Apparatus, and associated method, for facilitating communications by a mobile node in a multiple network radio communication system having interworking capability

• US 9,980,210 B2
• Filed: 12/28/2015
• Issued: 05/22/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Buckley, Adrian
• Primary Examiner(s): Zaidi, Iqbal
• Application Number:
  US14/980,029
• Publication Number:
  US 20160205618A1
• Time in Patent Office: 876 Days
• Field of Search: 370328-339, 455410-411
• 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 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

Apparatus, and an associated method, by which to permit selection by a user of a mobile node of with which cellular communication system network that the mobile node shall communicate by way of an interworking wireless local area network. User selection is provided even when the interworking wireless local area network is directly connected to the home network of the mobile node. A determiner determines whether the interworking wireless local area network is directly connected to the home network. And, responsive to the determinations, an identifier identifies the cellular communication system network associated with the interworking wireless local area network.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

sending, from a mobile node to a wireless local area network (WLAN), a message comprising an alternative network address identifier (NAI), the alternative NAI being different than a root NAI, wherein the root NAI identifies a home cellular communication system network associated with the mobile node, and the alternative NAI is selected by the mobile node to be unrouteable to the home cellular communication system network; and

receiving, from the WLAN and in response to the message comprising the alternative NAI, a list that identifies a public land mobile network (PLMN) accessible via the WLAN.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing an indication, at the mobile node, of an accessible PLMN.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating the message comprising the alternative NAI.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the WLAN is an interworking-WLAN (I-WLAN).

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the home cellular communication system network is a home PLMN.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting a PLMN from the list.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising communicating with the selected PLMN.

8. A mobile node, comprising:

a memory; and

at least one hardware processor communicatively coupled with the memory and configured to;

send, from the mobile node to a wireless local area network (WLAN), a message comprising an alternative network address identifier (NAI), the alternative NAI being different than a root NAI, wherein the root NAI identifies a home cellular communication system network associated with the mobile node, and the alternative NAI is selected by the mobile node to be unrouteable to the home cellular communication system network; and

receive, from the WLAN and in response to the message comprising the alternative NAI, a list that identifies a public land mobile network (PLMN) accessible via the WLAN.

9. The mobile node of claim 8, wherein the at least one hardware processor is further configured to provide an indication, at the mobile node, of an accessible PLMN.

10. The mobile node of claim 8, wherein the at least one hardware processor is further configured to generate the message comprising the alternative NAI.

11. The mobile node of claim 8, wherein the WLAN is an interworking-WLAN (I-WLAN).

12. The mobile node of claim 8, wherein the home cellular communication system network is a home PLMN.

13. The mobile node of claim 8, wherein the at least one hardware processor is further configured to select a PLMN from the list.

14. The mobile node of claim 13, wherein the at least one hardware processor is further configured to communicate with the selected PLMN.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing instructions which, when executed, cause a computing device to perform operations comprising:

sending, from a mobile node to a wireless local area network (WLAN), a message comprising an alternative network address identifier (NAI), the alternative NAI being different than a root NAI, wherein the root NAI identifies a home cellular communication system network associated with the mobile node, and the alternative NAI is selected by the mobile node to be unrouteable to the home cellular communication system network; and

receiving, from the WLAN and in response to the message comprising the alternative NAI, a list that identifies a public land mobile network (PLMN) accessible via the WLAN.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, the operations further comprising providing an indication, at the mobile node, of an accessible PLMN.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, the operations further comprising generating the message comprising the alternative NAI.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the WLAN is an interworking-WLAN (I-WLAN).

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the home cellular communication system network is a home PLMN.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, the operations further comprising selecting a PLMN from the list.