Selecting a network for a wireless device

• US 9,955,414 B2
• Filed: 06/21/2016
• Issued: 04/24/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Frantz, William T., Ganesh, Shriram, Kerssen, Timothy K., Mohan, Siddharth
• Primary Examiner(s): CRUTCHFIELD, CHRISTOPHER M
• Application Number:
  US15/188,687
• Publication Number:
  US 20160302139A1
• Time in Patent Office: 672 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/34 Reselection control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/36 by user or terminal equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/365 by manual user interaction
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• 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

Disclosed is an apparatus, system, and method for a wireless device to select a network. The wireless device receives a request from a user to access a network site. The wireless device then selects a network based upon a predefined weighted criteria setting that was previously selected by the user.

Claims

1. A method for accessing a network site by a wireless device, the method comprising:

receiving a request to access a network site at the wireless device; and

accessing the network site at the wireless device through a network based upon at least two predefined weighted criteria settings, wherein one of the predefined weighted criteria settings is for a security setting, a speed setting, a power setting, or a cost setting, and one of the predefined weighted criteria settings is for an access setting related to content filtering, and wherein when the predefined weighted criteria access setting related to content filtering is highly weighted, the wireless device first attempts to access the network site using a fastest available network, and then automatically selects a cellular network to attempt to access the network site again once a firewall with content filtering rules is encountered.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the network selected includes at least one of a wireless local area network (WLAN), a cellular network, or a wired network.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the WLAN includes a public WLAN or a secure WLAN.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein, if the security setting is one of the predefined weighted criteria settings and is highly weighted, then the network selected includes the secure WLAN or the cellular network.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein, if the speed setting is one of the predefined weighted criteria settings and is highly weighted, then the network selected includes the public WLAN.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein, if the cost setting is one of the predefined weighted criteria settings and is highly weighted, then the network selected includes the public WLAN or the secure WLAN.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein, if the power setting is one of the predefined weighted criteria settings and is highly weighted, then the network selected includes the public WLAN or the secure WLAN.

8. A wireless device for accessing a network site, the wireless device comprising:

a network interface; and

a processor configured to execute operations including;

receiving a request to access a network site at the wireless device; and

accessing the network site through the network interface at the wireless device through a network based upon at least two predefined weighted criteria settings, wherein one of the predefined weighted criteria settings is for a security setting, a speed setting, a power setting, or a cost setting, and one of the predefined weighted criteria settings is for an access setting related to content filtering, and wherein when the predefined weighted criteria access setting related to content filtering is highly weighted, the wireless device first attempts to access the network site using a fastest available network, and then automatically selects a cellular network to attempt to access the network site again once a firewall with content filtering rules is encountered.

9. The wireless device of claim 8, wherein the network selected includes at least one of a wireless local area network (WLAN), a cellular network, or a wired network.

10. The wireless device of claim 9, wherein the WLAN includes a public WLAN or a secure WLAN.

11. The wireless device of claim 10, wherein, if the security setting is one of the predefined weighted criteria settings and is highly weighted, then the network selected includes the secure WLAN or the cellular network.

12. The wireless device of claim 10, wherein, if the speed setting is one of the predefined weighted criteria settings and is highly weighted, then the network selected includes the public WLAN.

13. The wireless device of claim 10, wherein, if the cost setting is one of the predefined weighted criteria settings and is highly weighted, then the network selected includes the public WLAN or the secure WLAN.

14. The wireless device of claim 10, wherein, if the power setting is one of the predefined weighted criteria settings and is highly weighted, then the network selected includes the public WLAN or the secure WLAN.

15. A wireless device for accessing a network site, the wireless device comprising:

means for receiving a request to access a network site at the wireless device; and

means for accessing the network site at the wireless device through a network based upon at least two predefined weighted criteria settings, wherein one of the predefined weighted criteria settings is for a security setting, a speed setting, a power setting, or a cost setting, and one of the predefined weighted criteria settings is for an access setting related to content filtering, and wherein when the predefined weighted criteria access setting related to content filtering is highly weighted, the wireless device first attempts to access the network site using a fastest available network, and then automatically selects a cellular network to attempt to access the network site again once a firewall with content filtering rules is encountered.

16. The wireless device of claim 15, wherein the network selected includes at least one of a wireless local area network (WLAN), a cellular network, or a wired network.

17. The wireless device of claim 16, wherein the WLAN includes a public WLAN or a secure WLAN.

18. The wireless device of claim 17, wherein, if the security setting is one of the predefined weighted criteria settings and is highly weighted, then the network selected includes the secure WLAN or the cellular network.

19. The wireless device of claim 17, wherein, if the speed setting is one of the predefined weighted criteria settings and is highly weighted, then the network selected includes the public WLAN.

20. The wireless device of claim 17, wherein, if the cost setting is one of the predefined weighted criteria settings and is highly weighted, then the network selected includes the public WLAN or the secure WLAN.

21. The wireless device of claim 17, wherein, if the power setting is one of the predefined weighted criteria settings and is highly weighted, then the network selected includes the public WLAN or the secure WLAN.

22. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising code for accessing a network site for a wireless device, the computer-readable medium comprising code for:

receiving a request to access a network site at the wireless device; and

accessing the network site at the wireless device through a network based upon at least two predefined weighted criteria settings, wherein one of the predefined weighted criteria settings is for a security setting, a speed setting, a power setting, or a cost setting, and one of the predefined weighted criteria settings is for an access setting related to content filtering, and wherein when the predefined weighted criteria access setting related to content filtering is highly weighted, the wireless device first attempts to access the network site using a fastest available network, and then automatically selects a cellular network to attempt to access the network site again once a firewall with content filtering rules is encountered.

23. The computer-readable medium of claim 22, wherein the network selected includes at least one of a wireless local area network (WLAN), a cellular network, or a wired network.

24. The computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the WLAN includes a public WLAN or a secure WLAN.

25. The computer-readable medium of claim 24, wherein, if the security setting is one of the predefined weighted criteria settings and is highly weighted, then the network selected includes the secure WLAN or the cellular network.

26. The computer-readable medium of claim 24, wherein, if the speed setting is one of the predefined weighted criteria settings and is highly weighted, then the network selected includes the public WLAN.

27. The computer-readable medium of claim 24, wherein, if the cost setting is one of the predefined weighted criteria settings and is highly weighted, then the network selected includes the public WLAN or the secure WLAN.

28. The computer-readable medium of claim 24, wherein, if the power setting is one of the predefined weighted criteria settings and is highly weighted, then the network selected includes the public WLAN or the secure WLAN.