CN101060701B - Communication network reelecting method - Google Patents

Abstract

A method for reselecting a communication network, comprising steps: a mobile phone accesses a public land mobile communication network PLMN; the mobile phone generates and saves parameters used to indicate the network selection mode it adopts; the mobile phone communicates with the current PLMN and the home PLMN according to the described parameters to operate. According to the method of the invention, the mobile phone can avoid unnecessary network re-selection, thereby giving the user a good feeling of use; at the same time, the HPLMN may also save network resources.

Description

The method of communication network reselection

technical field

The present invention relates to the communication field, in particular, to a method for reselecting a communication system network.

Background technique

Whenever the mobile phone is turned on or the user moves to a new registration area, the mobile phone will initiate a Public Land Mobile Network (hereinafter referred to as PLMN) discovery process. Usually, the mobile phone moves within the service range of its home PLMN (hereinafter referred to as HPLMN), and receives the service of its HPLMN. This HPLMN is usually the PLMN provided by the service provider contracted with the user. For example, after a "Global Link" user with a mobile phone number of 13901234567 signs a contract with China Mobile, the PLMN network provided by China Mobile is the HPLMN of the mobile phone.

Generally speaking, after signing a contract with a service provider, each subscriber will obtain a code that is used to uniquely identify the user—the International Mobile Station Identity (hereinafter referred to as IMSI), which is usually stored in a small inside the SIM card. This SIM card can be inserted into the mobile phone and can be used to identify the user's code when needed. Referring to Figure 1, the IMSI includes a mobile country number (hereinafter referred to as MCC), a mobile network number (hereinafter referred to as MNC) and a customer identification code field (hereinafter referred to as MSIN), which are used to indicate which country the user belongs to and which country the user belongs to. A mobile network and which user is on the mobile network. The mobile phone knows whether a PLMN is an HPLMN by comparing a PLMN's mobile country code (hereinafter referred to as MCC) and mobile network number (hereinafter referred to as MNC) fields with the IMSI's MCC/MNC field. If the mobile phone cannot establish a connection with the HPLMN, it must search and connect to another different PLMN, that is, a visited PLMN (hereinafter referred to as VPLMN). This usually happens when a mobile phone roams into an area where its HPLMN cannot provide coverage.

When the mobile phone selects a suitable PLMN, it will search for and select a suitable cell of the PLMN that can provide cellular services. Then the mobile phone will tune to the control channel of the selected cell, and register with the network that its current location exists in the registration area to which the selected cell belongs.

Later, when communication needs to be initiated (such as making a call), the mobile phone accesses the network through the control channel of the selected cell. Sometimes the mobile phone will continue to search for a more suitable cell in the selected PLMN periodically. This situation sometimes happens, for example, the mobile phone moves out of the service range of the selected cell and loses the coverage of the selected cell.

Sometimes, a specific area may be covered by more than one PLMN, that is, there is overlap of PLMN service areas. At this time, the mobile phone needs to select a specific PLMN from these existing PLMNs at the beginning, instead of selecting other PLMNs. In addition, in the case of roaming, the mobile phone may lose the coverage of the selected PLMN. At this time, the mobile phone must choose another PLMN network to provide services.

The operation of selecting a specific PLMN can be performed automatically or manually. Automatic selection uses a list of PLMNs arranged according to priority, from which the mobile phone selects the top PLMN that exists in turn. Manual selection is to provide the user with a list of existing PLMNs from which the user must select a PLMN. Usually, the user's decision should be respected, that is, the user should be allowed to access the PLMN he manually selected.

Typically, the list of available PLMNs and their priorities are determined by which network provides the strongest signal or the strongest radio frequency (hereinafter referred to as RF). For example, if the provider of the first PLMN provides a stronger signal than the provider of the second PLMN, the phone ranks the first PLMN higher than the second PLMN in the list, so that if If the phone uses auto-select, then the first PLMN will be automatically selected based on its signal strength. If a VPLMN is selected, the handset may continue to periodically look for its HPLMN. For a more detailed description of the current PLMN selection, please refer to "Universal MobileTelecommunications System (UMTS) Non-Access-Stratum functions related to Mobile Station (MS) in idle mode," 3GPP TS23.122, v.4.1.0, Release4, European Telecommunications Standards Institute (2001).

With the improvement of people's living standards and the development of mobile communications, there are more and more users roaming from HPLMN to other places. Wherein, the roaming target area may be covered by multiple VPLMNs, that is, multiple VPLMNs can provide services for the user. In this way, if the mobile phone uses the "automatic selection" mode to select the network, then according to the strength of the signal, these VPLMNs may be selected for access. From a commercial point of view, the HPLMN operators signed by roaming users may wish to treat these VPLMNs differently. For example, three networks of Vodafone, Orange and T-mobile exist simultaneously throughout Germany. And China Mobile and Germany's Vodafone may sign an agreement. If more than 80% of users roaming from China to Germany choose the German Vodafone network, then Vodafone will give China Mobile a very favorable international network settlement price. Therefore, in this case, China Mobile, as the HPLMN, can send instructions to mobile phones roaming to Germany through existing appropriate methods, allowing them to reselect the network to connect to the Vodafone network. The existing methods include but are not limited to specific messages and short messages agreed by both the mobile phone and the network.

In the existing system, HPLMN has no way to know whether the mobile phone uses the "automatic selection" mode or the "manual selection" mode for network selection. Therefore, even if the user selects a VPLMN using the "manual selection" mode, the HPLMN may also give The handset sends an instruction to reselect another VPLMN. This violates the final wishes of the user and brings a bad experience to the user.

On the other hand, if the mobile phone using the "manual selection" mode decides not to accept the instruction to reselect another VPLMN from the HPLMN, then the transmission process of this instruction from the HPLMN to the mobile phone is unnecessary , this transmission process will cause a waste of network resources.

Contents of the invention

Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a method for a mobile phone to reselect a PLMN, so that the mobile phone can decide whether to proceed with PLMN reselection according to the network selection mode it adopts.

In order to achieve the above purpose, a method for reselecting a communication network includes the steps of:

a) The mobile phone is connected to a public land mobile communication network PLMN;

b) The mobile phone generates and saves the parameters used to indicate the network selection mode it adopts;

c) The handset operates with the current PLMN and the home PLMN according to the stated parameters.

According to the method of the invention, the mobile phone can avoid unnecessary network re-selection, thereby giving the user a good experience of use; at the same time, the HPLMN may also save network resources.

Description of drawings

Figure 1 is a block diagram of the components of the IMSI;

Figure 2 is a block diagram representing a wireless communication system that may be used in the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 3 is a block diagram representing multiple PLMNs with overlapping service areas;

Figure 4 is a flow chart describing the steps performed for PLMN reselection according to currently achievable criteria;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart describing the steps performed for PLMN reselection according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart describing the steps performed for PLMN reselection according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 7 is a flowchart describing the steps performed for PLMN selection according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed ways

The invention relates to a method for a mobile phone to reselect a communication network. The invention provides a method suitable for the mobile phone to reselect the communication network, so that the mobile phone can decide whether to reselect the network according to the network selection mode adopted by the mobile phone. When the mobile phone accesses a certain network, it saves a parameter that can be used to indicate the network selection mode it adopts. The mobile phone decides whether to proceed with network reselection according to the parameters.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, three preferred embodiments of the communication system according to the present invention are described below. In particular, the communication system is a wireless communication system operating in compliance with at least one of the following communication standards. These standards include various analog, digital or analog/digital dual-mode communication system protocols, such as but not limited to Advanced Mobile Phone System (AMPS for short), Narrowband Advanced Mobile Phone Service (NAMPS for short), Global System for Mobile Communications (referred to as GSM), High Data Rate GSM Evolution (referred to as EDGE), General Packet Radio Service (referred to as GPRS), Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (referred to as UMTS), Frequency Division Multiple Access (referred to as FDMA), IS-55 Time Division Multiple Access ( TDMA for short) digital cellular, IS-136TDMA digital cellular, IS-95 Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA for short) digital cellular, distribution on demand (DA/TDMA, DA/CDMA, DA/FDMA), wideband code division multiple access Address (referred to as WCDMA), CDMA2000, IMT-2000, personal wireless communication system (referred to as PCS/PHS), 3GPP, 3GPP2 and various deformations and evolutions of these protocols. The communication system described in the present invention may further refer to all communication network systems as described below, a node in these communication network systems can allow a communication terminal to reselect another communication network system. This may include a local area network (hereinafter referred to as LAN), a wireless local area network (hereinafter referred to as WLAN), and the like. In order to avoid making the description of this patent too lengthy, in the following description, detailed descriptions of functions or devices that are well known to the public are omitted.

Referring to FIG. 2 , a wireless communication system 200 includes a communication backbone network 210 , a group of base station controllers (hereinafter referred to as BSCs) 220 and 222 , and they jointly provide services in a service area 230 . Typically, the BSC handles encryption/decryption of signals, handover decisions, and access decisions. The wireless communication system 200 may be, but not limited to, an FDMA-based communication system, a TDMA-based communication system, or a CDMA-based communication system. As these systems are known, each BSC 220 and 222 and one or more base transceiver stations (hereinafter referred to as BTS) 240, 242, 244 and 246 associated with it, each communication cell 250 in the entire service area 230 , 252, 254 and 256 provide services. For ease of explanation, the BSC and BTS are described from the perspective of the invention. But, this is not equal to that invention is only limited to BSC and BTS; Because radio network controller (hereinafter referred to as RNC), base station (abbreviated as Node B) and other similar technologies can also be used to realize the present invention, this is to those skilled in the art To a technical person, it is very obvious. BSC220 and 222, and BTS240, 242, 244 and 246 comply with practical and feasible standards, and provide wireless communication services for mobile phones (hereinafter referred to as MS) 260, 262, 264, 266 working in communication cells 250, 252, 254 and 256 . Each of the system components mentioned above is commercially available, such as from Motorola.

Referring to FIG. 3, multiple PLMNs 302, 304 have service areas that overlap with each other. Each PLMN 302, 304 can be set up like the wireless communication system 200 in FIG. 2 . For ease of illustration, each PLMN 302, 304 is represented by several communication cells 302a-c, 304a-c. But actually, each PLMN usually has a lot of network cells, with several BTSs and several BSCs. The handset 310 as shown in FIG. 2 is located within the overlapping cells 302a, 304a and thus is located with coverage of the PLMNs 302, 304 at the same time. The handset 310 needs to find available PLMNs and select an appropriate one to serve the communication process it will use (eg, voice communication, real-time video communication, text messaging, Internet access, etc.). In the process of finding a suitable PLMN, the handset 310 may consider each PLMN 302, 304 as a possible communication network for it.

For the handset 310, each PLMN 302, 304 may have different characteristics. For example, the contracted hometown PLMN of the mobile phone 310 is more willing to allow the mobile phone 310 to select the PLMN302 instead of the PLMN304. Even if the mobile phone 310 performs the same communication process, when it selects the PLMN302 or the PLMN304, it may cause the contracted home PLMN of the mobile phone 310 to adopt different behaviors.

Referring to the flowchart shown in Fig. 4, after the mobile phone selects PLMN1, the HPLMN can instruct the mobile phone to reselect another PLMN PLMN2 according to the current practical standard.

Step 401, the mobile phone adopts a certain mode, accesses the PLMN1 system, and accepts the service of the PLMN1. During the above access process, PLMN1 may need to exchange information with the HPLMN of the mobile phone, for example, authenticate and authenticate the mobile phone.

In step 402, the HPLMN instructs the mobile phone to report its currently available PLMN list.

Step 403, the mobile phone reports its currently available PLMN list to the HPLMN. In this figure, the PLMN list only includes PLMN1 and PLMN2.

In step 404, the HPLMN instructs the mobile phone to reselect PLMN2 to try to access according to the list of available PLMNs in step 403.

Step 405, the mobile phone selects PLMN2 to try to access.

first embodiment

In this embodiment, the mobile phone has selected and accessed a network PLMN1 in an automatic or manual mode according to the method of the present invention or other feasible methods, and accepted the service of PLMN1. FIG. 5 shows the working flowchart of each component of the communication system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The HPLMN described in Fig. 5 is the home PLMN of the mobile phone.

Step 501, the mobile phone adopts a certain mode, accesses the PLMN1 system, and accepts the service of the PLMN1. During the above access process, PLMN1 may need to exchange information with the HPLMN of the mobile phone, for example, authenticate and authenticate the mobile phone.

In step 502, the mobile phone generates a parameter used to indicate the access mode of the mobile phone in step 501. In this embodiment, this parameter gives a binary value indicating whether to use automatic mode. The step 502 can also be performed in the process of the above step 501 .

Step 503 , the mobile phone and PLMN1 , PLMN2 and HPLMN perform related operations according to current practical standards, such as providing wireless communication services, and the UE reports its currently available PLMN list.

In step 504, the HPLMN instructs the mobile phone to reselect another PLMN2 according to the current practical and feasible standards.

Step 505, the mobile phone decides whether to reselect PLMN2 to try to access according to the parameters in step 502. In this embodiment, if the binary value parameter is "Yes", then the mobile phone re-selects PLMN2 to try to access.

Step 506, optionally, the mobile phone sends a response message to the HPLMN. The response message may include information on whether the mobile phone has reselected the PLMN2 to attempt to access, and information on related reasons. In this embodiment, if the binary value parameter in step 502 is "No", then the response message includes content that can indicate that the parameter is "No".

second embodiment

In this embodiment, the mobile phone has selected and accessed a network PLMN1 in an automatic or manual manner according to the method described in the present invention or other feasible methods, and accepted the service of PLMN1. Fig. 6 shows the working flowchart of each component of the communication system according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The HPLMN described in Fig. 6 is the home PLMN of the mobile phone.

In step 601, the mobile phone adopts a certain mode, accesses the PLMN1 system, and accepts the service of the PLMN1. During the above access process, PLMN1 may need to exchange information with the HPLMN of the mobile phone, for example, authenticate and authenticate the mobile phone.

In step 602, the mobile phone generates a parameter used to indicate the access mode of the mobile phone in step 601. In this embodiment, this parameter gives a binary value indicating whether to use automatic mode. The step 602 can also be performed in the process of the above step 601.

In step 603, the mobile phone and PLMN1, PLMN2 and HPLMN perform related operations according to current practical standards, such as performing wireless communication services.

In step 604, the HPLMN instructs the mobile phone to report its currently available PLMN list according to the current practical and feasible standards.

In step 605, the mobile phone determines whether to report all available PLMN lists according to the parameters in step 602. In this embodiment, if the binary value parameter is "Yes", the mobile phone reports its currently available PLMN lists PLMN1 and PLMN2; if the binary value parameter is "No", the mobile phone only reports PLMN list PLMN1.

third embodiment

In this embodiment, the mobile phone has selected and accessed a network PLMN1 in an automatic or manual manner according to the method described in the present invention or other feasible methods, and accepted the service of PLMN1. FIG. 7 shows the working flowchart of each component of the communication system according to the third embodiment of the present invention. The HPLMN described in FIG. 7 is the home PLMN of the mobile phone. Step 701, the mobile phone adopts a certain mode, accesses the PLMN1 system, and accepts the service of the PLMN1. During the above access process, PLMN1 may need to exchange information with the HPLMN of the mobile phone, for example, authenticate and authenticate the mobile phone.

In step 702, the mobile phone generates a parameter used to indicate the access mode of the mobile phone in step 701. In this embodiment, this parameter gives a binary value indicating whether to use automatic mode. The step 702 can also be performed in the process of the above step 701.

In step 703, the mobile phone transmits the parameters generated in step 702 to the HPLMN. The step 703 may also be performed during the process of the above step 702 .

In step 704, the HPLMN determines whether to instruct the mobile phone to perform PLMN reselection according to the currently feasible standard according to the parameters in the above step 703. In this embodiment, if the binary value parameter is "No", then the HPLMN will give up the subsequent process of instructing the UE to perform PLMN reselection.

Although the invention has been described in terms of the three illustrated examples, it should be noted that these examples are by way of illustration and not limitation of the invention. Those skilled in the art can easily modify, add and delete any steps in these embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

Claims (14)

1. the re-selection method of a communication network comprises step:

A) mobile phone inserts a public land mobile communication network network PLMN;

B) mobile phone produces and preserves and is used for indicating it to adopt the network selecting mode parameter of automatic mode or manual mode;

C) mobile phone and current PLMN and local PLMN operate according to described network selecting mode parameter, and wherein said operation comprises:

Local PLMN indication mobile phone is reselected another PLMN;

Mobile phone determines whether to reselect PLMN according to the network selecting mode parameter in the step b).

2. by the described method of claim 1, it is characterized in that described operation also comprises: carry out radio communication service, its current available PLMN tabulation of mobile phone report.

3. by the described method of claim 1, when it is characterized in that mobile phone and current PLMN and local PLMN operate, do not transmit described network selecting mode parameter.

4. by the described method of claim 1, it is characterized in that described network selecting mode parameter is one two a choosing value.

5. the re-selection method of a communication network comprises step:

A) mobile phone inserts a public land mobile communication network network PLMN;

B) mobile phone produces and preserves and is used for indicating it to adopt the network selecting mode parameter of automatic mode or manual mode;

C) mobile phone and current PLMN and local PLMN operate according to described network selecting mode parameter, and said operation comprises:

Local PLMN indication mobile phone is reported current available PLMN tabulation;

Mobile phone is according to the network selecting mode parameter in the step b), and whether decision reports all available PLMN tabulations.

6. by the described method of claim 5, it is characterized in that described operation also comprises: carry out radio communication service.

7. by the described method of claim 5, when it is characterized in that mobile phone and current PLMN and local PLMN operate, do not transmit described network selecting mode parameter.

8. by the described method of claim 5, it is characterized in that mobile phone, according to described network selecting mode parameter decision list content when local PLMN reports available network list.

9. by the described method of claim 5, it is characterized in that described network selecting mode parameter is one two a choosing value.

10. the re-selection method of a communication network comprises step:

A) mobile phone inserts a public land mobile communication network network PLMN;

B) mobile phone produces and preserves and is used for indicating it to adopt the network selecting mode parameter of automatic mode or manual mode;

C) mobile phone and current PLMN and local PLMN operate according to described network selecting mode parameter, and said operation comprises:

Mobile phone is passed to local PLMN with the network selecting mode parameter in the step b);

Whether local PLMN abides by the network selecting mode parameter decision that receives and indicates mobile phone to carry out reselecting of PLMN.

11., it is characterized in that mobile phone determines whether to carry out from the network of local PLMN to reselect instruction according to described network selecting mode parameter by the described method of claim 10.

12., when it is characterized in that mobile phone and current PLMN and local PLMN operate, transmit described network selecting mode parameter by the described method of claim 10.

13., it is characterized in that described network selecting mode parameter is one two a choosing value by the described method of claim 10.

14., it is characterized in that said network selecting mode parameter is " denying " by the described method of claim 11.

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