METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ROAMING RESTRICTIONS OF FORBIDDEN RADIO ACCESS NETWORKS IN A WIRELESS SYSTEM

• US 20140038592A1
• Filed: 04/14/2011
• Published: 02/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Hietalahti, Hannu Petri
• Granted Patent: US 10,757,670 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/432.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/04 using triggered events

Abstract

In accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus comprising: at least one processor; and at least one memory including computer program code, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following: receive at least one of forbidden radio access technology code and indication that a radio access technology of a cell is forbidden, wherein the at least one of forbidden radio access technology code and indication indicates a radio access technology not allowed for access; store the received at least one of forbidden radio access technology code and indication in a forbidden list; and perform an attach, tracking area update or routing area update in a suitable cell if a suitable cell can be found within the same network not using the radio access technologies in the forbidden list; or perform a network re-selection if a suitable cell cannot be found within the same network.

Claims

1-12. -12. (canceled)

13. A method, comprising:

receiving, by an apparatus, at least one of forbidden radio access technology code and indication that a radio access technology of a cell is forbidden, wherein the at least one of forbidden radio access technology code and indication indicates a radio access technology not allowed for access;

storing the received at least one of forbidden radio access technology code and indication in a forbidden list; and

performing an attach, tracking area update or routing area update in a suitable cell if a suitable cell can be found within the same network not using the radio access technologies in the forbidden list;

or performing a network re-selection if a suitable cell cannot be found within the same network.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

preventing from sending signaling to cells which use a radio access technology comprised in the forbidden list when the forbidden list is valid.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the forbidden list is updated when the network is changed or a new forbidden radio access technology code or indication is received from the network.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein a forbidden radio access technology code or indication is removed from the forbidden list when a timer for the forbidden radio access technology code or indication expires or an explicit indication to remove a radio access technology from the forbidden list is received in signaling.

17. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code,

wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following;

receive at least one of forbidden radio access technology code and indication that a radio access technology of a cell is forbidden, wherein the at least one of forbidden radio access technology code and indication indicates a radio access technology not allowed for access;

store the received at least one of forbidden radio access technology code and indication in a forbidden list; and

perform an attach, tracking area update or routing area update in a suitable cell if a suitable cell can be found within the same network not using the radio access technologies in the forbidden list;

or perform a network re-selection if a suitable cell cannot be found within the same network.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to further perform:

prevent from sending signaling to cells using the stored forbidden radio access technologies when the forbidden list is valid.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the forbidden list is updated when the network is changed or a new forbidden radio access technology code or indication is received from the network.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein a forbidden radio access technology code or indication is removed from the forbidden list when a timer for the forbidden radio access technology code or indication expires or an explicit indication to remove a radio access technology from the forbidden list is received in signaling.

21. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium bearing computer program code embodied therein for use with a computer, the computer program code comprising:

code for receiving at least one of forbidden radio access technology code and indication that a radio access technology of a cell is forbidden, wherein the at least one of forbidden radio access technology code and indication indicates a radio access technology not allowed for access;

code for storing the received at least one of forbidden radio access technology code and indication in a forbidden list; and

code for performing an attach, tracking area update or routing area update in a suitable cell if a suitable cell can be found within the same network not using the radio access technologies in the forbidden list;

or performing a network re-selection if a suitable cell cannot be found within the same network.

22. The computer program product of claim 21, further comprising:

code for preventing from sending signaling to cells using the stored forbidden radio access technologies when the forbidden list is valid.

23. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein the forbidden list is updated when the network is changed or a new forbidden radio access technology code or indication is received from the network.

24. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein a forbidden radio access technology code or indication is removed from the forbidden list when a timer for the forbidden radio access technology code or indication expires or an explicit indication to remove a radio access technology from the forbidden list is received in signaling.