SWITCHING WIRELESS NETWORK SELECTION MODES IN CONJUNCTION WITH SELECTION OF A WIRELESS CELL SET

• US 20100113020A1
• Filed: 10/30/2009
• Published: 05/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Deshpande, Manoj M., Tenny, Nathan E., Subramanian, Ramachandran, Song, Osok, Singh, Damanjit, Horn, Gavin B.
• Granted Patent: US 9,288,747 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/435.200
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service

Abstract

An access terminal may switch to a different mode of wireless network selection as a result of manual selection of a wireless cell set (e.g., a closed subscriber group) associated with one or more wireless cells. For example, if the user of an access terminal selects a closed subscriber group in a wireless network that is different than the current wireless network, the access terminal may enter a manual mode of wireless network selection, select the wireless network corresponding to the closed subscriber group, and register on a closed subscriber group cell in the selected wireless network. In addition, an access terminal may automatically switch to a different mode of wireless network selection (e.g., the prior mode) upon losing coverage of a wireless cell set. An access terminal may also automatically select a cell of a wireless cell set if the access terminal returns to a cell of the cell set within a defined period of time after losing coverage of the cell set. Furthermore, an access terminal may return to a prior wireless network upon losing coverage of a wireless cell set.

Claims

1. A method of communication, comprising:

selecting a cell advertising a closed subscriber group;

identifying a wireless network associated with the selected cell;

switching from a first mode of wireless network selection to a second mode of wireless network selection as a result of the identification of the wireless network; and

registering at the identified wireless network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the switching is performed as a result of a determination that the identified wireless network is different than a currently registered wireless network.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein:

the identified wireless network comprises a visited wireless network; and

the currently registered network comprises a home wireless network.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the switching is performed as a result of a determination that the identified wireless network is different than a currently preferred wireless network.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein:

the identified wireless network comprises a visited wireless network; and

the currently preferred network comprises a home wireless network.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the identified wireless network comprises a public land mobile network.

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

scanning for available cells advertising at least one closed subscriber group;

displaying a list comprising at least one identifier corresponding to the available cells advertising at least one closed subscriber group; and

selecting one of the available cells based on an indication from a user input device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first mode of wireless network selection comprises an automatic mode of public land mobile network selection.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the second mode of wireless network selection comprises a manual mode of public land mobile network selection.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the first mode of wireless network selection is defined to be used when camping on a macro cell; and

the second mode of wireless network selection is defined to be used when camping on a closed subscriber group cell.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the selection of the cell results in camping on the cell, the method further comprising:

maintaining a record of the first mode of wireless network selection;

determining that the camping on the cell or camping on another cell of the closed subscriber group has ceased; and

returning to the first mode of wireless network selection identified by the record based on the determination.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising selecting the cell or another cell of the closed subscriber group for establishing communication if wireless coverage of the cell or the another cell is entered within a defined period of time after the determination that that camping on the cell or the another cell of the closed subscriber group has ceased.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the establishment of communication comprises accessing the cell or the another cell or camping on the cell or the another cell to receive at least one of the group consisting of:

pages, data, and broadcast information.

14. An apparatus for communication, comprising:

a cell selector configured to select a cell advertising a closed subscriber group;

a network selector configured to identify a wireless network associated with the selected cell, and further configured to switch from a first mode of wireless network selection to a second mode of wireless network selection as a result of the identification of the wireless network; and

a communication controller configured to register at the identified wireless network.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the switching is performed as a result of a determination that the identified wireless network is different than a currently registered wireless network.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein:

the identified wireless network comprises a visited wireless network; and

the currently registered network comprises a home wireless network.

17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the selection of the cell comprises:

scanning for available cells advertising at least one closed subscriber group;

displaying a list comprising at least one identifier corresponding to the available cells advertising at least one closed subscriber group; and

selecting one of the available cells based on an indication from a user input device.

18. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein:

the first mode of wireless network selection comprises an automatic mode of public land mobile network selection; and

the second mode of wireless network selection comprises a manual mode of public land mobile network selection.

19. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein:

the selection of the cell results in camping on the cell;

the network selector is further configured to maintain a record of the first mode of wireless network selection;

the communication controller is further configured to determine that the camping on the cell or camping on another cell of the closed subscriber group has ceased; and

the network selector is further configured to return to the first mode of wireless network selection identified by the record based on the determination.

20. An apparatus for communication, comprising:

means for selecting a cell advertising a closed subscriber group;

means for identifying a wireless network associated with the selected cell;

means for switching from a first mode of wireless network selection to a second mode of wireless network selection as a result of the identification of the wireless network; and

means for registering at the identified wireless network.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the switching is performed as a result of a determination that the identified wireless network is different than a currently registered wireless network.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein:

the identified wireless network comprises a visited wireless network; and

the currently registered network comprises a home wireless network.

23. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the selection of the cell comprises:

scanning for available cells advertising at least one closed subscriber group;

displaying a list comprising at least one identifier corresponding to the available cells advertising at least one closed subscriber group; and

selecting one of the available cells based on an indication from a user input device.

24. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein:

the first mode of wireless network selection comprises an automatic mode of public land mobile network selection; and

the second mode of wireless network selection comprises a manual mode of public land mobile network selection.

25. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein:

the selection of the cell results in camping on the cell;

the apparatus further comprises means for maintaining a record of the first mode of wireless network selection;

the apparatus further comprises means for determining that the camping on the cell or camping on another cell of the closed subscriber group has ceased; and

the means for switching is configured to return to the first mode of wireless network selection identified by the record based on the determination.

26. A computer-program product, comprising:

computer-readable medium comprising code for causing a computer to;

select a cell advertising a closed subscriber group;

identify a wireless network associated with the selected cell;

switch from a first mode of wireless network selection to a second mode of wireless network selection as a result of the identification of the wireless network; and

register at the identified wireless network.

27. The computer-program product of claim 26, wherein the switching is performed as a result of a determination that the identified wireless network is different than a currently registered wireless network.

28. The computer-program product of claim 27, wherein:

the identified wireless network comprises a visited wireless network; and

the currently registered network comprises a home wireless network.

29. The computer-program product of claim 26, wherein the selection of the cell comprises:

scanning for available cells advertising at least one closed subscriber group;

displaying a list comprising at least one identifier corresponding to the available cells advertising at least one closed subscriber group; and

selecting one of the available cells based on an indication from a user input device.

30. The computer-program product of claim 26, wherein:

the first mode of wireless network selection comprises an automatic mode of public land mobile network selection; and

the second mode of wireless network selection comprises a manual mode of public land mobile network selection.

31. The computer-program product of claim 26, wherein:

the selection of the cell results in camping on the cell;

the computer-readable medium further comprises code for causing the computer to maintain a record of the first mode of wireless network selection;

the computer-readable medium further comprises code for causing the computer to determine that the camping on the cell or camping on another cell of the closed subscriber group has ceased; and

the computer-readable medium further comprises code for causing the computer to return to the first mode of wireless network selection identified by the record based on the determination.

32. A method of communication, comprising:

determining that an access terminal is no longer camped on a cell of a closed subscriber group; and

switching from a first mode of wireless network selection to a second mode of wireless network selection as a result of the determination.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the first and second modes of wireless network selection comprise first and second modes of public land mobile network selection.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein the second mode of wireless network selection comprises a mode of wireless network selection used by the access terminal prior to camping on the cell of the closed subscriber group, the method further comprising maintaining a record of the second mode of wireless network selection for use during the switching.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the second mode of wireless network selection comprises an automatic mode of public land mobile network selection.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the first mode of wireless network selection comprises a manual mode of public land mobile network selection.

37. The method of claim 32, wherein:

the first mode of wireless network selection is defined to be used when camping on a closed subscriber group cell; and

the second mode of wireless network selection is defined to be used when camping on a macro cell.

38. The method of claim 32, wherein:

the cell is in a first wireless network; and

the switch from the first mode of wireless network selection to the second mode of wireless network selection is predicated on whether the access terminal cannot select another cell of the closed subscriber group that is in the first wireless network.

39. The method of claim 32, further comprising selecting the cell or another cell of the closed subscriber group for establishing communication if the access terminal enters wireless coverage of the cell or the another cell within a defined period of time after the access terminal is no longer camped on any cell of the closed subscriber group.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the establishment of communication comprises accessing the cell or the another cell or camping on the cell or the another cell to receive at least one of the group consisting of:

pages, data, and broadcast information.

41. The method of claim 39, wherein:

the second mode of wireless network selection comprises an automatic network selection mode; and

the access terminal switches from the second mode of wireless network selection to the first mode of wireless network selection as a result of the selection of the cell.

42. The method of claim 32, wherein camping on the cell comprises at least one of the group consisting of:

receiving pages from the cell, establishing communication with the cell, and decoding broadcast transmissions from the cell.

43. The method of claim 32, wherein:

the cell is on a visited wireless network; and

the access terminal camps on another cell on a home wireless network as a result of the switching.

44. An apparatus for communication, comprising:

a communication controller configured to determine that an access terminal is no longer camped on a cell of a closed subscriber group; and

a network selector configured to switch from a first mode of wireless network selection to a second mode of wireless network selection as a result of the determination.

45. The apparatus of claim 44, wherein the first and second modes of wireless network selection comprise first and second modes of public land mobile network selection.

46. The apparatus of claim 44, wherein:

the second mode of wireless network selection comprises a mode of wireless network selection used by the access terminal prior to camping on the cell of the closed subscriber group; and

the network selector is further configured to maintain a record of the second mode of wireless network selection for use during the switching.

47. The apparatus of claim 46, wherein:

the second mode of wireless network selection comprises an automatic mode of public land mobile network selection; and

the first mode of wireless network selection comprises a manual mode of public land mobile network selection.

48. The apparatus of claim 44, wherein:

the cell is on a visited wireless network; and

the access terminal camps on another cell on a home wireless network as a result of the switching.

49. An apparatus for communication, comprising:

means for determining that an access terminal is no longer camped on a cell of a closed subscriber group; and

means for switching from a first mode of wireless network selection to a second mode of wireless network selection as a result of the determination.

50. The apparatus of claim 49, wherein the first and second modes of wireless network selection comprise first and second modes of public land mobile network selection.

51. The apparatus of claim 49, wherein:

the second mode of wireless network selection comprises a mode of wireless network selection used by the access terminal prior to camping on the cell of the closed subscriber group; and

the apparatus further comprises means for maintaining a record of the second mode of wireless network selection for use during the switching.

52. The apparatus of claim 51, wherein:

the second mode of wireless network selection comprises an automatic mode of public land mobile network selection; and

the first mode of wireless network selection comprises a manual mode of public land mobile network selection.

53. The apparatus of claim 49, wherein:

the cell is on a visited wireless network; and

the access terminal camps on another cell on a home wireless network as a result of the switching.

54. A computer-program product, comprising:

computer-readable medium comprising code for causing a computer to;

determine that an access terminal is no longer camped on a cell of a closed subscriber group; and

switch from a first mode of wireless network selection to a second mode of wireless network selection as a result of the determination.

55. The computer-program product of claim 54, wherein the first and second modes of wireless network selection comprise first and second modes of public land mobile network selection.

56. The computer-program product of claim 54, wherein:

the second mode of wireless network selection comprises a mode of wireless network selection used by the access terminal prior to camping on the cell of the closed subscriber group; and

the computer-readable medium further comprises code for causing the computer to maintain a record of the second mode of wireless network selection for use during the switching.

57. The computer-program product of claim 56, wherein:

the second mode of wireless network selection comprises an automatic mode of public land mobile network selection; and

the first mode of wireless network selection comprises a manual mode of public land mobile network selection.

58. The computer-program product of claim 54, wherein:

the cell is on a visited wireless network; and

the access terminal camps on another cell on a home wireless network as a result of the switching.