Telecommunications – Transmitter and receiver at same station – Radiotelephone equipment detail
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-30
2004-01-27
Maung, Nay (Department: 2684)
Telecommunications
Transmitter and receiver at same station
Radiotelephone equipment detail
C455S435300, C455S419000, C455S432300
Reexamination Certificate
active
06684082
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to wireless telecommunication networks wherein a wireless system or service provider is capable of servicing a particular mobile terminal or mobile station, and pertains more specifically to methods and apparatus for the mobile station to store system selection-related information in a database maintained by the mobile station.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The specification of system selection protocols has been an ongoing effort for a number of years in the wireless telecommunications field, in particular in the cellular telephone area. For example, in the AMPS system the mobile station is given a choice between possible serving systems based on the system identification (SID) parameter, wherein in one technique the mobile station is enabled to identify and select its Home system when it is encountered.
A further development provided positive
egative SID lists, where the positive SID list contains SID information for desirable non-Home systems, while the negative SID list contains SID information for those systems that are to be used only in the event an emergency call needs to be originated by the mobile station. This technique can be used in conjunction with the Home SID, as well as certain frequency band preferences, to provide a desired band scanning order with restrictions.
Another development is referred to as Intelligent Roaming, which is an expansion of the positive
egative SID list technique. In the Intelligent Roaming approach various mechanisms are provided to: use a broadcast System Operator Code (SOC) as well as the SID to prioritize systems; provide for three different priorities (in addition to Home and Unidentified); for prioritizing the 800 MHz and 1900 MHz bands for scanning; for transitioning to a more preferred system when camped on a less preferred system; and for controlling the display of system identification text (using the so-called alpha-tags).
When using the broadcast SOC and the SID the mobile station maintains one list for each, and configurable arbitration is used to control selection when the SID and SOC have different priorities.
One benefit to using the SOC is a reduction in database size, as the SOC(s) for a particular operator do not change between different areas (like the SID). As such, one SOC entry in the mobile station database can encompass all systems belonging to a specific operator, which could require a prohibitive number of SID entries to achieve the same result. When combined with the area-specific system designation of the SID, this technique provides a means to assign a general priority for a particular operator (based on the SOC), while also providing area-specific exceptions (based on the SID).
Intelligent Roaming provides five different system priorities which, in descending priority order are: Home (SID or SOC); Partner; Favored; Neutral (designated by a failure to match SID parameters in the mobile station's database); and Forbidden (utilized only to make emergency calls). The Partner priority provides a method to set multiple SID and SOC entries in the database with an equivalent priority with the HOME SID and SOC. The Favored priority provides a method for having two preferred systems in the same area with one, the Favored system, serving as a less desirable backup for the other (the Home or Partner system).
The Intelligent Roaming technique can also provide a means of displaying a priority-determined alpha-tag to the user of the mobile station. In general, a different alpha-tag is stored for each priority, and the operator can configure which alpha-tag is to be displayed when the mobile station receives a broadcast alpha-tag.
A GAIT Phase 1 system selection technique provides a scheme that is capable of meeting the needs of system operators while minimizing the required implementation effort. One result of this effort has brought about a technique that incorporates Intelligent Roaming and standard GSM system selection, with certain added functionality for cross-protocol issues.
With regard to priority grouping, the system priorities are divided into three groups describing the treatment of systems. The groups are derived from the defined mobile station behavior for each priority, as defined in GSM and ANSI-136. These groups are defined as follows: Group A, utilize immediately without further scanning and, once camped, do not search for a better system; Group B, utilize only when no Group A system in present and, once camped, search for better system; and Group C, use only for emergency calls.
In view of the foregoing background information, a problem has arisen with system identification-based system selection algorithms that utilize certain parameters that may optionally be transmitted, or not transmitted at all under some circumstances. In this case the priority determined by the mobile station for the same system can vary as a function of which channel the mobile station happens to be receiving.
As an example of this problem, assume that a mobile station using Intelligent Roaming camps on a system whose SOC is the only parameter contained in the mobile station's system selection database (not the SID). The SOC is a parameter that is optionally transmitted on a digital control channel (DCCH), and is never transmitted on an analog control channel (ACC). Therefore, as the mobile station moves to different channels in the system the priority of the system can change if the current channel happens to be digital, and can change again if a transition is made to an analog channel. This can cause undesirable results, such as triggering the mobile station to begin scanning for another system even when camped on a control channel of the Home system, or first evaluating all other systems and, finding nothing better, finally obtaining service from the Home system.
As such, it can be appreciated that a need has arisen to address and solve this and other related problems.
OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION
It is a first object and advantage of this invention to provide an improved single protocol or a multi-protocol system selection technique that overcomes the foregoing and other problems, and that addresses the needs that have arisen.
It is a further object and advantage of this invention to provide a single protocol or a multi-protocol system selection technique for a mobile station that provides for the mobile station to store certain system identification information, preferably the SID, within a dynamic database to thereby allow consistent system prioritization.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The foregoing and other problems are overcome and the objects of the invention are realized by methods and apparatus in accordance with embodiments of this invention.
The teachings herein provide a single protocol or a multi-protocol system selection technique for a mobile station that provides for the mobile station to store certain system identification information, preferably the SID, within a dynamic database to thereby allow consistent system prioritization.
A method is disclosed for operating a mobile station. The method has a first step of storing data into a memory within the mobile station, the stored data including at least one system operator code (SOC) having an assigned priority value. Upon the mobile station receiving a system identification (SID) associated with the stored SOC, the method stores the SID into the memory so as to have the same priority value that is assigned to the SOC. When the mobile station subsequently receives a transmission containing the SID and not the SOC, the mobile station accesses the memory to determine the priority value associated with the SID, and then controls the operation of the mobile station based on the determined priority value.
The step of controlling the operation of the mobile station based on the determined priority value preferably controls at least one of a scanning behavior or a camping behavior of the mobile station.
Typically there will be at least two wireless systems having different air interface protocols,
Harrington & Smith ,LLP
LeLe Tanmay
Maung Nay
Nokia Corporation
Shaw Steven A.
LandOfFree
Adaptive system selection database does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Adaptive system selection database, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Adaptive system selection database will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3196441