Scheme for providing regulatory compliance in performing network selection in a foreign country

• US 20060160532A1
• Filed: 01/14/2005
• Published: 07/20/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Buckley, Adrian, Carpenter, Paul, Alfano, Nicholas P.
• Granted Patent: US 7,447,502 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/422.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service

Abstract

In one embodiment, a scheme is disclosed for providing regulatory compliance in network selection by a user equipment (UE) device that is operable to discover an equivalent home network in a foreign country. Upon receiving a network identity code from a network node, a determination is made if the network identified by the network identity code is an equivalent home network with respect to a subscriber identity associated with the UE device. If so, network scanning is performed by the UE device in accordance with scanning procedures specified for a home country associated with the subscriber identity provided that the geographic code portion of the network country code identifies a geographic area in the home country of the subscriber identity. Otherwise, network scanning is performed by the UE device in accordance with scanning procedures specified for a foreign geographic region identified in the network identity code.

Claims

1. A network selection method, comprising:

receiving, by a user equipment (UE) device in a location area, a network identity code from a network node;

determining if a network identified by said network identity code is an equivalent home network with respect to a subscriber identity associated with said UE device;

responsive to said determining, performing network scanning by said UE device in accordance with scanning procedures specified for a home country associated with said subscriber identity if a geographic code portion associated with said equivalent home network identifies a geographic area in said home country associated with said subscriber identity; and

otherwise, performing network scanning by said UE device in accordance with scanning procedures specified for a foreign geographic region identified in said network identity code.

2. The network selection method as recited in claim 1, wherein said network identity code identifies a network that comprises a Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) selected from the group consisting of a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) network, an Enhanced Data Rates for Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) Evolution (EDGE) network, a 3^rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP)-compliant network, an Integrated Digital Enhanced Network (IDEN), a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) network, a Universal Mobile Telecommunications System. (UMTS) network, and a Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) network.

3. The network selection method as recited in claim 1, wherein said network identity code comprises a combination of a Mobile Country Code (MCC) and a Mobile Network Code (MNC), said MCC depending on geographic location of said network node.

4. The network selection method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

determining if said scanning procedures specified for said foreign geographic region are not successful in establishing connectivity between said UE device and said network node; and

if so, performing network scanning by said UE device in accordance with said scanning procedures specified for said home country.

5. The network selection method as recited in claim 1, wherein said subscriber identity comprises an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) parameter.

6. The network selection method as recited in claim 1, further comprising, upon determining that said network identified by said network identity code is not an equivalent home network with respect to said subscriber identity, performing scanning procedures specified for a geographic region identified in said network identity code.

7. The network selection method as recited in claim 1, wherein said receiving by said UE device is effectuated when said UE device is in idle mode.

8. The network selection method as recited in claim 1, wherein said network identity code identifies a network that comprises a wireless access network operable with a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) standard selected from the group consisting of:

IEEE 802.11b standard, IEEE 802.11a standard, IEEE 802.11g standard, HiperLan standard, HiperLan II standard, Wi-Max standard, OpenAir standard, and Bluetooth standard.

9. The network selection method as recited in claim 1, wherein said network identity code comprises a System Identification (SID) parameter.

10. A network selection system, comprising:

means for receiving, by a user equipment (UE) device in a location area, a network identity code from a network node;

means for determining if a network identified by said network identity code is an equivalent home network with respect to a subscriber identity associated with said UE device;

means, operable responsive to said determining, for performing network scanning by said UE device in accordance with scanning procedures specified for a home country associated with said subscriber identity, provided that a geographic code portion associated with said equivalent home network identifies a geographic area in said home country associated with said subscriber identity; and

means for performing network scanning by said UE device in accordance with scanning procedures specified for a foreign geographic region identified in said network identity code, if said geographic code portion associated with said equivalent home network does not identify a geographic area in said home country.

11. The network selection system as recited in claim 10, wherein said network identity code identifies a network that comprises a Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) selected from the group consisting of a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) network, an Enhanced Data Rates for Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) Evolution (EDGE) network, a 3^rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP)-compliant network, an Integrated Digital Enhanced Network (IDEN), a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) network, a Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) network, and a Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) network.

12. The network selection system as recited in claim 10, wherein said network identity code comprises a combination of a Mobile Country Code (MCC) and a Mobile Network Code (MNC), said MCC depending on geographic location of said location area.

13. The network selection system as recited in claim 10, further comprising:

means for determining if said scanning procedures specified for said foreign geographic region are not successful in establishing connectivity between said UE device and said network node; and

means, operable responsive to said determining, for performing network scanning by said UE device in accordance with said scanning procedures specified for said home country.

14. The network selection system as recited in claim 10, wherein said subscriber identity comprises an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) parameter.

15. The network selection system as recited in claim 10, further comprising means, operable upon determining that said network identified by said network identity code is not an equivalent home network with respect to said subscriber identity, for performing scanning procedures specified for a geographic region identified in said network identity code.

16. The network selection system as recited in claim 10, wherein said means for receiving said network identity code is operable when said UE device is in idle mode.

17. The network selection system as recited in claim 10, wherein said network identity code identifies a network that comprises a wireless access network operable with a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) standard selected from the group consisting of:

IEEE 802.11b standard, IEEE 802.11a standard, IEEE 802.11g standard, HiperLan standard, HiperLan II standard, Wi-Max standard, OpenAir standard, and Bluetooth standard.

18. The network selection system as recited in claim 10, wherein said network identity code comprises a System Identification (SID) parameter.

19. A user equipment (UE) device, comprising:

a communication subsystem including a transceiver module operable for receiving a network identity code from a network node of a Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) in a location area;

a logic module operable to determine if a network identified by a network identity code is an equivalent home network with respect to a subscriber identity associated with said UE device;

a module, operable responsive to said determining, for performing network scanning in accordance with scanning procedures specified for a home country associated with said subscriber identity if a geographic code portion associated with said equivalent home network identifies a geographic area in said home country associated with said subscriber identity; and

a module for performing network scanning in accordance with scanning procedures specified for a foreign geographic region identified in said network identity code, if said geographic code portion associated with said equivalent home network does not identify a geographic area in said home country.

20. The UE device as recited in claim 19, wherein said network identity code identifies a network that comprises a Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) selected from the group consisting of a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) network, an Enhanced Data Rates for Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) Evolution (EDGE) network, a 3^rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP)-compliant network, an Integrated Digital Enhanced Network (IDEN), a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) network, a Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) network, and a Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) network.

21. The UE device as recited in claim 19, wherein said network identity code comprises a combination of a Mobile Country Code (MCC) and a Mobile Network Code (MNC), said MCC depending on geographic location of said location area.

22. The UE device as recited in claim 19, further comprising:

a logic module for determining if said scanning procedures specified for said foreign geographic region are not successful in establishing connectivity between said UE device and said network node; and

means, operable responsive to said determining, for reverting to performing network scanning by said UE device in accordance with said scanning procedures specified for said home country.

23. The UE device as recited in claim 19, wherein said subscriber identity comprises an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) parameter.

24. The UE device as recited in claim 19, further comprising a module, operable upon determining that said network identified by said network identity code is not an equivalent home network with respect to said subscriber identity, for performing scanning procedures specified for a geographic region identified in said network identity code.

25. The UE device as recited in claim 19, wherein said transceiver module is operable for receiving said network identity code when said UE device is in idle mode.

26. The UE device as recited in claim 19, wherein said communication subsystem further comprises a transceiver module operable for scanning in a frequency band compliant with a wireless access network scanning process, and further wherein said network identity code identifies a network that comprises a wireless access network operable with a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) standard selected from the group consisting of:

IEEE 802.11b standard, IEEE 802.11a standard, IEEE 802.11g standard, HiperLan standard, HiperLan II standard, Wi-Max standard, OpenAir standard, and Bluetooth standard.

27. The UE device as recited in claim 19, wherein said network identity code comprises a System Identification (SID) parameter.