PLMN Search Optimization via Paging Schedule Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wireless communication devices face challenges in efficiently searching for a public land mobile network (PLMN) while roaming, particularly in managing paging schedules and system information blocks, which can lead to missed pages and prolonged search times.
Innovation Solution
User equipment (UE) is configured to determine a transmission schedule for system information, including a paging schedule or discontinuous reception (DRX) schedule, to initiate a PLMN search between DRX paging intervals, and to selectively read or ignore system information blocks based on their content, allowing for efficient acquisition and reacquisition of cells.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the UE continuously monitors system information blocks during PLMN search, then the search completeness is improved, but the time consumption increases and pages may be missed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the system information reading process into priority levels. Critical SIBs (containing PLMN identification information) are read with high priority, while non-critical SIBs are read with lower priority. This segmentation allows the UE to complete essential PLMN search tasks within paging intervals without being blocked by time-consuming reading of all system information blocks, thus resolving the contradiction between search completeness and time consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial action by requiring the UE to read only the necessary portions of system information blocks (specifically SIB1 and SIB3 containing PLMN IDs) to complete the PLMN search, rather than reading all system information blocks. This partial reading approach enables the UE to find the home PLMN within the available time window between paging occasions, preventing page misses while reducing search time.
2Measurement precision
If the UE reads all system information blocks to ensure complete PLMN identification, then the identification accuracy is improved, but the paging reception reliability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments system information blocks into critical and non-critical categories based on their content relevance to PLMN identification. Critical SIBs (SIB1, SIB3) containing PLMN IDs are read with high priority to ensure accurate identification, while non-critical SIBs are read with lower priority or skipped. This segmentation maintains PLMN identification accuracy while ensuring pages are not missed due to excessive reading time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial action by reading only the essential system information blocks necessary for PLMN identification (SIB1 and SIB3) rather than all available SIBs. This selective reading provides sufficient PLMN identification accuracy without the time penalty of reading unnecessary information, thereby maintaining page reception reliability.
3Reliability
If the UE performs PLMN search between paging intervals, then the page reception is improved, but the search time available is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by limiting the PLMN search to reading only essential system information blocks (SIB1, SIB3) that contain PLMN identification information, rather than reading all system information. This selective approach reduces the search time required within the limited window between paging occasions, enabling the UE to complete PLMN search without compromising page reception reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary action by having the UE read critical system information blocks (SIB1, SIB3) as soon as possible after acquiring a cell, before the next paging occasion. This timely completion of essential PLMN identification tasks within the available window ensures both page reception reliability and efficient use of the limited search time.
Data Source
AI summary
In various aspects, the disclosure provides user equipment (UE) capable of conducting a public land mobile network (PLMN) search by determining a paging schedule for a serving cell of the UE, the serving cell being associated with a first PLMN and the paging schedule defining one or more paging occasions. The UE may initiate a search for a second PLMN between consecutive paging occasions, and may read information blocks on a broadcast channel of a cell of the second PLMN. The UE may discontinue reading a partially-read information block when the partially-read information block is scheduled for transmission at least partially concurrently with a paging occasion on the serving cell if the partially-read information block does not include information for identifying the second PLMN. The UE may ignore the first paging occasion when the partially-read information block includes the information for identifying the second PLMN.