Roaming List Prioritization for Wireless Network Selection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users face dissatisfaction when traveling due to unreliable wireless connectivity outside their home network, as existing technologies lack efficient methods to prioritize and manage roaming networks, leading to uncertain network acceptance and potential high roaming charges.
Innovation Solution
A system that provides a prioritized list of Public Land Mobile Networks (PLMNs) based on the user's roaming plan, categorizing them into unlimited, metered, and qualifying buckets, allowing the wireless device to efficiently select the best network for data usage and avoid unnecessary charges, with the carrier initiating updates to ensure up-to-date information.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the wireless device scans for available networks without prioritization, then it can find any roaming network, but it cannot ensure cost-effective network selection and may incur high roaming charges
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by obtaining the user's roaming plan information before network selection occurs. The roaming plan data, which includes cost information and preferred networks, is retrieved and stored in advance, enabling the device to make informed network selection decisions without incurring high charges during the actual roaming process
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a roaming plan as an intermediary element that mediates between the wireless device and multiple available roaming networks. This roaming plan contains pre-configured information about preferred networks, cost structures, and selection criteria, allowing the device to automatically select cost-effective networks without requiring real-time negotiation or complex user decisions
2Reliability
If the wireless device attempts to attach to multiple networks sequentially, then it can find an available network, but it increases network attachment time and user wait time
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-obtaining and storing roaming plan information that includes prioritized network lists and availability data before the device needs to attach to a network. This advance preparation enables faster network selection and attachment without requiring sequential trial-and-error attempts
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic network selection by maintaining a prioritized list of networks based on roaming plan preferences and current availability. The device can dynamically adjust its attachment strategy based on the prioritized list, attempting networks in order of preference rather than using a fixed sequential approach, thereby reducing attachment time while maintaining reliability
3Loss of information
If the system provides comprehensive roaming network information, then it enables informed network selection, but it increases device memory requirements and data processing complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential roaming information needed for network selection from the comprehensive roaming plan data. Instead of processing all available network information, the system extracts and prioritizes the most relevant networks based on user preferences and cost considerations, reducing the amount of data that needs to be stored and processed while maintaining informed network selection capabilities
Data Source
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AI summary
A server of a wireless operator creates a roaming list based on a user's roaming plan and sends the roaming list to the user's wireless device. The roaming list includes a list of public land mobile networks (PLMNs). When the user travels away from their home wireless network to another geographic area, the wireless device scans based on the roaming list for radio signals. The roaming list contributes to user satisfaction because timely attachment to a radio network while away from home occurs efficiently since the wireless operator creates the roaming list based on both i) roaming agreements that the wireless operator is a party to with other wireless operators, ii) the user's roaming plan, iii) the radio access technology (RAT) capabilities of the wireless device and iv) the RAT capabilities of other wireless operators in particular geographic regions.