Apparatus and methods for network assisted hybrid network operation

• US 9,781,737 B2
• Filed: 04/13/2015
• Issued: 10/03/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Su, Li, Chaudhary, Madhusudan, Shi, Jianxiong, Xing, Longda
• Primary Examiner(s): Elpenord, Candal
• Application Number:
  US14/685,537
• Publication Number:
  US 20150289286A1
• Time in Patent Office: 904 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 13/00 Code division multiplex systems for frequency hopping H04B1/713
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/10 Scheduling measurement reports ; Arrangements for measurement reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/005 Transmission of information for alerting of incoming communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/12 Wireless traffic scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/1215 for collaboration of different radio technologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/56 based on priority criteria
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/566 of the information or information source or recipient
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/569 of the traffic information

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for minimizing scheduling collisions between networks. In one embodiment, the networks are substantially unsynchronized, and during hybrid network operation (e.g., LTE and CDMA 1X operation), a mobile device can place CDMA 1X voice calls while registered with the LTE network. However, since the LTE and CDMA 1X networks are not coordinated, the mobile device will experience scheduling collisions. In one variant, the LTE network accounts for predictable behaviors (such as CDMA 1X paging), and schedules low priority tasks during likely time interval conflicts. Consequently, even though the mobile device must tune away from the LTE network to check CDMA 1X pages, overall LTE network performance is minimally affected.

Claims

1. A network apparatus associated with a first wireless network and configurable to prioritize tasks to be performed by a client device when the client device is connected to the first wireless network and to a second wireless network, the network apparatus comprising:

one or more network interfaces configured to communicate with the client device via the first wireless network;

one or more processors in communication with the one or more network interfaces; and

a storage device in communication with the one or more processors and storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the network apparatus to;

determine a time resource during which the client device is scheduled to perform a high priority task via the second wireless network while the client device is connected to the first wireless network; and

schedule a low priority task to be performed by the client device via the first wireless network during the determined time resource,

wherein the client device is configured to tune away from the first wireless network to the second wireless network to perform the high priority task via the second wireless network during the determined time resource without notifying the network apparatus.

2. The network apparatus of claim 1, wherein the high priority task comprises monitoring a paging channel of the second wireless network for a paging communication.

3. The network apparatus of claim 1, wherein the network apparatus determines the time resource based at least in part on information derived from a device identifier received from the client device.

4. The network apparatus of claim 3, wherein the device identifier comprises an international mobile subscriber identifier (IMSI) associated with the client device.

5. The network apparatus of claim 1, wherein the low priority task comprises radio monitoring, low priority messaging, or time-insensitive data transmission.

6. The network apparatus of claim 1, wherein the instructions further cause the network apparatus to configure a measurement gap for the client device to measure inter-frequency or inter-RAT (Radio Access Technology) cell quality.

7. The network apparatus of claim 1, wherein the network apparatus determines the time resource based at least in part on (i) a time reference for the second wireless network and/or (ii) schedule information for the second wireless network.

8. The network apparatus of claim 1, wherein the network apparatus determines the time resource based at least in part on scheduling information known a priori to the network apparatus.

9. The network apparatus of claim 1, wherein a basis for priority of tasks comprises:

(i) tasks required to keep the client device in communication with the first wireless network, (ii) tasks required to support temporally sensitive or periodic operations and/or (iii) tasks to support user-specified preferences or requirements.

10. The network apparatus of claim 1, wherein tasks are scheduled for the first wireless network and the second wireless network independent of a level of coordination between the first wireless network and the second wireless network.

11. A client device configured for hybrid network operation, the client device comprising:

one or more processors;

one or more wireless interfaces configurable to communicate via at least a first wireless network and a second wireless network; and

a storage device, in communication with the one or more processors and storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the client device to;

register with the first wireless network using a first wireless interface of the one or more wireless interfaces;

register with the second wireless network using a second wireless interface of the one or more wireless interfaces;

receive a schedule from the first wireless network for one or more low priority tasks to be performed by the client device via the first wireless network during a time resource;

receive a schedule from the first wireless network for one or more high priority tasks to be performed by the client device via the second wireless network while the client device is connected to the first wireless network during the time resource, the one or more high priority tasks including checking a paging status of the second wireless network; and

tune away from the first wireless network, without notifying a network apparatus of the first wireless network, while maintaining registration with the first wireless network, to check the paging status of the second wireless network during the time resource.

12. The client device of claim 11, wherein execution of the instructions further causes the client device to:

when receiving no pages from the second wireless network;

tune back to the first wireless network, and

resume operation with the first wireless network; and

when receiving at least one page from the second wireless network;

respond to the at least one page, and

notify the network apparatus of the first wireless network to terminate a connection between the first wireless network and the client device, wherein the connection between the first wireless network and the client device is terminated without an abrupt loss of service.

13. The client device of claim 11, wherein execution of the instructions further causes the client device to:

when receiving no pages from the second wireless network;

tune back to the first wireless network, and

resume operation with the first wireless network; and

when receiving at least one page from the second wireless network;

respond to the at least one page without notifying the network apparatus of the first wireless network.

14. The client device of claim 11, wherein the schedule for one or more high priority tasks to be performed by the client device via the second wireless network includes a paging schedule for the client device to monitor a paging channel of the second wireless network.

15. The client device of claim 14, wherein the schedule for one or more low priority tasks to be performed by the client device via the first wireless network allows the client device to maintain communication with the first wireless network when the client device receives one or more high priority communications via the second wireless network.

16. The client device of claim 14, wherein the first wireless network determines a paging schedule for the client device to monitor the paging channel of the second wireless network based at least in part on a device indicator of the client device and a system time of the second wireless network determined based at least in part on a Global Positioning System (GPS) time reference.

17. The client device of claim 11, wherein the first wireless network comprises a Long Term Evolution (LTE) network, and the second wireless network comprises a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) network or a Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) network.

18. A method for a network apparatus associated with a first wireless network and configurable to prioritize tasks to be performed by a client device when the client device is connected to the first wireless network and to a second wireless network, the method comprising:

by the network apparatus;

communicating with the client device via the first wireless network via one or more network interfaces;

determining a time resource during which the client device will be scheduled to perform a high priority task via the second wireless network while the client device is connected to the first wireless network; and

scheduling a low priority task to be performed by the client device via the first wireless network during the determined time resource,

wherein the client device tunes away from the first wireless network to the second wireless network to perform the high priority task via the second wireless network during the determined time resource without notifying the network apparatus.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the client device performs the low priority task during the determined time resource.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the low priority task comprises transfer of control data from the client device to the network apparatus.