PREDICTING ACCESS POINT AVAILABILITY

Abstract

Examples relate to predicting access point availability. In one example, a computing device may: obtain a set of training fingerprints, each training fingerprint specifying, for a client device, an access point to which the client device successfully connected and cellular signal strength for each cellular tower in a set of cellular towers; and for each access point: generate an access point profile for the access point, the access point profile indicating, for each cellular tower in the set of cellular towers specified by a first subset of the set of training fingerprints, a probability that a randomly selected training fingerprint included in the first subset specified a particular cellular signal strength for the cellular tower, wherein each training fingerprint included in the first subset specifies the access point as the access point to which the client device specified by the training fingerprint included in the first subset successfully connected.

Description

BACKGROUND

Cellular network communications devices, such as cellular phones and cellular network access points, transmit data across cellular networks. While bandwidth for transmitting data across cellular networks is limited, some cellular network communications devices are capable of transferring data across other networks, such as broadband or satellite networks.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The following detailed description references the drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1A is a block diagram of an example computing device for generating an access point profile for predicting access point availability.

FIG. 1B is a block diagram of an example computing device for predicting access point availability.

FIG. 2A is an example data flow for predicting access point availability.

FIG. 2B is an example illustration of fingerprint distribution.

FIG. 2C is another example illustration of fingerprint distribution.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of an example method for predicting access point availability.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Cellular network communications devices, or cellular devices, may use mobile data offloading (MDO) techniques to avoid using cellular networks to transmit data. For example, a cell phone may connect to a broadband network using an included Wi-Fi radio in communication with a Wi-Fi access point, offloading the transmission of data to the broadband network. Offloading the transmission of data to a non-cellular network may have many advantages. For example, use of MDO may increase available cellular network bandwidth and, in some situations, increase the speed and/or reliability of data transmission for individual devices. For users who have network provider enforced limits on cellular data transmission, data offloading may allow those users' devices to transmit data across networks that do not contribute to the users' cellular data limit.

For some MDO methods, cellular devices use Wi-Fi radios to scan for and connect to available Wi-Fi access points that are connected to non-cellular networks. However, using a Wi-Fi radio requires power, and frequent use of a Wi-Fi radio to search for access points may drain a device's battery, and connecting or attempting to connect to an access point with relatively low signal strength may result in relatively slow data transmission and/or data loss, leading to a poor user experience. Predicting wireless access point availability allows a cellular network communications device to predict when a Wi-Fi access point may be within range of the device and, in some implementations, predict the quality, e.g., signal strength, of the access point. This allows the device to leave its Wi-Fi radio off until an access point with a certain predicted signal strength is predicted to be within range, preserving the device's battery and increasing the likelihood of performing a successful handoff.

As used herein, “access point” refers to any access point to a network that is separate from the cellular network on which a cellular device is operating. For example, the access point may be a Wi-Fi router connected to a broadband or satellite network, or—in some implementations—a cellular hotspot connected to a cellular network that is separate from the cellular network on which the cellular device is operating. Cellular devices may communicate with access points in a variety of ways, including Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, and Bluetooth, to name a few.

To predict wireless access point availability, a wireless availability prediction device may gather cellular fingerprints for successful handoffs, e.g., successful connections to Wi-Fi access points. Cellular fingerprints include data specifying cellular signal strength, e.g., measured in decibel-milliwatts (dBm), for nearby cellular towers, or cells. For example, a cell phone may generate a wireless fingerprint at the time the cell phone connects to a Wi-Fi access point, and the fingerprint may specify the dBm of three nearby cells at the time of the connection.

After gathering cellular fingerprints, the wireless availability prediction device may generate, for at least one access point, an access point profile. As described in further detail below, an access point profile for an access point specifies the probability that a given cellular fingerprint would successfully connect to the access point. In some implementations, access points have multiple profiles, one for each level of access point signal strength, which—as described in further detail below—can be used to not only predict a successful handoff to the access point, but to also predict the access point signal strength of a handoff.

Given a new cellular fingerprint, e.g., one not used to generate an access point profile, the wireless availability prediction device may compare cell signal strength measurements of the new fingerprint to corresponding measurements of access point profiles to determine how similar the new fingerprint is to the fingerprints used to generate the access point profiles. As described in further detail below, similarity measurements may be used to predict which access point profile(s) (if any) the new fingerprint is most similar to, and to predict whether or not a handoff to an access point would be successful.

Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 1A is a block diagram 100 of an example computing device 110 for generating an access point profile for predicting access point availability. FIG. 1B is a block diagram 102 of an example computing device 110 for predicting access point availability. Computing device 110 may be, for example, a cellular device, such as a cell phone, a personal computer, a server computer, or any other similar electronic device capable of cellular communications or communicating with cellular devices. In the example implementation of FIGS. 1A and 1B, the computing device 110 includes a hardware processor, 120, and machine-readable storage medium, 130.

Hardware processor 120 may be one or more central processing units (CPUs), semiconductor-based microprocessors, and/or other hardware devices suitable for retrieval and execution of instructions stored in machine-readable storage medium, 130. Hardware processor 120 may fetch, decode, and execute instructions, such as 132-134 and 132-142, to control processes for generating and access point profile and predicting access point availability. As an alternative or in addition to retrieving and executing instructions, hardware processor 120 may include one or more electronic circuits that include electronic components for performing the functionality of one or more instructions.

A machine-readable storage medium, such as 130, may be any electronic, magnetic, optical, or other physical storage device that contains or stores executable instructions. Thus, machine-readable storage medium 130 may be, for example, Random Access Memory (RAM), an Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EEPROM), a storage device, an optical disc, and the like. In some implementations, storage medium 130 may be a non-transitory storage medium, where the term “non-transitory” does not encompass transitory propagating signals. As described in detail below, machine-readable storage medium 130 may be encoded with a series of executable instructions: 132-134 and/or 132-142, for generating access point profiles and/or predicting access point availability.

As shown in FIG. 1, the computing device 110 obtains, from client device(s) 150, a set of training fingerprints 152 (132). Each training fingerprint specifies, for a client device, an access point to which the client device successfully connected and cellular signal strength for each cellular tower in a set of cellular towers. For example, a cell phone may, in response to successfully connecting to an access point, create and provide to the computing device 110 a training fingerprint that includes signal strength measurements for each of three cells within range of the cell phone at the time it connected to the access point. The client device 150 may be any device in communication with the computing device 110, such as a cellular communications device, personal computer, server computer, or another device capable of sending data across cellular and Wi-Fi networks.

In some implementations, each training fingerprint further specifies, for the corresponding client device, an access point signal strength for the access point to which the client device successfully connected. For example, in addition to specifying the dBm of each nearby cell, a fingerprint may also specify the dBm of the access point to which the corresponding cell phone connected.

The computing device 110 generates, for each access point specified by training fingerprints included in the set of training fingerprints, an access point profile (134). Each access point profile indicates, for each cellular tower in the set of cellular towers specified by a first subset of the set of training fingerprints, a probability that a randomly selected training fingerprint included in the first subset specified a particular cellular signal strength for the cellular tower. Each training fingerprint included in the first subset specifies the access point as the access point to which the client device specified by the training fingerprint included in the first subset successfully connected.

For example, an access point profile may indicate that half of the fingerprints used to generate the profile, e.g., the fingerprints in the first subset, specified a particular signal strength measurement with respect to a particular cell. Accordingly, there is a probability of 0.5 that a fingerprint randomly selected from the fingerprints used to generate the profile, e.g., the first subset, will specify the particular signal strength measurement with respect to the particular cell.

In some implementations, multiple access point profiles are generated for each access point. Each of the access point profiles for each access point are generated using training fingerprints that are different from the training fingerprints used to generate each other access point profile for the access point. For example, each access point may have five profiles, each profile being associated with a range of signal strength measurements, e.g., one profile for very strong access point signal strength, and one each for moderately strong, average, below average, and low signal strength. The training fingerprints used to generate the very strong signal profile for the access point may all specify access point signal strength that meets a certain threshold to be considered strong. Similarly, other profiles may specify separate ranges of access point signal strength. Any number of profiles and ranges of signal strength may be used when generating multiple profiles for an access point.

In some implementations, each training fingerprint specifies a cellular tower to which the client device was in communications with prior to the client device successfully connecting to the access point, e.g., the registered cell. In situations where multiple access point profiles are generated for an access point, differences between subsets of training fingerprints used to generate the profiles may be based on the cellular tower specified by the training fingerprints included in the corresponding subsets. For example, a particular access point might have a first profile generated using fingerprints that specify a first cell to which corresponding client devices were connected prior to the handoff, and it may have a second profile generated using fingerprints that specify a second cell to which corresponding client devices were connected prior to the handoff.

In some implementations, the set of training fingerprints includes only training fingerprints received from a single client device. This allows access point profiles to be generated for each client device. In some implementations, the set of training fingerprints includes training fingerprints received from multiple different client devices. This facilitates generation of crowd-sourced access point profiles.

In some implementations, the computing device 110 receives, from a query client device 160, a query fingerprint 154 (136). The query fingerprint 154 specifies, for each cellular tower in a query set of cellular towers, a query cellular signal strength. For example, a cell phone may, automatically or on-demand, generate a query fingerprint that includes signal strength measurements of nearby cells and provide that query fingerprint to the computing device.

In some implementations, the computing device 110 determines, for each access point profile of at least one access point specified by training fingerprints included in the set of training fingerprints, a measure of similarity between the query fingerprint and the access point profile (138). The measure of similarity is based on the query cellular signal strengths specified by the query fingerprint and each probability associated with each particular cellular signal strength included in the access point profile that matches the query cellular signal strengths. As used herein, similarity, or matching, between fingerprints and access point profiles need not be literal similarity or matching, but may indicate a measure of likelihood that a given fingerprint is similar to fingerprints used to generate a given access point profile. E.g., a fingerprint may be similar to an access point profile if the signal strength measurements specified by the fingerprint are similar to the signal strength measurements specified by fingerprints used to generate the profile.

By way of example, a query fingerprint may specify signal strengths of −100 dBm for a first cell and −90 dBm for a second cell. The computing device 110 may use probabilities associated with matching signal strengths, e.g., −100 dBm and −90 dBm, to determine similarity of the query fingerprint to various access point profiles. E.g., a particular access point profile may indicate that 75% of the fingerprints used to generate the profile had a −100 dBm signal strength measurement for the first cell, and that 50% of the fingerprints had a −90 dBm strength measurement for the second cell. Many methods may be used to calculate a similarity measure between the query fingerprint and the particular access point profile, e.g., an average of the probabilities would provide a similarity measure of 0.625 ((0.75+0.5)/2=0.625).

In some implementations, the computing device 110 selects an access point profile based on each measure of similarity determined for the at least one access point (140). For example, measures of similarity may be determined for a set of access points within range of the cells indicated in the query fingerprint, and access point profile with the highest measure of similarity may be selected. Many methods for selecting access point profiles may be used. In some implementations, a similarity measure threshold may be used to determine whether to select an access point profile; e.g., if the query fingerprint does not meet the similarity measure threshold to any access point profiles, then no access point profile is selected. In some implementations, multiple access point profiles may be selected, e.g., the top 3, each profile with a similarity measure above a certain threshold, etc. In some implementations, user preferences may prioritize certain access points. In these situations, at least one access point profile for a preferred access point may be selected, alone or in combination with other access point profiles.

The computing device 110 provides the query client device 160 with data 156 specifying the access point specified by the selected access point profile (142). The data 156 may, for example, cause display of information specifying the particular access point(s) and/or facilitate enabling communications between the query client device 160 and the access point, e.g., by turning on a Wi-Fi radio of the query client device 160 and causing it to connect to the access point.

While the computing device 110 is shown separately from the client device(s) 150 in FIGS. 1A and 1B, in some implementations, some or all of the instructions 132-142 may be performed by a client device, alone or in combination with a separate computing device 110. For example, a server computer may gather training fingerprints and generate access point profiles, and client devices could obtain the access point profiles and use them to predict wireless access point availability. Further details regarding the generation of access point profiles and prediction of access point availability are provided in the example described with respect to FIGS. 2A-2C, below.

FIG. 2A is an example data flow 200 for predicting access point availability. FIGS. 2B and 2C are example illustrations, 250 and 280, respectively, of fingerprint distribution. The data flow 200 depicts client devices(s) 150 and a query client device 230 in communication with a wireless availability prediction device 210. The wireless availability prediction device 210 is depicted separately from the client and query client devices, and is connected to a data storage device 220. As noted above, in some implementations the wireless availability prediction device 210 may be included within a query client device 230, which may also be one of the client device(s) 150.

In the example data flow 200, the client device(s) 150 provide training fingerprints 202 to the wireless availability prediction device 210. Each training fingerprint 202 may specify, for example, an access point to which the client device connected, a cellular signal strength for each cell tower near the client device during the handoff, and, in some implementations, a registered cellular tower to which the client device was connected prior to the handoff and/or an access point signal strength for the access point at the time of the handoff. An example set of training fingerprints is provided in Table 1, below.

	TABLE 1
	Finger-				Registered	AP
	print	Cell_1	Cell_2	Cell_3	Cell	SS
AP1	p1	−61	−115	−87	Cell_1	−64
	p2	−63	−57	−85	Cell_1	−61
	p3	−63	−51	−85	Cell_1	−64
	p4	−65	−53	−115	Cell_1	−58
	p5	−67	−55	−81	Cell_2	−61
AP2	q1	−71	−67	−75	Cell_1	−73
	q2	−115	−69	−73	Cell_1	−70
	q3	−73	−65	−73	Cell_2	−64
	q4	−75	−65	−71	Cell_1	−66
	q5	−75	−67	−115	Cell_1	−70

The example training fingerprints shown in Table 1 are for two access points, AP1 and AP2. Each of the fingerprints, p1-p5 for AP1 and q1-q5 for AP2, specify a signal strength measurement with respect to each of cells 1, 2, and 3; a registered cell; and an access point signal strength measurement.

As noted above, the Wireless Availability Prediction Device 210 generates access point profiles 222 using the training fingerprints 202. In implementations where profiles are generated for each access point, each access point may have profiles differentiated by certain values, such as access point signal strength and/or registered cell. When generating multiple profiles based on AP signal strength, the number of profiles may vary depending, for example, on the range of AP signal strength measurements included in the training fingerprints. For example, the training fingerprints may be separated into five subsets according to ranges of AP signal strength; the following table indicates an example distribution of AP signal strength and corresponding subsets, or levels of strength.

TABLE 2
Level AP SS
4     >=−64
3     >=−73
2     >=−82
1     >=−91
0     <−91

Using the above example signal strength levels, each training fingerprint may correspond to an AP level, as shown in Table 3, below.

	TABLE 3
	Finger-				Registered	AP	AP
	print	Cell_1	Cell_2	Cell_3	Cell	SS	Level
AP1	p1	−61	−115	−87	Cell_1	−64	4
	p2	−63	−57	−85	Cell_1	−61	4
	p3	−63	−51	−85	Cell_1	−64	4
	p4	−65	−53	−115	Cell_1	−58	4
	p5	−67	−55	−81	Cell_2	−61	4
AP2	q1	−71	−67	−75	Cell_1	−73	3
	q2	−115	−69	−73	Cell_1	−70	3
	q3	−73	−65	−73	Cell_2	−64	4
	q4	−75	−65	−71	Cell_1	−66	3
	q5	−75	−67	−115	Cell_1	−70	3

In some implementations, the cellular signal strength measurements of fingerprints may be mapped to strength levels in a manner similar to the AP signal strength measurements. As with the AP signal strength subsets, any number of subsets may be used. By way of example, and as shown in Table 4 below, cell signal strength measurements may be separated into 33 different levels, each level being associated with a particular signal strength range, e.g., −115 to −114 for level 1, −114 to −112 for level 2, and so on, to −52 to −51 for level 33.

	TABLE 4
	Finger-		Cell_1		Cell_2		Cell_3	Registered	AP	AP
	print	Cell_1	Lvl	Cell_2	Lvl	Cell_3	Lvl	Cell	SS	Lvl
AP1	p1	−61	28	−115	1	−87	15	Cell_1	−64	4
	p2	−63	27	−57	30	−85	16	Cell_1	−61	4
	p3	−63	27	−51	33	−85	16	Cell_1	−64	4
	p4	−65	26	−53	32	−115	1	Cell_1	−58	4
	p5	−67	25	−55	31	−81	18	Cell_2	−61	4
AP2	q1	−71	23	−67	25	−75	21	Cell_1	−73	3
	q2	−115	1	−69	24	−73	22	Cell_1	−70	3
	q3	−73	22	−65	26	−73	22	Cell_2	−64	4
	q4	−75	21	−65	26	−71	23	Cell_1	−66	3
	q5	−75	21	−67	25	−115	1	Cell_1	−70	3

Using the example fingerprints, values, and level mappings above, the wireless availability prediction device 210 may generate multiple access point profiles 222 for each access point. For example, access point AP1 may have two profiles, one for fingerprints registered to Cell_1 and having an AP level of 4, and one for fingerprints registered to Cell_2 and having an AP level of 4. Based on the example fingerprints above, the AP profile for AP1, registered Cell_1, and AP level 4—which includes fingerprints p1-p4—may be represented by Table 5, below.

The above representation of an access point profile indicates the probability that a randomly selected training fingerprint from the set of fingerprints associated with AP1, registered to Cell_1, and with an AP level of 4 (e.g., fingerprints p1-p4) will have a certain level of signal strength with respect to cells 1, 2, and 3. For example, the probability that a fingerprint randomly selected from p1-p4 will have a signal strength level of 27 with respect to Cell_1 is 0.5, e.g., a 50% chance. The second access point profile of AP1, e.g., generated using the fingerprint (p5) registered to Cell_2 and having an AP level of 4, may be represented by Table 6, below.

With respect to access point AP2, two access point profiles may also be generated. A representation of one access point profile for AP2, for registered Cell_1 and AP level 3, is shown below in Table 7.

A representation of the second access point profile for AP2, for registered cell Cell_2 and AP level 4, is shown below in Table 8.

When generating access point profiles, any number of training fingerprints may be used. In addition, while the examples above include five levels of AP signal strength and 33 levels of cellular signal strength, other subdivisions of signal strength measurements may also be used. In some implementations, access point profiles are updated over time, e.g., by adding new fingerprints and/or removing old fingerprints. In the example data flow 200, the wireless availability prediction device 210 stores the access point profiles 222 in a data storage device 220, such as a local hard disk. As described in further detail below, each access point profile in the example data flow 200 specifies predicted cell signal strengths 224 for multiple cells, where the predictions are based on the probabilities 226 associated with signal strength measurements for the cells.

The illustrations 250 and 280 shown in FIGS. 2B and 2C depict an example physical distribution of the above example training fingerprints: p1-5 and q1-q5. FIGS. 2B and 2C both depict four cells, Cell_1 252, Cell_2 254, Cell_3 256, and Cell_4 258; two access points, AP1 and AP2; and a representation of the Wi-Fi range of each access points, e.g., circle 265 for AP1 and 275 for AP2. The illustration 280 of FIG. 2C also includes an example cross-section of a building 290 in which the access points are located. The illustrations 250 and 280 are different visual representations of the same fingerprints. Differences between the illustrations 280 are designed to indicate that geographic proximity to access points and cells is not necessarily a strong indicator of signal strength with respect to the access points and cells. For example, in FIG. 2B, fingerprint p1 is depicted closer to Cell_2 254 than fingerprint p4; however, the p1's signal strength measurement with respect to Cell_2 is significantly lower than p4's signal strength measurement with respect to Cell_2. These types of difference are not uncommon, and may occur for any number of reasons, including signal interference, geographic topology, and blocking structures, e.g., buildings and walls made of a variety of materials.

In data flow 200, a query client device 230 provides a query fingerprint 232 to the wireless availability prediction device 210. The query fingerprint 232 may specifies, for each cell tower in a set of cellular towers, a cellular signal strength measurement. For example, the query fingerprint 232 may include the data represented below in Table 9.

TABLE 9
       Signal
       Strength
Cell_1 −63
Cell_2 −51
Cell_4 −87

In some implementations, the query fingerprint 232 may also specify a registered cell. For example, if the query client device 230 is currently connected to Cell_1, data indicating the registration may be included in the query fingerprint 232.

The wireless availability prediction system 210 determines, for a number of access points and based on the cellular signal strength measurements included in the query fingerprint 232, a measure of similarity between the cellular signal strength measurements included in the query fingerprint 232 and predicted cellular signal strength measurements 224 of corresponding cellular towers in an access point profile for the access point. In some implementations, to determine measures of similarity, the signal strength measurements included in the query fingerprint 232 are mapped to signal strength levels in a manner similar to that described above with respect to the training fingerprints 202. Using the example levels described above, the each signal strength measurement in the query fingerprint 232 may be assigned a signal level as shown in Table 10.

	TABLE 10
		RSSI	Level	Registered
	Cell_1	−63	27	Yes
	Cell_2	−51	33
	Cell_3	−115	1
	Cell_4	−87	15

The signal strength levels for each cell of the query fingerprint may be matched to the corresponding predicted cell signal strength levels specified by the access point profiles 222, and the corresponding probability or probabilities may be used to determine similarity. Methods for determining which profiles the query fingerprint will be compared to may vary. For example, the profiles chosen for comparison may be limited to those associated with the same registered cell as the query fingerprint, all access point profiles having predicted measurements for any cell included in the query fingerprint, all access point profiles that meet a threshold AP signal level, or any combination of these, to name a few. In implementations where each access point has multiple access point profiles, similarity measures may be determined for each of the profiles for each access point.

When comparing the query fingerprint 232 to the AP profile for AP1, registered Cell_1, and AP level 4, the following may be observed: the probability that signal level for Cell_1 is 27 is 0.5, the probability that signal level for Cell_2 is 33 is 0.25, the probability that signal level for Cell_3 is 1 is 0.25, and the probability that signal level for Cell_4 is 15 is 0 (not included in the profile). Based on the probabilities, a similarity measure may be determined.

Many methods may be used for determining a similarity measure. For example, probabilities may be added; using the example values above, this method would result in a similarity measure of 1 (0.5+0.25+0.25+0=1). As another example, the probabilities may be averaged; using the example values above, this method would result in a similarity measure of 0.25 ((0.5+0.25+0.25+0)/4). In yet another example, logarithms of each probability measure may be added, substituting a small constant value, such as 1/5000, in place of a 0 probability; using the example values above, this method would result in a similarity measure of −5.2041 (log(0.5)+log(0.25)+log(0.25)+log(1/5000)=−5.2041).

After determining similarity measures, the wireless availability prediction device selects at least one access point based on the measures of similarity. Many methods exist for selecting the access point(s). For example, the access point having the access point profile with the highest measure of similarity may be selected. Using the summed logarithmic value method described above for determining similarity measures, the similarity measurements of the query fingerprint 232 to each of the access point profiles 222 are as follows: −5.2041 for AP1, Cell_1, AP Lvl 4; −14.7959 for AP1, Cell_2, AP Lvl 4; −14.7959 for AP2, Cell_1, AP Lvl 3; and −11.6990 for AP2, Cell_2, AP Lvl 4. In situations where the access point having the profile with the highest measure of similarity is selected, access point AP1 would be selected.

In some implementations, access points are selected based on the selected access points having an access point profile with i) an access point signal strength that meets a signal strength threshold, and ii) a measure of similarity that meets a similarity threshold. This may prevent selecting an access point that is likely to have a low AP signal strength and ensure selection of an access point that is more likely to result in a successful handoff with an acceptable AP signal strength. E.g., using the example similarity measurement values above, an AP signal strength threshold of 4 and a similarity threshold of −8, only access point AP1 would be selected.

In some implementations, e.g., in situations where multiple access points are selected, the wireless availability prediction device 210 ranks the selected access points based on the access point signal strength and the measure of similarity for a particular access point profile of the access point. Many methods may be used to rank access points. For example, a normalized similarity measure, e.g., normalized to be between 0 and 1, with 1 being most similar and 0 being least similar, may be multiplied by the access point signal strength level, e.g., integer values between 0 and 4. The product may be used to rank access points, such that an access point with a profile having a signal strength level of 3 and similarity measure of 0.5 would be ranked higher than a second access point having a profile with a signal strength level of 4 and a similarity measure of 0.25 (1.5>1). In situations where user preferences indicate a preferred access point, the preferred access point may be adjusted to have a higher ranking than other non-preferred access points.

After selecting one or more access points, the wireless availability prediction system provides the query client device 230 with data 234 specifying the selected access point(s). In implementations where multiple access points are ranked, the data 234 also specifies the rankings. The data 234 may be used by the query client device 230 to determine whether to turn on a Wi-Fi or Bluetooth radio and, if so, which access point to attempt a connection to. In situations where the wireless availability prediction device 210 does not predict availability of any access points, it may periodically request and/or receive other query fingerprints until at least one suitable access point is predicted to be available. Using one or more of the methods described above, a cellular device may be able to not only predict the availability of one or more access points for a MDO handoff, but also determine which available access point is most likely to result in a successful handoff. Ranking access points and choosing between them is described in further detail below with reference to FIG. 3.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of an example method 300 for predicting access point availability. The method 300 may be performed by a computing device, such as a computing device described in FIGS. 1A and 1B, e.g., in the form of a cellular phone. Other computing devices may also be used to execute method 300. Method 300 may be implemented in the form of executable instructions stored on a machine-readable storage medium, such as the storage medium 130, and/or in the form of electronic circuitry.

A query fingerprint is generated that specifies, for each cellular tower included in a set of cellular towers, a cellular signal strength (302). For example, a cell phone may generate a query fingerprint by recording the signal strength of nearby cell towers. The query fingerprint may be generated, for example, periodically at set intervals, in response to user input, and/or in response to receiving a request for a query fingerprint, e.g., from a cellular network carrier.

For each of a plurality of access points and based on the cellular signal strength measurements included in the query fingerprint, the computing device determines a measure of similarity between the cellular signal strength measurements included in the query fingerprint and predicted cellular signal strength measurements of corresponding cell towers in an access point profile for the access point (304). For example, a cell phone may determine similarity for each access point profile by matching the recorded signal strengths to corresponding signal strengths of the access point profile, and using the profile's probability measurements as input to a function that produces a measure of similarity.

In some implementations, the access point profiles were previously provided to the computing device. For example, a carrier may provide the cell phone with the access point profiles. The profiles provided may depend on the cells to which the cell phone is and/or has been registered to in the past. In some implementations, the cell phone may generate the access point profiles, e.g., in the manner described above with reference to FIGS. 2A-2C.

In some implementations, each access point has multiple access point profiles, and the measure of similarity is determined for each of the access point profiles for each of the access points. For example, one access point may have five different profiles, and similarity to the query fingerprint may be measured separately for each of the profiles.

One of the plurality of access points is selected based on the measures of similarity (306). For example, the cell phone may select the access point having an access point profile that is most similar to the query fingerprint. Many methods may be used to determine which access point to select.

In some implementations, each of the access points are ranked based on a particular access point profile of the access point. The ranking for each access point may be based on the measure of similarity determined for the particular access point profile. For example, the cell phone may identify, for each access point, an access point profile that has, relative to the other access point profiles of the access point, the highest measure of similarity to the query fingerprint. The measure of similarity of the most similar access point profile of each access point may then be used to rank the access points, e.g., resulting in ranking the access points according to the measures of similarity of the most similar profiles of the access points.

In some implementations, each particular access point profile for an access point is associated with a registered cellular tower that is different from at least one corresponding registered cellular towers of other access point profiles of the access point, the computing device is registered to a particular cellular tower, and the ranking for each access point is further based on the particular cellular tower to which the computing device is registered and the registered cellular tower associated with the particular access point profile of the access point. For example, if a cell phone is registered to Cell_1, access point profiles that were generated using cellular fingerprints received from devices that were registered to Cell_1 may be ranked higher than other access point profiles.

In some implementations, each particular access point profile is associated with an access point signal strength, and the ranking of each of the plurality of access points is further based on the access point signal strength associated with the particular access point profile. For example, a higher access point signal strength may result in a higher ranking, e.g., if the most similar profile of AP1 has an AP signal strength of 90—e.g., on a scale of 0 to 100, 100 being the highest signal strength—and the most similar profile of AP2 has an AP signal strength of 60, AP1 may be ranked higher than AP2.

Access points may be ranked using any combination of the above methods and may also be ranked using additional methods. For example, user preferences may result on one access point being ranked higher than another access point, and access point bandwidth congestion—if known or estimated—may also be used to rank access points. Ranking, as used herein, need not be limited to ordinal integer values. For example, ranking may be based on scores, and the scores may be subject to adjustments, e.g., using a multiplier and based on various factors, such as similarity measures, registered cells, AP signal strength, and user preferences. By way of example, a ranking score for an access point profile could use a similarity measure as a base score, which may be multiplied by AP signal strength and, if associated with the same registered cell as the query fingerprint, a constant multiplier such as 1.25.

The computing device enables a previously disabled access point communications radio (308). The computing device may, for example, enable a Wi-Fi radio in response to determining that a Wi-Fi access point is predicted to be within range. E.g., a cell phone may enable the Wi-Fi radio in response to determining that a ranking score—calculated based on similarity measures, AP signal strength, registered cell, etc.—for a particular access point profile meets a threshold ranking score.

The computing device causes the access point communications radio to attempt to establish communications with the selected access point (310). For example, a cell phone may cause the included Wi-Fi communications radio to attempt to connect to the highest ranking access point. In some implementations, if the highest ranking access point is unavailable, or attempted connection fails, the cell phone may attempt to connect to the second highest ranking access point.

While the method 300 is described with respect to a cellular device, other computing devices may also be used for some or all of the steps. For example, a server computer may determine measures of similarity, and select and rank access points in response to receiving a query fingerprint from a cellular device, providing the cellular device with a ranked list of access points to choose from.

The foregoing disclosure describes a number of example implementations for predicting access point availability. As detailed above, examples provide a mechanism for identifying access points that are likely to be good candidates for MDO handoffs.

Claims

1. A computing device for predicting access point availability, the computing device comprising: a hardware processor; anda data storage device storing instructions that, when executed by the hardware processor, cause the hardware processor to:obtain a set of training fingerprints, each training fingerprint specifying, for a client device, an access point to which the client device successfully connected and cellular signal strength for each cellular tower in a set of cellular towers; andfor each access point specified by training fingerprints included in the set of training fingerprints: generate an access point profile for the access point, the access point profile indicating, for each cellular tower in the set of cellular towers specified by a first subset of the set of training fingerprints, a probability that a randomly selected training fingerprint included in the first subset specified a particular cellular signal strength for the cellular tower, wherein each training fingerprint included in the first subset specifies the access point as the access point to which the client device specified by the training fingerprint included in the first subset successfully connected.

2. The computing device of claim 1, wherein: each training fingerprint further specifies, for the corresponding client device, an access point signal strength for the access point to which the client device successfully connected;the access point profile for each access point is one of a plurality of access point profiles for the access point;each of the plurality of access point profiles for each access point are generated using a subset of the set of training fingerprints that are different from each other subset of the set of training fingerprints; anddifferences between subsets used to generate the plurality of access point profiles are based on the access point signal strength specified by the training fingerprints included in the corresponding subsets.

3. The computing device of claim 1, wherein: each training fingerprint further specifies a cellular tower to which the client device was in communications with prior to the client device successfully connecting to the access point, the cellular tower being included in the set of cellular towers for which the training fingerprint specified cellular signal strength;the access point profile for each access point is one of a plurality of access point profiles for the access point;each of the plurality of access point profiles for each access point are generated using a subset of the set of training fingerprints that are different from each other subset of the set of training fingerprints; anddifferences between subsets used to generate the plurality of access point profiles are based on the cellular tower specified by the training fingerprints included in the corresponding subsets.

4. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the set of training fingerprints includes training fingerprints received from a plurality of different client devices.

5. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the instructions further cause the hardware processor to: receive, from a query client device, a query fingerprint that specifies, for each cellular tower in a query set of cellular towers, a query cellular signal strength;determine, for each access point profile of at least one access point specified by training fingerprints included in the set of training fingerprints, a measure of similarity between the query fingerprint and the access point profile, the measure of similarity being based on the query cellular signal strengths specified by the query fingerprint and each probability associated with each particular cellular signal strength included in the access point profile that matches the query cellular signal strengths;selecting an access point profile based on each measure of similarity determined for the at least one access point; andproviding the query client device with data specifying a particular access point specified by the selected access point.

6. A method for predicting access point availability, implemented by a hardware processor, the method comprising: receiving, from a client device, a query fingerprint that specifies, for each cellular tower included in a set of cellular towers, a cellular signal strength measurement;determining, for each of a plurality of access points and based on the cellular signal strength measurements included in the query fingerprint, a measure of similarity between the cellular signal strength measurements included in the query fingerprint and predicted cellular signal strength measurements of corresponding cellular towers in an access point profile for the access point;selecting at least one access point of the plurality of access points based on the measures of similarity; andproviding the client device with data specifying the at least one access point.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein: each of the plurality of access points has a plurality of access point profiles; andthe measure of similarity is determined for each of the plurality of access point profiles for each of the plurality of access points.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein each access point profile for an access point is associated with an access point signal strength that is different from corresponding access point signal strengths of other access point profiles of the access point.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein selecting at least one access point comprises: selecting each access point having an access point profile with i) an access point signal strength that meets a signal strength threshold, and ii) a measure of similarity that meets a similarity threshold.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein: selecting at least one access point comprises selecting at least two access points;the method further comprises ranking the at least two selected access points based on, for each of the at least two selected access points, the access point signal strength and the measure of similarity for a particular access point profile of the access point; andthe data specifying the at least one access point specifies each rank of the at least one access point.

11. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium encoded with instructions executable by a hardware processor of a computing device for predicting access point availability, the machine-readable storage medium comprising instructions to cause the hardware processor to: generate a query fingerprint that specifies, for each cellular tower included in a set of cellular towers, a cellular signal strength measurement;determine, for each of a plurality of access points and based on the cellular signal strength measurements included in the query fingerprint, a measure of similarity between the cellular signal strength measurements included in the query fingerprint and predicted cellular signal strength measurements of corresponding cellular towers in an access point profile for the access point;select one of the plurality of access points based on the measures of similarity;cause the computing device to enable a previously disabled access point communications radio; andcause the access point communications radio to attempt to establish communications with the selected access point.

12. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein: each of the plurality of access points has a plurality of access point profiles; andthe measure of similarity is determined for each of the plurality of access point profiles for each of the plurality of access points.

13. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the instructions further cause the hardware processor to: rank each of the plurality of access points based on a particular access point profile of the access point, the ranking for each access point being based on the measure of similarity determined for the particular access point profile.

14. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 13 wherein: each particular access point profile for an access point is associated with a registered cellular tower that is different from at least one corresponding registered cellular towers of other access point profiles of the access point;the computing device is registered to a particular cellular tower; andthe ranking for each access point is further based on the particular cellular tower to which the computing device is registered and the registered cellular tower associated with the particular access point profile of the access point.

15. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein: each particular access point profile is associated with an access point signal strength; andthe ranking of each of the plurality of access points is further based on the access point signal strength associated with the particular access point profile.