Selective device handover in fifth-generation (5G) mode

Abstract

A system and method are provided for determining the status of Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem (IPMS) registration on a device, determining the cellular coverage area for the device, and selecting to disable the device's fifth-generation mode based on the IMS registration status or cellular coverage area.

Description

[0001] Cross-references to related applications

[0002] This application claims priority to U.S. Patent Application No. 63 / 120,627, filed December 2, 2021, entitled “METHOD AND APPARATUS TO IMPROVE USER EXPERIENCE BY ENABLING OR DISABLING 5G NR”, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Background Technology

[0003] The initial release of the 5G (fifth generation) standard, 5G New Radio (NR), was completed in mid-2018, defining several physical layer 5G specifications. 5G NR utilizes some features of the existing 4G (fourth generation) LTE (Long Term Evolution) core network. Similar to LTE, NR relies on the IMS (Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem) platform, which uses RTP (Real-Time Protocol) to carry multimedia signals such as audio and video. Compared to the previous generation standard, 5G improves on technical aspects, including increasing frequency range 1 (FR1), increasing frequency range 2 (FR2) (also known as millimeter wave), increasing the channel bandwidth of a single component carrier (CC), increasing the maximum number of allowed component carriers, increasing subcarrier spacing, increasing time slot length, reducing latency, and deploying common modulation schemes for uplink and downlink. However, a potential drawback is call drop during attempted handovers from LTE Voice (VoLTE) or Voice over WiFi (VoWiFi) to 5G NR. Call drop can be at least partially attributed to dropped RTP packets. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Various examples of this disclosure may include a non-transitory computer-readable medium configured as a computing system, method, and execution instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the computing system to determine the status of Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) registration on a device, determine the cellular coverage range for the device, and select to disable the device's fifth-generation (5G) mode based on the IMS registration status or the cellular coverage range.

[0005] In some examples, the device's 5G mode includes 5G New Radio Standalone (NR SA) mode.

[0006] In some examples, the option to disable includes disabling the device's 5G mode in response to the availability of Wi-Fi connectivity on the device and IMS being registered via a wireless network.

[0007] In some examples, the option to disable includes: disabling 5G mode, where the device exchanges data over the network, in response to cellular coverage being disabled and voice over new air interface (VoNR) or video over new air interface (ViNR) not being supported on the device or network.

[0008] In some examples, the option to disable includes: disabling 5G mode in response to IMS registration via WiFi and the device currently participating in an active call session via a wireless network.

[0009] In some examples, the option to disable includes disabling 5G mode in response to the device currently participating in an active call session via WiFi Voice (VoWiFi) and in response to the VoWiFi session being switched to Long Term Evolution (LTE) mode.

[0010] In some examples, the option to disable includes disabling 5G mode in response to the device currently being engaged in an active call session via WiFi Voice (VoWiFi) or LTE Voice (VoLTE) and in response to cellular coverage not supporting Voice over New Radio (VoNR).

[0011] In some examples, when the instructions are executed by one or more processors, the computing system also determines the existence of an active call session based on the ongoing IMS call setup.

[0012] In some examples, when the instruction is executed by one or more processors, the computing system also selects to enable 5G mode in response to: 1) the battery level on the device is higher than a threshold, or 2) WiFi is unavailable when cellular data is on; and any of the following: 1) the device is in idle mode; 2) the device screen is off; 3) LTE System Information Block 24 (SIB 24) is present; and 4) the device avoids foreground scanning of 5G cells when 5G mode is enabled.

[0013] In some examples, the device is determined to be in idle mode in response to a Radio Resource Control (RRC) connection released by the LTE network.

[0014] These and other features of the computing systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable media disclosed herein, as well as the methods of operation, the functionality of the elements of the associated structures, the combination of parts, and the economics of manufacture, will become more apparent when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, all of which form a part of this specification, wherein the same reference numerals denote corresponding parts in the various drawings. However, it should be clearly understood that the drawings are for illustrative and descriptive purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0015] This disclosure is described in detail below with reference to one or more different examples and the accompanying drawings. These drawings are for illustrative purposes only and describe only typical or exemplary examples. Reference to these illustrative examples is not intended to limit or restrict this disclosure, but rather to provide examples to aid in understanding it. Further examples are discussed in the detailed description, and additional descriptions are provided.

[0016] Figure 1 This is an exemplary illustration of a computing system based on the examples described in this disclosure, which is either within a device or otherwise associated with a device that has opted to disable and enable 5G NR SA.

[0017] Figures 2 to 3 The example shown illustrates a scenario where 5G NR SA is disabled, for instance, to save device power consumption.

[0018] Figures 4 to 5 The example shown illustrates a scenario where 5G NR SA can be disabled, for instance, to mitigate or eliminate dropped calls on the device.

[0019] Figure 6 This is an exemplary flowchart based on the examples described in this disclosure, illustrating how the computing component acquires and processes information, and how it performs predictions or troubleshooting.

[0020] Figure 7 These are example computational components that can be used to implement the various features of the examples described in this disclosure.

[0021] The accompanying drawings are not exhaustive and do not limit this disclosure to the precise form disclosed. Detailed Implementation

[0022] Compared to previous versions or modes such as 4G, 5G brings improvements and benefits. However, in the early stages of 5G deployment, 5G networks do not support some features of NR voice, and calls may occasionally drop during attempts to switch from LTE (VoLTE) or WiFi Voice (VoWiFi) calls to 5G NR, at least in part due to dropped RTP packets. To mitigate or eliminate these call drops, certain 5G NR modes, such as 5G NR Standalone (SA) mode, may be disabled in specific call scenarios that may include voice and / or video calls and / or the exchange of multimedia (e.g., text, audio, and video) data. Disabling 5G NR SA mode can prevent attempts to switch to 5G NR. 5G NR SA can refer to a service that can operate independently without an existing 4G LTE or 4G radio and Evolved Packet Core (EPC) infrastructure core network or 4G core. 5G NR SA can be distinguished from 5G NR Non-Standalone (NSA) mode, which anchors the control signaling of the 5G radio network to existing 4G infrastructure and supports a more limited service range compared to 5G SA. Furthermore, since 5G SA mode requires higher power consumption compared to other earlier modes such as 4G LTE, disabling 5G NR mode can extend device battery life.

[0023] The examples described in this article address the challenges of increased battery consumption and higher call drop rates in 5G, while still choosing to implement or enable 5G in specific situations where the benefits may outweigh the aforementioned harms of increased battery consumption and higher call drop rates. These examples implement an in-device computing component that selectively disables one or more communication modes within the device, such as 5G NR SA, under specific conditions or scenarios. Figure 1This is an exemplary illustration of a computing component 111, which may be located within device 150 or otherwise associated with device 150. In some examples, device 150 may include, but is not limited to, mobile phones, smartphones, tablets, personal digital assistants (PDAs), desktop computers, or laptops. Computing component 111 may control, coordinate, or determine (hereinafter referred to as "determine") specific modes and / or switching or transitions between different modes of communication between device 150 and one or more other devices. As a non-limiting example, these modes may include 4G mode, 5G mode, and / or 6G (sixth generation) mode. Computing component 111 may include one or more hardware processors and logic 113 that implements instructions to perform the functions of computing component 111, such as selecting to disable or disable specific modes, transitions between different modes, and / or selecting to enable specific modes. Computing component 111 may store details about scenarios or conditions in database 112, where specific modes will be disabled or specific transitions or switching will be prohibited or blocked. Some of the specific scenarios or conditions will be described later. Figure 1 As shown in the image.

[0024] Figures 2 to 3 The illustration shows a scenario where computing component 111 can optionally disable 5G NR SA, for example, to save power consumption of device 150. Specifically, when or if a wireless connection such as Wi-Fi is available, device 150 can obtain data and / or internet access via a network such as a wireless local area network (WLAN). For example, in Figure 2 In this configuration, a connection to the network can be established via network device 220 or one or more network devices, or connected ad-hoc in the absence of a network device. Network device 220 may include an access point, router, switch, and / or gateway. Furthermore, the transmission of signals such as audio or video signals can be performed via IMS, which can be registered on a wireless network such as a WLAN. In some examples, an available wireless connection may include a wireless signal strength that meets a threshold, the stability of the wireless signal that meets a threshold, and / or other parameters of the wireless network that meet a threshold, such as a packet or frame drop rate below a threshold, a packet or frame transmission rate exceeding a threshold, a packet or frame size that meets a threshold or range, and / or the consistency of packet or frame sizes as expressed by the standard deviation of the packet or frame size. As an example, the threshold signal strength may be -70 dBm. Therefore, a signal strength greater than or better than -70 dBm can constitute an available wireless connection. As another example, a wireless connection can be interpreted as available if the frame or packet drop rate is less than 1%.

[0025] Because no PDU (Protocol Data Unit) session will be established via NR connection, whereas otherwise a 5G connection would be established, calls (e.g., voice calls or video calls) will be in the format of VoWiFi (WiFi voice) calls or WiFi video calls. For example, as Figure 2 As shown, device 150 can send one or more packets 211 to computing unit 210 for establishment and teardown. Establishment may include establishing a call session with device 250. Device 210 may include a server, switch, or gateway. Protocols used for establishment and / or teardown may include Simple Gateway Control Protocol (SGCP), Media Gateway Control Protocol (MGCP), and Session Initiation Protocol (SIP). Once established, device 150 may exchange one or more digital voice packets or other data packets 221 and / or 231 with device 250 during the call session. Digital voice packets 221 and / or 231 may be encapsulated using RTP (Real-Time Transport Protocol), UDP (User Datagram Protocol), and IP (Internet Protocol), and may include appropriate headers, such as data link layer headers. Additionally, device 150 may exchange non-voice packets 222 via WLAN through network device 220. Non-voice packets 222 may not be exchanged with device 250 and may include other data, such as data requested by network device 220.

[0026] Therefore, computing unit 111 can disable 5G NR SA in response to the aforementioned conditions being met, specifically, the availability of wireless connectivity and the registration of IMS for delivering multimedia communications such as voice, video, and text on the wireless network. In this way, computing unit 111 can save battery power and power consumption of device 150, since even if a successful switch to 5G NR SA mode is achieved, the benefits are at most negligible and cannot exceed the battery power consumption.

[0027] In another scenario, such as Figure 3 As shown, if mobile cellular data 340 is disabled on device 150, and device 150 does not support VoNR (New Radio Voice) 330 (or alternatively, New Radio Video), and / or does not support VoNR 320 (or alternatively, ViNR) on the wireless network through which device 150 can exchange data, then computing unit 111 can disable 5G NR SA to prevent potentially unsuccessful attempts to switch from the existing mode to 5G NR SA.

[0028] Figures 4 to 5 Another set of example scenarios is shown, where 5G NR SA is disabled to prevent dropped calls. Figure 4In this configuration, IMS is registered on WiFi, and device 150 initiates a session or call (e.g., voice or video call) with device 250 on a WLAN via network device 420, such as an access point. Specifically, device 150 can exchange audio, voice, and / or other data packets 421 and 431 with device 250 on a WLAN via VoWiFi 430. Since device 150 and / or the network do not have VoNR capability, computing unit 111 can disable 5G NR SA to facilitate a smooth transition between WiFi and LTE. Figure 5 In another scenario, during the transition or switch between VoWiFi mode 520 and LTE mode 530, computing unit 111 can disable 5G NR SA on device 150 during an ongoing active session of a voice call between device 150 and device 250.

[0029] In some examples, the computing unit 111 can prevent or disable the handover to 5G NR SA and / or disable 5G NR SA if any of the following conditions are met: 1) when a VoLTE (LTE voice) session or alternative, ViLTE (LTE video) or call is active, and the cellular coverage does not support VoNR; or 2) when a VoWiFi session or call is active, and the cellular coverage does not support VoNR (or alternative, ViNR). Specifically, if IMS call setup is in progress, the session or call can be considered active. Figures 2 to 5 In some of the examples described, the option to disable may apply to 5G NR SA, but it may not apply to other modes such as 5G NR NSA (non-standalone).

[0030] In some examples, computing component 111 can enable 5G NR SA under specific conditions. Selective enabling of 5G NR SA may not also apply to other modes such as 5G NR NSA. For example, regarding... Figures 2 to 3In the scenario shown, 5G NRSA can be enabled when the following conditions are met: 1) the battery power level is above a specific threshold, such as 30%; and / or 2) WiFi is unavailable and cellular data is on. Additionally, one of the following additional conditions must be met: 1) device 150 is in idle mode; 2) device 150's screen is off; 3) an LTE cell with SIB 24 (System Information Block 24) is present; and / or 4) 5G foreground scanning is suppressed or avoided. Therefore, even if the battery power is initially below the specific threshold, but the battery is charging during an active call and the battery power increases above the specific threshold, the computing unit 111 will still not enable 5G NRSA. Because 5G radio can be relatively power-intensive compared to 4G radio, switching to 5G NRSA when the battery power is below the specific threshold may be more likely to deplete the battery and / or impair battery life.

[0031] The first additional condition regarding device 150 being idle is ensuring that device 150 is in idle mode to avoid impacting ongoing calls or SMS (Short Message Service) or signaling transactions via circuit switching or packet switching. One way to determine that device 150 is idle is to determine or detect that the RRC (Radio Resource Control) connection of device 150 in LTE has been released by the radio network. The computing unit 111 may enable 5G NR SA mode only when it detects or receives an indication of an available 5G cell, saving time and resources that would otherwise be separately allocated to scanning for 5G cells. The second additional condition regarding screen off is ensuring that the screen off of device 150 avoids any changes in user interface state caused by 5G activation. The third additional condition regarding the existence of an LTE cell with SIB 24 is that SIB 24 can provide information for cell access parameters and / or attributes, allowing device 150 to select a cell. SIB 24 can indicate the existence of available 5G NR SA neighbor cells, so that device 150 does not need to separately scan for 5G NR SA neighbor cells. Regarding the fourth additional condition for avoiding 5G foreground scanning, foreground scanning can interrupt the service of device 150, such as packet switching. Therefore, device 150 can remain on the current Radio Access Technology (RAT) in an uninterrupted manner while adding the capability of 5G NR SA. Device 150 can switch to 5G NR SA at times that will prevent service interruption on device 150. For example, computing unit 111 can determine a time when relatively few services are operating in the foreground and / or background, fewer services are operating compared to a threshold, and / or fewer services will be affected by the switch to 5G NR SA, and the time of the switch to 5G NR SA.

[0032] As a result of implementing or achieving the following conditions, computing component 111 can mitigate or eliminate the problem of dropped calls, while avoiding service interruptions during 5G NR activation and reducing setup time associated with 5G SA, while simplifying or improving the power efficiency of device 150.

[0033] Figure 6 A computing unit 600 is illustrated, comprising one or more hardware processors 602 and a machine-readable storage medium 604 storing a set of machine-readable / machine-executable instructions, which, when executed, cause the hardware processor(s) 602 to perform illustrative methods for mitigating or eliminating dropped calls during mode switching on the device. It should be understood that, unless otherwise stated, within the scope of the various examples discussed herein, additional, fewer, or alternative steps may be possible, executed in a similar or alternative order or in parallel. The computing unit 600 can be implemented as... Figures 1 to 5 The computing component 111. The computing component 600 may include a server. The machine-readable storage medium 604 may include... Figure 7 The appropriate machine-readable storage medium described herein. Figure 6 This summarizes and further elaborates on some of the aspects described earlier.

[0034] At step 606, the hardware processor 602 can execute machine-readable / machine-executable instructions stored in the machine-readable storage medium 604 to determine the device (e.g., such as...). Figures 1 to 5 The status of Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) registration on the device 150 shown. For example, the IMS registration status can include whether the IMS is registered on a wireless network such as a WLAN, as per [specific information]. Figure 2 As described. Furthermore, the IMS registration status can include whether IMS is registered via WiFi, as per [specific information]. Figure 4 As described. Additionally, regarding... Figure 5 The status of IMS registration can indicate whether IMS call setup is in progress, which can determine whether a call (e.g., a voice call or a video call) is active.

[0035] At step 608, one or more hardware processors 602 may execute machine-readable / machine-executable instructions stored in machine-readable storage medium 604 to determine the extent of cellular coverage for the device. For example, the extent of cellular coverage for the device may include whether cellular data is disabled, as per [the relevant information]. Figure 3 As described. As another example, the extent of cellular coverage for a device can indicate whether VoNR or ViNR is supported within the cellular coverage area, as per [reference to...]. Figure 5 As described.

[0036] At step 610, one or more hardware processors 602 may execute machine-readable / machine-executable instructions stored in machine-readable storage medium 604 to select and disable the device's fifth-generation (5G) mode based on the IMS registration status or cellular coverage range. The 5G mode may include 5G NR SA mode, but may not include other 5G modes such as 5G NR NSA. As an example, as per [reference to...] Figure 2 As shown, in response to registering IMS on available wireless networks such as WLAN and WiFi connections, the hardware processor 602 can disable the device's 5G mode. As another example, in Figure 3 In response to cellular data being disabled and the wireless network on the device and through which the device communicates not supporting VoNR or ViNR, one or more hardware processors 602 can disable the device's 5G mode. As another example, in Figure 4 In response to an IMS registered via WiFi and a current call session activated via a wireless network such as WLAN, one or more hardware processors 602 can disable the device's 5G mode. As another example, in Figure 5 In response to a VoWiFi call or ViWiFi handover to LTE mode, one or more hardware processors 602 may disable 5G mode or keep it disabled. As another example, when VoNR or ViNR is not supported in cellular coverage, and a VoLTE or ViLTE call, a VoWiFi call, or WiFi video is active, one or more hardware processors 602 may disable 5G mode or keep it disabled, and / or may prevent or prohibit handover to 5G mode.

[0037] Figure 7 A block diagram of an exemplary computer system 700 is shown, in which various examples described herein may be implemented. The computer system 700 includes a bus 702 or other communication mechanism for transmitting information, and one or more hardware processors 704 connected to the bus 702 for processing information. The hardware processors 704 may be, for example, one or more general-purpose microprocessors.

[0038] Computer system 700 also includes main memory 706, such as random access memory (RAM), cache, and / or other dynamic storage devices, connected to bus 702 for storing information and instructions to be executed by processor 704. Main memory 706 can also be used to store temporary variables or other intermediate information during the execution of instructions to be executed by processor 704. When such instructions are stored in storage media accessible to processor 704, computer system 700 presents itself as a dedicated machine customized to perform the operations specified in the instructions.

[0039] The computer system 700 also includes a read-only memory (ROM) 708 or other static storage device connected to the bus 702 for storing static information and instructions of the processor 704. Storage devices 710, such as disks, optical discs, or USB thumb drives (flash drives), are provided and connected to the bus 702 for storing information and instructions.

[0040] Computer system 700 can be connected to display 712, such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) (or touchscreen), via bus 702 for displaying information to the computer user. Input device 714, including alphanumeric and other keys, is connected to bus 702 for transmitting information and command selections to processor 704. Another type of user input device is cursor control 716, such as a mouse, trackball, or arrow keys, for transmitting directional information and command selections to processor 704 and for controlling cursor movement on display 712. In some examples, the same directional information and command selections as cursor control can be achieved by receiving touches on a touchscreen without a cursor.

[0041] The computing system 700 may include a user interface module to implement a GUI, which may be stored as executable software code executed by the computing device in a mass storage device. For example, this module and other modules may include components such as software components, object-oriented software components, class components and task components, procedures, functions, attributes, steps, subroutines, program code segments, drivers, firmware, microcode, circuits, data, databases, data structures, tables, arrays, and variables.

[0042] Generally, the terms "component," "system," "database," and "data storage" used in this document can refer to logic embodied in hardware or firmware, or to a set of software instructions that may have entry and exit points, written in a programming language such as Java, C, or C++. Software components can be compiled and linked into an executable program, installed in a dynamic link library, or written in an interpreted programming language such as BASIC, Perl, or Python. It should be understood that software components can be invoked from other components or from themselves, and / or can be invoked in response to detected events or interrupts. Software components configured for execution on a computing device can be provided on computer-readable media, such as optical discs, digital video discs, flash drives, disks, or any other tangible media, or as digital downloads (and may initially be stored in a compressed or installable format that needs to be installed, decompressed, or decrypted before execution). Such software code can be stored, in part or in whole, on a memory device executing the computing device for execution by the computing device. Software instructions can be embedded in firmware, such as EPROM. It will also be understood that hardware components may consist of connected logic units, such as gates and flip-flops, and / or may consist of programmable units, such as programmable gate arrays or processors.

[0043] Computer system 700 may implement the techniques described herein using custom hardwired logic, one or more ASICs or FPGAs, firmware, and / or program logic, which, in conjunction with the computer system, enables computer system 700 to become a dedicated machine or to be programmed thereto. According to one example, the techniques herein are executed by computer system 700 in response to processor 704 executing one or more sequences of one or more instructions contained in main memory 706. Such instructions may be read into main memory 706 from another storage medium, such as storage device 710. Execution of the sequence of instructions contained in main memory 706 causes processor 704 to perform the processing steps described herein. In alternative examples, hardwired circuitry may be used in place of or in combination with software instructions.

[0044] As used herein, the term "non-transitory medium" and similar terms refer to any medium that stores data and / or instructions that cause a machine to operate in a particular manner. Such non-transitory medium can include non-volatile and / or volatile media. Non-volatile media include, for example, optical discs or magnetic disks, such as storage device 710. Volatile media include dynamic memory, such as main memory 706. Common forms of non-transitory media include, for example, floppy disks, flexible disks, hard disks, solid-state drives, magnetic tape, or any other magnetic data storage medium, CD-ROMs, any other optical data storage media, any physical medium with a perforated pattern, RAM, PROMs and EPROMs, flash memory-EPROMs, NVRAMs, any other memory chips or cassette tapes, and their network versions.

[0045] Non-transitory media differ from transmission media, but can be used in conjunction with them. Transmission media participate in the transmission of information between non-transitory media. For example, transmission media include coaxial cables, copper wires, and optical fibers, including lines such as bus 702. Transmission media can also take the form of sound waves or light waves, such as those generated during radio waves and infrared data communication.

[0046] Computer system 700 also includes a communication interface 718 connected to bus 702. Network interface 718 provides bidirectional data communication to one or more network links connected to one or more local networks. For example, communication interface 718 may be an Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) card, a cable modem, a satellite modem, or a modem providing data communication connectivity to a corresponding type of telephone line. As another example, network interface 718 may be a Local Area Network (LAN) card to provide data communication connectivity to a LAN-compatible network (or a WAN component communicating with a WAN). Wireless links may also be implemented. In any such implementation, network interface 718 transmits and receives electrical, electromagnetic, or optical signals carrying streams of digital data representing various types of information.

[0047] Network links typically provide data communication to other data devices via one or more networks. For example, a network link can provide a connection to a host computer or a data device operated by an Internet Service Provider (ISP) via a local network. The ISP, in turn, provides data communication services through a global packet data communication network now commonly referred to as the "Internet." Both local networks and the Internet use electrical, electromagnetic, or optical signals that carry streams of digital data. Signals through various networks, as well as signals on network links and through communication interface 718, are example forms of transmission media that transmit digital data to and from computer system 700.

[0048] Computer system 700 can send and receive messages, including program code, via a network, network link, and communication interface 718. In the Internet example, the server can send request code for an application via the Internet, ISP, local network, and communication interface 718. The received code can be executed by processor 704 upon receipt and / or stored in storage device 710 or other non-volatile memory for later execution.

[0049] Each of the processes, methods, and algorithms described in the foregoing sections can be embodied in code components executed by one or more computer systems or computer processors including computer hardware, and can be fully or partially automated by these code components. One or more computer systems or computer processors can also operate to support the performance of related operations in a “cloud computing” environment or as “Software as a Service” (SaaS). These processes and algorithms can be implemented, partially or wholly, in dedicated circuitry. The various features and processes described above can be used independently of each other or can be combined in various ways. Different combinations and sub-combinations are intended to fall within the scope of this disclosure, and certain method or process blocks may be omitted in some implementations. The methods and processes described herein are not limited to any particular sequence, and the blocks or states associated with them can be executed in other suitable sequences, or can be executed in parallel, or in some other way. Blocks or states can be added to or removed from the disclosed examples. The performance of a particular operation or process can be distributed among computer systems or computer processors, residing not only within a single machine but also deployed across multiple machines.

[0050] As used herein, circuits can be implemented using any form of hardware, software, or a combination thereof. For example, one or more processors, controllers, ASICs, PLAs, PALs, CPLDs, FPGAs, logic components, software routines, or other mechanisms can be used to compose the circuit. In implementation, the various circuits described herein can be implemented as discrete circuits, or the described functions and features can be shared partially or wholly among one or more circuits. Even if the various features or elements of a function can be described separately or required as separate circuits, these features and functions can be shared among one or more common circuits, and such description should not require or imply the need for separate circuits to implement such features or functions. When circuits are implemented entirely or partially using software, such software can be implemented to operate in conjunction with a computing or processing system (e.g., computer system 700) capable of performing the functions described therein.

[0051] As used herein, the term “or” may be interpreted as inclusive or exclusive. Furthermore, singular descriptions of resources, operations, or structures should not be construed as excluding the plural. Conditional language, such as “may,” “can,” “possibly,” or “perhaps,” unless otherwise specified or otherwise understood in the context in which they are used, is generally intended to convey that a particular example includes, while other examples do not, a particular feature, element, and / or step.

[0052] Unless otherwise expressly stated, the terms and phrases used in this document, and their variations thereof, should be interpreted as open-ended, not restrictive. Adjectives such as “regular,” “traditional,” “normal,” “standard,” “known,” and terms with similar meanings should not be interpreted as limiting the described items to those available at a given time period or at a given time, but should be understood to include regular, traditional, normal, or standard techniques available or known at any time now or in the future. In certain contexts, the presence of extended words and phrases such as “one or more,” “at least,” “but not limited to,” or other similar phrases should not be interpreted as an intention or need for a narrower scope where such extended phrases might not exist.

[0053] Unless the context otherwise requires, throughout this specification and claims, the word “comprising” and its variations, such as “including” and “containing”, will be interpreted in an open, inclusive sense, meaning “including but not limited to”. The description of numerical ranges throughout the specification is intended to be used as a shorthand reference to each individual value falling within the range defining that range, and each individual value is incorporated into the specification as separately stated herein. Furthermore, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include the plural form unless the context explicitly specifies otherwise. Phrases such as “at least one of…,” “at least one selected from the group of…,” or “at least one selected from the group consisting of…” will be interpreted as disjunctive terms (e.g., not as at least one of A and at least one of B).

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising: Determine the registration status of the Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) on the device; Determine the cellular coverage area for the device; as well as Based on the IMS registration status or the cellular coverage area, select to disable the fifth-generation (5G) mode of the device; The method further includes: In response to the following, select to enable the 5G mode: The battery level on the device is above a threshold and meets additional conditions; or WiFi is unavailable when cellular data is enabled and additional conditions are met; The additional condition is any one of the following: The device is in idle mode; The device's screen is off; LTE system information block 24 (SIB 24) exists; and The device avoids foreground scanning of 5G cells when the 5G mode is enabled.

2. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1, wherein, The 5G mode of the device includes 5G New Radio Standalone (NR SA) mode.

3. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1, wherein, The option to disable the fifth-generation (5G) mode of the device includes: In response to the availability of Wi-Fi connectivity on the device and the IMS being registered via a wireless network, the 5G mode of the device is disabled.

4. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1, wherein, The option to disable the fifth-generation (5G) mode of the device includes: In response to the cellular coverage being disabled and the lack of support for Voice over New Radio (VoNR) or Video over New Radio (ViNR) on the device or network, the 5G mode is disabled, wherein the device exchanges data through the network.

5. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1, wherein, The option to disable the fifth-generation (5G) mode of the device includes: In response to the IMS being registered via WiFi and the device currently participating in an active call session via a wireless network, the 5G mode is disabled.

6. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1, wherein, The option to disable the fifth-generation (5G) mode of the device includes: In response to the device currently participating in an active call session via WiFi Voice (VoWiFi), and in response to the VoWiFi session being switched to Long Term Evolution (LTE) mode, the 5G mode is disabled.

7. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1, wherein, The option to disable the fifth-generation (5G) mode of the device includes: The 5G mode is disabled in response to the device currently participating in an active call session via WiFi Voice (VoWiFi) or LTE Voice (VoLTE) and in response to the cellular coverage not supporting Voice over New Radio (VoNR).

8. The computer-implemented method according to claim 7, further comprising: The existence of the active call session is determined based on the ongoing IMS call setup.

9. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1, wherein, In response to the release of the Radio Resource Control (RRC) connection by the LTE network, it is determined that the device is in idle mode.

10. A computing system within or associated with a device, the computing system comprising: One or more processors; as well as The memory stores instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to: Determine the registration status of the Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) on the device; Determine the cellular coverage area for the device; and Based on the IMS registration status or the cellular coverage area, select to disable the fifth-generation (5G) mode of the device; In response to the following, select to enable 5G mode: The battery level on the device is above a threshold and meets additional conditions; or WiFi is unavailable when cellular data is enabled and additional conditions are met; The additional condition is any one of the following: The device is in idle mode; The device's screen is off; LTE system information block 24 (SIB 24) exists; and The device avoids foreground scanning of 5G cells when the 5G mode is enabled.

11. The computing system according to claim 10, wherein, The option to disable the fifth-generation (5G) mode of the device includes: In response to the availability of Wi-Fi connectivity on the device and the IMS being registered via a wireless network, the 5G mode of the device is disabled.

12. The computing system according to claim 10, wherein, The option to disable the fifth-generation (5G) mode of the device includes: In response to the cellular coverage being disabled and the lack of support for Voice over New Radio (VoNR) or Video over New Radio (ViNR) on the device or network, the 5G mode is disabled, wherein the device exchanges data through the network.

13. The computing system according to claim 10, wherein, The option to disable the fifth-generation (5G) mode of the device includes: In response to the IMS being registered via WiFi and the device currently participating in an active call session via a wireless network, the 5G mode is disabled.

14. The computing system according to claim 10, wherein, The option to disable the fifth-generation (5G) mode of the device includes: In response to the device currently participating in an active call session via WiFi Voice (VoWiFi), and in response to the VoWiFi session being switched to Long Term Evolution (LTE) mode, the 5G mode is disabled.

15. The computing system according to claim 10, wherein, The option to disable the fifth-generation (5G) mode of the device includes: The 5G mode is disabled in response to the device currently participating in an active call session via WiFi Voice (VoWiFi) or LTE Voice (VoLTE) and in response to the cellular coverage not supporting Voice over New Radio (VoNR).

16. A non-transitory storage medium storing instructions, the instructions, when executed by at least one processor of a computing system, causing the computing system to perform a method, the method comprising: Determine the registration status of the Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) on the device; Determine the cellular coverage area for the device; as well as Based on the IMS registration status or the cellular coverage area, select to disable the fifth-generation (5G) mode of the device; In response to the following, select to enable 5G mode: The battery level on the device is above a threshold and meets additional conditions; or WiFi is unavailable when cellular data is enabled and additional conditions are met; The additional condition is any one of the following: The device is in idle mode; The device's screen is off; LTE system information block 24 (SIB 24) exists; and The device avoids foreground scanning of 5G cells when the 5G mode is enabled.

17. The non-transitory storage medium according to claim 16, wherein, The option to disable the fifth-generation (5G) mode of the device includes: In response to the availability of Wi-Fi connectivity on the device and the IMS being registered via a wireless network, the 5G mode of the device is disabled.

18. The non-transitory storage medium according to claim 16, wherein, The option to disable the fifth-generation (5G) mode of the device includes: In response to the cellular coverage being disabled and the lack of support for Voice over New Radio (VoNR) or Video over New Radio (ViNR) on the device or network, the 5G mode is disabled, wherein the device exchanges data through the network.

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