PLMN SELECTION IN MULTI-NETWORK ENVIRONMENT

• US 20100261474A1
• Filed: 01/23/2009
• Published: 10/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Lair, Yannick, Findlay, Stuart, Gollapudi, Sreelakshmi, Ianev, Iskren
• Granted Patent: US 8,929,893 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/435.300
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service

Abstract

The present invention provides a method of PLMN selection subsequent to a change in cell for a mobile radio communications device in a multi-network cellular environment, the method including the steps of monitoring system information within a mobile radio communications device to determine the availability of a HPLMN or any other higher priority PLMN than current registered PLMN, and selecting the said HPLMN or higher priority PLMN than current registered PLMN if identified as available, and also a related network-sharing-capable UE that, when registered with a visitor PLMN, can readily check the availability of its HPLMN or any other higher priority PLMN in the system information whenever it moves to a new location area and, assuming the HPLMN or higher priority PLMN to be found, can then reselect to that PLMN.

Claims

1. A method of PLMN selection subsequent to a change in cell for a mobile radio communications device in a multi-network cellular environment, the method including the steps of monitoring system information within a mobile radio communications device to determine the availability of a priority PLMN and selecting the said priority PLMN if identified as available.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 and comprising a reselection method for reselecting to the priority PLMN if available.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, and wherein the change in said cell occurs at the time of change in location area.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the priority PLMN comprises one or more of an HPLMN, an equivalent HPLMN in case an EHPLMN list is available on SIM/USIM, or any PLMN having a higher priority than a currently selected network.

11. A method as claimed in claim 2, and wherein the change in said cell occurs at the time of change in location area.

12. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the priority PLMN comprises one or more of an HPLMN, an equivalent HPLMN in case an EHPLMN list is available on SIM/USIM, or any PLMN having a higher priority than a currently selected network.

13. A method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the priority PLMN comprises one or more of an HPLMN, an equivalent HPLMN in case an EHPLMN list is available on SIM/USIM, or any PLMN having a higher priority than a currently selected network.

14. A method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the priority PLMN comprises one or more of an HPLMN, an equivalent HPLMN in case an EHPLMN list is available on SIM/USIM, or any PLMN having a higher priority than a currently selected network.

19. A method as claimed in claim 2, and wherein the change in said cell occurs at the time of change in location area.

20. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the priority PLMN comprises one or more of an HPLMN, an equivalent HPLMN in case an EHPLMN list is available on SIM/USIM, or any PLMN having a higher priority than a currently selected network.

5. A mobile radio communications device arranged for operation in a multi-network cellular environment and further arranged for PLMN selection subsequent to a change in cell, the device further being arranged to monitor system information to determine the availability of a priority PLMN, and to select the said priority PLMN if identified as available.

6. A device as claimed in claim 5 and arranged for reselecting to the priority PLMN if available.

7. A device as claimed in claim 5, and wherein the priority PLMN comprises one or more of an HPLMN, an equivalent HPLMN any PLMN having a higher priority than a currently selected network.

8. A device as claimed in claim 5, any comprising a network-sharing-enabled mobile radio communications device.

15. A device as claimed in claim 6, and wherein the priority PLMN comprises one or more of an HPLMN, an equivalent HPLMN any PLMN having a higher priority than a currently selected network.

16. A device as claimed in claim 6, any comprising a network-sharing-enabled mobile radio communications device.

17. A device as claimed in claims 15, any comprising a network-sharing-enabled mobile radio communications device.

18. A device as claimed in claims 7, any comprising a network-sharing-enabled mobile radio communications device.

9. A method of PLMN selection in a multi-network cellular environment and substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

10. A mobile radio communications device arranged for operation within a multi-network cellular environment and substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.