Client-server network selection

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9622162-B1
Application number	US-201213725996-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Dec 21, 2012
Priority date	Dec 21, 2012
Publication date	Apr 11, 2017
Grant date	Apr 11, 2017

Abstract

An application processing element in a first wireless communication network receives a first indicator associated with an availability of a first access node in the first wireless communication network to serve a wireless device. The wireless device being served by a first active connection with a second wireless communication network. In response to a first request by the wireless device, the application processing element sends a second indicator to the wireless device. The second indicator is associated with the availability of the first access node in the first wireless communication network to serve the wireless device. The wireless device ending the first active connection based on the first indicator and the signal strength associated with the first access node.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for disconnecting a roaming wireless device from a wireless network, the method comprising:
sending, via an application processing node of a preferred wireless network, a load indicator associated with an access node of the preferred wireless network to the roaming wireless device and, when the load indicator meets a first threshold, instructing the roaming wireless device via an application layer of the roaming wireless device to measure a signal strength indicator of the access node of the preferred wireless network;
when the measured signal strength indicator of the access node of the preferred wireless network meets a second threshold, instructing the roaming wireless device via the application processing node of the preferred network to break a first active connection with an access node of a non-preferred wireless network, wherein the roaming wireless device is configured to break the first active connection with the access node of the non-preferred wireless network on receipt of the instruction at the application layer of the roaming wireless device and without permission from the non-preferred wireless network; and
provisioning, by the application processing node of the preferred wireless network, a second active connection between the access node of the preferred wireless network and the roaming wireless device.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first threshold is a loading level that is less than a threshold load and that had a previously measured signal strength associated with the at least one access node that exceeds the second threshold.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the load indicator associated with the access node of the preferred wireless network include the availability of the access node of the preferred wireless network to serve the roaming wireless device.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the roaming wireless device breaks the first active connection with the access node of the non-preferred wireless network when the signal strength associated with the access node of the preferred wireless network is less than a signal strength of the access node of the non-preferred wireless network actively serving the roaming wireless device.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the signal strength of the access node of the preferred wireless network is determined during a discontinuous reception cycle.

6. A communication system, comprising:
an application processing node of a preferred wireless network configured to:
send a load indicator associated with an access node of the preferred wireless network to a roaming wireless device;
when the load indicator meets a first threshold, instruct the roaming wireless device via an application layer of the roaming wireless device to measure a signal strength indicator of the access node of the preferred wireless network;
when the measured signal strength indicator of the access node of the preferred wireless network meets a second threshold, instruct the roaming wireless device via the application layer of the roaming wireless device to break a first active connection with an access node of a non-preferred wireless network without permission from the non-preferred wireless network; and,
provision a second active connection between the access node of the preferred wireless network and the roaming wireless device.

7. The communication system of claim 6 , wherein the first threshold is a loading level that is less than a threshold load and that had a previously measured signal strength associated with the at least one access node that exceeds the second threshold.

8. The communication system of claim 6 , wherein the roaming wireless device is configured to break the first active connection with the access node of the non-preferred wireless network when the signal strength associated with the access node of the preferred wireless network is less than a signal strength of the access node of the non-preferred wireless network actively serving the roaming wireless device.

9. The system of claim 6 , wherein the roaming wireless device requests the signal strength of the access node of the preferred wireless network during a discontinuous reception cycle.

10. A method of operating a roaming wireless device, comprising:
polling, at an application processing element of the roaming wireless device, a first indicator associated with an availability of an access node served by a preferred wireless network to serve the roaming wireless device, wherein the roaming wireless device is actively connected to a non-preferred wireless network;
instructing, via an application layer of the roaming wireless device, the roaming wireless device to measure a signal strength associated with the access node of the preferred wireless network;
requesting, from the application processing element via the application layer of the roaming wireless device, transmission of the polled first indicator corresponding to the access node of the preferred wireless network;
determining that the transmitted polled first indicator meets a first threshold;
when the measured signal strength of the access node of the preferred wireless network meets a second threshold, instructing the roaming wireless device via the application layer of the roaming wireless device to break the active connection to the non-preferred wireless network without permission from the non-preferred wireless network; and,
instructing, by the application processing element and via the application layer of the roaming wireless device, the access node of the preferred wireless network to establish an active connection with the roaming wireless device.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the first indicator corresponds to a load on the access node.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the roaming wireless device breaks the active connection with the non-preferred wireless network at a time when the signal strength associated with the access node of the preferred wireless network is less than a signal strength of an access node of the non-preferred wireless network actively serving the roaming wireless device.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the signal strength associated with the access node of the preferred wireless network is determined during a discontinuous reception cycle.

Assignees

• Sprint Spectrum Lp
• Sprint Spectrum Lp

Inventors

• Zhou Yu
• Liu Chunmei
• Naim Muhammad

Classifications

• H04W48/18 Primary

  Selecting a network or a communication service · CPC title

• H04W48/04

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