based circuitry configured for causing a data component of the first wireless signal to be processed by a special-purpose module in the handheld device as an automatic and conditional response to a thermal state of a temperature sensor in the handheld device.

17. The communication management system of claim 7, wherein the signal processor includes:

transistor-based circuitry configured for causing a data component of the first wireless signal to be processed by a special-purpose module in the wireless mobile device as an automatic and conditional response to a control component of the first wireless signal.

18. The communication management system of claim 7, wherein the signal processor includes:

transistor-based circuitry configured to cause a configurable core in a first core operating mode to draw from a first data queue of the wireless mobile device; and

transistor-based circuitry configured to signal a decision whether to cause the configurable core to draw from the first data queue of the wireless mobile device in a second core operating mode as an automatic and conditional response to an indication of a data volume of the first data queue crossing a volume threshold.

19. The communication management system of claim 7 further comprising:

transistor-based circuitry configured to cause a handoff of an interpersonal communication from a cellular base station to a WLAN access point, the interpersonal communication including at least a signal path through the output component.

20. The communication management system of claim 7 further comprising:

transistor-based circuitry configured to cause a particular device to indicate some of a wireless connectivity map that includes at least automatically curated map data via the output component.

21. The communication management system of claim 7, wherein:

the second transistor-based circuit includes at least an electrical node set upon which a voltage configuration manifests the WLAN-service-boundary-indicative data.

22. The communication management system of claim 7, wherein the second event-sequencing circuit configured for extracting WLAN-service-boundary-indicative data from the first wireless signal via the signal processor includes:

a transistor-based circuit configured for estimating a current position of a WLAN zone boundary, responding to a succession of position estimates of the wireless mobile device, and initiating a handoff from a WLAN access point to a cellular base station.

23. The communication management system of claim 7, wherein the second event-sequencing circuit configured for extracting WLAN-service-boundary-indicative data from the first wireless signal via the signal processor includes:

transistor-based circuitry configured for incrementally decreasing a dataflow through a wireless communication channel in the mobile device;

transistor-based circuitry configured for determining whether a second device is available to participate in a bidirectional interpersonal communication conditionally, partly based on an indication whether the second device exceeded a wireless service boundary crossing rate threshold within a recent time interval and partly based on an indication of the second device having WLAN service, the signal processor including at least a field-programmable gate array configured to implement a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT); and

transistor-based circuitry configured for causing a handoff of an interpersonal communication from a WLAN access point to a cellular base station, the interpersonal communication including at least a signal path through the output component.

24. The communication management system of claim 7, wherein the second event-sequencing circuit configured for extracting WLAN-service-boundary-indicative data from the first wireless signal via the signal processor includes:

transistor-based circuitry configured for detecting a series of service region departure events,

wherein the signal processor includes at least transistor-based circuitry configured for causing a data component of the first wireless signal to be processed by special-purpose circuitry as an automatic and conditional response to a charging state of a battery in the wireless mobile device.

25. The communication management system of claim 7, wherein the second event-sequencing circuit configured for extracting WLAN-service-boundary-indicative data from the first wireless signal via the signal processor includes:

transistor-based circuitry configured for causing a particular device to indicate some of a wireless connectivity map that includes at least automatically curated map data via the output component;

an electrical node set upon which a voltage configuration manifests the WLAN-service-boundary-indicative data;

wherein the signal processor includes at least transistor-based circuitry configured for causing a data component of the first wireless signal to be processed by special-purpose circuitry as an automatic and conditional response to a control component of the first wireless signal and transistor-based circuitry configured for causing a data component of the first wireless signal to be processed by special-purpose circuitry as an automatic and conditional response to a thermal state of a temperature sensor in the wireless mobile device, the output component including at least transistor-based circuitry configured for displaying at least some of a map that depicts a cost-indicative service boundary relating to a prospective intercommunication.

26. A communication management system in a mobile device operable as a first device comprising:

means for receiving a first wireless signal indicative of a wireless local area network (WLAN) service boundary;

means for extracting WLAN-service-boundary-indicative data from first wireless signal including at least means for determining whether or a first device exceeded a wireless service boundary crossing rate threshold within a predetermined recent time interval and means for determining whether the first device is within a wireless communication range of a second device;

means for transmitting the WLAN-service-boundary-indicative data as a second wireless signal, the WLAN-service-boundary-indicative data manifested as an arrangement of at least an indication of availability to participate in a bidirectional interpersonal communication conditionally, at least partly based on the determination of whether the first device exceeded the wireless service boundary crossing rate threshold within the predetermined recent time interval and the determination of whether the first device is within the wireless communication range of the second device; and

means for supporting the means for receiving the first wireless signal indicative of the WLAN service boundary and for supporting the means for extracting the WLAN-service-boundary-indicative data from the first wireless signal and for supporting the means for transmitting the WLAN-service-boundary-indicative data as the second wireless signal in a mobile device.

27. The communication management system of claim 26 further comprising:

means for generating an audible indication of whether a first device is available to participate in a bidirectional interpersonal communication conditionally, partly based on an indication whether the first device exceeded a wireless service boundary crossing rate threshold within a recent time interval and partly based on an indication of the first device having WLAN service.

28. A communication management method operable in a mobile device operable as a first device comprising:

receiving a first wireless signal indicative of a wireless local area network (WLAN) service boundary via a first antenna of a wearable assembly;

extracting WLAN-service-boundary-indicative data from first wireless signal via a signal processor of the wearable assembly including at least determining whether a first device exceeded a wireless service boundary crossing rate threshold within a predetermined recent time interval and determining whether the first device is within a wireless communication range of a second device;

transmitting the WLAN-service-boundary-indicative data as a second wireless signal, the WLAN-service-boundary-indicative data manifested as an arrangement of at least an indication of availability to participate in a bidirectional interpersonal communication conditionally, at least partly based on the determination of whether the first device exceeded the wireless service boundary crossing rate threshold within the predetermined recent time interval and the determination of whether the first device is within the wireless communication range of the second device; and

supporting at least the first antenna and the signal processor and the output component in the mobile device.

29. The communication management method of claim 28 further comprising:

presenting at least some of a map that includes at least a cost-indicative service boundary relating to a prospective interpersonal communication as a component of the WLAN-service-boundary-indicative data.

30. The communication management method of claim 28 further comprising:

causing a data component of the first wireless signal to be processed in the mobile device as an automatic and conditional response to a control component of the first wireless signal.

31. The communication management method of claim 28 further comprising:

causing a configurable core in a first core operating mode to draw from a first data queue of the mobile device; and

signaling a decision whether to cause the configurable core to draw from the first data queue of the mobile device in a second core operating mode as an automatic and conditional response to an indication of a data volume of the first data queue crossing a volume threshold.

32. The communication management method of claim 28 further comprising:

causing a configurable core in a first core operating mode to draw from a first data queue of the mobile device; and

signaling a decision whether to cause the configurable core to draw from the first data queue of the mobile device in a second core operating mode as an automatic and conditional response to a thermal state of a temperature sensor in the mobile device.

33. The communication management method of claim 28 further comprising:

causing a handoff of an interpersonal communication from a cellular base station to a WLAN access point, the interpersonal communication including at least a signal path through the output component of the mobile device.

34. The communication management method of claim 28 further comprising:

authorizing a cost component to be posted to a user account conditionally, at least partly based on a portion of a wireless communication using WLAN access to the mobile device.

35. The communication management method of claim 28 further comprising:

authorizing a cost component to be posted to a user account conditionally, at least partly based on a portion of a wireless communication using WLAN access to the mobile device;

causing a particular device to indicate some of a wireless connectivity map that includes at least automatically curated map data via the output component of the mobile device; and

generating an audible indication of whether a second device is available to participate in a bidirectional interpersonal communication conditionally, partly based on an indication whether the second device exceeded a wireless service boundary crossing rate threshold within a recent time interval and partly based on an indication of the second device having WLAN service, the mobile device including at least a first device.

36. The communication management method of claim 28 further comprising:

causing a data component of the first wireless signal to be processed in the mobile device as an automatic and conditional response to a control component of the first wireless signal;

presenting an audible notification as a component of the WLAN-service-boundary-indicative data;

causing a handoff of an interpersonal communication from a cellular base station to a WLAN access point, the interpersonal communication including at least a signal path through the output component of the mobile device; and

authorizing a cost component to be posted to a user account conditionally, at least partly based on a portion of a wireless communication using WLAN access to the mobile device.