Cellular carrier selection system incorporating a preferred list of system identification codes (SIDs) corresponding to preferred cellular carriers
First Claim
1. A method for selecting a cellular carrier for accessing cellular airtime services, said method comprising steps of:
- defining at least one home system identification code (SID) and at least one preferred SID;
monitoring cellular carrier signals to detect SIDs corresponding to cellular carriers;
selecting a cellular carrier corresponding to a SID matching the home SID for processing calls to a plurality of telephone numbers if the SID matching the home SID is detected;
selecting a cellular carrier corresponding to a SID matching the preferred SID for processing calls to a plurality of telephone numbers if the SID matching the preferred SID is detected and no SID matching the home SID is detected; and
selecting a cellular carrier corresponding to a SID not matching the home SID and not matching the preferred SID for processing calls to a plurality of non-emergency destination telephone numbers ifthe SID not matching the home SID and not matching the preferred SID is detected andno SID matching the home SID or the preferred SID is detected.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and an apparatus for selecting a cellular carrier frequency for accessing cellular airtime services based upon a list of preferred system identification codes (SIDs). A cellular telephone is programmed to accept into memory a list of preferred SIDs corresponding to carriers through which service is preferred. While any SID remains in a preferred list, the standard A/B system selection function is replaced by a substitute system selection function which includes only three carrier selection modes including the Home Only mode, the SID Only mode, and a Roam Saver mode. With the Roam Saver carrier selection mode, the cellular telephone first prefers service through a home carrier and then through a carrier broadcasting a SID matching a SID on the preferred list, but never denies service to emergency or non-emergency destinations if any SID is detected. Status indicators are used to, among other purposes, differentiate between no service being available, service being available through a carrier broadcasting a home SID, a preferred SID, or a non-preferred available SID. Also, in addition to multiple number assignment modules (NAMs) being included to support subscriptions to services from multiple carriers, the user is provided the option of manually selecting which NAM is used or enabling the cellular telephone, through an auto-NAM function, to automatically select and use the NAM of any home carrier detected by the cellular telephone.
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Citations
38 Claims
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1. A method for selecting a cellular carrier for accessing cellular airtime services, said method comprising steps of:
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defining at least one home system identification code (SID) and at least one preferred SID; monitoring cellular carrier signals to detect SIDs corresponding to cellular carriers; selecting a cellular carrier corresponding to a SID matching the home SID for processing calls to a plurality of telephone numbers if the SID matching the home SID is detected; selecting a cellular carrier corresponding to a SID matching the preferred SID for processing calls to a plurality of telephone numbers if the SID matching the preferred SID is detected and no SID matching the home SID is detected; and selecting a cellular carrier corresponding to a SID not matching the home SID and not matching the preferred SID for processing calls to a plurality of non-emergency destination telephone numbers if the SID not matching the home SID and not matching the preferred SID is detected and no SID matching the home SID or the preferred SID is detected. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An apparatus for selecting a cellular carrier for accessing cellular airtime services, comprising:
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means for defining at least one home system identification code (SID) and at least one preferred SID; means for monitoring cellular carrier signals to detect SIDs corresponding to cellular carriers; means for selecting a cellular carrier corresponding to a SID matching the home SID for processing calls to a plurality of telephone numbers if the SID matching the home SID is detected; means for selecting a cellular carrier corresponding to a SID matching the preferred SID for processing calls to a plurality of telephone numbers if the SID matching the preferred SID is detected and no SID matching the home SID is detected; and means for selecting a cellular carrier corresponding to a SID not matching the home SID and not matching the preferred SID for processing calls to a plurality of non-emergency destination telephone numbers if the SID not matching the home SID and not matching the preferred SID is detected and no SID matching the home SID or the preferred SID is detected. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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17. A cellular telephone unit comprising:
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scanning means for sequentially monitoring a plurality of frequencies and for detecting any SID corresponding to any said frequency; frequency selection means for selecting a working frequency from among said plurality of frequencies; frequency selection control means for controlling the selection by said frequency selection means of a working frequency, said working frequency being a frequency corresponding to a home SID if said home SID is detected by said scanning means, said working frequency being a frequency corresponding to a preferred SID if such a SID is detected by said scanning means and a home SID is not detected by said scanning means, and said working frequency being, for processing calls to a plurality of non-emergency destination telephone numbers, a frequency corresponding to a non-home, non-preferred SID if; (i) no home SID is detected by said scanning means, and (ii) no preferred SID is detected by said scanning means.
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18. A method for selecting a cellular carrier for accessing cellular airtime services, said method comprising the steps of:
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defining at least one home system identification code (SID) and at least one preferred SID; monitoring cellular carrier signals to detect SIDs corresponding to cellular carriers; selecting a cellular carrier corresponding to a SID matching the home SID if the SID matching the home SID is detected; selecting a cellular carrier corresponding to a SID matching the preferred SID if the SID matching the preferred SID is detected and no SID matching the home SID is detected; selecting a cellular carrier corresponding to a SID not matching the home SID and not matching the preferred SID if the SID not matching the home SID and not matching the preferred SID is detected, and no SID matching the home SID or the preferred SID is detected, wherein the step of monitoring cellular carrier signals includes monitoring primary carrier signals and secondary carrier signals, wherein the step of selecting the cellular carrier corresponding to the SID matching the home SID includes steps of selecting the primary cellular carrier corresponding to the SID matching the home SID if the SID matching the home SID is detected upon the primary carrier signal, and selecting the secondary cellular carrier corresponding to the SID matching the home SID if the SID matching the home SID is detected upon the secondary carrier signal and the SID matching the home SID is not detected upon the primary carrier signal. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21)
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22. An apparatus for selecting a cellular carrier for accessing cellular airtime services, comprising:
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memory including at least one home system identification code (SID) and at least one preferred SID; cellular carrier signal monitor configured to detect SIDs corresponding to cellular carriers; logic configured to select a cellular carrier corresponding to a SID matching the home SID for processing calls to a plurality of telephone numbers if the SID matching the home SID is detected; logic configured to select a cellular carrier corresponding to a SID matching the preferred SID for processing calls to a plurality of telephone numbers if the SID matching the preferred SID is detected and no SID matching the home SID is detected; and logic configured to select a cellular carrier corresponding to a SID not matching the home SID and not matching the preferred SID for processing calls to a plurality of non-emergency destination telephone numbers if the SID not matching the home SID and not matching the preferred SID is detected and no SID matching the home SID or the preferred SID is detected. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. An apparatus for selecting a cellular carrier for accessing cellular airtime services, said apparatus comprising:
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memory including at least one home system identification code (SID) and at least one preferred SID; cellular carrier signal monitor configured to detect SIDs corresponding to cellular carriers; logic configured to select a cellular carrier corresponding to a SID matching the home SID if the SID matching the home SID is detected; logic configured to select a cellular carrier corresponding to a SID matching the preferred SID if the SID matching the preferred SID is detected and no SID matching the home SID is detected; logic configured to select a cellular carrier corresponding to a SID not matching the home SID and not matching the preferred SID if the SID not matching the home SID and not matching the preferred SID is detected, and no SID matching the home SID or the preferred SID is detected, wherein the cellular carrier signal monitor includes a cellular carrier signal monitor configured to monitor primary carrier signals and secondary carrier signals, wherein the logic configured to select the cellular carrier corresponding to the SID matching the home SID includes logic configured to select the primary cellular carrier corresponding to the SID matching the home SID if the SID matching the home SID is detected upon the primary carrier signal, and logic configured to select the secondary cellular carrier corresponding to the SID matching the home SID if the SID matching the home SID is detected upon the secondary carrier signal and the SID matching the home SID is not detected upon the primary carrier signal. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38)
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Specification