Wireless Network Selection Using Service History
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Wireless devices face challenges in selecting preferred wireless networks when traveling, especially in foreign countries, due to limited SIM information and lack of detection capabilities, leading to potential rejection of Circuit Switched (CS) services despite Packet Switched (PS) service availability, resulting in undesirable situations where users cannot receive CS voice calls or SMS.
Innovation Solution
A method for wireless devices to determine available networks and select one based on previous service availability, prioritizing networks that allowed PS service but rejected CS service, to avoid registering with networks likely to reject CS service, thereby ensuring both CS and PS service availability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If the wireless device randomly selects an available wireless network based on strong RSSI when the last registered network is unavailable, then the device can quickly register with any available network, but the selected network may not offer both CS and PS services resulting in poor service quality
Solution Approach 1:
The wireless device performs preliminary actions by maintaining a history of previously registered networks and their service characteristics (CS/PS availability). Before selecting a new network, the device consults this historical information to prioritize networks that have previously provided both CS and PS services, thereby avoiding the need for multiple failed registration attempts and achieving both fast registration and reliable service.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by using information from previous network registrations and service outcomes to guide future network selections. The wireless device feeds back the service quality experience (whether CS and PS services were available) from previously registered networks into the network selection algorithm, creating a learning mechanism that improves service reliability while maintaining registration speed.
2Reliability
If the wireless device uses a managed roamer box to reject PS services in non-preferred networks, then the device can ensure CS service availability, but the complexity of the network selection system increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The wireless device performs self-service by autonomously making network selection decisions based on its own stored historical information about previously registered networks. The device independently evaluates available networks using its internal database of past registration experiences and service outcomes, eliminating the need for external managed roamer box infrastructure and reducing system complexity while ensuring reliable CS service availability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism in the form of a local history database stored in the wireless device that mediates between the available networks and the selection criteria. This intermediary contains pre-stored information about network characteristics and service availability from previous registrations, allowing the device to make informed decisions without complex real-time analysis or external management systems.
3Reliability
If the wireless device attempts to register with multiple networks sequentially using a managed roamer box, then the device can eventually find a preferred network, but the time required for network registration increases due to multiple rejection attempts
Solution Approach 1:
The wireless device performs preliminary action by pre-storing information about previously registered networks and their service characteristics in a local history database. When network selection is needed, the device immediately consults this pre-prepared information to identify suitable networks, avoiding the time-consuming process of sequential registration attempts and rejections. This preliminary preparation enables both fast registration and reliable preferred network selection.
4Ease of operation
If the SIM contains limited information about high priority networks for a specific geographical region, then the device can quickly identify preferred networks when available, but the device cannot detect or select preferred networks when traveling to countries not covered by the SIM information
Solution Approach 1:
The wireless device achieves universality by implementing a dual-mode network selection capability. When high-priority networks from the SIM are available, the device uses the simple SIM-based selection method. When traveling to regions where SIM-based networks are unavailable, the device automatically transitions to using its universal history-based selection mechanism that can evaluate any available network based on previously stored service characteristics, ensuring global compatibility while maintaining operational simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system exhibits dynamic behavior by adapting its network selection strategy based on the availability of SIM-based high-priority networks. The device dynamically switches between two selection modes: SIM-based selection when high-priority networks are available in the current region, and history-based selection when traveling to regions without SIM-covered networks. This dynamic adaptation ensures both ease of operation in familiar regions and global versatility in unfamiliar regions.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a system and method of wireless network selection based on service offered. The wireless device scans for available wireless networks upon an event triggering registration. If the wireless device determines based on its SIM that none of the available wireless networks are high priority networks for registration, then the wireless device automatically selects an available wireless network for registration based on, for at least one of the available wireless networks that the wireless device previously registered to, whether CS (Circuit Switched) service was rejected but PS (Packet Switched) service was allowed. Next, the wireless device automatically attempts to register with the selected wireless network. In this manner, the wireless device attempts to register with a wireless network that does not reject CS service while allowing PS service. If the wireless device nonetheless registers with such a wireless network, then registration can be reattempted with another available wireless network.