User Equipment RPLMN Update Logic for Mobile Network Registration

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing methods for updating RPLMN information in user equipment are inefficient, leading to prolonged registration times with the mobile network, as they often result in updating invalid PLMN identifiers and requiring multiple power cycles to select a valid network.

Innovation Solution

The method involves selecting a PLMN identifier from a set that includes RPLMN, HPLMN, UPLMN, and OPLMN information, with updates triggered only by location update acceptance information, and reselection upon rejection, ensuring valid PLMN identifiers are stored in the SIM card.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of time

If the user equipment updates the PLMN identifier to RPLMN information upon receiving a TMSI reallocation command, then the registration process is accelerated, but invalid PLMN identifiers may be stored leading to registration failures

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveregistration timeVSAvoidPLMN identifier validity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of timeVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the user equipment monitors whether location update acceptance information is received after sending a location update request. Based on this feedback, the equipment decides whether to update the RPLMN information - only updating if acceptance information is received, thereby ensuring validity while maintaining efficient registration

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent performs a preliminary check by sending a location update request and receiving acceptance information before finalizing the RPLMN update. This preliminary action prevents invalid identifiers from being stored, resolving the contradiction between speed and reliability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Productivity

If the user equipment selectively updates RPLMN information only upon location update acceptance, then registration efficiency is improved, but the complexity of the update logic increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveregistration efficiencyVSAvoidupdate logic complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses itself to determine whether to update - the user equipment autonomously monitors its own reception of location update acceptance information and makes the update decision based on this self-observed state, simplifying the overall system architecture while maintaining efficient registration

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP3136800B1Method for updating rplmn information, and user equipment
Publication Date: 2019.06.19 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP3136800B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3136800B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3136800B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Embodiments of the present invention disclose a method for updating RPLMN information, including: sending, to a mobile switching center, a location update request message that carries a PLMN identifier; after a TMSI reallocation command that is returned by the mobile switching center according to the location update request message is acquired, determining whether location update acceptance information that is returned by the mobile switching center according to the location update request message is currently acquired; and if the location update acceptance information is acquired, updating the PLMN identifier to RPLMN information, or if the location update acceptance information is not acquired, skipping an operation of updating the PLMN identifier to RPLMN information, where the operation is triggered by the TMSI reallocation command. Correspondingly, the embodiments of the present invention further disclose user equipment. Efficiency of registering the user equipment with the mobile network can be improved by using the present invention.