Electronic device for searching for network, and operation method of electronic device

Abstract

This electronic device may comprise: a memory, which stores instructions and includes one or more storage media; and at least one processor including processing circuitry. The electronic device (101) can identify the occurrence of an event for performing a network search operation, identify, in response to the occurrence of the event, information about a cell identifier (ID) of a base station most recently connected to the electronic device, and acquire information about the base station on the basis of the information about the cell ID from a database including information about a plurality of base stations. According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) can: predict at least one base station available at the current location of the electronic device by performing a machine learning algorithm for calculating the presence probability of RAT and a frequency band of a PLMN on the basis of the acquired base station information, and compare a RAT and frequency band information of the at least one available base station with a RAT and frequency information available in the electronic device; and determine, on the basis of a comparison result, at least one frequency band in at least one RAT in which a search is to be performed, and perform a network search on the basis of the determined at least one frequency band of the at least one RAT.

Description

Electronic device for searching a network and method of operation of the electronic device

[0001] This document relates to a network discovery method for an electronic device supporting multiple Radio Access Technologies (RATs), and more specifically, to a method and device for an electronic device to efficiently select a public land mobile network (PLMN) in the event of a service interruption.

[0002] Efforts are being made to develop improved 5G or pre-5G communication systems to meet the increasing demand for wireless data traffic following the commercialization of 4G communication systems. For this reason, 5G or pre-5G communication systems are referred to as systems beyond the 4G network or systems following the LTE system. To achieve high data transmission rates, implementation of 5G communication systems in mmWave bands (e.g., bands above 6 GHz) is being considered in addition to the bands used by LTE (bands below 6 GHz). Technologies being discussed for 5G communication systems include beamforming, massive MIMO, full Dimensional MIMO (FD-MIMO), array antennas, analog beamforming, and large-scale antennas.

[0003] Recently, 5th generation communication systems are considering the provision of communication services using entities not fixed to the ground, as well as base stations fixed to the ground. According to one embodiment, a 5th generation communication system is considering the implementation of cellular communication using satellites. An electronic device can perform cellular communication using satellites in situations where it is difficult to connect with a base station. Cellular communication using satellites can achieve wider coverage compared to cellular communication using base stations due to the characteristics of satellites moving in Earth's orbit. Cellular communication using satellites is attracting attention in terms of reducing dead zones where communication services are impossible.

[0004] The information described above may be provided as related art for the purpose of aiding understanding of the present disclosure. No claim or determination is made as to whether any of the foregoing may be applied as prior art related to the present disclosure.

[0005] Recent mobile communication terminals support various wireless access technologies such as 2nd generation (2G), 3rd generation (3G), 4th generation (4G), and 5th generation (5G). According to the 3GPP mobile communication standard, if an electronic device experiences a service interruption state due to radio link failure or signal loss in a registered PLMN, it must search for a previously registered PLMN or an equivalent PLMN using all supported wireless access technologies.

[0006] However, this method has the problem that it takes a considerable amount of time to confirm that no registered PLMN is found, as it requires performing a frequency-specific search for all wireless access technologies supported by the electronic device. In particular, as the number of wireless access technologies that must be supported increases with the introduction of 5G, the search time is trending upward.

[0007] The electronic device of this document can provide a method for efficiently searching for PLMNs in the event of a service interruption. Specifically, it can provide a method for rapidly verifying the presence of a PLMN and entering the PLMN selection step by dynamically adjusting the wireless access technology and frequency range to be searched based on previously registered PLMN and cell information.

[0008] The electronic device may include a memory that stores instructions and includes one or more storage media, and at least one processor that includes processing circuitry. The electronic device (101) may identify the occurrence of an event that causes a network search operation to be performed, and in response to the occurrence of said event, identify information regarding the cell ID of the base station most recently connected to the electronic device, and obtain information about said base station based on the information regarding said cell ID from a database containing information about a plurality of base stations. According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may predict at least one base station available at the current location of the electronic device by performing a machine learning algorithm that calculates the probability of existence of the PLMN's RAT and frequency band based on the obtained base station information, and compare the RAT and frequency band information of the at least one available base station with the RAT and frequency information available to the electronic device. According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) determines at least one frequency band within at least one RAT to perform a search based on a comparison result, and can perform a network search based on at least one frequency band of the determined at least one RAT.

[0009] The electronic device and its method of operation according to this document can rapidly determine the wireless access technology and frequency range to be searched by embedding information on wireless access technologies supported by PLMNs and cells into the electronic device and utilizing this information during the PLMN search process. In addition, unnecessary searches can be reduced by predicting available wireless access technologies and frequencies at the current location using machine learning algorithms.

[0010] The electronic device and the method of operation according to this document can reduce network search time, reduce power consumption, and provide a better service experience to the user.

[0011] In relation to the description of the drawings, the same or similar reference numerals may be used for identical or similar components.

[0012] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an electronic device in a network environment according to various embodiments.

[0013] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an electronic device for supporting 4G network communication and 5G network communication according to various embodiments.

[0014] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the protocol stack structure of a network for 4G communication and / or 5G communication according to various embodiments.

[0015] FIG. 4a is an example of a wireless communication system providing a network of 4G communication and / or 5G communication according to various embodiments.

[0016] FIG. 4b is an example of a wireless communication system providing a network of 4G communication and / or 5G communication according to various embodiments.

[0017] Figure 5 illustrates the operation and time required for an electronic device in a loss coverage situation.

[0018] FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the operation of an electronic device according to one embodiment.

[0019] FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating the operation method of an electronic device according to one embodiment.

[0020] FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating the operation method of an electronic device according to one embodiment.

[0021] FIG. 9 illustrates a method of response when an electronic device according to one embodiment is rejected from registration by a network.

[0022] FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a method for performing RAT and band search of an electronic device according to one embodiment.

[0023] FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating the process of an electronic device according to one embodiment changing the communication connection status from a ground network to a satellite network.

[0024] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure are described in detail with reference to the drawings so that those skilled in the art can easily practice them. However, the present disclosure may be embodied in various different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. In relation to the description of the drawings, the same or similar reference numerals may be used for identical or similar components. Furthermore, in the drawings and related descriptions, descriptions of well-known functions and configurations may be omitted for clarity and brevity.

[0025] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an electronic device (101) in a network environment (100) according to various embodiments. Referring to FIG. 1, in the network environment (100), the electronic device (101) may communicate with an electronic device (102) through a first network (198) (e.g., a short-range wireless communication network) or may communicate with at least one of an electronic device (104) or a server (108) through a second network (199) (e.g., a long-range wireless communication network). According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may communicate with the electronic device (104) through a server (108). According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may include a processor (120), memory (130), input module (150), sound output module (155), display module (160), audio module (170), sensor module (176), interface (177), connection terminal (178), haptic module (179), camera module (180), power management module (188), battery (189), communication module (190), subscriber identification module (196), or antenna module (197). In some embodiments, at least one of these components (e.g., connection terminal (178)) may be omitted from the electronic device (101), or one or more other components may be added. In some embodiments, some of these components (e.g., sensor module (176), camera module (180), or antenna module (197)) may be integrated into a single component (e.g., display module (160)).

[0026] The processor (120) can control at least one other component (e.g., hardware or software component) of the electronic device (101) connected to the processor (120) by executing software (e.g., program (140)), for example, and can perform various data processing or operations. According to one embodiment, as at least part of the data processing or operations, the processor (120) can store commands or data received from other components (e.g., sensor module (176) or communication module (190)) in volatile memory (132), process the commands or data stored in volatile memory (132), and store the resulting data in non-volatile memory (134). According to one embodiment, the processor (120) may include a main processor (121) (e.g., central processing unit or application processor) or an auxiliary processor (123) that can operate independently or together with it (e.g., graphics processing unit, neural processing unit (NPU), image signal processor, sensor hub processor, or communication processor). For example, if the electronic device (101) includes a main processor (121) and an auxiliary processor (123), the auxiliary processor (123) may be configured to use lower power than the main processor (121) or to be specialized for a designated function. The auxiliary processor (123) may be implemented separately from the main processor (121) or as part thereof.

[0027] The auxiliary processor (123) may control at least some of the functions or states associated with at least one component of the electronic device (101) (e.g., display module (160), sensor module (176), or communication module (190)) on behalf of the main processor (121) while the main processor (121) is in an inactive (e.g., sleep) state, or together with the main processor (121) while the main processor (121) is in an active (e.g., application execution) state. According to one embodiment, the auxiliary processor (123) (e.g., image signal processor or communication processor) may be implemented as part of another functionally related component (e.g., camera module (180) or communication module (190)). According to one embodiment, the auxiliary processor (123) (e.g., neural network processing unit) may include a hardware structure specialized for processing an artificial intelligence model. The artificial intelligence model may be generated through machine learning. Such learning may be performed, for example, on the electronic device (101) itself where the artificial intelligence model is executed, or through a separate server (e.g., server (108)). The learning algorithm may include, for example, supervised learning, unsupervised learning, semi-supervised learning, or reinforcement learning, but is not limited to the examples described above. The artificial intelligence model may include a plurality of artificial neural network layers.An artificial neural network may be a deep neural network (DNN), a convolutional neural network (CNN), a recurrent neural network (RNN), a restricted Boltzmann machine (RBM), a deep belief network (DBN), a bidirectional recurrent deep neural network (BRDNN), a deep Q-network, or a combination of two or more of the above, but is not limited to the examples described above. In addition to the hardware structure, the artificial intelligence model may include a software structure, either additionally or substantially.

[0028] The memory (130) can store various data used by at least one component of the electronic device (101) (e.g., processor (120) or sensor module (176)). The data may include, for example, input data or output data for software (e.g., program (140)) and related commands. The memory (130) may include volatile memory (132) or non-volatile memory (134).

[0029] The program (140) may be stored as software in memory (130) and may include, for example, an operating system (142), middleware (144), or an application (146).

[0030] The input module (150) can receive commands or data to be used for a component of the electronic device (101) (e.g., processor (120)) from outside the electronic device (101) (e.g., user). The input module (150) may include, for example, a microphone, a mouse, a keyboard, a key (e.g., a button), or a digital pen (e.g., a stylus pen).

[0031] The sound output module (155) can output a sound signal to the outside of the electronic device (101). The sound output module (155) may include, for example, a speaker or a receiver. The speaker may be used for general purposes, such as multimedia playback or recording playback. The receiver may be used to receive incoming calls. According to one embodiment, the receiver may be implemented separately from the speaker or as part thereof.

[0032] The display module (160) can visually provide information to an external (e.g., user) of the electronic device (101). The display module (160) may include, for example, a display, a holographic device, or a projector and a control circuit for controlling said device. According to one embodiment, the display module (160) may include a touch sensor configured to detect a touch, or a pressure sensor configured to measure the intensity of the force generated by said touch.

[0033] The audio module (170) can convert sound into an electrical signal or, conversely, convert an electrical signal into sound. According to one embodiment, the audio module (170) can acquire sound through the input module (150) or output sound through the sound output module (155) or an external electronic device (e.g., electronic device (102)) (e.g., speaker or headphones) connected directly or wirelessly to the electronic device (101).

[0034] The sensor module (176) can detect the operating state of the electronic device (101) (e.g., power or temperature) or the external environmental state (e.g., user state) and generate an electrical signal or data value corresponding to the detected state. According to one embodiment, the sensor module (176) may include, for example, a gesture sensor, a gyroscope sensor, a barometric pressure sensor, a magnetic sensor, an accelerometer sensor, a grip sensor, a proximity sensor, a color sensor, an IR (infrared) sensor, a biosensor, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, or an illuminance sensor.

[0035] The interface (177) may support one or more specified protocols that can be used for the electronic device (101) to be connected directly or wirelessly to an external electronic device (e.g., electronic device (102)). According to one embodiment, the interface (177) may include, for example, a high definition multimedia interface (HDMI), a universal serial bus (USB) interface, an SD card interface, or an audio interface.

[0036] The connection terminal (178) may include a connector through which the electronic device (101) can be physically connected to an external electronic device (e.g., electronic device (102)). According to one embodiment, the connection terminal (178) may include, for example, an HDMI connector, a USB connector, an SD card connector, or an audio connector (e.g., a headphone connector).

[0037] The haptic module (179) can convert an electrical signal into a mechanical stimulus (e.g., vibration or movement) or an electrical stimulus that the user can perceive through tactile or kinesthetic senses. According to one embodiment, the haptic module (179) may include, for example, a motor, a piezoelectric element, or an electric stimulation device.

[0038] The camera module (180) can capture still images and video. According to one embodiment, the camera module (180) may include one or more lenses, image sensors, image signal processors, or flashes.

[0039] The power management module (188) can manage the power supplied to the electronic device (101). According to one embodiment, the power management module (188) can be implemented, for example, as at least part of a power management integrated circuit (PMIC).

[0040] The battery (189) can supply power to at least one component of the electronic device (101). According to one embodiment, the battery (189) may include, for example, a non-rechargeable primary battery, a rechargeable secondary battery, or a fuel cell.

[0041] The communication module (190) can support the establishment of a direct (e.g., wired) communication channel or a wireless communication channel between an electronic device (101) and an external electronic device (e.g., electronic device (102), electronic device (104), or server (108)), and the performance of communication through the established communication channel. The communication module (190) may include one or more communication processors that operate independently of the processor (120) (e.g., application processor) and support direct (e.g., wired) communication or wireless communication. According to one embodiment, the communication module (190) may include a wireless communication module (192) (e.g., cellular communication module, short-range wireless communication module, or GNSS (global navigation satellite system) communication module) or a wired communication module (194) (e.g., LAN (local area network) communication module, or power line communication module). The corresponding communication module among these communication modules can communicate with an external electronic device (104) through a first network (198) (e.g., a short-range communication network such as Bluetooth, WiFi (wireless fidelity) direct, or IrDA (infrared data association)) or a second network (199) (e.g., a legacy cellular network, a 5G network, a next-generation communication network, the Internet, or a computer network (e.g., a LAN or WAN)). These various types of communication modules may be integrated into a single component (e.g., a single chip) or implemented as multiple separate components (e.g., multiple chips). The wireless communication module (192) can identify or authenticate the electronic device (101) within a communication network such as the first network (198) or the second network (199) using subscriber information (e.g., International Mobile Subscriber Identifier (IMSI)) stored in the subscriber identification module (196).

[0042] The wireless communication module (192) can support 5G networks and next-generation communication technologies following 4G networks, for example, new radio access technology. NR access technology can support high-speed transmission of high-capacity data (enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB)), minimization of terminal power and connection of multiple terminals (massive machine type communications (mMTC)), or high reliability and low latency (ultra-reliable and low-latency communications (URLLC)). The wireless communication module (192) can support a high-frequency band (e.g., mmWave band) to achieve a high data transmission rate, for example. The wireless communication module (192) can support various technologies for securing performance in the high-frequency band, such as beamforming, massive MIMO (multiple-input and multiple-output), full-dimensional MIMO (FD-MIMO), array antenna, analog beam-forming, or large-scale antenna. The wireless communication module (192) can support various requirements specified in the electronic device (101), external electronic device (e.g., electronic device (104)), or network system (e.g., second network (199)). According to one embodiment, the wireless communication module (192) can support a Peak data rate (e.g., 20 Gbps or more) for realizing eMBB, loss coverage (e.g., 164 dB or less) for realizing mMTC, or U-plane latency (e.g., downlink (DL) and uplink (UL) each 0.5 ms or less, or round trip 1 ms or less) for realizing URLLC.

[0043] An antenna module (197) can transmit a signal or power to or from an external source (e.g., an external electronic device). According to one embodiment, the antenna module (197) may include an antenna comprising a radiator made of a conductor or a conductive pattern formed on a substrate (e.g., a PCB). According to one embodiment, the antenna module (197) may include a plurality of antennas (e.g., an array antenna). In this case, at least one antenna suitable for a communication method used in a communication network, such as a first network (198) or a second network (199), may be selected from the plurality of antennas, for example, by a communication module (190). A signal or power may be transmitted or received between the communication module (190) and an external electronic device through the selected at least one antenna. According to some embodiments, in addition to the radiator, other components (e.g., a radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC)) may be additionally formed as part of the antenna module (197).

[0044] According to various embodiments, the antenna module (197) may form a mmWave antenna module. According to one embodiment, the mmWave antenna module may include a printed circuit board, an RFIC disposed on or adjacent to a first surface (e.g., bottom surface) of the printed circuit board and capable of supporting a specified high frequency band (e.g., mmWave band), and a plurality of antennas (e.g., array antennas) disposed on or adjacent to a second surface (e.g., top surface or side surface) of the printed circuit board and capable of transmitting or receiving a signal of the specified high frequency band.

[0045] At least some of the above components can be connected to each other via a communication method between peripheral devices (e.g., bus, GPIO (general purpose input and output), SPI (serial peripheral interface), or MIPI (mobile industry processor interface)) and exchange signals (e.g., commands or data) with each other.

[0046] According to one embodiment, commands or data may be transmitted or received between the electronic device (101) and an external electronic device (104) through a server (108) connected to a second network (199). Each of the external electronic devices (102, or 104) may be the same or different type of device as the electronic device (101). According to one embodiment, all or part of the operations performed on the electronic device (101) may be performed on one or more of the external electronic devices (102, 104, or 108). For example, if the electronic device (101) needs to perform a function or service automatically or in response to a request from a user or another device, the electronic device (101) may request one or more external electronic devices to perform at least part of the function or service instead of performing the function or service itself or additionally. One or more external electronic devices that receive the above request may execute at least part of the requested function or service, or additional function or service related to the request, and transmit the result of the execution to the electronic device (101). The electronic device (101) may provide the result as is or additionally processed as at least part of the response to the request. For this purpose, for example, cloud computing, distributed computing, mobile edge computing (MEC), or client-server computing technology may be used. The electronic device (101) may provide ultra-low latency services using, for example, distributed computing or mobile edge computing. In another embodiment, the external electronic device (104) may include an Internet of Things (IoT) device. The server (108) may be an intelligent server using machine learning and / or neural networks. According to one embodiment, the external electronic device (104) or the server (108) may be included within a second network (199).The electronic device (101) can be applied to intelligent services (e.g., smart home, smart city, smart car, or healthcare) based on 5G communication technology and IoT-related technology.

[0047] The electronic device according to the various embodiments disclosed in this document may be of various forms. The electronic device may include, for example, a portable communication device (e.g., a smartphone), a computer device, a portable multimedia device, a portable medical device, a camera, a wearable device, or a consumer electronics device. The electronic device according to the embodiments of this document is not limited to the devices described above.

[0048] The various embodiments of this document and the terms used therein are not intended to limit the technical features described in this document to specific embodiments, and should be understood to include various modifications, equivalents, or substitutions of said embodiments. In connection with the description of the drawings, similar reference numerals may be used for similar or related components. The singular form of a noun corresponding to an item may include one or more of said items unless the relevant context clearly indicates otherwise. In this document, phrases such as "A or B," "at least one of A and B," "at least one of A or B," "A, B or C," "at least one of A, B and C," and "at least one of A, B, or C" may each include any one of the items listed together in the corresponding phrase, or all possible combinations thereof. Terms such as "first," "second," or "first" or "second" may be used simply to distinguish said components from other said components and do not limit said components in any other aspect (e.g., importance or order). Where any (e.g., 1st) component is referred to as “coupled” or “connected” to another (e.g., 2nd) component, with or without the terms “functionally” or “communicationly,” it means that said any component may be connected to said other component directly (e.g., via a wire), wirelessly, or through a third component.

[0049] The term “module” as used in the various embodiments of this document may include a unit implemented in hardware, software, or firmware, and may be used interchangeably with terms such as logic, logic block, component, or circuit, for example. A module may be a component formed integrally, or a minimum unit of said component or a part thereof that performs one or more functions. For example, according to one embodiment, a module may be implemented in the form of an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC).

[0050] Various embodiments of the present document may be implemented as software (e.g., program (140)) comprising one or more instructions stored in a storage medium (e.g., internal memory (136) or external memory (138)) readable by a machine (e.g., electronic device (101)). For example, a processor (e.g., processor (120)) of the machine (e.g., electronic device (101)) may call at least one of the one or more instructions stored in the storage medium and execute it. This enables the machine to be operated to perform at least one function according to the at least one called instruction. The one or more instructions may include code generated by a compiler or code that can be executed by an interpreter. The storage medium readable by the machine may be provided in the form of a non-transitory storage medium. Here, 'non-temporary' simply means that the storage medium is a tangible device and does not contain a signal (e.g., electromagnetic waves), and the term does not distinguish between cases where data is stored semi-permanently and cases where it is stored temporarily.

[0051] According to one embodiment, the method according to the various embodiments disclosed herein may be provided by being included in a computer program product. The computer program product may be traded between a seller and a buyer as a product. The computer program product may be distributed in the form of a device-readable storage medium (e.g., compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM)), or distributed online (e.g., download or upload) through an application store (e.g., Play Store™) or directly between two user devices (e.g., smartphones). In the case of online distribution, at least a portion of the computer program product may be temporarily stored or temporarily created on a device-readable storage medium, such as the memory of a manufacturer's server, an application store's server, or a relay server.

[0052] According to various embodiments, each component (e.g., module or program) of the components described above may include a singular or multiple entities, and some of the multiple entities may be separated and placed in other components. According to various embodiments, one or more of the components or operations of the aforementioned components may be omitted, or one or more other components or operations may be added. Generally or additionally, multiple components (e.g., module or program) may be integrated into a single component. In this case, the integrated component may perform one or more functions of each of the multiple components in the same or similar manner as those performed by the corresponding component among the multiple components prior to integration. According to various embodiments, operations performed by the module, program, or other components may be executed sequentially, in parallel, iteratively, or heuristically, or one or more of the operations may be executed in a different order, omitted, or one or more other operations may be added.

[0053] The number of processors (120) may be one or more. For example, the processor (120) may have the structure of a multi-core processor such as a dual core, a quad core, or a hexa core. The processor (120) can control the operations of the electronic device (101) by executing instructions stored in memory (130). For example, the processor (120) may correspond to a plurality of processors that collectively perform a plurality of operations by dividing them among the processors.

[0054] FIG. 2 is a block diagram (200) of an electronic device (101) for supporting 4G network communication and 5G network communication according to various embodiments.

[0055] Referring to FIG. 2, according to various embodiments, the electronic device (101) may include a first communication processor (212), a second communication processor (214), a first radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC) (222), a second RFIC (224), a third RFIC (226), a fourth RFIC (228), a first radio frequency front end (RFFE) (232), a second RFFE (234), a first antenna module (242), a second antenna module (244), and an antenna (248). The electronic device (101) may further include a processor (120) and a memory (130). The network (199) may include a first network (292) and a second network (294). According to another embodiment, the electronic device (101) may further include at least one of the components described in FIG. 1, and the network (199) may further include at least one other network. According to one embodiment, a first communication processor (212), a second communication processor (214), a first RFIC (222), a second RFIC (224), a fourth RFIC (228), a first RFFE (232), and a second RFFE (234) may form at least a part of a wireless communication module (192). According to another embodiment, the fourth RFIC (228) may be omitted or included as part of a third RFIC (226).

[0056] The first communication processor (212) can establish a communication channel in a band to be used for wireless communication with the first network (292), and support legacy network communication through the established communication channel. According to one embodiment, the first network (292) may be a legacy network including a second generation (2G), 3G, 4G, or long term evolution (LTE) network. The second communication processor (214) can establish a communication channel corresponding to a designated band (e.g., about 6 GHz to about 60 GHz) among the bands to be used for wireless communication with the second network (294), and support 5G network communication through the established communication channel. According to one embodiment, the second network (294) may be a 5G network defined by 3GPP (e.g., NR (new radio)). Additionally, according to one embodiment, the first communication processor (212) or the second communication processor (214) may support the establishment of a communication channel corresponding to another designated band (e.g., about 6 GHz or less) among the bands to be used for wireless communication with the second network (294), and 5G network communication through the established communication channel. According to one embodiment, the first communication processor (212) and the second communication processor (214) may be implemented within a single chip or a single package. According to one embodiment, the first communication processor (212) or the second communication processor (214) may be formed within a single chip or a single package with the processor (120), the auxiliary processor (123), or the communication module (190).

[0057] According to one embodiment, the first communication processor (212) can transmit and receive data with the second communication processor (214). For example, data classified to be transmitted through the second network (294) may be changed to be transmitted through the first network (292).

[0058] In this case, the first communication processor (212) can receive transmission data from the second communication processor (214). For example, the first communication processor (212) can transmit and receive data with the second communication processor (214) through a processor interface. For example, the processor interface can be implemented as a UART (universal asynchronous receiver / transmitter) (e.g., HS-UART (high speed-UART)) or PCIe (peripheral component interconnect bus express) interface, but there is no limitation on the type. For example, the first communication processor (212) and the second communication processor (214) can exchange control information and packet data information using shared memory. For example, the first communication processor (212) can transmit and receive various information, such as sensing information, information on output strength, and RB (resource block) allocation information, with the second communication processor (214).

[0059] Depending on the implementation, the first communication processor (212) may not be directly connected to the second communication processor (214). In this case, the first communication processor (212) may transmit and receive data to and from the second communication processor (214) through a processor (120) (e.g., an application processor). For example, the first communication processor (212) and the second communication processor (214) may transmit and receive data to and from the processor (120) (e.g., an application processor) through an HS-UART interface or a PCIe interface, but there is no restriction on the type of interface. For example, the first communication processor (212) and the second communication processor (214) may exchange control information and packet data information with the processor (120) (e.g., an application processor) using shared memory. According to one embodiment, the first communication processor (212) and the second communication processor (214) may be implemented within a single chip or a single package. According to various embodiments, the first communication processor (212) or the second communication processor (214) may be formed within a single chip or a single package with the processor (120), the auxiliary processor (123), or the communication module (190).

[0060] The first RFIC (222) can convert a baseband signal generated by the first communication processor (212) during transmission into a radio frequency (RF) signal of about 700 MHz to about 3 GHz used in the first network (292) (e.g., legacy network). During reception, the RF signal is acquired from the first network (292) (e.g., legacy network) through an antenna (e.g., first antenna module (242)) and can be preprocessed through an RFFE (e.g., first RFFE (232)). The first RFIC (222) can convert the preprocessed RF signal into a baseband signal so that it can be processed by the first communication processor (212).

[0061] The second RFIC (224) can convert a baseband signal generated by the first communication processor (212) or the second communication processor (214) into an RF signal of the Sub6 band (e.g., about 6 GHz or less) used in the second network (294) (e.g., 5G network) (hereinafter, 5G Sub6 RF signal). When receiving, the 5G Sub6 RF signal is acquired from the second network (294) (e.g., 5G network) through an antenna (e.g., the second antenna module (244)) and can be preprocessed through an RFFE (e.g., the second RFFE (234)). The second RFIC (224) can convert the preprocessed 5G Sub6 RF signal into a baseband signal so that it can be processed by the corresponding communication processor among the first communication processor (212) or the second communication processor (214).

[0062] The third RFIC (226) can convert a baseband signal generated by the second communication processor (214) into an RF signal of the 5G Above6 band (e.g., approximately 6 GHz to approximately 60 GHz) to be used in the second network (294) (e.g., 5G network) (hereinafter, 5G Above6 RF signal). Upon reception, the 5G Above6 RF signal may be acquired from the second network (294) (e.g., 5G network) through an antenna (e.g., antenna (248)) and preprocessed through the third RFFE (236). The third RFIC (226) can convert the preprocessed 5G Above6 RF signal into a baseband signal so that it can be processed by the second communication processor (214). According to one embodiment, the third RFFE (236) may be formed as part of the third RFIC (226).

[0063] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may include a fourth RFIC (228) separately from or at least as part of the third RFIC (226). In this case, the fourth RFIC (228) may convert a baseband signal generated by the second communication processor (214) into an RF signal (hereinafter referred to as an IF signal) in an intermediate frequency band (e.g., about 9 GHz to about 11 GHz) and then transmit the IF signal to the third RFIC (226). The third RFIC (226) may convert the IF signal into a 5G Above6 RF signal. Upon reception, the 5G Above6 RF signal may be received from the second network (294) (e.g., a 5G network) through an antenna (e.g., antenna (248)) and converted into an IF signal by the third RFIC (226). The fourth RFIC (228) can convert the IF signal into a baseband signal so that the second communication processor (214) can process it.

[0064] According to one embodiment, the first RFIC (222) and the second RFIC (224) may be implemented as at least part of a single chip or a single package. According to one embodiment, the first RFFE (232) and the second RFFE (234) may be implemented as at least part of a single chip or a single package. According to one embodiment, at least one of the first antenna module (242) or the second antenna module (244) may be omitted or combined with another antenna module to process RF signals of a plurality of corresponding bands.

[0065] According to one embodiment, the third RFIC (226) and the antenna (248) may be placed on the same substrate to form a third antenna module (246). For example, a wireless communication module (192) or a processor (120) may be placed on a first substrate (e.g., a main PCB). In this case, the third RFIC (226) may be placed on a portion of a second substrate (e.g., a sub PCB) separate from the first substrate (e.g., a bottom surface), and the antenna (248) may be placed on another portion of a second substrate (e.g., a sub PCB) to form a third antenna module (246). By placing the third RFIC (226) and the antenna (248) on the same substrate, it is possible to reduce the length of the transmission line between them. This can reduce the loss (e.g., attenuation) of signals in the high-frequency band (e.g., about 6 GHz to about 60 GHz) used for 5G network communication by the transmission line. As a result, the electronic device (101) can improve the quality or speed of communication with the second network (294) (e.g., 5G network).

[0066] According to one embodiment, the antenna (248) may be formed as an antenna array comprising a plurality of antenna elements that can be used for beamforming. In this case, the third RFIC (226) may include a plurality of phase shifters (238) corresponding to the plurality of antenna elements, for example, as part of the third RFFE (236). During transmission, each of the plurality of phase shifters (238) can change the phase of a 5G Above6 RF signal to be transmitted to the outside of the electronic device (101) (e.g., a base station of a 5G network) through the corresponding antenna element. During reception, each of the plurality of phase shifters (238) can change the phase of a 5G Above6 RF signal received from the outside through the corresponding antenna element to the same or substantially the same phase. This enables transmission or reception through beamforming between the electronic device (101) and the outside.

[0067] The second network (294) (e.g., 5G network) may be operated independently of the first network (292) (e.g., legacy network) (e.g., stand-alone (SA)) or connected to it (e.g., non-stand-alone (NSA)). For example, the 5G network may only have an access network (e.g., 5G radio access network (RAN) or next generation RAN (NG RAN)) and no core network (e.g., next generation core (NGC)). In this case, the electronic device (101) can access the access network of the 5G network and then access an external network (e.g., the Internet) under the control of the core network of the legacy network (e.g., evolved packed core (EPC)). Protocol information for communication with a legacy network (e.g., LTE protocol information) or protocol information for communication with a 5G network (e.g., new radio (NR) protocol information) is stored in memory (130) and can be accessed by other parts (e.g., processor (120), first communication processor (212), or second communication processor (214)).

[0068] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the protocol stack structure of a network (100) of 4G communication and / or 5G communication according to various embodiments.

[0069] Referring to FIG. 3, according to various embodiments, the network (100) may include an electronic device (101), a 4G network (392), a 5G network (394), and a server (108).

[0070] According to various embodiments, the electronic device (101) may include an internet protocol (312), a first communication protocol stack (314), a second communication protocol stack (316), a third communication protocol (318), and a fourth communication protocol (319). For example, the electronic device (101) may communicate with a server (108) via a 4G network (392) and / or a 5G network (394).

[0071] According to one embodiment, an electronic device (101) can perform internet communication associated with a server (108) using an internet protocol (312) (e.g., TCP (transmission control protocol), UDP (user datagram protocol), IP (internet protocol)). For example, the internet protocol (312) can be executed on a main processor included in the electronic device (101) (e.g., the main processor (121) of FIG. 1).

[0072] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) can wirelessly communicate with a 4G network (392) using a first communication protocol stack (314) and / or a third communication protocol stack (318). According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) can wirelessly communicate with a 5G network (394) using a second communication protocol stack (316) and / or a fourth communication protocol stack (319). For example, the first communication protocol stack (314), the second communication protocol stack (316), the third communication protocol (318), and the fourth communication protocol (319) may be executed in one or more communication processors included in the electronic device (101) (e.g., the wireless communication module (192) of FIG. 1).

[0073] According to various embodiments, the electronic device (101) may include a plurality of subscriber identification modules (e.g., a first subscriber identification module and a second subscriber identification module). According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may communicate with a 4G network (392) and / or a 5G network (394) based on subscriber identification information (e.g., international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI)) stored in each of the plurality of subscriber identification modules (e.g., a first subscriber identification module and a second subscriber identification module).

[0074] According to various embodiments, the electronic device (101) may perform wireless communication for the first subscriber identification module using the first communication protocol stack (314) and / or the second communication protocol stack (316). According to one embodiment, the first communication protocol stack (314) may include various protocols for wireless communication with the 4G network (392). According to one embodiment, the second communication protocol stack (316) may include various protocols for wireless communication with the 5G network (394). According to one embodiment, when the electronic device (101) performs communication using the first subscriber identification module, it may perform wireless communication with the 4G network (392) and / or the 5G network (394) using the first communication protocol stack (314) and / or the second communication protocol stack (316).

[0075] According to various embodiments, the electronic device (101) may perform wireless communication for the second subscriber identification module using the third communication protocol stack (318) and / or the fourth communication protocol stack (319). According to one embodiment, the third communication protocol stack (318) may include various protocols for wireless communication with the 4G network (392). According to one embodiment, the fourth communication protocol stack (319) may include various protocols for wireless communication with the 5G network (394). According to one embodiment, when the electronic device (101) performs communication using the second subscriber identification module, it may perform wireless communication with the 4G network (392) and / or the 5G network (394) using the third communication protocol stack (318) and / or the fourth communication protocol stack (319).

[0076] According to various embodiments, the server (108) may include an Internet Protocol (322). The server (108) may transmit and / or receive data related to the Internet Protocol (322) with the electronic device (101) through a 4G network (392) and / or a 5G network (394). According to one embodiment, the server (108) may include a cloud computing server located outside the 4G network (392) or the 5G network (394). According to another embodiment, the server (108) may include an edge computing server (or a mobile edge computing (MEC) server) located inside at least one of the 4G network (392) or the 5G network (394).

[0077] According to various embodiments, the 4G network (392) may include an LTE (long term evolution) base station (340) and an EPC (evolved packed core) (342). The LTE base station (340) may include an LTE communication protocol stack (344). The EPC (342) may include a 4G NAS (non-access stratum) protocol (346). The 4G network (392) may perform LTE wireless communication with an electronic device (101) using the LTE communication protocol stack (344) and the 4G NAS protocol (346).

[0078] According to various embodiments, the 5G network (394) may include an NR (new radio) base station (350) and a 5GC (5th generation core) (352). The NR base station (350) may include an NR communication protocol stack (354). The 5GC (352) may include a 5G NAS protocol (356). The 5G network (394) may perform NR wireless communication with an electronic device (101) using the NR communication protocol stack (354) and the 5G NAS protocol (356).

[0079] According to one embodiment, the first communication protocol stack (314), the second communication protocol stack (316), the third communication protocol (318), the fourth communication protocol (319), the LTE communication protocol stack (344), and the NR communication protocol stack (354) may include a control plane protocol for transmitting and receiving control messages and a user plane protocol for transmitting and receiving user data. For example, the control message may include a message related to at least one of security control, bearer setup, authentication, registration, or mobility management. For example, the user data may include the remaining data excluding the control message.

[0080] According to one embodiment, the control plane protocol and the user plane protocol may include physical (PHY), medium access control (MAC), radio link control (RLC), or packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) layers. For example, the PHY layer may channel-code and modulate data received from an upper layer (e.g., a MAC layer) to transmit it over a radio channel, and demodulate and decode data received through the radio channel to transmit it to the upper layer. The PHY layer included in the second communication protocol stack (316) and the NR communication protocol stack (354) may further perform operations related to beam forming. For example, the MAC layer may logically / physically map data to a radio channel to be transmitted and received, and perform a hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) for error correction. For example, the RLC layer may concatenate, segment, or reassemble data, and perform data ordering, reordering, or duplicate checking. For example, the PDCP layer can perform operations related to ciphering and data integrity of control data and user data. The second communication protocol stack (316) and the NR communication protocol stack (354) may further include a service data adaptation protocol (SDAP). For example, the SDAP can manage wireless bearer allocation based on the quality of service (QoS) of user data.

[0081] According to various embodiments, the control plane protocol may include a radio resource control (RRC) layer and a non-access stratum (NAS) layer. For example, the RRC layer may process control data related to radio bearer setup, paging, or mobility management. For example, the NAS may process control messages related to authentication, registration, and mobility management.

[0082] FIGS. 4a and 4b are examples of wireless communication systems providing a network of 4G communication and / or 5G communication according to various embodiments.

[0083] According to various embodiments with reference to FIGS. 4a and 4b, a network environment (100A and / or 100B) may include at least one of a 4G network or a 5G network. For example, a 4G network may include an LTE base station (440) of 3GPP standard (e.g., eNB(eNodeB)) that supports wireless access with an electronic device (101) and an evolved packet core (EPC) (442) that manages 4G communication. For example, a 5G network may include a new radio (NR) base station (450) (e.g., gNB(gNodeB)) that supports wireless access with an electronic device (101) and a 5th generation core (5GC) (452) that manages 5G communication of the electronic device (101).

[0084] According to various embodiments, the electronic device (101) may transmit and / or receive control messages and user data via 4G communication and / or 5G communication. For example, the control message may include a message related to at least one of security control, bearer setup, authentication, registration, or mobility management of the electronic device (101). For example, user data may refer to user data excluding control messages transmitted and / or received between the electronic device (101) and a core network (e.g., EPC (442) and / or 5GC (452)).

[0085] According to various embodiments with reference to FIG. 4a, an electronic device (101) can transmit and / or receive at least one of control messages or user data related to a second network (e.g., a 5G network or a 4G network) using at least a part of a first network (e.g., a 4G network or a 5G network) (e.g., an LTE base station (440), an EPC (442)).

[0086] According to various embodiments, the network environment (100A) may include a network environment that provides a multi-RAT (radio access technology) dual connectivity to an LTE base station (440) and an NR base station (450), and transmits and / or receives control messages to an electronic device (101) through a core network (430) of either an EPC (442) or a 5GC (452).

[0087] According to various embodiments, in an MR-DC environment, one of the base stations, either an LTE base station (440) or an NR base station (450), may operate as a first node (e.g., a cell of an MCG (master cell group) or a MN (master node)) (410) and the other may operate as a second node (e.g., a secondary cell group (SCG) or a secondary node (SN)) (420). According to one embodiment, the first node (410) may be connected to a core network (430) to transmit and / or receive control messages. According to one embodiment, the first node (410) and the second node (420) may be connected via a network interface to transmit and / or receive messages related to the management of wireless resources (e.g., communication channels).

[0088] According to one embodiment, the first node (410) may be composed of an LTE base station (450), the second node (420) of an NR base station (450), and the core network (430) of an EPC (442) (e.g., EN-DC (E-UTRA-NR dual connectivity). For example, the electronic device (101) may transmit and / or receive control messages through the LTE base station (440) and transmit and / or receive user data through the LTE base station (440) and / or the NR base station (450).

[0089] According to one embodiment, the first node (410) may be composed of an NR base station (450), the second node (420) of an LTE base station (440), and the core network (430) of a 5GC (452) (e.g., NE-DC (NR - E-UTRA dual connectivity)). For example, an electronic device (101) may transmit and / or receive control messages through the NR base station (450) and transmit and / or receive user data through the LTE base station (440) and / or the NR base station (450).

[0090] According to various embodiments with reference to FIG. 4b, a 4G network and a 5G network (100b) may each independently provide transmission and / or reception of data. For example, an electronic device (101) and an EPC (442) may transmit and / or receive control messages and / or user data through an LTE base station (440). For example, an electronic device (101) and a 5GC (452) may transmit and / or receive control messages and / or user data through an NR base station (450).

[0091] According to various embodiments, the electronic device (101) may be registered with at least one of the EPC (442) or 5GC (452) to transmit and / or receive control messages.

[0092] According to various embodiments, the EPC (442) or 5GC (452) may interwork to manage the communication of the electronic device (101). For example, movement information of the electronic device (101) may be transmitted and / or received through an interface (e.g., N26 interface) between the EPC (442) and 5GC (452).

[0093] In the following description, an electronic device (101) having a plurality of subscriber identification modules can support EN-DC (E-UTRA-NR dual connectivity) through each of the subscriber identification modules. For example, EN-DC may include a state in which the electronic device (101) is connected (e.g., dual connection) to a first node of a 4G network (e.g., a first cellular network) (e.g., the first node (410) in FIG. 4a or the LTE base station (440) in FIG. 4b) and a second node of a 5G network (e.g., a second cellular network) (e.g., the second node (420) in FIG. 4a or the NR base station (450) in FIG. 4b). For example, the first node is a network element that transmits and receives control messages and / or data with the electronic device (101) during dual connection of the electronic device (101) based on the first subscriber identification information included in the first subscriber identification module, and may represent a cell of the master cell group (MCG) or a master node (MN). For example, the second node is a network element that transmits and receives data with the electronic device (101) during dual connection of the electronic device (101) based on the first subscriber identification information included in the first subscriber identification module, and may represent a cell of the secondary cell group (SCG) or a secondary node (SN). For example, the EN-DC may include an NR network with a non-stand-alone (NSA) structure.

[0094] According to various embodiments, the electronic device (101) may be applied (or operated) in the same way as when supporting EN-DC even when supporting other dual connections such as NE-DC (NR-E-UTRA dual connectivity) or NR-DC (NR-NR dual connectivity) through each subscriber identification module. For example, NE-DC may include a state in which the electronic device (101) is connected (e.g., dual connection) to a first node (e.g., a cell or MN of an MCG) of a 5G network (e.g., a first cellular network) and a second node (e.g., a cell or SN of an SCG) of a 4G network (e.g., a second cellular network). For example, the NR-DC may include a state in which an electronic device (101) is connected (e.g., dual connection) to a first node (e.g., a cell or MN of an MCG) supporting a 5G network (e.g., about 6 GHz or lower) of a first method (e.g., about 6 GHz or lower) and a second node (e.g., a cell or SN of an SCG) supporting a 5G network (e.g., a second cellular network) of a second method (e.g., about 6 GHz or higher).

[0095] Figure 5 illustrates the operation and time required for an electronic device in a loss coverage situation.

[0096] According to one embodiment, an electronic device (101) can identify an event related to loss coverage due to a radio link failure or signal loss. Based on the identification of the loss coverage event, the electronic device (101) can perform a network search process including a stored phase and a full phase.

[0097] In FIG. 5, the electronic device (101) can perform a rapid search for the most recently used frequency for about 1 second during the stored phase. During this process, the electronic device (101) may attempt network recovery by prioritizing the search for frequencies that were previously successfully connected. The time mentioned is merely an example and may vary depending on the situation.

[0098] In FIG. 5, the electronic device (101) may take more than 60 seconds in the full phase of the search. The mentioned time (e.g., 60 seconds) is merely an example and may vary depending on the situation. The electronic device (101) can sequentially search the entire frequency band for all supported radio access technologies (RAT), such as Long Term Evolution (LTE), 3rd Generation Mobile Communication (3G), 2nd Generation Mobile Communication (2G), and New Generation Mobile Communication (NR), for a registered public land mobile network (RPLMN).

[0099] In FIG. 5, the electronic device (101) may take about 26 seconds for LTE search, about 18 seconds for 3G search, about 4 seconds for 2G search, and about 14 seconds for NR search. Thus, a total of 62 seconds may be required for the entire search process. The times mentioned are merely examples and may vary depending on the situation. This method has a problem in that network recovery takes a significant amount of time, particularly in recent mobile terminals that support multiple radio access technologies (RATs) from 2G to 5G due to the introduction of 5th generation mobile communication (5G). Additionally, the long search process may cause increased battery consumption of the electronic device (101).

[0100] The electronic device (101) described in this document can solve the problem of a long search process. The electronic device (101) can efficiently adjust the radio access technology (RAT) and frequency range to be searched through machine learning-based network prediction. The process of the electronic device (101) adjusting the radio access technology (RAT) and frequency range will be described below.

[0101] FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating the machine learning-based search range optimization operation of an electronic device according to one embodiment.

[0102] In operation 610, the electronic device (101) can detect specified events such as radio link failure (RLF), cell lost, RACH failure, and IMS service registration failure. Based on the detection of a specified event, the electronic device (101) can obtain the most recently registered cell information at the time of detection. The cell information may include a mobile country code (MCC), a mobile network code (MNC), and a cell ID.

[0103] In operation 620, the electronic device (101) can perform inference using a machine learning algorithm based on acquired base station information. For example, the electronic device (101) can use the K-Nearest Neighbor (KNN) algorithm. The electronic device (101) can use a specific formula (e.g., haversine formula) for location-based distance calculation.

[0104] In operation 625, the electronic device (101) can check for information necessary for the inference process from the cell database (cell DB). The cell database may include information such as latitude, longitude, supported radio access technology (RAT), and frequency band for each base station.

[0105] In operation 630, the electronic device (101) can perform scan optimization based on the inferred results. In this process, the electronic device (101) can verify the validity of the predicted RAT and frequency bands and optimize the search range based on the verified results. For example, if it is predicted that surrounding base stations support only specific bands (e.g., LTE Band 5, 8, 12), the electronic device (101) can selectively perform a search only for specific bands (e.g., LTE Band 5, 8, 12). Through selective searching, the electronic device (101) can shorten the mobile network reconnection time and effectively reduce power consumption by reducing unnecessary frequency band searches.

[0106] FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating the operation method of an electronic device according to one embodiment.

[0107] The operations described through FIG. 7 may be implemented based on instructions that can be stored in a computer recording medium or memory (e.g., memory (130) of FIG. 1). The illustrated method (700) may be executed by an electronic device (e.g., electronic device (101) of FIG. 1) described above through FIG. 1 to 6, and the technical features described above will be omitted below. The order of each operation in FIG. 7 may be changed, some operations may be omitted, and some operations may be performed simultaneously.

[0108] In operation 710, the electronic device (101) may obtain registration information including PLMN and cell identifier (cell ID) under the control of a processor (e.g., processor (120) of FIG. 1). The registration information may include information about the PLMN and cell that were last registered (RPLMN). The electronic device (101) may detect the occurrence of an event that causes a network search operation to be performed, and in response to the occurrence of said event, may check for information about the cell identifier (cell ID) of the base station most recently connected to the electronic device.

[0109] According to one embodiment, an electronic device (101) may determine that network search is required when an event occurs, including a radio link failure (RLF), cell lost, RACH failure, or IMS service registration failure. Based on the occurrence of the event, the electronic device (101) may check registration information including a previously registered PLMN (registered PLMN, RPLMN) and a cell ID. For example, if the RPLMN is '311-480' and the cell ID is '1371732', the electronic device (101) may check whether there is an element matching that information in a base station characteristic table based on this information.

[0110] In operation 720, the electronic device (101) can perform a machine learning algorithm to predict information about available radio access technology (RAT) and frequencies at the current location. The electronic device (101) can perform a machine learning algorithm based on location information included in a table to determine information about base stations that can be connected at the current location. Information about base stations may include information about radio access technology (RAT) and frequencies.

[0111] According to one embodiment, an electronic device (101) can predict available base station information at a current location by utilizing a K-Nearest Neighbor (KNN) algorithm. In this process, the electronic device (101) can calculate distances based on latitude and longitude using a specific formula (e.g., the haversine formula). For example, the electronic device (101) can collect information on base stations within a 5 km radius centered on the current location of the electronic device (101). The collected base station information may include information related to RATs (e.g., LTE Bands 5, 8, 12 and NR Bands 71, 77) and frequency information.

[0112] In operation 730, the electronic device (101) can determine the frequency band to perform network search by comparing information about the base station and information about the RAT and frequency supported by the electronic device.

[0113] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) can derive all expected available bands by performing an operation (e.g., an OR operation) on the RAT and frequency information of surrounding base stations. For example, if base station A supports {LTE-B5, B8} and base station B supports {LTE-B8, B12}, the electronic device (101) can derive the result {LTE-B5, B8, B12} by performing an OR operation. The electronic device (101) can verify the validity of the derived result by comparing it with the RAT and frequency bands that can be supported by the electronic device (101).

[0114] For example, if the electronic device (101) supports only LTE, it can exclude NR-related information and determine only the LTE band as the search range. Through this selection process, the electronic device (101) can reduce unnecessary band searches and minimize PLMN search time and power consumption.

[0115] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) identifies the occurrence of an event that causes a network search operation to be performed, and in response to the occurrence of said event, identifies information regarding the cell ID of the base station most recently connected to the electronic device, and can obtain information about said base station based on the information regarding said cell ID from a database containing information about a plurality of base stations. According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) can predict at least one base station available at the current location of the electronic device by performing a machine learning algorithm that calculates the probability of existence of a RAT and frequency band of a PLMN based on the obtained base station information, and can compare the RAT and frequency band information of the at least one available base station with the RAT and frequency information available to the electronic device. According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) can determine at least one frequency band within at least one RAT to perform a search based on the comparison result, and can perform a network search based on at least one frequency band of the determined at least one RAT.

[0116] FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating the operation method of an electronic device according to one embodiment.

[0117] In operation 802, the electronic device (101) can check whether it is registered on the network. Being registered on the network means that the electronic device (101) is successfully registered with a specific PLMN and can receive services.

[0118] In operation 804, the electronic device (101) can detect specified events such as radio link failure (RLF), cell lost, RACH failure, and IMS service registration failure. These events can serve as indicators of a service disconnection situation.

[0119] In operation 806, the electronic device (101) can perform a mobile network search (or search) for a previously registered PLMN (RPLMN). In this process, the electronic device (101) can perform a stored scan for the most recently used (MRU) frequency for each RAT.

[0120] In operation 810, the electronic device (101) can determine whether the search was successful. Based on the success of the search, the electronic device (101) can perform a communication connection using the discovered mobile communication network in operation 814.

[0121] In operation 812, the electronic device (101) can perform inference using environmental information based on the failure of the search. During the inference process, the electronic device (101) can predict base station information around the current location by utilizing the K-Nearest Neighbor (KNN) algorithm.

[0122] In operation 820, the electronic device (101) can check whether the inference was successful. Based on the success of the inference, the electronic device (101) can adjust the RAT and frequency based on the predicted information in operation 822. For example, if the electronic device (101) predicts that surrounding base stations support a specific band (e.g., LTE Band 5, 8, 12), it can selectively perform a search only for the specific band (e.g., LTE Band 5, 8, 12) in operation 824.

[0123] In operation 826, the electronic device (101) may perform a full scan of all RATs (e.g., 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G) and frequency bands supported by the electronic device (101) based on the failure of inference. An operation to scan the entire frequency band may take significantly longer than an operation to scan a selected area.

[0124] In operation 830, the electronic device (101) can determine whether the search result is successful. If it is not successful, in operation 834, a new mobile network selection can be performed. For example, the electronic device (101) can select a new PLMN according to the PLMN Selection priority defined in 3GPP 23.122 (e.g., HPLMN / EHPLMN > User PLMN > Operator PLMN > Other).

[0125] In operation 832, the electronic device (101) may attempt to connect to a selected network based on the success of the search. The electronic device (101) may perform procedures for location registration or tracking area update.

[0126] FIG. 9 illustrates a method of response when an electronic device according to one embodiment is rejected from registration by a network.

[0127] The electronic device (101) may perform the operations described in FIG. 9 when it receives a message of rejection from the network. Or the electronic device (101) may perform the operations described in FIG. 9 when the IP multimedia subsystem (IMS) voice service is unavailable.

[0128] In operation 902, the electronic device (101) may transmit a registration request to the first network (198). The electronic device (101) may perform the initial procedure necessary to receive service from a specific network through the registration request. The message for the registration request may include a mobile communication network (PLMN) identifier and identification information of the electronic device (101).

[0129] In operation 904, the electronic device (101) may receive a response to a registration request from the first network (198). The response message may include a registration rejection. The response message may include a specific rejection cause, for example, 'no suitable cell in tracking area, reject cause #15'. Based on receiving the response to the registration request, the electronic device (101) may attempt other radio access technologies (RATs) in the network.

[0130] In operation 910, the electronic device (101) can analyze the reason for the registration rejection. For example, the electronic device (101) may decide to retry the connection after a certain period of time based on the identification of a rejection cause value (#22) indicating temporary network congestion. Or the electronic device (101) may search for (or search for) another PLMN based on the identification of a value (#11, PLMN not allowed) indicating a permanent connection restriction.

[0131] In operation 912, the electronic device (101) can check information about the network that attempted to establish a communication connection. The information about the network may include information about a mobile network identifier (e.g., MCC+MNC='311-480'), a wireless access technology (e.g., LTE), and a frequency band (e.g., Band 5). Additionally, the information about the network may also include specific cell information, such as a cell ID (e.g., 1371732).

[0132] In operation 914, the electronic device (101) can perform machine learning-based predictions using a machine learning algorithm (e.g., K-Nearest Neighbor (KNN) algorithm). The electronic device (101) can select base stations within a 5km radius of the current location using a specific formula (e.g., Haversine formula) and perform an OR operation using the RAT and frequency information (e.g., {LTE-B5, B8, B12}) of the base stations.

[0133] In operation 916, the electronic device (101) can perform an optimized range search based on the prediction results. For example, instead of searching the entire RAT (2G / 3G / 4G / 5G) and all frequency bands, the electronic device (101) can selectively perform a search only for the predicted LTE Bands 5, 8, and 12. The mentioned RAT and frequency bands are merely examples and are not limited thereto and may vary depending on the configuration.

[0134] In operation 918, the electronic device (101) can select a mobile network based on priority according to a specific standard (e.g., 3GPP 23.122 standard) (e.g., HPLMN / EHPLMN > User PLMN > Operator PLMN > Other).

[0135] In operation 920, the electronic device (101) can perform a registration procedure for a selected network. The registration procedure for a selected network may include, for example, a location registration, a tracking area update, and an IMS service registration (SIP:REGISTER). The electronic device (101) can reduce the time required for a full RAT search through the optimized search method described in FIG. 9. The electronic device (101) can also effectively reduce power consumption by reducing unnecessary frequency band searches.

[0136] FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a method for performing RAT and band search of an electronic device according to one embodiment.

[0137] In operation 1010, the electronic device (101) can determine that the currently registered network is not a home network. The electronic device (101) can determine that the currently registered mobile network (PLMN) is not a home mobile network (Home PLMN, HPLMN) or an equivalent home mobile network (EHPLMN) stored in the subscriber identity module (SIM).

[0138] In operation 1020, the electronic device (101) can perform machine learning-based predictions and adjust the search (or search) cycle of radio access technology (RAT) and frequency bands. The electronic device (101) can predict the availability of high priority mobile networks (High Priority PLMN) at the current location by referring to a cell database. For example, if it is predicted that high priority mobile networks at the current location use only Long Term Evolution (LTE) technology, the search for other radio access technologies can be excluded.

[0139] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may also adjust the search cycle based on the prediction results. For example, if it is predicted that a high-priority mobile network will not be available at the current location, the basic search cycle of 6 minutes may be extended to 12 minutes. This reduces power consumption caused by unnecessary network searches. The search cycle is merely an example and may vary depending on the settings.

[0140] In operation 1030, the electronic device (101) can perform a search based on an adjusted range. By performing a selective search only for wireless access technologies and frequency bands corresponding to the adjusted range, the electronic device (101) can reduce search time and optimize power consumption. In this way, the electronic device (101) can efficiently perform a search for high-priority mobile communication networks in a roaming situation and provide better network services to the user. Additionally, the electronic device (101) can extend the battery life of the electronic device (101) by reducing unnecessary network searches.

[0141] FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating the process of an electronic device according to one embodiment changing the communication connection status from a ground network to a satellite network.

[0142] In operation 1110, the electronic device (101) can first start in terrestrial mode and perform an operation for registration with a terrestrial network. The electronic device (101) can register with a mobile communication network (PLMN) and receive normal communication services.

[0143] In operation 1120, the electronic device (101) can detect specified events including radio link failure (RLF), cell lost, RACH failure, and IMS service registration failure. The electronic device (101) can detect events related to loss coverage. Events related to loss coverage may occur due to various causes, such as radio link failure, random access channel failure, or cell signal loss.

[0144] In operation 1130, the electronic device (101) can perform machine learning-based predictions and adjust the search cycle of the radio access technology (RAT) and frequency band. The electronic device (101) can predict the availability of a terrestrial network at the current location by referring to a cell database. In particular, the electronic device (101) can predict that in the case of an area where a satellite network is serviced, there will be few or no available terrestrial cells in the vicinity.

[0145] In operation 1140, the electronic device (101) can perform a search for the adjusted range. The electronic device (101) can perform a selective search for the RAT and frequency band. The electronic device (101) can check the possibility of access to the ground network through the selective search.

[0146] In operation 1150, the electronic device (101) can switch to satellite mode after confirming that there is no connectable ground network as a result of the search. The electronic device (101) can attempt to communicate with the satellite network by switching to a wireless access technology and frequency band for non-ground networks. The electronic device (101) can quickly switch to the satellite network in situations where ground network services are unavailable. By switching to the satellite network or non-ground network, the electronic device (101) can provide continuous communication services even in environments where the coverage of the ground network is limited. Additionally, the electronic device (101) can effectively reduce time delays and power consumption during the mode switching process by minimizing unnecessary network searches through machine learning-based predictions.

[0147] According to one embodiment, an electronic device (101) can detect the occurrence of an event related to PLMN (public land mobile network) search and, in response to the occurrence of the event, obtain registration information including previously registered PLMN and cell identifiers (cell id). The electronic device (101) can check whether the registration information exists in a table containing characteristic information of base stations. The electronic device (101) can perform a machine learning algorithm based on location information included in the table to identify nearby base stations available at the current location, verify the validity by comparing the RAT (radio access technology) and frequency information of the identified nearby base stations with the RAT and frequency supported by the electronic device, determine the PLMN search range based on the verified RAT and frequency information, and control the performance of PLMN search based on the determined search range.

[0148] According to one embodiment, a table containing characteristic information of base stations may include a form such as the following [Table 1].

[0149] CELL_IDLONGITUDELATITUDEACTFREQPLMN1371732-97.82797730.291593LTEB4311480115868428-80.5266573 2.406998SAN713114801286428-70.52665727.807518SAN713114801199999-72.71223331.220098LTEB2311480

[0150] According to one embodiment, an electronic device (101) may possess information including radio access technology (RAT) and frequency (FREQ) information for each cell, which is classified as a public land mobile network (PLMN). Here, the PLMN may be composed of a combination of mobile country code (MCC) and mobile network code (MNC) and may be used to identify the network of a mobile communication operator. RAT refers to a radio access technology such as LTE or stand-alone (SA) 5G, and FREQ may represent a frequency band such as B4 or N71. According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may manage information of each cell in the form of a database stored in memory. The database may be implemented as a table structure including fields for CELL_ID, longitude, latitude, ACT, FREQ, and PLMN, and each field may be configured to be indexed to enable fast searching.

[0151] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may determine that a scan operation is required when a network registration problem occurs, such as RLF (radio link failure), CELL LOST (cell signal loss), RACH (random access channel) Failure (random access channel failure), or IMS (IP multimedia subsystem) service registration failure. RLF may mean a disconnection due to degraded wireless signal quality. CELL LOST may mean a complete loss of the base station signal. RACH Failure may mean an initial network connection failure. IMS service registration failure may mean a voice call or messaging service registration failure.

[0152] According to one embodiment, when a network registration problem occurs, the electronic device (101) can identify the type of problem and generate and store a log for the problem. The electronic device (101) can use the log information to analyze and improve network quality.

[0153] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) can determine the priority of the scan operation when it is determined that a scan operation needs to be performed, and may be configured to perform the scan operation with the highest priority in the case of RLF, for example, and with a relatively low priority in the case of IMS service registration failure.

[0154] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) can acquire the last registered (RPLMN) PLMN and CELL information based on the need to perform a scan operation, and can select a table to use through the acquired PLMN information. For example, if the PLMN is 311480, the electronic device (101) can select a table of the PLMN and calculate RAT or FREQ information to be performed by the terminal at the current location through an ML algorithm that specifically utilizes the K Nearest Neighbor (KNN algorithm) based on the location of the current CELL in the selected table. The electronic device (101) can calculate and obtain LTE B2, which is RAT and FREQ information of the nearest CELLs at a given location, for example, when the current location is longitude -72.712233 and latitude 31.220098. According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) can use a k-nearest neighbor (KNN) algorithm to calculate the distance between the location of the last registered (RPLMN) PLMN and CELL and the location of each base station included in the table, identify base stations where the calculated distance is within a preset threshold distance, and perform a logical OR operation on the RAT and frequency information of the identified base stations to derive the RAT and frequency information predicted to be available at the current location.

[0155] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) can be controlled to convert the difference in latitude and longitude between two points into radians using the haversine formula, calculate the distance using the converted difference in latitude and longitude and the radius of the Earth, and determine whether the calculated distance is within a specified distance to verify the validity of the prediction result.

[0156] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) can verify validity by comparing predicted RAT information and the wireless access technology supported by the electronic device (101), verify validity by comparing predicted frequency information and the frequency band supported by the electronic device (101), and control to exclude invalid RATs and frequencies from the network search range based on the result of the validity verification.

[0157] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) can be controlled to identify a PLMN identifier including a mobile country code (MCC) and a mobile network code (MNC) from a table, identify cell identifiers corresponding to the PLMN identifier, and obtain RAT information, frequency band information, carrier frequency information, latitude and longitude information corresponding to each of the cell identifiers.

[0158] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) can perform a network search according to a determined frequency range to check for the existence of available networks, and if it is confirmed that no available networks exist, add a registered PLMN to a blacklist, predict the RAT and frequency for other PLMNs excluding the registered PLMN by referring to a table, and control the determination of a new network search range based on the predicted result.

[0159] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) can detect a radio link failure (RLF), detect a cell signal loss, check for a random access channel failure, or check for a failure to register for an IP multimedia subsystem (IMS) service to determine the occurrence of an event, and control the device to perform a procedure to obtain registration information according to the cause of the event.

[0160] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) can analyze a reason for rejection received from a network or analyze a SIP response code received from an IMS server, determine whether a transition to another RAT is necessary based on the analysis result, and if a transition to another RAT is necessary, predict available RATs and frequencies at the current location using registration information, and control the search priority for a specific RAT based on the prediction result.

[0161] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) checks the Operator PLMN list and User PLMN list stored on the SIM card, and if it is confirmed that the priority of the currently registered PLMN is not the highest of the lists, it identifies PLMNs having a higher priority than the currently registered PLMN, predicts the availability at the current location for each of the identified PLMNs, and controls the High Priority PLMN search timer to adjust the period and limit the range of the search target RAT and frequency according to the prediction result.

[0162] According to one embodiment, when a service interruption occurs while the electronic device (101) is operating in a terrestrial network mode, it can predict RAT and frequency information at the current location, check the number of available cells around the current location from the predicted result, and if the number of confirmed cells is smaller than a preset threshold, determine that the current location is a satellite network service area and control the operation mode of the electronic device (101) to switch to a satellite network mode.

[0163] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) can determine the number of RATs and frequencies to be scanned based on the determination of the network search range, calculate the estimated time required for the network search based on the number of RATs and frequencies identified, maintain the current search range if the calculated estimated time is less than a preset time threshold, and control the search range to prioritize the inclusion of items among the predicted RATs and frequencies whose signal strength is greater than or equal to the threshold if the calculated estimated time is greater than the time threshold.

[0164] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) can periodically update the information in the table, add cell information, RAT information, and frequency information of the current location to the table based on successful registration in the PLMN, and control the removal of RAT and frequency information that failed to be searched at the location from the table or lowering the priority based on failure in network search.

[0165] According to one embodiment, an electronic device (101) can periodically update information in a table through communication with a server (e.g., server (108) of FIG. 1). The server (e.g., server (108) of FIG. 1) can configure and manage the table based on network information collected from multiple electronic devices and base station location information provided by a mobile communication operator.

[0166] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may download updated table information at set intervals or in response to a push notification from the server. The electronic device (101) may update the table information using the server (108) whenever a change in network infrastructure occurs, such as a change in the location of a base station, the installation of a new base station, or the removal of an existing base station. The electronic device (101) may check the version of the table information received from the server (108) to update the existing table or replace it with a new table.

[0167] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (101) may adjust the timing of the update by considering the network status or battery status when updating the table. For example, the electronic device (101) may be configured to perform the update only when connected to Wi-Fi or to perform the update only when the remaining battery level is above a certain level.

[0168] According to one embodiment, if a difference occurs between the table information received from the server (108) and the actual network connection experience, the electronic device (101) may transmit this information as feedback to the server. The server (108) may collect this feedback information and use it to improve the accuracy of the table. The electronic device (101) may generate feedback including information such as the results of network connection attempts, signal strength, and data throughput, and transmit it to the server. The electronic device (101) may use the generated feedback to control the server to optimize the table.

Claims

1. In an electronic device, Memory that stores instructions and includes one or more storage media; It includes at least one processor comprising processing circuitry, and When the above instructions are executed individually or collectively by the at least one processor, the electronic device Identify the occurrence of an event that causes a network search operation to be performed, and in response to the occurrence of said event, identify information regarding the cell ID of the base station most recently connected to said electronic device, Information about the base station is obtained from a database containing information about multiple base stations based on information about the cell identifier, and By performing a machine learning algorithm that calculates the probability of existence of the RAT and frequency band of the PLMN based on the above-mentioned acquired base station information, at least one base station available at the current location of the electronic device is predicted, and Compare the RAT and frequency band information of at least one available base station with the RAT and frequency information available in the electronic device, and Determine at least one frequency band within at least one RAT to perform a search based on the comparison result, and An electronic device that controls the performance of a network search based on at least one frequency band of at least one RAT determined above.

2. In Paragraph 1, When the above instructions are executed individually or collectively by the at least one processor, the electronic device Using the k-nearest neighbor (KNN) algorithm, calculate the distance between the location of the last registered (RPLMN) PLMN and cell and the location of each base station included in the database, and Identify base stations whose above-mentioned calculated distance is within a preset threshold distance, and An electronic device that controls the derivation of RAT and frequency information predicted to be available at the current location by performing a logical OR operation on the RAT and frequency information of the identified base stations.

3. In Paragraph 2, When the above instructions are executed individually or collectively by the at least one processor, the electronic device When the above instructions are executed individually or collectively by the at least one processor, the electronic device, Convert the difference in latitude and longitude between two points into radians using the haversine formula, and calculate the distance between the two points using the converted difference in latitude and longitude and the radius of the Earth, or Or calculate the Euclidean distance between points, An electronic device that controls the validity of a prediction result by determining whether the calculated distance is within a specified distance.

4. In Paragraph 1, When the above instructions are executed individually or collectively by the at least one processor, the electronic device Verify validity by comparing predicted RAT information with the wireless access technology supported by the electronic device, and Verify validity by comparing the predicted frequency information with the supported frequency band of the electronic device, and An electronic device that controls the exclusion of invalid RATs and frequencies from the network search range based on the results of validation.

5. In Paragraph 1, When the above instructions are executed individually or collectively by the at least one processor, the electronic device Identify a PLMN identifier including the mobile country code (MCC) and mobile network code (MNC) from the above database, and Identify cell identifiers corresponding to the above PLMN identifier, and An electronic device that controls the acquisition of RAT information, frequency band information, carrier frequency information, latitude and longitude information corresponding to each of the above cell identifiers.

6. In Paragraph 1, When the above instructions are executed individually or collectively by the at least one processor, the electronic device Perform a network search according to at least one frequency band determined above to check for the existence of an available network, and If it is confirmed that no available network exists, add the registered PLMN to the blacklist, and By referring to the above database, predict the RAT and frequency for other PLMNs excluding the registered PLMN, and An electronic device that controls determining a new network search range based on the above predicted results.

7. In Paragraph 1, When the above instructions are executed individually or collectively by the at least one processor, the electronic device Determining the occurrence of the above event by detecting a radio link failure (RLF), detecting cell signal loss, checking for a random access channel failure, or checking for a failure to register for an IP multimedia subsystem (IMS) service, and An electronic device that controls the execution of a procedure to obtain information about the PLMN and cell that were last registered (RPLMN) according to the cause of the above event.

8. In Paragraph 1, When the above instructions are executed individually or collectively by the at least one processor, the electronic device Analyze the reason for rejection received from the network or analyze the SIP response code received from the IMS server, and Based on the above analysis results, determine whether a transition to a different RAT is necessary, and If a transition to a different RAT is required, use information on the last registered (RPLMN) PLMN and cell to predict the available RAT and frequency at the current location, and An electronic device that controls the adjustment of search priority for a specific RAT based on the above prediction results.

9. In Paragraph 1, When the above instructions are executed individually or collectively by the at least one processor, the electronic device Check the Operator PLMN list and User PLMN list stored on the SIM card, If it is confirmed that the priority of the currently registered PLMN is not the highest of the above lists, identify PLMNs having a higher priority than the currently registered PLMN, and For each of the above-mentioned identified PLMNs, predict availability at the current location, and An electronic device that controls the adjustment of the period of a High Priority PLMN search timer and limits the range of the search target RAT and frequency according to the above prediction results.

10. In Paragraph 1, When the above instructions are executed individually or collectively by the at least one processor, the electronic device If a service interruption occurs while operating in terrestrial network mode, predict RAT and frequency information at the current location, and From the above predicted result, check the number of available cells around the current location, and If the number of the above-mentioned confirmed cells is smaller than a preset threshold, the current location is determined to be within the satellite network service area, and An electronic device that controls the operation mode of the above electronic device to switch to a satellite network mode.

11. In Paragraph 1, When the above instructions are executed individually or collectively by the at least one processor, the electronic device Determine the number of RATs and frequencies to scan based on the determination of the network search range, Calculate the estimated time required for network search based on the number of RATs and frequencies identified above, and If the above calculated estimated time is smaller than the preset time threshold, the current search range is maintained, and An electronic device that controls the search range to be readjusted so as to preferentially include items among the predicted RAT and frequency whose signal strength is greater than or equal to the threshold when the calculated estimated time is greater than the time threshold.

12. In Paragraph 1, When the above instructions are executed individually or collectively by the at least one processor, the electronic device Periodically update the information in a database containing information on multiple base stations, and Based on successful registration in PLMN, cell information, RAT information, and frequency information of the current location are added to the above database, and An electronic device that controls the removal of RAT and frequency information that failed to be searched at a given location from the database or lowers its priority based on the failure of the network search.

13. A computer-readable non-transient storage medium storing one or more programs comprising instructions executable by a processor of an electronic device, Identify the occurrence of an event that causes a network search operation to be performed, and in response to the occurrence of said event, identify information regarding the cell ID of the base station most recently connected to said electronic device, Information about the base station is obtained from a database containing information about multiple base stations based on information about the cell identifier, and By performing a machine learning algorithm that calculates the probability of existence of the RAT and frequency band of the PLMN based on the above-mentioned acquired base station information, at least one base station available at the current location of the electronic device is predicted, and Compare the RAT and frequency band information of at least one available base station with the RAT and frequency information available in the electronic device, and Determine at least one frequency band within at least one RAT to perform a search based on the comparison result, and A computer-readable non-transient storage medium that controls network search based on at least one frequency band of at least one RAT determined above.

14. In Paragraph 13, Using the k-nearest neighbor (KNN) algorithm, calculate the distance between the location of the last registered (RPLMN) PLMN and cell and the location of each base station included in the database, and Identify base stations whose above-mentioned calculated distance is within a preset threshold distance, and A computer-readable non-transient storage medium that controls the derivation of RAT and frequency information predicted to be available at the current location by performing a logical OR operation on the RAT and frequency information of the identified base stations.

15. In Paragraph 14, Using the haversine formula, convert the difference in latitude and longitude between two points into radians, and Calculate the distance using the above-described converted latitude and longitude difference and the Earth's radius, or calculate the Euclidean distance, and A computer-readable non-transient storage medium that controls the validation of a prediction result by determining whether the above-mentioned calculated distance is within a specified distance.

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