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CN-120712844-B - Method for operating a mobile station in a multiple mobile communication network cell environment

CN120712844BCN 120712844 BCN120712844 BCN 120712844BCN-120712844-B

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for operating a mobile station in a radio environment comprising a plurality of radio cells of a plurality of mobile communication networks, each of the radio cells being associated with at least one of the plurality of mobile communication networks, respectively, wherein the mobile station is connected to or registered with a first of the plurality of mobile communication networks and is additionally capable of being connected to or registered with a second of the plurality of mobile communication networks, wherein the mobile station is connected to or registered with the first mobile communication network as a result of a primary network selection procedure performed taking into account the radio environment and network selection data stored in a memory module of the mobile station, wherein at least part of the network selection data relates to or indicates the first mobile communication network, wherein, for the mobile station to be additionally connected to or registered with the second mobile communication network, the method comprises the step of-in a first step, the mobile station comprises or receives secondary network selection data which is at least partly associated with the first mobile communication station and is registered with at least one of the second mobile communication network as a result of the mobile station selection procedure performed in addition to the mobile communication network selection data being performed in addition to the first mobile communication network selection procedure.

Inventors

  • K. Bissinger

Assignees

  • 德国电信股份有限公司

Dates

Publication Date
20260512
Application Date
20240209
Priority Date
20230213

Claims (11)

  1. 1. A method for operating a mobile station (20) in a radio environment comprising a plurality of radio cells (11, 12, 13) of a plurality of mobile communication networks (100, 200, 300), each of these radio cells (11, 12, 13) being associated with at least one mobile communication network of said plurality of mobile communication networks (100, 200, 300), respectively, Wherein the mobile station (20) is connected to or registered with a first mobile communication network (100) of the plurality of mobile communication networks (100, 200, 300) as a primary connection of the mobile station (20), and additionally as a secondary connection of the mobile station (20), the mobile station (20) is connectable to or registered with a second mobile communication network (200) of the plurality of mobile communication networks (100, 200, 300), Wherein the mobile station (20) is connected to or registered with the first mobile communication network (100) as a result of a primary network selection procedure performed taking into account the radio environment and network selection data (25) stored in a memory module of the mobile station (20), wherein at least a part of the network selection data (25) relates to or indicates the first mobile communication network (100), wherein the network selection data (25) comprises a list or list entry of primary network selection data (251) as the primary connection with respect to the mobile station (20), the primary network selection data (251) being used by the mobile station (20) during the primary network selection procedure, the primary network selection procedure resulting in the mobile station (20) being connected to or registered with the first mobile communication network (100), Wherein, for the mobile station (20) to be additionally connected to or registered with the second mobile communication network (200), the method comprises the steps of: -in a first step, the mobile station (20) comprises or receives secondary network selection data (252) regarding the secondary connection of the mobile station (20), the secondary network selection data (252) being at least partly related to the first mobile communication network (100) and indicating at least the second mobile communication network (200), wherein the secondary network selection data (252) is also part of the network selection data (25), wherein parts (252 ', 252 ") of the secondary network selection data (252) are assigned to the primary network selection data (251) and each part (252', 252") corresponds to one of the mobile communication networks that can be selected as the first mobile communication network (100), -In a second step, the mobile station (20) is connected to or registered with the second mobile communication network (200) as a result of a secondary network selection procedure performed taking into account the radio environment and the portion (252', 252 ") of the secondary network selection data (252) corresponding to the first mobile communication network (100), in addition to being connected to or registered with the first mobile communication network (100).
  2. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the primary network selection procedure corresponds to a public land mobile network, PLMN, selection procedure, or to a separate non-public network SNPN selection procedure, and wherein the secondary network selection procedure corresponds to a further PLMN selection procedure, or to a further SNPN selection procedure, wherein the mobile station (20) corresponds to a user equipment with or comprising a subscriber identity module or a universal integrated circuit card, or to a mobile equipment.
  3. 3. The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the network selection data (25) is stored on a subscriber identity module or a universal integrated circuit card associated with the mobile station (20), which corresponds to the memory module of the mobile station (20), or wherein the network selection data (25) is stored on the mobile equipment, Wherein the network selection data (25) comprises a list or list entry for different categories of mobile communication networks, respectively, a list or list entry for -Equivalent home public land mobile network or equivalent home independent non-public network, and/or -A user-defined public land mobile network or a user-defined independent non-public network, and/or An operator defined public land mobile network or an operator defined independent non-public network, -An independent non-public network group identity, Wherein such list or list entry respectively comprises a prioritization indication for different radio access technologies.
  4. 4. The method of claim 1, wherein -Directly performing said secondary network selection procedure after said mobile station (20) is connected to or registered with said first mobile communication network (100), and/or -Periodically performing said secondary network selection procedure according to a timer implementing a periodic secondary time interval, wherein values regarding the secondary time interval and/or the start of the timer are stored in the memory module of the mobile station (20), Wherein the timer and/or the secondary time interval of the secondary network selection procedure is independent of when the primary network selection procedure is repeated.
  5. 5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the portion (252 ', 252 ") corresponding to the secondary network selection data (252) of the first mobile communication network (100) or the portion (252', 252") corresponding to the secondary network selection data (252) of a mobile communication network that can be selected as the first mobile communication network (100) comprises or corresponds to a collection of information items (255, 256, 257, 258), each information item (255, 256, 257, 258) corresponding to or referring to a mobile communication network that can be selected as the second mobile communication network (200), Wherein the collection of information items (255, 256, 257, 258) about each portion (252', 252 ") of the secondary network selection data (252) is capable of verifying one or more of: -information items (255, 256, 257, 258) refer to at least one mobile communication network selectable as said second mobile communication network (200), each information item (255, 256, 257, 258) refers to one mobile communication network selectable as said second mobile communication network (200), -The information item (255, 256, 257, 258) comprises an indication (253) for authentication purposes for accessing the respective mobile communication network referred to, the indication (253) for authentication purposes indicating whether local credential information is used or the credential information of the home network of the mobile station (20) and the indication (253) for authentication purposes comprises credential information to be used for accessing the respective mobile communication network referred to, -An information item (255, 256, 257, 258) comprising, in addition to an indication (253) for authentication purposes, a validity indication (254), wherein by means of said validity indication (254), the validity of said information item (255, 256, 257, 258) with respect to time and/or with respect to the position of said mobile station (20) can be restricted or allowed, wherein Regarding the time-dependent validity indication, a specifically defined time interval occurs only once or repeatedly and/or periodically and/or at specific events, -Applying a granularity of a tracking area level of the first mobile communication network (100), and/or -Indicating one or more geographical coordinates, with respect to a validity indication related to the position of said mobile station (20), having a radius or polygon defined by a plurality of geographical coordinates, Regarding a plurality of validity indications, such validity indications can be linked by logical operators, enabling a combined validity indication with respect to both time and location of the mobile station (20), -During the secondary network selection procedure, taking into account and taking into account all information items (255, 256, 257, 258) independently of a country indication or a mobile country code, independently of a country indication or a mobile country code of the first mobile communication network (100) -The set of information items (255, 256, 257, 258) is easily empty, in which case this results in avoiding secondary network selection.
  6. 6. The method of claim 1, wherein connecting to or registering with the second mobile communication network (200) is performed by the mobile station (20) using authentication and/or using credential information according to one or more of: -using credential information of a home network of the first mobile communication network (100) and/or the mobile station (20) in dependence of an indication in the network selection data (25), -Using credential information of the home network of the mobile station (20) and/or of the second mobile communication network (200) in dependence of an indication in the network selection data (25), -Said credential information to be used has been stored in said memory module of said mobile station (20), -Said credential information to be used is transmitted by said first mobile communication network (100) and/or by said second mobile communication network (200) to said mobile station (20), -The indication of how to perform authentication can be explicit as part of the secondary network selection data (252), or implicit in case credential information of the second mobile communication network (200) is stored, or in case the second mobile communication network (200) refuses an authentication attempt using credential information of the first mobile communication network (100) and/or the home network of the mobile station (20).
  7. 7. The method according to claim 1, wherein in case the mobile station (20) is connected to or registered with a further first mobile communication network, as a result of a subsequent primary network selection procedure after terminating the connection with the first mobile communication network (100) as the primary connection of the mobile station (20), a further secondary network selection procedure is performed in respect of the secondary connection of the mobile station (20) taking into account the radio environment and the respective part of the secondary network selection data (252) corresponding to the further first mobile communication network, Wherein a connection with the second mobile communication network (200) or the secondary connection of the mobile station (20) is terminated after termination of the primary connection with the first mobile communication network (20) and before the mobile station (20) is connected to or registered with the further first mobile communication network.
  8. 8. A mobile station (20) operated in a radio environment comprising a plurality of radio cells (11, 12, 13) of a plurality of mobile communication networks (100, 200, 300), each of these radio cells (11, 12, 13) being associated with at least one mobile communication network of said plurality of mobile communication networks (100, 200, 300), respectively, Wherein the mobile station (20) is connected to or registered with a first mobile communication network (100) of the plurality of mobile communication networks (100, 200, 300) as a primary connection of the mobile station (20), and additionally as a secondary connection of the mobile station (20), the mobile station (20) is connectable to or registered with a second mobile communication network (200) of the plurality of mobile communication networks (100, 200, 300), Wherein the mobile station (20) is connected to or registered with the first mobile communication network (100) as a result of a primary network selection procedure performed taking into account the radio environment and network selection data (25) stored in a memory module of the mobile station (20), wherein at least a part of the network selection data (25) relates to or indicates the first mobile communication network (100), wherein the network selection data (25) comprises a list or list entry of primary network selection data (251) as the primary connection with respect to the mobile station (20), the primary network selection data (251) being used by the mobile station (20) during the primary network selection procedure, the primary network selection procedure resulting in the mobile station (20) being connected to or registered with the first mobile communication network (100), Wherein, in order for the mobile station (20) to additionally connect to or register with the second mobile communication network (200), the mobile station (20) is configured such that: -the mobile station (20) comprises or receives secondary network selection data (252) regarding the secondary connection of the mobile station (20), the secondary network selection data (252) being at least partly related to the first mobile communication network (100) and indicating at least the second mobile communication network (200), wherein the secondary network selection data (252) is also part of the network selection data (25), wherein parts (252 ', 252 ") of the secondary network selection data (252) are assigned to the primary network selection data (251) and each part (252', 252") corresponds to one of the mobile communication networks that can be selected as the first mobile communication network (100), -The mobile station (20) is connected to the second mobile communication network (200) as a result of a secondary network selection procedure performed taking into account the radio environment and the portion (252', 252 ") of the secondary network selection data (252) corresponding to the first mobile communication network (100), in addition to being connected to or registered with the first mobile communication network (100).
  9. 9. A system or mobile communication network (100, 200) for operating a mobile station (20) in a radio environment comprising a plurality of radio cells (11, 12, 13) of a plurality of mobile communication networks (100, 200, 300), each of these radio cells (11, 12, 13) being associated with at least one of the plurality of mobile communication networks (100, 200, 300), respectively, Wherein the mobile station (20) is connected to or registered with a first mobile communication network (100) of the plurality of mobile communication networks (100, 200, 300) as a primary connection of the mobile station (20), and additionally as a secondary connection of the mobile station (20), the mobile station (20) is connectable to or registered with a second mobile communication network (200) of the plurality of mobile communication networks (100, 200, 300), Wherein the mobile station (20) is connected to or registered with the first mobile communication network (100) as a result of a primary network selection procedure performed taking into account the radio environment and network selection data (25) stored in a memory module of the mobile station (20), wherein at least a part of the network selection data (25) relates to or indicates the first mobile communication network (100), wherein the network selection data (25) comprises a list or list entry of primary network selection data (251) as the primary connection with respect to the mobile station (20), the primary network selection data (251) being used by the mobile station (20) during the primary network selection procedure, the primary network selection procedure resulting in the mobile station (20) being connected to or registered with the first mobile communication network (100), Wherein, in order for the mobile station (20) to be additionally connected to or registered with the second mobile communication network (200), the system or mobile communication network (100, 200) is configured such that: -the mobile station (20) comprises or receives secondary network selection data (252) regarding the secondary connection of the mobile station (20), the secondary network selection data (252) being at least partly related to the first mobile communication network (100) and indicating at least the second mobile communication network (200), wherein the secondary network selection data (252) is also part of the network selection data (25), wherein parts (252 ', 252 ") of the secondary network selection data (252) are assigned to the primary network selection data (251) and each part (252', 252") corresponds to one of the mobile communication networks that can be selected as the first mobile communication network (100), -The mobile station (20) is connected to or registered with the second mobile communication network (200) as a result of a secondary network selection procedure performed in view of the radio environment and the portion (252', 252 ") of the secondary network selection data (252) corresponding to the first mobile communication network (100), in addition to being connected to or registered with the first mobile communication network (100).
  10. 10. A computer program product comprising computer readable program code which, when executed on a computer and/or on a mobile station (20) and/or on a network node of a mobile communication network (100), or partly on a mobile station (20) and/or partly on a network node of a mobile communication network (100), causes the computer and/or the mobile station (20) and/or the network node of the mobile communication network (100) to perform the method according to any of claims 1 to 7.
  11. 11. A computer readable medium comprising instructions which, when executed on a computer and/or on a mobile station (20) and/or on a network node of a mobile communication network (100) or partly on a mobile station (20) and/or partly on a network node of a mobile communication network (100), cause the computer and/or the mobile station (20) and/or the network node of the mobile communication network (100) to perform the method according to any of claims 1 to 7.

Description

Method for operating a mobile station in a multiple mobile communication network cell environment Background The invention relates to a method for operating a mobile station in a radio environment comprising a plurality of radio cells of a plurality of mobile communication networks, each of which is associated with at least one of the plurality of mobile communication networks, wherein the mobile station is connected to or registered with a first one of the plurality of mobile communication networks as a primary connection of the mobile station and is additionally connectable to or registered with a second one of the plurality of mobile communication networks as a secondary connection of the mobile station. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for operating a mobile station in a radio environment comprising a plurality of radio cells of a plurality of mobile communication networks, each of the radio cells being associated with at least one of the plurality of mobile communication networks, respectively, wherein the mobile station is connected to or registered with a first one of the plurality of mobile communication networks as a primary connection of the mobile station and is additionally connectable to or registered with a second one of the plurality of mobile communication networks as a secondary connection of the mobile station. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a mobile station for receiving network selection data from a home network of the mobile station and/or for storing network selection data, in particular according to the present invention, wherein the mobile station is configured to perform a primary network selection procedure using network selection data at least partly related to or indicative of a first mobile communication network in order to connect to or register with the first mobile communication network as a primary connection for the mobile station. Furthermore, the invention relates to a system or a mobile communication network for operating a mobile station in a radio environment comprising a plurality of radio cells of a plurality of mobile communication networks, each of which is associated with at least one mobile communication network of the plurality of mobile communication networks, Wherein the mobile station is connected to or registered with a first one of the plurality of mobile communication networks as a primary connection for the mobile station and additionally as a secondary connection for the mobile station, the mobile station being capable of being connected to or registered with a second one of the plurality of mobile communication networks. Furthermore, the invention relates to a program and a computer readable medium for operating a mobile station in a radio environment according to the method of the invention. In currently deployed mobile communication networks, a mobile station (typically a user equipment) typically experiences a radio environment comprising a plurality of radio cells. One such radio cell is typically provided by a base station entity. If this is the case, the radio environment of the mobile station comprises the radio cell under consideration. The plurality of radio cells (i.e. the plurality of radio cells of the base station entity) are typically part of a mobile communication network being a cellular mobile communication network. Thus, a plurality of radio cells in the radio environment of a mobile station are typically part of a plurality of mobile communication networks. Thus, by means of selecting a radio cell, the mobile station also selects a mobile communication network. However, before a mobile communication network is considered a network selection candidate, the mobile station needs to find a suitable radio cell in the mobile communication network or public land mobile network to camp on. The criteria for making a radio cell considered suitable (to camp on) depends on the considered network technology (or radio access technology) in or by means of a relevant standardization document, mostly referring to a 3GPP (third generation partnership project) document. The (initial) selection of a mobile network by a mobile station or user equipment (network selection after powering on or losing a connection of the device) is defined in TS 23.122 (among others), a number of network lists are defined that determine the network selection priority of a particular network, wherein the highest priority with respect to network selection is given to the home network (or equivalent home networks). In particular, due to the 5G specifications in 3GPP, a mobile station or user equipment may also be registered in (or may even need to be registered in) two different networks, e.g. TS 22.261 defines "multi-network connectivity and service delivery across operators" (clause 6.18 of TS 22.261 v16.16.0) or "provide access to local services" (clause 6.41 of TS 22.261 v18.7.0). However, the registration procedure of the mobile station in the