Method and apparatus for searching radio technologies

Abstract

Techniques to improve searches for wireless networks are described. A terminal uses results of a search for one radio technology to reduce the search space for another search for the same radio technology or a different radio technology. In one scheme, a first search for a first radio technology (e.g., GSM) is initially performed, and search results indicating frequency channels acquired for the first radio technology are obtained. A second search for a second radio technology (e.g., W-CDMA) is performed using the results of the first search to omit frequencies from the second search. In another scheme, acquisition is performed on at least one frequency channel previously acquired for a radio technology (e.g., W-CDMA). A search for the radio technology is then performed using results of the acquisition to omit frequencies from the search.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Aspects and embodiments of the invention will become more apparent from the detailed description set forth below when taken in conjunction with the drawings in which like reference characters identify correspondingly throughout.

FIG. 1 illustrates a deployment with a GSM network and a Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS) network.

FIG. 2 illustrates protocol layers for GSM and UMTS.

FIG. 3 illustrates a manual search process.

FIG. 4 illustrates coarse and fine frequency scans for UMTS.

FIG. 5 illustrates frequencies omitted based on GSM search results.

FIG. 6 illustrates a manual search process for GSM and UMTS.

FIG. 7 illustrates frequencies omitted based on acquisition database search results.

FIG. 8 illustrates a search process with an acquisition database search.

FIG. 9 illustrates an automatic search process for GSM and UMTS.

FIG. 10 illustrates a search process to obtain service from a wireless network.

FIG. 11 illustrates a search process for multiple radio technologies.

FIG. 12 illustrates a search process for a radio technology.

FIG. 13 illustrates a block diagram of a terminal.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising: at least one processor configured to perform a first search for a first radio technology and obtain search results indicating frequency channels acquired for the first radio technology, and to perform a second search for a second radio technology using the search results for the first search to omit frequencies from the second search; anda memory coupled to the at least one processor.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first radio technology is GSM and the second radio technology is W-CDMA.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein for the first search the at least one processor is configured to obtain received power measurements for a plurality of frequency channels, to attempt acquisition on frequency channels with strong received power measurements, and to provide a list of frequency channels successfully acquired for the first radio technology.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the first radio technology is GSM, and wherein for each frequency channel with strong received power measurement the at least one processor is configured to detect a frequency correction channel (FCCH) and to decode a synchronization channel (SCH) to acquire the frequency channel.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein for each frequency channel with strong received power measurement the at least one processor is further configured to decode a broadcast control channel (BCCH) to acquire the frequency channel.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to omit a range of frequencies around each frequency channel successfully acquired for the first radio technology.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine a frequency search space for the second radio technology based on the search results for the first search, and to performed the second search over the frequency search space.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein for the second search the at least one processor is configured to obtain received power measurements for a plurality of frequencies that exclude the frequencies omitted from the second search, to attempt acquisition on frequency channels centered at frequencies with strong received power measurements, and to provide a list of frequency channels successfully acquired for the second radio technology.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein for the second search the at least one processor is configured to perform a coarse frequency scan and obtain received power measurements for a plurality of coarse frequencies that exclude the frequencies omitted from the second search, to perform a fine frequency scan and obtain received power measurements for a plurality of fine frequencies for each coarse frequency with strong received power measurement, and to attempt acquisition on frequency channels centered at fine frequencies with strong received power measurements.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to receive a request for a list of all available wireless networks and to perform the first and second searches in response to the request.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to receive an indication to search for at least one wireless network with higher priority than a current wireless network and to perform the first and second searches in response to the indication.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to omit the frequencies from the second search if the first and second searches are performed for a frequency band in which the first and second radio technologies are both deployed.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to omit the frequencies from the second search if the first and second searches are performed for cellular band, PCS band, GSM 900 band, or GSM 1800 band.

14. A method comprising: performing a first search for a first radio technology and obtaining search results indicating frequency channels acquired for the first radio technology; andperforming a second search for a second radio technology using the search results for the first search to omit frequencies from the second search.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the performing the first search for the first radio technology comprises obtaining received power measurements for a plurality of frequency channels,attempting acquisition on frequency channels with strong received power measurements, andproviding a list of frequency channels successfully acquired for the first radio technology.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising: omitting a range of frequencies around each frequency channel successfully acquired for the first radio technology.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the performing the second search for the second radio technology comprises obtaining received power measurements for a plurality of frequencies that exclude the frequencies omitted from the second search,attempting acquisition on frequency channels centered at frequencies with strong received power measurements, andproviding a list of frequency channels successfully acquired for the second radio technology.

18. An apparatus comprising: means for performing a first search for a first radio technology and obtaining search results indicating frequency channels acquired for the first radio technology; andmeans for performing a second search for a second radio technology using the search results for the first search to omit frequencies from the second search.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising: means for omitting a range of frequencies around each frequency channel successfully acquired for the first radio technology.

20. A processor readable media for storing instructions operable to: direct a first search for a first radio technology and obtain search results indicating frequency channels acquired for the first radio technology; anddirect a second search for a second radio technology using the search results for the first search to omit frequencies from the second search.

21. The processor readable media of claim 20, and further for storing instructions operable to: omit a range of frequencies around each frequency channel successfully acquired for the first radio technology.

22. An apparatus comprising: at least one processor configured to perform acquisition on at least one frequency channel previously acquired for a first radio technology, and to perform a search for the first radio technology using results of the acquisition to omit frequencies from the search; anda memory coupled to the at least one processor.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the at least one processor is configured to omit a center frequency of each frequency channel not successfully acquired and to omit a range of frequencies for each frequency channel successfully acquired.

24. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the at least one processor is configured to perform a search for a second radio technology and obtain results indicating frequency channels acquired for the second radio technology, and to perform the search for the first radio technology using the results of the acquisition and the results of the search for the second radio technology to omit frequencies from the search for the first radio technology.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the at least one processor is configured to omit a range of frequencies around each frequency channel successfully acquired for the second radio technology.

26. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the first radio technology is W-CDMA and the second radio technology is GSM.

27. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the at least one processor is configured to receive a request to look for service and to perform the acquisition and the search in response to the request.

28. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the at least one processor is configured to receive an indication to search for at least one wireless network with higher priority than a current wireless network and to perform the acquisition and the search in response to the indication.

29. A method comprising: performing acquisition on at least one frequency channel previously acquired for a first radio technology; andperforming a search for the first radio technology using results of the acquisition to omit frequencies from the search.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising: omitting a center frequency of each frequency channel not successfully acquired; andomitting a range of frequencies for each frequency channel successfully acquired.

31. The method of claim 29, further comprising: performing a search for a second radio technology and obtaining results indicating frequency channels acquired for the second radio technology, andwherein the search for the first radio technology is performed using the results of the acquisition and the results of the search for the second radio technology to omit frequencies from the search for the first radio technology.

32. An apparatus comprising: means for performing acquisition on at least one frequency channel previously acquired for a first radio technology; andmeans for performing a search for the first radio technology using results of the acquisition to omit frequencies from the search.

33. The apparatus of claim 32, further comprising: means for omitting a center frequency of each frequency channel not successfully acquired; andmeans for omitting a range of frequencies for each frequency channel successfully acquired.

34. The apparatus of claim 32, further comprising: means for performing a search for a second radio technology and obtaining results indicating frequency channels acquired for the second radio technology, and wherein the search for the first radio technology is performed using the results of the acquisition and the results of the search for the second radio technology to omit frequencies from the search for the first radio technology.

35. A processor readable media for storing instructions operable to: direct acquisition on at least one frequency channel previously acquired for a first radio technology; anddirect a search for the first radio technology using results of the acquisition to omit frequencies from the search.

36. The processor readable media of claim 35, and further for storing instructions operable to: omit a center frequency of each frequency channel not successfully acquired; andomit a range of frequencies for each frequency channel successfully acquired.

37. The processor readable media of claim 35, and further for storing instructions operable to: direct a search for a second radio technology and obtain results indicating frequency channels acquired for the second radio technology, anddirect the search for the first radio technology using the results of the acquisition and the results of the search for the second radio technology to omit frequencies from the search for the first radio technology.