Methods and apparatus for proactively switching between available networks

Abstract

Methods and apparatus allow a mobile device to proactively switch to a new network by using quality of connection information and the rate of change of the received signal strength indication (RSSI) to proactively switch from a first network, such as a WiFi network, to the new network, such as another WiFi network or a cellular network. For example, the mobile device determines a rate of change of the RSSI for the first network. Based on the rate of change of the RSSI, the mobile device predicts when the RSSI of the network is beyond a quality threshold. Based on the prediction, the mobile device switches from the first network to a second network. In another example, the method and device uses a quality of connection of the first network connection to determine when to switch from a first network connection to a second network connection.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method when executed on data processing hardware causes the data processing hardware to perform operations, the operations comprising:
 establishing a network connection between a user device and a web server using a first network connection provided by a first access point among a plurality of access points of a network system;   determining that a first quality of connection for the first network connection fails to satisfy a threshold value, the first quality of connection for the first network connection based on a first received signal strength indicator (RSSI) of the first access point;   in response to determining that the first quality of connection for the first network connection fails to satisfy the threshold value, identifying a second network connection provided by a second access point among the plurality of access points of the network system;   determining that a second quality of connection for the second network connection satisfies the threshold value, the second quality of connection based on a second RSSI of the second access point; and   in response to determining that the second quality of connection for the second network connection satisfies the threshold value, switching the network connection between the user device and the web server from the first network connection to the second network connection.   
     
     
         2 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the first network connection comprises a Wi-Fi network connection and the second network connection comprises a cellular network connection. 
     
     
         3 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the first network connection comprises a cellular network connection and the second network connection comprises a Wi-Fi network connection. 
     
     
         4 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the first network connection comprises a first Wi-Fi network connection and the second network connection comprises a second Wi-Fi network connection. 
     
     
         5 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the user device comprises a mobile device. 
     
     
         6 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 comparing the first RSSI of the first access point to the second RSSI of the second access point; and   determining that the second RSSI of the second access point exceeds the first RSSI of the first access point by a switching threshold,   wherein switching the network connection between the user device and the web server from the first network connection to the second network connection is based on the determining that the second RSSI of the second access point exceeds the first RSSI of the first access point by the switching threshold.   
     
     
         7 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein determining each quality of connection for the first quality of connection and the second quality of connection comprises determining a number of successful packet transmissions or a number of failed packet transmissions. 
     
     
         8 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein determining each quality of connection for the first quality of connection and the second quality of connection comprises determining a number of successful packet receptions or a number of failed packet receptions. 
     
     
         9 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein determining each quality of connection for the first quality of connection and the second quality of connection comprises determining a first rate of change for the first RSSI of the first access point and a second rate of change for the second RSSI of the second access point. 
     
     
         10 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 9 , wherein determining each rate of change for the first rate of change and the second rate of change further comprises determining whether the respective rate of change is positive or negative. 
     
     
         11 . A system comprising:
 data processing hardware; and   memory hardware in communication with the data processing hardware, the memory hardware storing instructions that when executed on the data processing hardware cause the data processing hardware to perform operations comprising:
 establishing a network connection between a user device and a web server using a first network connection provided by a first access point among a plurality of access points of a network system; 
 determining that a first quality of connection for the first network connection fails to satisfy a threshold value, the first quality of connection for the first network connection based on a first received signal strength indicator (RSSI) of the first access point; 
 in response to determining that the first quality of connection for the first network connection fails to satisfy the threshold value, identifying a second network connection provided by a second access point among the plurality of access points of the network system; 
 determining that a second quality of connection for the second network connection satisfies the threshold value, the second quality of connection based on a second RSSI of the second access point; and 
 in response to determining that the second quality of connection for the second network connection satisfies the threshold value, switching the network connection between the user device and the web server from the first network connection to the second network connection. 
   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the first network connection comprises a Wi-Fi network connection and the second network connection comprises a cellular network connection. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the first network connection comprises a cellular network connection and the second network connection comprises a Wi-Fi network connection. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the first network connection comprises a first Wi-Fi network connection and the second network connection comprises a second Wi-Fi network connection. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the user device comprises a mobile device. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 comparing the first RSSI of the first access point to the second RSSI of the second access point; and   determining that the second RSSI of the second access point exceeds to the first RSSI of the first access point by a switching threshold,   wherein switching the network connection between the user device and the web server from the first network connection to the second network connection is based on the determining that the second RSSI of the second access point exceeds the first RSSI of the first access point by the switching threshold.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein determining each quality of connection for the first quality of connection and the second quality of connection comprises determining a number of successful packet transmissions or a number of failed packet transmissions. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein determining each quality of connection for the first quality of connection and the second quality of connection comprises determining a number of successful packet receptions or a number of failed packet receptions. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein determining each quality of connection for the first quality of connection and the second quality of connection comprises determining a first rate of change for the for the first RSSI of the first access point and a second rate of change for the second RSSI of the second access point. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein determining each rate of change for the first rate of change and the second rate of change further comprises determining whether the respective rate of change is positive or negative.