Communication method and electronic device

• US 9,264,959 B2
• Filed: 08/25/2014
• Issued: 02/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Beijing Lenovo Software Ltd (Lenovo Group Ltd.), Lenovo (Beijing) Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Beijing Lenovo Software Ltd (Lenovo Group Ltd.), Lenovo (Beijing) Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Liu, Jianguo
• Primary Examiner(s): Ghulamali, Qutbuddin
• Application Number:
  US14/468,062
• Publication Number:
  US 20150163713A1
• Time in Patent Office: 540 Days
• Field of Search: 455/435.2, 455/436
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/1443 between licensed networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/362 Conditional handover
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information

Abstract

A communication method comprises: starting, at time T1, searching for a first communication network and reading a first network parameter; terminating, at time T2, the searching for the first communication network; determining, when the first communication network has been found, whether the reading of the first network parameter has been completed, when completed, matching the first network parameter with the first communication network, and registering with the first communication network; when the first communication network has not been found or when the first network parameter does not match the first communication network, stopping the reading of the first network parameter and starting reading the second network parameter when the type of network corresponding to the network parameter is inconsistent with the first network parameter and after reading, searching for the second communication network based on the second network parameter and registering with the found second communication network.

Claims

1. A communication method in an electronic device capable of communicating with a first communication network and a second communication network, the method comprising:

starting, at time T1, searching for the first communication network and reading a first network parameter associated with the first communication network, wherein a second network parameter associated with the second communication network is to be read by default after said reading of the first network parameter is completed;

terminating, at time T2, said searching for the first communication network to obtain a first search result;

determining, when the first search result indicates that the first communication network has been found, whether said reading of the first network parameter has been completed at the time T2, to obtain a first determination result;

matching the first network parameter with the first communication network when the first determination result indicates that said reading of the first network parameter has been completed at the time T2, to obtain a first match result; and

registering with the first communication network when the first match result indicates that first network parameter matches the first communication network;

detecting, when the first search result indicates that the first communication network has not been found or when the first match result indicates that the first network parameter does not match the first communication network, a type of network corresponding to the network parameter read at the time T2, to obtain a first detection result;

stopping said reading of the first network parameter and starting reading the second network parameter when the first detection result indicates that the type of network corresponding the network parameter read at the time T2 is inconsistent with the first network parameter; and

searching, at time T3 after said reading of the second network parameter has been completed, for the second communication network based on the second network parameter, and registering with the found second communication network,

wherein the time T3 is later than the time T2, and the time T2 is later than the time T1.

2. The communication method of claim 1, further comprising, when the first search result indicates that the first communication network has been found:

monitoring a progress of said reading of the first network parameter when the first determination result indicates that said reading of the first network parameter has not been completed at the time T2;

matching, at time T4 when it is monitored that said reading of the first network parameter has been completed, the first network parameter with the first communication network to obtain the first match result; and

registering with the first communication network when the first match result indicates that first network parameter matches the first communication network,

wherein the time T4 is later than the time T2.

3. The communication method of claim 2, further comprising, upon stopping said reading of the first network parameter and starting reading the second network parameter:

resuming, when said reading of the second network parameter has been completed, said reading of the first network parameter until said reading of the first network parameter is completed.

4. The communication method of claim 1, further comprising, when the first search result indicates that the first communication network has not been found or when the first match result indicates that the first network parameter does not match the first communication network:

monitoring a progress of said reading of the second network parameter when the first detection result indicates that the type of network corresponding to the network parameter read at the time T2 is consistent with the second network parameter; and

searching, at time T5 when it is monitored that said reading of the second network parameter has been completed, for the second communication network based on the second network parameter and registering with the found second communication network.

5. The communication method of claim 4, further comprising, upon stopping said reading of the first network parameter and starting reading the second network parameter:

resuming, when said reading of the second network parameter has been completed, said reading of the first network parameter until said reading of the first network parameter is completed.

6. The communication method of claim 1, further comprising, when the first search result indicates that the first communication network has not been found or when the first match result indicates that the first network parameter does not match the first communication network:

searching, when the first detection result indicates that both of said reading of the first network parameter and said reading of the second network parameter have been completed at the time T2, for the second communication network based on the second network parameter and registering with the found second communication network.

7. The communication method of claim 6, further comprising, upon stopping said reading of the first network parameter and starting reading the second network parameter:

resuming, when said reading of the second network parameter has been completed, said reading of the first network parameter until said reading of the first network parameter is completed.

8. The communication method of claim 1, further comprising, upon stopping said reading of the first network parameter and starting reading the second network parameter:

resuming, when said reading of the second network parameter has been completed, said reading of the first network parameter until said reading of the first network parameter is completed.

9. An electronic device capable of communicating with a first communication network and a second communication network, the electronic device comprising:

a searching unit configured to start, at time T1, searching for the first communication network;

a reading unit configured to start, at the time T1, reading a first network parameter associated with the first communication network, and to read, by default, a second network parameter associated with the second communication network after said reading of the first network parameter has been completed;

the searching unit is further configured to terminate, at time T2, said searching for the first communication network to obtain a first search result;

a determining unit configured to determine, when the first search result indicates that the first communication network has been found, whether said reading of the first network parameter has been completed at the time T2, to obtain a first determination result;

a matching unit configured to match the first network parameter with the first communication network to obtain a first match result when the first determination result indicates that said reading of the first network parameter has been completed at the time T2;

a registering unit configured to register with the first communication network when the first match result indicates that first network parameter matches the first communication network;

a detecting unit configured to detect, when the first search result indicates that the first communication network has not been found or when the first match result indicates that the first network parameter does not match the first communication network, a type of network corresponding the network parameter read at the time T2, to obtain a first detection result;

the reading unit being further configured to stop said reading of the first network parameter and start reading the second network parameter when the first detection result indicates that the type of network corresponding the network parameter read at the time T2 is inconsistent with the first network parameter, and to notify the searching unit at time T3 that said reading of the second network parameter has been completed;

the searching unit being further configured to search for the second communication network based on the second network parameter in response to receipt of the notification from the reading unit; and

the registering unit being further configured to register with the found second communication network,

wherein the time T3 is later than the time T2, and the time T2 is later than the time T1.

10. The electronic device of claim 9, further comprising:

a monitoring unit configured to monitor a progress of said reading of the first network parameter when the first determination result indicates that said reading of the first network parameter has not been completed at the time T2, and to notify the matching unit at time T4 that said reading of the first network parameter has been completed,

wherein the matching unit is further configured to match the first network parameter with the first communication network to obtain the first match result in response to receipt of the notification from the monitoring unit, and

the registering unit is further configured to register with the first communication network when the first match result indicates that first network parameter matches the first communication network,

wherein the time T4 is later than the time T2.

11. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the reading unit is further configured to resume, when said reading of the second network parameter has been completed, said reading of the first network parameter until said reading of the first network parameter is completed.

12. The electronic device of claim 9, further comprising:

a monitoring unit configured to monitor a progress of said reading of the second network parameter when the first detection result indicates that the type of network corresponding to the network parameter read at the time T2 is consistent with the second network parameter, and to notify the searching unit at time T5 that said reading of the first network parameter has been completed,

wherein the searching unit is further configured to search for the second communication network based on the second network parameter in response to receipt of the notification from the monitoring unit, and

the registering unit is further configured to register with the found second communication network.

13. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the reading unit is further configured to resume, when said reading of the second network parameter has been completed, said reading of the first network parameter until said reading of the first network parameter is completed.

14. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the searching unit is further configured to search, when the first detection result indicates that said reading of the first network parameter and said reading of the second network parameter have been completed at the time T2, for the second communication network based on the second network parameter, and

the registering unit is further configured to register with the found second communication network.

15. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the reading unit is further configured to resume, when said reading of the second network parameter has been completed, said reading of the first network parameter until said reading of the first network parameter is completed.

16. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the reading unit is further configured to resume, when said reading of the second network parameter has been completed, said reading of the first network parameter until said reading of the first network parameter is completed.