Mobile terminal, communication system, and method for changing location registration

• US 7,386,312 B2
• Filed: 04/21/2004
• Issued: 06/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NTT Docomo Incorporated (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation)
• Original Assignee: NTT Docomo Incorporated (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation)
• Inventors: Chiba, Koji, Kanto, Hiroshi, Maeda, Fukiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Beamer; Temica M.
• Application Number:
  US10/828,977
• Publication Number:
  US 20050003818A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,511 Days
• Field of Search: 455/435.1, 455/435.2, 455/432.1
• US Class Current: 455/435.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/10 using broadcasted information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/04 using triggered events
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/02 Processing of mobility data, e.g. registration information at HLR [Home Location Register] or VLR [Visitor Location Register]; Transfer of mobility data, e.g. between HLR, VLR or external networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices
• 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 mobile terminal, which is registered to either a first mobile communication network or a second communication network, determines whether it is possible to register to the first mobile communication network on the basis of control information received from the second mobile communication network. Then, the mobile terminal attempts to register to the first mobile communication network a predetermined number of times in a case that it is determined that it is possible to register to the first mobile communication network.

Claims

1. A mobile terminal comprising:

a communication unit operable to communicate over a first mobile communication network and a second mobile communication network; and

a control unit coupled with said communication unit, said control unit operable, when said mobile terminal is registered to said second mobile communication network, to monitor for said, mobile terminal to be engaged in a voice communication over said second mobile communication network;

wherein said control unit is further operable to monitor for a change in location of said mobile terminal;

said control unit is further operable to receive from said second mobile communication network, through said communication unit, a registration possibility indication of whether it is possible to register with said first mobile communication network; and

said control unit is further operable, responsive to a change in location of said mobile terminal, to attempt to register to said first mobile communication network after confirmation by said control unit that said voice communication is not presently in progress, and confirmation by said control unit that said registration possibility indication indicates that it is possible to register to said first mobile communication network.

2. The mobile terminal according to claim 1, wherein said registration possibility indication receivable with said communication unit includes timing information indicative of a maximum number of times registration to said first mobile communication network is to be attempted, and said control unit is operable to attempt to register to said first mobile communication network based on said timing information.

3. The mobile terminal according to claim 1, wherein said communication unit is operable to communicate voice communication or data communication, and said control unit is operable to attempt to register to said first mobile communication network for voice communication even when said communication unit is currently engaged in a data communication over said second mobile communication network.

4. The mobile terminal according to claim 1, wherein said registration possibility information is only an indication to initiate communication with said first mobile communication network.

5. The mobile terminal according to claim 1, wherein said mobile terminal is only registerable to said first mobile communication network when a user of said mobile terminal is an authorized user.

6. The mobile terminal according to claim 1, wherein said registration possibility information comprises a limitation of registration with the first mobile communication network for only one of voice communication or data communication.

7. The mobile terminal according to claim 1, wherein said first mobile communication network and said second mobile communication network are divided into a plurality of registration areas, and a changed location is a change from one registration area to another registration area.

8. The mobile terminal according to claim 1, wherein said changed location is a change from a current radio area to another radio area, both of which are included in one of said first mobile communication network or said second mobile communication network.

9. The mobile terminal according to claim 1, wherein said changed location is a change from a current sector to a new sector within a radio area, wherein said radio area is included in at least one of said first mobile communication network or said second mobile communication network.

20. The mobile terminal according to claim 1, wherein said control unit is operable to attempt to register to said first mobile communication network by generation and transmittal via said communication unit of a location registration message for receipt by a location management device.

21. The mobile terminal according to claim 20, wherein said control unit is further operable, in response to a successful attempt to register to said first mobile communication network, to generate and transmit, via said communication unit, a notification to activate said first mobile communication network.

22. The communication system of claim 1, wherein said registration possibility information is transmitted from a base station included in said second mobile communication network, and an interval of time between transmission of said registration possibility information by said second mobile communication network is adjustable in accordance with a distance of said base station from a center of said first mobile communication network.

10. A communication system comprising:

a first mobile communication network that includes a first location management device, wherein said first location management device is operable to manage location information of mobile terminals registered to said first mobile communication network;

a second mobile communication network that includes a second location management device and a base station, said second location management device operable to manage location information of mobile terminals registered to said second mobile communication network, said base station is positioned within said first mobile communication network, wherein said base station is operable to transmit for receipt by a mobile terminal notification information indicating that it is possible to register to said first mobile communication network, wherein an interval of time between transmission of said registration possibility information by said base station is adjustable in accordance with a distance of said base station from a center of said first mobile communication network; and

a management device coupled with said first mobile communication network and said second mobile communication network, said management device operable to store data correlated with a mobile terminal identifier for each of said mobile terminals, said management device operable to selectively update said data in response to receipt, from each of said mobile terminals, of a notification of a current registration of a respective mobile terminal to at least one of said first mobile communication network or said second mobile communication network.

11. A location registration changing method comprising:

providing a mobile terminal operable to communicate over a first mobile communication network and a second mobile communication network;

registering said mobile terminal to said second mobile communication network;

monitoring with said mobile terminal for said mobile terminal to be engaged in a voice communication over said second mobile communication network;

monitoring with said mobile terminal for said mobile terminal to change location;

receiving registration possibility information from said second mobile communication network with said mobile terminal that indicates whether it is possible to register to said first mobile communication network;

said mobile terminal, in response to a change in location of said mobile terminal, transmitting to said first mobile communication network, a notification, including an identifier, only when said mobile terminal confirms voice communication is not presently in progress, and that said registration possibility information indicates that it is possible to register to said first mobile communication network; and

attempting to register said mobile terminal to said first mobile communication network.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising receiving in a management device a notification transmitted by said mobile terminal through said first mobile communication network, and storing in said management device data indicating that said mobile terminal is registered to said first mobile communication network, said mobile terminal being specified by an identifier included in said notification.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein said notification information includes timing information indicative of a maximum number of times registration to said first mobile communication network can be attempted, and attempting to register said mobile terminal to said first mobile communication network comprises the further step of attempting to register only said maximum number of times.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein said mobile terminal is operable to communicate voice communication or data communication, and attempting to register said mobile terminal to said first mobile communication network comprises attempting to register for voice communication;

and engaging in a data communication over said second mobile communication network.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising registering to said first mobile communication network only when a user of said mobile terminal is an authorized user.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein said notification information comprises a limitation of registration to said first mobile communication network to only one of voice communication or data communication.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein monitoring with said mobile terminal for said mobile terminal to change location comprises monitoring for said mobile terminal to move from one registration area to another registration area.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein monitoring with said mobile terminal for said mobile terminal to change location comprises monitoring for said mobile terminal to move from one radio area to another radio area.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein monitoring with said mobile terminal for said mobile terminal to change location comprises monitoring for said mobile terminal to move from one sector to another sector within a radio area.

23. The method of claim 11, wherein receiving registration possibility information from said second mobile communication network comprises adjusting an interval of time between transmission of said registration possibility information by a base station included in said second mobile communication network in accordance with a distance of said base station from a center of said first mobile communication network.