Systems and methods for establishing wireless connections based on access conditions

Abstract

The subject matter described herein includes managing access conditions and determining which access point to use by a wireless device based on terms and conditions (TCs) for allowing access (TCsAA) and terms and conditions for utilizing access (TCsUA) provided and updated by various parties in a system for alternative network access provision (ANAPS) comprising of a cloud based server system and a wireless device and its connection manager software system. The TCs may depend on a number of variables including one or more of the following: price, availability, relative signal strengths and communication speeds of different cellular base pay and or access points and connections through the stations or access points to the Internet or other backend systems, the location and possible motion of the device, the time of day, week, month or year as well as the cost of communication alternatives.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method in a mobile device, the method comprising:
 identifying one or more access points within a geographical vicinity of a location based on stored information in local memory of the mobile device, wherein the stored information comprises simple terms and conditions (TCs), wherein the simple TCs comprise one or more parameters that are acceptable until the mobile device can connect to a remote server to receive a decision about which access point to use;   determining to establish a connection with at least one of the one or more access points, based on at least the one or more parameters in the simple TCs;   based on the determination, establishing the connection with the at least one access point, in accordance with the simple TCs, for at least a minimum time period determined from the simple TCs; and,   subsequent to the establishment of the connection and during the minimum time period, receiving a decision of whether or not to continue the connection with the at least one access point from the remote server over the connection with the at least one access point, and determining to remain connected to or disconnect from the at least one access point based on the received decision.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the connection is established with the at least one access point via a radio system, and wherein the method further comprises, in response to a user turning off the radio system during the connection with the at least one access point, suspending any subsequent connection attempts to the at least one access point for at least a period of time. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the determination to establish the connection with the at least one access point is performed automatically without user involvement. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more parameters in the simple TCs indicate the minimum time period. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more parameters in the simple TCs comprise access credentials for the at least one access point. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more parameters in the simple TCs indicate one or more applications that need to be active in order to utilize the at least one access point. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, automatically:
 scanning for access points within a vicinity of a current location of the mobile device;   identifying at least one access point within the vicinity of the current location of the mobile device at a current time; and   notifying an alternative network access provider service that the identified at least one access point is available at the current location at the current time.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising, automatically:
 measuring parameters of the identified at least one access point; and   notifying the alternative network access provider service of the measured parameters for the identified at least one access point at the current location at the current time.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising prompting a user to obtain access credentials for the identified at least one access point based on a frequency of observations of the identified at least one access point. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 subsequent to the establishment of the connection, performing a test to determine whether or not the connection provides Internet access; and,   when the test determines that the connection does not provide Internet access,
 if a display of the mobile device is off, disconnecting from the at least one access point and waiting at least a predetermined period of time before re-establishing a connection with the at least one access point, and, 
 if the display of the mobile device is on, 
 if the mobile device is currently providing information about a status of the connection to a user, prompting the user to remain connected to or disconnect from the at least one access point, and, 
 if the mobile device is not currently providing information about the status of the connection to the user,
 if the determination to establish the connection with the at least one access point was made automatically without user involvement, disconnecting from the at least one access point and waiting at least a predetermined period of time before re-establishing a connection with the at least one access point, and, 
 if the determination to establish the connection with the at least one access point was made with user involvement, displaying a notification on the display without disconnecting from the at least one access point. 
 
   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mobile device comprises a first radio system and a second radio system, wherein the connection with the at least one access point is established via the second radio system, and wherein the method further comprises:
 subsequent to the establishment of the connection, determining whether or not the connection provides Internet access below a threshold speed; and,   when the connection is determined to provide Internet access below the threshold speed,
 determining whether or not a connection is available via the first radio system, 
 if a connection is not available via the first radio system, displaying a temporary notification on the display without disconnecting the second radio system from the at least one access point, and, 
 if a connection is available via the first radio system,
 if a display of the mobile device is off, disconnecting from the at least one access point and waiting at least a predetermined period of time before re-establishing a connection with the at least one access point, and, 
 if the display of the mobile device is on,
 if the mobile device is currently providing information about a status of the connection to a user, prompting the user to remain connected to or disconnect from the at least one access point, and, 
 if the mobile device is not currently providing information about the status of the connection to the user, 
  if the determination to establish the connection with the at least one access point was made automatically without user involvement, disconnecting from the at least one access point and waiting at least a predetermined period of time before re-establishing a connection with the at least one access point, and, 
  if the determination to establish the connection with the at least one access point was made with user involvement, display a notification on the display without disconnecting from the at least one access point. 
 
 
   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein establishing the connection with the at least one access point comprises:
 detecting a captive portal based on a captive portal signature stored in the local memory; and   automatically traversing the captive portal based on response information stored in the local memory.   
     
     
         13 . A mobile device comprising:
 a local memory;   at least one hardware processor; and   one or more software modules configured to, when executed by the at least one hardware processor,
 identify one or more access points within a geographical vicinity of a location based on stored information in the local memory, wherein the stored information comprises simple terms and conditions (TCs), wherein the simple TCs comprise one or more parameters that are acceptable until the mobile device can connect to a remote server to receive a decision about which access point to use, 
 determine to establish a connection with at least one of the one or more access points, based on at least the one or more parameters in the simple TCs, 
 based on the determination, establish the connection with the at least one access point, in accordance with the simple TCs, for at least a minimum time period determined from the simple TCs, and, 
 subsequent to the establishment of the connection and during the minimum time period, receive a decision of whether or not to continue the connection with the at least one access point from the remote server over the connection with the at least one access point, and determine to remain connected to or disconnect from the at least one access point based on the received decision. 
   
     
     
         14 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored therein, wherein the instructions, when executed by a processor of a mobile device, cause the processor to:
 identify one or more access points within a geographical vicinity of a location based on stored information in local memory of the mobile device, wherein the stored information comprises simple terms and conditions (TCs), wherein the simple TCs comprise one or more parameters that are acceptable until the mobile device can connect to a remote server to receive a decision about which access point to use;   determine to establish a connection with at least one of the one or more access points, based on at least the one or more parameters in the simple TCs;   based on the determination, establish the connection with the at least one access point, in accordance with the simple TCs, for at least a minimum time period determined from the simple TCs; and,   subsequent to the establishment of the connection and during the minimum time period, receive a decision of whether or not to continue the connection with the at least one access point from the remote server over the connection with the at least one access point, and determine to remain connected to or disconnect from the at least one access point based on the received decision.   
     
     
         15 . A method in a mobile device, the method comprising:
 identifying one or more access points within a geographical vicinity of a location based on stored information in local memory of the mobile device, wherein the stored information comprises simple terms and conditions (TCs), wherein the simple TCs comprise one or more parameters that are acceptable until the mobile device can connect to a remote server to download complex TCs, and wherein each of the complex TCs comprises a plurality of parameters, which are greater in number than the one or more parameters in the simple TCs;   determining to establish a connection with at least one of the one or more access points, based on at least the one or more parameters in the simple TCs;   based on the determination, establishing the connection with the at least one access point, in accordance with the simple TCs, for at least a minimum time period determined from the simple TCs; and,   subsequent to the establishment of the connection and during the minimum time period, downloading the complex TCs from the remote server over the connection with the at least one access point, and determining whether or not to continue the connection with the at least one access point, beyond the minimum time period.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the connection is established with the at least one access point via a radio system, and wherein the method further comprises, in response to a user turning off the radio system during the connection with the at least one access point, suspending any subsequent connection attempts to the at least one access point for at least a period of time. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the determination to establish the connection with the at least one access point is performed automatically without user involvement. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the one or more parameters in the simple TCs indicate the minimum time period. 
     
     
         19 . A mobile device comprising:
 a local memory;   at least one hardware processor; and   one or more software modules configured to, when executed by the at least one hardware processor,
 identify one or more access points within a geographical vicinity of a location based on stored information in the local memory, wherein the stored information comprises simple terms and conditions (TCs), wherein the simple TCs comprise one or more parameters that are acceptable until the mobile device can connect to a remote server to download complex TCs, and wherein each of the complex TCs comprises a plurality of parameters, which are greater in number than the one or more parameters in the simple TCs, 
 determine to establish a connection with at least one of the one or more access points, based on at least the one or more parameters in the simple TCs, 
 based on the determination, establish the connection with the at least one access point, in accordance with the simple TCs, for at least a minimum time period determined from the simple TCs, and, 
 subsequent to the establishment of the connection and during the minimum time period, download the complex TCs from the remote server over the connection with the at least one access point, and determine whether to continue the connection with the at least one access point, beyond the minimum time period. 
   
     
     
         20 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored therein, wherein the instructions, when executed by a processor of a mobile device, cause the processor to:
 identify one or more access points within a geographical vicinity of a location based on stored information in local memory of the mobile device, wherein the stored information comprises simple terms and conditions (TCs), wherein the simple TCs comprise one or more parameters that are acceptable until the mobile device can connect to a remote server to download complex TCs, and wherein each of the complex TCs comprises a plurality of parameters, which are greater in number than the one or more parameters in the simple TCs;   determine to establish a connection with at least one of the one or more access points, based on at least the one or more parameters in the simple TCs;   based on the determination, establish the connection with the at least one access point, in accordance with the simple TCs, for at least a minimum time period determined from the simple TCs; and,   subsequent to the establishment of the connection and during the minimum time period, download the complex TCs from the remote server over the connection with the at least one access point, and determine whether to continue the connection with the at least one access point, beyond the minimum time period.