Method and apparatus for increasing a probability that a dual-band mobile station will acquire a desired autonomous system

• US 7,050,771 B2
• Filed: 04/16/2001
• Issued: 05/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Uistola, Ari
• Primary Examiner(s): Appiah, Charles
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mehrpour, Naghmeh
• Application Number:
  US09/835,885
• Publication Number:
  US 20010036837A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,863 Days
• Field of Search: 455/552.1, 455/553.1, 455/168.1, 455/161.1, 455/150.1, 455/180.1, 455/186.1, 455/188.1, 455/51.3, 455/515, 455/434, 455/458, 455/161.3, 455/161.2, 455/514, 4554351-4353, 455/455
• US Class Current: 455/168.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/00 Details of transmission systems, not covered by a single one of groups H04B3/00 - H04B13/00; Details of transmission systems not characterised by the medium used for transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/406 with more than one transmission mode, e.g. analog and digital modes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• 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 8/183 Processing at user equipment or user record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/22 Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities
• 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

A method for operating a dual-band mobile station (10) includes a first step of (a) storing information in the mobile station. The stored information includes an ordered list of frequency bands (Band Order Table 24A). For example, at least one frequency band is an 800 MHz frequency band and at least one other frequency band is a 1900 MHz frequency band. The stored information further includes an identity (24B) of a band wherein an acceptable control channel was last located. A next step (b) is executed in response to a user invoking a search procedure to locate a new non-public system. This step accesses the memory to determine the identity of the band wherein an acceptable control channel was last located, and marks this band as a band to be searched. A next step (c) collects signal strength measurements on channels in the band to be searched and executes a channel search procedure to locate a control channel of a desired non-public system within the band to be searched. If a desired non-public system is not located in the band to be searched, a next step (d) accesses the memory to obtain a next band to be searched from the Band Order Table. The method repeats steps (c) and (d) until either the ordered list of frequency bands is exhausted or a desired non-public system is located, thereby enabling a non-public system to be located in a band other than the current band of the mobile station.

Claims

1. A mobile station, comprising:

a radio frequency (RF) transceiver;

a memory storing a list of entries, individual ones of said entries corresponding to a frequency band comprising at least one frequency channel; and

a controller, bidirectionally coupled to said memory and to said RF transceiver, and operating in response to a search procedure being invoked to locate a desired Non-Public wireless communication system, specifically one of a Residential wireless communication system or a Private wireless communication system, for accessing said memory to obtain a first entry of said list so as to determine a first frequency band to be searched for said desired one of said Residential wireless communication system or said Private wireless communication system, said controller being programmed to execute, using said RF transceiver, a search procedure in said first frequency band being searched in an attempt to locate a control channel of said desired one of said Residential wireless communication system or said Private wireless communication system and, if said control channel of said desired one of said Residential wireless communication system or said Private wireless communication system is not located within said first frequency band being searched, for accessing said memory to obtain a next entry in said list to determine a next frequency band to be searched for said desired one of said Residential wireless communication system or said Private wireless communication system, said controller continuing to search in this manner until either all of said entries of said list have been obtained from said memory or until said control channel of said desired one of said Residential wireless communication system or said Private wireless communication system is located.

2. A mobile station as in claim 1, wherein one said entries of said list comprises an identity of a frequency band wherein an acceptable control channel was last located.

3. A mobile station as in claim 1, wherein at least one frequency band is an 800 MHz frequency band.

4. A mobile station as in claim 1, wherein at least one frequency band is a 1900 MHz frequency band.

5. A mobile station as in claim 1, wherein said controller is responsive to an input for accessing said memory to modify said list of entries.

6. A mobile station as in claim 1, wherein said controller is responsive to an input for accessing said memory to add an entry to said list.

7. A mobile station as in claim 1, wherein said controller is responsive to an input for accessing said memory to delete an entry from said list.

8. A mobile station as in claim 1, wherein said controller is responsive to an input for accessing said memory to re-order entries in said list.

9. A mobile station as in claim 5, wherein said mobile station is further comprised of a user interface, and wherein said controller receives said input from said user interface.

10. A mobile station as in claim 5, wherein said controller receives said input through said RF transceiver.

11. A mobile station as in claim 1, wherein said controller is responsive to information received from a service provider through said RF transceiver for modifying said list of entries in said memory.

12. A mobile station as in claim 1, wherein information received through said RF transceiver is stored in said memory for re-ordering said list of entries.

13. A mobile station, comprising:

a radio frequency (RF) transceiver;

a memory storing information that is descriptive of all possible frequency bands that the mobile station is capable of operating with, each frequency band comprising at least one frequency channel; and

a controller, bidirectionally coupled to said memory and to said RF transceiver, and operating in response to a search procedure being invoked to locate a desired Non-Public wireless communication system, specifically one of a Residential wireless communication system or a Private wireless communication system, for accessing said memory to obtain a first frequency band to be searched for said desired one of said Residential wireless communication system or said Private wireless communication system, said controller being programmed to execute, using said RF transceiver, a search procedure in said first frequency band being searched in an attempt to locate a control channel of said desired one of said Residential wireless communication system or said Private wireless communication system and, if said control channel of said desired one of said Residential wireless communication system or said Private wireless communication system is not located within said first frequency band being searched, for accessing said memory to obtain another frequency band to be searched for said desired one of said Residential wireless communication system or said Private wireless communication system, said controller continuing to search in this manner until all of the frequency bands that the mobile station is capable of operating with have been searched or until said desired one of said Residential wireless communication system or said Private wireless communication system is located.

14. A mobile station as in claim 13, wherein said memory stores an identity of a frequency band wherein an acceptable control channel was last located.

15. A mobile station as in claim 13, wherein at least one frequency band is an 800 MHz frequency band.

16. A mobile station as in claim 13, wherein at least one frequency band is a 1900 MHz frequency band.

17. A mobile station as in claim 13, wherein said controller is responsive to an input for accessing said memory to modify said stored information.

18. A mobile station as in claim 13, wherein said controller is responsive to an input for accessing said memory to add a frequency band.

19. A mobile station as in claim 13, wherein said controller is responsive to an input for accessing said memory to delete a frequency band.

20. A mobile station as in claim 13, wherein said controller is responsive to an input for accessing said memory to re-order frequency bands appearing in a stored list of frequency bands.

21. A mobile station as in claim 17, wherein said mobile station is further comprised of a user interface, and wherein said controller receives said input from said user interface.

22. A mobile station as in claim 17, wherein said controller receives said input through said RF transceiver.

23. A mobile station as in claim 13, wherein said controller is responsive to information received from a service provider through said RF transceiver for modifying said information stored in said memory.

24. A mobile station as in claim 13, wherein information received through said RF transceiver is used to re-order a list of frequency bands stored in said memory.