Method and apparatus for selecting an access point based on direction of movement

Abstract

A method, system and apparatus for selecting an access point includes detecting a location and direction of motion of a mobile device, detecting a strength of signal from candidate access points and determining a location of such access points based upon at least one of the (i) location and direction of motion of the mobile device, (ii) access point location information known to the mobile device, and (iii) monitoring of the change in detected signal strength from candidate access points that occurs upon the movement of the mobile device. Embodiments of the system and apparatus may include a mobile terminal device or may include such a device and a plurality of access points that provide access to a network, such as a base station or a router that provide access to an enterprise network or a local area network that is connected to the internet.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for selecting an access point comprising:
 a mobile communication terminal determining at least one of a location of the mobile communication terminal and a direction of motion in which the mobile communication terminal is moving;   the mobile communication terminal saving the determined at least one of the location of the mobile communication terminal and the direction of motion in which the mobile communication terminal is moving;   the mobile communication terminal monitoring signal strengths of candidate access points to determine whether the signal strength for any of the candidate access points changes during movement of the mobile communication terminal such that the mobile communication terminal determines for each of the candidate access points at least one of (i) a rate of increase in signal strength for that access point and (ii) a rate of decrease in signal strength for that access point as the mobile communication terminal moves;   the mobile communication terminal determining that one of the candidate access points provides improved connectivity to a network as compared to an access point to which the mobile communication terminal is currently communicating with for access to the network based upon the monitored signal strengths of candidate access points and the saved determined at least one of the location of the mobile communication terminal and the direction of motion in which the mobile communication terminal is moving;   the mobile communication terminal selecting the determined one of the candidate access points for subsequent communications to register with that one of the candidate access points for accessing the network via the selected one of the candidate access points; and   the mobile communication terminal communicating with the selected one of the candidate access points for registering with the selected one of the candidate access points for accessing the network.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 the mobile communication terminal saving time information corresponding to the saved determined at least one of the location of the mobile communication terminal and the direction of motion in which the mobile communication terminal is moving. 
 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the mobile communication terminal determines the location of the mobile communication terminal and the direction of motion in which the mobile communication terminal is moving and saves the determined location of the mobile communication terminal and the direction of motion in which the mobile communication terminal is moving. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  further comprising:
 the mobile communication terminal stopping communicating with the access point to which the mobile communication terminal was communicating with for access to the network prior to communicating with the selected one of the candidate access points for registering with the selected one of the candidate access points for accessing the network such that the mobile communication terminal no longer utilizes that access point for access to the network while communicating with the selected one of the candidate access points for access to the network. 
 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the mobile communication terminal also determines a speed at which the mobile communication terminal is moving. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the mobile communication terminal communicates with a location service to determine the location of the mobile communication terminal. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the monitoring of the signal strength of candidate access points comprises the mobile communication terminal receiving signals from the candidate access points, detecting a signal strength for each signal, saving the signal strength of the candidate access points, and corresponding the signal strength of candidate access points with the saved location of the mobile communication terminal and the saved direction of motion in which the mobile communication terminal is moving. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the mobile communication terminal is a cellular phone, a mobile phone, a tablet, an internet appliance, a personal digital assistant, or a laptop computer and wherein the candidate access points comprise at least a plurality of base stations or a plurality of routers; and wherein the method further comprising:
 the mobile communication terminal determining locations of the candidate access points; and 
 wherein the mobile communication terminal determining that one of the candidate access points provides improved connectivity to a network as compared to an access point to which the mobile communication terminal is currently communicating with for access to the network is also based upon the determined locations of the candidate access points. 
 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 the mobile communication terminal predicting a future location of the mobile communication terminal; and 
 wherein the mobile communication terminal determining that one of the candidate access points provides improved connectivity as compared to the access point to which the mobile communication terminal is currently in communication with for access to the network is also based upon the predicted future location of the mobile communication terminal; and 
 wherein the improved connectivity is determined to be an improved connectivity in view of the predicted future location of the mobile communication terminal such that a momentary detection of another candidate access point having a stronger signal does not result in a selection of that candidate access point when expected subsequent movement of the mobile communication terminal to the predicted location indicates that the signal of that candidate access point will be weaker than the signal strength of at least one other candidate access point. 
 
     
     
         10 . A communication system comprising:
 a first access point providing a first coverage area for access to a network via wireless communication with the first access point;   a second access point providing a second coverage area for access to the network via wireless communication with the second access point; and   a mobile communication terminal communicatively connected to the first access point for access to the network; and   the mobile communication terminal moving from within the first coverage area in a direction towards the second coverage area;   the mobile communication terminal determining at least one of a location of the mobile communication terminal and a direction of motion in which the mobile communication terminal is moving;   the mobile communication terminal saving the determined at least one of the location of the mobile communication terminal and the direction of motion in which the mobile communication terminal is moving;   the mobile communication terminal monitoring a first signal strength of the first access point and the second signal strength of the second access point to determine whether the signal strength for the second access point changes during movement of the mobile communication terminal such that the mobile communication terminal determines that the second signal strength increases and the first signal strength decreases as the mobile communication terminal moves;   the mobile communication terminal determining that the second access point provides improved connectivity to the network as compared to the first access point to which the mobile communication terminal is currently communicating with for access to the network based upon the monitored first and second signal strengths and the saved determined at least one of the location of the mobile communication terminal and the direction of motion in which the mobile communication terminal is moving;   the mobile communication terminal selecting the second access point for subsequent communications to register with the second access point for accessing the network via the second access point; and   the mobile communication terminal communicating with the second access point for registering with the second access point for accessing the network when within the second coverage area.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10  further comprising:
 a third access point providing a third coverage area for access to the network via wireless communication with the third access point; and 
 wherein the mobile communication terminal also monitoring a third signal strength of the third access point to determine whether the signal strength for the third access point changes during movement of the mobile communication terminal such that the mobile communication terminal determines that the third signal strength increases and the first and second signal strengths decrease as the mobile communication terminal moves; 
 the mobile communication terminal determining that the third access point provides improved connectivity to the network as compared to the second access point after the mobile communication terminal communicated with the second access point for registering with the second access point for accessing the network when within the second coverage area based upon the monitored first, second and third signal strengths and the saved determined at least one of the location of the mobile communication terminal and the direction of motion in which the mobile communication terminal is moving; 
 the mobile communication terminal selecting the third access point for subsequent communications to register with third access point for accessing the network via the third access point; and 
 the mobile communication terminal communicating with the third access point for registering with the third access point for accessing the network when the mobile communication terminal is within the third coverage area. 
 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11  wherein the first coverage area overlaps with the second and third coverage areas, the second coverage area overlaps with the first and third coverage areas, and the third coverage area overlaps with the first and second coverage areas. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11  wherein at least one of the first, second and third access points is a router or a base station and wherein the mobile communication terminal is a cellular phone, a mobile phone, a tablet, an internet appliance, a personal digital assistant, or a laptop computer; and
 wherein the mobile communication terminal predicting a future location of the mobile communication terminal; and 
 wherein the mobile communication terminal determining that the second access point provides improved connectivity to the network as compared to the first access point to which the mobile communication terminal is currently communicating with for access to the network based upon the monitored first, second, and third signal strengths and the saved determined at least one of the location of the mobile communication terminal and the direction of motion in which the mobile communication terminal is moving is also based upon the predicted future location of the mobile communication terminal; wherein the improved connectivity is determined to be an improved connectivity in view of the predicted future location of the mobile communication terminal such that a momentary detection of the first access point or third access point having a stronger signal does not result in a selection of that access point when the subsequent movement of the mobile communication terminal to the predicted location indicates that the signal of the first access point or third access point will subsequently be weaker relative to the signal strength of the second access point. 
 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 10  wherein the mobile communication terminal saving time information corresponding to the saved determined at least one of the location of the mobile communication terminal and the direction of motion in which the mobile communication terminal is moving. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14  wherein the mobile communication terminal determines a location of the first access point, a location of the second access point, and a location of the third access point; and
 wherein the mobile communication terminal determining that the third access point provides improved connectivity to the network as compared to the second access point after the mobile communication terminal communicated with the second access point for registering with the second access point for accessing the network when within the second coverage area based upon the monitored first, second and third signal strengths, the location of the first access point, the location of the second access point, and the location of the third access point, and the saved determined at least one of the location of the mobile communication terminal and the direction of motion in which the mobile communication terminal is moving. 
 
     
     
         16 . system of  claim 15  wherein the mobile communication terminal has a motion sensor that detects at least one of a speed at which the mobile communication terminal is moving and the direction of motion in which the mobile communication terminal is moving and wherein the mobile communication terminal communicates with a location service to determine the location of the mobile communication terminal. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 10  wherein the monitoring of the first and second signal strengths comprises the mobile communication terminal receiving signals from the first and second access points, detecting a signal strength for each signal, saving the signal strengths of the first and second access points, and corresponding the signal strengths of the first and second access points with the saved location of the mobile communication terminal and the saved direction of motion in which the mobile communication terminal is moving. 
     
     
         18 . A mobile communication terminal comprising:
 non-transitory memory having at least one application stored thereon;   a transceiver unit;   a processor unit communicatively connected to the transceiver unit, the processor unit communicatively connected to the memory such that the at least one application is executable by the processor unit, the at least one application defining a method that is performed by the mobile communication terminal comprising:   the mobile communication terminal determining at least one of a location of the mobile communication terminal and a direction of motion in which the mobile communication terminal is moving;   the mobile communication terminal saving the determined at least one of the location of the mobile communication terminal and the direction of motion in which the mobile communication terminal is moving;   the mobile communication terminal monitoring signal strength of candidate access points to determine whether the signal strength for any of the candidate access points changes during movement of the mobile communication terminal such that the mobile communication terminal determines for each of the candidate access points at least one of (i) a rate of increase in signal strength for that access point and (ii) a rate of decrease in signal strength for that access point as the mobile communication terminal moves;   the mobile communication terminal determining that one of the candidate access points provides improved connectivity to a network as compared to an access point to which the mobile communication terminal is currently communicating with for access to the network based upon the monitored signal strength of candidate access points and the saved determined at least one of the location of the mobile communication terminal and the direction of motion in which the mobile communication terminal is moving;   the mobile communication terminal selecting the determined one of the candidate access points for subsequent communications to register with that one of the candidate access points for accessing the network via the selected one of the candidate access points; and   the mobile communication terminal communicating with the selected one of the candidate access points for registering with the selected one of the candidate access points for accessing the network.   
     
     
         19 . The mobile communication terminal of  claim 18  wherein the mobile communication terminal monitoring of the signal strength of candidate access points comprises the mobile communication terminal receiving signals from the candidate access points, detecting a signal strength for each signal, saving the signal strength of the candidate access points, and corresponding the signal strength of candidate access points with the saved location of the mobile communication terminal and the saved direction of motion in which the mobile communication terminal is moving. 
     
     
         20 . A non-transitory computer readable medium having at least one application stored thereon that defines a method that is performed when the at least one application is executed by a mobile communication terminal, the method defined by the at least one application comprising:
 the mobile communication terminal determining at least one of a location of the mobile communication terminal and a direction of motion in which the mobile communication terminal is moving;   the mobile communication terminal saving the determined at least one of the location of the mobile communication terminal and the direction of motion in which the mobile communication terminal is moving;   the mobile communication terminal monitoring signal strength of candidate access points to determine whether the signal strength for any of the candidate access points changes during movement of the mobile communication terminal such that the mobile communication terminal determines for each of the candidate access points at least one of (i) a rate of increase in signal strength for that access point and (ii) a rate of decrease in signal strength for that access point as the mobile communication terminal moves;   the mobile communication terminal determining that one of the candidate access points provides improved connectivity to a network as compared to an access point to which the mobile communication terminal is currently communicating with for access to the network based upon the monitored signal strength of candidate access points and the saved determined at least one of the location of the mobile communication terminal and the direction of motion in which the mobile communication terminal is moving;   the mobile communication terminal selecting the determined one of the candidate access points for subsequent communications to register with that one of the candidate access points for accessing the network via the selected one of the candidate access points; and   the mobile communication terminal communicating with the selected one of the candidate access points for registering with the selected one of the candidate access points for accessing the network.