Wireless Link Management in Mobile Devices

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Solution Overview

Problem

Mobile electronic devices and their associated networks face challenges in meeting increasing demands for functionality due to limitations in managing wireless links effectively, despite growing computational and network capabilities.

Innovation Solution

A method and system for managing wireless links in mobile electronic devices by maintaining a wireless link preference, monitoring available links, and selecting the appropriate link based on user-defined preferences and available connections, which includes a processor and communications interface to dynamically manage call transports between WLAN and mobile networks.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If multiple wireless connections are monitored and managed dynamically, then connectivity reliability is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconnectivity reliabilityVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

A connection manager component is introduced as an intermediary that centralizes the monitoring and management of multiple wireless connections. This mediator coordinates between different network interfaces (WLAN, cellular) and applications, consolidating the complexity into a single management entity rather than distributing it across the entire system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically monitors the state of multiple wireless connections and automatically transitions between them based on current conditions. The connection manager continuously evaluates connection availability, quality, and preferences to adaptively select the optimal active connection, making the system flexible rather than static.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Ease of operation

If user-defined preferences are stored and applied for connection selection, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of operationVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

User preferences for connection selection are stored in advance in the device memory. When a connection is needed, the system retrieves these pre-stored preferences rather than requiring real-time user input. This preliminary configuration simplifies operation during actual use while the complexity of preference management is handled by the connection manager.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP2381624B1Method, system and apparatus for managing wireless links
Publication Date: 2016.07.20 BLACKBERRY LTD
  • EP2381624B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2381624B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2381624B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

According to embodiments described in the specification, a method, system and apparatus for managing transports is provided. The method comprises: maintaining a transport preference in a memory of the mobile electronic device, the transport preference including an identifier of a preferred transport; monitoring available transports; and selecting a transport for use based on the transport preference and the available transports.