SPRINT SPECTRUM L.P. Patent applications |
Patent application number | Title | Published |
20150351109 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS OF MANAGING FREQUENCY BAND SELECTION - In systems and methods of managing frequency band selection for a wireless device, a first signal level of a first frequency band and a second signal level of a second frequency band received at a wireless device are monitored, wherein the first frequency band comprises a lower frequency band than the second frequency band. A first signal level difference is determined between the first signal level and the second signal level, and the wireless device is instructed to communicate with the access node over the second frequency band when the first signal level difference meets a first signal level difference criteria based on a decrease of the second signal level. | 12-03-2015 |
20150264687 | Traffic Management for User Equipment Devices - A UE may be configured to support wireless communication in two or more frequency bands. In some embodiments, the UE initiates a first wireless communication session in a first frequency band of the two or more frequency bands, and in response to initiating the wireless communication session in the first frequency band, the UE prevents itself from communicating in a second frequency band of the set of two or more frequency bands until the first wireless communication session has ended. Some embodiments further include subsequently enabling the UE to communicate in the second frequency band of the set of two or more frequency bands in response to ending the first wireless communication session in the first frequency band. | 09-17-2015 |
20150236839 | ENHANCED SCHEDULING OF RESOURCES BASED ON USE OF CARRIER AGGREGATION - Disclosed is a method and corresponding apparatus for enhanced scheduling of resources based on use of carrier aggregation. The method involves determining that (i) an individual UE is being served with carrier aggregation or with greater than a threshold amount of frequency and (ii) a processor load of the base station is greater than a threshold load. The method then involves, responsive to the determining that the individual UE is being served with carrier aggregation or with greater than a threshold amount of frequency and that the processor load of the base station is greater than the threshold load, causing the base station to allocate an extent of resources to the individual UE without using FSS. | 08-20-2015 |
20150063311 | METHOD OF REDUCING ACTIVE CELLULAR CONNECTIONS IN A WIRELESS NETWORK - A system and method of providing wireless communications to a wireless device is provided. A scanning report can be received from each of a plurality of wireless devices in communication with a first access node using a first radio access technology. A second access node can be selected from among one or more second access nodes to initiate communications with the first access node over a communication link based on the scanning report from each of the plurality of wireless devices. The plurality of wireless devices can be instructed to establish communications with the second access node using a second radio access technology different from the first radio access technology. A bandwidth allocation of the communication link can be adjusted based on the plurality of wireless devices. | 03-05-2015 |
20140213262 | Management of Radio Connection Assignment in Coverage Area Correlated with Geographic Region - A method, apparatus, and system for helping to manage advanced handoff to a coverage area based on correlation with a geographic region. A mobile station determines that it is in or approaching a defined geographic region, and the mobile station determines from correlation data that the geographic region is correlated with a particular cellular coverage area. The mobile station therefore requests handoff to the cellular coverage area and provides an advanced-handoff indication to cause the serving radio access network to maintain assignment of a radio connection in the coverage area longer than the network would normally, to help allow time for the mobile station to arrive at the coverage area and begin communicating on the radio connection with the network. | 07-31-2014 |
20140141781 | WIRELESS DEVICE COMMUNICATION - An indication is received from a wireless device in communication with a first communication system using a first radio access technology that the wireless device has detected a second communication system using a second access technology. Network information of the first communication system is provided and stored at the wireless device when performing a first handover of the wireless device from the first communication system to the second communication system. The network information is provided to the first communication system to perform a second handover from the second communication system to the first communication system. | 05-22-2014 |
20140133461 | Method and System for Sector Switching During Packet Transmission - A method and apparatus for handing off packet-transmission between sectors of a wireless communication system is disclosed herein. During transmission of a packet from an access network to an access terminal, the access terminal determines that the packet should theoretically be transmitted to the access terminal in fewer timeslots in another sector than the number of allowed timeslots remaining for the packet transmission in a current sector. In response, the access terminal abandons packet transmission in the current sector and hands off to the other sector, in an effort to increase throughput and save air interface resources. | 05-15-2014 |
20140120913 | Tracking Registration Buffer in a Cellular Network - Embodiments described herein may help to provide a delayed zone-update process. An exemplary method may involve a user entity, which is initially operating in a first of a plurality of multi-coverage-area zones in a radio access network (RAN), subsequently determining that the user entity has moved into a second multi-coverage-area zone of the RAN, wherein the user entity is located in a first coverage area of the second multi-coverage-area zone. In response, the user entity may refrain from sending a registration message to register in the second multi-coverage-area zone until the earlier of: (i) a threshold period of time elapsing and (ii) the user entity moving into another coverage area in the second multi-coverage-area zone that is different from the first coverage area. | 05-01-2014 |
20140120908 | Active Set Management Based on the Likelihood of a Mobile Station Roaming - In one aspect, an exemplary method involves a WCD: (i) determining a likelihood of roaming, wherein the likelihood of roaming indicates a likelihood that the WCD will be handed off from a preferred coverage area to a non-preferred coverage area; and (ii) using the likelihood of roaming as a basis for managing an active set of the WCD. In particular, the WCD may manage its active set by setting at least one active-set parameter affecting the number of active sectors in an active set of the WCD, and then maintaining its active set according to the setting of the at least one active-set parameter. According to an exemplary embodiment, a WCD will make an effort to increase the number of sectors in its active set when the likelihood of roaming is greater, and vice versa. | 05-01-2014 |
20140056226 | Base-Station Provided Access to IMS Services - Exemplary methods and systems for providing access to IMS services are disclosed herein. An exemplary method involves a first radio access network (RAN) component: (a) sending a registration message to an IMS network in order to register the first RAN component with the IMS network, wherein the IMS registration message provides an IP address at which to register the first RAN component, (b) receiving a service request from a first access terminal, wherein the first RAN component is a serving RAN component for the first access terminal, and (c) in response to receiving the service request, the first RAN component engaging in an IMS service on behalf of the first access terminal, wherein engaging in the IMS service on behalf of the first access terminal comprises sending the IMS network a first initiation message for a session event, wherein the first initiation message comprises: (i) a field that identifies the first access terminal and (ii) a field that includes an IP address of a second RAN component that serves a target access terminal. | 02-27-2014 |
20140018088 | Dynamic Paging Concatenation - Methods and systems for managing paging-channel resources, and in particular, dynamically adjusting the page-concatenation level based on PCO in a sector, are disclosed herein. An exemplary method involves (a) at an access network configured to page mobile stations via a paging channel of a sector in the access network, determining a paging channel occupancy (PCO) level for the sector; (b) using the determined PCO level as a basis for selecting a page-concatenation level to be used to page mobile stations in the sector, wherein the page-concatenation level is selected from a plurality of available page-concatenation levels; and (c) applying concatenation to pages to mobile stations in the sector according to the selected page-concatenation level. | 01-16-2014 |
20130310085 | Duplicative Transmission of Page Records in a Page Message - Disclosed herein are methods and systems that may take advantage of unused space in general page messages (GPMs) by including multiple instances of a given page in the same GPM, in an effort to improve the chances that the intended mobile station receives the page. An exemplary paging method involves: (a) before a transmission of a general page message (GPM) that is formatted to include up to a maximum number of page records, making a determination that less than the maximum number of page records are scheduled to be included in the GPM; (b) in response to the determination, selecting, from the page records that are scheduled to be included in the GPM, at least one page record for which to include two or more instances in the GPM; and (c) transmitting the GPM, wherein two or more instances of the at least one selected page record are included in the transmission of the GPM. | 11-21-2013 |
20130308579 | Determination of Initial Transmit Power Based on Shared Transmit-Power Information - Methods and systems are disclosed herein that may be used to share transmit-power information between mobile stations. An exemplary method involves a first mobile station: (i) determining a verified transmit power (VTP) for the first mobile station; (ii) using the VTP to generate a transmit-power message, wherein the transmit-power message is usable to determine an initial transmit power (ITP) for the second mobile station; and (iii) the first mobile station sending the transmit-power message to at least the second mobile station. For instance, the first mobile station may set the ITP for the second mobile station equal to the VTP for the first mobile station, and include an indication of the ITP in the transmit-power message. Alternatively, the first mobile station may calculate the ITP for the second mobile station by adjusting its VTP according to the ratio of the distance between the second mobile station and the serving base station, and the distance between the first mobile station and the serving base station. | 11-21-2013 |
20130210476 | Method Of Requesting A Communication Session Using Segmented Signaling Messages - An originating mobile station seeks to establish a push-to-talk (PTT) communication session with a destination mobile station. To do this, the originating mobile station transmits a first request message that requests the PTT session. Before receiving a predefined indication that the requested PTT session has been accepted, the originating mobile station transmits a first continuation message that includes first session description information to facilitate establishment of the PTT session. A PTT server receives the first request message and, before receiving the first continuation message, transmits to the destination mobile station a second request message that requests the PTT session. The PTT server then transmits a second continuation message that includes second session description information. The destination mobile station receives the second request message and, before receiving the second continuation message, transmits an acceptance message indicating acceptance of the requested PTT session. | 08-15-2013 |
20130210391 | Method And System For Anonymous Operation Of A Mobile Node - A mobile node and its home system generate synchronized time-based codes at periodic time intervals. Each time-based code is valid for a predetermined time period. To facilitate anonymous operation when roaming, the mobile node identifies itself with a coded identifier instead of a public identifier. The coded identifier used at a given time includes the time-based code that is valid for that given time. To authenticate the mobile node, a serving system receives authentication information from the mobile node and forwards the authentication information to a home system. The authentication information includes the current time-based code and a timestamp. The home system identifies the mobile node from the current time-based code and the timestamp. The home system then uses the authentication information to authenticate the mobile node. | 08-15-2013 |
20130165113 | Intelligent Paging-Channel Scanning Based on Location Relative to Zone of Last Registration - Exemplary methods and systems are disclosed herein that may, among other benefits, help a mobile station to conserve power by intelligently determining how often to scan for incoming pages. An exemplary method may be carried out by a mobile station that has most-recently registered with a radio access network in a zone of last registration, and involves the mobile station (a) determining a location of the mobile station in relation to the zone of last registration, (b) using the location of the mobile station in relation to the zone of last registration as a basis for determining a scan period to wait between scans of the paging channel; and (c) periodically scanning the paging channel according to the determined scan period. Furthermore, an exemplary method may be carried out in order to conserve battery power when a mobile station determines that its battery power is low. | 06-27-2013 |
20130155979 | Method and System for Extending Multiple Input Multiple Output Wireless Service - Disclosed herein is a method and system for extending MIMO service in a wireless communications system. The system comprises a base station, a remote system, and a host system communicatively coupled to the base station and the remote system. The base station is configured to generate, from a baseband signal, a downlink signal comprising a plurality of downlink signal streams, including at least a first downlink signal stream and a second downlink signal stream. Accordingly, the base station may include a first and a second antenna that are configured to transmit the first and second downlink signal streams, respectively. The remote system provides wireless service in a remote coverage area. Further, the remote system is configured to transmit a downlink signal as a plurality of downlink signal streams. The host system is communicatively coupled to the base station and to the remote system and configured to relay the downlink signal streams from the base station to the remote system. | 06-20-2013 |
20130136106 | Method and System for Vertical Handoff with Target Traffic Channel Setup Conveyed via Source Channel - A method and system for vertical handoff of a mobile station from a first-protocol RAN to a second-protocol RAN. The method and system provide a make-before-break vertical handoff, by having the first-protocol RAN (i) acquire, on behalf of the mobile station, a traffic channel assignment defining one or more traffic channel parameters for air interface communication in the second-protocol RAN, and (ii) pass to the mobile station, via the first air interface protocol, the one or more traffic channel parameters so that the mobile station can then readily switch over to communication under the second-protocol RAN. Optimally, the acquisition and passing of the one or more second-protocol traffic channel parameters may occur without the mobile station having requested the handoff, without the mobile station having asked for the traffic channel assignment, and without the mobile station having yet begun communication with the second-protocol RAN. | 05-30-2013 |
20130128737 | Methods and Devices for Assigning a Wireless Communication Device to a Wireless Coverage Area Based on Early Termination Gain - Methods and systems for assigning a wireless communication device (WCD) to a wireless coverage are a based on early termination gain (ETG) are presented. In particular, a RAN may receive a request, from a WCD, for an assignment to one of a plurality of wireless coverage areas. In response to receiving the request, the RAN may select a wireless coverage area of the plurality that has a highest ETG, and assign the WCD to the selected wireless coverage area. Prior to selecting this wireless coverage area, the RAN may optionally remove one or more wireless coverage areas with high utilization from consideration. | 05-23-2013 |
20130065550 | Method and System for Routing a Voice-Over-Packet Emergency Services Call to an Appropriate Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) - A plurality of public safety answering points (PSAPs) are accessible via a voice-over-packet (VoP) network. A wireless access point of the VoP network is provisioned with a PSAP identifier and/or access point identifier to facilitate the routing of emergency services calls from the wireless access point to the appropriate PSAP. When a mobile node transmits a message to originate a call, the wireless access point parses the message to determine whether the mobile node is requesting an emergency services call. If an emergency call is being requested, the wireless access point inserts the PSAP identifier and/or access point identifier with which it has been provisioned into the message and forwards the modified message to a proxy server. The proxy server receives the modified message and routes the call to the appropriate PSAP, based on the PSAP identifier and/or access point identifier contained therein. | 03-14-2013 |
20130034084 | Method and System for Sector Switching During Packet Transmission - A method and apparatus for handing off packet-transmission between sectors of a wireless communication system is disclosed herein. During transmission of a packet from an access network to an access terminal, the access terminal determines that the packet should theoretically be transmitted to the access terminal in fewer timeslots in another sector than the number of allowed timeslots remaining for the packet transmission in a current sector. In response, the access terminal abandons packet transmission in the current sector and hands off to the other sector, in an effort to increase throughput and save air interface resources. | 02-07-2013 |
20120276914 | Method and System of Assigning a Channel without Paging - A method and system for setting up a communication with a given mobile station served by a RAN that defines one or more coverage areas. The RAN may receive an indication of a location of the given mobile station. The RAN may then use the location of the given mobile station to identify one or more wireless coverage areas associated with the given mobile station. The RAN may also receive a request to set up a communication with the given mobile station. In response, the RAN may assign a channel for the communication to the given mobile station in each identified wireless coverage area without first paging the given mobile station. | 11-01-2012 |
20120245937 | Voice Rendering Of E-mail With Tags For Improved User Experience - Tags, such as XML tags, are inserted into email to separate email content from signature blocks, privacy notices and confidentiality notices, and to separate original email messages from replies and replies from further replies. The tags are detected by a system that renders email as speech, such as voice command platform or network-based virtual assistant or message center. The system can render an original email message in one voice mode and the reply in a different voice mode. The tags can be inserted to identify a voice memo in which a user responds to a particular portion of an email message. | 09-27-2012 |
20120244882 | Method and Apparatus for Providing Satellite Assistance Data - Disclosed is a method for providing satellite assistance data to facilitate determination of the location of a mobile station, particularly for instance a mobile station served by a femtocell. When a positioning server receives a request for the location of a mobile station, the positioning server will determine from the request the mobile station is served by a femtocell and that the positioning server should query a femtocell server for seed data, or the positioning server may otherwise determine from the request that the positioning server should query the femtocell server for seed data. The seed data would preferably be geographic coordinates of a femtocell with which the mobile station is registered. The positioning server may then use that seed data to facilitate obtaining satellite assistance data from a base station almanac, and the positioning serve may provide the satellite assistance data to the mobile station to facilitate location determination. | 09-27-2012 |
20120231827 | Redirecting a Wireless Communication Device to a Different Frequency - A wireless communication device (WCD) may be able to acquire wireless service from preferred wireless coverage areas that are managed by the WCD's service provider. In some cases, the WCD may instead use wireless service from non-preferred wireless coverage areas of the service provider's roaming partners. In order to save roaming fees, the service provider's RAN may determine when the WCD is likely to roam to a non-preferred wireless coverage area. In response to this determination, the RAN may transmit a redirect message to the WCD, causing the WCD to switch from one preferred wireless coverage area to another preferred wireless coverage area. In some situations, the RAN may transmit such a redirect message because the WCD has reported that it has a low remaining battery life. | 09-13-2012 |
20120225666 | Method and System for Use of a Trusted Server to Facilitate Location Determination - Disclosed is a method and system for use of a trusted server such as an over-the-air provisioning server to facilitate mobile location determination. If a mobile location server (MLS) sends a location-determination message to a mobile station and does not receive a response back from the mobile station, there is a chance that the mobile station is not provisioned with a correct address of the MLS and that the mobile station therefore did not respond. To help jump start the location-determination process, the MLS may respond to that situation by instead causing a trusted server such as an over-the-air-service-provisioning (OTASP) server to send a location-determination message to the mobile station, triggering a response from the mobile station. | 09-06-2012 |
20120214484 | Method and Apparatus for Scanning Sectors in Order of Distance from Mobile Station - A mobile station will sort wireless coverage sectors in order of distance of the sectors from the mobile station, and the mobile station will then scan for pilot signals from the sectors in the sorted order. The invention can be applied advantageously to provide an order of scanning remaining set sectors in a mobile station operating according to a code division multiple access protocol. | 08-23-2012 |
20120195275 | Methods and Systems for Improving Session Establishment with Wireless Communication Devices - Methods and systems for reducing the latency of instant communication session establishment are presented. According to various preferred embodiments, a RAN, may receive a setup request message via a packet-switched network. The RAN may determine, from a quality of service (QOS) indication contained in the setup request message, that the setup request message is requesting establishment of a instant communication session. The RAN may further determine an intended destination wireless communication device (WCD) for the setup request message. Based on the QOS indication and/or a profile indicating the destination WCD's capabilities, the RAN may pre-allocate resources for the instant communication session in parallel to paging the destination WCD. In this way, the latencies associated with these procedures are overlapped, thus reducing the overall latency of instant communication session establishment. | 08-02-2012 |
20120071178 | Mobile Network Presence Service with Load-Based Notification Throttling - Methods and systems are described for providing a presence service that is useful for mobile telecommunications devices. A plurality of outgoing presence updates are sent to a presence client. The system monitors the level of network traffic and determines whether the client is in a region of high network load, and if so, the system throttles the outgoing presence updates during the condition of high network load. The level of throttling may depend at least in part on the amount of time that has elapsed since the presence client began a presence session, and/or the amount of time that has elapsed since an incoming presence update was received from the presence client. In determining the latter amount of elapsed time, the system may consider only the amount of time elapsed since an incoming non-automatic presence update was received from the presence client. | 03-22-2012 |
20120034914 | Off-Hook Triggered Cellular-Landline Conference Call - A method and system for conferencing a landline telephone into a cellular telephone call is disclosed. In response to a landline telephone going off-hook, a cellular telephone corresponding to the landline telephone is identified. When a determination is made that the corresponding cellular telephone is currently engaged in a call, the landline telephone is conferenced into the cellular call. If the cellular telephone is subsequently disengaged from the call, the original cellular call has been effectively transferred to the landline telephone. The inventive method and system may be linked to a cellular-landline conference call service. For example, a user may subscribe to such a service so that the user may automatically transfer a call from the user's cellular telephone to the user's home or office landline telephone when that landline telephone is taken off-hook. | 02-09-2012 |
20120027002 | Method and System for Selecting VPN Connections in Response to Wireless Network Identifiers - A method and system for providing connections from a wireless access point. The wireless access point has multiple VPN tunnels. The access point detects a wireless-network identifier (such as a service set identifier (SSID)) provided by a terminal via an air interface, and the access point uses the wireless-network identifier as a basis to select one of the VPN tunnels. The access point then sends communication from the terminal via the selected VPN tunnel. | 02-02-2012 |
20120009925 | Paging Success Rate Mechanism - A method for handling registration requests in a cellular wireless communication system. The method includes determining that a transmission-success rate of messages sent via the forward-link of an air interface is less than a threshold success rate. The method further includes, in response to the determination that the system has less than a threshold transmission success rate, increasing a frequency at which mobile stations register with the cellular wireless communication system via the air interface. | 01-12-2012 |
20120008611 | Method And System For Providing Wireless Service According To Multiple Wireless-Communication Protocols On A Single Radio-Frequency (RF) Carrier - Methods and systems are provided for providing wireless service using multiple protocols on a single radio-frequency (RF) carrier. According to an embodiment, a low-cost Internet base station (LCIB) provides wireless service on an RF carrier using a first wireless-communication protocol and provides wireless service on the RF carrier using a second wireless-communication protocol, where providing wireless service on the RF carrier using the first wireless-communication protocol and providing wireless service on the RF carrier using the second wireless-communication protocol occur at different times. The LCIB may alternate between providing wireless service using the first wireless-communication protocol and providing wireless service using the second wireless-communication protocol. | 01-12-2012 |
20110255628 | Method And Apparatus For Interference Mitigation By Removing A Portion Of The Transmit Signal - Elimination of intermodulation interference in a wireless communication system by removing a portion of the spectrum of transmitted signals. According to a received indication of an occurrence of intermodulation interference experienced by a narrowband receiver, mappings are performed between the predetermined narrowband channel frequency on which the narrowband receiver operates and the occupied channel frequencies of at least one broadband transmit signal. Narrowband candidate frequency ranges that linearly combine into frequencies that overlap the predetermined narrowband channel frequency are determined based on the mappings. The narrowband candidate frequency ranges that potentially contribute to the intermodulation interference are then selectively filtered by at least one notch filter until the intermodulation interference is substantially eliminated. | 10-20-2011 |
20110249649 | Methods and Systems for Transitioning a Communication Session from a Source Base Station to a Target Base Station without Terminating the Session - Methods and systems are provided for transitioning an active communication session of a mobile station from being conducted over a communication path that includes a source base station to being conducted over a communication path that includes a target base station, without terminating the communication session. A wireless communication device situated within a source coverage area of a source base station operates as a clone of the mobile station that is situated within a source coverage area of the source base station and also within a target coverage area of the target base station. The transition involves the clone relaying the communication session between the source base station and the mobile station; meanwhile, the target base station (i) establishes an air-interface connection with the mobile station and (ii) detects a handoff-completion trigger, and responsively serves the mobile station over the air-interface connection with respect to the communication session. | 10-13-2011 |
20110230191 | Methods and Systems for Causing a Mobile Station to Originate a Subsequent Call Via a Coverage Area Other than that Used for a First Call - Methods and systems are provided causing a mobile station to, after experiencing a dropped call, originate a subsequent call via a coverage area different than that used for the first call. In an embodiment, a mobile station detects that, when it was engaged in the first call at a first location via a first wireless coverage area, the mobile station experienced the first call being dropped. When the mobile station subsequently attempts to originate a second call, the mobile station determines that its current location is within a threshold distance of the first location, and responsively attempts to originate the second call via a second wireless coverage area different from the first. | 09-22-2011 |
20110211531 | Method and System for Selective Application of Cellular-PBX Integration Service - A method and system for selectively applying a cellular-PBX integration service. When a radio access network (RAN) receives a call request seeking to set up a call for a cellular wireless communication device (WCD) that is operating in the coverage area of the RAN, a determination is made as to whether the WCD is currently checked-into a cellular-PBX integration service. A service control point (SCP), for instance, may make the determination. If the determination is that the WCD is currently checked-in, then the call is set up to an IP PBX server that services the WCD, and the IP PBX server may then handle the call as it would handle a call placed to any IP PBX extension. Further, differential billing can be applied, charging an enterprise billing-account for the call if the WCD is checked-in, and charging a WCD billing-account for the call if the WCD is not checked-in. | 09-01-2011 |
20110189975 | Method for Communicating Indoor Location to an Emergency Service System - A method for communicating location to an emergency service system. A wireless communication device (WCD) such as a cell phone attains a GPS location fix when outdoors and then uses a compass and pedometer to determine its direction(s) and distance(s) of travel reaching a position inside a building. When a user of the WCD places an emergency call, the WCD conveys an indication of its indoor location in a signaling message to an emergency service center, and an intermediation system such as an IMS system translates the indoor location indication to a textual description of a portion of the building (e.g., room, cubicle, zone, etc.) that encompasses the indicated location. An emergency service operator can thus receive the building portion description, to facilitate emergency service response. Further, a similar process can then be repeated during the call, to provide an updated building portion description to the operator. | 08-04-2011 |
20110103346 | Encapsulating Upper Layers of CDMA Signaling Between a Multi-mode Device and a Signaling Gateway - Methods and systems are provided for encapsulating upper layers of CDMA signaling messages between a multi-mode device and a signaling gateway. In an exemplary embodiment, a multi-mode device has a CDMA mode and a Wi-Fi mode. In Wi-Fi mode, the device generates an upper-layer portion of a CDMA signaling message. The device then encapsulates the first upper-layer portion in at least one packet-switched-protocol, such as SIP. The device then transmits the encapsulated upper-layer portion of the CDMA signaling message via a Wi-Fi network and a packet-switched network to a signaling gateway, which then translates the upper-layer portion into an SS7 message, and transmits the SS7 message over an SS7 network. | 05-05-2011 |
20110065439 | Method for Use of Azimuth and Bearing Data to Select a Serving Sector for a Mobile Station - A method for selecting a wireless coverage sector to serve a mobile station, such as in response to a handoff request that designates a sector-identifier that represents two or more possible sectors. A serving radio access network (RAN) may identify potential sectors in the region and may then select the sector whose azimuth is closest to the geographic bearing of the mobile station from the sector's base station. Further, in the event of a tie between two or more sectors or in other circumstances, the RAN may also take into consideration how close the mobile station is to various base stations, such as selecting the sector to whose base station the mobile station is closest. In a system that uses neighbor lists to govern handoff, the invention can help to facilitate handoff in a scenario where a mobile station requests handoff to a sector not listed in the mobile station's neighbor list. | 03-17-2011 |
20110034187 | Wireline Telephony Instrument for Wirelessly Receiving and Displaying Data Messages - A wireline telephony instrument for wirelessly receiving and displaying data messages allows a wireline telephone to wirelessly receive data messages, although the wireline telephony instrument does not wirelessly receive or transmit calls. The data messages may include text, images, and other types of multimedia data. Wireless receive-only capabilities may be integrated into the wireline telephony instrument by adding an integrated circuit, such as a CDMA chipset or a GSM chipset, to the wireline telephony instrument. Further, by integrating a display into the wireline telephony instrument, the wireline telephony instrument may display the data messages. Logic is also integrated into the wireline telephone for routing the data messages received by the wireline telephone to the display. | 02-10-2011 |
20100260275 | Method and system for frequency band allocation based on frequency band usage measurements - A method for selecting a frequency band, from among a plurality of frequency bands controllable by a radio network controller (RNC), to carry a data communication. The method may include obtaining frequency band usage measurements for a plurality of frequency bands, and using the frequency band usage measurements to select a particular frequency band of the plurality of frequency bands to carry the data communication. Frequency band usage measurements may be based on how many idle slots (and/or data channels) are carried through each of the plurality of frequency bands during a measurement time period. A comparison of the frequency band usage measurements can be used to determine which frequency band sent the greatest number of idle slots (or the fewest number of data channels). The method provides for selecting a frequency band best suited (e.g., has the most available capacity for carrying a data communication) for carrying the data communication. | 10-14-2010 |
20100246534 | Method and System for Managing Handoff in a Radio Access Network - Disclosed is a method and device for managing handoff of an access terminal in a radio access network (RAN). An access terminal may detect a handoff trigger, determine whether there is an ongoing data transfer in progress, determine an amount remaining in the data transfer, compare the amount remaining to a threshold amount, and delay or cancel the handoff if the amount remaining is below the threshold amount. Additionally, the access terminal may consider signal strength of the current (source) coverage area in determining whether to delay or cancel the handoff. | 09-30-2010 |
20100229100 | Methods and Systems for Storing and Accessing Application History - In a communication device, multiple instances of different applications may execute. Advantageously, at least one instance of an application records and stores a browsing history of data items accessed during its execution. This stored browsing history may be made available to later instances of applications. Furthermore, one or more such stored histories may be accessed via a global back or a global forward command, allowing the histories to be browsed according to the order in which they were recorded. | 09-09-2010 |
20100223352 | Method and Apparatus for Dynamic Variation of Content-Download Depending on Foreground or Background Nature of Download - A method is disclosed for dynamically varying a content download depending on whether the download is a foreground-download or a background-download. When a server receives a content-request from a device, the server determines whether the content-request is foreground-generated or background-generated and accordingly selects a set of content to transmit in response to the device. If the content-request is background-generated, for instance, the server may select a smaller quantity of content, since the device user might not be actively involved with the download. On the other hand, if the content-request is foreground-generated, the server may select a larger quantity of content, since the user is involved at the time. Alternatively, the device itself may select a location from which to request content, based on whether the download is a foreground-download or a background-download. | 09-02-2010 |
20100220842 | Method and System for Timed Interaction with an Interactive Voice Response System - Provided are methods and systems associated with interactive voice response (“IVR”) systems that control the amount of time a user interacts with the system. According to the invention, an IVR system utilizes a timer or series of timers to determine how long a user has been interacting with the IVR system. When threshold events occur, the IVR system will analyze the status of the call and may switch the user to a predefined destination, such as to an operator queue, directly to a live operator, or to another designated navigation point in the IVR navigation structure. In this manner increasing the efficiency of manner in which the IVR system interacts with a caller. | 09-02-2010 |
20100214989 | Dynamic Selection By A Mobile Station Of Its Home Agent Using Its Preferred Roaming List (PRL) - Methods and systems are provided for dynamic selection by a mobile station of its home agent using its preferred roaming list (PRL). A mobile station maintains a PRL comprising an association between (i) a first set of data identifying a first wireless wide area network (WWAN) and (ii) a first identifier of a first home agent. The mobile station detects a broadcast of the first set of data by the first WWAN. Responsive to detecting the broadcast of the first set of data by the first WWAN, the mobile station connects to the first WWAN. Responsive to connecting to the first WWAN, the mobile station uses the first identifier to register with the first home agent. | 08-26-2010 |
20100178875 | Interference Cancellation System and Method for Wireless Antenna Configuration - Presently disclosed is a method for reducing interference in a wireless distributed antenna systems. In an embodiment, interference is reduced by selectively placing a first wireless remote unit in a reduced signal interference mode. A controller sends a signal, such as a reverse link power-down signal, to the first remote unit after detecting less than a threshold incoming signal strength at the first remote unit. In an alternative embodiment, the controller requests that a given remote unit switch to the reduced signal interference mode when the controller is receiving signals from a mobile station through at least two different remote units. | 07-15-2010 |
20100113073 | Methods and Systems for Disabling Text Messaging while Driving - Methods and systems are provided for disabling text messaging while driving. In one embodiment, a mobile station makes a first determination that it is moving at greater than a threshold rate. The mobile station makes a second determination that, while it is moving at greater than the threshold rate, an outgoing text message reflects more than a threshold degradation in typing proficiency. In response to making the first and second determinations, the mobile station disables a text-message-sending capability. | 05-06-2010 |
20100069105 | AUTOMATIC ROTATION THROUGH PLAY OUT OF AUDIO-CLIPS IN REPSONSE TO DETECTED ALERT EVENTS - A method and device for detecting alert events and responsively playing out audio-clips. The audio-clips may comprise data representing a sound recording. Playing out the audio-clips occurs in an order defined by a sequence. The audio-clips and the sequence are maintained in data storage. A processor executes program logic to detect a first alert event and responsively play out at least a first audio-clip of the sequence, and to detect a next alert event and responsively play out at least a next alert event of the sequence. After playing out all audio-clips in the sequence, play out of the audio-clips may then continue with the first audio-clip of the sequence. | 03-18-2010 |
20090327443 | Method and System for Aggregating Messages - Methods and systems are disclosed that support the aggregation of acknowledgement messages and control messages. Advantageously, acknowledgement and negative acknowledgement indications for multiple client nodes are combined into a single aggregated message which is broadcast or multicast to the multiple client nodes. Based on unique identifiers assigned to each client node, client nodes are grouped such that the aggregated acknowledgement messages can be efficiently encoded to conserve both network capacity when they are transmitted, as well as processing capacity when they are parsed by the client nodes. If code division multiple access (CDMA) technology is used, the aggregated acknowledgment message can be transmitted without CDMA spreading to effectively broadcast or multicast it to multiple client nodes. A similar technique can be employed for the efficient broadcast or multicast of aggregated control messages. | 12-31-2009 |
20090325594 | Using Base-Station Location to Assist Mobile-Device system Acquisition - Methods and systems are provided for using base-station location to assist mobile-device system acquisition. A mobile station, which stores a network identifier, selects a carrier frequency. The mobile station receives, from a base station on a first carrier frequency, geographic coordinates of the base station and a base-station network identifier, and determines whether the base-station network identifier matches the mobile-station network identifier. If the base-station network identifier matches the mobile-station network identifier, the mobile station will scan the indicated home frequency bands and will connect to one of the home frequencies, and if the base-station network identifier does not match the mobile-station network identifier, the geographic coordinates of the base station are used to identify a market area and a most-preferred carrier frequency is selected from the identified market area. | 12-31-2009 |
20090061869 | Policy Based Mobile-IP Address Selection and Assignment - A method for imposing a communication policy for a mobile node. During Mobile-IP (MIP) registration for the mobile node, when a MIP home agent sends an access request to an authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA) server, the AAA server will select a pool of IP addresses corresponding with a communication policy for the mobile node and will direct the home agent to assign an IP address selected from that pool. Thereafter, when the home agent receives a communication to or from the IP address, the home agent may then determine the applicable communication policy by determining the pool from which the IP address was selected, and the home agent may apply that communication policy. | 03-05-2009 |
20080212503 | Method and System for Tailoring WiMAX Device Provisioning Based on Device Capability Information Communicated to Network - Before a WiMAX-equipped device is distributed to an end-user, the manufacturer or distributor of the WiMAX-equipped device will record in the device a set of data that describes characteristics (e.g., type, features, capabilities, and limitations) of the device. When the end-user powers on the device or otherwise brings the device within the coverage of a service provider's WiMAX base station, the device will then acquire radio connectivity, typically with the service provider authenticating the device's WiMAX chipset. Thereafter, the device will engage in a first-time activation/service-provisioning session with a system operated by the service provider, and during that session, the device will provide the system with its device-characteristics data and the service provider will use that device-characteristics data as a basis to customize provisioning of service for the device based on the device's features and capabilities. | 09-04-2008 |