Cellular device and method for determining operation mode thereof

• US 10,681,536 B1
• Filed: 04/01/2019
• Issued: 06/09/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2019
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wistron NeWeb Corporation (Wistron Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Wistron NeWeb Corporation (Wistron Corporation)
• Inventors: Ye, Kuo-He, Yeh, Che-Fang, Wang, Tien-Chu
• Primary Examiner(s): Gelin, Jean A
• Application Number:
  US16/371,206
• Time in Patent Office: 435 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/183 Processing at user equipment or user record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/24 Transfer of terminal data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A method for determining an operation mode of a cellular device provides a first group cell identity obtaining step, a second group cell identity obtaining step and a group cell identity comparing step. The first group cell identity obtaining step includes configuring the cellular device to obtain at least one first group cell identity corresponding to a base station, and storing the at least one first group cell identity in a local list of the cellular device. The second group cell identity obtaining step includes configuring the cellular device to perform a scan procedure to obtain at least one second group cell identity. The group cell identity comparing step includes comparing the at least one first group cell identity with the at least one second group cell identity to determine the operation mode of the cellular device.

Claims

1. A method for determining an operation mode of a cellular device, comprising:

providing a first group cell identity obtaining step, wherein the first group cell identity obtaining step comprises configuring the cellular device to obtain a plurality of first group cell identities corresponding to a base station and storing the first group cell identities in a local list of the cellular device;

providing a second group cell identity obtaining step, wherein the second group cell identity obtaining step comprises configuring the cellular device to perform a scan procedure to obtain a plurality of second group cell identities; and

providing a group cell identity comparing step, wherein the cell identity comparing step comprises comparing the first group cell identities with the second group cell identities to determine the operation mode of the cellular device in a normal service mode or a limited service mode;

wherein the first group cell identities are obtained at a first time, the second group cell identities are obtained at a second time, and the second time is after the first time;

in response to determining that the first group cell identities are totally different from the second group cell identities, the cellular device enters the limited service mode; and

in response to determining that at least one of the first group cell identities is equal to one of the second group cell identities, the cellular device enters the normal service mode.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second group cell identity obtaining step further comprises:

checking whether the cellular device is in the limited service mode;

in response to determining that the cellular device is in the limited service mode over a predetermined period, the scan procedure is performed to obtain the second group cell identities.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein when the cellular device is in the normal service mode,

in response to determining that the first group cell identities comprise at least one different first group cell identity different from any one of the second group cell identities, a count of the at least one different first group cell identity is increased;

and

in response to determining that the second group cell identities comprise at least one different second group cell identity different from any one of the first group cell identities, the at least one different second group cell identity is added in the local list.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the cellular device supports a first radio access technology (RAT) and a second RAT, the first RAT is different from the second RAT, the first group cell identities comprise a first pre-scan group cell identity and a second pre-scan group cell identity, the first pre-scan group cell identity is corresponding to the first RAT, and the second pre-scan group cell identity is corresponding to the second RAT.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the second group cell identities comprise a first scan group cell identity and a second scan group cell identity, the first scan group cell identity is corresponding to the first RAT, and the second scan group cell identity is corresponding to the second RAT, when the cellular device operates in the first RAT, the group cell identity comparing step comprises comparing the first pre-scan group cell identity with the first scan group cell identity to determine the operation mode of cellular device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first group cell identity obtaining step further comprises:

checking whether the local list stored in the cellular device is empty, and in response to determining that the local list is empty, a pre-scan procedure is performed by the cellular device to obtain the first group cell identities corresponding to the base station.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the first group cell identity obtaining step further comprises:

in response to determining that the local list is not empty, checking whether a new subscriber identity module (SIM) card is inserted in the cellular device, and in response to determining that the new SIM card is inserted in the cellular device, the local list is emptied, and then the pre-scan procedure is performed to obtain the first group cell identities corresponding to the base station.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the first group cell identities and the second group cell identities comprises an evolved universal terrestrial radio access network (E-UTRAN) cell identity, a universal mobile telecommunication system (UMTS) cell identity or a location area code-global system for mobile communication (LAC-GSM) cell identity, the E-UTRAN cell identity has 28 bits, the UMTS cell identity has 28 bits, the LAC-GSM cell identity comprises a location area code (LAC) and a global system for mobile communications (GSM) cell identity, and the LAC-GSM cell identity has 32 bits.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein each of the first group cell identities and the second group cell identities further comprises a public land mobile network (PLMN) identity having a mobile country code (MCC) and a mobile network code (MNC).

10. A cellular device, comprising:

a memory; and

an application processor signally connected to the memory and configured to implement a method for determining an operation mode of the cellular device comprising;

providing a first group cell identity obtaining step, wherein the first group cell identity obtaining step comprises configuring the cellular device to obtain a plurality of first group cell identities corresponding to a base station and storing the first group cell identities in a local list of the cellular device;

providing a second group cell identity obtaining step, wherein the second group cell identity obtaining step comprises configuring the cellular device to perform a scan procedure to obtain a plurality of second group cell identities; and

providing a group cell identity comparing step, wherein the cell identity comparing step comprises comparing the first group cell identities with the second group cell identities to determine the operation mode in a normal service mode or a limited service mode;

wherein the first group cell identities are obtained at a first time, the second group cell identities are obtained at a second time, and the second time is after the first time;

in response to determining that the first group cell identities are totally different from the second group cell identities, the cellular device enters the limited service mode; and

in response to determining that one of the first group cell identities is equal to one of the second group cell identities, the cellular device enters the normal service mode.

11. The cellular device of claim 10, wherein each of the first group cell identities and the second group cell identities comprises an evolved universal terrestrial radio access network (E-UTRAN) cell identity, a universal mobile telecommunication system (UMTS) cell identity or a location area code-global system for mobile communication (LAC-GSM) cell identity, the E-UTRAN cell identity has 28 bits, the UMTS cell identity has 28 bits, the LAC-GSM cell identity comprises a location area code (LAC) and a global system for mobile communications (GSM) cell identity, and the LAC-GSM cell identity has 32 bits.

12. The cellular device of claim 11, wherein each of the first group cell identities and the second group cell identities further comprises a public land mobile network (PLMN) identity having a mobile country code (MCC) and a mobile network code (MNC).