Patent Abstract:
A wireless communication device and method for automatically selecting a band and mode is provided. Utilizing the global positioning system to obtain the position of the wireless device for simplifying the process of searching service networks and reducing power consumption. Furthermore, a method for a wireless communication device to automatically select a band and mode is also provided.

Full Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION  
       [0001]     The invention is related to the wireless communication engineering, and more particularly related to the technique for automatically selecting a communication band and mode in the field of mobile communication.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     For a wireless communication device, like a portable or handheld communication device, such as a mobile phone, Personal Digital Assistants (PDA) or smart phone, manufacturers usually have to emphasize the “standby time” and “talk time” of their products to attract the potential buyers. This is because the space the batteries occupy is indirectly affected as mobile communication devices reducing their sizes for portability. Therefore, besides developing new-typed batteries how to reduce the power dissipation becomes very important with limited battery space.  
         [0003]     Referring to  FIG. 1 , it illustrates a block diagram of a conventional communication device  100 . The communication device  100  comprises an antenna  102 , a Radio Frequency (RF) transceiver  104 , an analog base band processor  106 , an application processor  108 , a memory  110  and an I/O interface  112 . Taking a Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) mobile phone for example, the application processor  108  generates a registration signal passing through the analog base band processor  106 , the RF transceiver  104  and the antenna  102  in turn and then transmitted to a base station nearby to perform the location registration procedure when a user pushes the power-on button on the I/O interface  112 . The registration signal is subsequently forwarded to a Visitor Location Register (VLR) via the Base Station Controller (BSC), so that the communication network system can acquire the current location information of the communication device  100 , and then the talk function of the communication device  100  is able to work.  
         [0004]     For multi-band, multi-mode wireless communication devices, such as dual-band, tri-band or quad-band mobile phones that advertised for international roaming convenience, they scan operable bands and modes first to find an available service network and perform the location registration procedure. Referring to  FIG. 2  that states the operating processes when a conventional tri-band mobile phone is powered on. After the mobile phone is powered on (step  202 ), the mobile phone searches for the first frequency band first (step  204 ), and if the searching succeeds (step  206 ), the mobile phone sends a network registration signal by using the first frequency band (step  208 ), and if the network registration succeeds (step  210 ), the talk function of the mobile phone is enabled (step  212 ) and then ends (step  232 ). Backing to the blocks (step  206 ) and (step  210 ), if the searching or registration doesn&#39;t succeed, the mobile phone searches for the second frequency band (step  214 ), and if the searching succeeds (step  216 ), the mobile phone sends a network registration signal by using the second frequency band (step  218 ), and if the network registration succeeds ( 220 ), the talk function of the mobile phone is enabled (step  212 ) and then ends (step  232 ). Backing to blocks (step  216 ) and (step  220 ), if the searching or registration doesn&#39;t success, the mobile phone searches the third frequency band (step  224 ), and if the searching successes (step  226 ), the mobile phone sends a network registration signal by using the third frequency band (step  228 ), and if the network registration successes (step  230 ), the talk function of the mobile phone is enabled (step  212 ) and then ends (step  232 ). Backing to block (step  226 ) and (step  230 ), if the searching or registration doesn&#39;t succeed, the mobile phone stops the network searching since no service network is available (step  222 ) and then ends. It is noted from above recitations, when a communication device is scanning available service network, it consumes more power than other common operation from the processes above, that is, comparing to making a call if the mobile phone has already connected to the service network, the searching processes may consume much more battery power.  
         [0005]     Furthermore, the scanning processes may be skipped if the user sets up the communication bands and modes used in that communication region the user located by himself/herself, but it requires the user to have knowledge of the communication bands and modes used in that region first. For example, 900 MHz and 1800 MHz are used in Europe region while 850 MHz and 1900 MHz are used in North America for GSM system. Besides, 2100 MHz is used in Europe and pan-Asia region while 850 MHz and 1900 MHz are used in North America, and 1700 MHz will be used in Japan in the future for WCDMA system. Asking users to memorize these complicated system specifications is unfriendly.  
         [0006]     Therefore, there is a need for a device and method for automatically helping users select a communication band and mode without scanning the bands and modes.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     One aspect of the present invention provides a wireless communication device for automatically selecting a communication band and mode, comprising: a Global Positioning System (GPS) module for obtaining a position of the wireless communication device; a memory module having a database, the database storing a plurality of regions, each with a corresponding communication band and mode; a processing module in connection with the GPS module and the memory module, the processing module utilizing the position and the database to select a band and a communication mode used in that position; and a mobile telecommunication module in connection with the processing module, the mobile telecommunication module utilizing the selected communication band and mode to send a registration signal.  
         [0008]     Another aspect of the present invention provides a method for a wireless communication device automatically selecting a communication band and mode, the wireless communication device supporting a GPS system and having a database, this method comprising the following steps: (a) obtaining a position of the wireless communication device from the GPS system; (b) querying the database based on the position to select a communication band and mode used in the position; (c) utilizing the selected communication band and mode to send a registration signal of the wireless communication device. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]      FIG. 1  shows a block diagram design of a conventional communication device.  
         [0010]      FIG. 2  shows the operating processes of a tri-band mobile phone when the mobile phone is powered on.  
         [0011]      FIG. 3  illustrates a wireless communication device for automatically selecting a communication band and mode in accordance with one embodiment of present invention.  
         [0012]      FIG. 4  illustrates a method for a wireless communication device automatically selecting a communication band and mode in accordance with one embodiment of present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0013]     A device and method for automatically selecting a communication band and mode is disclosed. In the following, the present invention can be further understood by referring to the exemplary, but not limiting, description accompanied with the drawings in  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4 .  
         [0014]     Referring to  FIG. 3 , a wireless communication device  300  for automatically selecting a communication band and mode in accordance with one embodiment of present invention is disclosed. The wireless communication device  300  includes a GPS module  302 , a memory module  308  with a database  310 , a processing module  306 , and a mobile communication module  304 . The GPS module  302  can receive signals from satellites in the space. When receiving signals from three different satellites, the GPS module  302  can get the longitude and latitude (2D) position by calculation, and when receiving a signal from a fourth satellite, it can further get the altitude (3D), and when receiving signals form the 5 th , 6 th  satellites and so on, the precision of the position is enhanced. Generally speaking, whenever and wherever on earth at least four satellites provide GPS signals in the space at the same time, so when the wireless communication device  300  is powered on, the GPS module  302  can be used to provide the current position of the wireless communication device  300 . In addition to obtaining the position of the wireless communication device  300 , it still needs to know what band and mode to be used in this position. Thus the invention also provides a database  310  within the memory module  308 , and the database  310  stores a plurality of communication regions, each with a corresponding communication band and mode. That is, after the GPS module  302  obtains the position of the wireless communication device  300  and notifies the processing module  306 , the processing module  306  selects a band and mode used in this position by querying the database  310 . Thus the mobile communication module  304 , such as the structure shown in  FIG. 1 , may send a registration signal by using the selected band and mode. However, it should be noticed that the processing module  306  is expressed as one module just for simplicity, and in other embodiments, the processing module  306  may be integrated or incorporated into the mobile communication module  304  or the GPS module  302 .  
         [0015]     In some embodiments, the memory module  308  further includes a function of recording the positions at which the wireless communication device  300  had roamed. For example, the wireless communication device  300  can use the last position or previous times positions where the wireless communication device  300  is powered on as references for querying the database  310  to facilitate various algorisms application. And, in some embodiments, the database  310  not only stores bands and modes used in different regions but also stores bands and modes used by different service network providers in the same region. Moreover, in some embodiments, the wireless communication device  300  further includes a function of updating the database  310 .  
         [0016]     Referring to  FIG. 4 , it illustrates a method for a wireless communication device automatically selecting a communication band and mode in accordance with one embodiment of present invention. First, a wireless communication device is powered on (step  402 ), and then the GPS obtains the position of the wireless communication device (step  404 ), and the wireless communication device queries a database to select a band and mode used in this position subsequently (step  406 ), and the wireless communication sends a registration signal by using the selected band and mode (step  408 ), and then ends (step  410 ).  
         [0017]     The present invention has been described above with reference to preferred embodiments. However, those skilled in the art will understand that the scope of the present invention need not be limited to the disclosed preferred embodiments. On the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements within the scope defined in the following appended claims. The scope of the claims should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements.

Technology Classification (CPC): 8