Storing Wi-Fi and cellular tower database to assist cellular network system selection
AssigneeBlackBerry Limited
InventorsHao Xue, Jeffrey William Wirtanen, Jean-Philippe Paul Cormier
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of selecting a cellular network includes storing a location database in a memory of a mobile device, the location database providing location data for one or more locations each identified by a unique identifier, in response to recognizing the identifier, determining a current location of the mobile device by looking up the identifier in the database, prioritizing bands based on the current location to define a band priority, and selecting the cellular network based on the band priority.
Claims20
A method of selecting a cellular network, the method comprising:
- storing a location database in a memory of a user equipment, the location database providing location data for one or more locations each identified by a unique identifier;
- determining a last time Toff a radio of the user equipment was powered off;
- powering up the radio of the user equipment at a time Ton;
- when the time lapsed between Ton and Toff is less than or equal to a threshold, preventing the user equipment from determining its location;
- and
- when the time lapsed between Ton and Toff is greater than a threshold, performing the steps of:
- detecting a Wi-Fi signal;
- obtaining a MAC address from the Wi-Fi signal;
- in response to obtaining the MAC address, determining a current location of the user equipment by looking up the MAC address as the identifier in the location database;
- determining a band priority based on the current location;
- and
- selecting the cellular network frequency band based on the band priority.
A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions in code which when loaded into a memory and executed by a processor of a user equipment cause the user equipment to:
- store a location database in a memory of a user equipment, the location database providing location data for one or more locations each identified by a unique identifier;
- determine a last time Toff a radio of the user equipment was powered off;
- power up the radio of the user equipment at a time Ton;
- when the time lapsed between Ton and Toff is less than or equal to a threshold, prevent the user equipment from determining its location;
- and
- when the time lapsed between Ton and Toff is greater than a threshold, perform the steps of:
- detecting a Wi-Fi signal;
- obtaining a MAC address from the Wi-Fi signal;
- in response to obtaining the MAC address, determining a current location of the user equipment by looking up the MAC address as the identifier in the location database;
- determining a band priority based on the current location;
- and
- selecting the cellular network frequency band based on the band priority.
A user equipment comprising:
- a memory for storing a location database that includes location data for one or more locations each identified by a unique identifier;
- a Wi-Fi receiver;
- and
- a processor operatively coupled to the memory to:
- determine a last time Toff a radio of the user equipment was powered off;
- power up the radio of the user equipment at a time Ton;
- when the time lapsed between Ton and Toff is less than or equal to a threshold, preventing the user equipment from determining its location;
- and
- when the time lapsed between Ton and Toff is greater than a threshold, perform the steps of:
- detecting a Wi-Fi signal with the Wi-Fi receiver;
- obtaining a MAC address from the Wi-Fi signal;
- in response to obtaining the MAC address, determining a current location of the user equipment by looking up the MAC address as the identifier in the location database;
- determining a band priority based on the current location;
- and
- selecting the cellular network frequency band based on the band priority.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.