Mobile station roaming in a multiple service provider area

• US 6,188,897 B1
• Filed: 08/17/1998
• Issued: 02/13/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Wireless Services Incorporated (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Nelson, Roderick
• Primary Examiner(s): Hunter, Daniel S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Woldetatios, Yemane
• Application Number:
  US09/135,299
• Time in Patent Office: 911 Days
• Field of Search: 455/432, 455/434, 455/435, 455/552, 455/525, 455/456, 455/433
• US Class Current: 455/432.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/14 Reselecting a network or an air interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/32 by location or mobility data, e.g. speed data

Abstract

A method and apparatus for controlling roaming in a multiple service provider environment. When a mobile station determines that it can no longer obtain acceptable service from a primary service provider, the mobile station determines whether it is operating at the periphery of the primary service provider coverage area. If it is, then the mobile station is permitted to obtain service from a secondary service provider (i.e. roam). If it is determined that the mobile station is not operating at the periphery of the primary service provider coverage area, then the mobile station is prevented from roaming for a time period which allows the mobile station to emerge from a presumed coverage hole.

Claims

1. A method for operation of a mobile station in a geographic area having at least a portion of overlapping coverage from a primary service provider and a secondary service provider, said method comprising the steps of:

determining that acceptable service is no longer available from said primar service provider;

evaluating a message previously sent by a primary service provider base station;

determining whether said mobile station is operating at the periphery of said primary service provider coverage area based on said evaluation; and

if said mobile station is not operating at the periphery of said primary service provider coverage area, preventing said mobile station from obtaining service from said secondary service provider.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said message comprises a neighbor list.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said step of determining whether said mobile station is operating at the periphery of said primary service provider coverage area further comprises the step of:

determining that said mobile station is operating at the periphery of said primary service provider coverage area if said neighbor list contains an identification of a control channel of said secondary service provider.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said message comprises an indication that said base station is a periphery base station.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said message comprises an identification of said base station, said step of determining whether said mobile station is operating at the periphery of said primary service provider coverage area further comprises the step of:

looking up said identification in a stored list of base stations, said list indicating whether said base station is a periphery base station.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein said identification of a control channel of said secondary service provider is an identification for a dummy control channel.

7. A method for operation of a mobile station in a geographic area having at least a portion of overlapping coverage from a primary service provider and a secondary service provider, said method comprising the steps of:

determining that acceptable service is not available from the primary service provider;

evaluating a message previously sent by a primary service provider base station;

determining whether said mobile station is operating at the periphery of the primary service provider coverage area based on said evaluation; and

obtaining service from said secondary service provider if said mobile station is operating at the periphery of the primary service provider coverage area.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said message comprises a neighbor list.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein said step of determining whether said mobile station is operating at the periphery of said primary service provider coverage area further comprises the step of:

determining that said mobile station is operating at the periphery of said primary service provider coverage area if said neighbor list contains an identification of a control channel of said secondary service provider.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein said message comprises an indication that said base station is a periphery base station.

11. The method of claim 7 wherein said message comprises an identification of said base station, said step of determining whether said mobile station is operating at the periphery of said primary service provider coverage area further comprises the step of:

looking up said identification in a stored list of base stations, said list indicating whether said base station is a periphery base station.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein said identification of a control channel of said secondary service provider is an identification for a dummy control channel.

13. A mobile station capable of operating by obtaining service from a primary service provider or a secondary service provider in a geographic area having at least a portion of overlapping coverage from said primary service provider and said secondary service provider, said mobile station comprising:

a processor for executing stored program instructions for controlling the operation of the mobile station;

a memory storing said program instructions,

said program instructions defining the steps of;

determining that acceptable service is not available from the primary service provider;

evaluating a message previously sent by a primary service provider base station;

determining whether said mobile station is operating at the periphery of the primary service provider coverage area based on said evaluation; and

obtaining service from said secondary service provider only if said mobile station is operating at the periphery of the primary service provider coverage area.

14. The mobile station of claim 13 wherein said message comprises a neighbor list.

15. The mobile station of claim 14 wherein said stored program instructions defining the step of determining whether said mobile station is operating at the periphery of said primary service provider coverage area further comprise program instructions defining the step of:

determining that said mobile station is operating at the periphery of said primary service provider coverage area if said neighbor list contains an identification of a control channel of said secondary service provider.

16. The mobile station of claim 13 wherein said message comprises an indication that said base station is a periphery base station.

17. The mobile station of claim 13 wherein said message comprises an identification of said base station, said memory further storing a list of base stations, said list indicating whether said base station is a periphery base station, and

wherein said stored program instructions defining the step of determining whether said mobile station is operating at the periphery of said primary service provider coverage area further comprise program instructions defining the step of looking up said identification in said stored list of base stations.

18. The mobile station of claim 15 wherein said identification of a control channel of said secondary service provider is an identification for a dummy control channel.