IP Library Granted Patent US 11,570,683
Granted Patent B2
US 11,570,683 · App. 17/308,185 · Granted Jan 31, 2023

Managing electronic communication with an access point

Inventors: Mengnan Wang (Chapel Hill, NC); Howard Locker (Cary, NC); Daryl C. Cromer (Raleigh, NC); John W. Nicholson (Cary, NC)
Assignee: Lenovo (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
H04W36/32H04W36/0069H04W36/30H04W52/0261H04W76/30
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,570,683
App. No.
17/308,185
Granted
Jan 31, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method for communicating in a wireless environment is provided that includes obtaining, with an access point of a first network in the wireless environment, responsiveness data from at least one electronic device. The method also includes communicating with the at least one electronic device to determine availability of a second network in the wireless environment to the electronic device, and determining communication responsiveness through the first network based on the responsiveness data. The method also includes obtaining use data from the at least one electronic device related to the second network, determining communication responsiveness through the second network based on the use data, and disconnecting, with the access point, the at least one electronic device based on the communication responsiveness through the second network.

Claims (40)

1. A method for communicating in a wireless environment, comprising:

obtaining, with an access point of a first network in the wireless environment, responsiveness data from at least one electronic device;

communicating with the at least one electronic device to determine availability of a second network in the wireless environment to the electronic device;

determining communication responsiveness through the first network based on the responsiveness data;

obtaining use data from the at least one electronic device related to the second network;

determining communication responsiveness of the second network based on the use data; and

disconnecting, with the access point, the at least one electronic device based on the communication responsiveness of the second network.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one electronic device is a mobile phone, the first network is a Wi-Fi network, and the second network is a cellular network, and the access point disconnects the mobile phone from the Wi-Fi network in the wireless environment.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the use data includes at least one of data restriction based information, or battery based information.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

disconnecting, with the access point, the at least one electronic device also based on at least one of the data restriction based information, or the battery based information.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first network is a Wi-Fi network, and the second network is a cellular network.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the wireless environment is an office building.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the communication responsiveness through the first network is slower than the communication responsiveness through the second network.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one electronic device is at least one of a personal computer, a laptop computer, or a mobile phone.

9. A communication system for a wireless environment, comprising:

a first network including an access point;

a second network;

the access point including:

memory storing program instructions; and

a processor, in response to execution of the program instructions, configured to:

obtain responsiveness data from at least one electronic device in the wireless environment;

communicate with the at least one electronic device to determine availability of the second network to the electronic device;

determine communication responsiveness through the first network based on the responsiveness data;

obtain use data from the at least one electronic device related to the second network;

determine communication responsiveness through the second network based on the use data; and

disconnect the at least one electronic device based on the communication responsiveness through the second network.

10. The communication system of claim 9 , wherein the at least one electronic device is a mobile phone, the first network is a Wi-Fi network, and the second network is a cellular network, and the access point disconnects the mobile phone from the Wi-Fi network in the wireless environment.

11. The communication system of claim 9 wherein the use data includes at least one of data restriction based information, or battery based information.

12. The communication system of claim 9 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

prevent disconnection from the first network based on the use data after determining the communication responsiveness through the second network.

13. The communication system of claim 9 , wherein the first network is a Wi-Fi network, and the second network is a cellular network.

14. The communication system of claim 9 , wherein the wireless environment is an office building.

15. The communication system of claim 9 , wherein the communication responsiveness through the first network is slower than the communication responsiveness through the second network.

16. The communication system of claim 9 , wherein the at least one electronic device is at least one of a personal computer, a laptop computer, or a mobile phone.

17. A computer program product for an access point comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising computer executable code to: obtain responsiveness data from at least one electronic device in the wireless environment; communicate with the at least one electronic device to determine availability of the second network to the electronic device; determine communication responsiveness through the first network based on the responsiveness data; obtain use data from the at least one electronic device related to the second network; determine communication responsiveness through the second network based on the use data; and disconnect the at least one electronic device from the access point based on the communication responsiveness through the second network.

18. The computer program of claim 17 further comprising computer executable code to:

prevent disconnection from the first network based on the use data after determining the communication responsiveness through the second network.

19. The computer program of claim 17 , wherein the first network is a Wi-Fi network, and the second network is a cellular network.

20. The computer program of claim 17 , wherein the at least one electronic device is a mobile phone, the first network is a Wi-Fi network, and the second network is a cellular network, and the computer executable code to disconnect the mobile phone from the Wi-Fi network.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 20, 2025
From: LENOVO PC INTERNATIONAL LIMITED
To: LENOVO SWITZERLAND INTERNATIONAL GMBH
Reel/Frame 070269/0092 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 19, 2025
From: LENOVO (SINGAPORE) PTE LTD.
To: LENOVO PC INTERNATIONAL LIMITED
Reel/Frame 070266/0906 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 5, 2021
From: WANG, MENGNAN; LOCKER, HOWARD; CROMER, DARYL C.; NICHOLSON, JOHN W.
To: LENOVO (SINGAPORE) PTE. LTD.
Reel/Frame 056139/0862 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220361079A1 · Nov 10, 2022