Network access method and mobile communications terminal

• US 10,440,634 B2
• Filed: 03/22/2016
• Issued: 10/08/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Guangdong OPPO Mobile Telecommunications Corporation Limited
• Original Assignee: Guangdong OPPO Mobile Telecommunications Corporation Limited
• Inventors: Liu, Hai
• Primary Examiner(s): Elhag, Magdi
• Application Number:
  US15/329,380
• Publication Number:
  US 20170230896A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,295 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/10 using broadcasted information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/14 using user query or user detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Disclosed in the embodiments of the present invention are a network access method and a mobile communications terminal, comprising: first determining the current position of a mobile communications terminal; if the network identifier of the public land mobile network (PLMN) corresponding to said position has not been added to a pre-stored first equivalent public land mobile network (EPLMN) list, then scanning a Bluetooth low energy protocol broadcast channel; when a second EPLMN list published to said Bluetooth low energy protocol broadcast channel is detected by scanning, obtaining said second EPLMN list; if the network identifier of the PLMN corresponding to said position is added to said second EPLMN list, then lastly, accessing the network according to said second EPLMN list.

Claims

1. A method for accessing to a network, comprising:

using a mobile communication terminal having a processor and a memory storing a plurality of program instructions executed by the processor to determine a location of a mobile communication terminal;

using the processor to execute the plurality of program instructions to scan a Bluetooth low energy (BLE) protocol broadcast channel recorded in the mobile communication terminal if a network identity of a public land mobile network (PLMN) corresponding to the location is not included in a first equivalent public land mobile network (EPLMN) list stored in the memory, wherein the network identity includes network code;

using the processor to execute the plurality of program instructions to broadcast a request to share a second EPLMN list on the BLE protocol broadcast channel;

using the processor to execute the plurality of program instructions to extract the second EPLMN list including a plurality of network identities of PLMNs stored in another mobile communication terminal over the BLE protocol broadcast channel, wherein the second EPLMN list is a shared EPLMN list in response to a share request broadcast by the mobile communication terminal;

using the processor to execute the plurality of program instructions to add the plurality of network identities of PLMNs included in the second EPLMN list to the first PLMN list; and

using the processor to execute the plurality of program instructions to access to the network based on the second EPLMN list if the second EPLMN is added with the network identity of the PLMN corresponding to the location, wherein the first EPLMN list and the second EPLMN list comprise equivalent PLMNs deployed by different operators, and the equivalent PLMNs stored in the first EPLMN list and the plurality of network identities of PLMNs from the second EPLMN list have a same priority during network searching;

using the processor to execute the plurality of program instructions to output a reminder message to remind the user, of a time needed to connect to the network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of using the processor to execute the plurality of program instructions to extract the second EPLMN list including the plurality of network identities of PLMNs stored in another mobile communication terminal over the BLE protocol broadcast channel comprises:

using the processor to execute the plurality of program instructions to extract the second EPLMN list when the second EPLMN list released on the BLE protocol broadcast channel by another mobile communication terminal in response to the share request is detected.

3. A mobile communication terminal, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory connected with the processor, the memory storing a plurality of program instructions executable by the processor, the plurality of program instructions comprising;

a determining unit, configured to cause the processor to determine a location of the mobile communication terminal;

a scanning unit, configured to cause the processor to scan a Bluetooth low energy (BLE) protocol broadcast channel recorded in the mobile communication terminal if a network identity of a public land mobile network (PLMN) corresponding to the location determined by the determining unit is not included in a first equivalent public land mobile network (EPLMN) list stored in the memory, wherein the network identity includes network code;

a broadcasting unit, configured to cause the processor to broadcast a request to share a second EPLMN list on the BLE protocol broadcast channel;

an extracting unit, configured to cause the processor to extract the second EPLMN list including a plurality of network identities of PLMNs stored in another mobile communication terminal over the BLE protocol broadcast channel, and add the plurality of network identities of PLMNs included in the second EPLMN list to the first PLMN list, wherein the second EPLMN list is a shared EPLMN list in response to a share request broadcast by the mobile communication terminal; and

an accessing unit, configured to cause the processor to access to the network based on the second EPLMN list if the second EPLMN is added with the network identity of the PLMN corresponding to the location, wherein the first EPLMN list and the second EPLMN list comprise equivalent PLMNs deployed by different operators, and the equivalent PLMNs stored in the first EPLMN list and the plurality of network identities of PLMNs from the second EPLMN list have a same priority during network searching;

an outputting unit, configured to cause the processor to output a reminder message to remind the user of a time needed to connect to the network.

4. The mobile communication terminal of claim 3, wherein the extracting unit is configured to cause the processor to extract the second EPLMN list when the second EPLMN released by another mobile communication terminal in response to the request to share the second EPLMN list on the BLE protocol broadcast channel is detected.

5. A mobile communication terminal comprising a processor and a memory configured to store program instructions,

wherein the processor executes the program instructions to determine a location of a mobile communication terminal;

the processor executes the program instructions to scan a Bluetooth low energy (BLE) protocol broadcast channel recorded in the mobile communication terminal if a network identity of a public land mobile network (PLMN) corresponding to the location is not included in a first equivalent public land mobile network (EPLMN) list stored in the memory,

wherein the network identity comprises a network code;

the processor executes the program instructions to broadcast a request to share a second EPLMN list on the BLE protocol broadcast channel;

the processor executes the program instructions to extract a second EPLMN list including a plurality of network identities of PLMNs stored in another mobile communication terminal over the BLE protocol broadcast channel,

wherein the second EPLMN list is a shared EPLMN list in response to a share request broadcast by the mobile communication terminal;

the processor executes the program instructions to add the plurality of network identities of PLMNs included in the second EPLMN list to the first PLMN list;

the processor executes the program instructions to access to the network based on the second EPLMN list if the second EPLMN is added with the network identity of the PLMN corresponding to the location, wherein the first EPLMN list and the second EPLMN list comprise equivalent PLMNs deployed by different operators, and the equivalent PLMNs stored in the first EPLMN list and the plurality of network identities of PLMNs from the second EPLMN list have a same priority during network searching;

the processor executes the program instructions to output a reminder message to remind the user of a time needed to connect to the network.

6. The mobile communication terminal of claim 5, wherein when the processor executes the program instructions to extract a second EPLMN list including a plurality of network identities of PLMNs stored in another mobile communication terminal over the BLE protocol broadcast channel, the processor executes the program instructions to extract the second EPLMN list when the second EPLMN list released on the BLE protocol broadcast channel by another mobile communication terminal in response to the share request is detected.