CN107105480B - Apparatus and method for handling public land mobile network selection - Google Patents

Abstract

An apparatus and method for handling public land mobile network selection. The device includes a storage unit to store instructions including determining that the communication device is roaming; selecting a preferred roaming PLMN having the preferred roaming PLMN identification for camping on if the preferred roaming PLMN identification is stored in a subscriber identity module of the communication device; if the preferred roaming PLMN identification is not stored in the subscriber identity module of the communication device, or the communication device does not find the preferred roaming PLMN and a first roaming PLMN identification associated with a first home PLMN identification of the communication device, a first roaming PLMN having the first roaming PLMN identification is selected for camping.

Description

Apparatus and method for handling public land mobile network selection

Technical Field

The present invention relates to an apparatus for a wireless communication system, and more particularly, to an apparatus and method for handling Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) selection in a wireless communication system.

Background

Typically, a home operator of a User Equipment (UE), such as a telecommunications operator in taiwan, china, fails to enter into a roaming agreement with all roaming operators in a roaming country, such as the united states. When the ue is turned on in a roaming country, the ue needs to search for a Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) to camp on. The ue may spend a long time staying in the roaming network. For example, a home carrier may only enter into a roaming agreement with a roaming carrier in a roaming country. Before the ue finds the plmn of the roaming operator with the roaming agreement, the ue may try many plmn of the roaming operator, but is rejected. That is, before the ue receives services from the plmn, the ue needs to spend a long time on finding a suitable plmn, which causes inconvenience to the user of the ue.

Therefore, when the ue is in the roaming network or the roaming country, how to select the appropriate plmn is an urgent issue to be solved.

Disclosure of Invention

Therefore, the present invention provides a communication apparatus and method for handling plmn selection to solve the above problems.

The invention discloses a communication device for processing a Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) selection in a roaming country, comprising a storage unit for storing instructions and a processing device coupled to the storage unit. The processing device is configured to execute the instructions in the memory unit. The instructions include determining that the communication device is roaming; selecting a preferred roaming PLMN having the preferred roaming PLMN identification for camping if the preferred roaming PLMN Identification (ID) is stored in a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) of the communication device; and selecting a first roaming public land mobile network having the first roaming public land mobile network identity to camp on if the preferred roaming public land mobile network identity is not stored in the subscriber identity module of the communication device or the communication device does not find the preferred roaming public land mobile network and a first roaming public land mobile network identity is associated with a first Home Public Land Mobile Network (HPLMN) identity of the communication device.

The present invention further discloses a network for processing a Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) selection, comprising a storage unit for storing instructions, and a processing device coupled to the storage unit. The processing device is configured to execute the instructions in the memory unit. The instructions include receiving information from a first communication device of an Identity (ID) of a roaming public land mobile network, a Home PLMN (HPLMN) identity, and an association between the identity of the roaming public land mobile network and the identity of the home public land mobile network; and transmitting the information to a second communication device.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a diagram of a wireless communication system according to an embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram of a communication device according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart of an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 4 is a table for plmn selection according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 5 is a table for plmn selection according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart of a process according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[ notation ] to show

10 radio communication system

20 communication device

200 processing device

210 memory cell

214 program code

220 communication interface unit

30. 60 flow path

300. 302, 304, 306, 308, 600, step

602、604、606

40. 50 form

HPID 1-HPID 3 local public land mobile network identification

RPID 1-RPID 3 roaming public land mobile network identification

RAT 1-2 wireless access technology

MCC 1-MCC 2 mobile country code

MNC 1-MNC 3 mobile network code

Detailed Description

Fig. 1 is a diagram of a wireless communication system 10 according to an embodiment of the invention. The wireless communication system 10 can be briefly composed of a network and a plurality of communication devices. The network and the communication device may communicate via one or more carriers (carriers) in one or more licensed bands (licensed bands) and/or one or more unlicensed bands (unlicensed bands). In fig. 1, a network and a plurality of communication devices are used to illustrate the architecture of the wireless communication system 10. In fact, in a Long Term Evolution (LTE) system, a Long Term Evolution-Advanced (LTE-a) system, or a later version of the LTE-a system, the network may be an evolved universal terrestrial radio access network (E-UTRAN), which may include at least one evolved Node-Bs (eNB) and/or at least one relay. An evolved base station or relay station may be referred to as a base station.

In the local country, the network side may be regarded as a local network side and may include a local public land mobile network (HPLMN). In another embodiment, in a roaming country (e.g., a foreign country), the network end may be considered a roaming network end and may include one or more roaming public land mobile networks. Generally, when a communication device roams in different countries, the communication device needs to search for a roaming plmn to camp on a cell of the roaming plmn. After a suitable roaming plmn is selected, a number of subsequent procedures (e.g., cell selection, authorization) may be performed.

The communication device may be a User Equipment (UE), a low-cost device such as a Machine Type Communication (MTC), a device-to-device (D2D) communication device, a mobile phone, a notebook computer, a tablet computer, an electronic book, a portable computer system, an automobile, an airplane, or a combination thereof. In addition, for device-to-cell communication, the network side and the communication device can be considered as the transmitting side or the receiving side, respectively, according to the direction (e.g., transmission direction). For example, for an Uplink (UL), the communication device is the transmitting end and the network end is the receiving end; for a Downlink (DL), the network is the transmitting side and the communication device is the receiving side.

Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram of a communication device 20 according to an embodiment of the invention. The communication device 20 may be used to implement the network side or the communication device in fig. 1, but is not limited thereto. The communication device 20 includes a processing device 200, a storage unit 210, and a communication interface unit 220. The processing device 200 may be a microprocessor or an Application-specific integrated Circuit (ASIC). The storage unit 210 may be any data storage device for storing a program code 214, and the processing device 200 can read and execute the program code 214 through the storage unit 210. For example, the storage unit 210 may be a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM), a Read-Only Memory (ROM), a Flash Memory (Flash Memory), a Random-Access Memory (RAM), a compact disc Read-Only Memory (CD-ROM/DVD-ROM/BD-ROM), a magnetic tape (magnetic tape), a hard disk (hard disk), an optical data storage device (optical data storage device), a non-volatile storage unit (non-volatile storage unit), a non-transitory computer-readable medium (e.g., a tangible medium), and the like, without being limited thereto. The communication interface unit 220 may be a wireless transceiver for transmitting and receiving signals (e.g., data, signals, messages and/or packets) according to the processing results of the processing device 200. For simplicity, the user terminal in the following embodiments can be regarded as the communication device in fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a flowchart of a process 30 for handling plmn selection in a ue (e.g., the communication device in fig. 1) according to an embodiment of the present invention. The process 30 may be compiled into the program code 214, and includes the following steps:

step 300: and starting.

Step 302: determining that the ue is roaming.

Step 304: if a preferred roaming plmn Identity (ID) is stored in a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) of the ue, a preferred roaming plmn having the preferred roaming plmn identity is selected for camping on.

Step 306: if the preferred roaming PLMN identification is not stored in the subscriber identity module of the subscriber terminal, or the subscriber terminal does not find the preferred roaming PLMN and a first roaming PLMN identification is associated with a first home PLMN identification of the subscriber terminal, a first roaming PLMN having the first roaming PLMN identification is selected to camp on.

Step 308: and (6) ending.

According to the process 30, the ue determines that the ue is roaming. If the preferred roaming PLMN identification is stored in the subscriber identity module of the subscriber terminal, the subscriber terminal selects the preferred roaming PLMN having the preferred roaming PLMN identification to camp on. If the preferred roaming plmn identity is not stored in the subscriber identity module of the user terminal, or the user terminal does not find the preferred roaming plmn and the first roaming plmn identity is associated with the first home plmn identity of the user terminal and stored in the storage unit 210, the user terminal selects the first roaming plmn having the first roaming plmn identity to camp on. That is, the ue first searches for a preferred roaming plmn, which is identified by the preferred roaming plmn identity in the subscriber identity module. Then, if the user identification module of the user terminal fails to obtain the preferred roaming PLMN identification or the user terminal does not find the preferred roaming PLMN, the user terminal searches for the first roaming PLMN identification. Therefore, when the ue is roaming, the ue can quickly and successfully camp on a roaming plmn (e.g., its cell). It is noted that the subscriber identity module may be a Universal Subscriber Identity Module (USIM). The subscriber identity module may be an Integrated Circuit (IC) card or an IC embedded in the subscriber terminal. In another embodiment, the subscriber identity module may be a partition (partition) of the storage unit 210 of the subscriber side.

When the ue searches for the plmn, the ue scans multiple carrier frequencies (carriers) on which the ue can receive multiple signals. If the ue finds a cell on a carrier frequency, the ue receives system information broadcasted by the cell. If the system information includes the PLMN identification, the user terminal searches for the PLMN with the PLMN identification. If the ue does not find any cell broadcasting the plmn identity, the ue does not find the plmn.

An embodiment is illustrated below with respect to flow 30. The ue may have frequency information of the roaming plmn, and may be able to search for a cell of the roaming plmn on a carrier frequency according to the frequency information. However, if the preferred roaming plmn identity is stored in the universal subscriber identity module of the ue and the preferred roaming plmn identity is different from the roaming plmn identity, the ue selects the preferred roaming plmn and performs cell selection to select a cell of the preferred roaming plmn in case of higher priority. If the ue does not find a better cell of the roaming plmn, the ue selects the roaming plmn and performs cell selection to select a cell of the roaming plmn.

The implementation of the process 30 is not limited to the above.

In one embodiment, the ue determines that it is roaming if it receives a Mobile Country Code (MCC) broadcast by a cell of the roaming plmn. That is, the ue searches for a cell on a carrier frequency, receives system information of the cell, and the system information includes the roaming mobile country code. The roaming mobile country code received in the system information can be used by the ue to identify where the ue is located, i.e., the roaming country. In one embodiment, the ue may determine that it is roaming after the ue is turned on or its flight mode (airplane/flight mode) is turned off.

In one embodiment, if the preferred roaming plmn identity is not stored in the subscriber identity module, the ue may select the first roaming plmn for camping on the first roaming plmn according to a first roaming plmn identity associated with the first home plmn identity and a first Radio Access Technology (RAT). That is, an association between the first home public land mobile network identification, the first roaming public land mobile network identification, and the first radio access technology is established. The ue is camped on a cell of a first radio access technology of a first roaming plmn by using hardware and software of the first radio access technology. Further, the first roaming public land mobile network identification may be further associated with another radio access technology, and the first radio access technology is prioritized over the other radio access technologies. That is, there are 2 options for the ue to camp on the roaming network: a first roaming public land mobile network identification having a first radio access technology and a first roaming public land mobile network identification having another radio access technology. In this embodiment, the ue selects the first roaming plmn identity with the first radio access technology according to the higher priority of the first radio access technology.

In one embodiment, the user terminal may search and register with the second roaming public land mobile network in the roaming country, wherein the second roaming public land mobile network identification of the second roaming public land mobile network is not stored in the user terminal or the user terminal fails to register with the first public land mobile network. The user terminal may identify the first home plmn in association with the second roaming plmn, and may store the association between the second roaming plmn identification and the first home plmn in the storage unit 210 of the user terminal. That is, the ue may store a list of the one or more roaming plmn according to the one or more roaming plmn it is registered with, and the ue may use it to visit the roaming country next time. Further, if the ue is registered to the second roaming plmn through a cell of the second rat, the ue can associate the second rat of the second roaming plmn with the second plmn identity. That is, the ue may store information of the second rat and the identity of the local plmn, the association between the second roaming plmn and the second rat. In one embodiment, the ue may transmit information (e.g., association) of the second roaming plmn identity and the first home plmn identity to a server (server). Therefore, the server can provide information to other clients, so that the other clients can update their respective lists of roaming PLMN. The information may further comprise location information associated with the second roaming PLMN identification. Therefore, when one of the other ues detects that it is at the location indicated by the location information, the one of the other ues can select the second roaming plmn identity. Preferably, the location information may include a geographical location, WiFi positioning information, Global Positioning System (GPS) positioning information, and the like. In one embodiment, the user terminal may receive a third roaming public land mobile network identification, a second home public land mobile network identification, and an association between the third roaming public land mobile network identification and the second home public land mobile network identification of a third roaming public land mobile network from the server, and store the third roaming public land mobile network identification, the second home public land mobile network identification, and the association between the third roaming public land mobile network identification and the second home public land mobile network identification in the user terminal. That is, the ue updates the list of the roaming plmn by itself or by using information provided by the server.

Fig. 4 is a table 40 for plmn selection according to an embodiment of the present invention. The table is stored in the user terminal for handling public land mobile network and/or cell selection in the roaming country and can be updated upon receiving the relevant information as described above. FIG. 4 shows the PLMN identities HPID 1-HPID 3, the roaming PLMN identities RPID 1-RPID 3, and the RAT 1-RAT 2. Thus, 5 (i.e., 5 columns) associations are established. The user equipment can select one of the plurality of associations to perform public land mobile network and/or cell selection. For the first association, the home public land mobile network identification HPID1 is associated with the roaming public land mobile network identification RPID1 and the radio access technology RAT 1. For the second association, the home public land mobile network identification HPID1 is associated with the roaming public land mobile network identification RPID1 and the radio access technology RAT 2. For the third association, the home public land mobile network identification HPID2 is associated with the roaming public land mobile network identification RPID2 and is not associated with any radio access technology. For the fourth association, the home public land mobile network identification HPID2 is associated with the roaming public land mobile network identification RPID2 and is not associated with any radio access technology. For the fifth association, the home public land mobile network identification HPID3 is associated with the roaming public land mobile network identification RPID3 and the radio access technology RAT 1. In the present embodiment, the priority order of the plurality of associations is set to descending order (descending order) according to the column positions of the plurality of associations in fig. 4.

In one embodiment, assuming that the preferred roaming plmn identity is not stored in the subscriber identity module and that the home plmn of the user terminal is identified by the home plmn identity HPID1, the user terminal first attempts a first association to perform plmn and/or cell selection. That is, by using the RAT1, the ue searches for a cell in the RAT1 of the roaming plmn identified by the RPID 1. If the cell is successfully found, the ue can perform a registration procedure to the roaming plmn. If the cell is not successfully found according to the first association, the ue attempts a second association to perform cell selection. That is, by using the RAT2, the ue searches for a cell in the RAT2 of the roaming plmn. If the cell in RAT2 is not successfully found, the ue attempts a third association. That is, the ue searches for a cell of the roaming plmn identified by the roaming plmn identification RPID 2. The user terminal continues to try the next association with the home plmn identification HPID1 until a cell of the roaming plmn identified by the next association is successfully found, i.e. plmn and/or cell selection is successfully performed. Once the user arrives to find a suitable cell, the user terminal registers with the roaming public land mobile network identified by the next association through the cell.

In an embodiment, the ue may find the roaming plmn identified by the roaming plmn identification RPID1, but fails to register with the roaming plmn via the RAT 1. In this case, the ue may update the association by reordering the association to the lowest priority (e.g., moving it to the last column in the table or the last column of the plurality of associations including the plmn id 1) or by detecting the association. Further, the ue may send a message for updating the association to the server. The server may then update the association to the other client.

Fig. 5 is a table 50 for plmn selection according to an embodiment of the present invention. The table 50 is stored in the user terminal for handling public land mobile network and/or cell selection in the roaming country and the table 50 may be updated after receiving the relevant information as described above. FIG. 5 shows the mobile country codes MCC1 MCC2, the mobile network codes MNC1 MNC3, the roaming PLMN identifications RPID1 RPID3, and the radio access technologies RAT1 RAT 2. Thus, 5 (i.e., 5 columns) associations are established. The user terminal selects one of the plurality of associations to perform public land mobile network and/or cell selection. Each mobile country code and mobile network code combination is associated (e.g., mapped) to a local public land mobile network identity. Thus, the operations for executing table 40 may be applied to table 50. The relationship between table 50 and table 40 is described below. The combination of the mobile country code MCC1 and the mobile network code MNC1 in table 50 corresponds to the local public land mobile network identity HPID1 in table 40. The combination of the mobile country code MCC1 and the mobile network code MNC2 in table 50 corresponds to the local public land mobile network identity HPID2 in table 40. The combination of the mobile country code MCC2 and the mobile network code MNC3 in table 50 corresponds to the local public land mobile network identity HPID3 in table 40. The ue can perform plmn and/or cell selection by using the table 50 according to the description in the table 40. For detailed implementation, please refer to the above description, which is not repeated herein.

Fig. 6 is a flowchart of a process 60 for handling plmn selection in a network (e.g., the network in fig. 1) according to an embodiment of the present invention. The process 60 may be compiled into the program code 214, and includes the following steps:

step 600: and starting.

Step 602: receiving information of a roaming PLMN identification, a PLMN identification, and an association between the roaming PLMN identification and the PLMN identification from a first subscriber.

Step 604: the information is transmitted to a second user terminal.

Step 606: and (6) ending.

According to the process 60, the network (e.g., the server) receives the roaming plmn identification, the home plmn identification, and the association between the roaming plmn identification and the home plmn identification from the first user equipment. Then, the network side transmits information to the second user side. That is, the network collects a plurality of home public land mobile network identifications, a plurality of roaming public land mobile network identifications, and associations between the plurality of home public land mobile network identifications and the roaming public land mobile network identifications from the first set of users, and publishes the plurality of home public land mobile network identifications, the plurality of roaming public land mobile network identifications, and the associations between the plurality of home public land mobile network identifications and the roaming public land mobile network identifications to the second set of users. Some of the ues in the first ue set and the second ue set may be the same or different. Therefore, according to the contribution of other ue, the ue stores one or more local plmn identities, one or more roaming plmn identities and an association between the one or more local plmn identities and the roaming plmn identity. When the ue determines that it is in the roaming country, the ue selects a roaming plmn in the roaming country. That is, the ue finds the identity of the roaming plmn in the highest priority order among the one or more associations, and searches for a cell of the roaming plmn to camp on. Therefore, the ue can receive one or more services provided by the roaming plmn in real time. In one embodiment, the ue searches one or more associations (e.g., table 40) for the roaming plmn identity by the mobile country code of the roaming country.

In an embodiment, the information may include a radio access technology associated with a roaming public land mobile network identification. In one embodiment, the information may include location information associated with the roaming PLMN identification. In one embodiment, the ue may be configured to transmit only messages when the ue has a WiFi link. That is, when the ue roams, the ue does not transmit information through the cell link.

Implementations of the processes 30 and 60 are not limited to the above. The steps of the embodiment described in the flow 30 may be applied to the steps of the flow 60.

Those skilled in the art should appreciate that they can combine, modify or change the above-described embodiments without limitation to the scope of the present invention. The aforementioned statements, steps, and/or processes, including the suggested steps, may be implemented by means of hardware, software, firmware (a combination of hardware means and computer instructions and data embodied in software readable only on hardware means), an electronic system, or a combination thereof, wherein the means may be the communication device 20.

In summary, the present invention provides a ue and method for handling plmn selection. The method can be implemented at the user side and/or the network side according to various system requirements and/or design considerations. Therefore, when the ue is in the roaming country, the ue can camp on the roaming plmn in the roaming country, and the time for searching for the roaming plmn can be reduced. Therefore, the ue can receive one or more services provided by the roaming plmn in real time.

The above-mentioned embodiments are only preferred embodiments of the present invention, and all equivalent changes and modifications made by the claims of the present invention should be covered by the scope of the present invention.

Claims (15)

1. A communications apparatus for handling Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) selection in a roaming country, comprising:

a storage unit to store instructions to:

determining that the communication device is roaming;

selecting a preferred roaming PLMN having the preferred roaming PLMN identification for camping if the preferred roaming PLMN Identification (ID) is stored in a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) of the communication device; and

selecting a first roaming public land mobile network having a first roaming public land mobile network identification to camp on if the preferred roaming public land mobile network identification is not stored in the subscriber identity module of the communication device or the communication device does not find the preferred roaming public land mobile network and the first roaming public land mobile network identification is associated with a first Home Public Land Mobile Network (HPLMN) identification of the communication device; and

the processing device is coupled to the storage unit and is configured to execute the instruction in the storage unit.

2. The communications apparatus of claim 1, wherein the communications apparatus determines that it is roaming if the communications apparatus receives a roaming Mobile Country Code (MCC) broadcast by a cell of a roaming plmn.

3. The communications device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the communications device determines that it is roaming after the communications device is turned on or its flight mode (airplan mode) is turned off.

4. The communications apparatus of claim 1, wherein if the preferred roaming public land mobile network identity is not stored in the subscriber identity module, the communications apparatus selects the first roaming public land mobile network to camp on the first roaming public land mobile network based on the first roaming public land mobile network identity associated with the first home public land mobile network identity and a first Radio Access Technology (RAT).

5. The communications apparatus of claim 4, wherein the first roaming PLMN identification is further associated with another radio access technology, and the first radio access technology is prioritized over the other radio access technology.

6. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the memory unit further stores instructions for:

searching for and registering with a second roaming public land mobile network in the roaming country, wherein the second roaming public land mobile network identification of the second roaming public land mobile network is not stored in the communication device or the communication device fails to register with the first roaming public land mobile network;

identifying the first local public land mobile network in association with the second roaming public land mobile network; and

in the communication device, an association between the second roaming public land mobile network identification and the first local public land mobile network is stored.

7. The communication device of claim 6, wherein the memory unit further stores instructions for:

associating the second RAT of the second roaming PLMN with the second roaming PLMN identification if the communication device is registered with the second roaming PLMN through a cell of the second RAT.

8. The communication device of claim 6, wherein the memory unit further stores instructions for:

transmitting information of the second roaming PLMN identification and the first local PLMN identification to a server (server).

9. The communications apparatus of claim 8 wherein the information comprises location information associated with the second roaming PLMN identification.

10. The communication device of claim 6, wherein the memory unit further stores instructions for:

receiving, from a server, a third roaming public land mobile network identification, a second home public land mobile network identification of a third roaming public land mobile network, and an association between the third roaming public land mobile network identification and the second home public land mobile network identification;

in the communication device, the third roaming public land mobile network identification, the second home public land mobile network identification, and the association between the third roaming public land mobile network identification and the second home public land mobile network identification are stored.

11. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the subscriber identity module is an Integrated Circuit (IC) card, an IC embedded in the communication device, or a partition (partition) of the memory unit.

12. The communications apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first local public land mobile network is associated with a combination of Mobile Country Code (MCC) and Mobile Network Code (MNC).

13. A communications apparatus for handling Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) selection, comprising:

a storage unit to store instructions to:

receiving, from a first communication device, information of roaming (roaming) public land mobile network Identification (ID), home public land mobile network (home PLMN, HPLMN) identification, and association between the roaming public land mobile network identification and the home public land mobile network identification; and

transmitting the information to a second communication device; and

the processing device is coupled to the storage unit and is configured to execute the instruction in the storage unit.

14. The communications apparatus of claim 13, wherein the information includes Radio Access Technology (RAT) associated with the roaming public land mobile network identification.

15. The communications apparatus of claim 13 wherein the information comprises location information associated with the roaming plmn identity.

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