Method And System for Radio Access Technology Selection

Abstract

A method and a multi-mode mobile communication device operating said method are provided. The method comprises a multi-mode mobile communication device selecting a first data connection carried over a first radio access technology (RAT) based on a first requested QoS, and the multi-mode mobile communication device selecting a second data connection over a second RAT based on a second requested QoS. The multi-mode communication device comprises a first transceiver adapted to be connected to a server using the first RAT, a second transceiver adapted to be connected to the server using the second RAT, and a processor for carrying out the method.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 selecting a first active data connection by a multi-mode mobile communication device while there is no data to be transmitted, said first active data connection carried over a first network utilizing a first radio access technology (RAT) based on a first criteria;   receiving a notification of a data transmission destined for the multi-mode mobile communication device through the first data connection over the first RAT;   selecting a second active data connection by the multi-mode mobile communication device while data is being transmitted, said second active data connection carried over a second network utilizing a second RAT based on a second criteria; and   switching from the first active data connection over the first RAT to the second active data connection over the second RAT.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 upon receiving the notification, establishing a first data call on the first RAT and commencing the data transmission through the first active data connection over the first RAT;   establishing a second data call on the second RAT and activating the second active data connection over the second RAT;   switching the data transmission from the first active data connection over the first RAT to the second active data connection over the second RAT; and   receiving the data transmission through the second active data connection over the second RAT.   
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 returning to the first active data connection after a termination of the data transmission; and   awaiting notification of new data transmission destined for the multi-mode mobile communication device through the first active data connection over the first RAT.   
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein after a termination of the data transmission, further comprising:
 returning to the first active data connection over the first RAT;   closing the second data call on the second RAT;   closing the first data call on the first RAT; and   awaiting notification of new data transmission destined for the multi-mode mobile communication device through the first active data connection over the first RAT.   
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 configuring a server of data transmission destined for the multi-mode mobile communication device to use the first active data connection while there is no data to be transmitted, and the second active data connection while there is data is to be transmitted.   
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the first criteria is selected from the group consisting of:
 a tariff;   a call set-up latency;   a data latency;   data rate;   reliability;   a data throughput requirement;   a concurrency with other services; and   a combination thereof.   
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the second criteria is selected from the group consisting of:
 a data throughput requirement;   a tariff;   a call set-up latency;   data rate;   reliability;   a data packet latency;   a data packet jitter;   a concurrency with other services;   and   a combination thereof.   
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the first RAT is a cellular radio access technology, and the second RAT is a wireless local area network radio access technology. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the first RAT is a wireless local area network radio access technology, and the second RAT is a cellular radio access technology. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the first RAT is a first cellular radio access technology, and the second RAT is a second cellular radio access technology. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the first RAT is a cellular radio access technology having a first configuration, and the second RAT is the same cellular radio access technology having a second configuration. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the first RAT is a first wireless local area network radio access technology, and the second RAT is a second wireless local area network radio access technology. 
     
     
         13 . A method comprising:
 using a first data connection between a server and a multi-mode mobile communication device to detect a data transmission destined for the multi-mode communication device, said first data connection carried over a cellular radio access technology (RAT);   detecting arrival of the data transmission through the first data connection over the cellular RAT;   using a second data connection between the server and the multi-mode mobile communication device for the data transmission between the server and the multi-mode communication device, said second data connection carried over a wireless local area network (WLAN) RAT;   determining a termination of the data transmission between the server and the multi-mode communication device; and   using the first data connection over the cellular RAT to detect other data transmission destined for the multi-mode communication device.   
     
     
         14 . A multi-mode mobile communication device comprising:
 a first transceiver adapted to be connected to a server using a first radio access technology (RAT);   a second transceiver adapted to be connected to the server using a second RAT; and   a processor for   selecting a first data connection between a server and a multi-mode mobile communication device while there is no data to be transmitted, said first data connection carried over a first network utilizing a first RAT based on a first criteria, and   selecting a second data connection between the server and the multi-mode mobile communication device while data is being transmitted, said second data connection carried over a second network utilizing a second RAT based on a second criteria.   
     
     
         15 . A multi-mode mobile communication device comprising:
 a first transceiver adapted to be connected to a server using a first radio access technology (RAT);   a second transceiver adapted to be connected to the server using a second RAT; and   a processor for   using a first data connection between a server and a multi-mode mobile communication device to detect a data transmission destined for the multi-mode communication device, said first data connection carried over a network utilizing a cellular RAT,   detecting arrival of the data transmission through the first data connection over the cellular RAT,   using a second data connection between the server and the multi-mode mobile communication device for the data transmission between the server and the multi-mode communication device, said second data connection carried over a network utilizing a wireless local area network (WLAN) RAT,   determining a termination of the data transmission between the server and the multi-mode communication device, and   using the first data connection over the cellular RAT to detect other data transmission destined for the multi-mode communication device.