Method and apparatus for determining the priority of Public Land Network (PLMN)

Abstract

This application discloses a method, apparatus, user equipment, and storage medium for determining the priority of a Public Land Network (PLMN). The method includes: obtaining PLMN search results; and, if the PLMN search results include a first PLMN, and the first PLMN exists in the list of PLMNs whose registration has been suspended due to a Roaming Guidance System (SOR), determining the first PLMN as the lowest priority PLMN, wherein the first PLMN is a user-controlled PLMN that includes access technology. Implementing this application embodiment can avoid selecting a network from a user-controlled PLMN that includes access technology in the list of PLMNs whose registration has been suspended due to a SOR, thereby improving the stability of the communication system.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of communication technology, specifically to a method and apparatus for determining the priority of a PLMN (Public Land Mobile Network). Background Technology

[0002] Roaming enables user equipment (UE) to connect to the network to send and receive data even when the UE is outside the service area. Steering of roaming (SOR) is a technique used by the UE to select a public land mobile network (PLMN) during roaming.

[0003] As an example, if the UE's Universal Subscriber Identity Module (USIM) card is configured to receive a Security Order (SOR) message when the UE initiates initial registration on a visited public land mobile network (VPLMN) containing the access technology, and if the VPLMN does not provide the SOR message or the security check of the SOR message received from the VPLMN fails, the UE needs to add the VPLMN to the list of PLMNs whose registration was suspended due to the SOR.

[0004] There is a situation where, when a UE selects a PLMN, it may select a PLMN that is included in the list of PLMNs whose registration was terminated due to SOR. However, the PLMNs in the list of PLMNs whose registration was terminated due to SOR may be PLMNs that have experienced network anomalies. As a result, even if the UE selects the PLMN with the highest priority in the PLMN search results, the UE may still have to perform the network selection process multiple times due to network problems, causing instability in the communication system and affecting user experience. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This application discloses a method and apparatus for determining the priority of a PLMN, which can be used to determine the priority of a searched PLMN in a PLMN search scenario. This can avoid selecting a user-controlled PLMN containing access technology from the PLMN list that has been suspended due to SOR, thereby improving the stability of the communication system.

[0006] This application provides a method for determining the priority of a PLMN, including:

[0007] Retrieve search results for Public Land Network (PLMN);

[0008] If the first PLMN is included in the PLMN search results, and the first PLMN exists in the list of PLMNs whose registration was terminated due to roaming guidance SOR, then the first PLMN is determined to be the lowest priority PLMN, and the first PLMN is a user-controlled PLMN that includes access technology.

[0009] This application embodiment also provides a device for determining the priority of a PLMN, including:

[0010] The communication unit is used to obtain search results from the Public Land Network (PLMN).

[0011] The processing unit is configured to determine that the first PLMN is the lowest priority PLMN when the first PLMN is included in the PLMN search results and exists in the list of PLMNs whose registration has been suspended due to the roaming guidance SOR. The first PLMN is a user-controlled PLMN that includes access technology.

[0012] This application discloses a user equipment including a memory and a processor. The memory stores a computer program, and the processor is configured to execute the computer program to implement any of the priority determination methods for terrestrial public networks disclosed in this application.

[0013] This application discloses a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program thereon, which, when executed by a processor, implements any of the priority determination methods for terrestrial public networks disclosed in this application.

[0014] Compared with related technologies, the embodiments of this application have the following beneficial effects:

[0015] According to the embodiments of this application, after obtaining the PLMN search results, the user equipment regards the first PLMN that exists in both the PLMN search results and the PLMN list that was suspended due to SOR as the PLMN with the lowest priority. This can avoid selecting the network to the user-controlled PLMN containing the access technology in the PLMN list that was suspended due to SOR, thereby unifying the priority of the same PLMN in different scenarios and improving the stability of the communication system. Attached Figure Description

[0016] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0017] Figure 1AThis is an example architecture diagram of a communication system provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0018] Figure 1B This is an architectural diagram of another example of the communication system provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0019] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an example of a user equipment provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0020] Figure 3 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of the SOR process executed during PLMN switchover;

[0021] Figure 4 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of a method for determining the priority of a Public Land Network (PLMN) disclosed in an embodiment of this application.

[0022] Figure 5 This is a flowchart illustrating another example of the method for determining the priority of a PLMN provided in this application embodiment;

[0023] Figure 6 This is a flowchart illustrating another example of the method for determining the priority of a PLMN provided in this application embodiment;

[0024] Figure 7 This is a flowchart illustrating an application example of this application.

[0025] Figure 8 This is a flowchart illustrating an application example two of the embodiments of this application;

[0026] Figure 9 This is a flowchart illustrating application example three of the embodiments of this application.

[0027] Figure 10 This is an example structural block diagram of a public land network priority determination device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0028] Figure 11 This is another example structural block diagram of the priority determination device for public land networks provided in the embodiments of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0029] The technical solutions in the embodiments of this application will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0030] To facilitate a clear description of the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the technical terms involved in the embodiments of this application are explained below.

[0031] 1) PLMN: refers to a network established and operated by the government or its approved operators for the purpose of providing terrestrial mobile communication services to the public.

[0032] 2) Home Public Land Mobile Network (HPLMN): This is the PLMN to which the user equipment belongs, determined by the International Mobile Subscriber Identification Number (IMSI) on the user equipment's USIM card. For a given user equipment, there is only one HPLMMN.

[0033] 3) Equivalent Home Public Land Mobile Network (EHPLMN): This is a PLMN that is equivalent in status to the home PLMN currently selected by the user equipment. The operator corresponding to an EHPLMN may have different PLMNs. For example, operator 1 may have three PLMNs: PLMN1, PLMN2, and PLMN3. PLMN2 and 3 are EHPLMNs relative to PLMN1. This information can be written to the SIM card before it leaves the factory.

[0034] 4) Equivalent PLMN (EPLMN): This refers to a PLMN that is of equal status to the PLMN currently selected by the user equipment. It can be understood that the user equipment can freely reselect between the PLMN currently selected by the user equipment and PLMNs of equal status. The EPLMN network can be configured by the operator.

[0035] 5) User-controlled public land mobile network (UPLUMN): This is a parameter related to PLMN selection.

[0036] 6) Operator-controlled public landmobile network (OPLMN): This is another parameter related to PLMN selection.

[0037] 7) Registered PLMN (Registered Public Land Mobile Network, RPLMN): This refers to the PLMN that the user equipment last initiated and successfully registered with the core network. For example, it could be the PLMN that the user equipment last initiated and successfully registered with before the network was disconnected.

[0038] 8) In the embodiments of this application, the terms "first" and "second" are used to distinguish identical or similar items with essentially the same function and effect. For example, the first instruction and the second instruction are used to distinguish different user instructions, but do not limit their order. Those skilled in the art will understand that the terms "first" and "second" do not limit the quantity or execution order, and the terms "first" and "second" do not necessarily imply that they are different.

[0039] It should be noted that, in this application, the words "exemplarily" or "for example" are used to indicate examples, illustrations, or explanations. Any embodiment or design described as "exemplarily" or "for example" in this application should not be construed as being more preferred or advantageous than other embodiments or designs. Specifically, the use of words such as "exemplarily" or "for example" is intended to present the relevant concepts in a specific manner.

[0040] 9) "At least one" means one or more, and "more than" means two or more. "And / or" describes the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can mean: A alone, A and B simultaneously, or B alone, where A and B can be singular or plural. The character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects are in an "or" relationship. "At least one of the following" or similar expressions refer to any combination of these items, including any combination of single or plural items. For example, at least one of a, b, and c can mean: a, or b, or c, or a and b, or a and c, or b and c, or a, b, and c, where a, b, and c can be single or multiple.

[0041] To facilitate understanding of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the application scenarios of this application will be described first.

[0042] Please see Figure 1A This is an example architecture diagram of a communication system provided in an embodiment of this application. Figure 1A As shown, the communication system includes UE101, network device 102, and at least two PLMN networks, such as PLMN1 and PLMN2, which are accessed through network device 102. PLMN1 and PLMN2 can be UPLMN or OPLMN, or, if other types of PLMNs exist, PLMN1 and PLMN2 can also be other types of PLMNs; the type of PLMN is not limited here.

[0043] It should be noted that, in Figure 1ATaking this communication system, which includes one user equipment, one network device 102, and two PLMN networks, as an example, in actual use, there is no limit to the number of user equipment, network devices, and PLMN networks. For example, please refer to... Figure 1B This is an architectural diagram of another example of the communication system provided in the embodiments of this application. Figure 1B As shown, the communication system includes one user equipment, two network devices, and three PLMN networks. The user equipment is user equipment 102, the two network devices are network device 103 and network device 104, and the three PLMN networks are PLMN3 to PLMN5. PLMN3 is accessed through network device 103, and PLMN4 and PLMN5 are accessed through network device 104.

[0044] It should be understood that a network device can be any device with wireless transceiver capabilities. This equipment includes, but is not limited to: evolved Node B (eNB or eNodeB), radio network controller (RNC), Node B (NB), base station controller (BSC), base transceiver station (BTS), home base station (e.g., home-evolved NodeB or home NodeB, HNB), baseband unit (BBU), access point (AP), wireless relay node, wireless backhaul node, transmission point (TP), or transmission and reception point (TRP) in a wireless fidelity (WIFI) system. It can also be a gNB in ​​a 5G communication system or NR system, or a transmission point (TRP or TP), one or a group of antenna panels (including multiple antenna panels) of a base station in a 5G system, or a network node constituting a gNB or transmission point, such as a baseband unit (BBU) or a distributed unit (DU). In some deployments, a gNB may include a centralized unit (CU) and a distribution unit (DU). A gNB may also include a radio unit (RU). The CU implements some of the gNB's functions, and the DU implements others. For example, the CU implements radio resource control (RRC) and packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) layer functions, while the DU implements radio link control (RLC), media access control (MAC), and physical (PHY) layer functions. Since RRC layer information ultimately becomes PHY layer information, or is derived from PHY layer information, in this architecture, higher-layer signaling, such as RRC layer signaling, can be considered to be sent by the DU, or by the DU+CU. It is understood that network devices can be CU nodes, DU nodes, or devices including both CU and DU nodes.Furthermore, the CU can be classified as a network device in the radio access network (RAN) or as a network device in the core network (CN), and this application does not limit this.

[0045] It should also be understood that user equipment can also be called terminal equipment, access terminal, user unit, user station, mobile station, mobile station, remote station, remote terminal, mobile device, user terminal, terminal, wireless communication equipment, user agent, or user device. It can be a mobile phone, tablet, computer with wireless transceiver capabilities, virtual reality (VR) terminal device, augmented reality (AR) terminal device, wireless terminal in industrial control, wireless terminal in self-driving, wireless terminal in remote medical care, wireless terminal in smart grid, wireless terminal in transportation safety, wireless terminal in smart city, wireless terminal in smart home, and so on.

[0046] It should be noted that the aforementioned communication system can be a 5G communication system, an LTE communication system, or any other future-oriented communication system; no restrictions are placed here. Furthermore, the aforementioned communication system may also include other equipment, such as relay equipment and routing equipment. Figure 1A and Figure 1B The communication system shown is not explicitly shown, but those skilled in the art can configure it according to actual usage, and no restrictions are imposed here.

[0047] The foregoing content describes the communication system in the embodiments of this application. The structure of the user equipment in the above communication system will be further described below.

[0048] Please refer to Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the structure of an example of a user equipment provided in an embodiment of this application. Figure 2 The user equipment shown includes components such as processor 210, memory 220, transceiver 230, display unit 240, input unit 250, sensor 260, audio circuit 270, and power module 280.

[0049] Processor 210 is the control center of the user equipment. It connects various parts of the user equipment via various interfaces and lines. By running or executing software programs and / or modules stored in memory 220, and by calling data stored in memory 220, it performs various functions and processes data, thereby providing overall monitoring of the user equipment. Optionally, processor 210 may include one or more processing units; optionally, processor 210 may integrate an application processor, which mainly handles operating devices, user interfaces, and applications, etc. Of course, it may also include other processors, which are not listed here.

[0050] The memory 220 can be used to store software programs and modules. The processor 210 executes various functional applications and data processing of the user device by running the software programs and modules stored in the memory 220. The memory 220 may mainly include a program storage area and a data storage area. The program storage area may store the operating device and the application program required for at least one function (such as sound playback function, image playback function, etc.); the data storage area may store data created according to the use of the user device (such as audio data, phone book, etc.). In addition, the memory 220 may include high-speed random access memory, and may also include non-volatile memory, such as at least one disk storage device, flash memory device, or other volatile solid-state storage device.

[0051] Transceiver 230 can provide solutions for wireless communication applications on user equipment, including wireless local area networks (WLANs) (such as wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) networks), Bluetooth (BT), global navigation satellite system (GNSS), frequency modulation (FM), near field communication (NFC), and infrared (IR) technologies. Transceiver 230 can be one or more devices integrating at least one communication processing module; for example, it can integrate an antenna with a baseband processor, or it can integrate an antenna with a modem processor, etc., without limitation.

[0052] The display unit 240 can be used to display information input by the user or information provided to the user, as well as various menus of the user device. The display unit 240 can be configured in the form of a liquid crystal display (LCD), an organic light-emitting diode (OLED), or other similar devices, and there is no limitation on this.

[0053] The input unit 250 can be used to receive input digital or character information and generate key signal inputs related to user settings and function control of the user device. Specifically, the input unit 250 can collect user operations on or near it and drive corresponding connected devices according to a pre-set program. Furthermore, the input unit 250 may include a touch panel 251, which can be implemented using various types such as resistive, capacitive, infrared, and surface acoustic wave. In addition to the touch panel 251, the input unit 250 may also include other input devices 252. Specifically, other input devices 252 may include, but are not limited to, one or more of the following: function keys (such as volume control buttons, power buttons, etc.), trackballs, joysticks, etc.

[0054] User equipment may also include at least one sensor 260, such as a gyroscope sensor, motion sensor, and other sensors. Motion sensors may include accelerometers for detecting the magnitude of acceleration in various directions, and when stationary, they can detect the magnitude and direction of gravity. These can be used for applications that identify the attitude of electronic devices, such as screen orientation switching, related games, and magnetometer attitude calibration. Other sensors that may be configured in electronic devices, such as pressure gauges, barometers, hygrometers, thermometers, and infrared sensors, are not detailed here.

[0055] The audio circuit 270 may include a speaker 271 and a microphone 272, providing an audio interface between the user and the user equipment. The audio circuit 270 can convert received audio data into electrical signals and transmit them to the speaker 271, where the speaker 271 converts them into sound signals for output. On the other hand, the microphone 272 converts collected sound signals into electrical signals, which are received by the audio circuit 270, converted into audio data, and then output to the processor 210 for processing. The audio data is then transmitted via a video circuit to, for example, another electronic device, or output to the memory 220 for further processing.

[0056] The user equipment also includes a power module 280 that supplies power to various components. Optionally, the power module 280 can be logically connected to the processor 210 through a power management device, thereby enabling functions such as charging, discharging, and power consumption management through the power management device.

[0057] Although not shown, the user equipment may also include a camera. Optionally, the camera may be positioned in the front or rear of the user equipment, and this embodiment does not limit this.

[0058] It is understood that the structures illustrated in the embodiments of this application do not constitute a specific limitation on the user equipment. In other embodiments of this application, the user equipment may include more or fewer components than illustrated, or combine some components, or split some components, or have different component arrangements. The illustrated components may be implemented in hardware, software, or a combination of software and hardware.

[0059] In the aforementioned communication system, roaming technology is used to enable data transmission even while the user equipment is in motion, and a SOR procedure is provided to facilitate faster PLMN switching for the user equipment.

[0060] Below, with Figure 1A For example, this section explains the SOR procedure executed during PLMN switchover. Please refer to [link / reference]. Figure 3 The following is a flowchart illustrating another example of the SOR process executed during PLMN switchover:

[0061] Step S310: User equipment 101 is in automatic network selection mode and resides on UPLMN1;

[0062] For ease of explanation, in Figure 3 In the example shown, PLMN1 is a PLMN of type UPLMN with the highest priority. PLMN1 can be represented as UPLMN1.

[0063] Step S302: User equipment 101 sends a registration request for registering PLMN1 to access network equipment 102, and access network equipment 102 receives the registration request.

[0064] Step S303: Access network device 102 sends a registration acceptance message to user equipment 101, and user equipment 101 receives the registration acceptance message.

[0065] Step S304: User equipment 101 determines that the registration acceptance message does not contain SOR information, or that the SOR information is parsed from the registration acceptance message but the security verification of the SOR information fails.

[0066] Step S305: User equipment 101 adds PLMN1 to the list of PLMNs whose registration was aborted due to SOR (the full English name is PLMNs where registration was aborted due to SOR).

[0067] In step S306, user equipment 101 remains residing in PLMN1 and enters an idle state.

[0068] Step S307: The high-priority timer of user equipment 101 times out, triggering high-priority network selection, and user equipment 101 searches for PLMN.

[0069] Step S308: User equipment 101 obtains PLMN search results.

[0070] As an example, the PLMN search results include PLMN1 and PLMN2, where the PLMN type of PLMN1 has a higher priority than the PLMN type of PLMN2. For example, PLMN1 is UPLMN and PLMN2 is OPLMN. Exemplarily, the priority of the PLMN type is determined according to the priority order specified in protocol 23.122: PLMNs are sorted in the order of HPLMN / EHPLMN, UPLMN, OPLMN, high signal quality PLMN, and non-high signal quality PLMN.

[0071] Step S309: User equipment 101 determines the PLMN to be resided in and the PLMN with the highest priority in the PLMN search results.

[0072] As an example, user equipment 101 can obtain its stored list of EPLMNs, for example, the list includes PLMN1 and PLMN3, and the priority order of PLMN1 to PLMN3 is: PLMN1 > PLMN2 > PLMN3. Because in Figure 3 In the example shown, the PLMN search is triggered due to a high-priority timer timeout. In this scenario, the PLMN list that was discontinued due to SOR (System Oscillator) is not considered when filtering UPLMNs. Therefore, the priority of PLMN1 remains unchanged. Thus, the PLMN with the highest current priority is PLMN1.

[0073] Step S310: User equipment 101 resides on the PLMN with the highest priority.

[0074] In this example, since PLMN1 has the highest priority, user equipment 101 remains residing on PLMN1.

[0075] The above scenarios are for illustrative purposes only. In actual use, other scenarios may also be included, such as selecting PLMN in the case of high-priority timer timeout, which will not be described in detail here.

[0076] Depend on Figure 3It is evident that when a UE selects a PLMN, it will choose a user-controlled PLMN that includes the access technology and is included in the list of PLMNs whose registration was terminated due to SOR. However, the PLMNs in the list of PLMNs whose registration was terminated due to SOR may be PLMNs experiencing network anomalies. Therefore, even if the UE selects the PLMN with the highest priority in the PLMN search results, network problems may cause the UE to perform the network selection process multiple times, resulting in instability of the communication system and affecting user experience.

[0077] In view of this, embodiments of this application provide an optimization method for public terrestrial networks. In this method, UPLMNs whose registration is terminated due to SOR are regarded as the PLMNs with the lowest priority in the PLMN search results. This unifies the priority processing of PLMNs whose registration is terminated due to SOR in different scenarios, which can avoid selecting the network to the user-controlled PLMN containing access technology in the list of PLMNs whose registration is terminated due to SOR, thereby improving the stability of the communication system.

[0078] The technical solutions in the embodiments of this application will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0079] Please see Figure 4 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of a method for determining the priority of a Public Land Network (PLMN) disclosed in an embodiment of this application. This method can be applied to, for example... Figure 1A Or such as Figure 1B In the communication system shown, for example, the UE mentioned below can be Figure 1A or Figure 1B User equipment 101 in the communication system shown below, and network equipment as referred to below, may be... Figure 1A or Figure 1B The flowchart of this method is described as follows for any one of the network devices 102 to 104 in the communication system shown:

[0080] Step S410: UE obtains PLMN search results.

[0081] For example, PLMN search results may include at least one found PLMN. Specifically, PLMN search results may include PLMNs included in at least one user-controlled PLMN selector list containing access technologies, and / or PLMNs included in at least one operator-controlled PLMN selector list containing access technologies.

[0082] In practical applications, the UE's non-access stratum can instruct the access stratum to perform a PLMN search. After obtaining the PLMN search results, the access stratum reports the PLMN search results to the non-access stratum, enabling the non-access stratum to select a PLMN based on these results.

[0083] In this embodiment, the PLMN search result can be the search result obtained by the UE performing a PLMN search in any scenario. For example, the PLMN search result may include the search result of a PLMN search triggered by a high-priority timer timeout, or the search result of a PLMN search performed by the UE when attempting to resume service while offline.

[0084] In some embodiments, the UE obtaining PLMN search results may include: obtaining the PLMN search results when a high-priority timer times out, wherein the high-priority timer is used to periodically trigger PLMN selection.

[0085] Specifically, when a UE camps on a VPLMN, a high-priority timer can be started. When the high-priority timer expires, the UE will obtain PLMN search results and, based on these results, camp on an HPLMN or another higher-priority PLMN. By starting and resetting the timer, PLMN search results can be obtained periodically to periodically try HPLMNs or higher-priority PLMNs.

[0086] In other embodiments, the UE obtaining PLMN search results may include: the UE being in an offline state, and the list of PLMNs whose registration was terminated due to SOR including registered PLMNs, and obtaining the PLMN search results.

[0087] Specifically, when a UE disconnects from a VPLMN while camped on it, if the registered PLMN (i.e., the VPLMN) is not included in the list of PLMNs whose registration was suspended due to the SOR, the UE will first attempt to re-camp on that VPLMN. If the registered PLMN is included in the list of PLMNs whose registration was suspended due to the SOR, the UE will not first attempt to register on the PLMN, but will instead initiate a PLMN search to obtain PLMN search results and determine the PLMN to reselect based on the search results.

[0088] Step S420: If the first PLMN is included in the PLMN search results and exists in the list of PLMNs whose registration was terminated due to SOR, the first PLMN is determined to be the lowest priority PLMN. The first PLMN is a user-controlled PLMN that includes access technology.

[0089] In other words, if a UPLMN exists in both the list of PLMNs whose registration was suspended due to SOR and the PLMN search results, then the priority of that UPLMN can be determined as the lowest priority. Alternatively, in the PLMN search results, all UPLMNs existing in the list of PLMNs whose registration was suspended due to SOR are considered to have the lowest priority.

[0090] Optionally, if the PLMN search results include other PLMNs, such as a second PLMN, and the second PLMN exists in the list of PLMNs whose registration has been suspended due to SOR, the UE can also determine that the second PLMN is the lowest priority PLMN, and the second PLMN is a user-controlled PLMN that includes access technology.

[0091] In other words, all PLMNs in the list of PLMNs whose registration was terminated due to SOR, whether they are UPLMNs or OPLMNs, will be considered as having the lowest priority.

[0092] It should be noted that UPLMN and OPLMN in the embodiments of this application are general terms. That is, UPLMN can be understood as all PLMNs belonging to the UPLMN type, and OPLMN can be understood as all PLMNs belonging to the OPLMN type.

[0093] For example, the list of PLMNs whose registration was suspended due to SOR includes at least one PLMN whose registration was suspended due to SOR. Suspension of registration due to SOR may include the UE failing to obtain SOR information or the security verification of SOR information failing during the VPLMN registration process.

[0094] Optionally, the list of PLMNs whose registration was suspended due to SOR includes PLMNs with access technologies in the visited location, i.e., VPLMNs. Specifically, if the UE is configured to receive SOR information when initiating initial registration on a VPLMN, for example, if the UE's USIM card is configured with Service No. 127, and the actual registration process does not receive SOR information from the network device of the VPLMN or the security verification of the SOR information fails, it can be considered that an abnormal situation has occurred in the VPLMN. Therefore, the VPLMN is added to the list of PLMNs whose registration was suspended due to SOR, so that the list includes at least one PLMN whose registration was suspended due to SOR. This list can be used in PLMN search scenarios to determine the priority of the searched PLMNs.

[0095] Optionally, the list of PLMNs whose registration has been suspended due to SOR may include user-controlled PLMNs containing access technologies and / or operator-controlled PLMNs containing access technologies. Of course, if the VPLMN also includes other types of PLMNs besides the two types mentioned above, the list of PLMNs whose registration has been suspended due to SOR may also include those other types of PLMNs. It is understood that, according to the method of this application embodiment, if the PLMN exists in the PLMN search results, the PLMN will be considered the lowest priority PLMN. That is, whether it is a UPLMN or an OPLMN, its priority will be considered the lowest priority.

[0096] According to the method described in the embodiments of this application, after obtaining the PLMN search results, the UE considers the UPLMN that exists simultaneously in both the PLMN search results and the list of PLMNs whose registration was terminated due to SOR as the lowest priority PLMN. That is, it avoids selecting a user-controlled PLMN containing the access technology from the list of PLMNs whose registration was terminated due to SOR, and it does not use different priority processing methods for PLMNs whose registration was terminated due to SOR based on different UE network selection modes or scenarios, thus achieving uniformity of the priority of the same PLMN in different scenarios and improving the stability of the communication system.

[0097] The following example illustrates the method for determining the priority of a PLMN provided in this application when applied to the process of selecting the PLMN with the highest priority.

[0098] For details, please refer to Figure 5 This is a flowchart illustrating another example of the method for determining the priority of a PLMN provided in this application embodiment. Figure 5 As shown, the method may include the following steps.

[0099] Step S510: UE obtains PLMN search results.

[0100] Step S520: If the first PLMN is included in the PLMN search results and exists in the list of PLMNs whose registration was terminated due to roaming guidance SOR, the first PLMN is determined to be the lowest priority PLMN. The first PLMN is a user-controlled PLMN that includes access technology.

[0101] Steps S510 to S520 are similar to steps S510 to S520, and will not be described again here.

[0102] Step S530: Based on the list of PLMNs whose registration was terminated due to SOR, select the PLMN with the highest priority in the PLMN search results. The PLMNs in the list of PLMNs whose registration was terminated due to SOR have the lowest priority.

[0103] For example, based on the list of PLMNs whose registration was suspended due to SOR, a portion of the PLMNs in the PLMN search results can be determined as having the lowest priority. These PLMNs are those included in the list of PLMNs whose registration was suspended due to SOR. Then, based on a pre-set priority order, the other PLMNs in the PLMN search results, excluding the aforementioned portion of PLMNs, are sorted to obtain the priority of the other PLMNs, thereby determining the PLMN with the highest priority in the PLMN search results.

[0104] Optionally, the aforementioned pre-defined priority order may include: the priority of a user-controlled PLMN containing access technology is higher than the priority of an operator-controlled PLMN containing access technology. For example, if the PLMN search results include UPLMN1, UPLMN2, and OPLMN1, and if UPLMN1 is a PLMN in the list of PLMNs whose registration was terminated due to SOR, then UPLMN1 is determined to be the lowest priority PLMN, and according to the aforementioned pre-defined priority order, the priority order is determined to be UPLMN2 > OPLMN1 > UPLMN1.

[0105] For example, if the PLMN search results include user-controlled PLMNs with access technology, and the list of PLMNs whose registration was suspended due to SOR includes the user-controlled PLMNs with access technology, then the PLMN with the highest priority is the operator-controlled PLMN with access technology.

[0106] In other words, if a UPLMN in the PLMN search results exists in the list of PLMNs whose registration was terminated due to SOR, then the highest priority PLMN is not the UPLMN, but the OPLMN. In this case, it can be understood that the PLMN search results only include one PLMN of type UPLMN, and this UPLMN type PLMN is included in the list of PLMNs whose registration was terminated due to SOR. Therefore, this UPLMN type PLMN has the lowest priority, and thus the OPLMN type PLMN in the PLMN search results has the highest priority.

[0107] It should be noted that PLMNs of the same type can include multiple priorities. For example, a PLMN of type UPLMN can include first priority, second priority, etc., and a PLMN of type OPLMN can also include first priority, second priority, etc. For example, UPLMN1 represents a PLMN with first priority in the UPLMN category, and UPLMN2 represents a PLMN with second priority in the UPLMN category; OPLMN1 refers to a PLMN with first priority in the OPLMN category, and OPLMN2 refers to a PLMN with second priority in the OPLMN category. When the PLMN search results include multiple PLMNs of type UPLMN, such as UPLMN1 and UPLMN2, where UPLMN1 is included in the list of PLMNs whose registration was terminated due to SOR, then UPLMN1 has the lowest priority, but this does not affect the priority of UPLMN2. Therefore, UPLMN2 has the highest priority in the PLMN search results.

[0108] As an example, if the UE's currently camped PLMN is PLMN1, the UE can obtain its stored EPLMN list. For instance, this EPLMN list includes PLMN1 and PLMN3, and the priority order of PLMN types from PLMN1 to PLMN3 is: PLMN1 > PLMN2 > PLMN3. It should be noted that regardless of whether the UE stores an EPLMN list, if the currently camped PLMN is in the list of PLMNs whose registration was terminated due to the SOR (System Occurrence Revocation), then the currently camped PLMN has the lowest priority.

[0109] If the currently resident PLMN is not in the list of PLMNs whose registration was terminated due to SOR, and the UE stores an EPLMN list, the priority of the currently resident PLMN can be determined according to the priority order specified in Protocol 23.122, and / or, according to the EPLMN list.

[0110] For example, the UE selecting the highest priority PLMN may include: the UE attempting to camp on the highest priority PLMN. For instance, in a PLMN search scenario attempting to restore service while offline, after determining the highest priority PLMN, the UE can attempt to search for a suitable cell within that PLMN. If no suitable cell is found, that PLMN can be excluded, and the highest priority PLMN can be determined from the remaining PLMNs in the search results. Then, the UE can attempt to search for a suitable cell within that PLMN. This process continues until a suitable cell is found, or a search for suitable cells is performed on all PLMNs.

[0111] As can be seen, according to the method provided in the embodiments of this application, the highest priority PLMN can be determined based on the list of PLMNs whose registration has been suspended due to SOR, thereby selecting a PLMN. In this process, the PLMNs in the list of PLMNs whose registration has been suspended due to SOR are regarded as the lowest priority, which can ensure the stability of the communication system and also unify the priority handling of PLMNs in the list under different scenarios, realizing the uniformity of the priority of the same PLMN in different scenarios.

[0112] exist Figure 4 or Figure 5 The illustrated embodiments describe the process of determining the priority of PLMNs based on the list of PLMNs whose registration was terminated due to SOR and selecting the PLMN with the highest priority. Some embodiments of this application may also include steps related to configuring / maintaining the list of PLMNs whose registration was terminated due to SOR. Please refer to... Figure 6 The following is a flowchart illustrating another example of a method for determining the priority of a PLMN provided in this application embodiment. The method includes the following steps:

[0113] Step S610: UE initiates registration of the first PLMN.

[0114] In this embodiment, the UE can determine the PLMN to be registered through automatic or manual mode, and the PLMN to be registered can be the first PLMN. For example, when the UE is in roaming mode, the UE can determine the first PLMN based on user operation, or the UE can select any PLMN from multiple VPLMNs as the first PLMN, or select the PLMN with the highest priority as the first PLMN based on the priority of multiple VPLMNs.

[0115] Once the UE selects a first PLMN, it can initiate registration with the network device for the first PLMN. For example, the UE sends a registration request message to the network device corresponding to the first PLMN. This registration request message may include the identification information of the first PLMN, the UE's identification information, etc. Figure 3 The registration request message in step S302 is similar and will not be described again here.

[0116] It should be understood that the network devices corresponding to the first PLMN can be understood as network devices that can be used to access the first PLMN. Figure 1B Taking the communication system shown as an example, if the first PLMN is PLMN3, then the network device corresponding to the first PLMN is network device 104; if the first PLMN is PLMN4, then the network device corresponding to the first PLMN is network device 105.

[0117] Step S620: After receiving the registration request initiated by the UE, the network device sends a registration response message to the UE.

[0118] In this embodiment, the registration response message can be a registration acceptance message or a downlink non-access stratum (NAS) transmission message. For example, after the network device receives a registration request message sent by the UE, it can send a registration acceptance message or a downlink NAS transmission message to the UE. This may include configuration information of the first PLMN, SOR information, etc., which is related to... Figure 3 The steps in S303 are similar and will not be repeated here.

[0119] Regarding SOR information, there are, but are not limited to, the following two situations:

[0120] In the first scenario, if the network device determines that the first PLMN is abnormal, it can omit the SOR information in the registration acceptance message or the downlink NAS transmission message, or omit the preset SOR information in the registration acceptance message or the downlink NAS transmission message, where the portion of the preset SOR information used for security verification is incorrect.

[0121] In the second scenario, if the network device determines that the first PLMN is in a normal state, it can carry SOR information in the registration acceptance message or the downlink NAS transmission message, and the part of the SOR information used for security verification is correct.

[0122] In this embodiment, when a UE initiates registration with the network device for the first PLMN, it can be understood as the UE initiating an initial registration with the first PLMN. In this case, the network device will carry SOR information in the registration acceptance message or the downlink NAS transmission message. Of course, if in a subsequent registration process, for example, after the UE sends an initial registration to the first PLMN and then disconnects, and then the UE initiates registration with the first PLMN again, the network device will also feed back SOR information based on the registration operation sent by the UE. In this case, the UE's initiation of registration with the network device for the first PLMN can also be understood as the registration process after the initial registration initiated for the first PLMN, and no limitation is imposed here.

[0123] Step S630: The UE determines that the first PLMN registration is terminated due to SOR based on the registration acceptance message or downlink NAS transmission message.

[0124] Specifically, after the UE receives a registration acceptance message or a downlink NAS transmission message, it determines whether the first PLMN's registration is terminated due to SOR based on whether the registration acceptance message or downlink NAS transmission message carries SOR information or whether the security check of the SOR information is correct. For example, if parsing the received registration acceptance message or downlink NAS transmission message reveals that the message does not contain SOR information, then the first PLMN's registration is terminated due to SOR; or, if the message contains SOR information, but the security check of the SOR information fails, then the first PLMN's registration is terminated due to SOR. If parsing the received registration acceptance message or downlink NAS transmission message reveals SOR information, and the security check of the SOR information is successful, then the first PLMN's registration is terminated because it does not have SOR.

[0125] Of course, one possibility exists: the registration acceptance message or downlink NAS transmission message sent by the network device includes SOR information, but packet loss occurs during transmission, causing the UE to receive a registration acceptance message or downlink NAS transmission message without SOR information. In this case, the UE will also determine that the first PLMN's registration was terminated due to SOR. Alternatively, the UE can also determine whether the first PLMN's registration was terminated due to SOR through other information in the registration acceptance message or downlink NAS transmission message. In this embodiment, the specific process by which the UE determines whether the first PLMN's registration was terminated due to SOR is not limited.

[0126] Step S640: If the first PLMN is suspended due to SOR registration, the UE adds the first PLMN to the list of PLMNs whose registration was suspended due to SOR.

[0127] In the event of registration suspension due to SOR, the UE will add the first PLMN to the list of PLMNs whose registration was suspended due to SOR. The list of PLMNs whose registration was suspended due to SOR includes PLMNs with access technologies in the visited location, but does not include HPLMNs. Furthermore, the list of PLMNs whose registration was suspended due to SOR will include any type of VPLMN, for example, it may include UPLMNs and OPLMNs.

[0128] Step S650: UE obtains PLMN search results.

[0129] Step S660: If the first PLMN is included in the PLMN search results and exists in the list of PLMNs whose registration was terminated due to roaming guidance SOR, determine that the first PLMN is the lowest priority PLMN, and the first PLMN is a user-controlled PLMN that includes access technology.

[0130] Step S670: Based on the list of PLMNs whose registration was terminated due to SOR, select the PLMN with the highest priority in the PLMN search results, where the PLMNs in the list of PLMNs whose registration was terminated due to SOR have the lowest priority.

[0131] Steps S650 to S670 are similar to steps 510 to S530, and will not be described again here.

[0132] The specific settings and implementation methods of the embodiments of this application have been described above from different perspectives through multiple examples. To better understand the technical ideas behind the embodiments of this application, several application examples are provided below to further describe the solutions of the embodiments of this application in specific scenarios.

[0133] Application Example 1

[0134] Figure 7 A flowchart illustrating an application example of this application is shown. This application example is an example of a high-priority PLMN search scenario. Figure 7 As shown, in this application example, the method provided by this application embodiment includes the following steps:

[0135] Step S701: The UE is in automatic network selection mode and camps on UPLMN1. The UE's USIM card is configured with Servicen°127, which indicates that when the UE initiates initial registration with the VPLMN, it should receive SOR information from that VPLMN.

[0136] In this application example, UPLMN1 is a PLMN of type UPLMN with the highest priority.

[0137] Step S702: The UE sends a registration request to the network device for registering UPLMN1, and the network device receives the registration request.

[0138] Step S703: The network device sends a registration acceptance message to the UE, and the UE receives the registration acceptance message.

[0139] Step S704: The UE determines that the registration acceptance message does not contain SOR information, or that the SOR information is parsed from the registration acceptance message but the security verification of the SOR information fails.

[0140] Step S705: The UE adds UPLMN1 to the list of PLMNs whose registration was terminated due to SOR.

[0141] Step S706: The UE remains camped on UPLMN1 and enters the idle state.

[0142] Step S707: The UE's high-priority timer times out, triggering high-priority network selection, and the UE searches for the PLMN.

[0143] Step S707: UE obtains PLMN search results.

[0144] As an example, the PLMN search results include: OPLMN1, OPLMN2, and UPLMN1. The pre-set priority order is: UPLMN1 > OPLMN1 > OPLMN2.

[0145] Step S709: The UE determines the PLMN to be hosted and the PLMN with the highest priority in the PLMN search results.

[0146] In this application example, the UE determines UPLMN1 as the UPLMN with the lowest priority. Therefore, the UE reorders the PLMN search results with the priority order OPLMN1 > OPLMN2 > UPLMN1, thus obtaining OPLMN1 as the PLMN with the highest current priority.

[0147] Step S710: The UE resides on the PLMN with the highest priority.

[0148] In this example, since OPLMN1 has the highest priority, the UE camps on OPLMN1.

[0149] As can be seen in this application example, when the high-priority timer times out and triggers a PLMN search, the UE treats the UPLMN in the list of PLMNs whose registration was terminated due to SOR as the lowest priority PLMN. If there are other PLMNs with higher priority, the high-priority network selection is triggered to select that other PLMN. Different priority processing is not used due to different UE network selection modes or scenarios.

[0150] Application Example 2

[0151] Figure 8 A flowchart illustrating application example two of this application is shown. This application example is an example of a PLMN search scenario performed when a UE attempts to recover from network disconnection. Figure 8 As shown, in this application example, the method provided by this application embodiment includes the following steps:

[0152] Step S801: The UE is in automatic network selection mode and camps on UPLMN1. The UE's USIM card is configured with Servicen°127, which indicates that when the UE initiates initial registration with the VPLMN, it should receive SOR information from that VPLMN.

[0153] Step S802: The UE sends a registration request to the network device for registering UPLMN1, and the network device receives the registration request.

[0154] Step S803: The network device sends a registration acceptance message to the UE, and the UE receives the registration acceptance message.

[0155] Step S804: The UE determines that the registration acceptance message does not contain SOR information, or that the SOR information is parsed from the registration acceptance message but the security verification of the SOR information fails.

[0156] Step S805: The UE adds UPLMN1 to the list of PLMNs whose registration was terminated due to SOR.

[0157] Step S806: The UE remains camped on UPLMN1 and enters the idle state.

[0158] In step S807, the UE goes offline (OOS). It is determined that the RPLMN exists in the list of PLMNs whose registration was terminated due to SOR. Therefore, the RPLMN is not tried first, and a PLMN search is performed.

[0159] Step S808: UE obtains PLMN search results.

[0160] As an example, the PLMN search results include: OPLMN1, OPLMN2, and UPLMN1. The pre-set priority order is: UPLMN1 > OPLMN1 > OPLMN2.

[0161] Step S809: The UE determines the PLMN to be hosted and the PLMN with the highest priority in the PLMN search results.

[0162] In this application example, the UE determines UPLMN1 as the UPLMN with the lowest priority. Therefore, the UE reorders the PLMN search results with the priority order OPLMN1 > OPLMN2 > UPLMN1, thus obtaining OPLMN1 as the PLMN with the highest current priority.

[0163] Step S810: The UE resides on the PLMN with the highest priority.

[0164] In this example, since OPLMN1 has the highest priority, the UE camps on OPLMN1 and attempts to search for suitable cells.

[0165] As can be seen in this application example, when the UE disconnects from the network and attempts to restore normal service, it performs a PLMN search. Since UPLMN1 exists in the list of PLMNs whose registration was terminated due to SOR, it is considered the lowest priority PLMN. The UE sorts the PLMNs reported by the access layer according to priority and attempts to search for suitable cells in turn.

[0166] Application Example 3

[0167] Figure 9 A flowchart illustrating application example three of this application is shown. For example... Figure 9 As shown, in this application example, the method provided by this application embodiment includes the following steps:

[0168] Step S901: The UE is in automatic network selection mode and camps on UPLMN1. The UE's USIM card is configured with Servicen°127, which indicates that when the UE initiates initial registration with the VPLMN, it should receive SOR information from that VPLMN.

[0169] Step S902: The UE sends a registration request to the network device for registering UPLMN1, and the network device receives the registration request.

[0170] Step S903: The network device sends a registration acceptance message to the UE, and the UE receives the registration acceptance message.

[0171] Step S904: The UE determines that the registration acceptance message does not contain SOR information, or that the SOR information is parsed from the registration acceptance message but the security verification of the SOR information fails.

[0172] Step S905: The UE adds UPLMN1 to the list of PLMNs whose registration was terminated due to SOR.

[0173] Step S906: The UE remains camped on UPLMN1 and enters the idle state.

[0174] In step S907, the UE goes offline (OOS). It is determined that the RPLMN exists in the list of PLMNs whose registration was terminated due to SOR. Therefore, the RPLMN is not tried first, and a PLMN search is performed.

[0175] Step S908: UE obtains PLMN search results.

[0176] As an example, the PLMN search results include: OPLMN1, OPLMN2, and UPLMN1. The pre-set priority order is: UPLMN1 > OPLMN1 > OPLMN2.

[0177] Step S909: The UE determines the PLMN to be hosted and the PLMN with the highest priority in the PLMN search results.

[0178] In this application example, the UE determines UPLMN1 as the UPLMN with the lowest priority. Therefore, the UE reorders the PLMN search results with the priority order OPLMN1 > OPLMN2 > UPLMN1, thus obtaining OPLMN1 as the PLMN with the highest current priority.

[0179] Step S910: The UE resides on the PLMN with the highest priority.

[0180] In this example, since OPLMN1 has the highest priority, the UE camps on OPLMN1 and attempts to search for suitable cells.

[0181] Step S911: The UE resumes normal service and resides on OPLMN1.

[0182] Step S912: The UE's high-priority timer times out, triggering high-priority network selection, and the UE searches for the PLMN.

[0183] Step S913: UE obtains PLMN search results.

[0184] As an example, the PLMN search results include: OPLMN1, OPLMN2, and UPLMN1.

[0185] Step S914: The UE determines the PLMN to be hosted and the PLMN with the highest priority in the PLMN search results.

[0186] In this application example, the UE determines UPLMN1 as the UPLMN with the lowest priority. Therefore, the UE reorders the PLMN search results with the priority order OPLMN1 > OPLMN2 > UPLMN1, thus obtaining OPLMN1 as the PLMN with the highest current priority.

[0187] Step S915: The UE resides on the PLMN with the highest priority.

[0188] In this application example, since OPLMN1 has the highest priority, it remains resident on OPLMN1.

[0189] As can be seen in this application example, whether the UE attempts to restore normal service after disconnecting from the network and instructs the access layer to perform a PLMN search, or the high-priority timer times out and triggers a PLMN search, the UE will treat UPLMN1 in the list of PLMNs that were suspended due to SOR as the lowest priority PLMN, and will not use different priorities for processing due to different UE network selection modes or scenarios.

[0190] It should be noted that, in actual use, the aforementioned multiple embodiments can also be combined, for example, when executing... Figure 6 After the illustrated embodiment, execute again. Figure 5 The embodiments shown can, of course, be combined in other ways, and are not limited here.

[0191] In the above embodiments, after obtaining the PLMN search results, the user equipment regards the first PLMN that exists in both the PLMN search results and the PLMN list that has been suspended due to SOR as the lowest priority PLMN. The user equipment does not use different priority processing methods for PLMNs that have been suspended due to SOR because of different network selection modes or scenarios. Moreover, it can avoid selecting the network to the user-controlled PLMN containing the access technology in the PLMN list that has been suspended due to SOR, realize the uniformity of the priority of the same PLMN in different scenarios, and improve the stability of the communication system.

[0192] The foregoing mainly describes the solutions provided by the embodiments of this application from the perspective of the interaction between network devices and user equipment. It is understood that, in order to achieve the above functions, the network device or user equipment may include hardware structures and / or software modules corresponding to the execution of each function. Those skilled in the art should readily recognize that, in conjunction with the units and algorithm steps of the various examples described in the embodiments disclosed herein, the embodiments of this application can be implemented in hardware or a combination of hardware and computer software. Whether a function is executed in hardware or by computer software driving hardware depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Those skilled in the art can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered beyond the scope of this application.

[0193] Please see Figure 10 This is an example structural block diagram of a public land network priority determination apparatus provided in this application embodiment. The apparatus 1000 may exist in software form. The apparatus 1000 may include a processing unit 1001 and a communication unit 1002. The processing unit 1001 is used to control and manage the operation of the apparatus 1000. The communication unit 1002 is used to support communication between the apparatus 1000 and other network entities. Optionally, the communication unit 1002, also called a transceiver unit, may include a receiving unit and / or a sending unit, respectively used to perform receiving and sending operations. The apparatus 1000 may also include a storage unit 1003 for storing the program code and / or data of the apparatus 1000.

[0194] The processing unit 1001 may be a processor or a controller, which can implement or execute various exemplary logic blocks, modules, and circuits described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed in this application. The communication unit 1002 may be a communication interface, transceiver, or transceiver circuit, etc., wherein the communication interface is a general term, and in a specific implementation, the communication interface may include multiple interfaces. The storage unit 1003 may be a memory.

[0195] The device 1000 can be a user device in any of the above embodiments, or it can be a chip disposed in the user device. The processing unit 1001 can support the device 1000 in performing the actions of the user device in the method examples above. For example, it can be used to perform... Figures 5-7 The steps in the illustrated embodiments.

[0196] Communication unit 1002 can support communication between device 1000 and network device, for example, for performing Figure 4 Step S410 in the illustrated embodiment, and / or for performing Figure 5 Step S510 in the illustrated embodiment, and / or for performing Figure 6Steps S610, S630, and S650 in the illustrated embodiment.

[0197] It should be noted that the division of units (modules) in this embodiment is illustrative and only represents one logical functional division. In actual implementation, there may be other division methods. The functional modules in the embodiments of this application can be integrated into one processing module, or each module can exist physically separately, or two or more modules can be integrated into one module. The integrated modules can be implemented in hardware or as software functional modules.

[0198] If the integrated module is implemented as a software functional module and sold or used as an independent product, it can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solutions of this application, in essence, or the parts that contribute to the prior art, or all or part of the technical solution, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) or processor to execute all or part of the steps of the methods described in the various embodiments of this application. The aforementioned storage medium can be a memory or other media capable of storing program code.

[0199] like Figure 11 The diagram shows a PLMN priority determination device 1100 provided in an embodiment of this application. Device 1100 can be a user equipment capable of implementing the functions of the user equipment in the method provided in this application embodiment; device 1100 can also be a device that supports the user equipment in implementing the functions of the user equipment in the method provided in this application embodiment. The device 1100 can be a chip system. In this embodiment, the chip system can be composed of chips or can include chips and other discrete devices.

[0200] In terms of hardware implementation, the aforementioned communication module 1102 can be a transceiver, which is integrated into the device 1100 to form a communication interface 1110.

[0201] The apparatus 1100 includes at least one processor 1120 for implementing or supporting the apparatus 1100 in implementing the functions of the user equipment in the methods provided in the embodiments of this application. Exemplarily, the processor 1120 can select a precoding matrix for CQI calculation from a set of precoding matrices, as detailed in the method examples, which will not be repeated here.

[0202] The device 1100 may further include at least one memory 1130 for storing program instructions and / or data. The memory 1130 is coupled to the processor 1120. The coupling in this embodiment is an indirect coupling or communication connection between devices, units, or modules, and may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms, for information exchange between devices, units, or modules. The processor 1120 may operate in conjunction with the memory 1130. The processor 1120 may execute program instructions stored in the memory 1130. At least one of the at least one memory may be included in the processor.

[0203] The device 1100 may further include a communication interface 1110 for communicating with other devices via a transmission medium, thereby enabling the devices in the device 1100 to communicate with other devices. For example, the other device may be a network-side device. The processor 1120 may use the communication interface 1110 to send and receive data. Specifically, the communication interface 1110 may be a transceiver.

[0204] This application embodiment does not limit the specific connection medium between the communication interface 1110, processor 1120, and memory 1130. This application embodiment... Figure 11 The memory 1130, processor 1120, and communication interface 1110 are connected via a bus 1140. Figure 11 The connections between other components are shown in bold and are for illustrative purposes only, not as limiting information. The bus can be divided into address bus, data bus, control bus, etc. For ease of illustration, Figure 11 The bus is represented by a single thick line, but this does not mean that there is only one bus or one type of bus.

[0205] In the embodiments of this application, the processor 1120 may be a general-purpose processor, a digital signal processor, an application-specific integrated circuit, a field-programmable gate array or other programmable logic device, a discrete gate or transistor logic device, or a discrete hardware component, capable of implementing or executing the methods, steps, and logic block diagrams disclosed in the embodiments of this application. The general-purpose processor may be a microprocessor or any conventional processor, etc. The steps of the methods disclosed in the embodiments of this application can be directly manifested as being executed by a hardware processor, or being executed by a combination of hardware and software modules in the processor.

[0206] In this embodiment, the memory 1130 can be non-volatile memory, such as a hard disk drive (HDD) or a solid-state drive (SSD), or it can be volatile memory, such as random-access memory (RAM). Memory is any other medium capable of carrying or storing desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures, and accessible by a computer, but is not limited thereto. The memory in this embodiment can also be a circuit or any other device capable of implementing storage functions, used to store program instructions and / or data.

[0207] This application embodiment further provides a computer-readable storage medium storing computer instructions that, when executed on an electronic device, cause the electronic device to perform the aforementioned method for determining the priority of a Public Land Network (PLMN).

[0208] The aforementioned computer-readable storage medium may take any combination of one or more computer-readable media. A computer-readable medium may be a computing, apparatus, or device that is, but is not limited to, electrical, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor systems, or any combination thereof. More specific examples (a non-exhaustive list) of computer-readable storage media include: electrical connections having one or more wires, portable computer disks, hard disks, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), or flash memory, optical fiber, portable compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM), optical storage devices, magnetic storage devices, or any suitable combination thereof. In this document, a computer-readable storage medium may be any tangible medium that contains or stores a program that may be used by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device.

[0209] Computer-readable signal media may include data signals propagated in baseband or as part of a carrier wave, carrying computer-readable program code. Such propagated data signals may take various forms, including but not limited to electromagnetic signals, optical signals, or any suitable combination thereof. Computer-readable signal media may also be any computer-readable medium other than computer-readable storage media, capable of sending, propagating, or transmitting programs for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device.

[0210] Program code contained on a computer-readable medium may be transmitted using any suitable medium, including but not limited to wireless, wire, optical fiber, radio frequency (RF), or any suitable combination thereof.

[0211] Computer program code for performing the operations described herein can be written in one or more programming languages ​​or a combination thereof, including object-oriented programming languages ​​such as Java, Smalltalk, and C++, and conventional procedural programming languages ​​such as "C" or similar languages. The program code can be executed entirely on the user's computer, partially on the user's computer, as a standalone software package, partially on the user's computer and partially on a remote computer, or entirely on a remote computer or server. In cases involving remote computers, the remote computer can be connected to the user's computer via any type of network—including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or it can be connected to an external computer (e.g., via the Internet using an Internet service provider).

[0212] This application also provides a computer program product that, when run on a computer, causes the computer to perform some or all of the steps described in the method embodiments above.

[0213] This application provides a chip system including a processor and potentially a memory, for implementing the functions of the user equipment described in the aforementioned method. The chip system can be composed of chips or may include chips and other discrete devices.

[0214] This application provides a system that includes the aforementioned apparatus and network device.

[0215] Through the above description of the embodiments, those skilled in the art will understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, only the division of the above functional modules is used as an example. In actual applications, the above functions can be assigned to different functional modules as needed, that is, the internal structure of the device can be divided into different functional modules to complete all or part of the functions described above.

[0216] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed apparatus and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the apparatus embodiments described above are merely illustrative; for instance, the division of modules or units is only a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another apparatus, or some features may be ignored or not executed. Furthermore, the mutual coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed may be through some interfaces; the indirect coupling or communication connection of apparatus or units may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms.

[0217] The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate. A component shown as a unit can be one or more physical units; that is, it can be located in one place or distributed in multiple different locations. Some or all of the units can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0218] Furthermore, the functional units in the various embodiments of this application can be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated into one unit. The integrated unit can be implemented in hardware or as a software functional unit.

[0219] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A method for determining priority of a public land network (PLMN), characterized in that, The method comprises: acquiring a public land mobile network (PLMN) search result; in a case where a first PLMN is included in the PLMN search result and the first PLMN exists in a PLMN list of registration suspension due to a steering of roaming (SOR), determining the first PLMN as a PLMN of a lowest priority, the first PLMN being a user-controlled access technology containing PLMN; the method further comprises: selecting, according to the PLMN list of registration suspension due to the SOR, a PLMN of a highest priority in the PLMN search result, the PLMN in the PLMN list of registration suspension due to the SOR being of a lowest priority.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, the acquiring of the PLMN search result comprises: acquiring the PLMN search result in a case where a high priority timer expires, the high priority timer being used for triggering PLMN selection periodically; or the terminal device is in a disconnection state, and the PLMN list of registration suspension due to the SOR includes a registered PLMN, the PLMN search result is acquired.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein, in a case where a user-controlled access technology containing PLMN is included in the search result and the user-controlled access technology containing PLMN is included in the PLMN list of registration suspension due to the SOR, the PLMN of the highest priority is an operator-controlled access technology containing PLMN.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, before the acquiring of the PLMN search result, the method further comprises: initiating registration of a first PLMN; in a case where the first PLMN is suspended from registration due to the SOR, adding the first PLMN to the PLMN list of registration suspension due to the SOR.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein, after the registration of the first PLMN is performed, the method further comprises: receiving a registration accept message or a downlink NAS transport message; determining that the first PLMN is suspended from registration due to the SOR according to the registration accept message or the downlink NAS transport message.

6. The method according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that, the first PLMN is suspended from registration due to the SOR, including: no SOR information is acquired or security verification of the SOR information fails.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, the PLMN list of registration suspension due to the SOR includes a visited access technology containing PLMN.

8. An apparatus for determining priority of a public land mobile network (PLMN), the apparatus comprising: a processor configured to determine a priority of a PLMN based on a PLMN ID of the PLMN. The method comprises: a communication unit configured to acquire a public land mobile network (PLMN) search result; a processing unit configured to, in a case where a first PLMN is included in the PLMN search result and the first PLMN exists in a PLMN list of registration suspension due to a steering of roaming (SOR), determine the first PLMN as a PLMN of a lowest priority, the first PLMN being a user-controlled access technology containing PLMN; the processing unit is further configured to select, according to the PLMN list of registration suspension due to the SOR, a PLMN of a highest priority in the PLMN search result, the PLMN in the PLMN list of registration suspension due to the SOR being of a lowest priority.

9. A user equipment, characterized in that... The method comprises a memory and a processor, the memory stores a computer program, and the processor is configured to implement the method according to any one of claims 1 to 7 when executing the computer program.

10. A computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon a computer program, characterized in that, The computer program, which is executed by a processor, implements the method as claimed in any of claims 1 to 7.

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