A cell search method and apparatus thereof

Abstract

The application discloses a cell search method and device, and belongs to the field of communication technology. The method comprises the following steps: determining a closed subscriber group (CSG) white list, wherein the CSG white list comprises CSG cell information accessible by a user equipment (UE); the CSG cell information accessible by the UE comprises cell information of N CSG cells, wherein N is an integer greater than or equal to 0; and in the case that the value of N is a preset value and the N CSG cells match a service cell of the UE, stopping or not starting cell search. In the case that the number of CSG cells in the CSG white list is a preset value and matches the service cell of the UE, the UE does not perform autonomous cell search, so that the power consumption of the UE is reduced and the endurance time of the UE is prolonged.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the communication technical field, and in particular to a cell search method and device thereof. BACKGROUND

[0002] With the growth of wireless data application demand and the development of communication technology, cells for undertaking data hotspot coverage are gradually put into application. The cells can be divided into ordinary cells and closed subscriber group (CSG) cells. The CSG cells are gradually widely put into application due to advantages such as cheap charging and flexible service selection. The CSG can refer to a set of user equipment (UE) capable of connecting to a home base station. One or more home base stations can provide services in the CSG cell. At present, in order to ensure communication quality, the UE can perform CSG cell reselection and handover. Therefore, the UE can continuously search for cells so as to camp on a certain CSG cell and access the network to perform communication. However, the continuous search for CSG cells by the UE can greatly increase the power consumption of the UE, thereby reducing the endurance of the UE.

[0003] Therefore, how to reduce the power consumption of the UE on the basis of ensuring communication quality is a technical problem to be solved at present. SUMMARY

[0004] The present application discloses a cell search method and device thereof. In the method, the cell information of N CSG cells accessible by a UE in a CSG white list is determined, and the cell search is stopped or not started in the case of matching a serving cell of the UE, so as to reduce the power consumption of the UE.

[0005] In a first aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a cell search method. The method comprises the following steps:

[0006] determining a closed subscriber group (CSG) white list, wherein the CSG white list comprises CSG cell information accessible by a user equipment (UE); the CSG cell information accessible by the UE comprises cell information of N CSG cells, and N is an integer greater than or equal to 0; and in the case that N is a preset value and the N CSG cells match a serving cell of the UE, stopping or not starting cell search.

[0007] In the embodiments of the present application, the UE determines the cell information of the N CSG cells accessible by the UE included in the CSG whitelist, and in the case that the N in the CSG whitelist is a preset value and the N CSG cells match the serving cell accessed by the UE, the UE stops or does not start the cell autonomous search, so as to reduce the number of searching for neighboring cells and reading the system messages of the neighboring cells, reduce the underlying measurement and system message reading process, thereby reducing the power consumption of the UE and improving the endurance of the UE.

[0008] In a possible implementation, the CSG whitelist is determined, including: receiving a CSG cell selection instruction, wherein the CSG cell selection instruction indicates a first CSG cell; registering with the first CSG cell in the case that the first CSG cell is searched; and adding the cell information of the first CSG cell in the CSG whitelist in the case that the registration with the first CSG cell is successful. In the embodiments of the present application, the UE can update the CSG whitelist in the case that the user manually initiates the CSG network selection, and then can determine that the process of starting the cell autonomous search is not needed, thereby reducing the power consumption of the UE and improving the endurance of the UE.

[0009] In a possible implementation, the CSG whitelist includes the cell information of a second CSG cell; and the CSG whitelist is determined, including: deleting the cell information of the second CSG cell from the CSG whitelist in the case that the registration with the second CSG cell is not successful. In the embodiments of the present application, the UE can update the CSG whitelist in the case that the UE cannot register with a certain CSG cell, and in the case that the N in the CSG whitelist is a preset value and the N CSG cells match the serving cell accessed by the UE after the UE updates the CSG whitelist, the UE does not need to start the cell autonomous search in this scenario, that is, the UE can stop or not start the cell autonomous search to reduce the power consumption of the UE.

[0010] In a possible implementation, the CSG whitelist is determined, including: obtaining the CSG whitelist from a user identity identification card. In the embodiments of the present application, in the actual use scenario, there is a scenario that the CSG whitelist includes one CSG cell, and in this scenario, the CSG whitelist is stored in the SIM card, and the UE reads the whitelist in the SIM card when starting, so that the UE can stop or not start the cell autonomous search in the scenario that the CSG whitelist includes one CSG cell to reduce the underlying measurement and system message reading process, thereby reducing the power consumption of the UE.

[0011] In one possible implementation, stopping or not initiating cell search includes: when the UE is in an idle or connected state, stopping or not initiating cell search. In this embodiment, when the UE is in an idle or connected state, as long as N in the CSG whitelist is a preset value and N CSG cells match the serving cell accessed by the UE, the UE can avoid some unnecessary autonomous cell search processes (such as neighbor cell measurement and neighbor cell system message reading). This reduces terminal power consumption within a limited scope, increases user experience, and extends terminal lifespan.

[0012] In one possible implementation, stopping or not initiating cell search includes: receiving a reconfiguration message from a network device and stopping or not initiating cell search; the reconfiguration message is used to instruct the initiation of cell search. In this embodiment, when the UE is in connected state, it can receive a reconfiguration message sent by a network device (such as a base station). The configuration signaling carried in the reconfiguration message can instruct the UE to report proximity to CSG cells, thus requiring the UE to perform autonomous search. However, in scenarios where N in the CSG whitelist is a preset value and N CSG cells match the serving cell accessed by the UE, the UE does not need to perform autonomous cell search. This eliminates scenarios where autonomous cell search is not required even if the CSG whitelist includes CSG cells, reducing unnecessary measurements and system message readings, and appropriately reducing the power consumption of the terminal.

[0013] In one possible implementation, N is 1, and the matching of the aforementioned N CSG cells with the UE's serving cell includes the N CSG cells being the same as the UE's serving cell. In this embodiment, a specific scenario is that the CSG whitelist includes one CSG cell, and the CSG cell included in the CSG whitelist is the UE's serving cell. This distinguishes a specific scenario, allowing for the UE to stop or not initiate autonomous cell search in that specific scenario. This flexibly controls the UE's autonomous cell search process, eliminating unnecessary autonomous search procedures (neighbor cell measurement and neighbor cell system message reading). This allows the UE to reduce terminal power consumption within a limited scope, increasing user experience and terminal lifespan.

[0014] Secondly, embodiments of this application provide a cell search device, the cell search device comprising:

[0015] The determining unit is used to determine the closed user group CSG whitelist, which includes CSG cell information that the user equipment (UE) can access; the CSG cell information that the UE can access includes cell information of N CSG cells, where N is an integer greater than or equal to 0; the stopping unit is used to stop or not start cell search when the value of N is a preset value and the N CSG cells match the serving cell of the UE.

[0016] In addition, other optional implementations of the cell search device in this regard can be found in the relevant content of the first aspect above, and will not be described in detail here.

[0017] Thirdly, embodiments of this application provide another cell search device, including a processor; the processor is used to perform the method described in the first aspect.

[0018] Fourthly, embodiments of this application provide a chip including a memory and a processor. The memory stores a computer program, which includes program instructions. The processor executes the program instructions to implement the method described in the first aspect.

[0019] Fifthly, embodiments of this application provide a chip module, which includes a communication interface and a chip, wherein: the communication interface is used for internal communication within the chip module, or for communication between the chip module and an external device; and the chip is used to execute the method described in the first aspect.

[0020] In a sixth aspect, embodiments of this application provide a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program, the computer program including program instructions that, when executed, cause the method described in the first aspect to be implemented.

[0021] In a seventh aspect, embodiments of this application provide a computer program product including a computer program or instructions, which, when executed on a computer, causes the computer to perform the method described in the first aspect. Attached Figure Description

[0022] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the architecture of a cell search system provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0023] Figure 2 This is a flowchart illustrating a cell search method provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0024] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the specific implementation process of a cell search method provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0025] Figure 4This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a cell search device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0026] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of another cell search device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0027] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a chip module provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0028] It should be understood that the terms "first," "second," etc., used in the embodiments of this application are used to distinguish different objects, not to describe a specific order. "At least one" in the embodiments of this application refers to one or more, and "multiple" refers to two or more. "And / or" in the embodiments of this application describes the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent the following three situations: A exists alone, A and B exist simultaneously, and B exists alone. A and B can be singular or plural. The character " / " can indicate that the preceding and following related objects have an "or" relationship.

[0029] In the embodiments of this application, "at least one of the following" or similar expressions refer to any combination of these items, including any combination of a single item or a plurality of items. For example, at least one of a, b, or c can represent the following seven cases: a, b, c, a and b, a and c, b and c, a, b, and c. Each of a, b, and c can be an element or a set containing one or more elements. Furthermore, in the embodiments of this application, "not less than" means "greater than" or "equal to".

[0030] First, before providing a more detailed description of the embodiments of this application, the nouns and terms used in the embodiments of this application are explained to facilitate understanding by those skilled in the art. The nouns and terms used in the embodiments of this application are subject to the following interpretations:

[0031] 1. CSG

[0032] A CSG refers to a closed user group consisting of one or more home NodeBs, which is the set of users (UEs) that can connect to the home NodeB. A home NodeB (HeNB) is a user-side access device deployed in homes or offices, capable of accessing the mobile communication network via the Internet. The radio coverage provided by the HeNB can only be accessed by a group of users authorized to use the service of that CSG cell.

[0033] In this application, only a subset of UEs are allowed access to a CSG cell, and these UEs are those eligible to access the CSG cell. With the explosive growth in demand for wireless data applications, CSG cells are increasingly being deployed. Besides accessing CSG cells, UEs can also reselect and handover within them. During CSG cell reselection and handover, the UE automatically searches for CSG cells on the same and different frequencies to register and camp on a specific CSG cell. However, this autonomous search increases the UE's power consumption and reduces its battery life.

[0034] 2. CSG whitelist

[0035] The CSG whitelist is a list of CSG cells that a UE can access. The CSG whitelist may exclude any cells (i.e., neither CSG cells nor regular cells); alternatively, it may include only CSG cells (excluding regular cells), for example, at least one CSG cell. The CSG whitelist includes the CSG ID of each CSG cell and its corresponding Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) identifier (PLMNID). The CSG whitelist consists of an allowed list and an operator list. Cell information for CSG cells in the allowed list can be added to or deleted from, while the cell information in the operator list remains unchanged.

[0036] In this application, the UE can update and store the CSG whitelist. There are generally two ways for the UE to camp on a CSG cell: automatic network selection and manual network selection. Specifically, the UE can automatically search for a CSG cell in the CSG whitelist and then access the mobile communication network through the home base station of that CSG cell to complete automatic network selection. Alternatively, the UE can receive a CSG cell selection command (e.g., a user-input manual network selection command). In this case, the CSG cell indicated by the selection command is not in the CSG whitelist. When the UE finds the CSG cell indicated by the selection command, it can register with that CSG cell and add it to the whitelist. The UE can also delete an unregisterable CSG cell from the CSG whitelist if it cannot register with one.

[0037] 3. Non-access stratum (NAS)

[0038] The NAS layer is primarily used for connection and mobility control between the UE and the authentication management function (AMF). The NAS layer's functions include supporting general UE mobility processes such as authentication, authorization, general UE configuration updates, and security control mode processes; supporting session management processes to establish and maintain data connections between the UE and the data network; supporting NAS transport processes to provide payloads such as Short Message Service (SMS), Lightweight Presentation Protocol (LPP), UE policy containers, steering of roaming (SoR) transparent containers, and UE parameter update information; message security; and billing.

[0039] In this application, the NAS layer is primarily used to update the CSG whitelist. For example, the NAS layer can add cell information of a CSG cell (such as the CSG ID of the CSG cell and its corresponding PLMN ID) to the CSG whitelist, and it can also remove cell information of a CSG cell that already exists in the CSG whitelist (such as the CSG ID of the CSG cell and its corresponding PLMN ID) from the CSG whitelist. The NAS layer can transmit the updated CSG whitelist to the Radio Resource Control (RRC) layer so that the RRC can determine whether to perform autonomous cell search.

[0040] 4. RRC layer

[0041] The RRC layer is primarily used to process messages between the UE and the base station, including system messages, admission control, security management, cell reselection, measurement reporting, handover and mobility, NAS message transmission, and radio resource management. The RRC layer's functions include supporting system broadcasts from the access stratum (AS) and NAS to provide the necessary channel information for UE network access; supporting paging initiated by network devices for paging idle UEs; supporting the establishment, reconfiguration, and release of RRC connections; supporting security modes and key management for air interface encryption and integrity protection; establishing, reconfiguring, and releasing signaling radio bearers (SRBs) and data radio bearers (DRBs); quality of service (QoS) management and slice management; UE measurement control and measurement reporting; radio link detection and recovery; and NAS message transmission.

[0042] In this application, the RRC layer can receive messages transmitted by the NAS layer and process them. For example, the RRC layer can determine whether to perform cell autonomous search based on the CSG whitelist transmitted by the NAS layer.

[0043] 5. Idle state (IDL)

[0044] One of the RRC states of a UE is the state after the UE has completed its camping in a certain cell. A UE in the RRC_IDL state does not have an RRC context on the network device, there is no RRC connection between the UE and the network device (such as a base station), there is no NAS signaling link between the UE and the core network, and the UE is registered in the Mobility Management Entity (MME) and has a context in the MME.

[0045] In this application, when the UE is in idle state, the RRC can determine the cell information of N CSG cells included in the CSG whitelist, where N is a preset value, and the N CSG cells match the UE's serving cell, and then stop or not start the autonomous cell search.

[0046] 6. Dedicated Channel (DCH)

[0047] One of the RRC states of a UE is when the UE has completed the Random Access (RA) procedure, which can be referred to as the connected state or CONNECTED state.

[0048] In this application, when the UE is in DCH state, the RRC can determine the cell information of N CSG cells included in the CSG whitelist, where N is a preset value, and the N CSG cells match the UE's serving cell, and then stop or not start the autonomous cell search.

[0049] The following describes the cell search system involved in the embodiments of this application. Please refer to [link / reference]. Figure 1 , Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the system architecture of a cell search system provided in an embodiment of this application. The cell search system may include a terminal device 100 and a network device 200. It should be noted that the cell search system may include, but is not limited to, one network device and two terminal devices. Figure 1 The number and form of devices shown are for illustrative purposes and do not constitute a limitation on the embodiments of this application. In actual applications, more than one network device and more than one terminal device may be included. Figure 1The cell search system illustrated uses a terminal device (terminal device 100) and a network device (network device 200) as an example. Terminal device 100 can determine the CSG whitelist, and it can also receive signaling sent by network device 200. For example, network device 200 can send a reconfiguration message to terminal device 100, which can carry the proximityIndicationEutra configuration, which can be used to instruct terminal device 100 to initiate cell search.

[0050] The term "terminal equipment" refers to any device with wireless transceiver capabilities. It can also be called a terminal, user equipment (UE), mobile station (MS), mobile terminal (MT), access terminal equipment, IoT terminal equipment, vehicle-mounted terminal equipment, industrial control terminal equipment, UE unit, UE station, mobile station, remote station, remote terminal equipment, mobile device, UE terminal equipment, wireless communication equipment, UE agent, or UE device, etc. Terminal equipment can be fixed or mobile. It should be noted that terminal equipment can support at least one wireless communication technology, such as Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA). For example, terminal devices can be mobile phones, tablets, desktop computers, laptops, all-in-one computers, in-vehicle terminals, virtual reality (VR) terminal devices, augmented reality (AR) terminal devices, wireless terminals in industrial control, wireless terminals in self-driving, wireless terminals in remote medical surgery, wireless terminals in smart grids, wireless terminals in transportation safety, wireless terminals in smart cities, wireless terminals in smart homes, cellular phones, cordless phones, session initiation protocol (SIP) phones, wireless local loop (WLL) stations, personal digital assistants (PDAs), handheld devices with wireless communication capabilities, computing devices or other processing devices connected to a wireless modem, wearable devices, terminal devices in future mobile communication networks, or terminal devices in future evolved public land mobile networks (PLMNs), etc. In some embodiments of this application, the terminal device may also be a device with transceiver functions, such as a chip module. The chip module may include chips, and may also include other discrete components. The embodiments of this application do not limit the specific technology or device form used in the terminal device.

[0051] A network device can refer to an entity on the network side used for transmitting or receiving signals. A network device can be a device used to communicate with mobile devices. A network device can be an access point (AP) in a wireless local area network (WLAN), a base transceiver station (BTS) in a global system for mobile communications (GSM) or code division multiple access (CDMA), a base station (NodeB, NB) in wideband code division multiple access (WCDMA), a relay station, access point, or integrated access and backhaul (IAB), or a network device in vehicle-mounted equipment, wearable devices, and future public land mobile networks (PLMNs). In some embodiments, a network device can also be a device that provides wireless communication functionality for terminal devices, such as a chip module. For example, a chip module may include a chip, and may also include other discrete components. The embodiments of this application do not limit the specific technology or device form used in the network device.

[0052] Currently, a terminal device (such as terminal device 100) can be a UE. When it is determined that the CSG whitelist includes at least one CSG cell, that is, when the CSG whitelist cell is not empty (the number of CSG cells included in the CSG whitelist is greater than 0), the terminal device (such as terminal device 100) will periodically search for neighboring cells and read the system messages of neighboring cells. This increases the underlying measurement and system message reading process, resulting in increased power consumption of the terminal device (such as terminal device 100) and reduced battery life.

[0053] In this embodiment, the terminal device (e.g., terminal device 100) can determine a CSG whitelist. This CSG whitelist includes information on CSG cells that the terminal device (e.g., terminal device 100) can access. This CSG cell information includes cell information for N CSG cells, where N is an integer greater than or equal to 0. Furthermore, when N is a preset value and the N CSG cells match the UE's serving cell, the terminal device (e.g., terminal device 100) can stop or not initiate autonomous cell search, thereby reducing the number of times it searches for neighboring cells and reads system messages from neighboring cells, reducing the underlying measurement and system message reading processes, thus reducing the power consumption of the terminal device (e.g., terminal device 100) and improving its battery life.

[0054] Based on the aforementioned cell search system, this application provides a cell search method. The cell search method of this application embodiment can be... Figure 1 The terminal device 100 in the cell search system shown can be used to implement this, or it can be implemented by the chip in the terminal device 100. Figure 1 The cell search methods involved in the cell search system shown can be found in [reference needed]. Figure 2 , Figure 2 This is a flowchart illustrating a cell search method provided in an embodiment of this application. The cell search method may include the following steps S201-S202, where S in this embodiment may represent a step:

[0055] S201. Determine the CSG whitelist.

[0056] In this embodiment, the CSG whitelist includes information on CSG cells that the UE can access. This information includes cell information for N CSG cells, where N is an integer greater than or equal to 0. In other words, the CSG whitelist is a list of CSG cells that the UE is allowed to access. The cell information for each CSG cell in the whitelist includes the CSG ID and its corresponding PLMN ID. The UE can only successfully camp on a CSG cell if the CSG ID and its corresponding PLMN ID of the CSG cell searched by the UE match the CSG ID and its corresponding PLMN ID of the CSG cell stored in the CSG whitelist.

[0057] It should be noted that the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), in Release 8, proposed that UEs use the concept of CSG (Continuous Cell Group) for access control. A CSG cell refers to a group of subscribed users allowed access to one or more specific cells. Access to these cells is restricted and conditional, whereas a regular cellular cell allows access to all legitimate subscribed users (and roaming users) of the operator. Therefore, CSG cell reselection and proximity reporting rely on the UE's autonomous search function. The UE typically performs CSG cell autonomous search only when the number of CSG cells included in the CSG whitelist is not zero (i.e., CSG cells are greater than or equal to one), without distinguishing between scenarios. This leads to the activation of cell autonomous search in scenarios where it shouldn't be enabled, increasing the underlying measurement and system message reading processes, thus increasing UE power consumption and reducing UE battery life.

[0058] In one possible implementation, the UE determines the CSG whitelist by updating it. Specifically, the UE can receive a CSG cell selection command, such as the user-input manual network selection command mentioned above. This command specifies a first CSG cell, which is not in the CSG whitelist. If the UE finds the first CSG cell, it registers with it. If the UE successfully registers with the first CSG cell, it adds the cell information of the first CSG cell to the CSG whitelist. At this point, if the user initiates manual CSG network selection through the UE and successfully registers with a CSG cell, such as the first CSG cell mentioned above, the UE adds this CSG cell to the CSG whitelist according to the 23.122 protocol. The UE can then determine the CSG whitelist by adding the cell information of the successfully registered CSG cell to the CSG whitelist, such as adding the CSG ID and its corresponding PLMN ID of the first CSG cell to the CSG whitelist.

[0059] In another possible implementation, if the CSG whitelist includes cell information of a specific CSG cell, the UE can remove the cell information of that CSG cell from the CSG whitelist if it fails to register with that CSG cell. For example, the CSG whitelist might include cell information of a second CSG cell, such as its CSG ID and corresponding PLMN ID. If the UE cannot successfully register with the second CSG cell, it can update the CSG whitelist, for example, by removing the cell information of the second CSG cell from the whitelist. For instance, when the UE performs a NAS layer procedure for the second CSG cell, such as ATTACH or Tracking Area Update (TAU), the CSG cell can indicate a reason for denying UE access, such as reason #25. The UE can then determine the CSG whitelist and remove the cell information of the second CSG cell (i.e., its CSG ID and corresponding PLMN ID) from the whitelist.

[0060] In another possible implementation, the UE can obtain the CSG whitelist from the Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) during startup. For example, the UE's SIM card stores the CSG whitelist, which may include cell information for N CSG cells, where N is an integer greater than or equal to 0. Understandably, the UE can read the CSG whitelist from the SIM card each time it starts up, thus determining the CSG whitelist, and can also update the CSG whitelist.

[0061] It's important to note that the CSG whitelist consists of an allowed list and an operator list. CSG cells in the allowed list can be added and modified. A CSG cell can be added to the allowed list after a UE successfully registers with it, such as adding the first CSG cell as described above. Alternatively, an existing CSG cell can be removed from the allowed list after a UE fails to register with it, such as deleting the second existing CSG cell as described above. The operator list is a whitelist written by the operator, and CSG cells in the operator list are not added or deleted. The CSG whitelist is stored in the UE's SIM card and is read and modified by the NAS layer. Therefore, the UE can retrieve the CSG whitelist from the SIM card during startup.

[0062] Furthermore, the UE can determine whether to stop or not to initiate autonomous cell search based on the cell information of the N CSG cells that the UE can access, which are included in the CSG whitelist, and whether they match the UE's serving cell, in order to reduce the UE's power consumption.

[0063] S202. If the value of N is a preset value and the above N CSG cells match the serving cell of the above UE, stop or do not start cell search.

[0064] In this embodiment, the preset value can be a value that eliminates the need for the UE to perform CSG cell autonomous search. For example, if the preset value is 1, the UE does not need to perform CSG cell search autonomously, meaning the UE does not need to perform operations such as neighbor cell measurement and neighbor cell system message reading. The UE's serving cell refers to the cell where the UE is camped. Matching N CSG cells with the UE's serving cell means that N CSG cells are identical to the UE's serving cell. For example, when N is the preset value (1), if the CSG cells included in the CSG whitelist are identical to the UE's serving cell, meaning the CSG cells match the UE's serving cell, the UE can stop or not initiate autonomous cell search.

[0065] Currently, the UE initiates autonomous cell search as soon as a CSG cell is present in its CSG whitelist. However, in scenarios where the CSG whitelist contains only one CSG cell, the UE may not necessarily need to initiate autonomous cell search. For example, if a cell in the CSG whitelist matches the UE's serving cell, the UE will not initiate a reselection operation from one CSG cell to another. Therefore, the UE can stop or not initiate autonomous cell search, effectively reducing UE power consumption. It can be understood that the total number of CSG cells in the CSG whitelist is the sum of the number of CSG cells in the allowed list and the operator list. When the sum of the number of CSG cells in the allowed list and the operator list is N, the CSG whitelist contains N CSG cells.

[0066] In one possible implementation, the value of N in the N CSG cells included in the CSG whitelist is preset. If all N CSG cells match the UE's serving cell, the UE stops or does not initiate autonomous cell search. In this case, the UE can be in an idle state or a connected state. If the UE is in an idle state (IDL state) or a connected state, and the CSG whitelist includes only one CSG cell that is the same as the UE's serving cell, then the UE does not need to perform autonomous cell search, i.e., it stops or does not initiate autonomous cell search, thereby reducing the UE's power consumption.

[0067] In the case of the UE in Idle State (IDL), if the CSG whitelist contains only one CSG cell that is the same as the UE's serving cell, the UE will not reselect from a CSG cell to a CSG cell not in the whitelist. In other words, the UE does not need to perform autonomous cell search, and stopping or not initiating autonomous cell search can reduce UE power consumption. In the case of the UE in Connected State (DCH), it may receive a reconfiguration message from a network device (such as a base station). This reconfiguration message carries the proximityIndicationEutra configuration, which instructs the UE to perform proximity reporting for cell handover. The UE's proximity reporting depends on its autonomous cell search function; therefore, this reconfiguration message instructs the UE to initiate autonomous cell search. If N is 1, meaning N CSG cells match the UE's serving cell (including N CSG cells that are the same as the UE's serving cell), the UE can also choose not to perform (stop or not initiate) autonomous cell search to appropriately reduce UE power consumption.

[0068] Please refer to the following: Figure 3 , Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the specific implementation process of a cell search method provided in an embodiment of this application. For example... Figure 3As shown in Figure 301, the NAS updates the CSG whitelist to the RRC. First, the UE's NAS layer determines the CSG whitelist and transmits it to the RRC layer. Specifically, the UE's NAS layer can obtain the CSG whitelist from the SIM card during UE startup. The CSG whitelist consists of an allowed list and an operator list. If the UE is registered to a CSG cell but the allowed list does not contain that CSG cell, the UE can add that CSG cell's information to the allowed list to update the CSG whitelist. Alternatively, if the allowed list includes a CSG cell but the UE has not successfully registered to that CSG cell, the UE can remove that CSG cell's information from the allowed list to update the CSG whitelist.

[0069] S302. The UE determines whether the CSG whitelist includes information on N CSG cells and whether N is a preset value. The preset value can be 1. The UE can first determine if the CSG whitelist includes one cell. If N is a preset value, the UE performs further checks. The UE can first check if N is a preset value because if N is not a preset value (e.g., N is greater than 1, N is 2, 3, etc.), the UE will definitely initiate autonomous cell search, and no further checks are needed. For example, if N is 0, the UE will definitely stop or not initiate autonomous cell search. Furthermore, in the process of further determining whether the N CSG cells match the UE's serving cell, if N is not a preset value, the UE needs to check the N CSG cells and the UE's serving cell sequentially. If N is a preset value, such as 1, the UE only needs to check once.

[0070] The CSG whitelist consists of an allowed list and an operator list. If the total number of CSG cells included in the allowed list and operator list is N, then the CSG whitelist includes N CSG cells. For example, when the CSG whitelist includes only one CSG cell, there are three possible scenarios: First, the operator list of the CSG whitelist includes one CSG cell. Second, if neither the operator list nor the allowed list contains any CSG cells, the UE adds one CSG cell to the allowed list. Third, if the operator list does not contain any CSG cells, and the allowed list includes two CSG cells, the UE removes one CSG cell from the allowed list.

[0071] S303. The CSG whitelist includes information on N CSG cells. When N is a preset value, the UE determines whether the N CSG cells match the UE's serving cell. Specifically, when N is a preset value, such as 1, it can be determined whether the CSG cell information included in the CSG whitelist is the UE's serving cell information; that is, whether the CSG cells included in the CSG whitelist are the UE's serving cells. If the UE determines that a CSG cell included in the CSG whitelist is its serving cell, the UE can stop or not initiate autonomous cell search.

[0072] S304. The UE determines whether it receives a reconfiguration message from the network device when in connected mode (DCH). Specifically, if the UE is in connected mode and determines that N in the CSG whitelist is a preset value, and that N CSG cells match the UE's serving cell, the UE stops or does not initiate autonomous cell search. In this case, the UE may receive a reconfiguration message from the network device (e.g., a base station). This reconfiguration message may carry the aforementioned proximityIndicationEutra configuration, which instructs the UE to perform autonomous cell search. Even in this case, the UE can still stop or not initiate autonomous cell search. It should be noted that if the UE does not receive a reconfiguration message, the UE also stops or does not initiate autonomous cell search.

[0073] S305. The UE stops or does not initiate cell search. When the UE is in idle mode, if N is a preset value and N CSG cells match the UE's serving cell (including cases where the N CSG cells are the same as the UE's serving cell), the UE stops or does not initiate autonomous cell search. When the UE is in connected mode, the UE receives a reconfiguration message from the network device. This reconfiguration message instructs the UE to initiate autonomous cell search. If N is a preset value and N CSG cells match the UE's serving cell (including cases where the N CSG cells are the same as the UE's serving cell), the UE stops or does not initiate autonomous cell search.

[0074] In this embodiment, the UE determines the cell information of N CSG cells that the UE can access, which are included in the CSG whitelist. If N in the CSG whitelist is a preset value and the N CSG cells match the serving cell accessed by the UE, the UE stops or does not start autonomous cell search. This reduces the number of times the UE searches for neighboring cells and reads the system messages of neighboring cells while ensuring communication quality, and reduces the underlying measurement and system message reading process, thereby reducing the UE's power consumption and improving the UE's battery life.

[0075] Please see Figure 4 , Figure 4This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a cell search device provided in an embodiment of this application. Figure 4 As shown, the cell search device 400 includes a determining unit 401 and a stopping unit 402. The cell search device 400 can execute the relevant steps of the terminal device in the aforementioned method embodiments. Wherein:

[0076] The determining unit 401 is used to determine the closed user group CSG whitelist, which includes CSG cell information that the user equipment (UE) can access; the CSG cell information that the UE can access includes cell information of N CSG cells, where N is an integer greater than or equal to 0.

[0077] The stop unit 402 is used to stop or not start cell search when the value of N is a preset value and the above N CSG cells match the serving cell of the above UE.

[0078] In one possible implementation, the determining unit 401 is used to determine the closed user group CSG whitelist, specifically for:

[0079] Receive the CSG cell selection instruction, which indicates the first CSG cell;

[0080] If the first CSG cell is found, register with the first CSG cell;

[0081] If registration to the aforementioned first CSG cell is successful, the cell information of the aforementioned first CSG cell will be added to the aforementioned CSG whitelist.

[0082] In one possible implementation, the aforementioned CSG whitelist includes cell information of the second CSG cell; the aforementioned determining unit 401 is used to determine the closed user group CSG whitelist, specifically for:

[0083] If registration with the second CSG cell fails, the cell information of the second CSG cell will be removed from the CSG whitelist.

[0084] In one possible implementation, the determining unit 401 is used to determine the closed user group CSG whitelist, specifically for:

[0085] Obtain the aforementioned CSG whitelist from the user identification card.

[0086] In one possible implementation, the aforementioned stopping unit 402 is used to stop or prevent cell search from starting, specifically for:

[0087] The UE is in idle or connected state and stops or does not start cell search.

[0088] In one possible implementation, the aforementioned stopping unit 402 is used to stop or prevent cell search from starting, specifically for:

[0089] Upon receiving a reconfiguration message from a network device, cell search may be stopped or not initiated; the aforementioned reconfiguration message is used to instruct the initiation of cell search.

[0090] In one possible implementation, the value of N is 1, and matching the aforementioned N CSG cells with the serving cell of the aforementioned UE includes the aforementioned N CSG cells being the same as the serving cell of the aforementioned UE.

[0091] Specifically, in this case, the operations performed by the determining unit 401 and the stopping unit 402 can be referred to the above. Figures 2-3 The corresponding embodiments include a description of the terminal devices.

[0092] The cell search device 400 can also be used to achieve Figures 2-3 Other functions of the terminal device in the corresponding embodiments will not be described in detail here. Based on the same inventive concept, the principle and beneficial effects of the cell search device 400 provided in the embodiments of this application in solving the problem are similar to the principle and beneficial effects of the terminal device in solving the problem in the method embodiments of this application. For details, please refer to the principle and beneficial effects of the method implementation. For the sake of brevity, they will not be described in detail here.

[0093] According to the embodiments of this application, Figure 4 The cells in the cell search device shown can be individually or entirely merged into one or more other cells, or some of the cells can be further divided into multiple functionally smaller cells. This achieves the same operation without affecting the technical effects of the embodiments of this application. The cells are divided based on logical functions. In practical applications, the function of one cell can be implemented by multiple cells, or the function of multiple cells can be implemented by one cell. In other embodiments of this application, the cell search device 400 may also include other cells. In practical applications, these functions can also be implemented with the assistance of other cells, and can be implemented collaboratively by multiple cells.

[0094] The aforementioned cell search device may be, for example, a chip or a chip module. Regarding the modules included in the various devices and products described in the above embodiments, they may be software modules, hardware modules, or a combination of both. For example, for various devices and products applied to or integrated into chips, each module can be implemented using hardware methods such as circuits, or at least some modules can be implemented using software programs that run on a processor integrated within the chip, while the remaining (if any) modules can be implemented using hardware methods such as circuits; for various devices and products applied to or integrated into chip modules, each module can be implemented using hardware methods such as circuits, and different modules can be located in the same component (e.g., chip, circuit module, etc.) or different components of the chip module, or at least some modules can be implemented using software programs that run on a processor integrated within the chip module, while the remaining (if any) modules can be implemented using hardware methods such as circuits; for various devices and products applied to or integrated into terminals, each module can be implemented using hardware methods such as circuits, and different modules can be located in the same component (e.g., chip, circuit module, etc.) or different components within the terminal device, or at least some modules can be implemented using software programs that run on a processor integrated within the terminal, while the remaining (if any) modules can be implemented using hardware methods such as circuits.

[0095] Please see Figure 5 , Figure 5 This is another cell search device provided in this application embodiment. It can be used to implement the functions of the cell search device in the above method embodiments. The cell search device 500 may include a processor 501 and a transceiver 502. Optionally, the cell search device 500 may also include a memory 503. The processor 501, transceiver 502, and memory 503 can be connected via a bus 504 or other means. The bus is in... Figure 5 The connections between other components are shown in bold lines only and are not intended to be limiting. Buses can be categorized as address buses, data buses, control buses, etc. For ease of illustration, Figure 5 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.

[0096] The coupling in this embodiment is an indirect coupling or communication connection between devices, units, or modules, which can be electrical, mechanical, or other forms, used for information exchange between devices, units, or modules. This embodiment does not limit the specific connection medium between the processor 501 and the memory 503.

[0097] Memory 503 may include read-only memory and random access memory, and provides instructions and data to processor 501. A portion of memory 503 may also include non-volatile random access memory.

[0098] Processor 501 can be a Central Processing Unit (CPU), but it can also be other general-purpose processors, digital signal processors (DSPs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), or other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic devices, discrete hardware components, etc. The general-purpose processor can be a microprocessor; optionally, processor 501 can also be any conventional processor. Memory 503 is used to store program instructions.

[0099] Processor 501 is used to call program instructions stored in memory 503 for:

[0100] Determine the closed user group CSG whitelist, which includes information on CSG cells that user equipment (UE) can access;

[0101] The CSG cell information that the UE can access includes cell information for N CSG cells, where N is an integer greater than or equal to 0;

[0102] If the value of N is a preset value, and the above N CSG cells match the serving cell of the above UE, then cell search is stopped or not started.

[0103] In one possible implementation, the processor 501 is used to determine the closed user group (CSG) whitelist, specifically by calling program instructions stored in memory 503 to execute the following steps:

[0104] Receive the CSG cell selection instruction, which indicates the first CSG cell;

[0105] If the first CSG cell is found, register with the first CSG cell;

[0106] If registration to the aforementioned first CSG cell is successful, the cell information of the aforementioned first CSG cell will be added to the aforementioned CSG whitelist.

[0107] In one possible implementation, the aforementioned CSG whitelist includes cell information of the second CSG cell; the aforementioned processor 501 is used to determine the closed user group CSG whitelist, specifically by calling program instructions stored in memory 503 to execute the following steps:

[0108] If registration with the second CSG cell fails, the cell information of the second CSG cell will be removed from the CSG whitelist.

[0109] In one possible implementation, the processor 501 is used to determine the closed user group (CSG) whitelist, specifically by calling program instructions stored in memory 503 to execute the following steps:

[0110] Obtain the aforementioned CSG whitelist from the user identification card.

[0111] In one possible implementation, the processor 501 is used to stop or not start cell search, specifically by calling program instructions stored in memory 503 to execute the following steps:

[0112] The UE is in idle or connected state and stops or does not start cell search.

[0113] In one possible implementation, the processor 501 is used to stop or not start cell search, specifically by calling program instructions stored in memory 503 to execute the following steps:

[0114] Upon receiving a reconfiguration message from a network device, cell search may be stopped or not initiated; the aforementioned reconfiguration message is used to instruct the initiation of cell search.

[0115] In one possible implementation, the value of N is 1, and matching the aforementioned N CSG cells with the serving cell of the aforementioned UE includes the aforementioned N CSG cells being the same as the serving cell of the aforementioned UE.

[0116] In the embodiments of this application, the following can be performed by running on a general-purpose computing device, such as a computer, which includes processing elements and storage elements such as a central processing unit (CPU), random access memory (RAM), and read-only memory (ROM). Figures 2-3 The computer program (including program code) for each step involved in the corresponding method shown herein, and the method for implementing the embodiments provided in this application. The computer program may be recorded on, for example, a computer-readable recording medium, loaded onto the aforementioned computing device via the computer-readable recording medium, and run therein.

[0117] Based on the same inventive concept, the principle and beneficial effects of the cell search device provided in the embodiments of this application in solving the problem are similar to those of the cell search device in the method embodiments of this application in solving the problem. Please refer to the principle and beneficial effects of the method implementation. For the sake of brevity, they will not be repeated here.

[0118] The aforementioned cell search device (such as cell search device 400, cell search device 500) may be, for example, a chip or a chip module.

[0119] This application also provides a chip that can execute the relevant steps of the terminal device in the foregoing method embodiments. The chip is used for:

[0120] A closed user group (CSG) whitelist is determined, which includes information on CSG cells that a user equipment (UE) can access. The information on CSG cells that a UE can access includes cell information for N CSG cells, where N is an integer greater than or equal to 0. If the value of N is a preset value and the N CSG cells match the serving cell of the UE, cell search is stopped or not started.

[0121] In one possible implementation, the chip is used to determine the closed user group (CSG) whitelist, specifically for: receiving a CSG cell selection instruction, which indicates a first CSG cell; registering with the first CSG cell if the first CSG cell is found; and adding the cell information of the first CSG cell to the CSG whitelist if the registration with the first CSG cell is successful.

[0122] In one possible implementation, the aforementioned CSG whitelist includes cell information of the second CSG cell; the chip is used to determine the closed user group CSG whitelist, specifically for:

[0123] If registration with the second CSG cell fails, the cell information of the second CSG cell will be removed from the CSG whitelist.

[0124] In one possible implementation, the chip is used to determine the closed user group (CSG) whitelist, specifically for:

[0125] Obtain the aforementioned CSG whitelist from the user identification card.

[0126] In one possible implementation, the chip is used to stop or prevent cell search from starting, specifically for:

[0127] The UE is in idle or connected state and stops or does not start cell search.

[0128] In one possible implementation, the chip is used to stop or prevent cell search from starting, specifically for:

[0129] Upon receiving a reconfiguration message from a network device, cell search may be stopped or not initiated; the aforementioned reconfiguration message is used to instruct the initiation of cell search.

[0130] In one possible implementation, the value of N is 1, and matching the aforementioned N CSG cells with the serving cell of the aforementioned UE includes the aforementioned N CSG cells being the same as the serving cell of the aforementioned UE.

[0131] Specifically, in this situation, the operations performed by the chip can be referred to the above. Figures 2-3 The corresponding embodiments include a description of the terminal devices.

[0132] In one possible implementation, the chip includes at least one processor, at least one first memory, and at least one second memory; wherein the at least one first memory and the at least one processor are interconnected by a circuit, the first memory stores a computer program, the computer program includes program instructions, and the processor is used to execute the program instructions to implement the cell search method in the embodiments of this application; the at least one second memory and the at least one processor are interconnected by a circuit, and the second memory stores data that needs to be stored in the aforementioned method embodiments.

[0133] For each device or product applied to or integrated into a chip, each of its modules can be implemented using hardware methods such as circuits, or at least some modules can be implemented using software programs that run on a processor integrated inside the chip, while the remaining (if any) modules can be implemented using hardware methods such as circuits.

[0134] Based on the same inventive concept, the principle and beneficial effects of the chip provided in the embodiments of this application in solving the problem are similar to the principle and beneficial effects of the terminal device in solving the problem in the method embodiments of this application. For the sake of brevity, the principle and beneficial effects of the method implementation can be referred to.

[0135] Please see Figure 6 , Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a module device provided in an embodiment of this application. The module device 600 can perform the relevant steps of the terminal device in the aforementioned method embodiments. The module device 600 includes: a communication module 601, a power module 602, a storage module 603, and a chip module 604.

[0136] The communication module 601 is used for internal communication within the module device or for communication between the module device and external devices; the power module 602 is used to provide power to the module device; the storage module 603 is used to store data and instructions; and the chip module 604 is used to: determine a closed user group (CSG) whitelist, wherein the CSG whitelist includes CSG cell information that the user equipment (UE) can access; the CSG cell information that the UE can access includes cell information of N CSG cells, where N is an integer greater than or equal to 0; and when the value of N is a preset value and the N CSG cells match the serving cell of the UE, stop or not start cell search.

[0137] In one possible implementation, the chip module 604 is used to determine the closed user group (CSG) whitelist, specifically for: receiving a CSG cell selection instruction, wherein the CSG cell selection instruction indicates a first CSG cell; registering with the first CSG cell if the first CSG cell is found; and adding the cell information of the first CSG cell to the CSG whitelist if the registration with the first CSG cell is successful.

[0138] In one possible implementation, the CSG whitelist includes cell information of the second CSG cell; the chip module 604 is used to determine the closed user group CSG whitelist, specifically for: deleting the cell information of the second CSG cell from the CSG whitelist if registration to the second CSG cell is unsuccessful.

[0139] In one possible implementation, the chip module 604 is used to determine the closed user group (CSG) whitelist, specifically to obtain the CSG whitelist from the user identification card.

[0140] In one possible implementation, the aforementioned chip module 604 is used to stop or not start cell search, specifically when the aforementioned UE is in an idle state or a connected state, it stops or does not start cell search.

[0141] In one possible implementation, the aforementioned chip module 604 is used to stop or prevent cell search from starting, specifically for:

[0142] Upon receiving a reconfiguration message from a network device, cell search may be stopped or not initiated; the aforementioned reconfiguration message is used to instruct the initiation of cell search.

[0143] In one possible implementation, the value of N is 1, and matching the aforementioned N CSG cells with the serving cell of the aforementioned UE includes the aforementioned N CSG cells being the same as the serving cell of the aforementioned UE.

[0144] For various devices and products applied to or integrated into chip modules, each of its modules can be implemented using hardware methods such as circuits. Different modules can be located in the same component (e.g., chip, circuit module, etc.) or different components of the chip module. Alternatively, at least some modules can be implemented using software programs that run on the processor integrated inside the chip module, while the remaining (if any) modules can be implemented using hardware methods such as circuits.

[0145] This application also provides a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program, the computer program including one or more program instructions, the one or more program instructions being adapted to be loaded by a terminal device and executed by the method provided in the above-described method embodiments.

[0146] This application also provides a computer program product containing a computer program or instructions, which, when run on a computer, causes the computer to perform the method provided in the above-described method embodiments.

[0147] This application embodiment also provides a cell search system, which may include... Figure 1 The terminal equipment (terminal equipment 100) and network equipment (network equipment 200) are included.

[0148] Regarding the modules / units included in the various devices and products described in the above embodiments, they can be software modules / units, hardware modules / units, or a combination of both. For example, for various devices and products applied to or integrated into a chip, all of their modules / units can be implemented using hardware methods such as circuits, or at least some modules / units can be implemented using software programs that run on a processor integrated within the chip, while the remaining (if any) modules / units can be implemented using hardware methods such as circuits; for various devices and products applied to or integrated into a chip module, all of their modules / units can be implemented using hardware methods such as circuits, and different modules / units can be located in the same component (e.g., chip, circuit module, etc.) or different components of the chip module, or at least some modules / units can be implemented using hardware methods such as circuits. The components can be implemented using software programs that run on the processor integrated within the chip module. The remaining (if any) modules / units can be implemented using hardware methods such as circuits. For various devices and products applied to or integrated into the terminal, each of its components / units can be implemented using hardware methods such as circuits. Different modules / units can be located in the same component (e.g., chip, circuit module, etc.) or in different components within the terminal. Alternatively, at least some modules / units can be implemented using software programs that run on the processor integrated within the terminal, while the remaining (if any) modules / units can be implemented using hardware methods such as circuits.

[0149] It should be noted that, for the sake of simplicity, the foregoing method embodiments are all described as a series of actions. However, those skilled in the art should understand that this application is not limited to the described order of actions, as some steps may be performed in other orders or simultaneously according to this application. Furthermore, those skilled in the art should also understand that the embodiments described in the specification are preferred embodiments, and the actions and modules involved are not necessarily essential to this application.

[0150] The steps in the method of this application embodiment can be adjusted, combined, or deleted according to actual needs.

[0151] The modules in the device of this application embodiment can be merged, divided, and deleted according to actual needs.

[0152] Those skilled in the art will understand that all or part of the steps in the various methods of the above embodiments can be implemented by program instructions and related hardware. The program instructions can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium, which may include: flash drive, ROM, RAM, disk or optical disk, etc.

[0153] The above-disclosed embodiments are merely one example of this application and only a part of the embodiments of this application. They should not be construed as limiting the scope of this application.

Claims

1. A cell search method, characterized in that, include: Determine the closed user group CSG whitelist, which includes CSG cell information that user equipment (UE) can access; The CSG cell information that the UE can access includes cell information of N CSG cells, where N is an integer greater than or equal to 0; When N is 1 and the N CSG cells match the UE's serving cell, cell search is stopped or not started.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The process of determining the closed user group CSG whitelist includes: Receive a CSG cell selection instruction, wherein the CSG cell selection instruction indicates a first CSG cell; If the first CSG cell is found, register with the first CSG cell; If registration to the first CSG cell is successful, the cell information of the first CSG cell is added to the CSG whitelist.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The CSG whitelist includes cell information for the second CSG cell; The process of determining the closed user group CSG whitelist includes: If registration with the second CSG cell fails, the cell information of the second CSG cell will be removed from the CSG whitelist.

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The process of determining the closed user group CSG whitelist includes: Obtain the CSG whitelist from the user identification card.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, The stopping or not starting cell search includes: The UE is in an idle or connected state and stops or does not initiate cell search.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, The stopping or not starting cell search includes: Upon receiving a reconfiguration message from a network device, cell search may be stopped or not initiated; the reconfiguration message is used to instruct the initiation of cell search.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, The value of N is 1, and the matching of the N CSG cells with the UE's serving cell includes the N CSG cells being the same as the UE's serving cell.

8. A cell search device, characterized in that, include: The determining unit is used to determine the closed user group CSG whitelist, which includes CSG cell information that the user equipment (UE) can access; The CSG cell information that the UE can access includes cell information of N CSG cells, where N is an integer greater than or equal to 0; The stop unit is used to stop or not start cell search when the value of N is 1 and the N CSG cells match the serving cell of the UE.

9. A cell search device, characterized in that, Including the processor; The processor is configured to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1-7.

10. A chip, characterized in that, The device includes a memory and a processor, wherein the memory stores a computer program, the computer program includes program instructions, and the processor is configured to execute the program instructions to implement the method as described in any one of claims 1-7.

11. A chip module, characterized in that, The chip module includes a communication interface and a chip, wherein: the communication interface is used for internal communication within the chip module, or for communication between the chip module and external devices; the chip is used to execute the method as described in any one of claims 1-7.

12. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The computer-readable storage medium stores a computer program, the computer program including program instructions that, when executed, cause the method as described in any one of claims 1-7 to be performed.

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