Methods and apparatus for producing a user-controlled PLMN list for a SIM/USIM card with use of a user agent application

• US 20070254646A1
• Filed: 04/28/2006
• Published: 11/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Research In Motion Limited (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: Sokondar, Eniko
• Granted Patent: US 8,219,080 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/432.100
• 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

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for producing a user-controlled PLMN list for a SIM/USIM card with use of a user agent application are disclosed. Selection indication data corresponding to at least one of a plurality of network attribute type preferences is received at the user agent application. The selection indication data may be received through a user interface of the user equipment, a user application of the user equipment, or both. The at least one selected network attribute type preference is indicative of a preference to prioritize network selection based on at least one network attribute type of a plurality of network attributes types (e.g. cost, bandwidth, quality, number of available features, etc.). A list of network identifications associated with a plurality of wireless communication networks is ranked in accordance with a ranking of network attributes of the at least one selected network attribute type made available by the plurality of wireless communication networks. The ranked list of network identifications is then stored as a user-controlled PLMN list in the SIM/USIM. An automatic network selection process may then be performed with use of the user-controlled PLMN list. As apparent, network selection may be controlled and facilitated by the end user in a more conceptual fashion. Other additional and alternative advantageous features are described in the detailed description.

Claims

1. A method for producing a user-controlled list of prioritized roaming network identifications for use by a mobile equipment, the method comprising the acts of:

receiving selection indication data corresponding to at least one of a plurality of network attribute type preferences, the at least one selected network attribute type preference being indicative of a preference to prioritize network selection based on at least one network attribute type of a plurality of network attributes types;

producing a ranked list of network identifications; and

storing the ranked list of network identifications as a user-controlled list of prioritized roaming network identifications in a removable identity card associated with the mobile equipment.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of producing the ranked list network identifications comprises the further act of ranking a list of network identifications associated with a plurality of wireless communication networks in accordance with a ranking of network attributes of the at least one selected network attribute type made available by the plurality of wireless communication networks.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of storing comprises the further act of storing the ranked list of network identifications as a user-controlled public land mobile network (PLMN) list.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of storing comprises the further act of storing the ranked list of network identifications as a user-controlled public land mobile network (PLMN) list in an elementary file (EF) referred to as PLMNwAcT of a Universal Subscriber Identity Module (USIM).

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of receiving comprises the further act of receiving the selection indication data through a user interface of the mobile equipment.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of receiving comprises the further act of receiving the selection indication data from a user application of the mobile equipment.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of receiving comprises the further act of receiving the selection indication data through the user interface of the mobile equipment as well as from a user application of the mobile equipment.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a plurality of network attributes made available by each wireless communication network from a database.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein the act of producing the ranked list network identifications comprises the further act of ranking the list of network identifications further in accordance with a ranking of an existing user-controlled list of prioritized roaming network identifications stored in the removable identity card, and wherein the act of storing the ranked list of network identifications comprises the further act of replacing the existing user-controlled list of prioritized roaming network identifications on the removable identity card.

10. Mobile equipment, comprising:

a wireless transceiver;

a processor coupled to the wireless transceiver;

a removable identity card interface coupled to the processor;

the removable identity card being adapted to store a home network identification, a user-controlled list of prioritized roaming network identifications, and an operator-controlled list of prioritized roaming network identifications;

the processor being adapted to produce the user-controlled list of prioritized roaming network by;

receiving selection indication data corresponding to at least one of a plurality of network attribute type preferences, the at least one selected network attribute type preference being indicative of a preference to prioritize network selection based on at least one network attribute type of a plurality of network attributes types;

ranking, by the processor, a list of network identifications associated with a plurality of wireless communication networks in accordance with a ranking of network attributes of the at least one selected network attribute type made available by the plurality of wireless communication networks, for thereby producing a ranked list of network identifications;

causing, by the processor, the ranked list of network identifications to be stored as a user-controlled list of prioritized roaming network identifications in the removable identity card; and

performing, by the processor and the wireless transceiver, an automatic network selection process with use of the user-controlled list of prioritized roaming network identifications.

11. The mobile equipment of claim 10, wherein the processor is further operative cause the ranked list of network identifications to be stored as the user-controlled public land mobile network (PLMN) list in an elementary file (EF) referred to as PLMNwAcT of a Universal Integrated Circuit Card (UICC) having a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) or Universal Subscriber Identity Module (USIM).

12. The mobile equipment of claim 10, wherein the processor is further operative to receive the selection indication data through a user interface of the mobile equipment.

13. The mobile equipment of claim 10, wherein the processor is further operative to receive the selection indication data from a user application of the mobile equipment.

14. The mobile equipment of claim 10, wherein the processor is further operative to receive the selection indication data through the user interface of the mobile equipment as well as from a user application of the mobile equipment.

15. The mobile equipment of claim 10, wherein the processor is further operative to receive, through the wireless transceiver, a plurality of network attributes made available by each wireless communication network from a database.

16. A removable identity card for a mobile equipment, the removable identity card comprising:

a memory;

a file for storing a home network identification in the memory;

a file for storing a user-controlled list of prioritized roaming network identifications in the memory;

a file for storing an operator-controlled list of prioritized roaming network identifications in the memory; and

wherein the user-controlled list of prioritized roaming network identifications is produced by the process of;

receiving selection indication data corresponding to at least one of a plurality of network attribute type preferences, the at least one selected network attribute type preference being indicative of a preference to prioritize network selection based on at least one network attribute type of a plurality of network attributes types;

ranking a list of network identifications associated with a plurality of wireless communication networks in accordance with a ranking of network attributes of the at least one selected network attribute type made available by the plurality of wireless communication networks, for thereby producing a ranked list of network identifications; and

causing the ranked list of network identifications to be stored as the user-controlled list of prioritized roaming network identifications.

17. The removable identity card of claim 16, wherein each network identification comprises a Mobile Network Code and a Mobile Country Code.

18. The removable identity card of claim 16, wherein each network identification corresponds to a Public Land Mobile Network.

19. The removable identity card of claim 16, wherein the user-controlled list of prioritized roaming network identifications comprise a user-controlled public land mobile network (PLMN) list.

20. The removable identity card of claim 16 which comprises a Universal Integrated Circuit Card (UICC), and wherein the file for storing the user-controlled list of prioritized roaming network identifications comprises an elementary file (EF) referred to as PLMNwAcT of a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) or Universal Subscriber Identity Module (USIM) for storing a user-controlled public land mobile network (PLMN) list.

21. The removable identity card of claim 16, wherein the act of receiving comprises the further act of receiving the selection indication data through a user interface of the mobile equipment.

22. The removable identity card of claim 16, wherein the act of receiving comprises the further act of receiving the selection indication data from a user application of the mobile equipment.

23. The removable identity card of claim 16, wherein the act of receiving comprises the further act of receiving the selection indication data through the user interface of the mobile equipment as well as from a user application of the mobile equipment.

24. A method for selecting a network by a mobile equipment, the method comprising the acts of:

receiving selection indication data corresponding to at least one of a plurality of network attribute type preferences, the at least one selected network attribute type preference being indicative of a preference to prioritize network selection based on at least one network attribute type of a plurality of network attributes types;

producing a ranked list of network identifications;

storing the ranked list of network identifications as a user-controlled list of prioritized roaming network identifications in a removable identity card associated with the mobile equipment, and

performing an automatic network selection process with use of the user-controlled list of prioritized roaming network identifications.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the act of producing the ranked list network identifications comprises the further act of ranking a list of network identifications associated with a plurality of wireless communication networks in accordance with a ranking of network attributes of the at least one selected network attribute type made available by the plurality of wireless communication networks.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the act of storing comprises the further act of storing the ranked list of network identifications as a user-controlled public land mobile network (PLMN) list.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein the act of storing comprises the further act of storing the ranked list of network identifications as a user-controlled public land mobile network (PLMN) list in an elementary file (EF) for PLMNwAcT of a Universal Subscriber Identity Module (USIM).

28. The method of claim 24, wherein the act of receiving comprises the further act of receiving the selection indication data through a user interface of the mobile equipment.

29. The method of claim 24, wherein the act of receiving comprises the further act of receiving the selection indication data from a user application of the mobile equipment.

30. The method of claim 24, wherein the act of receiving comprises the further act of receiving the selection indication data through the user interface of the mobile equipment as well as from a user application of the mobile equipment.

31. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

receiving a plurality of network attributes made available by each wireless communication network from a database.

32. The method of claim 24, wherein the act of producing the ranked list network identifications comprises the further act of ranking the list of network identifications further in accordance with a ranking of an existing user-controlled list of prioritized roaming network identifications stored in the removable identity card, and wherein the act of storing the ranked list of network identifications comprises the further act of replacing the existing user-controlled list of prioritized roaming network identifications on the removable identity card.