Using subnet relations to conserve power in a wireless communication device
AssigneeNtt Docomo, Inc.
InventorsFujio Watanabe, Jingjun Cao, Shoji Kurakake
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Abstract
A system and method for monitoring subnet relations in a wireless communication system is disclosed. A wireless communication device is provided and is located in a first subnet. When the wireless communication device executes a handoff to a second subnet, a mobility agent server notifies a virtual operator server of the handoff. As a result of the handoff, a subnet relation is created between the first subnet and the second subnet that is stored and later used to control how the wireless communication device uses power by placing network interface systems that cannot be used in a power-saving mode.
Claims23
A method for conserving power in a wireless communication device having at least one network interface, comprising the steps of:
- providing a wireless communication system including a plurality of subnets;
- using a subnet relation database to determine foreign subnets said wireless communication device can access from a current subnet;
- and
- placing each respective network interface on said wireless communication device that cannot be used to communicate with said foreign subnets in a power-saving mode.
A method of monitoring subnet relations in a wireless communication system, comprising the steps of:
- providing a wireless communication device located in a first subnet;
- detecting when said wireless communication device executes a handoff to a second subnet;
- creating a subnet relation between said first subnet and said second subnet;
- and storing said subnet relation.
A subnet relationship monitoring system for a wireless communication system, comprising:
- a wireless communication device with at least one network interface for connecting to a plurality of subnets;
- at least one mobility agent server connected to predetermined subnets within said plurality of subnets;
- a virtual operator server connected to each mobility agent server;
- and
- a subnet relation database located on said virtual operator server, wherein said virtual operator server is operable to use said subnet relation database to determine which network interfaces on said wireless communication device are active when said wireless communication device is located in a specific subnet.
A method for managing subnet relations in a wireless communication device including at least one network interface, comprising the steps of:
- providing a plurality of access networks that include at least one subnet;
- connecting said wireless communication device to a respective subnet;
- determining which surrounding subnets that said wireless communication device is capable of performing a handoff to from within said respective subnet;
- and
- placing each network interface in a power-saving mode that cannot be used by any of said surrounding subnets.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.