Roaming agreements in a wideband wireless system
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- determining that a terminal is connected to an access provider; and
sending to the terminal from the terminal'"'"'s home service provider a list of access providers and a list of service providers, wherein the list of access providers indicates preferences of the listed access providers relative to one another and the list of service providers indicates preferences of the listed service providers relative to one another.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A terminal'"'"'s home network service provider H-NSP determines that the terminal is connected to an access provider, and sends to the terminal a list of access providers and a list of service providers. The list of access providers indicates the H-NSP'"'"'s preferences of the listed access providers relative to one another, and the list of service providers indicates the H-NSP'"'"'s preferences of the listed service providers relative to one another. The terminal receives the list and connects to an access provider and a service provider according to the preferences indicated. Methods, apparatus, and software/hardware/firmware is detailed for implementing these aspects, from the H-NSP, V-NSP and terminal'"'"'s perspectives. Much additional information is described that may be included in the preference lists according to various embodiments, and the invention is particularly advantageous for use in a WiMAX system.
21 Citations
41 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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determining that a terminal is connected to an access provider; and sending to the terminal from the terminal'"'"'s home service provider a list of access providers and a list of service providers, wherein the list of access providers indicates preferences of the listed access providers relative to one another and the list of service providers indicates preferences of the listed service providers relative to one another. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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- 8. An apparatus comprising a processor executing a program stored in a memory that operate to determine that a terminal is connected to an access provider, and to send to the terminal a list of access providers and a list of service providers, wherein the list of access providers indicates preferences of the listed access providers relative to one another and the list of service providers indicates preferences of the listed service providers relative to one another.
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15. A method comprising:
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receiving a list of access providers and a list of service providers, wherein the list of access providers indicates preferences by a terminal'"'"'s home service provider of the listed access providers relative to one another and the list of service providers indicates preferences by the terminal'"'"'s home service provider of the listed service providers relative to one another; and connecting to an available access provider and to an available service provider according to the indicated preferences. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. An apparatus comprising:
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a receiver configured to receive a list of access providers and a list of service providers, wherein the list of access providers indicates preferences by a terminal'"'"'s home service provider of the listed access providers relative to one another and the list of service providers indicates preferences by the terminal'"'"'s home service provider of the listed service providers relative to one another; and a transmitter, processor and a memory that with the receiver are configured to connect to an available access provider and to an available service provider according to the indicated preferences. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. A computer readable memory embodying a program of machine-readable instructions executable by a digital data processor to perform actions directed toward connecting to a preferred access provider and to a preferred service provider, the actions comprising:
in response to receiving a list of access providers and a list of service providers, wherein the list of access providers indicates preferences by a terminal'"'"'s home service provider of the listed access providers relative to one another and the list of service providers indicates preferences by the terminal'"'"'s home service provider of the listed service providers relative to one another, connecting to an available access provider and to an available service provider according to the indicated preferences.
Specification