Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for changing mobile-station settings upon a mobile station handing off to a base station. In an embodiment, a base station makes a first determination that at least one of several enumerated events has occurred, and in response to making the first determination, carries out one or more of several enumerated steps. Among the several enumerated events are (i) a mobile station handing off to the base station, and (ii) the mobile station initiating a call to a voicemail system maintaining a voicemail account associated with the mobile station; and among the several enumerated steps are (i) disabling a password requirement for the voicemail account, (ii) conveying a voicemail password to the voicemail system on behalf of the mobile station, and (iii) configuring the mobile station to convey the voicemail password to the voicemail system upon the mobile station establishing a call to the voicemail system.

Abstract: An application requirement of an application running on a wireless device in communication with a first access node, a traffic class indicator associated with the wireless device, and a wireless communication link load between the wireless device and the first access node are determined. A probability of performing a first handover of the wireless device to a second access node and a second handover of the wireless device from the second access node to the first access node within a predetermined period of time is also determined. Based on the application requirement, the traffic class indicator, the wireless communication link load, and the determined probability, a context maintenance time is calculated, and a timer is started using the context maintenance time when the first handover is performed, and communication session information related to the communication between the wireless device and the first access node is maintained until the timer expires.

Abstract: A method and system is disclosed for including an IMSI in an EVDO access request. When an access terminal determines that any access request it makes will be sent to a micro-type base station, the access terminal will include its IMSI in any EVDO access request. When a micro-type base station receives an EVDO access request containing an IMSI of the requesting access terminal, the micro-type base station will use the included IMSI to establish and identify a data connection to a PDSN.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and apparatus for determining the location of a mobile station based on the locations of a group of nearby mobile stations. A mobile station implementing the method will engage in short-range wireless communication with nearby mobile stations to determine the location of the nearby mobile stations and the distances between it and each nearby mobile station. The mobile station will then apply triangulation or another algorithm to compute its own location based on the determined locations and distances of the nearby mobile stations. Further, a serving radio access network can assist by providing a trust-signal to the nearby mobile stations, with the nearby mobile stations then reporting their locations conditional upon their receipt of both the location query and the trust-signal.

Abstract: A method and system for vertical handoff of a mobile station from a first-protocol RAN to a second-protocol RAN. The method and system provide a make-before-break vertical handoff, by having the first-protocol RAN (i) acquire, on behalf of the mobile station, a traffic channel assignment defining one or more traffic channel parameters for air interface communication in the second-protocol RAN, and (ii) pass to the mobile station, via the first air interface protocol, the one or more traffic channel parameters so that the mobile station can then readily switch over to communication under the second-protocol RAN. Optimally, the acquisition and passing of the one or more second-protocol traffic channel parameters may occur without the mobile station having requested the handoff, without the mobile station having asked for the traffic channel assignment, and without the mobile station having yet begun communication with the second-protocol RAN.

Abstract: Methods and systems are described for providing a presence service that is useful for mobile telecommunications devices. A plurality of outgoing presence updates are sent to a presence client. The system monitors the level of network traffic and determines whether the client is in a region of high network load, and if so, the system throttles the outgoing presence updates during the condition of high network load. The level of throttling may depend at least in part on the amount of time that has elapsed since the presence client began a presence session, and/or the amount of time that has elapsed since an incoming presence update was received from the presence client. In determining the latter amount of elapsed time, the system may consider only the amount of time elapsed since an incoming non-automatic presence update was received from the presence client.

Abstract: A method for selecting a frequency band, from among a plurality of frequency bands controllable by a radio network controller (RNC), to carry a data communication. The method may include obtaining frequency band usage measurements for a plurality of frequency bands, and using the frequency band usage measurements to select a particular frequency band of the plurality of frequency bands to carry the data communication. Frequency band usage measurements may be based on how many idle slots (and/or data channels) are carried through each of the plurality of frequency bands during a measurement time period. A comparison of the frequency band usage measurements can be used to determine which frequency band sent the greatest number of idle slots (or the fewest number of data channels). The method provides for selecting a frequency band best suited (e.g., has the most available capacity for carrying a data communication) for carrying the data communication.

Abstract: A method and system for communicating location information in a cellular wireless system. Each sector in a coverage area is characterized by a polygon of influence with respect to the other sectors. The polygon of influence is then used as a basis to characterize the scope or position of the sector and, particularly, the location of a mobile station that is operating in the sector. A location-based-service provider can then use that polygon of influence based location information to facilitate providing a location-based service.