WO2019006580A1

WO2019006580A1 - Consolidated policy file for an open market

Info

Publication number: WO2019006580A1
Application number: PCT/CN2017/091421
Authority: WO
Inventors: Quanling ZHANG
Original assignee: Qualcomm Incorporated
Priority date: 2017-07-03
Filing date: 2017-07-03
Publication date: 2019-01-10

Abstract

Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communication are described. A user equipment (UE) may store a policy file associating a set of radio frequency bands with networks operating in a geographical region. The UE may perform one or more band searches to identify an available network. In some cases, the band searches may be limited to searches of bands supported by networks operating in the geographical region in which the UE is located, as identified in the policy file stored at the UE. The UE may connect to the available network. In some cases, the UE may receive the policy file via a software upgrade process for the UE, and the software upgrade process includes receiving a software upgrade packet from a manufacturer of the UE.

Description

CONSOLIDATED POLICY FILE FOR AN OPEN MARKET

BACKGROUND

The following relates generally to wireless communication, and more specifically to a consolidated policy file for an open market.

Wireless communications systems are widely deployed to provide various types of communication content such as voice, video, packet data, messaging, broadcast, and so on. These systems may be capable of supporting communication with multiple users by sharing the available system resources (e.g.， time, frequency, and power) . Examples of such multiple-access systems include code division multiple access (CDMA) systems, time division multiple access (TDMA) systems, frequency division multiple access (FDMA) systems, and orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) systems, (e.g.， a Long Term Evolution (LTE) system, or a New Radio (NR) system) . A wireless multiple-access communications system may include a number of base stations or access network nodes, each simultaneously supporting communication for multiple communication devices, which may be otherwise known as user equipment (UE) .

Some wireless communications systems may enable communication between a base station and a UE. In some examples, UEs may participate in one or more band search operations in order to identify available frequency bands for communications with one or more base stations. In one example, band search operations may be conducted in connection with a circuit-switched fallback (CSFB) operation, where a UE falls back from communicating on a first network to communicating on a second network, such as a circuit-switched network. When the UE performs a CSFB mobile originated (MO) call, if the UE fails to redirect, as part of the CSFB operation, the UE may perform a full band search on all available wideband code division multiple access (WCDMA) bands. If no available bands are found, then the UE may perform another band search for bands of another type of radio access network (RAN) , such as a Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) network. This full band search may be based on a radio frequency (RF) capability of the UE. When a CSFB call is triggered, the UE may initiate a timer. If no connection is established prior to the expiration of the timer, then the call may be dropped. In some domains that support fewer WCDMA and/or GSM bands, the timer may expire before the UE is able to identify and connect to an available band. This results in call drop and performance degradation. Improved techniques for performing band search may thus be desired.

SUMMARY

The described techniques relate to improved methods, systems, devices, and apparatuses that support a consolidated policy file for an open market. A user equipment (UE) may perform band search operation. In one example, the band search operation may be a part of a circuit-switched fallback (CSFB) mobile originated (MO) call. As a first step, when the UE fails to redirect, the UE may perform a full band search on all available wideband code division multiple access (WCDMA) bands. When a CSFB call is triggered, a timer may be initiated. If no available bands are found, the UE may be redirected to perform another band search for available Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) bands. If the UE can find an available band before the timer expires, the UE may be able to establish a CSFB MO call. If the timer expires before an available WCDMA or GSM band is identified, the call may be dropped. Some geographical areas include networks that support fewer numbers of WCDMA and/or Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) bands. For example, in some countries two WCDMA bands may be available instead of four WCDMA bands and similarly only two GSM bands may be available instead of four GSM bands. In some embodiments, the UE may identify which bands to search while establishing a connection. For example, a policy file may be stored in the UE that may improve the network search time for the UE. The policy file may direct the UE to only search the available WCDMA and GSM bands within a particular geographical area.

The policy file may include one or more rules associated with the available bands supported by networks operating in a particular geographical area. The UE may be configured to determine that the UE has entered a geographical area that supports fewer numbers of WCDMA and GSM bands. For example, the UE may receive public land mobile network (PLMN) information from a nearest base station and may determine the geographical area based on the PLMN information. In some embodiments, the policy file may collectively identify bands supported by networks operating in the geographical region without separately identifying bands supported by individual PLMNs. The policy file may further include rules associated with a country. In some examples, the policy file may be stored in the UE. In some cases, the UE may be configured to operate as an open market device. In some embodiments, the stored policy file may be updated to include new policies. For example, the existing policy file may be updated via a software upgrade process. In some examples, the UE may receive a software upgrade packet from a manufacturer of the UE. In some cases, the consolidated policy files may be provided to the UE as part of a software upgrade process. The consolidated policy file may be the same for different carriers and different PLMNs.

The described techniques relate to improved methods, systems, devices, or apparatuses that support a consolidated policy file for an open market. A method of wireless communication is described. The method may include storing a policy file associating a set of radio frequency bands with networks operating in a geographical region, performing one or more band searches to identify an available network, the band searches being limited to searches of bands supported by networks operating in the geographical region in which the UE is located, as identified in the policy file stored at the UE, and connecting to the available network.

An apparatus for wireless communication is described. The apparatus may include means for storing a policy file associating a set of radio frequency bands with networks operating in a geographical region, means for performing one or more band searches to identify an available network, the band searches being limited to searches of bands supported by networks operating in the geographical region in which the UE is located, as identified in the policy file stored at the UE, and means for connecting to the available network.

Another apparatus for wireless communication is described. The apparatus may include a processor, memory in electronic communication with the processor, and instructions stored in the memory. The instructions may be operable to cause the processor to store a policy file associating a set of radio frequency bands with networks operating in a geographical region, perform one or more band searches to identify an available network, the band searches being limited to searches of bands supported by networks operating in the geographical region in which the UE is located, as identified in the policy file stored at the UE, and connect to the available network.

A non-transitory computer readable medium for wireless communication is described. The non-transitory computer-readable medium may include instructions operable to cause a processor to store a policy file associating a set of radio frequency bands with networks operating in a geographical region, perform one or more band searches to identify an available network, the band searches being limited to searches of bands supported by networks operating in the geographical region in which the UE is located, as identified in the policy file stored at the UE, and connect to the available network.

Some examples of the method, apparatus, and non-transitory computer-readable medium described above may further include processes, features, means, or instructions for receiving the policy file via a software upgrade process for the UE.

In some examples of the method, apparatus, and non-transitory computer-readable medium described above, the software upgrade process includes receiving a software upgrade packet from a manufacturer of the UE.

Some examples of the method, apparatus, and non-transitory computer-readable medium described above may further include processes, features, means, or instructions for identifying that the UE may have entered the geographical region. Some examples of the method, apparatus, and non-transitory computer-readable medium described above may further include processes, features, means, or instructions for selecting the policy file based at least in part on the UE being within the geographical region.

In some examples of the method, apparatus, and non-transitory computer-readable medium described above, identifying that the UE may have entered the geographical region comprises receiving PLMN information from a base station. Some examples of the method, apparatus, and non-transitory computer-readable medium described above may further include processes, features, means, or instructions for determining the geographical region based at least in part on the PLMN information.

In some examples of the method, apparatus, and non-transitory computer-readable medium described above, the bands identified by the policy file may be fewer than a total number of bands supported by the UE.

In some examples of the method, apparatus, and non-transitory computer-readable medium described above, the policy file collectively identifies bands supported by networks operating in the geographical region without separately identifying bands supported by individual PLMNs.

In some examples of the method, apparatus, and non-transitory computer-readable medium described above, the policy file provides rules for searching bands supported by networks of different radio access technologies (RATs) .

In some examples of the method, apparatus, and non-transitory computer-readable medium described above, the UE may be configured to operate as an open market device.

Some examples of the method, apparatus, and non-transitory computer-readable medium described above may further include processes, features, means, or instructions for identifying that the UE may have powered up. Some examples of the method, apparatus, and non-transitory computer-readable medium described above may further include processes, features, means, or instructions for retrieving the policy file stored at the UE.

Some examples of the method, apparatus, and non-transitory computer-readable medium described above may further include processes, features, means, or instructions for performing one or more band searches to identify an available network comprises performing the one or more band searches as part of a circuit-switched fallback (CSFB) operation, the available network being an available circuit-switched (CS) network.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a system for wireless communication that supports a consolidated policy file for an open market in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 illustrates an example of a wireless communications system that supports a consolidated policy file for an open market in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 illustrates an example of a wireless communications system that supports a consolidated policy file for an open market in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 illustrates an example of a process flow that supports a consolidated policy file for an open market in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 5 illustrates an example of a process flow that supports a consolidated policy file for an open market in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

FIGs. 6 through 8 show block diagrams of a device that supports a consolidated policy file for an open market in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 9 illustrates a block diagram of a system including a user equipment (UE) that supports a consolidated policy file for an open market in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

FIGs. 10 through 12 illustrate methods for a consolidated policy file for an open market in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The described techniques relate to improved methods, systems, devices, and apparatuses that support a consolidated policy file for an open market. Additionally, the described synchronization techniques relate to use of user equipment (UEs) configured to operate in a geographical region that supports fewer bands than a total number of bands supported by the UEs.

A UE may perform a band search operation. In some instances, a UE may perform a band search operation in connection with a circuit-switched fallback (CSFB) mobile originated (MO) call of a CSFB operation. For example, a UE that is in communication with a network but that identifies that the UE is to fall back to a circuit-switched (CS) network may perform a full band search within one or more networks in an attempt to identify available bands. Thus, and for example, when the UE fails to redirect, in order to make a CSFB MO call, the UE may perform a full band search on all available wideband code division multiple access (WCDMA) bands. If no available bands are found, the UE may be redirected to perform another band search for available Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) bands. When a CSFB call is triggered, the UE may start a timer. In some examples, the timer may be a 30 second timer. If the UE can find an available WCDMA or GSM band before the timer expires, then the UE may be able to continue the CSFB MO call on the available WCDMA or GSM network. If, however, the UE is unable to find an available WCDMA band or an available GSM band prior to the expiration of the timer, the CSFB MO call may be dropped.

Some geographical areas support fewer numbers of WCDMA and/or GSM bands. For example, in some countries two WCDMA bands and two GSM bands are available. However, the UE may be capable of communicating on a greater number of WCDMA or GSM bands. If, in order to establish a CSFB MO call in such geographical areas, if the UE fails to redirect, the UE scans all bands on which the UE is capable of communicating (for example, four WCDMA bands and four GSM bands) , the timer may expire before the UE can connect to an available band. As a result, the CSFB MO call is dropped when the timer expires.

In some embodiments, and as an example, as part of a CSFB operation, when the UE fails to redirect, the UE may perform a full band search on four WCDMA bands (e.g., 850 MHz, 900 MHz, 1900 MHz, 2100 MHz) according to the radio frequency (RF) capability of the UE. However, some geographical regions may support fewer numbers of WCDMA bands (e.g.， 900 MHz and 2100 MHz) . Therefore, referring back to the previous example, the UE may waste time while searching the WCDMA bands of 850 MHz and 1900 MHz. Further, if no WCDMA band is available, as part of the CSFB operation, the UE may perform a full band search on GSM bands (850 MHz, 900 MHz, 1800, MHz, 1900 MHz) according to the RF capability of the UE. Some geographical regions may support fewer numbers of GSM bands (e.g.， 850 MHz and 1900 MHz) . Therefore, once again referring back to the previous example, the UE may waste time while searching GSM bands 900 and 1900. The wasted time may contribute to a CSFB failure due to expiration of the timer. Therefore, there exists a need for the UE to identify which bands to search while establishing a connection. For example, continuing the example described above, if the UE only searches WCDMA bands 900 MHz and 2100 MHz and GSM bands 850 MHz and 1900 MHz, then the UE may be able to connect to an available network before the timer expires. As a result, the UE will have a higher probability of completing a CSFB MO call successfully.

A consolidated policy file may improve the band search time for the UE. The policy file may direct the UE to only search the available WCDMA and GSM bands within a particular geographical area. The policy file may comprise of one or more lists and rules associated with the available bands in a geographical area. For example, a policy file may include rules relating to WCDMA files and GSM files. The UE may be configured to determine that the UE has entered a geographical area that supports fewer numbers of WCDMA and GSM bands. For example, the UE may receive public land mobile network (PLMN) information from a nearest base station and may determine the geographical area based on the PLMN information. In one example, the UE may be configured to check a broadcast channel to determine the geographical area that it is in. In such cases, the UE may receive this information from the network and may identify the geographical area. For example, receipt of information marked by the number 405 may indicate that the UE is within the country of India. In another example, the UE may be configured to read the system information from the LTE or GSM periodically (e.g.， via SIB message or random access channel (RACH)) .

The policy file may include rules associated with a country. In some examples, the policy file may be provisioned into the UE. The UE may be configured to operate as an open market device. Upon turning on for the first time, the UE may be configured to retrieve the policy file, and read it. In one example, the policy file may be stored in the UE. Upon reading the policy file, the UE may be configured to search available bands based on a country code. For example, if the UE is located in a geographical region that supports fewer numbers of WCDMA and/or GSM bands, the policy file may include rules to restrict the UE from searching all available WCDMA bands and GSM bands supported by the UE. For example, the policy file may include rules to restrict WCDMA band search, rules to restrict GSM band search, rules to restrict LTE band searches, or a combination thereof. Upon retrieving and reading the policy file, the UE may be configured to only search the available WCDMA and GSM bands in that geographical region.

In some embodiments, the policy file currently stored in a UE, may be updated to include new policies. For example, the existing policy file may be updated to include the most recent rules upon movement into a geographical area that supports fewer bands than those supported by the UE. In some cases, consolidated policy files are provided to the UE. For example, the consolidated policy files may be provided as part of a software upgrade process. The consolidated policy file may be the same for different carriers and different PLMNs, as the information pertaining to different carriers and different PLMNs may be consolidated into a single file.

In some examples, the user of the UE may receive an indication that the existing policy file is to be updated. This may be based on determining that the UE has entered an area which supports fewer numbers of WCDMA and/or GSM bands than bands supported by the UE. In some cases, the user may be prompted to update the policy document (e.g., via software upgrade) . In some cases, the software upgrade may include receiving a software upgrade packet from a manufacturer of the UE. In some other cases, the UE may detect that it has entered an area which supports fewer numbers of WCDMA and/or GSM bands than those supported by the UE, and the UE may download and update the current policy file without notifying the user. In some examples, the policy file may be stored in the UE even before it is sold to the user.

Aspects of the disclosure are initially described in the context of a wireless communications system that supports storing a consolidated policy file for an open market. Aspects of the disclosure are further illustrated by and described with reference to apparatus diagrams, system diagrams, and flowcharts that relate to a consolidated policy file for an open market.

FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a wireless communications system 100 in accordance with various aspects of the present disclosure. The wireless communications system 100 includes base stations 105, UEs 115, and a core network 130. In some examples, the wireless communications system 100 may be a Long Term Evolution (LTE) , LTE-Advanced (LTE-A) network, or a New Radio (NR) network. In some cases, wireless communications system 100 may support enhanced broadband communications, ultra-reliable (i.e.， mission critical) communications, low latency communications, and communications with low-cost and low-complexity devices.

Base stations 105 may wirelessly communicate with UEs 115 via one or more base station antennas. Each base station 105 may provide communication coverage for a respective geographic coverage area 110. Communication links 125 shown in wireless communications system 100 may include uplink transmissions from a UE 115 to a base station 105, or downlink transmissions, from a base station 105 to a UE 115. Control information and data may be multiplexed on an uplink channel or downlink according to various techniques. Control information and data may be multiplexed on a downlink channel, for example, using time division multiplexing (TDM) techniques, frequency division multiplexing (FDM) techniques, or hybrid TDM-FDM techniques. In some examples, the control information transmitted during a transmission time interval (TTI) of a downlink channel may be distributed between different control regions in a cascaded manner (e.g., between a common control region and one or more UE-specific control regions) .

UEs 115 may be dispersed throughout the wireless communications system 100, and each UE 115 may be stationary or mobile. A UE 115 may also be referred to as a mobile station, a subscriber station, a mobile unit, a subscriber unit, a wireless unit, a remote unit, a mobile device, a wireless device, a wireless communications device, a remote device, a mobile subscriber station, an access terminal, a mobile terminal, a wireless terminal, a remote terminal, a handset, a user agent, a mobile client, a client, or some other suitable terminology. A UE 115 may also be a cellular phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA) , a wireless modem, a wireless communication device, a handheld device, a tablet computer, a laptop computer, a cordless phone, a personal electronic device, a handheld device, a personal computer, a wireless local loop (WLL) station, an Internet of Things (IoT) device, an Internet of Everything (IoE) device, a machine type communication (MTC) device, an appliance, an automobile, or the like.

In some cases, a UE 115 may also be able to communicate directly with other UEs (e.g.， using a peer-to-peer (P2P) or device-to-device (D2D) protocol) . One or more of a group of UEs 115 utilizing D2D communications may be within the coverage area 110 of a cell. Other UEs 115 in such a group may be outside the coverage area 110 of a cell, or otherwise unable to receive transmissions from a base station 105. In some cases, groups of UEs 115 communicating via D2D communications may utilize a one-to-many (1: M) system in which each UE 115 transmits to every other UE 115 in the group. In some cases, a base station 105 facilitates the scheduling of resources for D2D communications. In other cases, D2D communications are carried out independent of a base station 105.

Some UEs 115, such as MTC or IoT devices, may be low cost or low complexity devices, and may provide for automated communication between machines, i.e.， Machine-to-Machine (M2M) communication. M2M or MTC may refer to data communication technologies that allow devices to communicate with one another or a base station without human intervention. For example, M2M or MTC may refer to communications from devices that integrate sensors or meters to measure or capture information and relay that information to a central server or application program that can make use of the information or present the information to humans interacting with the program or application. Some UEs 115 may be designed to collect information or enable automated behavior of machines. Examples of applications for MTC devices include smart metering, inventory monitoring, water level monitoring, equipment monitoring, healthcare monitoring, wildlife monitoring, weather and geological event monitoring, fleet management and tracking, remote security sensing, physical access control, and transaction-based business charging.

In some cases, an MTC device may operate using half-duplex (one-way) communications at a reduced peak rate. MTC devices may also be configured to enter a power saving “deep sleep” mode when not engaging in active communications. In some cases, MTC or IoT devices may be designed to support mission critical functions and wireless communications system may be configured to provide ultra-reliable communications for these functions.

Base stations 105 may communicate with the core network 130 and with one another. For example, base stations 105 may interface with the core network 130 through backhaul links 132 (e.g.， S1, etc. ) . Base stations 105 may communicate with one another over backhaul links 134 (e.g.， X2, etc. ) either directly or indirectly (e.g.， through core network 130) . Base stations 105 may perform radio configuration and scheduling for communication with UEs 115, or may operate under the control of a base station controller (not shown) . In some examples, base stations 105 may be macro cells, small cells, hot spots, or the like. Base stations 105 may also be referred to as evolved NodeBs (eNBs) 105.

A base station 105 may be connected by an S1 interface to the core network 130. The core network may be an evolved packet core (EPC) , which may include at least one mobility management entity (MME) , at least one serving gateway (S-GW) , and at least one Packet Data Network (PDN) gateway (P-GW) . The MME may be the control node that processes the signaling between the UE 115 and the EPC. All user Internet Protocol (IP) packets may be transferred through the S-GW, which itself may be connected to the P-GW. The P-GW may provide IP address allocation as well as other functions. The P-GW may be connected to the network operators IP services. The operators IP services may include the Internet, the Intranet, an IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) , and a Packet-Switched (PS) Streaming Service.

Wireless communications system 100 may operate in an ultra-high frequency (UHF) frequency region using frequency bands from 700 MHz to 2600 MHz (2.6 GHz) , although some networks (e.g.， a wireless local area network (WLAN) ) may use frequencies as high as 4 GHz. This region may also be known as the decimeter band, since the wavelengths range from approximately one decimeter to one meter in length. UHF waves may propagate mainly by line of sight, and may be blocked by buildings and environmental features. However, the waves may penetrate walls sufficiently to provide service to UEs 115 located indoors. Transmission of UHF waves is characterized by smaller antennas and shorter range (e.g.， less than 100 km) compared to transmission using the smaller frequencies (and longer waves) of the high frequency (HF) or very high frequency (VHF) portion of the spectrum. In some cases, wireless communications system 100 may also utilize extremely high frequency (EHF) portions of the spectrum (e.g.， from 30 GHz to 300 GHz) . This region may also be known as the millimeter band, since the wavelengths range from approximately one millimeter to one centimeter in length. Thus, EHF antennas may be even smaller and more closely spaced than UHF antennas. In some cases, this may facilitate use of antenna arrays within a UE 115 (e.g.， for directional beamforming) . However, EHF transmissions may be subject to even greater atmospheric attenuation and shorter range than UHF transmissions.

Thus, wireless communications system 100 may support millimeter wave (mmW) communications between UEs 115 and base stations 105. Devices operating in mmW or EHF bands may have multiple antennas to allow beamforming. That is, a base station 105 may use multiple antennas or antenna arrays to conduct beamforming operations for directional communications with a UE 115. Beamforming (which may also be referred to as spatial filtering or directional transmission) is a signal processing technique that may be used at a transmitter (e.g.， a base station 105) to shape and/or steer an overall antenna beam in the direction of a target receiver (e.g.， a UE 115) . This may be achieved by combining elements in an antenna array in such a way that transmitted signals at particular angles experience constructive interference while others experience destructive interference.

Multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) wireless systems use a transmission scheme between a transmitter (e.g.， a base station 105) and a receiver (e.g.， a UE 115) , where both transmitter and receiver are equipped with multiple antennas. Some portions of wireless communications system 100 may use beamforming. For example, base station 105 may have an antenna array with a number of rows and columns of antenna ports that the base station 105 may use for beamforming in its communication with UE 115. Signals may be transmitted multiple times in different directions (e.g.， each transmission may be beamformed differently) . A mmW receiver (e.g.， a UE 115) may try multiple beams (e.g.， antenna subarrays) while receiving the synchronization signals.

In some cases, the antennas of a base station 105 or UE 115 may be located within one or more antenna arrays, which may support beamforming or MIMO operation. One or more base station antennas or antenna arrays may be collocated at an antenna assembly, such as an antenna tower. In some cases, antennas or antenna arrays associated with a base station 105 may be located in diverse geographic locations. A base station 105 may multiple use antennas or antenna arrays to conduct beamforming operations for directional communications with a UE 115.

In some cases, wireless communications system 100 may be a packet-based network that operate according to a layered protocol stack. In the user plane, communications at the bearer or Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) layer may be IP-based. A Radio Link Control (RLC) layer may in some cases perform packet segmentation and reassembly to communicate over logical channels. A Medium Access Control (MAC) layer may perform priority handling and multiplexing of logical channels into transport channels. The MAC layer may also use Hybrid ARQ (HARQ) to provide retransmission at the MAC layer to improve link efficiency. In the control plane, the Radio Resource Control (RRC) protocol layer may provide establishment, configuration, and maintenance of an RRC connection between a UE 115 and a network device 105-c, network device 105-b, or core network 130 supporting radio bearers for user plane data. At the Physical (PHY) layer, transport channels may be mapped to physical channels.

A resource element may consist of one symbol period and one subcarrier (e.g., a 15 KHz frequency range) . A resource block may contain 12 consecutive subcarriers in the frequency domain and, for a normal cyclic prefix in each OFDM symbol, 7 consecutive OFDM symbols in the time domain (1 slot) , or 84 resource elements. The number of bits carried by each resource element may depend on the modulation scheme (the configuration of symbols that may be selected during each symbol period) . Thus, the more resource blocks that a UE receives and the higher the modulation scheme, the higher the data rate may be.

Wireless communications system 100 may support operation on multiple cells or carriers, a feature which may be referred to as carrier aggregation (CA) or multi-carrier operation. A carrier may also be referred to as a component carrier (CC) , a layer, a channel, etc. The terms “carrier, ” “component carrier, ” “cell, ” and “channel” may be used interchangeably herein. A UE 115 may be configured with multiple downlink CCs and one or more uplink CCs for carrier aggregation. Carrier aggregation may be used with both FDD and TDD component carriers.

In some cases, wireless communications system 100 may utilize enhanced component carriers (eCCs) . An eCC may be characterized by one or more features including: wider bandwidth, shorter symbol duration, shorter TTIs, and modified control channel configuration. In some cases, an eCC may be associated with a carrier aggregation configuration or a dual connectivity configuration (e.g.， when multiple serving cells have a suboptimal or non-ideal backhaul link) . An eCC may also be configured for use in unlicensed spectrum or shared spectrum (where more than one operator is allowed to use the spectrum) . An eCC characterized by wide bandwidth may include one or more segments that may be utilized by UEs 115 that are not capable of monitoring the whole bandwidth or prefer to use a limited bandwidth (e.g.， to conserve power) .

In some cases, an eCC may utilize a different symbol duration than other CCs, which may include use of a reduced symbol duration as compared with symbol durations of the other CCs. A shorter symbol duration is associated with increased subcarrier spacing. A device, such as a UE 115 or base station 105, utilizing eCCs may transmit wideband signals (e.g.， 20, 40, 60, 80 MHz, etc. ) at reduced symbol durations (e.g.， 16.67 microseconds) . A TTI in eCC may consist of one or multiple symbols. In some cases, the TTI duration (that is, the number of symbols in a TTI) may be variable.

A shared radio frequency spectrum band may be utilized in an NR shared spectrum system. For example, an NR shared spectrum may utilize any combination of licensed, shared, and unlicensed spectrums, among others. The flexibility of eCC symbol duration and subcarrier spacing may allow for the use of eCC across multiple spectrums. In some examples, NR shared spectrum may increase spectrum utilization and spectral efficiency, specifically through dynamic vertical (e.g.， across frequency) and horizontal (e.g., across time) sharing of resources.

In some cases, wireless system 100 may utilize both licensed and unlicensed radio frequency spectrum bands. For example, wireless system 100 may employ LTE License Assisted Access (LTE-LAA) or LTE Unlicensed (LTE U) radio access technology or NR technology in an unlicensed band such as the 5Ghz Industrial, Scientific, and Medical (ISM) band. When operating in unlicensed radio frequency spectrum bands, wireless devices such as base stations 105 and UEs 115 may employ listen-before-talk (LBT) procedures to ensure the channel is clear before transmitting data. In some cases, operations in unlicensed bands may be based on a CA configuration in conjunction with CCs operating in a licensed band. Operations in unlicensed spectrum may include downlink transmissions, uplink transmissions, or both. Duplexing in unlicensed spectrum may be based on frequency division duplexing (FDD) , time division duplexing (TDD) or a combination of both.

FIG. 2 illustrates an example of a wireless communications system 200 that supports a consolidated policy file for an open market in accordance with various aspects of the present disclosure. In some examples, wireless communications system 200 may implement aspects of wireless communications system 100. In some examples, the wireless communications system 200 may include a base station 105-aand UE 115-a, which may be examples of the corresponding devices as described with reference to FIG. 1. UE 115-amay communicate with the base station 105-awithin a geographical region 110-a. Further, base station 105-amay send PLMN information 205 to UE 115-a. Further, UE 115-amay determine a geographical area based on the PLMN information 205.

As explained above, as part of a CSFB operation, when UE 115-afails to redirect, the UE 115-amay perform a full band search on all WCDMA bands supported by the UE 115-a, according to the RF capability of the UE 115-a. If no WCDMA band is available, as part of the CSFB operation, the UE 115-amay perform a full band search on all GSM bands supported by the UE 115-a, according to the RF capability of the UE 115-a. In some geographical regions, however, bands supported by networks operating in the geographical region may be fewer than the available number of bands supported by the UE 115-a. For example, a geographical region 110-amay support fewer WCDMA bands than those supported by the UE 115-a, and fewer GSM bands than those supported by the UE 115-a. Thus, the full band searches performed by the UE 115-amay be inefficient in geographic region 110-a.

UE 115-amay be more efficient in its band searching if UE 115-auses a consolidated policy file 220. In some examples, UE 115-amay be configured to select a policy file 220 upon determining that its location is within a particular geographical region (e.g.， geographical region 110-a) . The policy file 220 may direct the UE to only search the WCDMA and GSM bands supported within geographical area 110-a.

The policy file 220 may comprise of rules associated with the available bands in a geographical area (for example, geographical region 110-a) . For example, a policy file 220 may include rules associated with WCDMA bands and rules associated with GSM bands. The policy file 220 may also include rules associated with a country. As described in the example of FIG. 2, the policy file 220 may be stored in the UE 115-a. UE 115-amay be configured to operate as an open market device. The policy file 220 may provide rules for searching bands supported by networks of different radio access technologies (RATs) . Upon powering up for the first time, UE 115-amay be configured to retrieve the policy file 220, and read it. Upon reading the policy file 220, UE 115-amay be configured to search available WCDMA and/or GSM bands. In some examples, the policy file 220 may include rules to restrict UE 115-a from searching all WCDMA bands and GSM bands supported by the UE 115-ain a geographical region 110-athat supports fewer number of WCDMA and/or GSM bands. Therefore, the bands identified by the policy file 220 are fewer than a total number of bands supported by UE 115-a. In some embodiments, the policy file 220 stored in UE 115-amay be updated to include the new policies.

FIG. 3 illustrates an example of a wireless communications system 300 that supports a consolidated policy file for an open market in accordance with various aspects of the present disclosure. In some examples, wireless communications system 300 may implement aspects of wireless communications system 100 and wireless communications system 200. In some examples, the wireless communications system 300 may include a base station 105-b, a UE manufacturer entity 107, and UE 115-b, which may be examples of the corresponding devices as described with reference to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. UE 115-b may communicate with the base station 105-b within a geographical region 110-b.

In some examples, UE 115-b may receive PLMN information 205-afrom base station 105-b. Upon receiving the PLMN information 205-a, UE 115-b may determine its location based on the PLMN information 205-a. In some cases, UE 115-amay be configured to check a broadcast channel received from base station 105-b to determine the location of UE 115-b. In some examples, UE 115-b may be configured to select a policy file upon determining that its location is within a particular geographical region 110-b.

As previously discussed, the policy file may include rules associated with the available bands in a geographical area. For example, the policy file may include rules associated with restriction on WCDMA band search and rules associated with restriction on GSM band search within geographical region 110-b. The policy file may also include rules associated with a country. The policy file may be stored in the UE 115-b.

In some embodiments, the policy file stored in UE 115-b, may be updated via communication link 320 (e.g.， via a software upgrade) to include the new policies. For example, the policy file may be updated by the UE manufacturer entity 107. Communication link 320 between the UE 115-b and the UE manufacturer entity 107 may be via the base station 105-b or via other network nodes. In some cases, consolidated policy files are provided to UE 115-b. For example, the consolidated policy files may be provided as part of a software upgrade process. The consolidated policy file may be the same for different carriers and different PLMNs.

In some examples, a user of UE 115-b may receive a notification indicating that the existing policy file is to be updated. The notification may be based on a determination that the UE has entered geographical region 110-b. In some other cases, UE 115-b may detect that it has entered an area which supports fewer numbers of WCDMA and/or GSM bands (e.g.， geographical area 110-b) , and UE 115-b can download (via communication link 320) and update the current policy file without notifying the user.

FIG. 4 illustrates an example of a process flow 400 that supports a consolidated policy file for an open market in accordance with various aspects of the present disclosure. In some examples, process 400 may implement aspects of

wireless communications systems

100, 200, or 300. Process flow 400 may include a base station 105-d and a UE 115-c, which may represent aspects of techniques performed by a base station 105 or UE 115 as described with reference to FIGs. 1 through 3.

At step 405, UE 115-c may store a policy file associating a set of radio frequency bands with networks operating in a geographical region. The policy file may comprise rules associated with the available bands in a geographical area. In some embodiments, the policy file may identify a fewer number of bands to be searched in a geographical area than a total number of bands supported by UE 115-c. In one embodiment, the policy file may comprise rules for searching bands supported by networks of different RATs. In one example, the policy file may be a consolidated policy file for multiple PLMNs. In such cases, UE 115-c is configured to operate as an open market device.

At step 410, UE 115-c may receive PLMN information from base station 105-d. In one example, UE 115-c may receive PLMN information from a nearest base station 105-d. In one example, UE 115-c may receive PLMN information from multiple base stations. In some examples, UE 115-c may determine other information (e.g.， SIB or RACH) from base station 105-d (not shown) . In some cases, base station 105-d may broadcast its capabilities (e.g.， base station 105-d broadcasts the number of bands supported by networks operating in the location of UE 115-c)

At step 415, UE 115-c may determine a geographical region based on the PLMN information. In some cases, UE 115-c may be able to identify a country where UE 115-c is located. In one example, UE 115-c may compare its location to a previously recorded location to determine whether the location of UE 115-c has changed.

At step 420, UE 115-c may select a policy file based on the geographical information. For example, upon determining that UE 115-c is located in a geographical region that supports fewer bands for communication than that supported by the UE 115-c, UE 115-c may select the stored policy file to identify restrictions on band searches. For example, the policy file may identify bands to search in a particular geographical area. In some cases, the policy file may include a set of rules associated with each location (e.g.， country code) . Upon identifying a particular country code, UE 115-c may identify rules associated with that country code, and may apply the rules while performing band searches. The rules in the policy file may be consolidated any may apply

At step 425, UE 115-c may perform one or more band searches to identify an available network. In some cases, the band searches may be limited to searches of bands supported by networks operating in the geographical region in which the UE is located, as identified in the policy file stored at the UE. At step 430, UE 115-c may connect to an available network.

FIG. 5 illustrates an example of a process flow 500 that supports a consolidated policy file for an open market in accordance with various aspects of the present disclosure. In some examples, process flow 500 may implement aspects of wireless communications system 100. Process flow 500 may include a base station 105-e and a UE 115-d, which may represent aspects of techniques performed by a base station 105 or UE 115 as described with reference to FIGs. 1 through 4.

At step 505, UE 115-d may identify that it has powered up. At step 510, UE 115-d may determine a geographical region in which it is located. In one example, the geographical region may be based on PLMN information. For example, UE 115-d may receive PLMN information from base station 105-e. In one example, UE 115-d may receive PLMN information from a nearest base station 105-e. In some cases, UE 115-c may be able to identify a country where UE 115-d is located based on the PLMN information. In some embodiments, upon powering up, UE 115-d may listen for information broadcasted by base station 105-e. UE 115-d may be configured to identify a location of UE 115-d based on the broadcasted information. In some cases, base station 105-e may broadcast a country code (e.g.， 405) . Upon receiving the country code, UE 115-d may be configured to identify the country in which UE 115-d is located.

At step 515, UE 115-d may retrieve a policy file stored at UE 115-d. For example, UE 115-d may select a policy file based on the geographical information. For example, UE 115-d may store a policy file associating a set of radio frequency bands with networks operating in a geographical region. The policy file may identify bands that are fewer in number than a total number of bands supported by UE 115-d. In one embodiment, the policy file may comprise rules for searching bands supported by networks of different RATs. In one example, the policy file may be a consolidated policy file for multiple PLMNs. Upon determining that the location of UE 115-d supports fewer numbers of bands for communication, UE 115-d may select the stored policy file to identify restrictions on band searches.

At step 520, UE 115-d may optionally receive an updated policy file via a software upgrade. In some cases, UE 115-d may optionally receive a software upgrade packet from a manufacturer of the UE 115-d. In some embodiments, the policy file currently stored in UE 115-d may be outdated. For example, UE 115-d may retrieve the policy file and may identify a timestamp associated with the policy file. Based on the timestamp, UE 115-d may determine that the stored policy file is outdated, In such cases, the policy file may be updated to include the new policies. For example, the existing policy file may be updated via a software upgrade process. In some cases, consolidated policy files are provided to the UE 115-d. For example, the consolidated policy files may be provided as part of the software upgrade process.

At 525, UE 115-d may initiate a CSFB operation, and may further initiate a timeout timer during the CSFB operation. In one example, the timeout timer may be thirty seconds.

At step 530, UE 115-d may perform one or more band searches to identify an available network. In some cases, the band searches may be limited to searches of bands supported by networks operating in the geographical region in which UE 115-d is located. In some cases the geographical region is identified by UE 115-d. In some cases, UE 115-d may perform the one or more band searches as part of the CSFB operation. In some cases, the available network identified by UE 115-d is an available CS network.

At step 535, UE 115-d may connect to the available CS network before the timeout timer expires based at least in part on using the policy file so as to only search for bands that are supported by networks operating in the geographical region in which the UE 115-d is located.

FIG. 6 shows a block diagram 600 of a wireless device 605 that supports a consolidated policy file for an open market in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. Wireless device 605 may be an example of aspects of a user equipment (UE) 115 as described herein. Wireless device 605 may include receiver 610, consolidated policy module 615, and transmitter 620. Wireless device 605 may also include a processor. Each of these components may be in communication with one another (e.g.， via one or more buses) .

Receiver 610 may receive information such as packets, user data, or control information associated with various information channels (e.g.， control channels, data channels, and information related to a consolidated policy file for an open market, etc. ) . Information may be passed on to other components of the device. The receiver 610 may be an example of aspects of the transceiver 935 described with reference to FIG. 9. The receiver 610 may utilize a single antenna or a set of antennas.

Consolidated policy module 615 may be an example of aspects of the consolidated policy module 915 described with reference to FIG. 9.

Consolidated policy module 615 and/or at least some of its various sub-components may be implemented in hardware, software executed by a processor, firmware, or any combination thereof. If implemented in software executed by a processor, the functions of the consolidated policy module 615 and/or at least some of its various sub-components may be executed by a general-purpose processor, a digital signal processor (DSP) , an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) , an field-programmable gate array (FPGA) or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions described in the present disclosure. The consolidated policy module 615 and/or at least some of its various sub-components may be physically located at various positions, including being distributed such that portions of functions are implemented at different physical locations by one or more physical devices. In some examples, consolidated policy module 615 and/or at least some of its various sub-components may be a separate and distinct component in accordance with various aspects of the present disclosure. In other examples, consolidated policy module 615 and/or at least some of its various sub-components may be combined with one or more other hardware components, including but not limited to an I/O component, a transceiver, a network server, another computing device, one or more other components described in the present disclosure, or a combination thereof in accordance with various aspects of the present disclosure.

Consolidated policy module 615 may store a policy file associating a set of radio frequency bands with networks operating in a geographical region, perform one or more band searches to identify an available network, the band searches being limited to searches of bands supported by networks operating in the geographical region in which the UE is located, as identified in the policy file stored at the UE, and connect to the available network.

Transmitter 620 may transmit signals generated by other components of the device. In some examples, the transmitter 620 may be collocated with a receiver 610 in a transceiver module. For example, the transmitter 620 may be an example of aspects of the transceiver 935 described with reference to FIG. 9. The transmitter 620 may utilize a single antenna or a set of antennas.

FIG. 7 shows a block diagram 700 of a wireless device 705 that supports a consolidated policy file for an open market in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. Wireless device 705 may be an example of aspects of a wireless device 605 or a UE 115 as described with reference to FIG. 6. Wireless device 705 may include receiver 710, consolidated policy module 715, and transmitter 720. Wireless device 705 may also include a processor. Each of these components may be in communication with one another (e.g., via one or more buses) .

Receiver 710 may receive information such as packets, user data, or control information associated with various information channels (e.g.， control channels, data channels, and information related to a consolidated policy file for an open market, etc. ) . Information may be passed on to other components of the device. The receiver 710 may be an example of aspects of the transceiver 935 described with reference to FIG. 9. The receiver 710 may utilize a single antenna or a set of antennas.

Consolidated policy module 715 may be an example of aspects of the consolidated policy module 915 described with reference to FIG. 9.

Consolidated policy module 715 may also include policy file component 725, band search component 730, and network component 735.

Policy file component 725 may store a policy file associating a set of radio frequency bands with networks operating in a geographical region, select the policy file based on the UE being within the geographical region, and retrieve the policy file stored at the UE. In some cases, the bands identified by the policy file are fewer than a total number of bands supported by the UE. In some cases, the policy file collectively identifies bands supported by networks operating in the geographical region without separately identifying bands supported by individual PLMNs. In some cases, the policy file provides rules for searching bands supported by networks of different RATs.

Band search component 730 may perform one or more band searches to identify an available network, the band searches being limited to searches of bands supported by networks operating in the geographical region in which the UE is located, as identified in the policy file stored at the UE.

Network component 735 may connect to the available network.

Transmitter 720 may transmit signals generated by other components of the device. In some examples, the transmitter 720 may be collocated with a receiver 710 in a transceiver module. For example, the transmitter 720 may be an example of aspects of the transceiver 935 described with reference to FIG. 9. The transmitter 720 may utilize a single antenna or a set of antennas.

FIG. 8 shows a block diagram 800 of a consolidated policy module 815 that supports a consolidated policy file for an open market in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. The consolidated policy module 815 may be an example of aspects of a consolidated policy module 615, a consolidated policy module 715, or a consolidated policy module 915 described with reference to FIGs. 6, 7, and 9. The consolidated policy module 815 may include policy file component 820, band search component 825, network component 830, software upgrade component 835, location component 840, PLMN component 845, device power up component 850, CSFB operation component 855, and timer component 860. Each of these modules may communicate, directly or indirectly, with one another (e.g., via one or more buses) .

Policy file component 820 may store a policy file associating a set of radio frequency bands with networks operating in a geographical region, select the policy file based on the UE being within the geographical region, and retrieve the policy file stored at the UE. In some cases, the bands identified by the policy file are fewer than a total number of bands supported by the UE. In some cases, the policy file collectively identifies bands supported by networks operating in the geographical region without separately identifying bands supported by individual PLMNs. In some cases, the policy file provides rules for searching bands supported by networks of different RATs.

Band search component 825 may perform one or more band searches to identify an available network, the band searches being limited to searches of bands supported by networks operating in the geographical region in which the UE is located, as identified in the policy file stored at the UE.

Network component 830 may connect to the available network.

Software upgrade component 835 may receive the policy file via a software upgrade process for the UE. In some cases, the software upgrade process includes receiving a software upgrade packet from a manufacturer of the UE.

Location component 840 may identify that the UE has entered the geographical region.

PLMN component 845 may determine the geographical region based on the PLMN information. In some cases, identifying that the UE has entered the geographical region may include receiving PLMN information from a base station.

Device power up component 850 may identify that the UE has powered up. In some cases, the UE is configured to operate as an open market device.

CSFB operation component 855 may perform one or more band searches to identify an available network includes performing the one or more band searches as part of a CSFB operation, the available network being an available CS network and connect to the available CS network before the timeout timer expires based on the policy file identifying only bands supported by networks operating in the geographical region in which the UE is located.

Timer component 860 may initiate a timeout timer during the CSFB operation.

FIG. 9 shows a diagram of a system 900 including a device 905 that supports a consolidated policy file for an open market in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. Device 905 may be an example of or include the components of wireless device 605, wireless device 705, or a UE 115 as described above, e.g.， with reference to FIGs. 6 and 7.Device 905 may include components for bi-directional voice and data communications including components for transmitting and receiving communications, including consolidated policy module 915, processor 920, memory 925, software 930, transceiver 935, antenna 940, and I/O controller 945. These components may be in electronic communication via one or more buses (e.g.， bus 910) . Device 905 may communicate wirelessly with one or more base stations 105.

Processor 920 may include an intelligent hardware device, (e.g.， a general-purpose processor, a DSP, a central processing unit (CPU) , a microcontroller, an ASIC, an FPGA, a programmable logic device, a discrete gate or transistor logic component, a discrete hardware component, or any combination thereof) . In some cases, processor 920 may be configured to operate a memory array using a memory controller. In other cases, a memory controller may be integrated into processor 920. Processor 920 may be configured to execute computer-readable instructions stored in a memory to perform various functions (e.g.， functions or tasks supporting a consolidated policy file for an open market) .

Memory 925 may include random access memory (RAM) and read only memory (ROM) . The memory 925 may store computer-readable, computer-executable software 930 including instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to perform various functions described herein. In some cases, the memory 925 may contain, among other things, a basic input/output system (BIOS) which may control basic hardware or software operation such as the interaction with peripheral components or devices.

Software 930 may include code to implement aspects of the present disclosure, including code to support a consolidated policy file for an open market. Software 930 may be stored in a non-transitory computer-readable medium such as system memory or other memory. In some cases, the software 930 may not be directly executable by the processor but may cause a computer (e.g.， when compiled and executed) to perform functions described herein.

Transceiver 935 may communicate bi-directionally, via one or more antennas, wired, or wireless links as described above. For example, the transceiver 935 may represent a wireless transceiver and may communicate bi-directionally with another wireless transceiver. The transceiver 935 may also include a modem to modulate the packets and provide the modulated packets to the antennas for transmission, and to demodulate packets received from the antennas.

In some cases, the wireless device may include a single antenna 940. However, in some cases the device may have more than one antenna 940, which may be capable of concurrently transmitting or receiving multiple wireless transmissions.

I/O controller 945 may manage input and output signals for device 905. I/O controller 945 may also manage peripherals not integrated into device 905. In some cases, I/O controller 945 may represent a physical connection or port to an external peripheral. In some cases, I/O controller 945 may utilize an operating system such as

MS-

or another known operating system. In other cases, I/O controller 945 may represent or interact with a modem, a keyboard, a mouse, a touchscreen, or a similar device. In some cases, I/O controller 945 may be implemented as part of a processor. In some cases, a user may interact with device 905 via I/O controller 945 or via hardware components controlled by I/O controller 945.

FIG. 10 shows a flowchart illustrating a method 1000 for a consolidated policy file for an open market in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. The operations of method 1000 may be implemented by a UE 115 or its components as described herein. For example, the operations of method 1000 may be performed by a consolidated policy module as described with reference to FIGs. 6 through 9. In some examples, a UE 115 may execute a set of codes to control the functional elements of the device to perform the functions described below. Additionally or alternatively, the UE 115 may perform aspects of the functions described below using special-purpose hardware.

At block 1005 the UE 115 may store a policy file associating a set of radio frequency bands with networks operating in a geographical region. The operations of block 1005 may be performed according to the methods described herein. In certain examples, aspects of the operations of block 1005 may be performed by a policy file component as described with reference to FIGs. 6 through 9.

At block 1010 the UE 115 may perform one or more band searches to identify an available network, the band searches being limited to searches of bands supported by networks operating in the geographical region in which the UE is located, as identified in the policy file stored at the UE. The operations of block 1010 may be performed according to the methods described herein. In certain examples, aspects of the operations of block 1010 may be performed by a band search component as described with reference to FIGs. 6 through 9.

At block 1015 the UE 115 may connect to the available network. The operations of block 1015 may be performed according to the methods described herein. In certain examples, aspects of the operations of block 1015 may be performed by a network component as described with reference to FIGs. 6 through 9.

FIG. 11 shows a flowchart illustrating a method 1100 for a consolidated policy file for an open market in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. The operations of method 1100 may be implemented by a UE 115 or its components as described herein. For example, the operations of method 1100 may be performed by a consolidated policy module as described with reference to FIGs. 6 through 9. In some examples, a UE 115 may execute a set of codes to control the functional elements of the device to perform the functions described below. Additionally or alternatively, the UE 115 may perform aspects of the functions described below using special-purpose hardware.

At block 1105 the UE 115 may store a policy file associating a set of radio frequency bands with networks operating in a geographical region. The operations of block 1105 may be performed according to the methods described herein. In certain examples, aspects of the operations of block 1105 may be performed by a policy file component as described with reference to FIGs. 6 through 9.

At block 1110 the UE 115 may receive PLMN information from a base station. The operations of block 1110 may be performed according to the methods described herein. In certain examples, aspects of the operations of block 1110 may be performed by a policy file component as described with reference to FIGs. 6 through 9.

At block 1115 the UE 115 may determine the geographical region based at least in part on the PLMN information. The operations of block 1115 may be performed according to the methods described herein. In certain examples, aspects of the operations of block 1115 may be performed by a PLMN component as described with reference to FIGs. 6 through 9.

At block 1120 the UE 115 may select the policy file based at least in part on the UE being within the geographical region. The operations of block 1120 may be performed according to the methods described herein. In certain examples, aspects of the operations of block 1120 may be performed by a policy file component as described with reference to FIGs. 6 through 9.

At block 1125 the UE 115 may perform one or more band searches to identify an available network, the band searches being limited to searches of bands supported by networks operating in the geographical region in which the UE is located, as identified in the policy file stored at the UE. The operations of block 1125 may be performed according to the methods described herein. In certain examples, aspects of the operations of block 1125 may be performed by a band search component as described with reference to FIGs. 6 through 9.

At block 1130 the UE 115 may connect to the available network. The operations of block 1130 may be performed according to the methods described herein. In certain examples, aspects of the operations of block 1130 may be performed by a network component as described with reference to FIGs. 6 through 9.

FIG. 12 shows a flowchart illustrating a method 1200 for a consolidated policy file for an open market in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. The operations of method 1200 may be implemented by a UE 115 or its components as described herein. For example, the operations of method 1200 may be performed by a consolidated policy module as described with reference to FIGs. 6 through 9. In some examples, a UE 115 may execute a set of codes to control the functional elements of the device to perform the functions described below. Additionally or alternatively, the UE 115 may perform aspects of the functions described below using special-purpose hardware.

At block 1205 the UE 115 may store a policy file associating a set of radio frequency bands with networks operating in a geographical region. The operations of block 1205 may be performed according to the methods described herein. In certain examples, aspects of the operations of block 1205 may be performed by a policy file component as described with reference to FIGs. 6 through 9.

At block 1210 the UE 115 may initiate a timeout timer during the CSFB operation. The operations of block 1210 may be performed according to the methods described herein. In certain examples, aspects of the operations of block 1210 may be performed by a timer component as described with reference to FIGs. 6 through 9.

At block 1215 the UE 115 may perform one or more band searches to identify an available network comprises performing the one or more band searches as part of a CSFB operation, the available network being an available CS network. The operations of block 1215 may be performed according to the methods described herein. In certain examples, aspects of the operations of block 1215 may be performed by a CSFB operation component as described with reference to FIGs. 6 through 9.

At block 1220 the UE 115 may connect to the available CS network before the timeout timer expires based at least in part on the policy file identifying only bands supported by networks operating in the geographical region in which the UE is located. The operations of block 1220 may be performed according to the methods described herein. In certain examples, aspects of the operations of block 1220 may be performed by a CSFB operation component as described with reference to FIGs. 6 through 9.

It should be noted that the methods described above describe possible implementations, and that the operations and the steps may be rearranged or otherwise modified and that other implementations are possible. Furthermore, aspects from two or more of the methods may be combined.

Techniques described herein may be used for various wireless communications systems such as code division multiple access (CDMA) , time division multiple access (TDMA) , frequency division multiple access (FDMA) , orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) , single carrier frequency division multiple access (SC-FDMA) , and other systems. The terms “system” and “network” are often used interchangeably. A code division multiple access (CDMA) system may implement a radio technology such as CDMA2000, Universal Terrestrial Radio Access (UTRA) , etc. CDMA2000 covers IS-2000, IS-95, and IS-856 standards. IS-2000 Releases may be commonly referred to as CDMA2000 1X, 1X, etc. IS-856 (TIA-856) is commonly referred to as CDMA2000 1xEV-DO, High Rate Packet Data (HRPD) , etc. UTRA includes Wideband CDMA (WCDMA) and other variants of CDMA. A TDMA system may implement a radio technology such as Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) .

An OFDMA system may implement a radio technology such as Ultra Mobile Broadband (UMB) , Evolved UTRA (E-UTRA) , Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 (Wi-Fi) , IEEE 802.16 (WiMAX) , IEEE 802.20, Flash-OFDM, etc. UTRA and E-UTRA are part of Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) . LTE and LTE-Aare releases of UMTS that use E-UTRA. UTRA, E-UTRA, UMTS, LTE, LTE-A, NR, and GSM are described in documents from the organization named “3rd Generation Partnership Project” (3GPP) . CDMA2000 and UMB are described in documents from an organization named “3rd Generation Partnership Project 2” (3GPP2) . The techniques described herein may be used for the systems and radio technologies mentioned above as well as other systems and radio technologies. While aspects of an LTE or an NR system may be described for purposes of example, and LTE or NR terminology may be used in much of the description, the techniques described herein are applicable beyond LTE or NR applications.

In LTE/LTE-Anetworks, including such networks described herein, the term evolved node B (eNB) may be generally used to describe the base stations. The wireless communications system or systems described herein may include a heterogeneous LTE/LTE-A or NR network in which different types of eNBs provide coverage for various geographical regions. For example, each eNB, next generation NodeB (gNB) , or base station may provide communication coverage for a macro cell, a small cell, or other types of cell. The term “cell” may be used to describe a base station, a carrier or component carrier associated with a base station, or a coverage area (e.g.， sector, etc. ) of a carrier or base station, depending on context.

Base stations may include or may be referred to by those skilled in the art as a base transceiver station, a radio base station, an access point, a radio transceiver, a NodeB, eNodeB (eNB) , gNB, Home NodeB, a Home eNodeB, or some other suitable terminology. The geographic coverage area for a base station may be divided into sectors making up only a portion of the coverage area. The wireless communications system or systems described herein may include base stations of different types (e.g.， macro or small cell base stations) . The UEs described herein may be able to communicate with various types of base stations and network equipment including macro eNBs, small cell eNBs, gNBs, relay base stations, and the like. There may be overlapping geographic coverage areas for different technologies.

A macro cell generally covers a relatively large geographic area (e.g.， several kilometers in radius) and may allow unrestricted access by UEs with service subscriptions with the network provider. A small cell is a lower-powered base station, as compared with a macro cell, that may operate in the same or different (e.g.， licensed, unlicensed, etc. ) frequency bands as macro cells. Small cells may include pico cells, femto cells, and micro cells according to various examples. A pico cell, for example, may cover a small geographic area and may allow unrestricted access by UEs with service subscriptions with the network provider. A femto cell may also cover a small geographic area (e.g.， a home) and may provide restricted access by UEs having an association with the femto cell (e.g.， UEs in a closed subscriber group (CSG) , UEs for users in the home, and the like) . An eNB for a macro cell may be referred to as a macro eNB. An eNB for a small cell may be referred to as a small cell eNB, a pico eNB, a femto eNB, or a home eNB. An eNB may support one or multiple (e.g.， two, three, four, and the like) cells (e.g.， component carriers) .

The wireless communications system or systems described herein may support synchronous or asynchronous operation. For synchronous operation, the base stations may have similar frame timing, and transmissions from different base stations may be approximately aligned in time. For asynchronous operation, the base stations may have different frame timing, and transmissions from different base stations may not be aligned in time. The techniques described herein may be used for either synchronous or asynchronous operations.

The downlink transmissions described herein may also be called forward link transmissions while the uplink transmissions may also be called reverse link transmissions. Each communication link described herein—including, for example,

wireless communications system

100 and 200 of FIGs. 1 and 2—may include one or more carriers, where each carrier may be a signal made up of multiple sub-carriers (e.g.， waveform signals of different frequencies) .

The description set forth herein, in connection with the appended drawings, describes example configurations and does not represent all the examples that may be implemented or that are within the scope of the claims. The term “exemplary” used herein means “serving as an example, instance, or illustration, ” and not “preferred” or “advantageous over other examples. ” The detailed description includes specific details for the purpose of providing an understanding of the described techniques. These techniques, however, may be practiced without these specific details. In some instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form in order to avoid obscuring the concepts of the described examples.

In the appended figures, similar components or features may have the same reference label. Further, various components of the same type may be distinguished by following the reference label by a dash and a second label that distinguishes among the similar components. If just the first reference label is used in the specification, the description is applicable to any one of the similar components having the same first reference label irrespective of the second reference label.

Information and signals described herein may be represented using any of a variety of different technologies and techniques. For example, data, instructions, commands, information, signals, bits, symbols, and chips that may be referenced throughout the above description may be represented by voltages, currents, electromagnetic waves, magnetic fields or particles, optical fields or particles, or any combination thereof.

The various illustrative blocks and modules described in connection with the disclosure herein may be implemented or performed with a general-purpose processor, a DSP, an ASIC, an FPGA or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions described herein. A general-purpose processor may be a microprocessor, but in the alternative, the processor may be any conventional processor, controller, microcontroller, or state machine. A processor may also be implemented as a combination of computing devices (e.g.， a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, multiple microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in conjunction with a DSP core, or any other such configuration) .

The functions described herein may be implemented in hardware, software executed by a processor, firmware, or any combination thereof. If implemented in software executed by a processor, the functions may be stored on or transmitted over as one or more instructions or code on a computer-readable medium. Other examples and implementations are within the scope of the disclosure and appended claims. For example, due to the nature of software, functions described above can be implemented using software executed by a processor, hardware, firmware, hardwiring, or combinations of any of these. Features implementing functions may also be physically located at various positions, including being distributed such that portions of functions are implemented at different physical locations. Also, as used herein, including in the claims, “or” as used in a list of items (for example, a list of items prefaced by a phrase such as “at least one of” or “one or more of” ) indicates an inclusive list such that, for example, a list of at least one of A, B, or C means A or B or C or AB or AC or BC or ABC (i.e.， A and B and C) . Also, as used herein, the phrase “based on” shall not be construed as a reference to a closed set of conditions. For example, an exemplary step that is described as “based on condition A” may be based on both a condition A and a condition B without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. In other words, as used herein, the phrase “based on” shall be construed in the same manner as the phrase “based at least in part on. ”

Computer-readable media includes both non-transitory computer storage media and communication media including any medium that facilitates transfer of a computer program from one place to another. A non-transitory storage medium may be any available medium that can be accessed by a general purpose or special purpose computer. By way of example, and not limitation, non-transitory computer-readable media may comprise RAM, ROM, electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM) , compact disk (CD) ROM or other optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other non-transitory medium that can be used to carry or store desired program code means in the form of instructions or data structures and that can be accessed by a general-purpose or special-purpose computer, or a general-purpose or special-purpose processor. Also, any connection is properly termed a computer-readable medium. For example, if the software is transmitted from a website, server, or other remote source using a coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, twisted pair, digital subscriber line (DSL) , or wireless technologies such as infrared, radio, and microwave, then the coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, twisted pair, DSL, or wireless technologies such as infrared, radio, and microwave are included in the definition of medium. Disk and disc, as used herein, include CD, laser disc, optical disc, digital versatile disc (DVD) , floppy disk and Blu-ray disc where disks usually reproduce data magnetically, while discs reproduce data optically with lasers. Combinations of the above are also included within the scope of computer-readable media.

The description herein is provided to enable a person skilled in the art to make or use the disclosure. Various modifications to the disclosure will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles defined herein may be applied to other variations without departing from the scope of the disclosure. Thus, the disclosure is not limited to the examples and designs described herein, but is to be accorded the broadest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

Claims

A method for wireless communication, comprising:

storing a policy file associating a set of radio frequency bands with networks operating in a geographical region；

performing one or more band searches to identify an available network, the band searches being limited to searches of bands supported by networks operating in the geographical region in which the UE is located, as identified in the policy file stored at the UE；and

connecting to the available network.
The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the policy file via a software upgrade process for the UE.
The method of claim 2, wherein:

the software upgrade process includes receiving a software upgrade packet from a manufacturer of the UE.
The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying that the UE has entered the geographical region； and

selecting the policy file based at least in part on the UE being within the geographical region.
The method of claim 4, wherein identifying that the UE has entered the geographical region comprises:

receiving public land mobile network (PLMN) information from a base station； and

the method further comprising determining the geographical region based at least in part on the PLMN information.
The method of claim 1, wherein:

the bands identified by the policy file are fewer than a total number of bands supported by the UE.
The method of claim 1, wherein:

the policy file collectively identifies bands supported by networks operating in the geographical region without separately identifying bands supported by individual public land mobile networks (PLMNs) .
The method of claim 1, wherein:

the policy file provides rules for searching bands supported by networks of different radio access technologies (RATs) .
The method of claim 1, wherein:

the UE is configured to operate as an open market device.
The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying that the UE has powered up； and

retrieving the policy file stored at the UE.
The method of claim 1, wherein:

performing one or more band searches to identify an available network comprises performing the one or more band searches as part of a circuit-switched fallback (CSFB) operation, the available network being an available circuit-switched (CS) network.
An apparatus for wireless communication, comprising:

means for storing a policy file associating a set of radio frequency bands with networks operating in a geographical region；

means for performing one or more band searches to identify an available network, the band searches being limited to searches of bands supported by networks operating in the geographical region in which the UE is located, as identified in the policy file stored at the UE； and

means for connecting to the available network.
The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising:

means for receiving the policy file via a software upgrade process for the UE.
The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising:

means for receiving a software upgrade packet from a manufacturer of the UE.
The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising:

means for identifying that the UE has entered the geographical region； and

means for selecting the policy file based at least in part on the UE being within the geographical region.
The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising:

means for receiving public land mobile network (PLMN) information from a base station； and

means for determining the geographical region based at least in part on the PLMN information.
The apparatus of claim 12, wherein:

the bands identified by the policy file are fewer than a total number of bands supported by the UE.
The apparatus of claim 12, wherein:

the policy file collectively identifies bands supported by networks operating in the geographical region without separately identifying bands supported by individual public land mobile networks (PLMNs) .
The apparatus of claim 12, wherein:

the policy file provides rules for searching bands supported by networks of different radio access technologies (RATs) .
The apparatus of claim 12, wherein:

the UE is configured to operate as an open market device.
The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising:

means for identifying that the UE has powered up； and

means for retrieving the policy file stored at the UE.
The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising:

means for performing one or more band searches to identify an available network comprises performing the one or more band searches as part of a circuit-switched fallback (CSFB) operation, the available network being an available circuit-switched (CS) network.
An apparatus for wireless communication, comprising:

a processor；

memory in electronic communication with the processor； and

instructions stored in the memory and operable, when executed by the processor, to cause the apparatus to:

store a policy file associating a set of radio frequency bands with networks operating in a geographical region；

perform one or more band searches to identify an available network, the band searches being limited to searches of bands supported by networks operating in the geographical region in which the UE is located, as identified in the policy file stored at the UE；and

connect to the available network.
The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to:

receive the policy file via a software upgrade process for the UE.
The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to:

receive a software upgrade packet from a manufacturer of the UE.
The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to:

identify that the UE has entered the geographical region； and

select the policy file based at least in part on the UE being within the geographical region.
The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to:

receive public land mobile network (PLMN) information from a base station； and

determine the geographical region based at least in part on the PLMN information.
The apparatus of claim 23, wherein:

the bands identified by the policy file are fewer than a total number of bands supported by the UE.
The apparatus of claim 23, wherein:

the policy file collectively identifies bands supported by networks operating in the geographical region without separately identifying bands supported by individual public land mobile networks (PLMNs) .
The apparatus of claim 23, wherein:

the policy file provides rules for searching bands supported by networks of different radio access technologies (RATs) .
The apparatus of claim 23, wherein:

the UE is configured to operate as an open market device.
The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to:

identify that the UE has powered up； and

retrieve the policy file stored at the UE.
The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to:

perform one or more band searches to identify an available network comprises performing the one or more band searches as part of a circuit-switched fallback (CSFB) operation, the available network being an available circuit-switched (CS) network.
A non-transitory computer readable medium storing code for wireless communication, the code comprising instructions executable by a processor to:

store a policy file associating a set of radio frequency bands with networks operating in a geographical region；

perform one or more band searches to identify an available network, the band searches being limited to searches of bands supported by networks operating in the geographical region in which the UE is located, as identified in the policy file stored at the UE；and

connect to the available network.
The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 34, wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to:

receive the policy file via a software upgrade process for the UE.
The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 35, wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to:

receive a software upgrade packet from a manufacturer of the UE.
The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 34, wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to:

identify that the UE has entered the geographical region； and

select the policy file based at least in part on the UE being within the geographical region.
The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 37, wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to:

receive public land mobile network (PLMN) information from a base station； and

determine the geographical region based at least in part on the PLMN information.
The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 34, wherein:

the bands identified by the policy file are fewer than a total number of bands supported by the UE.
The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 34, wherein:

the policy file collectively identifies bands supported by networks operating in the geographical region without separately identifying bands supported by individual public land mobile networks (PLMNs) .
The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 34, wherein:

the policy file provides rules for searching bands supported by networks of different radio access technologies (RATs) .
The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 34, wherein:

the UE is configured to operate as an open market device.
The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 34, wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to:

identify that the UE has powered up； and

retrieve the policy file stored at the UE.
The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 34, wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to:

perform one or more band searches to identify an available network comprises performing the one or more band searches as part of a circuit-switched fallback (CSFB) operation, the available network being an available circuit-switched (CS) network.