US 7,689,216 B2Granted

Scanning and decoding methods and apparatus for mobile communication devices

AssigneeResearch In Motion Limited

InventorMatthias Wandel

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Abstract

In one illustrative scanning and decoding method, a signal strength level of an RF signal on an RF channel is measured for a plurality of RF channels of an RF band. The act of measuring a signal strength level is repeated at least one time to obtain at least one other signal strength level of the RF signal. Subsequently, an averaging function is completed with use of the signal strength level and the at least one other signal strength level for identifying an averaged signal strength level of the RF signal. At least one optimal RF signal is then identified based on the averaged signal strength levels of the RF signals on the RF channels. In between the repeated acts of measuring signal strength levels of the RF signals, and prior to identifying the averaged signal strength levels, control information is decoded on at least one of the RF channels and stored in memory. A wireless communication network is selected for communication with use of the control information stored in the memory which corresponds to one of the at least one optimal RF signal. In this manner, the mobile station expeditiously obtains the control information for network selection or other purposes prior to completing the averaging of the signal strength levels.

Claims21

Dependent claims

A network selection method comprising:

performing the following acts for each broadcast control channel of a plurality of broadcast control channels defined in a wireless communication system which includes a plurality of wireless communication networks:
measuring, on the broadcast control channel, a signal strength level of a radio frequency (RF) signal of a wireless communication network;
repeating the act of measuring on the broadcast control channel at least one time so that at least one other signal strength level of the RF signal on the broadcast control channel is identified;
completing an averaging function with the signal strength level and the at least one other signal strength level for calculating an averaged signal strength level of the RF signal on the broadcast control channel, the averaged signal strength level being an average of the signal strength level and the at least one other signal strength level;
prior to the completion of the averaging function for the calculating of the averaged signal strength level of, and in between or during the repeated acts of measuring the signal strength levels of the RF signal on the broadcast control channel:
decoding control information on the broadcast control channel and storing the control information in memory, the control information including a network identification which uniquely identifies the wireless communication network;
after the performing of the acts for each said broadcast control channel, performing the further acts of:
identifying at least one optimal RF signal from the averaged signal strength levels that were calculated from the completion of the averaging function for each said RF signal on each said broadcast control channel;
and
selecting and registering with one of the wireless communication networks for communication service with use of the control information that was decoded and stored in the memory prior to the completion of the averaging function, the selected wireless communication network being associated with the at least one optimal RF signal identified from the averaged signal strength levels.

7 more elements

A communication device, comprising;

a radio frequency (RF) transceiver;
one or more processors coupled to the RF transceiver;
the one or more processors being adapted to perform the following acts for each broadcast control channel of a plurality of broadcast control channels defined in a wireless communication system which includes a plurality of wireless communication networks:
measure, on the broadcast control channel, a signal strength level of an RF signal of a wireless communication network;
repeat the act of measuring on the broadcast control channel at least one time so that at least one other signal strength level of the RF signal on the broadcast control channel is identified;
complete an averaging function with the signal strength level and the at least one other signal strength level for calculating an averaged signal strength level of the RF signal on the broadcast control channel, the averaged signal strength level being an average of the signal strength level and the at least one other signal strength level;
and
prior to the completion of the averaging function for the calculating of the averaged signal strength level, and in between or during the repeated acts of measuring the signal strength levels of the RF signal on the broadcast control channel:
decode control
information on the broadcast control channel and store the control information in memory, the control information including a network identification which uniquely identifies the wireless communication network;
the one or more processors being further adapted to, after the performing of the acts for each said broadcast control channel, perform the following further acts:
identify at least one optimal RF signal from the averaged signal strength levels that were calculated from the completion of the averaging function for each said RF signal on each said broadcast control channel;
and
select and register with one of the wireless communication networks for communication service with use of the control information that was decoded and stored in the memory prior to the completion of the averaging function, the selected wireless communication network being associated with the at least one optimal RF signal identified from the averaged signal strength levels,

11 more elements

A computer program product, comprising:

a storage medium;
computer program instructions stored in the storage medium;
the computer program instructions being executable by one or more processors for performing a network selection method by:
performing the following acts for each broadcast control channel of a plurality of broadcast control channels defined in a wireless communication system which includes a plurality of wireless communication networks:
measuring, on the broadcast control channel, a signal strength level of a radio frequency (RF) signal of a wireless communication network;
repeating the act of measuring on the broadcast control channel at least one time so that at least one other signal strength level of the RF signal on the broadcast control channel is identified;
completing an averaging function with the signal strength level and the at least one other signal strength level for calculating an averaged signal strength level for the RF signal on the broadcast control channel, the averaged signal strength level being an average of the signal strength level and the at least one other signal strength level;
prior to the completion of the averaging function for the calculating of the averaged signal strength level, and in between or during the repeated acts of measuring the signal strength levels of the RF signal on the broadcast control channel:
decoding control information on the broadcast control channel and storing the control information in memory, the control information including a network identification which uniquely identifies the wireless communication network:
after the performing of the acts for each said broadcast control channel, performing the further acts of:
identifying at least one optimal RF signal from the averaged signal strength levels that were calculated from the completion of the averaging function for each said RF signal on each said broadcast control channel;
and
selecting and registering with one of the wireless communication networks for communication service with use of the control information that was decoded and stored in the memory prior to the completion of the averaging function, the selected wireless communication network being associated with the at least one optimal RF signal identified from the averaged signal strength levels.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.