89 results about "Preferred Roaming List" patented technology

A mobile device for roaming between wireless communications networks in different geographical regions is provided. The mobile device includes an interface configured to transmit and receive signals over a wireless channel according to a communication mode using one of a plurality of access technologies. The device also includes a store holding a preferred roaming list having a common block holding data common to the plurality of access technologies, and a set of access technology-specific blocks each holding channel acquisition data specific to one of the plurality of access technologies for setting up the communication mode.

The System Select feature provides user selectable modes of operation in a mobile communication station, which allow certain fall-back options when a preferred system may not be available, but still steers the bulk of the system selection operations to preferred systems. In a first user selected mode, the mobile station scans for a broadcast system identifier or "SID" that matches an identifier of a preferred system stored in memory of the station. The second mode allows the user at least one option, which involves selection of a less than preferred system, but with this mode, the mobile station will still make a first attempt to register with a system having a SID matching one stored in memory of the station. A preferred implementation offers the user four system selection options. Options based on stored identifiers include an option to select only the home system, and an option to select from a preferred roaming list (PRL) if the home system is unavailable. In the other two options, if the scanning operations for the home system and systems on the PRL are ineffective, one option involves scanning a band corresponding to that used by the home system. In contrast, the other option involves scanning a band other than that used by the home system. The System Select programming, however, limits the operation in the last optional setting, for example to a set time period or until completion of one call. The preferred embodiment facilitates a substantially one-rate service, where the service provider charges the one rate for all calls through the home system, all systems on the PRL list and any system found during a scan of the home-system band.

A mobile station includes processing circuitry and a memory storing a preferred roaming list and system priority data. The processing circuitry is adapted to detect a communications event for a currently selected wireless communications system and update an entry in the system priority data to reflect the occurrence of the detected communications event. The use of stored statistical information improves the efficiency of the system selection and acquisition process. In operation, a group of wireless communications systems is selected from the preferred roaming list in accordance with a predetermined system acquisition procedure. The group is reprioritized using the priority data and the mobile station attempts to the selected wireless communications system having the highest priority in the reprioritized group. The reprioritization may include sorting the group using the priority data and removing systems from the group that do not meet certain priority criteria.

A system, method, and computer readable medium for handoff of a user equipment from a macrocellular system to a femtocell system is provided. A micro-pilot assisted handoff routine may be implemented to facilitate handoff of a user equipment from a macrocellular system to a femtocell system. The femtocell system may transmit very low power pilot, paging, and synch channels on a common frequency used by the macrocellular system. In another embodiment, a mobile assisted handoff routine facilitates handoff of a user equipment from a macrocellular system to a femtocell system. The user equipment's preferred roaming list includes an entry for the femtocell system and specifies a SID / NID and pseudo-noise offset for the femtocell system. The user equipment is configured to periodically enter a search mode to attempt to locate the femtocell system by switching to a femto carrier that is specified in the preferred roaming list.

A method (200) in a CDMA terminal device for acquiring a system identified in an enhanced preferred roaming list (enhanced PRL), with at least one entry containing a mobile country code, includes the steps of obtaining (210) system identifiers from SYNCH channels on a scan list, determining (220) if the system identifiers match entries on the enhanced PRL, and inserting (226) channel information items on a first list if the system identifiers do not match entries on the enhanced PRL. If all channels on the scan list have been scanned without any system identifiers matching entries on the enhanced PRL, the method obtains (246) mobile country codes using channel information items from the first list, determines (250) if the mobile country codes match entries on the enhanced PRL, and camps (283) on a system if its mobile country code matches an entry on the enhanced PRL.

A mobile station is adapted to avoid unusable wireless communications systems during system acquisition. The mobile station includes processing circuitry and a memory storing a preferred roaming list and system avoidance data. The system avoidance data identifies unusable systems and includes corresponding avoidance criteria. The processing circuitry is adapted to select a system from the preferred roaming list in accordance with a predetermined system acquisition procedure. The selected system is skipped if corresponding avoidance criteria is satisfied. If the selected system is usable, the mobile station may attempt to acquire and register with the selected system. The processing circuitry is further adapted to add systems to the system avoidance data in response to a communications failure, and remove systems from the system avoidance data when corresponding avoidance criteria is no longer satisfied. The avoidance criteria may include a time period during which the corresponding system is unusable.

A home wireless network is provided that communicates an improved Preferred Roaming List (PRL) that includes service type and service priority indicators for a plurality of wireless service combinations and corresponding roaming networks. Preferably, the service type indicator is a numerical indicator that encodes a combination of multiple wireless services offered by each roaming partner network. In case when more than one roaming network provides the requested wireless service, the service priority indicator provides a priority of selection of roaming networks for a given requested service in accordance with a plurality of parameters.

A roaming management computer system comprises a communication interface and a processing system. The communication interface is configured to receive loading thresholds and usage information for each of a plurality of different wireless networks. The processing system is configured to process the loading thresholds and the usage information to determine load balancing requirements for the wireless networks, and process the load balancing requirements to generate preferred roaming lists for wireless communication devices roaming in the wireless networks. The communication interface is further configured to transfer the preferred roaming lists for delivery to the wireless communication devices.

A wireless communications device having a localized preferred roaming list (WLANL), the WLANL having location specific WLAN AP information associated with it. A mobile wireless device uses the information in the WLANL to manage active searches for WLAN APs. In addition, the WLANL information can be used to mange active sessions, enabling a switch from one air interface to another depending on which air interface is currently the most reliable, has bandwidth available, or other considerations.

An apparatus (100) generates a preferred roaming list (108) for a wireless mobile station (404) that includes area identification data (such as GEO GROUP_ID) (200) corresponding to an area serviced by at least one wireless wide area network, such as a ground based CDMA system and an area services by at least one in-vehicle wireless pico-cell (402), such as a wireless CDMA pico-cell located on an aircraft or any other suitable vehicle. The area identification data (200) is associated with a wireless in-vehicle pico-cell system identification data (205) and in the case of a CDMA pico cell system, a system identification data SID) and network identification (NID) data pair (206) associated with the in-vehicle wireless pico-cell (402).

A method (200) in a CDMA terminal device for acquiring a system identified in an enhanced preferred roaming list (enhanced PRL), with at least one entry containing a mobile country code, includes the steps of obtaining (210) system identifiers from SYNCH channels on a scan list, determining (220) if the system identifiers match entries on the enhanced PRL, and inserting (226) channel information items on a first list if the system identifiers do not match entries on the enhanced PRL. If all channels on the scan list have been scanned without any system identifiers matching entries on the enhanced PRL, the method obtains (246) mobile country codes using channel information items from the first list, determines (250) if the mobile country codes match entries on the enhanced PRL, and camps (283) on a system if its mobile country code matches an entry on the enhanced PRL.

A method and system of providing a mobile data device in a wireless system with information about preferred networks to connect to, the mobile data device having a preferred roaming list with a list of networks, the method comprising the steps of: adding to the preferred roaming list information about whether each network in the list of networks supports third generation data capabilities; and determining preferred networks based on information within the preferred roaming list including a geographic area and whether the network supports third generation data capabilities, whereby, within the geographic area, the mobile data device prefers networks which support third generation data capabilities over networks which do not support said third generation data capabilities. Other information that may be added to the preferred roaming list includes whether the network supports data roaming, Mobile IP services or always-on features. The preferred roaming list may also include information about the device service capabilities.

The embodiment of the invention discloses a method and a system for accessing to a long term evolution network (LTE) based on a preferred roaming list (PRL). The method comprises the steps that an LTE terminal searches a network access message; the LTE terminal inquires a System Record table in a PRL file, and acquires corresponding PLMN (Public Land Mobile Network) attributes of an SID (System Identifier) and an NID (Network Identifier) in the network access message based on the System Record table; the LTE terminal maps the SID and the NID in the network access message into an MCC (Mobile Country Code) and an MNC (Mobile Network Code) respectively; the MCC and the MNC are merged to generate a PLMN serial number; a PLMN list is reconstructed by substituting the corresponding PLMN attributes with the PLMN serial number; and the LTE terminal conducts LTE network access according to the PLMN list. With the adoption of the method and the system, a CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) terminal can conduct the LTE network access based on the PRL.

A mobile terminal having restricted access to an enhanced services system includes a transceiver which transmits and receives wireless signals, a memory which stores a first preferred roaming list (PRL) listing a basic communication system and an enhanced services system, and a second PRL listing the basic communication system but not the enhanced services system, and a controller which restricts access of the mobile terminal to the enhanced services system by deactivating the first PRL and activating the second PRL in response to receipt of an authentication failure report from the enhanced services system. A system for restricting access to an enhanced services system includes an enhanced services system which provides enhanced services to authorized users and prevents unauthorized users from communicating with the enhanced services system.

Methods and systems are provided for dynamic selection by a mobile station of its home agent using its preferred roaming list (PRL). A mobile station maintains a PRL comprising an association between (i) a first set of data identifying a first wireless wide area network (WWAN) and (ii) a first identifier of a first home agent. The mobile station detects a broadcast of the first set of data by the first WWAN. Responsive to detecting the broadcast of the first set of data by the first WWAN, the mobile station connects to the first WWAN. Responsive to connecting to the first WWAN, the mobile station uses the first identifier to register with the first home agent.

A method and system for configuring a telematics device is constructed so as to use two-way short message service (SMS) to provide improved configuration execution. Mobile identification number (MIN), Mobile Directory Number (MDH), Home System Identification (SID) number, SID / NID pairs, NAI / password for packet data, over the air service provisioning (OTASP) number, and Preferred Roaming List (PRL) flag can be easily updated with no manual or voice channel configuration actions. In addition, other system settings such as button behavior, language, call barring, adding units to hands-free calling, etc. may be updated as well. In an example, a series of binary SMS messages configures the telematics device, with a subset of the messages being used specifically for configuration while the remaining message initiates a packet data session to complete additional configuration.

A system determination method and apparatus are provided which can again acquire a system in a shortened time when a mobile terminal has lost an acquired system in a weak electric field area. When power is applied, the terminal reads system information of an acquisition table of a preferred roaming list and system information of a most recently used (MRU) table from a memory and generates a search list using the read information. The terminal determines whether a ping counter is applied through the generated search list. If the ping counter is applied, the terminal determines whether a ping counter value is equal to a maximum ping counter value. If the ping counter value is equal to the maximum ping counter value, the terminal initializes the ping counter value, selects a system from the MRU table and makes a system acquisition attempt.

A method of updating a preferred roaming list (PRL) onboard a vehicle that wirelessly communicates with a call center and with a communications center over a wireless network. A communication link is established between the vehicle and the call center. A onboard PRL version number is transmitted from the vehicle to the call center where it is compared to a PRL version number stored at the call center. When the call center PRL version number differs from the onboard PRL version number, a PRL update flag is set at the vehicle. Thereafter, a communication link between the vehicle and the communication center is established. An updated PRL is downloaded from the communication center to the vehicle and stored therein, and the PRL update flag is then cleared.

A method for synchronizing multiple database that are provided at different times is provided. As a wireless communication device (102) leaves a first region (104) and enters a second region (108), it is provided with a new preferred roaming list information (204) which may no longer be synchronized with a stored functionality extension table. Based upon information included in the new preferred roaming list information, an appropriate functionality extension table (214) that is synchronized to the new preferred roaming list is received.

A method for selecting a system in a mobile terminal is disclosed. The method includes upon power-up of the mobile terminal, reading system information included in a Most Recently Used (MRU) table from memory, and registering the system information in a variable area of a system search table; reading system information from a Preferred Roaming List Acquisition (PRL ACQ) table stored in the memory, and registering the system information in a fixed area of the system search table; and performing system search based on the system search table.

A mobile device or access terminal of a wireless wide area network (WWAN) communication system is provisioned for Multi-Mode System Selection (MMSS) wherein an MMSS System Priority List (MSPL) is used with respect to the underlying system selection priority list (e.g., Private Land Mobile Network (PLMN) list). Relating a current location to one or more entries in an MMSS Location Associated Priority List (MLPLs) enables scaling a range of entries in the PLMN list, indicating whether the MSPL apply to the entire list of PLMNs stored in an access terminal or to some subset of the PLMN List. Similarly, the present innovation addresses whether the MSPL applies to the entire Preferred Roaming List (PRL) or some subset of a geo-spatial location (GEO) area.

The invention discloses a preferred roaming list setting method in a CDMA (Code Division Multiple Addressing) system, a system thereof, a terminal and a server. The method comprises the following steps: downloading a preferred roaming list (PRL) to the terminal through a PRL multimedia message; extracting the PRL from the PRL multimedia message to carry out PRL setting of the terminal. According to the method and the system in the invention, the PRL is downloaded to the terminal by utilizing packet link in a multimedia message mode, the terminal sends PRL content to an intelligent card, the intelligent card carries out update on a PRL related file, and an update success rate of the PRL is effectively raised.

Systems and methodologies are described that facilitate improved multi-mode system selection in a wireless communication system. As described herein, various techniques can be utilized to synthesize system databases corresponding to disparate groups of radio access technologies (RATs), such as a Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) list and / or a Preferred Roaming List (PRL), with one or more overlay databases and associated location information to generate a multi-mode list of preferred systems. As described herein, a preferred system listing can be constructed to leverage fine granularity of information in one or more databases while still supporting databases with coarser information. Techniques are additionally described herein for augmenting and / or grouping one or more overlay databases to facilitate a higher available granularity of information for various RATs than that provided in system databases corresponding to the RATs. Techniques are additionally provided for automated generation of preferred system listing based on changes to observed location.

A mobile terminal and system scan method thereof is provided for effectively acquiring system information even in a weak electrical field area using Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI). A system scan method for a mobile terminal includes evaluating, when the mobile terminal is turned on, received signal strengths of all channels registered to a preferred roaming list, creating a candidate channel list listing channels, each having a received signal strength greater than a threshold value, performing a full-scan process on the channels listed in the candidate channel list, and performing, when the full-scan process fails to find a system, a power saving process, wherein the full-scan process and power saving process are performed alternately until the system is found.

A method and an apparatus are provided for acquiring, in a reduced time, a system using location information in a mobile communication terminal. When a mobile communication terminal is turned on or disconnects with a base station, a Preferred Roaming List (PRL) is searched in order of closeness of a system to the current location of the mobile communication terminal. At predetermined time intervals, the systems of the PRL are arrayed in order of closeness of a system to the current location, and the arrayed PRL is searched. The present invention can reduce the time taken to acquire a system.