PLMN selection and inter-system mobility policy conflict resolution for multi-interface user

• US 8,971,239 B2
• Filed: 08/24/2010
• Issued: 03/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Four Batons Wireless LLC (Two Gold Capital LLC)
• Original Assignee: Telcordia Technologies Incorporated (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson), Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Oba, Yoshihiro, Morera, Raquel, Das, Subir
• Primary Examiner(s): Beharry, Noel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ali, Farhad
• Application Number:
  US12/862,259
• Publication Number:
  US 20110085498A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,652 Days
• Field of Search: 370/328, 370/331
• US Class Current: 370/326
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/005 Multiple registrations, e.g. multihoming
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A mobile device includes: multiple interfaces that are configured to support a various access technology such as 3G or Wi-Fi etc. A public land mobile network (PLMN) selector that generates a list for each of the PLMN networks that provide coverage to the mobile device. A PLMN selection policy parameter that is set to True or False to allow or prohibit the selection of PLMN networks by the mobile device based on the generated list where the generated list includes information as to different access technologies and selection priorities supported on the PLMN access networks providing coverage to the mobile device. In particular, when the PLMN selection policy parameter is set to True, multiple PLMN registrations are allowed; and when the A PLMN selection policy parameter is set to False, multiple PLMN registrations are prohibited.

Claims

1. A mobile device, comprising:

a plurality of interfaces each of which is configured with a different access technology;

a network selector to generate a list for each of a plurality of access networks belonging to different visited operators associated with two or more visited public land mobile network (VPLMN) that provide coverage to the mobile device while the mobile device is roaming;

a network selection policy parameter having at least two settings to trigger a selection of the access networks belonging to the visited operators by the mobile device; and

a first setting of the two settings allowing the selection of the access networks belonging to said two or more VPLMN simultaneously when no one VPLMN, among said two or more VPLMN, provides the access networks to support access to each of said different access technology supported by said plurality of interfaces of said mobile device, said selection is based upon the network selector generated list for the access networks belonging to VPLMNs within the coverage of the mobile device,

wherein said list includes at least different access technologies and selection priorities supported on the access networks of the different visited network that provide coverage to the mobile device while the mobile device is roaming,

wherein said mobile device registers with each of said two or more VPLMN such that each of said plurality of interfaces configured with said different access technologies are provided access on said access networks on two or more VPLMN within the coverage of the mobile device,

wherein said mobile device uses at least a first gateway to act as a mobile Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) home agent and a second gateway to act as a proxy mobile IPv6 local mobility agent,

wherein said first gateway provides an internet protocol (IP) flow mobility across said more than one access networks selected by the mobile device, and

wherein said mobile device obtains inter-system mobility policies from a functional unit of a home access network as well as functional units corresponding to visited access networks, in which said functional unit of the home access network and said functional units of each of the visited access networks contain data management and control functionality to provide network discovery and selection assistance data that corresponds to each of the aforesaid access networks'"'"' policy.

2. The mobile device as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

the first setting of the two settings allowing the selection of the access networks belonging to only one VPLMN when the access networks of said one VPLMN provides access to each said different access technology supported by said plurality of interfaces of said mobile device.

3. The mobile device as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

a second setting of the two settings of the network selection policy parameter prohibits the selection of the access networks belonging to more than one VPLMN simultaneously even when the access networks of no one VPLMN provide access to each of said different access technology supported by said plurality of interfaces of said mobile device.

4. The mobile device as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

a second setting of the two settings of the network selection policy parameter allows for selection of the access networks of one of the two or more VPLMNs when the access networks on said one VPLMN provide access to each of said different access technology supported by said plurality of interfaces of said mobile device.

5. The mobile device as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

a second setting of the two settings of the network selection policy parameter allows for selecting a VPLMN based upon the network selector generated list when none of the two or more VPLMN within the coverage of the mobile device provides access to each said different access technology supported by said plurality of interfaces of said mobile device.

6. The mobile device as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said mobile device performs said IP flow mobility binding with said first gateway so that some of the internet protocol (IP) flows to go through one of the plurality of interfaces supporting a specific access technology and other of the IP flows to go through other of the plurality of interfaces supporting a different specific access technology.

7. The mobile device as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said functional unit of the home access network and only one of said functional units from the visited access networks provide IP flow mobility policies across said more than one access networks selected by the mobile device.

8. The mobile device as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said at least two settings being a first setting and a second setting, in which said first setting being TRUE and said second setting being FALSE.

9. A system, comprising:

a plurality of access networks including access networks belonging to different visited operators;

at least a mobile device having a plurality of interfaces each of which is configured with a different access technology;

a network selector to generate a list for each of said access networks belonging to the different visited operators associated with two or more visited public land mobile network (VPLMN) that provide coverage to the mobile device while the mobile device is roaming;

a network selection policy parameter having at least two settings to trigger a selection of the access networks belonging to the visited operators by the mobile device; and

a first setting of the two settings allowing the selection of the access networks belonging to said two or more VPLMN simultaneously when no one VPLMN, among said two or more VPLMN, provides the access networks to support access to each of said different access technology supported by said plurality of interfaces of said mobile device, said selection is based upon the network selector generated list for the access networks belonging to VPLMNs within the coverage of the mobile device,

wherein said list includes at least different access technologies and selection priorities supported on the access networks of the different visited network that provide coverage to the mobile device while the mobile device is roaming,

wherein said mobile device registers with each of said two or more VPLMN such that each of said plurality of interfaces configured with said different access technologies are provided access on said access networks on two or more VPLMN within the coverage of the mobile device,

wherein said mobile device uses at least a first gateway to act as a mobile Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) home agent and a second gateway to act as a proxy mobile IPv6 local mobility agent,

wherein said first gateway provides an internet protocol (IP) flow mobility across said more than one access networks selected by the mobile device, and

wherein said mobile device obtains inter-system mobility policies from a functional unit of a home access network as well as functional units corresponding to visited access networks, in which said functional unit of the home access network and said functional units of each of the visited access networks contain data management and control functionality to provide network discovery and selection assistance data that corresponds to each of the aforesaid access networks'"'"' policy.

10. The system as set forth in claim 9, wherein:

the first setting of the two settings allowing the selection of the access networks belonging to only one VPLMN when the access networks of said one VPLMN provides access to each said different access technology supported by said plurality of interfaces of said mobile device.

11. The system as set forth in claim 9, wherein:

a second setting of the two settings of the network selection policy parameter prohibits the selection of the access networks belonging to more than one VPLMN simultaneously even when the access networks of no one VPLMN provide access to each of said different access technology supported by said plurality of interfaces of said mobile device.

12. The system as set forth in claim 9, wherein:

a second setting of the two settings of the network selection policy parameter allows for selection of the access networks of one of the two or more VPLMNs when the access networks on said one VPLMN provide access to each of said different access technology supported by said plurality of interfaces of said mobile device.

13. The system as set forth in claim 9, wherein:

a second setting of the two settings of the network selection policy parameter allows for selecting a VPLMN based upon the network selector generated list when none of the two or more VPLMN within the coverage of the mobile device provides access to each said different access technology supported by said plurality of interfaces of said mobile device.

14. The system as set forth in claim 9, wherein:

said mobile device performs said IP flow mobility binding with said first gateway so that some of the internet protocol (IP) flows to go through one of the plurality of interfaces supporting a specific access technology and other of the IP flows to go through other of the plurality of interfaces supporting a different specific access technology.

15. The system as set forth in claim 9, wherein:

said functional unit of the home access network and only one of said functional units from the visited access networks provide IP flow mobility policies across said more than one access networks selected by the mobile device.

16. The mobile device as set forth in claim 9, wherein:

said at least two settings being a first setting and a second setting, in which said first setting being TRUE and said second setting being FALSE.