Methods and apparatus for selecting a communication network
First Claim
1. In a mobile communication device, a method of selecting a cellular network for communications comprising the acts of:
- performing a scanning operation to identify one or more cellular networks in a geographic coverage area;
identifying which of a plurality of communication services, if any, are made available by each cellular network for the mobile communication device;
determining which cellular network makes the largest number of preferred communication services available to the mobile communication device; and
assigning network selection priority to the cellular network that makes the largest number of preferred communication services available to the mobile communication device.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatus for selecting a cellular network to provide one or more communication services for a mobile communication device are disclosed. A scanning operation is performed by the mobile device to identify a plurality of cellular networks that support a voice communication service in a geographic coverage area. The mobile device then identifies which of the cellular networks makes a data communication service available to it. Advantageously, the mobile device assigns priority to or selects a cellular network that makes the data communication service available over a network that fails to make the data communication service available, and may register with that network. The data communication service may include, as examples, an e-mail communication service or an Internet access service. Preferably, the cellular network operates in accordance with GSM (Global System for Mobile) and GPRS (Generalized Packet Radio Service).
134 Citations
12 Claims
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1. In a mobile communication device, a method of selecting a cellular network for communications comprising the acts of:
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performing a scanning operation to identify one or more cellular networks in a geographic coverage area; identifying which of a plurality of communication services, if any, are made available by each cellular network for the mobile communication device; determining which cellular network makes the largest number of preferred communication services available to the mobile communication device; and assigning network selection priority to the cellular network that makes the largest number of preferred communication services available to the mobile communication device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. In a mobile communication device, a method of selecting a communication network comprising the acts of:
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identifying one or more communication networks available to facilitate mobile communications with the mobile communication device in a geographic coverage area; identifying one or more communication services that are made available with each communication network; determining which communication network provides the best communication services for the mobile communication device based at least in part on the identified availability of communication services in each communication network, by determining that the communication network has a greater or equal number of communication services available to the mobile communication device than any other identified communication network; and selecting or assigning priority to the communication network that is determined to provide the best communication services for the mobile communication device; and registering with the selected or prioritized communication network. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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Specification