DETERMINING AND SELECTING THE MOST PREFERRED AVAILABLE NETWORK FOR DEVICES CAPABLE OF MULTIPLE RADIO ACCESS TECHNOLOGIES

• US 20100267383A1
• Filed: 04/15/2009
• Published: 10/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Cellco Partnership, Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cellco Partnership, Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Konstantinou, Kyriaki, Libunao, Gerry, Anderson, Carl R., Zhao, Zheng, Rahman, Iftekhar
• Application Number:
  US12/424,339
• Publication Number:
  US 20100267383A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/435.200
• 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 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

The algorithm disclosed here is a method for a mobile station device to select a network for wireless communications in a way that takes advantage of the most favorable roaming agreements between operators. The exemplary algorithm provides the flexibility to select between 3GPP2 (1×RTT and EVDO) technologies and 3GPP (LTE/GSM/UMTS) technologies as well as specific operators'"'"' networks for domestic and international roaming. The proposed algorithm allows the operator to optimize roaming agreements in different markets and maximize revenue from roaming.

Claims

1. A method of selecting a network for communications of a multi-mode mobile station, comprising steps of:

receiving a signal over the air from a mobile communication network;

from the received signal, determining a country in which the mobile communication network is located, as a country of current operation of the multi-mode mobile station;

from a list of countries specifying a preferred technology for each listed country, stored in the multi-mode mobile station, identifying the preferred technology for the country of current operation of the multi-mode mobile station;

from among a plurality of network preference lists corresponding to different technologies supported by the multi-mode mobile station, retrieving one network preference list from storage in the multi-mode mobile station, the retrieved network preference list corresponding to the preferred technology identified for the country of current operation of the multi-mode mobile station;

searching for a network in the country of current operation of the multi-mode mobile station, offering wireless mobile communication service via the identified preferred technology; and

selecting a wireless mobile communication network, offering wireless mobile communication service via the identified preferred technology, discovered during the searching, based on a preference indicated in the retrieved network preference list corresponding to the identified preferred technology.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising registering the multi-mode mobile station communication service via the selected wireless mobile communication network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the multi-mode mobile station supports operation via at least one 3GPP2 technology and supports operation via at least one 3GPP technology;

for each country, the list of countries specifies a preference for one or more 3GPP2 technologies and one or more 3GPP technologies; and

the searching and selecting steps conform to a protocol of a selected one of the 3GPP2 and 3GPP technologies.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein:

one of the network preference lists is a Preferred Roaming List (PRL); and

one of the network preference lists is a Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) list.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising downloading one or more of the lists into storage in the multi-mode mobile station or in a SIM card for use with a mobile station.

6. A multi-mode mobile station configured to implement the steps of the method of claim 1 to select a network for communications of the mobile station.

7. An article of manufacture, comprising:

instructions for causing a programmable multi-mode mobile station to implement the steps of the method of claim 1 to select a network for communications of the mobile station; and

a machine readable storage medium bearing the instructions.

8. The article of manufacture of claim 7, further comprising the lists, wherein the machine readable storage medium also bears the lists.