Location Information For Control of Mode/Technology

{
  "publication_number": "US2010105373A1",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "A1",
  "title": "Location Information For Control of Mode/Technology",
  "abstract": "A multimode wireless communication device utilizes location information provided by a co-located autonomous position location receiver to determine a preferred provider database and associated operating mode and operating technology when an out-of-service condition is encountered. The multimode wireless communication device can utilize active preferred provider database while in service and while acquired within a network. The multimode wireless communication device can initiate location-based mode and technology control when in an out-of-service condition. The multimode wireless communication device determines its location and based on the location, accesses a database to determine a preferred provider database. The preferred provider database provides a hierarchical list of available systems and associated information for acquiring and registering with the systems. The multimode wireless communication device reduces a search time and associated power consumption using location-based mode and technology control.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A method of controlling an operating mode of a multimode wireless communication device, the method comprising: determining an out-of-service condition; determining a geographic location of the multimode wireless communication device; and configuring the multimode wireless communication device based in part on the geographic location.",
    "2. The method of claim 1, further comprising: associating the geographic location with a predetermined geographic region; and identifying a configuration of the multimode wireless communication device based on the geographic region.",
    "3. The method of claim 2, wherein identifying the configuration of the multimode wireless communication device comprises: identifying a mode table associated with the geographic region; and determining a wireless system technology from information within the mode table.",
    "4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the out-of-service condition comprises at least one of determining a power-up state or determining a dropped service state.",
    "5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the out-of-service condition comprises receiving user input requesting an updated scan.",
    "6. The method of claim 1, further comprising configuring the multimode wireless communication device for a last known network based on a last known position if the out-of-service condition fails to satisfy predetermined conditions.",
    "7. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the geographic location of the multimode wireless communication device comprises: receiving at least one position location signal from a Satellite Positioning System (SPS); and determining the geographic location based in part on the at least one position location signal.",
    "8. The method of claim 7, wherein receiving at least one position location signal comprises receiving position location signals from three distinct satellites.",
    "9. The method of claim 7, further comprising: determining augmentation information, and wherein determining the geographic location comprises determining the geographic location based on the at least one position location signal and the augmentation information.",
    "10. The method of claim 9, wherein determining the augmentation information comprises determining augmentation information from a sensor within the multimode wireless communication device.",
    "11. The method of claim 9, wherein determining the augmentation information comprises determining a positioning assumption.",
    "12. The method of claim 1, wherein configuring the multimode wireless communication device comprises configuring the multimode wireless communication device for one of CMDA or UMTS technologies supported by the multimode wireless communication device.",
    "13. The method of claim 1, wherein configuring the multimode wireless communication device comprises configuring the multimode wireless communication device for one of CMDA, HDR, GSM, UMTS, or WLAN technologies supported by the multimode wireless communication device.",
    "14. The method of claim 13, wherein configuring the multimode wireless communication device further comprises configuring a local oscillator for a frequency associated with a selected technology.",
    "15. A method of controlling an operating mode of a multimode wireless communication device, the method comprising: determining an out-of-service condition; determining a geographic location of the multimode wireless communication device; determining a predetermined geographic region associated with the geographic location; identifying a mode table based on the geographic region, the mode table identifying at least one technology of a plurality of wireless communication technologies supported by the multimode wireless communication device; determining mode information from a mode entry of the mode table; and configuring the multimode wireless communication device for one of the plurality of wireless communication technologies supported by the multimode wireless communication device based in part on the mode information.",
    "16. The method of claim 15, wherein determining the geographic location comprises determining a position location solution based on at least one signal received from a satellite of a satellite positioning system.",
    "17. The method of claim 15, wherein determining the predetermined geographic region comprises determining the predetermined geographic region in which the geographic location is bounded.",
    "18. The method of claim 15, wherein configuring the multimode wireless communication device comprises: configuring a reconfigurable wireless transceiver; and configuring a reconfigurable baseband processor.",
    "19. An apparatus for multimode wireless communication, the apparatus comprising: a reconfigurable wireless transceiver; a positioning system receiver configured to determine a geographic location; a mode database configured to store information identifying a plurality of geographic regions and information relating to each of a plurality of modes; and a mode controller configured to access the mode database and determine a supported mode based on the geographic location, and reconfigure the reconfigurable wireless transceiver for the supported mode.",
    "20. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising: a reconfigurable baseband processor coupled to the reconfigurable wireless transceiver, and wherein the mode controller reconfigures the reconfigurable baseband processor for the supported mode.",
    "21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the positioning system receiver comprises a satellite positioning system receiver.",
    "22. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the mode database comprises a plurality of flat files, each flat file including information relating a geographic region to a mode table defining a list of mode entries providing mode configuration information.",
    "23. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the mode database comprises a relational database relating geographic regions to modes supported within the geographic regions.",
    "24. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the plurality of modes comprises at least one of: a CDMA mode; an HDR mode; a GSM mode; an LTE mode; a WiMax mode; and a UMTS mode.",
    "25. An apparatus for multimode wireless communication, the apparatus comprising: means for determining an out-of-service condition; means for determining a geographic location of the multimode wireless communication device; and means for configuring the multimode wireless communication device based in part on the geographic location.",
    "26. A storage medium encoded with processor executable instructions, when executed by a processor, performing: determining an out-of-service condition of a multimode wireless communication device; determining a geographic location of the multimode wireless communication device; determining a predetermined geographic region associated with the geographic location; identifying a mode table based on the geographic region, the mode table identifying at least one technology of a plurality of wireless communication technologies supported by the multimode wireless communication device; determining mode information from a mode entry of the mode table; and configuring the multimode wireless communication device for one of the plurality of wireless communication technologies supported by the multimode wireless communication device based in part on the mode information."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "Mobile wireless communication devices typically operate under challenging channel conditions. A mobile wireless communication device may traverse deep channel fades that affect the ability of the device to acquire or maintain an active communication link within a particular communication system.\n\nA communication system supporting mobile wireless communication devices may be deployed over a limited geographic area further affecting the ability of a mobile wireless communication device from acquiring or maintaining an active communication link with the system. Although some communication systems, such as cellular telephone communication systems, may be deployed over substantially an entire nation or an entire continent, coverage holes may exist in the system. Furthermore, there is currently no cellular telephone wireless communication system that is deployed worldwide. A service provider may be restricted from populating a worldwide network due to, for example, different communication standards adopted in different countries, an inability to obtain spectrum licenses within regions or countries, or costs associated with deploying a worldwide system.\n\nA mobile wireless communication device may be implemented as a multimode wireless communication device in order to address the possibilities of coverage holes as well as to provide multi-country support. The multimode wireless communication device may have the ability to tune to various operating bands and reconfigure itself to support various technologies.",
  "cpc": [
    "H04W 48/16",
    "H04W 48/18",
    "H04W 64/00",
    "H04W 88/06"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "H04M 11/00",
    "H04M 3/00"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Qualcomm Inc"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Parag M. Kanade"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2008-10-28",
  "publication_date": "2010-04-29",
  "priority_date": "2008-10-28",
  "application_number": "US-26008208-A",
  "family_id": "41502706",
  "cited_by_count": 117,
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}