EP1968283A1
Active / In Force
EP
⏱️ 0.4 years remaining
System and method for wireless network selection by multi-mode devices
Assignee: BlackBerry Ltd
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Filing: 2007-03-09
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2027-03-09
Abstract
Abstract Systems and methods are provided for wireless network selection by multi-mode devices. A mobile device maintains an indication of any wireless network services currently provided to the mobile device. According to an embodiment of the application, the mobile device automatically scans for both GSM wireless networks and CDMA wireless networks in order to acquire a wireless network that can provide a service that is not currently provided to the mobile device. Therefore, the mobile device avoids partial service or limited service when better service is available.
Inventors
- 👤 M. Khaledul Islam
- 👤 Asif Hossain
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 19:56
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04W; H04W48/00; H04W48/16; H04W48/18; H04L; H04L67/00; H04L67/01; H04L67/04; H04L67/50; H04L67/51; H04W88/00; H04W88/02; H04W88/06; H04W4/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
98 words
A method in a mobile device (10,100) comprising: maintaining (2-1) an indication of wireless network services, if any, currently provided to the mobile device; automatically determining (2-2) whether to scan for a wireless network based on at least the indication of wireless network services; and if it has been determined to scan for a wireless network, automatically scanning (2-5) for both Global System for Mobile Communications 'GSM' wireless networks and Code Division Multiple Access 'CDMA' wireless networks in order to acquire a wireless network that can provide a service that is not currently provided to the mobile device.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 1 wherein automatically scanning (2-5) for both GSM wireless networks and CDMA wireless networks comprises scanning for a GSM core wireless network and scanning for a CDMA core wireless network.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 1 or claim 2 further comprising: acquiring (2-6) a wireless network that can provide a service that is not currently provided to the mobile device, the wireless network being a GSM wireless network or a CDMA wireless network.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
50 words
The method of any one of claims 1 to 3 further comprising: determining (2-3) whether the scanning would result in disruption to a current service; and if the scanning would result in disruption to a current service, waiting (2-4) before scanning so as to avoid disruption to the current service.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
36 words
The method of any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein automatically determining (2-2) whether to scan for a wireless network is further based on a current wireless network that provides service to the mobile device.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
81 words
The method of any one of claims 1 to 5 further comprising: maintaining (3-1) an indication of preferred wireless networks; determining (3-2) whether substantially identical services can be acquired from each of a plurality of wireless networks; and if substantially identical services can be acquired from each of the plurality of wireless networks, acquiring (3-3) services from a selected wireless network of the plurality of wireless networks, the selected wireless network being selected based on the indication of preferred wireless networks.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 6 wherein the indication of preferred wireless networks comprises at least one of a Preferred Roaming List 'PRL' and a Public Land Mobile Network 'PLMN' list.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
78 words
The method of any one of claims 1 to 7 further comprising: maintaining (4-1) history information for each of at least one wireless network from which the mobile device acquired service; and determining (4-2) a scanning frequency and a scanning order, the scanning frequency and/or the scanning order being determined based on the history information; wherein automatically scanning (2-5) for both GSM wireless networks and CDMA wireless networks comprises scanning according to the scanning frequency and scanning order.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
72 words
The method of claim 8 wherein: maintaining (4-1) the history information comprises maintaining (4-1) an indication of a Radio Access Technology 'RAT' of a wireless network from which the mobile device last acquired service; and determining (4-2) the scanning order comprises: upon an event triggering initial acquisition of services, determining (4-2) the scanning order to begin with a same RAT as the wireless network from which the mobile device last acquired service.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 9 wherein the event triggering initial acquisition of services comprises the mobile device being powered on and/or the mobile device entering an overlay coverage area.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
111 words
The method of any one of claims 8 to 10 wherein: maintaining (4-1) the history information comprises maintaining (4-1) an indication of a Radio Access Technology 'RAT' of a wireless network from which the mobile device last acquired service; and determining (4-2) the scanning frequency comprises one of: determining (4-2) to scan for GSM wireless networks more frequently than CDMA wireless networks if the RAT of the wireless network from which the mobile device last acquired service is GSM; and determining (4-2) to scan for CDMA wireless networks more frequently than GSM wireless networks if the RAT of the wireless network from which the mobile device last acquired service is CDMA.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
35 words
The method of any one of claims 8 to 11 wherein the history information comprises an indication of any one or any combination of RAT, system information, level/type of service, collocation status, time-stamp, and/or duration.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
38 words
The method of any one of claims 1 to 12 wherein automatically (2-2) scanning for both GSM wireless networks and CDMA wireless networks comprises: scanning for both GSM wireless networks and CDMA wireless networks using a back-off timer.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 13 further comprising: resetting the back-off timer upon the mobile device being powered on and/or the mobile device acquiring a wireless network.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
105 words
The method of any one of claims 1 to 14 further comprising: determining (5A-1) whether any services that are currently provided to the mobile device are restricted to emergency calls; wherein determining (2-2) whether to scan for a wireless network based on at least the indication of wireless network services comprises determining to scan for a wireless network if any services that are currently provided to the mobile device are restricted to emergency calls; wherein automatically (2-2) scanning for both GSM wireless networks and CDMA wireless networks comprises scanning (5A-2) for a wireless network that can provide services that are not restricted to emergency calls.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
53 words
The method of claim 15 further comprising: transmitting a request for service; and in response to the request, receiving a response indicating whether services are limited to emergency calls; wherein determining (5A-1) whether any services that are currently provided to the mobile device are restricted to emergency calls is based on the response.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
89 words
The method of any one of claims 1 to 16 further comprising: determining (5B-1) whether the mobile device is provided with circuit switched service; wherein determining (2-2) whether to scan for a wireless network based on at least the indication of wireless network services comprises determining to scan for a wireless network if the mobile device is not provided with circuit switched service; wherein automatically (2-2) scanning for both GSM wireless networks and CDMA wireless networks comprises scanning (5B-2) for a wireless network that can provide circuit switched service.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
47 words
The method of claim 17 further comprising: transmitting a request for circuit service; and in response to the request, receiving a response indicating whether the request has been fulfilled; wherein determining (5B-1) whether the mobile device is provided with circuit switched service is based on the response.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
89 words
The method of any one of claims 1 to 18 further comprising: determining (5C-1) whether the mobile device is provided with packet switched service; wherein determining (2-2) whether to scan for a wireless network based on at least the indication of wireless network services comprises determining to scan for a wireless network if the mobile device is not provided with packet switched service; wherein automatically (2-2) scanning for both GSM wireless networks and CDMA wireless networks comprises scanning (5C-2) for a wireless network that can provide packet switched service.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
47 words
The method of claim 19 further comprising: transmitting a request for packet service; and in response to the request, receiving a response indicating whether the request has been fulfilled; wherein determining (5C-1) whether the mobile device is provided with packet switched service is based on the response.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
43 words
A computer readable medium (15) having computer executable instructions stored thereon for execution on a processor (17) of a computing device (10, 100) so as to implement on the computing device (10, 100) the method of any one of claims 1 to 20.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
38 words
A mobile device (10,100) comprising: a wireless access radio (16) operable to communicate with wireless networks; and a Radio Access Technology 'RAT' selection function (15) operable to implement the method of any one of claims 1 to 20.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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