Geographic based method for selecting a wireless communications service provider

• US 5,983,115 A
• Filed: 08/13/1996
• Issued: 11/09/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Mizikovsky, Semyon B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Thanh Cong
• Assistant Examiner(s): BANKS HAROLD, MARSHA DENISE
• Application Number:
  US08/696,196
• Time in Patent Office: 1,183 Days
• Field of Search: 455/422, 455/432, 455/433, 455/435, 455/512, 455/517, 455/524, 455/434, 455/436, 455/455, 455/450, 455/513, 455/514, 455/516
• US Class Current: 455/512
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/00 Affiliation to network, e.g. registration; Terminating affiliation with the network, e.g. de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/183 Processing at user equipment or user record carrier

Abstract

A communication device locates a wireless service provider in a multi-service provider environment using a stored list of preferred service providers, the list has a plurality of uniquely identified sublists, each sublist is associated with a different geographic area and identifies a more preferred service provider and a less preferred service provider. Information received from an initial service provider is used to select a sublist from the plurality of sublists. A preferred service provider is selected by registering with an available service provider having a highest preference of available service providers as specified in the selected sublist.

Claims

1. A method by which a communication device locates a wireless service provider in a multi-service provider environment, comprising the steps of:

storing a list of preferred service providers, the list having a plurality of uniquely identified sublists with each sublist having an identifier, each sublist being associated with a different geographic area and identifying a more preferred service provider and a less preferred service provider;

using information received from an initial service provider to select a sublist from the plurality of sublists; and

selecting a preferred service provider by registering with an available service provider having a highest preference of available service provider as specified in the selected sublist.