U.S. patent application number 14/484256 was filed with the patent office on 2014-12-25 for cellular service with improved service availability.
The applicant listed for this patent is Microsoft Corporation. Invention is credited to Billy R. Anders, JR., Amer A. Hassan, Danny Allen Reed.
Application Number | 20140378147 14/484256 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 44657043 |
Filed Date | 2014-12-25 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140378147 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Hassan; Amer A. ; et
al. |
December 25, 2014 |
CELLULAR SERVICE WITH IMPROVED SERVICE AVAILABILITY
Abstract
A cellular communication system in which overload of a base
station is averted by offering users the option to communicate
using a spectrum outside of the spectrum allocated for cellular
communication. Incentives are offered to connect to the base
station using the alternative spectrum, which may not support
communications at the same rate as could be supported using the
spectrum allocated to the base station for cellular communications.
Users may be selected to receive an offer to receive incentives
based on range to the base station, with users closer to the base
station being more likely to receive such an offer. The cellular
communications system may be a 3G wireless system and the
alternative spectrum may be white space in the digital TV
spectrum.
Inventors: |
Hassan; Amer A.; (Kirkland,
WA) ; Anders, JR.; Billy R.; (Bothell, WA) ;
Reed; Danny Allen; (Redmond, WA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Microsoft Corporation |
Redmond |
WA |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
44657043 |
Appl. No.: |
14/484256 |
Filed: |
September 12, 2014 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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13521282 |
Jul 10, 2012 |
8849269 |
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PCT/US11/29926 |
Mar 25, 2011 |
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14484256 |
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12732705 |
Mar 26, 2010 |
8185120 |
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13521282 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
455/438 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04W 28/0289 20130101;
H04W 72/00 20130101; H04M 15/8027 20130101; H04W 36/22 20130101;
H04W 28/0284 20130101; H04M 15/8061 20130101; H04W 4/24 20130101;
H04W 16/14 20130101; H04M 15/8044 20130101; H04W 72/1215 20130101;
H04W 88/08 20130101; H04M 15/8022 20130101; H04L 47/28 20130101;
H04M 15/8055 20130101; H04W 28/20 20130101; H04W 36/14 20130101;
H04W 72/042 20130101; H04W 88/06 20130101; H04W 28/08 20130101;
H04W 88/10 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
455/438 |
International
Class: |
H04W 28/08 20060101
H04W028/08; H04W 28/02 20060101 H04W028/02; H04W 4/24 20060101
H04W004/24; H04W 16/14 20060101 H04W016/14; H04W 36/22 20060101
H04W036/22 |
Claims
1. A method performed on a client device that includes at least one
computing device and at least one transceiver, the computing device
comprising a processor and memory, the method comprising: sending,
by the client device, a request for communicating, where the die
device is configured for performing the communicating within a
first frequency spectrum via the at least one transceiver;
receiving, by the client device in response to the sent request, a
control message; and initiating, by the client device in response
to an acceptance of an offer indicated by the received control
message, the communicating within a second frequency spectrum via
the at least one transceiver, where the second frequency spectrum
is different than the first frequency spectrum.
2. The method of claim 1 where the request is for communicating
through a base station that is separate from the client device.
3. The method of claim 1 where the offer is to use the second
bandwidth that is lower than a first bandwidth associated with the
first frequency spectrum.
4. The method of claim 1 further comprising initiating, by the
client device in response to a non-acceptance of the offer
indicated by the received control message, the communicating within
the first frequency spectrum via the at least one transceiver.
5. The method of claim 4 where the acceptance or the non-acceptance
is based on input from a user of the client device.
6. The method of claim 1 where the second frequency spectrum is in
a digital television spectrum.
7. The method of claim 1 where the first frequency spectrum is in a
cellular communication spectrum.
8. A system comprising a client device and at least one program
module that are together configured for performing actions, the
client device comprising at least one computing device and at least
one transceiver, the computing device comprising a processor and
memory, the actions comprising: sending, by the client device, a
request for communicating, where the client device is configured
for performing the communicating within a first frequency spectrum
via the at least one transceiver; receiving, by the client device
in response to the sent request, a control message; and initiating,
by the client device in response to an acceptance of an offer
indicated by the received control message, the communicating within
a second frequency spectrum via the at least one transceiver, where
the second frequency spectrum is different than the first frequency
spectrum.
9. The system of claim 8 where the request is for communicating
through a base station that is separate from the client device.
10. The system of claim 8 where the offer is to use the second
bandwidth that is lower than a first bandwidth associated with the
first frequency spectrum.
11. The system of claim 8, the actions further comprising
initiating, by the client device in response to a non-acceptance of
the offer indicated by the received control message, the
communicating within the first frequency spectrum via the at least
one transceiver.
12. The system of claim 11 where the acceptance or the
non-acceptance is based on input from a user of the client
device.
13. The system of claim 8 where the second frequency spectrum is a
digital television spectrum.
14. The system of claim 8 where the first frequency spectrum is in
a cellular communication spectrum.
15. At least one computer memory storing computer executable
instructions that, when executed by at least one processor of a
client device comp sing at least one transceiver, cause the client
device to perform actions comprising: sending, by the client
device, a request for communicating, where the client device is
configured for performing the communicating within a first
frequency spectrum via the at least one transceiver; receiving, by
the client device in response to the sent request, a control
message; and initiating, by the client device in response to an
acceptance of an offer indicated by the received control message,
the communicating within a second frequency spectrum via the at
least one transceiver, where the second frequency spectrum is
different than the first frequency spectrum.
16. The at least one computer memory of claim 15 where the request
is for communicating through a base station that is separate from
the client device.
17. The at least one computer memory of claim 15 where the offer is
to use the second bandwidth that is lower than a first bandwidth
associated with the first frequency spectrum.
18. The at least one computer memory of claim 15, the actions
further comprising initiating, by the client device in response to
a non-acceptance of the offer indicated by the received control
message, the communicating within the first frequency spectrum via
the at least one transceiver.
19. The at least one computer memory of claim 8 where the
acceptance or the non-acceptance is based on input from a user of
the client device.
20. The at least one computer memory of claim 15 where the second
frequency spectrum is in a digital television spectrum, or where
the first frequency spectrum is in a cellular communication
spectrum.
Description
RELATED APPLICATION(S)
[0001] This application is a Continuation of, and claims benefit
from, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/521,282 that was filed
Jul. 10, 2012, and that is a National Stage Entry of PCT/US11/29926
that was filed Mar. 25, 2011, that is a Continuation of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 12/732,705 that was filed Mar. 26, 2010, each
of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Mobile wireless devices, such as cellular telephones, are
widely used. In addition to allowing users to carry on voice
telephone calls, mobile wireless devices allow users to access data
services through which users can obtain many forms of digital
content. Users may surf the Internet, download video clips or send
electronic messages, to name a few of the possible uses of mobile
wireless devices.
[0003] Frequently, mobile wireless devices connect to data sources
through cellular networks. The cellular networks include base
stations distributed throughout an area in which cellular service
is provided. In urban areas, the base stations may be spaced by
about 300 meters. In rural areas, the base stations may be spaced
by a distance of between about 1.5 and 2 Kilometers. Regardless of
the spacing, the geographic regions around the base stations define
"cells," with mobile devices in each cell connecting to the base
station in that cell.
[0004] A mobile device, to connect to a data source, first makes a
connection to a base station in its cell. The base station provides
access to a network, such as the Internet, over which the mobile
wireless device can then access data sources that are also coupled
to the network. As mobile devices move from one cell to another,
the base stations in those cells communicate to "handover"
responsibility for continuing communication with the mobile device,
such that communication is not lost even as the mobile device moves
out of the cell.
[0005] To support download of digital content and a growing number
of other services, cellular networks have been upgraded to support
higher bandwidth communications. State of the art networks
communicating using a 3G wireless standard can support data
communications at rates in excess of 1 Megabit per second (Mbps).
However, it has been found that when many users are in the same
cell--such as may occur in an urban area--a base station may become
overloaded.
[0006] Overload can occur if the cumulative bandwidth that would be
consumed if all of the devices communicated at the maximum data
rate of the 3G service exceeds the capacity of the base station.
When the base station is overloaded, each device is only able to
communicate at a fraction of the rated bandwidth of the cellular
service or admission to the network is rejected, causing
frustration to the user. There are also common situations when
mobile devices are at the edge of coverage of a cell where either
less spectrum is available (such was mentioned earlier) or there is
enough spectrum but providing broadband data requires high
transmitted power. This is particularly problematic for portable
devices (slate, Netbook, or a smart phone) where even 2 Mbps can
drain the battery in less than 30 minutes at the edge of coverage.
The same problem arises in building with link loss of 15 dB or
higher; this can easily occur in buildings with metal tinted glass
windows if devices are even a few meters away from the window, for
instance.
SUMMARY
[0007] An improved experience for users of a cellular service is
provided by providing a mechanism to, upon detection of a trigger
condition--such as (1) an overloaded base station, (2) degradation
in performance, (3) low battery level, and/or (3) increase in RF
power from the mobile device--alter the frequency spectrum used by
the base station to communicate with selected wireless devices. The
frequency spectrum may be altered by moving to a lower licensed
spectrum or unlicensed. use of TV whitespace. Wireless devices may
be selected based on being associated with users who agree to use
of an alternative frequency spectrum. The users who continue to
communicate with the base station using the assigned frequency
spectrum of the base station may experience improved bandwidth for
their communications because the load on the base station may be
reduced. Though, users communicating over the alternative frequency
spectrum may receive lower bandwidth for their communications.
[0008] Incentives may be offered to users to encourage then to
accept lower bandwidth communication. The incentives may be
financial, such as a discount or rebate associated with their
cellular service. Though, other forms of incentives, such as free
download of digital content at a future time may be offered.
[0009] Users contacted with an offer to communicate using the
alternative frequency spectrum, and in some embodiments offered
incentives to agree to use the alternative frequency spectrum, may
be identified in any suitable way. For example, users offered the
option to accept a lower bandwidth connection using the alternative
frequency spectrum may be identified by time of first access to the
cellular service or by range from the base station. If selected
based on time, users attempting access to a network through a
cellular base station that is already overloaded or is already
communicating with wireless devices that in the aggregate consume
more than a threshold percentage of bandwidth of the base station,
may be offered an incentive to connect at a lower bandwidth.
Alternatively or additionally, if selected by range, those users
closest to a base station when an overload condition is detected
may be offered an incentive.
[0010] The foregoing is a non-limiting summary of the invention,
which is defined by the attached claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0011] The accompanying drawings are not intended to be drawn to
scale. In the drawings, each identical or nearly identical
component that is illustrated in various figures is represented by
a like numeral. For purposes of clarity, not every component may be
labeled in every drawing. In the drawings:
[0012] FIG. 1 is a conceptual sketch of a communication system
according to some embodiments operating at a first time;
[0013] FIG. 2 is a conceptual sketch of a cell of the communication
system of FIG. 1 operating at a second time;
[0014] FIG. 3 is a sketch of a user interface of a mobile device
operating in the communication system of FIG. 1;
[0015] FIG. 4 is a conceptual illustration of a handover between
base stations in the communication system of FIG. 1;
[0016] FIG. 5 is a flow chart of a method of operation of a base
station in the communication system of FIG. 1;
[0017] FIG. 6 is a flow chart of a method of operation of a mobile
device associated with a base station in the communication system
of FIG. 1; and
[0018] FIG. 7 is a functional block diagram of a base station in
the communication system of FIG. 1
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0019] The inventors have recognized and appreciated that the
frustrations some cellular users experience when they seemingly are
unable to access high speed data services to which they have
subscribed is sometimes the result of overloaded base stations. The
inventors have farther recognized and appreciated that these
frustrations may be lessened by encouraging some users to
communicate with a cellular base station using an alternative
frequency spectrum. White space within the digital TV spectrum
provides a suitable alternative frequency spectrum, particularly
for users who are within a relatively short range of a base
station.
[0020] Accordingly, in some embodiments, cellular base stations may
be equipped to identify times when at least some users are offered
an option to connect through an alternative frequency spectrum.
Various approaches for determining when such offers are made and
for selecting the users to receive such offers.
[0021] To determine the time when such offers are made, the base
station may monitor aggregate bandwidth usage of all mobile devices
in its cell. When aggregate usage approaches a threshold, the base
station may be triggered to select users willing to accept
communication using the alternative frequency spectrum.
[0022] Users willing to accept communications using an alternative
frequency spectrum may be selected in any suitable way. For
example, the base station may send an offer to the user, which the
user's mobile device may display. In some embodiments, users may
pre-agree, as part of a service contract or other contractual
exchange with the cellular service provider, to accept
communications over the alternative frequency spectrum. Though,
embodiments are also possible where agreement may be implied--such
as when the allocated frequency for the base station is so
congested that, even if the user were admitted to communicate with
the base station using the allocated frequency spectrum, the user
would receive such a small amount of bandwidth for communication
with the base station that the user could be inferred to prefer to
use the alternative frequency spectrum.
[0023] In some scenarios, a connection over the alternative
frequency spectrum may not provide as high a bandwidth as a rated
or target bandwidth for the cellular service. In some instances,
the bandwidth achieved using the alternative frequency spectrum may
be less than what could be achieved with communications using the
assigned spectrum for the base station, even with congestion. In
such scenarios, absent other incentives, the offer to use the
alternative frequency spectrum may not result in a sufficient
number of users accepting the offer to reduce congestion on the
base station. Accordingly, users offered the option to connect on
an alternative spectrum also may be offered incentives to agree to
the alternative frequency.
[0024] The offered incentives may be financial, may relate to
services provided by the cellular service provider or may be some
other type of incentive. The nature of incentives also may depend
on the nature of a service agreement between a user and the
cellular service provider. As one example, if a user has a service
agreement under which the user pays for data transfer, the user may
be charged at a lower rate, or not at all, for data transfers made
using the alternative frequency spectrum.
[0025] Users that receive an offer to communicate using the
alternative frequency spectrum may be identified in any suitable
way. For example, users may be identified based on total available
bandwidth for the base station already consumed by other mobile
devices at the time a new mobile device associates with the base
station or, to preserve a consistent level of service as mobile
devices move from cell to cell, at the time the mobile device
associates with the cellular network. If total available bandwidth
exceeds a threshold, all new users may be offered the option to use
the alternative frequency spectrum. Alternatively or additionally,
the users that receive an offer may be identified based on their
usage at the time available bandwidth for the base station consumed
exceeds the threshold. For example, those users who are engaging in
low bandwidth communications, such as sending SMS messages, may be
identified to receive the offer.
[0026] Alternatively or additionally, users may be identified to
receive the offer based on location relative to the base station.
Users who are closer to the base station may preferentially receive
the offer. As a specific example, users within a radius of 50
meters may be identified to receive the offer. Because signal
strengths for communications between nearby devices may be greater
than if comparable communication equipment is used to communicate
at a longer range, the devices that are closer together can
communicate with less errors. Lower errors, in turn, results in
greater percentage of the possible throughput for a channel being
achieved for devices that are communicating at shorter ranges. Even
though available throughput may be less using the alternative
spectrum, achieving a greater percentage of that throughput may
result in adequate communication, meaning that users close to the
base station may experience less degradation in performance upon
switching to the alternative frequency spectrum than users further
away.
[0027] Turning to FIG. 1, an example of a communication system 100
according to some embodiments is illustrated, FIG. 1 illustrates a
cellular communication system 100. In this example, two cells,
cells 110A and 110B are illustrated. Though, one of skill in the
art will appreciate that a cellular communication system may have
numerous cells but that only two cells are shown for
simplicity.
[0028] Each of the cells 110A and 110B includes a base station.
Cell 110A includes base station 120A. Cell 110B includes base
station 120B. Each base station is shown to contain a controller
portion, 122A and 122B, respectively, and a transceiver portion
124A and 124B, respectively. Transceiver portions 124A and 124B
transmit and receive signals carrying communications between the
base station and mobile devices of users within the respective
cells. For example, transceiver portion 124A exchanges wireless
signals with mobile devices 140A, 142A and 144A, associated with
users 130A, 132A and 134A, respectively. Transceiver portion 124B
exchanges wireless communications with mobile devices 140B and
142B, which are associated with users 130B and 132B,
respectively.
[0029] Communications exchanged between a base station and a mobile
device may be controlled by the controller portions 122A and 122B
of the base stations. According to some embodiments, controller
portions 122A and 122B may exchange control messages with mobile
devices within their cells to determine which mobile devices are
admitted to communicate through the base station and to control
other parameters of communication. Such control messages may be of
the type that is conventionally controlled in a cellular
communication system, though any suitable control scheme may be
used. In addition, controller portions 122A and 122B may exchange
control messages with mobile devices to specify a frequency
spectrum that the mobile devices use for communications with the
base station.
[0030] In a conventional cellular communication system, a cellular
service provider may have an assigned frequency spectrum that is a
portion of a frequency band allocated for use for cellular
communications. Communications with mobile devices may be based on
wireless communications occurring in that assigned frequency
spectrum, though different devices may use different specific
frequencies within the spectrum. Each of the base stations may
communicate over such an assigned cellular communication spectrum.
In accordance with some embodiments of the invention, ea of the
base stations additionally may be configured for communicating with
mobile devices using an alternative frequency spectrum.
[0031] The specific frequency ranges associated with the assigned
frequency spectrum and alternative frequency spectrum are not
critical to the invention. However, in some embodiments,
communication system 100 is configured to offer 3G cellular
communication service. Accordingly, the assigned spectrum may be in
the frequency range allocated for 3G communication.
[0032] The alternative frequency spectrum may encompass any
suitable frequency range. Though, in some embodiments, the
alternative frequency spectrum does not encompass frequencies
assigned to the base station, and therefore does not overlap with
the licensed frequency spectrum. In some embodiments, the
alternative frequency spectrum may be a portion of a frequency
spectrum allocated to another type of service other than cellular
communication but unused in the geographic region of communication
system 100. In some embodiments, the alternative frequency spectrum
is white space within a frequency spectrum allocated for digital TV
communication. Accordingly, transceiver portions 124A and 124B may
be adapted to communicate both within the 3G frequency spectrum and
the digital TV frequency spectrum. Controllers 122A and 122B may be
adapted to control the operation of transceivers 124A and 124B such
that communications with different ones of the mobile devices
within each cell communicate using either frequencies within the
assigned frequency spectrum or frequencies within the alternative
frequency spectrum.
[0033] In order to coordinate communications with the mobile
devices, controller portions 122A and 122B may cause transceiver
portions 124A and 124B, respectively, to exchange control messages
with the mobile devices. These control messages may perform
functions associating with selecting mobile devices to communicate
in the alternative frequency spectrum. Such functions may include
instructing a mobile device to display an offer to a user to
communicate using the alternative frequency spectrum, receiving
from the mobile device a control message representing a user's
response to the display of the offer or commanding the mobile
device to communicate using either the alternative frequency
spectrum or the assigned frequency spectrum for the cellular
communication system. These control messages may be sent over a
control channel associated with the cellular communication system.
Though, the format and protocol used for exchanging such control
messages is not critical to the invention and any suitable protocol
may be used.
[0034] Once a mobile device is admitted for communication through a
base station based on exchanged control messages, the mobile device
may utilize the communication system to send and receive
information through communications with the base station. The
nature of the information communicated between mobile devices and
the base stations also is not critical to the invention. In some
scenarios, the information communicated will be high speed digital
communications such as may be used to represent movie clips or
other audio-visual information or that may be used to represent
graphical content on web pages. Though, digital data, which may be
communicated through communication system 100, may represent many
other items. Moreover, it is not a requirement of the invention
that the mobile devices be accessing digital content. For example,
communications may entail voice communications. Accordingly, the
nature of the communications is not critical to the invention.
[0035] Regardless of the nature of communications, at any given
time, the number of users within a cell and the nature of their
usage may be such that the base station in the cell may be regarded
as not congested and may operate in a normal mode. For example,
cell 110A contains three users 130A, 132A and 134A. Those three
users, in the example of FIG. 1, may not be using their respective
mobile devices in such a way that, in the aggregate, they consume
the total available bandwidth of base station 120A.
[0036] As a specific numerical example, base station 120A may be
constructed to support communications that in the aggregate
involves 100 megabits per second (Mbps). During a first time, as
illustrated in FIG. 1, mobile devices 140A, 142A and 144A may
subscribe to cellular service in accordance with data plans that
each provides five Mbps data rates. Accordingly, even if mobile
devices 140A, 142A and 44A are communicating at the maximum data
rates of their services, they will collectively consume less than
100 Mbps and will not overload base station 120. Thus, in this
scenario, controller 120A has sufficient bandwidth to support
communications with all the mobile devices within cell 110A using
the assigned frequency spectrum.
[0037] Likewise, controller 120B in the state illustrated in FIG.
1, may have sufficient bandwidth to support communications on the
assigned frequency spectrum with all of the devices within cell
110B. In the state illustrated in FIG. 1, all of the illustrated
mobile devices may be communicating as in a conventional 3G
communication system.
[0038] Congestion may occur if the mobile devices of all the users
within a cell, in the aggregate, consume or are projected to
consume more than the total available bandwidth the base station
has for communication using the assigned frequency spectrum. FIG. 2
illustrates cell 110B at a second time at which such congestion may
occur.
[0039] Between the first time, illustrated in FIG. 1, and the
second time, illustrated in FIG. 2, additional users have entered
cell 110B. For simplicity of illustration, FIG. 2 shows three
users, users 130B, 132B and 134B, in cell 110B. This number of
users is shown for simplicity of illustration. One of skill in the
art will recognize that more than three users may, in many
embodiments of a cellular communication system, operate within a
cell without overloading abuse station. Nonetheless, in the simple
example of FIG. 2, adding a third user, user 134B, represents an
increase in the load on base station 120B. When the load on base
station 120B increases to the point that the base station is
congested, controller portion 122B may enter a mode in which it
attempts to switch one or more users to communicate using an
alternative frequency spectrum. In this way, bandwidth may be
offloaded from the assigned frequency spectrum to the alternative
frequency spectrum.
[0040] The addition of user 134B at a second time represented by
FIG. 2 may be taken as an example of a triggering event for a base
station entering an offload mode of operation. Other events may
trigger controller portion 122B to enter a mode of offloading
communications from the assigned frequency spectrum. For example, a
time of day known from historical data to result in congestion may
be regarded as a triggering event. An aggregate number of users
within a cell exceeding a threshold or an aggregate number of users
with a certain type of data plan, such as a data plan having a
service guarantee for a relatively high bandwidth, may each be
regarded as triggering events in some embodiments. As a further
example, it is not a requirement that the triggering event be based
on actual usage. In some embodiments, a triggering event may be
based on a projected load.
[0041] Regardless of the triggering event, controller portion 122B
may then select one or more users to communicate using the
alternative frequency spectrum. In some embodiments, the selected
users may be those who agree to use the alternative frequency
spectrum. For example, base station 122B may select mobile devices
to communicate using the alternative frequency spectrum by sending
control messages to one or more mobile devices, commanding the
mobile devices to prompt their respective users for agreement to
communicate using the alternative frequency spectrum.
[0042] The mobile devices to which such control messages are sent
may be identified in any suitable way. In some embodiments, each
mobile device seeking to associate with base station 120B at a time
when total load on the base station exceeds a threshold. indicating
congestion exists or, is likely to occur, may receive such a
control message. Accordingly, in the embodiment illustrated in FIG.
2, mobile device 144B may receive such a control message when user
134B enters cell 110B and mobile device 144B attempts to associate
with base station 120A.
[0043] Though, in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2, range is
used as a criterion for identifying mobile devices to receive
control messages commanding display of an offer to a user. In the
embodiment of FIG. 2, devices are identified based on proximity to
base station 120B. As a specific example, mobile devices within a
region 230 immediately surrounding base station 120 may receive a
control message. In contrast, mobile devices in region 232 may not
receive such a control message.
[0044] The region 230 in which mobile devices receive the control
message may be determined in any suitable way, in the embodiment
illustrated, the region 230 is determined based on range to base
station 120B. Here, any mobile device that has a range less than
R.sub.1 may receive a control message instructing the mobile device
to present to its user an offer to communicate using the
alternative frequency spectrum. The range R.sub.1 may be determined
in any suitable way. In some embodiments, the range R.sub.1 may be
a predetermined amount, such as 50 meters, and may be the same for
all cells. In other embodiments, the range R.sub.1 may be selected
in proportion to the size of the cell. In yet other embodiments,
the range R.sub.1 may be dynamically selected to yield a number of
users accepting an offer to communicate over the alternative
frequency spectrum such that load on the base station is reduced
below a level associated with congestion. Regardless of how range
R.sub.1 is selected, in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2, only
mobile device 142 is within range R.sub.1 of base station 120B.
Accordingly, only mobile device 142B receives a control message
conveying an offer to accept communication in the alternative
frequency spectrum.
[0045] Though, it is not a requirement that a single approach be
used by a base station for identifying mobile devices to receive
such a control message. For example, base station 120B may be
programmed to initially attempt to solicit users of mobile devices
within region 230 to communicate using the alternative frequency
spectrum. If the load on base station 120B exceeds some threshold,
even after soliciting users of devices within region 230 to use the
alternative frequency spectrum, controller 120B may solicit devices
outside of region 230 to communicate using the alternative
frequency spectrum. Moreover, it should be recognized that any
suitable combination of selection techniques may be employed with
any suitable order of precedence. For example, base station 120B
may be programmed to first select devices associated with a
specific service plan within a predetermined range of base station
120. If soliciting such devices does not result in a sufficient
number of mobile devices using the alternative frequency spectrum
that the load on base station 120B is reduced below a congestion
threshold, base station 120B may solicit devices with other service
plans within a defined range or may select other devices, outside
the region, based on other criteria.
[0046] Regardless of the manner in which devices are identified,
identified devices may receive a control message that triggers the
device to solicit user agreement to communication using the
alternative frequency spectrum. FIG. 3 is an example of a mobile
device 340 soliciting user agreement. In the example of FIG. 3,
user agreement is solicited based on a message presented through a
graphical user interface 320 on display 310.
[0047] In this example, graphical user interface 320 may display a
message in text format, alerting the user of mobile device 340 to
network congestion. This message may be communicated as text,
though icons or other graphical elements may be used to alert the
user of network congestion. FIG. 3 illustrates a simple message,
presented in text, but it should be recognized that any suitable
message format with any suitable level of detail may be used to
communicate information concerning network congestion to the
user.
[0048] In conjunction with the message alerting the user to network
congestion, graphical user interface 320 may include one or more
mechanisms through which a user of device 340 may consent to
communications using the alternative frequency spectrum. In this
example, the mechanism is text presenting an offer 322 to the user.
In this example, the text states "will you accept a lower bandwidth
connection?" this text does not expressly identify that the lower
bandwidth connection is provided using the alternative frequency
spectrum, and express identification of the alternative frequency
spectrum is not a requirement of the invention. Though, in other
embodiments, different or additional information may be presented
to the user which may describe the mechanism by which the lower
bandwidth connection is provided.
[0049] Additionally, offer 322 is not, in this example, expressly
shown to include an incentive. Though, offer 322 may include an
express description of an incentive for the user to consent to a
lower bandwidth connection.
[0050] Regardless of the form and content of an offer, once an
offer is made to a user input reflecting consent or rejection of
the offer may be obtained in any suitable way. In the example of
FIG. 3, in which the offer is presented through graphical user
interface 320, user input may be obtained through one or more
controls. As an example, graphical user interface 320 is shown to
contain controls 324 and 326. Controls 324 and 326 may be
implemented user technology as is known in the art for implementing
a graphical user interfaces. Selection of control 324 by a user may
signify consent to communication using the alternative frequency
spectrum. Selection of control 326 by the user may signify
rejection of the offer to communicate aver the alternative
frequency spectrum.
[0051] One of skill in the art will recognize that FIG. 3
illustrates just one example of a user interface through which an
offer may be presented to a user an in response user input may be
obtained. Such an exchange may occur using other forms of graphical
user interfaces or other forms of interface entirely. For example,
the exchange may be made based on generated speech and the user
input may be obtained through speech recognition.
[0052] Regardless of the manner in which the exchange of offer and
user input occurs, if the user consents to communication using the
alternative frequency spectrum, mobile device 340 may be configured
to communicate using the alternative frequency spectrum. In some
embodiments, consenting to communication using the alternative
frequency spectrum may temporarily limit the functions performed by
mobile device 340. For example, mobile device 340 may temporarily
not perform operations that require communication of large amounts
of data. As a specific example, when mobile device 340 is
configured for communication in the alternative spectrum, it may
not process user request to download multi-media files or stream
multi-media content. Though, in other embodiments, when mobile
device 340 is configured to communicate using the alternative
frequency spectrum, it may provide all functions, though
performance of those functions involving transfers of large amounts
of data may be degraded by limited bandwidth available using the
alternative frequency spectrum.
[0053] Once a user has consenting to communicate using the
alternative frequency spectrum, this consent may remain in effect
for a limited period of time after which mobile device 340 may
again communicate using the assigned frequency of cellular
communication system 100. That limited amount of time may be a
predetermined fixed amount of time or may be determined
dynamically. That time could be determined dynamically based on
congestion within the cell containing mobile device 340, for
example. Accordingly, if aggregate bandwidth usage within the cell
containing mobile device 340 decreases or mobile device moves into
a different cell, mobile device 340 may revert to communicating
using the assigned frequency spectrum. In other embodiments, that
limited time may be until mobile device 340 is turned off, resets,
receives user input indicating that the user would like a higher
bandwidth connection or other triggering event associated with user
device 340.
[0054] In some embodiments, users may be offered an option to
communicate using an alternative frequency spectrum based on
congestion in a region of communication system 100 that extends
beyond a single cell. Such a region may have any suitable
boundaries. The boundaries, for example, may be based on distance
from a cell or may be tied to geopolitical boundaries. In such a
scenario, if a user consents to communicating using the alternative
frequency spectrum, communications with that user's mobile device
may occur over the alternative frequency spectrum for as long as
the user is within the larger region and overall network usage in
that larger region indicates congestion. As a specific example, a
larger region may be a city or metropolitan area such that a user
who accepts communication over the alternative frequency spectrum
while at any location within that larger region may continue to
communicate over the alternative frequency spectrum even as the
user moves from cell to cell within that larger geographic
region.
[0055] FIG. 3 illustrates a manner by which user consent to
communicate over the alternative frequency spectrum may follow the
user as the user moves from cell to cell. FIG. 4 illustrates a
mobile device 140 that a user moves from a cell 110A to cell 110B.
While in cell 110A, mobile device 140 may communicate with base
station 120A. When mobile device 140 moves to 110B, mobile device
140 may communicate through bay station 120B. In passing from cell
110A to 110B, base station 120A may hand over responsibility for
communication with mobile device 140 to base station 120B.
[0056] Handover of mobile devices from a base station to an
adjacent base station is known in the art. Accordingly, base
stations in a cellular communication system are themselves
networked such that information may be readily passed from one base
station to another. FIG. 4 illustrates handover information 410
passing over such a network from base station 120A to base station
120B. Handover information 410 may represent information as is
known in the art.
[0057] Though, FIG. 4 illustrates that, in addition to handover
information 410, base station 120A provides spectrum type
information 412 associated with the handover of mobile device 140
to base station 120B. Spectrum type information 412 may signify to
base station 120B whether the user of mobile device 140 has
selected the option of communicating using the alternative
frequency spectrum. In this way, if the user of mobile device 140
has consented to communicate using the alternative frequency
spectrum, when base station 120B establishes communication with
mobile device 140, it will do so using the alternative frequency
spectrum.
[0058] In addition, FIG. 4 illustrates that base stations may
communicate other information useful in implementing spectrum
offload in accordance with some embodiments of the invention. As
shown in FIG. 4, base stations may exchange bandwidth usage
information 414. Such information may allow base stations to
determine aggregate network usage such that each base station may
determine whether cellular communications system 100 in the
aggregate is operating above a congestion threshold. Such
information may be useful in embodiments in which users of mobile
devices are offered an option to communicate in an alternative
frequency spectrum based on congestion in the communication system
or a larger region of the cellular communication system, instead of
or in addition to congestion in a single cell. Such information may
also be useful in embodiments in which mobile devices, once they
begin communicating over the alternative frequency spectrum
continue to communicate over that alternative frequency spectrum so
long as the communication system, in at least a relevant region
operates in a congested state.
[0059] FIG. 4 provides a conceptual sketch of information that may
be exchanged between base stations. One of skill in the art will
recognize that the information need not be communicated directly
between base stations. For example, though not shown in FIG. 4,
handover information or other types of information may be conveyed
from one base station to another through one or more other network
control devices. Though, the mechanism by which information is
communication between base stations is not critical to the
invention and any suitable mechanism may be employed.
[0060] Turning now to FIG. 5, a flow chart of an exemplary process
by which a base station may operate according to some embodiments
is illustrated. The process of FIG. 5, begins when the base station
receives an admission request from a mobile unit. Such an admission
request may be an admission request of the type known in the art
for use in cellular communication systems. The admission request
may be associated with a mobile device moving into the cell
containing the base station. Though, in some embodiments, an
admission request may indicate that a mobile device has been
powered on or for other reason is seeking admission to enable use
of the communication system.
[0061] Regardless of the reason that the device is seeking
admission, the device may generate a signal to the base station,
which may be received at block 510.
[0062] In response to a received admission request, the base
station may determine whether a trigger condition for offering the
user of the mobile device an option to communicate over the
alternative frequency spectrum exists. In the example illustrated
in FIG. 5, the trigger condition is based on both aggregate network
usage and range between the base station and the mobile device.
Accordingly, in processing at block 512, the base station may
determine the range to the mobile device seeking admission.
[0063] Any suitable technique may be used to determine range. For
example, many communication systems include circuitry to make time
of flight measurements that can be converted into an estimate of
range. In other scenarios, cellular communication systems may use
triangulation approaches to determine a location of a mobile
device, which in turn indicates a range to the device. Regardless
of the manner in which the range is determined, processing may
proceed to block 514.
[0064] At block 514, the base station may determine a level of
usage within the network. The level of usage may be associated with
any portion of the communication system. For example, in some
embodiments, usage may be determined solely within the cell
occupied by the base station performing the process of FIG. 5. In
other embodiments, the usage may be an aggregate usage over a
region containing that cell. Regardless, the level of usage may be
determined in any suitable way. In embodiments in which the level
of usage is tied to the cell containing the base the station, the
usage may be determined by parameters of active communications with
all of the mobile devices in that cell. In other embodiments, a
projected usage level may be determined at block 514. The projected
usage level may be based on an aggregate allocated bandwidth for
the number of mobile devices actively communicating with the base
station. Though, any other suitable metric may be used as an
indication of a level of usage.
[0065] Regardless of how the usage is determined, the process may
proceed to decision block 520. At decision block 520, the process
may branch, depending on whether a trigger condition exists. In
this trigger condition is based on the determined range at block
512 and the determined level of usage at block 514. If the
determined level of usage exceeds a threshold, such that the
network or base station is deemed to be in a congested state, and
the device is within a range meeting a range criterion, the mobile
device seeking admission may be identified as a device to receive
an offer for communication over the alternative frequency
spectrum.
[0066] Accordingly if a trigger condition exists such that the
mobile device is to receive an offer, the process may branch at
decision block 520 to block 522. At block 522 the base station may
send one or more control message signifying an offer to communicate
using a lower bandwidth. If the offer is accepted by the user of
the device, the process may branch at decision block 530. The
processing at decision block 530 may be based on one or more
control messages received from the mobile device. If those received
control messages indicate that the offer of lower bandwidth is
accepted, the process may proceed to block 532.
[0067] At block 532 the base station may establish communication
with the mobile device using the alternative frequency spectrum. In
the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5, the alternative frequency
spectrum is the digital television (DTV) spectrum. To avoid
interfering with DTV communications, the base station may establish
communication within white space of the DIV spectrum.
[0068] Once communication is established using the alternative
frequency spectrum, the process may proceed to block 534 where the
base station records billing information. The information recorded
at block 534 may factor in an incentive offered to a user to
consent to communication using a lower bandwidth, alternative
frequency spectrum. Such an incentive, for example, may be
reflected in a lower rate recorded for data communications using
the alternative frequency spectrum. However, any suitable incentive
may be offered and the processing at block 534 may reflect billing
in accordance with the incentives.
[0069] Conversely, if it is determined at decision block 520 that
the mobile device seeking admission does not satisfy the trigger
conditions used to identify devices to receive an offer of lower
bandwidth communication, the process may branch from decision block
520 to block 540. At block 540, the base station may establish
communication using the assigned frequency spectrum for the base
station. In the example of FIG. 5, the base station is
communicating using a 3G wireless standard and communication is
established at block 540 based on the frequency spectrum allocated
for such 3G wireless communications.
[0070] The process may proceed to block 542 where billing
information is recorded. In this example, the billing information
recorded may be based on a service agreement of the user of the
mobile device without incentives. Accordingly, the billing
information recorded at block 542 may indicate a higher usage
charge for data communications than the billing information
recorded at block 534.
[0071] Similarly, if it is determined at decision block 530 that
the user of the mobile device seeking admission does not consent to
using the alternative frequency spectrum, the process may branch
from decision block 530 to block 540. At block 540, communication
may be established with the mobile device using the allocated,
frequency spectrum thr the base station. The process then may
proceed to block 542 as described above.
[0072] FIG. 6 illustrates a corresponding process that may be
performed on mobile device seeking admission for communication
through a base station. The process of FIG. 6 may begin at block
610 where the mobile device may send an admission request to the
base station.
[0073] Processing on the mobile device may branch at decision block
620, depending on whether the mobile device receives a control
message indicating an offer to the user of the mobile device to use
lower bandwidth. If such a control message is received, the process
may branch to block 622. At block 622, the mobile device may
display to its user the offer for communication using lower
bandwidth. The process may again branch at decision block 630,
depending on whether the user provides input indicating acceptance
of the lower bandwidth offer. If the user accepts the offer for
lower bandwidth communication, the process may proceed from
decision block 630 to block 632. At block 632, the mobile device
may establish communication using DTV white space.
[0074] Conversely, if it is determined at block 630 that the user
has rejected the offer or otherwise has not consented to
communication at a lower bandwidth, the process may branch from
decision block 630 to block 640. At block 640, the mobile device
may establish communication using the allocated frequency spectrum
of the base station. In the example in which the mobile device is a
3G wireless device, processing at block 640 may entail establishing
communication using the 3G wireless standard.
[0075] Conversely, if the mobile device does not meet criteria for
receiving a bandwidth for an offer of lower bandwidth communication
or a congestion condition is not present, the process may branch
from decision block 620 to block 640. As described, when the
process reaches block 640, the mobile device may establish
communication using the assigned frequency spectrum of the base
station, which is the 3G wireless spectrum in this example.
[0076] Processing illustrated by the flow charts of FIGS. 5 and 6
may be performed in any suitable way. The processing of FIG. 5, for
example, may be implemented by programming within abuse station.
Likewise, processing illustrated by the flowchart of FIG. 6 may be
performed using programming in a wireless device. Though, it should
be recognized that one or more of the steps of the processes in
FIG. 5 and/or FIG. 6 may implemented in hardware, firmware or some
combination of hardware firmware, and software or may be
implemented in any suitable way.
[0077] A base station adapted for performing the process
illustrated in FIG. 5 may be constructed in any suitable way.
Construction techniques as are known in the art for constructing
components of a communication system may be employed. Though, a
base station may be adapted to implement spectrum off load from an
assigned spectrum to an alternative frequency spectrum as
illustrated in FIG. 7. FIG. 7 illustrates a base station 720. In
the example of FIG. 7, base station 720 includes a 3G transceiver
724, 3G transceiver 724 is coupled to antenna 722 through which 3G
transceiver 724 may communicate with multiple mobile devices using
a frequency spectrum corresponding to the frequency spectrum
assigned to a cellular communication system. In this example, the
cellular communication system is 3G wireless system and 3G
transceiver 724 is adapted to communicate using the frequency
spectrum associated with 3G communications. Accordingly,
transceiver 724 may be a transceiver as is known in the art for a
3G wireless communication system.
[0078] Additionally, base station 720 is illustrated as containing
a DTV transceiver 726. DTV transceiver 726 is configured for
communication in an alternative frequency spectrum, in this case,
the DTV spectrum. DTV transceiver 726 may be constructed using
techniques as are known in the art. Though, rather than
communicating DTV information, DTV transceiver 726 communicates in
portions of the DTV spectrum that are unused for DTV signals.
Accordingly, DTV transceiver 726 includes a mechanism to identify
unused. portions of the DTV spectrum. In this example. DTV
transceiver 726 is shown coupled to white space database 742. White
space database 742 may contain information about unused portions of
the DTV spectrum in the vicinity of base station 720, and therefore
may be used to identify the frequency spectrum that may be used for
lower bandwidth communication.
[0079] Further, though DTV transceiver 726 may operate in the same
spectrum that is used to communicate DIV information, may not
communication using the same format or protocol that is used to
communicate DTV signals. Rather. DIV transceiver 726 may be
configured, as one example, to communicate digital data in a
standard conventionally used for wireless communications between
computing devices. As a specific example, DTV transceiver 726 may
be configured for communications using a Wi-Fi or WiMAX standard.
Though it should be recognized that any protocol, whether standard
or custom, may be used.
[0080] Base station 720 may also contain a control portion 730.
Control portion 730 may be constructed using known construction
techniques. Though, control portion 730 may be constructed in any
other suitable way. Control portion 730 may contain components that
perform processing as in a conventional base station. For example,
admission control component 734 may exchange control messages with
a mobile device seeking admission for communication through base
station 720.
[0081] Admission control component 734 may access subscriber data
740 to determine whether a mobile device seeking admission is
authorized for communication. Admission control components 734 may
access subscriber data 740 to determine whether the mobile device
is associated with an authorized user. Accordingly, subscriber data
740 may include subscriber data as is known in the art.
Additionally, subscriber date 740 may contain information
indicating whether a user has consented to communicate using a
lower bandwidth during intervals when a congestion condition exists
in a communication system. Alternatively or additionally,
subscriber data 740 may include information on a subscribers'
service plans which, alternatively or additionally may be used to
identify mobile devices to receive offers for communicating using
lower bandwidth.
[0082] Band allocator component 736 may access this subscriber data
to determine whether a mobile device is to be provided an offer to
communicate using a lower bandwidth. Band allocator component 736
may also track congestion conditions to determine when an offer to
communicate at lower bandwidth is to be made. Band allocator
component 736 may also receive input froth other sources that may
be used to identify mobile devices to receive such an offer. In the
example of FIG. 7, control portion 730 is shown with a range
detector component 732. Range detector component 732 may measure a
range between the base station and a mobile device seeking
admission to the network. This range information may be provided to
band allocator component 736 for use in identifying which mobile
devices receive an offer for lower bandwidth communication.
[0083] In the embodiment of FIG. 7, 3G transceiver 724, DTV
transceiver 726 and control portion 730 are shown coupled to a
network 710. Network 710 may be one or more different networks
allowing base station 720 to exchange multiple types of information
with other components that form a communication system. For
example, network 710 may provide a gateway to the Internet such
that network messages from a mobile device received either through
3G transceiver 724 or DTV transceiver 726 may be routed to servers
or other components accessible through the Internet. Likewise,
information may be routed from those component through either 3G
transceiver 724 or DTV transceiver 726 to a mobile device.
Alternatively or additionally, network 710 may allow control
portion 730 to interact with other base stations or components that
control the communication system. Such a network connection, for
example, may facilitate sharing of congestion information and
handover information. Also, it should be appreciated that FIG. 7
illustrates subscriber data 740 and white space data base 742 being
local to base station 720. Either or both of these sources of data
may be resident on a component accessible through network 710.
Accordingly, it should be appreciated. that FIG. 7 is an
illustration of a possible configuration for a base station, but
other configuration are possible.
[0084] Though not expressly illustrated in FIG. 7, a mobile device
communicating with base station 720 may have components
corresponding to 3G transceiver 724, DTV transceiver 726 and
control portion 730. These components in a mobile device may be
constructed using techniques as are known in the art. Though, in
communication, they provide a mobile device an ability to
communicate over an assigned frequency spectrum for a cellular
communication or communicate over an alternative frequency
spectrum. Additionally, such components may be adapted to control
the mobile device to receive commands indicating an offer is to be
presented to a user of the device and receive and convey user
consent to or rejection of that offer.
[0085] Having thus described several aspects of at least one
embodiment of this invention, it is to be appreciated that various
alterations, modifications, and improvements will readily occur to
those skilled in the art.
[0086] For example, it was described that congestion on a base
station was determined based on actual usage of mobile devices
within a cell. In some embodiments, congestion may be determined in
other ways. As one example, congestion may be based on aggregate
bandwidth allocated or budgeted for devices operating within a
cell. For example, each mobile device associated with a base
station may be allocated an amount of bandwidth. In some
embodiments, all mobile devices may be allocated the same amount of
bandwidth. Though, amounts of bandwidth may be allocated based on a
subscription plan of a user of a device, such that different
devices have different allocations. As another example, each device
may be allocated an amount of bandwidth based on the
characteristics of a device, such at that each device receives an
allocation equal to the full or a fractional amount of the maximum
bandwidth it could consume. Regardless of how bandwidth is
allocated, congestion could be detected if the sum of the allocated
bandwidth for all mobile devices exceeds the capacity of the base
station.
[0087] As an example of another variation, congestion could be
predicted rather than measured. Prediction could be based on
historical usage pattern. For example, a base station could be
deemed overloaded such that users are selected to receive an offer
to communication using the alternative frequency spectrum at times
of day that have historically been congested, even if actual usage
at that time is below the capacity of the base station.
[0088] Also, trigger conditions for changing frequency spectrum
used by the base station were described in relation to cell or
network congestion. Other suitable events may constitute trigger
conditions. For example, degradation in performance, low battery
level, and/or increase in RF power required for the mobile device
to communicate effectively with the base station.
[0089] These trigger conditions may be detected solely by
components operating on the base station. Though, it should be
appreciated that the a mobile device may identify a trigger
condition and signal the trigger condition to the base station. For
example, either or both the base station and the mobile device may
detect a bit error rate exceeding a threshold as an indication of
performance degradation.
[0090] Further, embodiments are described in which, upon detection
of a trigger condition, a base station switches from using a
licensed spectrum to using an unlicensed spectrum for communication
with a portion of the mobile devices in its cell. The alternative
frequency spectrum need not be unlicensed. As an alternative, the
alternative frequency spectrum may be a lower quality licensed
spectrum.
[0091] Such alterations, modifications, and improvements are
intended to be part of this disclosure, and are intended, to be
within the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the
foregoing description and drawings are by way of example only.
[0092] The above-described embodiments of the present invention can
be implemented in any of numerous ways. For example, the
embodiments may be implemented using hardware, software or a
combination thereof. When implemented in software, the software
code can be executed on any suitable processor or collection of
processors, whether provided in a single computer or distributed
among multiple computers.
[0093] Further, it should be appreciated that a computer may be
embodied in any of a number of forms, such as a rack-mounted
computer, a desktop computer, a laptop computer, or a tablet
computer. Additionally, a computer may be embedded in a device not
generally regarded as a computer but with suitable processing
capabilities, including a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), a smart
phone or any other suitable portable or fixed electronic
device.
[0094] Also, a computer may have one or more input and output
devices. These devices can be used, among other things, to present
a user interface. Examples of output devices that can be used to
provide a user interface include printers or display screens for
visual presentation of output and speakers or other sound
generating devices for audible presentation of output. Examples of
input devices that can be used for a user interface include
keyboards, and pointing devices, such as mice, touch pads, and
digitizing tablets. As another example, a computer may receive
input information through speech recognition or in other audible
format.
[0095] Such computers may be interconnected by one or more networks
in any suitable form, including as a local area network or a wide
area network, such as an enterprise network or the Internet. Such
networks may be based on any suitable technology and may operate
according to any suitable protocol and may include wireless
networks, wired networks or fiber optic networks.
[0096] Also, the various methods or processes outlined herein may
be coded as software that is executable on one or more processors
that employ any one of a variety of operating systems or platforms.
Additionally, such software may be written using any of a number of
suitable programming languages and/or programming or scripting
tools, and also may be compiled as executable machine language code
or intermediate code that is executed on a framework or virtual
machine.
[0097] In this respect, the invention may be embodied as a computer
readable medium (or multiple computer readable media) (e.g., a
computer memory, one or more floppy discs, compact discs (CD),
optical discs, digital video disks (DVD), magnetic tapes, flash
memories, circuit configurations in Field Programmable Gate Arrays
or other semiconductor devices, or other non-transitory, tangible
computer storage medium) encoded with one or more programs that,
when executed on one or more computers or other processors, perform
methods that implement the various embodiments of the invention
discussed above. The computer readable medium or media can be
transportable, such that the program or programs stored thereon can
be loaded onto one or more different computers or other processors
to implement various aspects of the present invention as discussed
above. The terms "computer readable medium" and the like and
"memory" and the like as used herein are strictly limited to
referring, to an apparatus(es) or article(s) of manufacture or the
like that is not a signal or the like per se.
[0098] The terms "program" or "software" are used herein in a
generic sense to refer to any type of computer code or set of
computer-executable instructions that can be employed to program a
computer or other processor to implement various aspects of the
present invention as discussed above. Additionally, it should be
appreciated that according to one aspect of this embodiment, one or
more computer programs that when executed perform methods of the
present invention need not reside on a single computer or
processor, but may be distributed in a modular fashion amongst a
number of different computers or processors to implement various
aspects of the present invention.
[0099] Computer-executable instructions may be in many forms, such
as program modules, executed by one or more computers or other
devices. Generally, program modules include routines, programs,
objects, components, data structures, etc. that perform particular
tasks or implement particular abstract data types. Typically the
functionality of the program modules may be combined or distributed
as desired in various embodiments.
[0100] Also, data structures may be stored in computer-readable
media in any suitable form. For simplicity of illustration, data
structures may be shown to have fields that are related through
location in the data structure. Such relationships may likewise be
achieved by assigning storage for the fields with locations in a
computer-readable medium that conveys relationship between the
fields. However, any suitable mechanism may be used to establish a
relationship between information in fields of a data structure,
including through the use of pointers, tags or other mechanisms
that establish relationship between data elements.
[0101] Various aspects of the present invention may be used alone,
in combination, or in a variety of arrangements not specifically
discussed in the embodiments described in the foregoing and is
therefore not limited in its application to the details and
arrangement of components set forth in the foregoing description or
illustrated in the drawings. For example, aspects described in one
embodiment may be combined in any manner with aspects described, in
other embodiments.
[0102] Also, the invention may be embodied as a method, of which an
example has been provided. The acts performed as part of the method
may be ordered in any suitable way. Accordingly, embodiments may be
constructed in which acts are performed in an order different than
illustrated, which may include performing some acts simultaneously,
even though shown as sequential acts in illustrative
embodiments.
[0103] Use of ordinal terms such as "first," "second," "third,"
etc., in the claims to modify a claim element does not by itself
connote any priority, precedence, or order of one claim element
over another or the temporal order in which acts of a method are
performed, but are used merely as labels to distinguish one claim
element having a certain name from another element having a same
name (but for use of the ordinal term) to distinguish the claim
elements.
[0104] Also, the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the
purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The
use of "including," "comprising," or "having," "containing,"
"involving," and variations thereof herein, is meant to encompass
the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as
additional items.
* * * * *