PREFERRED SYSTEM SELECTION ENHANCEMENTS FOR MULTI-MODE WIRELESS SYSTEMS

• US 20100015978A1
• Filed: 04/14/2009
• Published: 01/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Swaminathan, Arvind, Balasubramanian, Srinivasan, Yoon, Young C.
• Granted Patent: US 8,989,733 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/435.300
• 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 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data
• 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

Systems and methodologies are described that facilitate improved multi-mode system selection in a wireless communication system. As described herein, various techniques can be utilized to synthesize system databases corresponding to disparate groups of radio access technologies (RATs), such as a Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) list and/or a Preferred Roaming List (PRL), with one or more overlay databases and associated location information to generate a multi-mode list of preferred systems. As described herein, a preferred system listing can be constructed to leverage fine granularity of information in one or more databases while still supporting databases with coarser information. Techniques are additionally described herein for augmenting and/or grouping one or more overlay databases to facilitate a higher available granularity of information for various RATs than that provided in system databases corresponding to the RATs. Techniques are additionally provided for automated generation of preferred system listing based on changes to observed location.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

identifying one or more locations associated with a wireless communication environment;

obtaining a set of system listing information and a set of associated system priority information;

filtering the system listing information with respect to the one or more identified locations; and

creating a multi-mode list of preferred systems corresponding to the one or more identified locations at least in part by applying the system priority information to the filtered system listing information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of associated system priority information comprises at least one Multi-Mode System Selection (MMSS) System Priority List (MSPL) that includes system priority rules for one or more system types and at least one MMSS Location Priority List (MLPL) that relates a communication system to a corresponding MSPL.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the set of system listing information comprises a Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) list and a Preferred Roaming List (PRL).

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the PLMN list comprises an Equivalent Home PLMN (EHPLMN) list and an Operator PLMN (OPLMN) list and the EHPLMN list and OPLMN list respectively comprise records of systems identified by Mobile Country Code (MCC) and Mobile Network Code (MNC).

5. The method of claim 4, wherein:

the filtering further comprises generating a location group at least in part by selecting listings from the EHPLMN list and the OPLMN list having respective MCCs that match that of an identified location and selecting listings from the PRL corresponding to a geo-spatial location (GEO) that matches that of the identified location; and

the method further comprises assigning priority levels to respective entries in the location group as a function of position within the location group at least in part by applying a home priority level to first PLMN list and PRL entries in the location group, a preferred priority level to second PLMN list and PRL entries in the location group, and one or more a priority levels to respective other PLMN list and PRL entries in the location group.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

identifying respective MLPL records corresponding to a common location group; and

assigning a common group identifier to the identified MLPL records.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the creating comprises:

identifying priority groups comprising respective subsets of filtered system listing information, the priority groups corresponding to at least a home priority class, a preferred priority class, and one or more additional priority classes; and

interleaving the respective priority groups using the obtained set of system priority information.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the obtained set of system priority information specifies a priority order for system classes defined at least in part by one or more of radio access technology (RAT) or subnet identifier and the interleaving comprises interleaving the respective priority groups according to the system priority order specified by the obtained set of system priority information.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the system listing information comprises a PRL containing entries associated with respective communication networks and subnets associated with the respective communication networks.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the system priority information or the system listing information includes supplementary information comprising at least one of access technology data, air interface technology data, or acquisition data.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising augmenting at least a portion of the created multi-mode list of preferred systems with the supplemental information.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying comprises identifying a location for which a multi-mode list of preferred systems has not been created and the filtering and creating are automated to create a multi-mode list of preferred systems for the identified location.

13. A wireless communications apparatus, comprising:

a memory that stores data relating to one or more locations, one or more system listing databases, and related system priority information; and

a processor configured to prune the one or more system listing databases with respect to the one or more locations and to create a multi-mode preferred system listing by applying the system priority information to the pruned system listing databases.

14. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 13, wherein the system priority information comprises at least one Multi-Mode System Selection (MMSS) System Priority List (MSPL) that includes system priority rules for one or more system types and at least one MMSS Location Priority List (MLPL) that relates a communication system to a corresponding MSPL.

15. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 14, wherein the one or more system listing databases comprise a Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) list and a Preferred Roaming List (PRL).

16. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 15, wherein:

the PLMN list comprises an Equivalent Home PLMN (EHPLMN) list and an Operator PLMN (OPLMN) list and the EHPLMN list and OPLMN list respectively comprise records of systems identified by Mobile Country Code (MCC) and Mobile Network Code (MNC); and

the PRL comprises records of respective systems in relation to locations at which the systems are located.

17. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 16, wherein the processor is further configured to create a location group by selecting listings from the EHPLMN list and the OPLMN list having respective MCCs that match that of the one or more locations and selecting listings from the PRL corresponding to a location that matches the one or more locations and to assign priority levels to respective entries in location group as a function of position within the location group.

18. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 17, wherein the processor is further configured to assign a HOME priority level to a first PLMN entry and a first PRL entry in the location group, to assign a PREF priority level to a second PLMN entry and a second PRL entry in the location group, and to assign at least one additional priority level to one or more other entries in the location group.

19. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 17, wherein the processor is further configured to identify MLPL records corresponding to a common location group and to assign a group identifier to the identified MLPL records.

20. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to create the multi-mode preferred system listing at least in part by identifying priority groups from one or more pruned system listing databases and interleaving the respective priority groups using the system priority information.

21. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 20, wherein the system priority information specifies a priority order for system types defined at least in part as a function of radio access technology (RAT) or subnet identifier, and the processor is further configured to interleave the respective priority groups according to the priority order.

22. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 21, wherein the one or more system listing databases comprise a PRL containing entries associated with respective communication networks and subnets associated with the respective communication networks.

23. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to identify a location for which a multi-mode preferred system listing has not been created and to automate creation of a multi-mode preferred system listing for the identified location.

24. An apparatus operable in a wireless communication system, the apparatus comprising:

means for determining one or more locations within a wireless communication environment;

means for obtaining system listing data and system prioritization data; and

means for creating a multi-mode list of preferred systems at least in part by pruning the system listing data according to the system prioritization data and the one or more determined locations.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the system prioritization data comprises at least one Multi-Mode System Selection (MMSS) Location Priority List (MLPL) record and at least one MMSS System Priority List (MSPL).

26. The apparatus of claim 25, further comprising:

means for identifying priority level information in the at least one MSPL, wherein the priority level information is expressed in terms of at least one of system type or network operator; and

means for identifying respective relationships between communication systems and corresponding MSPLs in the at least one MLPL record.

27. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the system listing data comprises a Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) list that includes an Equivalent Home PLMN (EHPLMN) list and an Operator PLMN (OPLMN) list that each respectively comprise records of systems identified by Mobile Country Code (MCC) and Mobile Network Code (MNC) and a Preferred Roaming List (PRL) that comprises records of systems in relation to geo-spatial locations (GEOs) at which the systems reside.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the means for creating comprises:

means for generating a location group by selecting listings from the EHPLMN list and the OPLMN list having respective MCCs that match that of the one or more locations and selecting listings from the PRL corresponding to a GEO that matches that of the one or more locations; and

means for assigning priority levels corresponding to the at least one MSPL to respective entries in the location group as a function of position within the location group, wherein the priority levels comprise at least a first priority level applied to first PLMN list and PRL entries in a location group, a second priority level applied to second PLMN list and PRL entries in the location group, and one or more third priority levels applied to respective other entries in the location group.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, further comprising means for assigning a group identifier to respective MLPL records corresponding to a common location group.

30. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the system prioritization data specifies a priority order for system classes defined at least in part by one or more of radio access technology (RAT) or subnet identifier and the means for creating comprises:

means for identifying priority groups comprising respective subsets of filtered system listing data; and

means for interleaving the respective priority groups according to the priority order specified by the system prioritization data.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the system listing data comprises a PRL that comprises entries associated with respective communication networks and subnets associated with the respective communication networks.

32. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the means for identifying location information comprises means for identifying a location of the apparatus and the apparatus further comprises:

means for determining whether a multi-mode list of preferred systems corresponding to the location of the apparatus has been created; and

means for automating creation of a multi-mode list of preferred systems for the location of the apparatus upon determining that a multi-mode list of preferred systems corresponding to the location of the apparatus has not been created.

33. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer-readable medium, comprising;

code for causing a computer to identify one or more locations of interest within a wireless communication environment;

code for causing a computer to obtain system listing information and system priority information;

code for causing a computer to filter the system listing information with respect to the one or more locations of interest; and

code for causing a computer to apply the system priority information to the filtered system listing information.

34. The computer program product of claim 33, wherein the system listing information comprises at least one of a Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) list or a Preferred Roaming List (PRL) and the system priority information comprises at least one of a Multi-Mode System Selection (MMSS) Location Priority List (MLPL) containing at least one record or a MMSS System Priority List (MSPL).

35. The computer program product of claim 34, wherein the computer-readable medium further comprises:

code for causing a computer to identify priority level information in an MSPL, wherein the priority level information is expressed in terms of at least one of radio access technology (RAT) or network operator; and

code for causing a computer to identify respective relationships between communication systems and corresponding MSPLs in at least one record of an MLPL.

36. The computer program product of claim 35, wherein the system listing information comprises a PLMN list and a PRL, the PLMN list includes an Equivalent Home PLMN (EHPLMN) list and an Operator PLMN (OPLMN) list that each respectively comprise records of systems identified by Mobile Country Code (MCC) and Mobile Network Code (MNC), and the PRL includes records of systems in relation to respective geographic locations.

37. The computer program product of claim 36, wherein:

the code for causing a computer to filter comprises code for causing a computer to create a location group using the PLMN list and the PRL at least in part by selecting listings from the EHPLMN list and the OPLMN list having respective MCCs that match that of the one or more locations of interest and selecting listings from the PRL that are associated with a geographic location that matches one or more of the locations of interest; and

the code for causing a computer to apply the system priority information comprises code for causing a computer to assign priority levels corresponding to a MSPL to respective entries associated with the location group as a function of position within the location group, wherein the priority levels comprise at least a first priority level applied to first PLMN list and PRL entries in a location group, a second priority level applied to second PLMN list and PRL entries in the location group, and one or more third priority levels applied to respective other entries in the location group.

38. The computer program product of claim 37, further comprising code for causing a computer to assign a group identifier to respective MLPL records corresponding to a common location group.

39. The computer program product of claim 33, wherein the system priority information specifies a priority order for system classes defined at least in part by one or more of radio access technology (RAT) or subnet identifier.

40. The computer program product of claim 33, wherein the system listing information comprises a PRL that comprises entries associated with respective communication networks and subnets associated with the respective communication networks.

41. The computer program product of claim 33, wherein the code for causing a computer to apply the system priority information comprises:

code for causing a computer to organize filtered system listing information into respective priority groups; and

code for causing a computer to interleave the respective priority groups in an order specified by the system priority information.

42. An integrated circuit that executes computer-executable instructions, the instructions comprising:

identifying one or more locations of interest, one or more system listing databases, and one or more system priority databases;

pruning the one or more system listing databases with respect to the one or more locations of interest; and

creating a multi-mode preferred system listing by applying information in the one or more system priority databases to respective pruned system listing databases.

43. The integrated circuit of claim 42, wherein the system listing databases comprise at least one of a Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) list or a Preferred Roaming List (PRL) and the system priority databases comprise at least one of a Multi-Mode System Selection (MMSS) Location Priority List (MLPL) or a MMSS System Priority List (MSPL).

44. The integrated circuit of claim 43, wherein the instructions further comprise:

identifying priority level information in an MSPL, wherein the priority level information is expressed in terms of at least one of radio access technology (RAT) or network operator; and

identifying relationships between communication systems and corresponding MSPLs in at least one record of an MLPL.

45. The integrated circuit of claim 44, wherein the system listing databases comprise a PLMN list and a PRL, the PLMN list includes an Equivalent Home PLMN (EHPLMN) list and an Operator PLMN (OPLMN) list configured such that the EHPLMN list and the OPLMN list respectively comprise records of systems identified by Mobile Country Code (MCC) and Mobile Network Code (MNC), and the PRL includes records of systems in relation to respective geographic locations.

46. The integrated circuit of claim 45, wherein:

the pruning comprises creating a location group at least in part by selecting listings from the EHPLMN list and the OPLMN list having respective MCCs that match that of the one or more locations of interest and selecting listings from the PRL that are associated with a geographic location that matches a location of interest; and

the creating comprises assigning priority levels corresponding to a MSPL to respective entries associated with the location group as a function of relative preference within the location group, wherein the priority levels comprise at least a first priority level applied to first PLMN list and PRL entries in a location group, a second priority level applied to second PLMN list and PRL entries in the location group, and one or more third priority levels applied to respective other entries in the location group.

47. The integrated circuit of claim 46, wherein the instructions further comprise assigning a group identifier to respective MLPL records corresponding to a common location group.

48. The integrated circuit of claim 42, wherein the system priority databases specify a priority order for respective system classes defined at least in part by one or more of radio access technology (RAT) or subnet identifier.

49. The integrated circuit of claim 42, wherein the system listing databases comprise a Preferred Roaming List (PRL) that contains entries associated with respective communication networks and subnets associated with the respective communication networks.

50. The integrated circuit of claim 42, wherein the creating comprises:

organizing information corresponding to filtered system listing databases into respective priority groups; and

interleaving the respective priority groups in an order determined by the one or more system priority databases.