Method and apparatus to limit frequency bands used by a low power radio frequency device

Claim 3

The method of claim 1 , wherein the different kinds of sources include: the LPRF device itself, which has a country code embedded in it; a cellular signal that provides a country as part of a system information frame; and further, nearby LPRF devices, which periodically transmit a country code on a globally available LPRF service band.

Claim 4

The method of claim 2 , wherein the country code embedded in the LPRF device can be changed by a user.

Claim 5

The method of claim 2 , wherein the likely country code is determined based on summing weights associated with each indicated country code, the weights predetermined based on the kind of clue.

Claim 6

The method of claim 4 , wherein if the likely determination algorithm produces no country with a likelihood that exceeds the pre-determined threshold, querying a user for a country code, and, in establishing a link with the other LPRF device, instead of using a likely country code, using the user-provided country code.

Claim 7

The method of claim 5 , wherein the LPRF device operates according to the Bluetooth protocol.

Claim 8

The method of claim 5 , wherein the LPRF device is a device used in a wireless local area network.

Claim 9

The method of claim 5 , wherein the LPRF device is a device embedded in a third generation cellular telephone.

Claim 10

apparatus for use in a low power radio frequency (LPRF) device, for determining in what radio frequency (RF) band to communicate, if at all, with another LPRF device, the LPRF band to be determined based on the country where the LPRF device is being used by resorting to information indicating the location and width of the LPRF band for a plurality of countries, the apparatus comprising: a) acquiring means for acquiring clues from at least one source from among different kinds of sources and from among at least one of different individual sources of each particular kind, the clues consisting of at least one country code indicating one particular country, the acquiring means responsive to a signal to acquire clues, for providing the clues acquired; b) determination means for applying a likely determination algorithm to attempt to determine a likely country based on the clues acquired and a predetermined threshold, the determination means responsive to the clues and to the predetermined threshold, for providing a result that indicates the likely country; c) linking means for attempting to establish a link with the other LPRF device by providing a link setup signal, in a globally available LPRF service band, including, as a self-signaled country code, the likely country code, and receiving from the other LPRF device a corresponding link setup signal and extracting from the link setup signal a country code signaled by the other LPRF device, the linking means responsive to the result that indicates the likely country, the linking means for providing the country code signaled by the other LPRF device; d) deciding means for deciding whether the country code signaled by the other LPRF device corresponds to the same RF band as does the self-signaled country code, and so deciding whether there is an agreed-on country code, and if so providing a signal indicating that the link setup is to be completed for communication on the band corresponding to the agreed-on country code, or else signaling the acquirer means to acquire clues again.

Claim 11

apparatus for use in a low power radio frequency (LPRF) device, for determining in what radio frequency (RF) band to communicate, if at all, with another LPRF device, the LPRF band to be determined based on the country where the LPRF device is being used by resorting to information indicating the location and width of the LPRF band for a plurality of countries, the apparatus comprising: a) acquiring means for acquiring clues from at least one source from among different kinds of sources and from among at least one of different individual sources of each particular kind, the clues consisting of at least one country code indicating one particular country, the acquiring means responsive to a signal to acquire clues, for providing the clues acquired; b) determination means for applying a likely determination algorithm to attempt to determine a likely country based on the clues acquired and a predetermined threshold, the determination means responsive to the clues and to the predetermined threshold, for providing a result that indicates the likely country; c) linking means for attempting to establish a link with the other LPRF device by providing a link setup signal, in a globally available LPRF service band, including, as a self-signaled country code, the likely country code, and receiving from the other LPRF device a corresponding link setup signal and extracting from the link setup signal a country code signaled by the other LPRF device, the linking means responsive to the result that indicates the likely country, the linking means for providing the country code signaled by the other LPRF device; d) deciding means for deciding whether the country code signaled by the other LPRF device corresponds to the same RF band as does the self-signaled country code, and so deciding whether there is an agreed-on country code, and if so providing a signal indicating that the link setup is to be completed for communication on the band corresponding to the agreed-on country code, or else signaling the acquirer means to acquire clues again.

Claim 12

The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the different kinds of sources include: the LPRF device itself, which has a country code embedded in it; a cellular signal that provides a country as part of a system information frame; and further, nearby LPRF devices, which periodically transmit a country code on a globally available LPRF service band.

Claim 13

The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the country code embedded in the LPRF device can be changed by a user.

Claim 14

The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the likely country code is determined based on summing weights associated with each indicated country code, the weights predetermined based on the kind of clue.

Claim 15

The apparatus of claim 12 , further comprising a querying means for querying a user for a country code if the likely determination algorithm produces no country with a likelihood that exceeds the pre-determined threshold, and wherein the linking means, in establishing a link with the other LPRF device, instead of using a likely country code, using the user-provided country code.

Claim 16

The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the LPRF device operates according to the Bluetooth protocol.

Claim 17

The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the LPRF device is a device used in a wireless local area network.

Claim 18

The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the LPRF device is a device embedded in a third generation cellular telephone.