US6148198A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for selecting a service provider
Assignee: Unwired Planet LLC
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Filing: 1998-08-05
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Granted: 2000-11-14
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Expires: 2018-08-05
Abstract
Abstract A mobile station and an intelligent roaming method for selecting a best service provider from a plurality of service providers. The mobile station includes a database for storing a plurality of identifier codes that correspond with the plurality of service providers. The database also has an overlap flag added to each of the stored identifier codes. The mobile station uses the intelligent roaming procedure to locate a first channel and a second channel broadcast by the service providers, where each channel contains one of the stored identifier codes and at least one of the located and stored identifier codes has an overlap flag that is set. The intelligent roaming procedure evaluates channel information associated with the first channel and channel information associated with the second channel to select a best channel for supporting a call. Thereafter, the mobile station selects the best service provider by utilizing the selected channel.
Inventors
- 👤 Keith Anderson
- 👤 David Hoover
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 19:56
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04W; H04W48/00; H04W48/18
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 28
Claim 1
Independent Claim
168 words
An intelligent roaming method for enabling a mobile station to select a best service provider from a plurality of service providers, said mobile station having a database for storing a plurality of identifier codes corresponding with the plurality of service providers, said intelligent roaming method comprising the steps of: locating a first channel and a second channel transmitted by a first service provider and a second service provider respectively based upon signal strength measurements, each channel containing one of the stored identifier codes; evaluating channel information associated with the first channel and channel information associated with the second channel to select a channel for supporting a call; determining a status of an overlap flag associated with the stored identifier codes of the first channel and the second channel, the overlap flag indicating whether the mobile station is located on an edge of a coverage area of one of the service providers; and selecting a service provider based upon the status of the overlap flags and the selected channel.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
168 words
An intelligent roaming method for enabling a mobile station to select a best service provider from a plurality of service providers, said mobile station having a database for storing a plurality of identifier codes corresponding with the plurality of service providers, said intelligent roaming method comprising the steps of: locating a first channel and a second channel transmitted by a first service provider and a second service provider respectively based upon signal strength measurements, each channel containing one of the stored identifier codes; evaluating channel information associated with the first channel and channel information associated with the second channel to select a channel for supporting a call; determining a status of an overlap flag associated with the stored identifier codes of the first channel and the second channel, the overlap flag indicating whether the mobile station is located on an edge of a coverage area of one of the service providers; and selecting a service provider based upon the status of the overlap flags and the selected channel.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the step of evaluating channel information includes a step of evaluating frequency data and classification data associated with one of the plurality of service providers.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method of claim 1, further comprising a step of classifying the service provider into at least one of the following classifications including a home service provider, a partner service provider, a favored service provider, a neutral service provider, and a forbidden service provider.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the step of selecting the service provider includes a step of selecting the service provider based on a value of an overlap counter.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 1, further comprising a step of storing channel information associated with the channel when the overlap flag has been set, said channel information stored in temporary memory.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
86 words
The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of: locating a subsequent channel transmitted by a subsequent service provider, said subsequent channel containing one of the stored identifier codes; evaluating channel information associated with the subsequent channel and the evaluated channel information to select the best channel; determining the status of the overlap flag associated with the stored identifier code of the subsequent channel; and repeating the steps of locating, evaluating, and determining if a predetermined value exceeds an incremented value in an overlap counter.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
181 words
An intelligent roaming method for enabling a mobile station to select a best service provider from a plurality of service providers, said intelligent roaming method comprising the steps of: locating a channel having one of the identifier codes, said channel transmitted by one of the plurality of service providers; storing channel information associated with the located channel when the overlap flag has been set, said channel information stored in temporary memory; locating a subsequent channel having one of the identifier codes, said subsequent channel broadcasted from a second of the plurality of service providers; evaluating channel information associated with the located subsequent channel and said channel information currently stored in the temporary memory to select a channel; replacing the channel information currently stored in the temporary memory with the channel information associated with the located subsequent channel if the selected channel is the located subsequent channel; determining a state of an overlap flag associated with an identifier code of the subsequent channel; and selecting the best service provider based upon the status of the overlap flag and the stored channel information.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
181 words
An intelligent roaming method for enabling a mobile station to select a best service provider from a plurality of service providers, said intelligent roaming method comprising the steps of: locating a channel having one of the identifier codes, said channel transmitted by one of the plurality of service providers; storing channel information associated with the located channel when the overlap flag has been set, said channel information stored in temporary memory; locating a subsequent channel having one of the identifier codes, said subsequent channel broadcasted from a second of the plurality of service providers; evaluating channel information associated with the located subsequent channel and said channel information currently stored in the temporary memory to select a channel; replacing the channel information currently stored in the temporary memory with the channel information associated with the located subsequent channel if the selected channel is the located subsequent channel; determining a state of an overlap flag associated with an identifier code of the subsequent channel; and selecting the best service provider based upon the status of the overlap flag and the stored channel information.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 7, wherein the step of evaluating channel information includes a step of evaluating frequency data and classification data associated with one of the plurality of service providers.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method of claim 7, further comprising a step of classifying the best service provider into at least one of the following classifications including a home service provider, a partner service provider, a favored service provider, a neutral service provider, and a forbidden service provider.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 7, wherein the step of selecting the best service provider includes a step of selecting the best service provider based on a value of an overlap counter.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 7, wherein the step of locating a channel includes measuring a signal strength of the channel, and switching to another sub-band if the measured signal strength does not exceed a predetermined magnitude.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
223 words
A method for selecting a service provider from a plurality of service providers for utilization by a mobile station having a database, said method comprising the steps of: storing a plurality of identifier codes in the database, said plurality of identifier codes corresponding with the plurality of service providers; adding an overlap flag to each of the stored identifier codes, where the overlap flag indicates whether the mobile station is located on an edge of a coverage area of one of the service providers; locating a channel having one of the identifier codes, said channel broadcasted from a first of the plurality of service providers; storing channel information associated with the located channel when the overlap flag has been set, said channel information stored in temporary memory; locating a subsequent channel having one of the identifier codes, said subsequent channel broadcasted from a second of the plurality of service providers; evaluating channel information associated with the located subsequent channel and said channel information currently stored in the temporary memory to select a channel; replacing the channel information currently stored in the temporary memory with the channel information associated with the located subsequent channel if the selected channel is the located subsequent channel; restoring the channel information last stored in the temporary memory; and selecting the service provider by utilizing the restored channel information.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
223 words
A method for selecting a service provider from a plurality of service providers for utilization by a mobile station having a database, said method comprising the steps of: storing a plurality of identifier codes in the database, said plurality of identifier codes corresponding with the plurality of service providers; adding an overlap flag to each of the stored identifier codes, where the overlap flag indicates whether the mobile station is located on an edge of a coverage area of one of the service providers; locating a channel having one of the identifier codes, said channel broadcasted from a first of the plurality of service providers; storing channel information associated with the located channel when the overlap flag has been set, said channel information stored in temporary memory; locating a subsequent channel having one of the identifier codes, said subsequent channel broadcasted from a second of the plurality of service providers; evaluating channel information associated with the located subsequent channel and said channel information currently stored in the temporary memory to select a channel; replacing the channel information currently stored in the temporary memory with the channel information associated with the located subsequent channel if the selected channel is the located subsequent channel; restoring the channel information last stored in the temporary memory; and selecting the service provider by utilizing the restored channel information.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 12, further comprising a step of repeating a predetermined number of times the steps of locating a subsequent channel, evaluating channel information, and replacing the channel information.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 12, wherein the step of evaluating channel information includes a step of evaluating frequency data and classification data associated with the located subsequent channel.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method of claim 12, further comprising a step of classifying the selected service provider into at least one of the following classifications including a home service provider, a partner service provider, a favored service provider, a neutral service provider, and a forbidden service provider.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 12, wherein the step of selecting the service provider includes the step of selecting the service provider based on a value of an overlap counter.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 12, wherein the step of locating a channel includes the steps of: measuring a signal strength of the channel; and switching to a subsequent sub-band if the measured signal strength does not exceed a predetermined magnitude.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
49 words
The method of claim 17, wherein the step of locating a channel further includes the steps of: switching to the subsequent sub-band if the mobile station can not find sync within a present sub-band; and incrementing a counter by one if the mobile station switched to the subsequent sub-band.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 12, further comprising the steps of: determining whether the overlap flag had been set in the located subsequent channel; and incrementing a value in an overlap counter by one if the overlap flag had been set.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
56 words
The method of claim 19, further comprising the steps of: comparing the incremented value in the overlap counter to a predetermined value; and repeating a predetermined number of times the steps of locating a subsequent channel, evaluating channel information, and replacing the channel information if the predetermined value exceeds the incremented value in the overlap counter.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
113 words
A mobile station comprising: a database for storing a plurality of identifier codes associated with a plurality of service providers, each identifier code having an overlap flag for indicating whether the mobile station is located on an edge of a coverage area of one of the service providers; a receiver for locating transmitted channels having one of the identifier codes from one of the plurality of service providers; a temporary memory for storing channel information associated with the located channels; and a processor for evaluating channel information associated with the located channels stored in the temporary memory to select a channel for supporting a call based upon a status of the overlap flags.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
113 words
A mobile station comprising: a database for storing a plurality of identifier codes associated with a plurality of service providers, each identifier code having an overlap flag for indicating whether the mobile station is located on an edge of a coverage area of one of the service providers; a receiver for locating transmitted channels having one of the identifier codes from one of the plurality of service providers; a temporary memory for storing channel information associated with the located channels; and a processor for evaluating channel information associated with the located channels stored in the temporary memory to select a channel for supporting a call based upon a status of the overlap flags.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
26 words
The mobile station of claim 21, wherein said processor further includes means for measuring a received signal strength of at least one of said transmitted channels.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
22 words
The mobile station of claim 21, further including an overlap counter for determining a maximum number of the channels to be located.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
20 words
The mobile station of claim 21, further including a counter for determining a maximum number of sub-bands to be scanned.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-11-14 | 2004-05-15 | 2004-11-14 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-11-14 | 2008-05-15 | 2008-11-14 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-11-14 | 2012-05-15 | 2012-11-14 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |