METHOD FOR INTERACTIVE MOBILE NETWORK SELECTION

• US 20090215447A1
• Filed: 04/18/2005
• Published: 08/27/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telecom Italia S.p.A.
• Original Assignee: Telecom Italia S.p.A.
• Inventors: Mamino, Davide, Marchisio, Marco, Catalano, Giuseppe
• Granted Patent: US 8,391,857 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

Abstract

A method allows the selection of a user-preferred visited mobile network for a roaming mobile terminal of a subscriber of a home network. The method includes, at the home network, the steps of receiving information on the location of the roaming mobile terminal, and receiving from the roaming mobile terminal service information including at least a choice of a service and controlling the selection of the visited mobile network for the roaming mobile terminal on the basis of the received service information and location information.

Claims

1-32. -32. (canceled)

33. A method for allowing selection of a visited mobile network for a roaming mobile terminal of a subscriber of a home network, comprising, at the home network:

a. receiving information on the location of the roaming mobile terminal;

b. receiving from the roaming mobile terminal service information comprising at least a choice of a service; and

c. controlling the selection of the visited mobile network for the roaming mobile terminal on the basis of received service information and location information.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein, in the step of controlling the selection of the visited mobile network, the home network creates a prioritized list of visited mobile networks on the basis of the received service information, location information and information on said visited mobile networks possessed by the home network.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein, in the step of controlling the selection of the visited mobile network, the home network sends at least a portion of said prioritized list to the roaming mobile terminal.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein said portion of the prioritized list is suitable for use by the roaming mobile terminal for selecting said visited mobile network.

37. The method of claim 35, wherein said portion of the prioritized list is made available to a user of the roaming mobile terminal for selecting said visited mobile network.

38. The method of claim 33, wherein, in the step of controlling the selection of the visited mobile network, the home network sends to the roaming mobile terminal command information suitable for the registration of the roaming mobile terminal to the visited mobile network.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the command information comprises a refresh command for the mobile terminal.

40. The method of claim 33, wherein said service information further comprises at least a choice of a criterion for preference of the visited mobile network.

41. The method of claim 33, further comprising the following step:

the home network sends to the roaming mobile terminal a request for service information.

42. The method of claim 33, wherein the received service information comprises a service profile chosen by a user of the roaming mobile terminal from a list of predefined service profiles, said list being previously sent by the home network to the roaming mobile terminal.

43. The method of claim 33, wherein the received service information comprises a service profile created by a user of said roaming mobile terminal in interaction with the home network.

44. A method for selecting a visited mobile network for a roaming mobile terminal of a subscriber of a home network, comprising:

a. sending from the roaming mobile terminal to the home network service information comprising at least a choice of a service;

b. receiving at the roaming mobile terminal from the home network command information depending on the service information and on information on the location of the roaming mobile terminal; and

c. using said command information at the roaming mobile terminal for selecting the visited mobile network.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein said command information comprises a prioritized list of visited mobile networks created by the home network on the basis of the service information, the location information and information on said visited mobile networks possessed by the home network.

46. The method of claim 44, wherein said service information further comprises at least a choice of a criterion for preference of the visited mobile network.

47. The method of claim 44, wherein said service information comprises a service profile chosen by a user of the roaming mobile terminal from a list of predefined service profiles, said list being previously received at the roaming mobile terminal from the home network.

48. A mobile network comprising:

a unit adapted to monitor a signaling network connecting the mobile network to a roaming environment and to control the selection of a visited mobile network for a mobile terminal in said roaming environment;

a database comprising data on mobile networks within said roaming environment; and

an application server operatively connected to the database and to the unit, adapted to receive information on the location of the mobile terminal in the roaming environment, to receive from the mobile terminal in said roaming environment service information comprising at least a choice of a service and to instruct the unit to control the selection of the visited mobile network on the basis of the received location information and service information and of the data in the database.

49. The network of claim 48, wherein the application server is further adapted to create a prioritized list of the mobile networks within said roaming environment on the basis of the received location information and service information and of the data in the database.

50. The network of claim 49, wherein the unit is further adapted to send at least a portion of said prioritized list to the mobile terminal.

51. The network of claim 50, wherein said portion of the prioritized list is suitable for use by the mobile terminal for selecting said visited mobile network.

52. The network of claim 48, wherein the unit is further adapted to send to the mobile terminal command information suitable for the registration of the mobile terminal to the visited mobile network.

53. The network of claim 48, wherein said service information further comprises at least a choice of a criterion for preference of the visited mobile network.

54. The network of claim 48, wherein the application server is further adapted to send to the mobile terminal a request for service information.

55. The network of claim 48, wherein the application server is further adapted to send to the mobile terminal a list of predefined service profiles suitable for a choice by a user of the mobile terminal.

56. The network of claim 48, wherein the application server is further adapted to send to the mobile terminal one or more templates suitable for the creation by a user of the mobile terminal of a service profile.

57. The network of claim 48, wherein the mobile network comprises GSM or GPRS or UMTS networks.