Network selection methods and apparatus with home network prioritization after network signal recovery or power-on

• US 7,818,024 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2004
• Issued: 10/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wireless Innovations LLC
• Original Assignee: Research In Motion Limited (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: Naqvi, Noushad, Gunaratnam, Jayasri, Phipps, Darcy Richard, Swann, Craig Ian Haight, Hind, Hugh, Taylor, Bryan, Nguyen, Bao Quoc
• Primary Examiner(s): Vuong; Quochien B
• Application Number:
  US10/788,715
• Publication Number:
  US 20050107109A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,426 Days
• Field of Search: 455/11.1, 455/433, 455/435.1, 455/435.2, 455/435.3, 455/517, 455/524, 455/525, 455/436, 455/440
• US Class Current: 455/525
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/12 using signalling between network elements
• 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: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

In one illustrative example involving automatic network selection, a mobile station selects and operates with a non-home communication network. The mobile station then experiences an out-of-coverage condition with the non-home network (or a power down condition) but subsequently regains signal coverage (or is powered back on) in response, the mobile station scans to identify a plurality of communication networks in its coverage area. If a home network is identified as being available, the mobile station selects and operates with the home network. Otherwise, if the previous non-home network (e.g. the RPLMN) is identified as being available, the mobile station continues operation with the previous non-home network.

Claims

1. A network selection method for a mobile station, comprising:

receiving a user input for manually selecting a non-home communication network for communications with the mobile station in a manual network selection mode of the mobile station;

selecting and operating with the manually-selected non-home communication network in response to the user input;

in response to regaining signal coverage from an out-of-coverage condition with the manually-selected non-home communication network while in the manual network selection mode, or in response to being powered-on from a power-off state while in the manual network selection mode, causing the following acts to be performed;

if the non-home communication network is identified as being available, selecting and operating with the non-home communication network;

if the non-home communication network is unavailable and the home communication network is also unavailable;

displaying a list of available communication networks for a manual network selection procedure for manual network selection and operation with one of the available communication networks; and

if the non-home communication network is unavailable but the home communication network is identified as being available;

instead of carrying out the manual network selection procedure for the manual network selection and operation with one of the available communication networks, selecting and operating with the home communication network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the home communication network comprises a Home Public Land Mobile Network (HPLMN) of the mobile station.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the non-home communication network comprises a Registered Public Land Mobile Network (RPLMN).

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the home and non-home communication networks are operative in accordance with Global Systems for Mobile Communications (GSM).

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to a visual input prompt for the manual network selection procedure, receiving a user input for manually selecting the available communication network; and

in response to the user input, registering with the available communication network.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein, in causing of the acts to be performed in response to regaining the signal coverage or being powered on, the acts of selecting and operating with the non-home and the home communication networks are performed by the mobile station in the manual network selection mode without user intervention.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prior to selecting and operating with the home communication network, causing a visual input prompt to be displayed for user selection.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of selecting and operating with the home communication network is performed after an expiration of a predetermined time period.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prior to selecting and operating with the home communication network;

causing a visual input prompt to be displayed for user selection of only the home communication network; and

wherein the act of selecting and operating with the home communication network is performed in response to receiving the end user selection of the home communication network via the visual input prompt.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prior to selecting and operating with the home communication network;

causing a visual input prompt to be displayed for user selection; and

wherein the act of selecting and operating with the home communication network is performed after an expiration of a predetermined time period.

11. A mobile station, comprising:

a user interface;

a wireless transceiver;

an antenna coupled to the wireless transceiver;

one or more processors coupled to the wireless transceiver;

the one or more processors being configured to provide for the selection of a communication network by;

receiving a user input from the user interface for manually selecting a non-home communication network for communications with the mobile station in a manual network selection mode of the mobile station;

selecting and operating with the manually-selected non-home communication network in response to the user input;

in response to regaining signal coverage from an out-of-coverage condition with the manually-selected non-home communication network while in the manual network selection mode, or in response to being powered-on from a power-off state while in the manual network selection mode, causing the following acts to be performed;

if the non-home communication network is identified as being available;

selecting and operating with the non-home communication network;

if the non-home communication network is unavailable and the home communication network is also unavailable;

displaying a list of available communication networks for a manual network selection procedure for manual network selection and operation with one of the available communication networks; and

if the non-home communication network is unavailable but the home communication network is identified as being available;

instead of carrying out the manual network selection procedure for the manual network selection and operation with one of the available communication networks, selecting and operating with the home communication network.

12. The mobile station of claim 11, wherein the home communication network comprises a Home Public Land Mobile Network (HPLMN) of the mobile station.

13. The mobile station of claim 11, wherein the non-home communication network comprises a Registered Public Land Mobile Network (RPLMN).

14. The mobile station of claim 11, wherein the home and non-home communication networks are operative in accordance with Global Systems for Mobile Communications (GSM).

15. The mobile station of claim 11, wherein the one or more processors are further configured for:

receiving a user input for manually selecting the available communication network in response to a visual input prompt for the manual network selection procedure; and

registering with the available communication network in response to the user input.

16. The mobile station of claim 11 wherein, in causing the acts to be performed in response to regaining the signal coverage or being powered-on, the one or more processors are further configured to select and operate with the non-home and the home communication networks in the manual network selection mode without user intervention.

17. A communication system, comprising:

a first communication network;

a second communication network;

one or more mobile stations which are operable with the first and the second communication networks;

the one or more mobile stations having the first communication network designated as a non-home communication network and the second communication network designated as a home communication network;

the one or more mobile stations being operative to provide for the selection of a communication network by;

receiving a user input from a user interface of the mobile station for manually selecting the first communication network for operation in a manual network selection mode of the mobile station;

selecting and operating with the first communication network in response to the user input;

in response to regaining signal coverage from an out-of-coverage condition with the first communication network while in the manual network selection mode, or in response to being powered-on from a power-off state while in the manual network selection mode, causing the following acts to be performed;

if the first communication network is identified as being available;

selecting and operating with the first communication network;

if the first communication network is unavailable and the second communication network is also unavailable;

displaying a list of available communication networks for a manual network selection procedure for manual network selection and operation with one of the available communication networks; and

if the first communication network is unavailable but the second communication network is identified as being available;

instead of carrying out the manual network selection procedure for the manual network selection and operation with one of the available communication networks, selecting and operating with the second communication network.

18. The communication system of claim 17, wherein the second communication network comprises a Home Public Land Mobile Network (HPLMN) of the one or more mobile stations.

19. The communication system of claim 17, wherein the first communication network comprises a Registered Public Land Mobile Network (RPLMN).

20. The communication system of claim 17, wherein the first and the second communication networks are operative in accordance with Global Systems for Mobile Communications (GSM).

21. The communication system of claim 17, wherein the one or more mobile stations are further operative for:

receiving a user input for manually selecting the available communication network in response to a visual input prompt for the manual network selection; and

registering with the available communication network in response to the user input.