Abstract: Electronic devices may be provided that contain wireless communications circuitry. The wireless communications circuitry may include radio-frequency transceiver circuitry and first and second antennas. An electronic device may include a housing. The first antenna may be located at an upper end of the housing and the second antenna may be located at a lower end of the housing. A peripheral conductive member may run around the edges of the housing and may be used in forming the first and second antennas. The radio-frequency transceiver circuitry may have a transmit-receive port and a receive port. Switching circuitry may connect the first antenna to the transmit-receive port and the second antenna to the receiver port or may connect the first antenna to the receive port and the second antenna to the transmit-receive port.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for provisioning wireless devices for operation in one or more networks. In one embodiment, a provisioning service may provide access client (e.g., Subscriber Identity Module) data to a secure element in the wireless user device. The device may be preloaded with a provisioning SIM profile. The device may use the provisioning profile to roam onto a carrier, and communicate with a provisioning service, which may present the user with a list of available wireless carriers, such as carriers that service the user's current geographic location. In response to a user selection, the provisioning service may load a SIM profile associated with the selected carrier onto the secure element. The loaded SIM profile can be used to obtain wireless service from the selected carrier. The user may add multiple SIM profiles, and/or may delete SIM profiles.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for improving mobile-terminated call set-up performance comprising triggering an inter-radio access technology (IRAT) transition from a source cell to a target cell, remembering the deterministic timing of a plurality of paging occasions in the source cell, and using the deterministic timing for checking at least one paging channel in the source cell during transition to the target cell and before starting to monitor at least one paging channel in the target cell.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for authenticating and granting a client device (e.g., cellular telephone) access to a network. In one embodiment, a network service provider such as a cellular telephone company may distribute user access (e.g., Universal Subscriber Identity Module or “USIM”) credentials to a services manager via a USIM vendor. The services manager may maintain a list of authorized users. A user at a client may authenticate to the services manager. Once authenticated, the services manager may provide the user with a set of USIM credentials. When the user desires to use wireless network services, the user equipment may establish a wireless link between the user equipment and the network service provider. During authentication operations, the user equipment may use the USIM credentials to authenticate to the network service provider. Following successful authentication, the network service provider may provide the user equipment with wireless services.

Abstract: User equipment such as cellular telephones and other wireless electronic devices may communicate wirelessly with 2G and 3G cells in a cellular network. The cellular network may broadcast a list of primary scrambling codes corresponding to 3G cell sites that are potentially available for wirelessly communicating with the user equipment. The user equipment may perform an evaluation of primary scrambling code pilot signal strengths for each of the primary scrambling codes in the list. The user equipment may also maintain a record whenever a more extensive full primary scrambling code scan fails. If the evaluation reveals that at least one signal strength is sufficient, the cellular telephone may establish a corresponding 3G wireless link. If the evaluation does not identify any sufficiently strong 3G cells, a full pilot signal scan may be performed, provided that no full scans have failed within a predetermined time interval before the current time.

Abstract: In a Universal Mobile Telecommunications (UMTS) system, a mobile device reads scheduling information for uplink interference (SIB7) from a Master Information Block, broadcasted on the Broadcast Channel (BCCH). The UE wakes up from the sleep during its periodic paging occasions and reads the paging indicator channel (PICH). If the UE needs to read the PCH, then the UE computes the timing of the next broadcast of SIB7 using the scheduling information broadcast in the MIB on BCCH. Knowing the timing of the next SIB7, the UE can determine if there is an overlap. If overlap is detected, the mobile device demodulates both the paging channel carried by the Secondary Common Control Physical Channel (S-CCPCH) and the broadcast channel carried by the Primary CCPCH, avoiding a mobile-terminated (MT) call setup delay by waiting for the next SIB7 broadcast, which depending upon a SIB7 repetition ranges from 360 msec to 2.56 seconds.

Abstract: A method and apparatus to improve the robustness of a wireless communication link between a base station and a mobile communication device. The method increases power selectively on portions of an uplink communication signal transmitted from the mobile communication device to the base station. The method monitors a quality metric value at the mobile communication device and sets the transmit power level of the first portion of an uplink communication signal to the first power level, if the monitored quality metric value is in a first range of quality values, or sets the transmit power level of the first portion of the uplink communication signal to a second power level, if the monitored quality metric value is in a second range of quality values. The first portion of the uplink communication signal includes control signals used by a base station to maintain connection of the wireless communication link.

Abstract: Disclosed are devices, methods and computer program products for radio access network (RAN) signal acquisition. In one aspect, a mobile device scans a radio frequency spectrum for RAN signals and detects signals corresponding to a plurality of channels of a first network type having a first channel bandwidth. The mobile device then determines a power level of the detected signal on each of the plurality of channels and discards signals having substantially equal power within a first frequency range to define a remaining set of signals. The first frequency range corresponds to a second channel bandwidth of a second network type and the second channel bandwidth is greater than the first channel bandwidth. The mobile device then ranks the remaining signals based on the determined power level and selects one of the remaining signals for acquisition based on the ranking.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus enabling a mobile device to receive paging notifications from multiple networks. In one embodiment of the present invention, a first device connected to a first network momentarily ignores the first network, to monitor a second network instead. The first device identifies and prioritizes a list of applications of the first network; the prioritized listing allows the first device to preempt one of its lower priority tasks to monitor the second network for paging messages instead. The described methods and apparatus enable e.g., GSM paging for Class B cellular devices which are connected to GPRS NMO-2 type networks. The Class B cellular device can ignore certain GPRS data (which is tolerant to error), to decode GSM paging channels, which would otherwise be missed.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for resolving frequency errors in a wireless device transitioning from a first communication network to a second communication network are disclosed. The methods and apparatus effect reception of a first and second channels from the second communication network where the first channel has known characteristics. The first channel is then decoding for a prescribed period and an initial frequency error value is determined based on the decoding of the first channel. A digital frequency rotator is then adjusted based on the initial frequency error value for purposes of decoding the second channel. The second channel is then decoded using the digital frequency rotator as adjusted based on the initial frequency error value, without further calculation of the frequency error.

Abstract: Systems and methods include reselecting and handing over a mobile communication device from a first cell to a second cell in a cellular wireless communication system based on determining whether the signal quality level of the second cell meets or exceeds a signal quality threshold.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for optimizing compressed mode duration comprising collecting a first set of receive signal strength indication (RSSI) measurements from at least one 2G cell; determining a best 2G cell from the at least one 2G cell using the first set of RSSI measurements; identifying at least one second best 2G cells with at least one of the first set of RSSI measurements within a range threshold TR of the best 2G cell; collecting a second set of RSSI measurements from the second best 2G cells; identifying at least one third best 2G cells with at least one of the second set of RSSI measurements within the range threshold TR of the best 2G cell; and collecting a third set of RSSI measurements from the third best 2G cells.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for improving mobile-terminated call set-up performance comprising triggering an inter-radio access technology (IRAT) transition from a source cell to a target cell, remembering the deterministic timing of a plurality of paging occasions in the source cell, and using the deterministic timing for checking at least one paging channel in the source cell during transition to the target cell and before starting to monitor at least one paging channel in the target cell.

Abstract: Cell reselection comprises monitoring a first indicator indicative of a signaling level of the serving cell, and monitoring second indicators, each indicative of a signaling level of one of plural potential target cells. A timer associated with a potential target cell is initiated when the respective second indicator indicates that the signaling level of the potential target cell is better than the signaling level of the serving cell. Each timer has an associated expiry, and, if at least one timer has been initiated by the expiry of another initiated timer, then, after delaying for an additional period after at least the first timer has expired, a target cell is selected from the potential target cells. The target cell is selected that has a second indicator which indicates that the signaling level of the respective target cell is better than the signaling level of the serving cell.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for selecting a best cell during transition between two radio access technologies comprising detecting a first signal from a selected cell, determining a first signal-to-noise ratio (SNR1) measured from the first signal, attempting to acquire and to decode a second signal related to the first signal only one time if the SNR1 is less than a first threshold, and continuing with the rest of the cell selection procedure if a second signal-to-noise ratio (SNR2) measured from the second signal is greater than or equal to a second threshold. In one aspect, the first signal is a frequency correction channel (FCH) signal, and the second signal is a synchronization channel (SCH) signal. In one aspect, the selected cell is selected from a plurality of GSM cells based on at least one of receive signal strength indication (RSSI) criterion or base station identity code (BSIC) criterion.

Abstract: A terminal obtains a monitored set containing GSM neighbor cells and/or UMTS neighbor cells. The terminal operates in a compressed mode and obtains from a UMTS network at least two transmission gap pattern sequences for different measurement purposes, e.g., for “GSM carrier RSSI measurements” (GAP1), “GSM initial BSIC identification” (GAP2), and “GSM BSIC re-confirmation” (GAP3). The terminal makes RSSI measurements for the GSM cells using multiple transmission gap pattern sequences, e.g., using GAP1, GAP2 and GAP3. The terminal identifies the BSIC for at least one GSM cell by (1) detecting the tone on the FCCH using multiple transmission gap pattern sequences, e.g., using GAP2 and GAP3, and (2) decoding the SCH using multiple transmission gap pattern sequences, e.g., using GAP2 and GAP3. The use of multiple transmission gap pattern sequences for RSSI measurement and BSIC identification allows the terminal to complete the cell measurements and send a report sooner, which may improve performance.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, processors and computer readable medium for inter-radio access technology (RAT) handover are provided that incorporate a soft-decision making process. By implementing configurable functions, soft-decision making allows for handover measurement limits to fall within a prescribed acceptable range and for the totality of the handover measurements to be used in making a final decision on inter-RAT handover. Thus, the currently described aspects provide for more flexible handover decision-making and better utilization of network radio resources. Further, in some instances, the currently described aspects may provide for the weighting of handover measurements, thereby allowing network administrators to place more or less emphasis on a selected handover measurement and, thus, better manage the handover process.

Abstract: The method and apparatus as described are directed toward techniques and mechanisms to improve access terminal battery life through search rate control. Controlling the rate at which access terminals search for alternate networks in a cell, and more particularly reducing unnecessary attempts, significantly increases the battery life of the access terminal.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for resolving frequency errors in a wireless device transitioning from a first communication network to a second communication network are disclosed. The methods and apparatus effect reception of a first and second channels from the second communication network where the first channel has known characteristics. The first channel is then decoding for a prescribed period and an initial frequency error value is determined based on the decoding of the first channel. A digital frequency rotator is then adjusted based on the initial frequency error value for purposes of decoding the second channel. The second channel is then decoded using the digital frequency rotator as adjusted based on the initial frequency error value, without further calculation of the frequency error.

Abstract: In a Universal Mobile Telecommunications (UMTS) system, a mobile device reads scheduling information for uplink interference (SIB7) from a Master Information Block, broadcasted on the Broadcast Channel (BCCH). The UE wakes up from the sleep during its periodic paging occasions and reads the paging indicator channel (PICH). If the UE needs to read the PCH, then the UE computes the timing of the next broadcast of SIB7 using the scheduling information broadcast in the MIB on BCCH. Knowing the timing of the next SIB7, the UE can determine if there is an overlap. If overlap is detected, the mobile device demodulates both the paging channel carried by the Secondary Common Control Physical Channel (S-CCPCH) and the broadcast channel carried by the Primary CCPCH, avoiding a mobile-terminated (MT) call setup delay by waiting for the next SIB7 broadcast, which depending upon a SIB7 repetition ranges from 360 msec to 2.56 seconds.