Abstract: Methods and apparatus for determining a transmit antenna gain and a spatial mode of a wireless device (100) are disclosed. The apparatus (100) includes a main receive antenna (112) associated with a first receive signal strength, a diversity receive antenna (114) associated with a second receive signal strength, and a transmit antenna (116). Each of the antennas (112, 114, and 116) is operatively coupled to a controller (102). The controller (102) determines (i) a difference between the first receive signal strength and the second receive signal strength, (ii) a correction factor based on the difference, and (iii) the transmit antenna gain based on the correction factor. In addition, the difference between the first receive signal strength and the second receive signal strength may be used, along with other sensor data (e.g., accelerometer), to estimate the spatial mode (e.g., orientation and hand grip) of the device (100).

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for determining a transmit antenna gain and a spatial mode of a wireless device (100) are disclosed. The apparatus (100) includes a main receive antenna (112) associated with a first receive signal strength, a diversity receive antenna (114) associated with a second receive signal strength, and a transmit antenna (116). Each of the antennas (112, 114, and 116) is operatively coupled to a controller (102). The controller (102) determines (i) a difference between the first receive signal strength and the second receive signal strength, (ii) a correction factor based on the difference, and (iii) the transmit antenna gain based on the correction factor. In addition, the difference between the first receive signal strength and the second receive signal strength may be used, along with other sensor data (e.g., accelerometer), to estimate the spatial mode (e.g., orientation and hand grip) of the device (100).

Abstract: Disclosed apparatuses obtain real-time performance measurements and adaptively select multiple-input, multiple-output (MIMO) antennas to improve MIMO antenna performance. A correlation estimator determines an approximation of instantaneous antenna correlation values. One method includes obtaining a channel quality indicator (CQI) measurement for first and second antennas of a mobile device. The method determines a composite CQI for the two antennas and estimates the antenna correlation for the first and second antennas based on the composite CQI. The method can include performing a lookup operation in a CQI table mapping composite CQI to coding rates. The method can include obtaining a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) measurement for the first and second antennas of the mobile device, and estimating the antenna correlation for the first and second antennas based on the composite CQI and the SNR measurement.

Abstract: A method includes collecting roaming connectivity information for a plurality of wide area networks from a plurality of mobile devices, independently of the wide area networks, receiving the roaming connectivity information at a server and relating the connectivity information to the wide area networks and to a plurality of geographic locations to create a roaming network connectivity information database, generating a list of candidate wide area networks to serve as roaming networks for a specific mobile device and a given location based on the roaming connectivity information, and sending a preferred roaming list to the specific mobile device, the preferred roaming list including the list of candidate wide area networks. The method may include receiving location prediction information from the mobile device, and generating the list of candidate wide area networks based on a predicted location.

Abstract: A method includes collecting physical layer and data layer connectivity information from a plurality of wide area networks using a plurality of mobile devices independently of the wide area networks. A server receives the physical layer and data layer connectivity information, relates the connectivity information to specific wide area networks and to a plurality of geographic locations to create a network statistics database. The server also receives mobile device state information including mobile device location information and predicts that connectivity for a specific mobile device will fall below acceptable criteria based on the network statistics database. The server generates a list of candidate donor mobile devices to serve as data connection sources for the specific mobile device based on the network connectivity information and the mobile device state information and selects a donor device from the list of candidate donor devices based on a weighting algorithm.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for determining a transmit antenna gain and a spatial mode of a wireless device (100) are disclosed. The apparatus (100) includes a main receive antenna (112) associated with a first receive signal strength, a diversity receive antenna (114) associated with a second receive signal strength, and a transmit antenna (116). Each of the antennas (112, 114, and 116) is operatively coupled to a controller (102). The controller (102) determines (i) a difference between the first receive signal strength and the second receive signal strength, (ii) a correction factor based on the difference, and (iii) the transmit antenna gain based on the correction factor. In addition, the difference between the first receive signal strength and the second receive signal strength may be used, along with other sensor data (e.g., accelerometer), to estimate the spatial mode (e.g., orientation and hand grip) of the device (100).

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods are disclosed for determining a dominant figure-of-merit for an antenna system comprising a primary antenna, and at least two diversity antennas. The dominant figure-of-merit is determined from at least two figure-of-merit types related to performance of the primary antenna when paired with one or the other of the at least two diversity antennas. The disclosed apparatuses and methods include switching to one or the other of the at least two diversity antennas, to obtain the dominant figure-of-merit, in response to a signal quality metric's relationship to the at least two figure-of-merit types.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are for receiving a set of individual congestion reports, wherein each individual congestion report comprises a set of congestion values and an associated location. Each individual congestion report has been generated by one of a plurality of user devices operating in a wireless communication system and is based on at least one of a downlink congestion value, an uplink congestion value, and a core congestion value. The set of individual congestion reports is correlated to form one or more local congestion reports. One or more local congestion reports are transmitted to a user device. Additionally or alternatively, user device application interactions with a user device are altered based on the one or more local congestion reports. Additionally or alternatively, network performance parameters are altered to reduce congestion in at least on region based on one or more local congestion reports.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods are disclosed for determining a dominant figure-of-merit for an antenna system comprising a primary antenna, and at least two diversity antennas. The dominant figure-of-merit is determined from at least two figure-of-merit types related to performance of the primary antenna when paired with one or the other of the at least two diversity antennas. The disclosed apparatuses and methods include switching to one or the other of the at least two diversity antennas, to obtain the dominant figure-of-merit, in response to a signal quality metric's relationship to the at least two figure-of-merit types.

Abstract: In embodiments of wireless communication handover profiles, a profile manager is implemented on a communication-enabled device to detect that a signal strength of a wireless connection decreases to a signal-level threshold or lower. The profile manager then monitors the decreasing signal strength of the wireless connection, and compares the signal strength to a handover profile to determine when a handover of the wireless connection from one access point to another will likely occur. The profile manager can then transfer handover parameters to the next access point before the handover to maintain the wireless connection during the handover between the access points.

Abstract: A method includes collecting roaming connectivity information for a plurality of wide area networks from a plurality of mobile devices, independently of the wide area networks, receiving the roaming connectivity information at a server and relating the connectivity information to the wide area networks and to a plurality of geographic locations to create a roaming network connectivity information database, generating a list of candidate wide area networks to serve as roaming networks for a specific mobile device and a given location based on the roaming connectivity information, and sending a preferred roaming list to the specific mobile device, the preferred roaming list including the list of candidate wide area networks. The method may include receiving location prediction information from the mobile device, and generating the list of candidate wide area networks based on a predicted location.

Abstract: A method includes collecting physical layer and data layer connectivity information from a plurality of wide area networks using a plurality of mobile devices independently of the wide area networks. A server receives the physical layer and data layer connectivity information, relates the connectivity information to specific wide area networks and to a plurality of geographic locations to create a network statistics database. The server also receives mobile device state information including mobile device location information and predicts that connectivity for a specific mobile device will fall below acceptable criteria based on the network statistics database. The server generates a list of candidate donor mobile devices to serve as data connection sources for the specific mobile device based on the network connectivity information and the mobile device state information and selects a donor device from the list of candidate donor devices based on a weighting algorithm.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for determining a transmit antenna gain and a spatial mode of a wireless device (100) are disclosed. The apparatus (100) includes a main receive antenna (112) associated with a first receive signal strength, a diversity receive antenna (114) associated with a second receive signal strength, and a transmit antenna (116). Each of the antennas (112, 114, and 116) is operatively coupled to a controller (102). The controller (102) determines (i) a difference between the first receive signal strength and the second receive signal strength, (ii) a correction factor based on the difference, and (iii) the transmit antenna gain based on the correction factor. In addition, the difference between the first receive signal strength and the second receive signal strength may be used, along with other sensor data (e.g., accelerometer), to estimate the spatial mode (e.g., orientation and hand grip) of the device (100).

Abstract: A method and apparatus are for receiving a set of individual congestion reports, wherein each individual congestion report comprises a set of congestion values and an associated location. Each individual congestion report has been generated by one of a plurality of user devices operating in a wireless communication system and is based on at least one of a downlink congestion value, an uplink congestion value, and a core congestion value. The set of individual congestion reports is correlated to form one or more local congestion reports. One or more local congestion reports are transmitted to a user device. Additionally or alternatively, user device application interactions with a user device are altered based on the one or more local congestion reports. Additionally or alternatively, network performance parameters are altered to reduce congestion in at least on region based on one or more local congestion reports.