The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 18, 2000
Filed:
Jul. 29, 1997
Scott Gordon Hicks, Apex, NC (US);
Richard Michael Abdella, Raleigh, NC (US);
Amish Kirit Shah, Cary, NC (US);
Ericsson, Inc., Research Triangle Park, NC (US);
Abstract
An improved band scan method is claimed which allows a mobile unit to more quickly locate appropriate control channels in a wireless communications system operating on a communications spectrum having channel bands. The method includes storing a list of acceptable service providers in the mobile unit, receiving service provider information identifying the service provider for a particular control channel, receiving minimum acceptable signal strength information for the control channel, determining the acceptability of the service provider by comparing the received service provider information against the acceptable service provider list, and, if the service provider is acceptable, comparing the received signal strength for the control channel against the minimum acceptable level. If the control channel is allocated to an unacceptable service provider, the mobile unit terminates the band scan and returns to the procedure invoking the band scan without comparing the received signal strength for the control channel against the minimum acceptable level. By checking the service provider information earlier than in prior art methods, the present method allows for the checking of received signal strength against the minimum acceptable level to be deferred or avoided in many circumstances. The method helps reduce the time required and otherwise increases the efficiency of control channel scanning, particularly in IS-136 cellular telephone systems.