Method and system for managing wireless access to a communication system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10015723-B2
Application number	US-201615239089-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 17, 2016
Priority date	Nov 20, 2013
Publication date	Jul 3, 2018
Grant date	Jul 3, 2018

Abstract

A method that incorporates the subject disclosure may include, for example, transmitting movement information for the mobile communication device to a cellular network, receiving a request from a first communication device of a plurality of communication devices to access the cellular network through the mobile communication device, where the plurality of communication devices are coupled to the plurality of communication devices via a wireless local area network and wherein the mobile communication device is coupled to the cellular network, and providing access to the cellular network for the first communication device responsive to the cellular network determining that the mobile communication device has a required network capability based on the movement information and according to the request. Other embodiments are disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A mobile communication device comprising:
a processing system including a processor; and
a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processing system, facilitate performance of operations, comprising:
estimating a length of time during which the mobile communication device is predicted to be in range of and connected to a wireless local area network;
transmitting the length of time to a cellular network;
receiving from the cellular network an identification of the mobile communication device as an anchored device to provide a plurality of communication devices with access to the cellular network via the wireless local area network responsive to the cellular network receiving the length of time, wherein the cellular network determines that the mobile communication device has required networking capability according to the length of time and first information associated with a first plurality of communication devices that are connected to the wireless local area network;
receiving a request from a first communication device of a second plurality of communication devices to access the cellular network; and
providing access to the cellular network for the first communication device according to the request.

2. The mobile communication device of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise comparing a speed of movement for the mobile communication device to a threshold to estimate the length of time when the mobile communication device is predicted to be in range of and connected to the wireless local area network.

3. The mobile communication device of claim 2 , wherein the operations further comprise determining the speed of movement of the mobile communication device according to movement information.

4. The mobile communication device of claim 3 , wherein the operations further comprise capturing the movement information for the mobile communication device.

5. The mobile communication device of claim 3 , wherein the required networking capability is further determined according to the movement information.

6. The mobile communication device of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise:
connecting to the cellular network; and
connecting to the wireless local area network.

7. The mobile communication device of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise:
monitoring battery charging information associated with the mobile communication device; and
transmitting the battery charging information to the cellular network, wherein the cellular network further determines whether the mobile communication device has a required networking capability according to the battery charging information.

8. The mobile communication device of claim 1 , wherein the identification of the anchored device is received by the second plurality of communication devices according to a promotion of a differential quality of service access option.

9. The mobile communication device of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise:
monitoring active applications operating at the mobile communication device; and
transmitting second information associated with the active applications to the cellular network, wherein the cellular network further determines whether the mobile communication device has the required networking capability according to the second information.

10. The mobile communication device of claim 1 , wherein the first communication device is logged off from a registered connection to the cellular network responsive to the identification of the mobile communication device as the anchored device.

11. The mobile communication device of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise:
invoking a plurality of session initiation protocol sessions with the plurality of communication devices over the wireless local area network; and
receiving, via a first session initiation protocol session of the plurality of session initiation protocol sessions, the request from the first communication device to access the cellular network via the wireless local area network.

12. The mobile communication device of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise:
receiving a first device context of the first communication device over the wireless local area network from the first communication device; and
transmitting the first device context to the cellular network.

13. The mobile communication device of claim 12 , wherein the operations further comprise encapsulating the first device context into a packet-based message via a general packet radio service, wherein the transmitting of the first device context further comprises transmitting the packet-based message to the cellular network.

14. The mobile communication device of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise transmitting authenticating information associated with the mobile communication device to the cellular network, wherein each of the first plurality of communication devices are authenticated by the cellular network.

15. The mobile communication device of claim 1 , wherein an anchored profile for the mobile communication device is recognized by the cellular network in place of a first network profile of the first communication device.

16. A computer-readable storage device, comprising executable instructions that, responsive to being executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
receiving, over a cellular network, a length of time when a mobile communication device is predicted to be in range of a wireless local area network;
identifying the mobile communication device as an anchored device if the mobile communication device has a required networking capability according to the length of time and first information associated with a first plurality of communication devices connected to the mobile communication device via the wireless local area network;
terminating a registered connection between a first communication device of a second plurality of communication devices and the cellular network responsive to identifying the mobile communication device as the anchored device; and
facilitating establishing a first cellular communication session for the first communication device through the mobile communication device via the wireless local area network according to the identifying of the mobile communication device as the anchored device.

17. The computer-readable storage device of claim 16 , wherein the operations further comprise receiving, over the cellular network, the first information associated with the first plurality of communication devices connected to the mobile communication device via the wireless local area network.

18. The computer-readable storage device of claim 16 , wherein the mobile communication device is further identified as the anchored device conditioned upon movement information associated with the mobile communication device.

19. A mobile communication device comprising:
a processing system including a processor; and
a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processing system, facilitate performance of operations, comprising:
transmitting to a cellular network an estimated length of time when the mobile communication device is predicted to be in range of and connected to a wireless local area network;
receiving from the cellular network an identification of the mobile communication device as an anchored device to provide access to the cellular network via the wireless local area network responsive to the cellular network

Assignees

• At & T Mobility Ii Llc

Inventors

• Lee Bo
• Brisebois Arthur
• Luu Adrianne

Classifications

• H04W88/04

  adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user · CPC title

• H04W48/04 Primary

  based on user or terminal location or mobility data, e.g. moving direction, speed · CPC title

• H04W40/22

  using selective relaying for reaching a BTS [Base Transceiver Station] or an access point · CPC title

• H04W88/06

  adapted for operation in multiple networks {or having at least two operational modes}, e.g. multi-mode terminals · CPC title

• H04W4/027

  using movement velocity, acceleration information · CPC title