U.S. patent application number 17/752571 was filed with the patent office on 2022-09-08 for roaming network access method and apparatus.
The applicant listed for this patent is Huawei Device Co., Ltd.. Invention is credited to Xiaoyan CHEN, Shujun DANG, Yinqing JIANG, Hui JIN, Xiaojian LIU, Li SHEN, Guanzhong TAN.
Application Number | 20220286954 17/752571 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000006359544 |
Filed Date | 2022-09-08 |
United States Patent
Application |
20220286954 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
JIANG; Yinqing ; et
al. |
September 8, 2022 |
ROAMING NETWORK ACCESS METHOD AND APPARATUS
Abstract
Embodiments of the present invention provide a roaming network
access method and apparatus, where the method includes: obtaining a
mobile country code MCC of a roaming area; obtaining a preferential
roaming list, where the preferential roaming list is used to
indicate information about at least one network that a user
preferentially attempts to register with when the user is roaming;
selecting a network that matches the MCC from the preferential
roaming list and searching for the selected network; and each time
a network is found by the searching, attempting to register with
the found network. By means of the roaming network access method
and apparatus provided in the embodiments of the present invention,
duration of network searching performed by user equipment is
shortened, time spent by the user equipment on initial network
access in the roaming area is reduced.
Inventors: |
JIANG; Yinqing; (Wuhan,
CN) ; SHEN; Li; (Shenzhen, CN) ; TAN;
Guanzhong; (Shenzhen, CN) ; DANG; Shujun;
(Shenzhen, CN) ; CHEN; Xiaoyan; (Wuhan, CN)
; LIU; Xiaojian; (Wuhan, CN) ; JIN; Hui;
(Shenzhen, CN) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Huawei Device Co., Ltd. |
Dongguan |
|
CN |
|
|
Family ID: |
1000006359544 |
Appl. No.: |
17/752571 |
Filed: |
May 24, 2022 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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16785278 |
Feb 7, 2020 |
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17752571 |
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15300231 |
Sep 28, 2016 |
10560890 |
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PCT/CN2014/074274 |
Mar 28, 2014 |
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16785278 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04W 48/18 20130101;
H04W 8/183 20130101; H04W 48/16 20130101; H04W 8/06 20130101 |
International
Class: |
H04W 48/18 20060101
H04W048/18; H04W 48/16 20060101 H04W048/16; H04W 8/18 20060101
H04W008/18; H04W 8/06 20060101 H04W008/06 |
Claims
1. An apparatus, comprising: at least one processor; and a
non-volatile memory coupled to the at least one processor and
configured to store programming instructions that, when executed by
the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to: when the
apparatus initially accesses a network in a roaming area, camp on
an emergency service cell of the roaming area, wherein the
emergency service cell is associated with a first public land
mobile network (PLMN); obtain a mobile country code (MCC) of the
emergency service cell according to the first public land mobile
network (PLMN); search for a second PLMN that matches the MCC from
a preferential roaming list, wherein the preferential roaming list
includes PLMNs and radio access technologies (RATs) supported by
the PLMNs; and register and camp on the second PLMN when the second
PLMN is found.
2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the preferential
roaming list is stored in the non-volatile memory of the
apparatus.
3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second PLMN is
different from the first PLMN.
4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the instructions
further cause the apparatus to: search for a third PLMN that
matches the MCC from the preferential roaming list when the second
PLMN fails to register, wherein the third PLMN is different from
the second PLMN; and register and camp on the third PLMN when the
third PLMN is found.
5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the search for a
second PLMN includes: search a first RAT network in the second
PLMN; wherein the register and camp on the second PLMN when the
second PLMN is found includes: register the first RAT network in
the second PLMN when the first RAT network in the second PLMN is
found.
6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the instructions
further cause the apparatus to: search a second RAT network in the
second PLMN when the first RAT network fails to register in the
second PLMN; and register the second RAT network in the second PLMN
when the second RAT network in the second PLMN is found.
7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus
initially accesses a network in a roaming area occurs when the
apparatus initially turns on in the roaming area.
8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the instructions
further cause the apparatus to: when the second PLMN registers
successfully, stop the search.
9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the preferential
roaming list includes a frequency band associated with each of the
RATs.
10. A chip, comprising: at least one processor; and a non- volatile
memory coupled to the at least one processor and configured to
store programming instructions that, when executed by the at least
one processor, cause the chip to: when the chip initially accesses
a network in a roaming area, camp on an emergency service cell of
the roaming area, wherein the emergency service cell is associated
with a first public land mobile network (PLMN); obtain a mobile
country code (MCC) of the emergency service cell according to the
first public land mobile network (PLMN); search for a second PLMN
that matches the MCC from a preferential roaming list, wherein the
preferential roaming list includes PLMNs and radio access
technologies (RATs) supported by the PLMNs; and register and camp
on the second PLMN when the second PLMN is found.
11. The chip according to claim 10, wherein the preferential
roaming list is stored in the non-volatile memory of the chip.
12. The chip according to claim 10, wherein the second PLMN is
different from the first PLMN.
13. The chip according to claim 10, wherein the instructions
further cause the chip to: search for a third PLMN that matches the
MCC from the preferential roaming list when the second PLMN fails
to register, wherein the third PLMN is different from the second
PLMN; and register and camp on the third PLMN when the third PLMN
is found.
14. The chip according to claim 10, wherein the search for a second
PLMN comprises: search a first RAT network in the second PLMN;
wherein the register and camp on the second PLMN when the second
PLMN is found includes: register the first RAT network in the
second PLMN when the first RAT network in the second PLMN is
found.
15. The chip according to claim 14, wherein the instructions
further cause the chip to: search a second RAT network in the
second PLMN when the first RAT network fails to register in the
second PLMN; and register the second RAT network in the second PLMN
when the second RAT network in the second PLMN is found.
16. The chip according to claim 10, wherein the chip initially
accesses a network in a roaming area when the chip is initially
turned on in the roaming area.
17. The chip according to claim 10, wherein the instructions
further cause the chip to: when the second PLMN registers
successfully, stop the search.
18. The chip according to claim 10, wherein the preferential
roaming list includes a frequency band associated with each of the
RATs.
19. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising
instructions to cause an apparatus to: when the apparatus initially
accesses a network in a roaming area, camp on an emergency service
cell of the roaming area, wherein the emergency service cell is
associated with a first public land mobile network (PLMN); obtain a
mobile country code (MCC) of the emergency service cell according
to the first public land mobile network (PLMN); search for a second
PLMN that matches the MCC from a preferential roaming list, wherein
the preferential roaming list includes PLMNs and radio access
technologies (RATs) supported by the PLMNs; and register and camp
on the second PLMN when the second PLMN is found.
20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according
to claim 19, wherein the preferential roaming list is stored in the
non-volatile memory of the apparatus.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 16/785,278, filed on Feb. 7, 2020, which is a
continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/300,231, filed
on Sep. 28, 2016, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,560,890. The U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 15/300,231 is a national stage of
International Application No. PCT/CN2014/074274, filed on Mar. 28,
2014. All of the aforementioned applications are hereby
incorporated by reference in their entireties.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] Embodiments of the present invention relate to
communications technologies, and in particular, to a roaming
network access method and apparatus.
BACKGROUND
[0003] After user equipment (UE for short) is powered on or when it
is roaming, the primary task is to select a public land mobile
network (PLMN for short) and successfully register with the PLMN,
and the UE can obtain normal communications services such as a
voice service and a data service only in this way.
[0004] In the prior art, after UE is powered on, it first attempts
to register with a public land mobile network that the UE
successfully registered with (Registered PLMN, RPLMN for short)
last time. If the registration fails, the UE performs full-band
network searching. The UE searches for all networks according to
frequency bands and radio access technologies (RAT for short) that
are supported by the UE, and generates a list of available
networks, where each element in the list includes a PLMN and a RAT
of an available network. To facilitate faster registration of the
UE with an available network, the UE needs to select a PLMN from
the foregoing list of the found available networks according to a
particular rule. For example, it is stipulated in the 3rd
Generation Partnership Project (3GPP for short) specifications that
UE selects a PLMN according to the following sequence:
RPLMN.fwdarw.home public land mobile network (Home PLMN, HPLMN for
short).fwdarw.user controlled public land mobile network (User
PLMN, UPLMN for short).fwdarw.operator controlled public land
mobile network (Operator PLMN, OPLMN for short).fwdarw.other
available PLMNs (OTHER Available PLMN).
[0005] Duration of network searching performed by the UE mainly
depends on factors such as a frequency band and a RAT that are
supported by the UE, a quantity of coverage cells in an area in
which the UE is located, and software and hardware restrictions of
the UE. With commercialization of the Long Term Evolution (LTE for
short) technology, the UE can support more RATs. When the UE is
roaming, the UE needs to look over all standards and frequency
bands that are supported by the UE and generate a list of available
networks before selecting a PLMN and attempting to register with
the selected PLMN, which results in an excessively long time of
network searching.
[0006] Duration of PLMN selection performed by the UE mainly
depends on an order of the foregoing found available networks in
the list. In a scenario in which the UE is roaming, if there is a
large quantity of operators in a roaming area of the UE, the list
of the found available networks is long, for example, there are
many small operators in Hong Kong, America, and some European
countries, and the number of elements in the list of available
networks may reach dozens. In addition, a PLMN selection process is
a trial-and-error process; for each selected PLMN and RAT, a
registration attempt process of the UE involves multiple rounds of
network-wide signaling message interaction; in addition, when one
registration attempt fails, the UE needs to continue to attempt to
register with the same PLMN and RAT until a preset stop condition
is satisfied, for example, a quantity of failed attempts reaches a
preset quantity-of-failed-attempts threshold, leading to an
excessively long time of PLMN selection.
[0007] In the prior art, when UE initially accesses a network in a
roaming area, it takes a relatively long time for the UE to
successfully register with a network in the roaming area, and user
experience is affected due to an excessively long waiting time.
SUMMARY
[0008] Embodiments of the present invention provide a roaming
network access method and apparatus, to reduce time spent by user
equipment on initial network access in a roaming area.
[0009] According to a first aspect, an embodiment of the present
invention provides a roaming network access method, where the
method includes:
[0010] obtaining a mobile country code MCC of a roaming area;
[0011] obtaining a preferential roaming list, where the
preferential roaming list is used to indicate information about at
least one network that a user preferentially attempts to register
with when the user is roaming;
[0012] selecting a network that matches the MCC from the
preferential roaming list and searching for the selected network;
and
[0013] each time a network is found by the searching, attempting to
register with the found network.
[0014] According to the first aspect, in a first embodiment of the
first aspect, the obtaining an MCC of a roaming area includes:
[0015] obtaining the MCC of the roaming area according to a public
land mobile network PLMN supported by a camped-on emergency service
cell.
[0016] According to the first aspect, in a second embodiment of the
first aspect, the obtaining an MCC of a roaming area includes:
[0017] obtaining the MCC of the roaming area according to an
obtained schedule and/or flight information of the user.
[0018] According to the first aspect, in a third possible
embodiment of the first aspect, the selecting a network that
matches the MCC from the preferential roaming list and searching
for the selected network includes:
[0019] obtaining, by means of screening, at least one network that
matches the MCC from the preferential roaming list, to generate an
available preferential roaming list; and
[0020] selecting a network in the available preferential roaming
list one by one and searching for the selected network.
[0021] According to the first aspect, in a fourth possible
embodiment of the first aspect, the selecting a network that
matches the MCC from the preferential roaming list and searching
for the selected network includes:
[0022] selecting the network that matches the MCC from the
preferential roaming list;
[0023] obtaining a frequency band that matches the selected
network; and
[0024] searching for the selected network according to the selected
network and the obtained frequency band that matches the selected
network.
[0025] According to the first aspect and any one of the first to
fourth possible embodiments of the first aspect, in a fifth
possible embodiment of the first aspect, the preferential roaming
list is at least one of the following:
[0026] an operator controlled public land mobile network OPLMN, a
user controlled public land mobile network UPLMN, and historical
roaming information, where the historical roaming information is
used to record a network that the user has successfully registered
with and/or has failed to register with during roaming.
[0027] According to a second aspect, an embodiment of the present
invention provides a roaming network access apparatus, where the
apparatus includes:
[0028] an obtaining module, configured to obtain a mobile country
code MCC of a roaming area, where
[0029] the obtaining module is further configured to obtain a
preferential roaming list, where the preferential roaming list is
used to indicate information about at least one network that a user
preferentially attempts to register with when the user is
roaming;
[0030] a searching module, configured to select, from the
preferential roaming list obtained by the obtaining module, a
network that matches the MCC obtained by the obtaining module, and
search for the selected network; and
[0031] a registration module, configured to: each time the
searching module finds a network by the searching, attempt to
register with the found network.
[0032] According to the second aspect, in a first possible
embodiment of the second aspect, the obtaining module is
specifically configured to obtain the MCC of the roaming area
according to a public land mobile network PLMN supported by a
camped-on emergency service cell.
[0033] According to the second aspect, in a second possible
embodiment of the second aspect, the obtaining module is
specifically configured to obtain the MCC of the roaming area
according to an obtained schedule and/or flight information of the
user.
[0034] According to the second aspect, in a third possible
embodiment of the second aspect, the searching module is
specifically configured to:
[0035] obtain, by means of screening, at least one network that
matches the MCC from the preferential roaming list, to generate an
available preferential roaming list; and
[0036] select a network in the available preferential roaming list
one by one and search for the selected network.
[0037] According to the second aspect, in a fourth possible
embodiment of the second aspect, the searching module is
specifically configured to:
[0038] select the network that matches the MCC from the
preferential roaming list;
[0039] obtain a frequency band that matches the selected network;
and
[0040] search for the selected network according to the selected
network and the obtained frequency band that matches the selected
network.
[0041] According to the second aspect and any one of the first to
fourth possible embodiments of the second aspect, in a fifth
possible embodiment of the second aspect, the preferential roaming
list is at least one of the following:
[0042] an operator controlled public land mobile network OPLMN, a
user controlled public land mobile network UPLMN, and historical
roaming information, where the historical roaming information is
used to record a network that the user has successfully registered
with and/or has failed to register with during roaming.
[0043] Compared with the prior art, by means of the roaming network
access method and apparatus provided in the embodiments of the
present invention, when user equipment initially accesses a network
in a roaming area, the user equipment neither needs to look over
all RATs and frequency bands that are supported by the user
equipment nor needs to select a PLMN according to the following
sequence: HPLMN.fwdarw.UPLMN.fwdarw.OPLMN.fwdarw.OTHER Available
PLMN; instead, the user equipment selects, according to an MCC of
the roaming area, a network that matches the MCC of the roaming
area from a preferential roaming list used to indicate information
about at least one network that a user preferentially attempts to
register with when the user is roaming, and searches for the
selected network, and each time the user equipment finds a network
by the searching, the user equipment attempts to register with the
found network, which shortens duration of network searching
performed by the user equipment; moreover, the user equipment
pertinently selects, based on the MCC of the roaming area and the
preferential roaming list, a network for network searching and
registration, so that time spent by the user equipment on initial
network access in the roaming area is reduced and user experience
is improved.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0044] FIG. 1 is a flowchart of a roaming network access method
according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0045] FIG. 2 is a schematic structural diagram of a roaming
network access apparatus according to an embodiment of the present
invention; and
[0046] FIG. 3 is another schematic structural diagram of a roaming
network access apparatus according to an embodiment of the present
invention.
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
[0047] FIG. 1 is a flowchart of a roaming network access method
according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in
FIG. 1, the method includes:
[0048] 101: Obtain a mobile country code (MCC for short) of a
roaming area.
[0049] 102: Obtain a preferential roaming list, where the
preferential roaming list is used to indicate information about at
least one network that a user preferentially attempts to register
with when the user is roaming.
[0050] There is no strict chronological order between step 101 and
step 102: step 101 may be performed before step 102, or step 101
may be performed after step 102, or step 101 and step 102 may be
performed simultaneously.
[0051] 103: Select a network that matches the MCC from the
preferential roaming list and search for the selected network.
[0052] 104: Each time a network is found by the searching, attempt
to register with the found network.
[0053] If the registration is successful, network searching may be
stopped.
[0054] Specifically, the method may be executed by user equipment,
and the method may be applied to a scenario in which the user
equipment initially accesses a network in a roaming area. The user
equipment may be a communications device such as a cellular phone
or a tablet. The information about the network in the preferential
roaming list includes PLMN information of the network, or PLMN
information of the network and information about a RAT supported by
the PLMN.
[0055] Optionally, the preferential roaming list is at least one of
the following: OPLMN, UPLMN, and historical roaming information.
The historical roaming information is used to record a network that
the user has successfully registered with and/or has failed to
register with during roaming.
[0056] Compared with the prior art, by means of the roaming network
access method provided in this embodiment of the present invention,
when user equipment initially accesses a network in a roaming area,
the user equipment neither needs to look over all RATs and
frequency bands that are supported by the user equipment nor needs
to select a PLMN according to the following sequence:
HPLMN.fwdarw.UPLMN.fwdarw.OPLMN.fwdarw.OTHER Available PLMN;
instead, the user equipment selects, according to an MCC of the
roaming area, a network that matches the MCC of the roaming area
from a preferential roaming list used to indicate information about
at least one network that a user preferentially attempts to
register with when the user is roaming, and searches for the
selected network, and each time the user equipment finds a network
by the searching, the user equipment attempts to register with the
found network, which shortens duration of network searching
performed by the user equipment; moreover, the user equipment
pertinently selects, based on the MCC of the roaming area and the
preferential roaming list, a network for network searching and
registration, so that time spent by the user equipment on initial
network access in the roaming area is reduced and user experience
is improved.
[0057] Optionally, based on the foregoing embodiment, an embodiment
of obtaining the MCC of the roaming area is that: the user
equipment obtains the MCC of the roaming area according to a PLMN
supported by a camped-on emergency service cell.
[0058] Another embodiment of obtaining the MCC of the roaming area
is that: the user equipment obtains the MCC of the roaming area
according to an obtained schedule and/or flight information of the
user. Specifically, the schedule and/or flight information of the
user includes destination (roaming area) information, and the user
equipment obtains the destination information according to the
schedule and/or flight information of the user, and obtains the MCC
of the destination (that is, the roaming area) according to the
obtained destination information and in a manner such as table
lookup. It may be understood that the user may manually set the
schedule and/or flight information of the user on the user
equipment; the schedule and/or flight information of the user may
be set before a plane takes off or after the user equipment is
powered on in the roaming area; optionally, the schedule and/or
flight information of the user may be stored in a specific
application of the user equipment, where the specific application
is used to provide the MCC information of the destination; and the
user equipment obtains, according to the destination, the MCC of
the destination in advance by using the specific application.
[0059] Optionally, based on the foregoing embodiment, an embodiment
of selecting a network that matches the MCC from the preferential
roaming list and searching for the selected network includes at
least one of the following:
Embodiment 1
[0060] The user equipment obtains, by means of screening, at least
one network that matches the MCC from the preferential roaming
list, to generate an available preferential roaming list; and
selects a network in the available preferential roaming list one by
one and searches for the selected network.
[0061] For example, the user equipment obtains, by means of
screening, a PLMN that matches the MCC from the preferential
roaming list, and generates an available roaming list with
reference to a RAT that is recorded in the preferential roaming
list and that is supported by the PLMN obtained by means of
screening; each element in the available roaming list includes
information about a PLMN and information about a RAT supported by
the PLMN; the user equipment selects elements in the preferential
roaming list one by one and searches for a network; and each time a
network is found by the searching, the user equipment attempts to
register with the found network.
Embodiment 2
[0062] The user equipment selects the network that matches the MCC
from the preferential roaming list; obtains a frequency band that
matches the selected network; and searches for the selected network
according to the selected network and the obtained frequency band
that matches the selected network.
[0063] For example, the user equipment selects PLMNs that match the
MCC from the preferential roaming list, and obtains, according to
RATs that are recorded in the preferential roaming list and can be
supported by the selected PLMNs, available frequency bands of the
RATs from a frequency band list, to generate a search attempt list;
each element in the search attempt list includes a PLMN, a RAT
supported by the PLMN, and an available frequency band of the RAT;
the user equipment selects elements in the search attempt list one
by one and searches for a network; and each time a network is found
by the searching, the user equipment attempts to register with the
found network.
[0064] The frequency band list in the user equipment stores global
MCC-MNCs, and standard and frequency band information. The
frequency band list is stored in the user equipment in a database
form and can be updated dynamically.
[0065] By means of the technical solution provided by the foregoing
embodiment 2, after selecting a PLMN that matches an MCC of a
roaming area from a preferential roaming list, the user equipment
does not need to look over all frequency bands supported by the
selected PLMN or all available frequency bands of a RAT supported
by the selected PLMN; instead, the user equipment searches only a
frequency band that can be supported, for the selected PLMN, by an
operator network in the roaming area, so that duration of network
searching performed by the user equipment is shortened, time spent
by the user equipment on initial network access in the roaming area
is reduced, and user experience is improved.
[0066] Optionally, after obtaining the available frequency bands of
the RATs from the frequency band list to generate the search
attempt list, the user equipment deletes a RAT and a frequency band
that are not supported by the user equipment from the search
attempt list according to a RAT and a frequency band that can be
supported by the user equipment, to further reduce a network
searching range and shorten network searching duration.
[0067] Optionally, based on the foregoing embodiment, the
historical roaming information includes a first roaming network
list and/or a second roaming network list; the first roaming
network list is used to record a network that the user has
successfully registered with during roaming, and the second roaming
network list is used to record a network that the user has failed
to register with during roaming.
[0068] Further, if the preferential roaming list includes the
historical roaming information, each time after the user equipment
attempts to register with a found PLMN, the user equipment updates
the historical roaming information in real time according to
whether the registration is successful:
[0069] (1) When the historical roaming information includes the
first roaming network list:
[0070] if the user equipment determines that it fails to register
with the found PLMN, the user equipment determines whether the
found PLMN appears in the first roaming network list, and when it
is determined that the found PLMN appears in the first roaming
network list, the user equipment deletes the found PLMN from the
first roaming network list; or
[0071] if the user equipment determines that it successfully
registers with the found PLMN, the user equipment determines
whether the found PLMN appears in the first roaming network list,
and when it is determined that the found PLMN does not appear in
the first roaming network list, the user equipment adds the found
PLMN to the first roaming network list.
[0072] (2) When the historical roaming information includes the
second roaming network list:
[0073] if the user equipment determines that it fails to register
with the found PLMN, the user equipment determines whether the
found PLMN appears in the second roaming network list, and when it
is determined that the found PLMN does not appear in the second
roaming network list, the user equipment adds the found PLMN to the
second roaming network list; or
[0074] if the user equipment determines that the it successfully
registers with the found PLMN, the user equipment determines
whether the found PLMN appears in the second roaming network list,
and when it is determined that the found PLMN appears in the second
roaming network list, the user equipment deletes the found PLMN
from the second roaming network list.
[0075] Optionally, based on the foregoing embodiment, the
preferential roaming list is stored in a non-volatile memory of the
user equipment.
[0076] Further, a backup of the preferential roaming list is stored
in a cloud. The cloud is used to store a preferential roaming list
of at least one user, and a preferential roaming list of each user
is stored according to an identifier of each user; the identifier
may be information characterizing a user identity, for example, a
cloud account and a phone number of a user or an IMEI sequence
number of user equipment. After a user loses or replaces the user
equipment, user equipment after the replacement may obtain the
preferential roaming list of the user from the cloud.
[0077] A feasible embodiment of obtaining, by the user equipment,
the preferential roaming list is: detecting, by the user equipment,
whether the preferential roaming list is stored in the non-volatile
memory of the user equipment; if not, obtaining, by the user
equipment from the cloud, the preferential roaming list stored in
the cloud; or if yes, obtaining, by the user equipment, the
preferential roaming list from the non-volatile memory, and
performing information synchronization with the cloud so that
version information (for example, a synchronization identifier and
a timestamp) of the preferential roaming list stored in the
non-volatile memory of the user equipment is the same as version
information of the preferential roaming list stored in the
cloud.
[0078] Further, after the preferential roaming list is updated, the
user equipment performs information synchronization with the cloud
and synchronously uploads a change in storage information in the
preferential roaming list to the cloud, so as to update the
preferential roaming list stored in the cloud and the version
information thereof
[0079] Optionally, based on the foregoing embodiment, the
preferential roaming list is stored in a subscriber identity module
(SIM). A feasible embodiment of storing the preferential roaming
list in the subscriber identity module is: adding, to the SIM, a
new elementary file (EF for short), EF-Roam, where the EF-Roam is
used to store the preferential roaming list of the user.
[0080] That the preferential roaming list records the historical
roaming information is used as an example. When the user equipment
initially accesses a network in a roaming area:
[0081] After a registration success message or a location update
success message is received, information about a current available
network that the user equipment successfully registers with is
stored in the EF-Roam.
[0082] When a registration request of the user equipment is
rejected, where for example, a rejection reason is PLMN not
allowed, the user equipment determines whether a current available
network that the user equipment fails to register with is recorded
in the EF-Roam; and if yes, the user equipment deletes the
available network from the EF-Roam.
[0083] Optionally, a valid time field is set in the EF-Roam. While
information about an available network is newly added to the
EF-Roam, a valid time is started, and when the valid time expires,
the information about the available network is automatically
deleted from the EF-Roam.
[0084] FIG. 2 is a schematic structural diagram of a roaming
network access apparatus according to an embodiment of the present
invention. As shown in FIG. 2, the roaming network access apparatus
200 provided in this embodiment of the present invention
includes:
[0085] an obtaining module 201, configured to obtain a mobile
country code MCC of a roaming area, where
[0086] the obtaining module 201 is further configured to obtain a
preferential roaming list, where the preferential roaming list is
used to indicate information about at least one network that a user
preferentially attempts to register with when the user is
roaming;
[0087] a searching module 202, configured to select, from the
preferential roaming list obtained by the obtaining module 201, a
network that matches the MCC obtained by the obtaining module 201
and search for the selected network; and
[0088] a registration module 203, configured to: each time the
searching module 202 finds a network by the searching, attempt to
register with the found network.
[0089] The roaming network access apparatus 200 provided in this
embodiment of the present invention may be disposed on user
equipment. The roaming network access apparatus 200 may be
configured to perform the technical solution of the method
embodiment shown in FIG. 1, and has a similar implementation
principle and technical effect, and details are not described
herein again.
[0090] Optionally, the obtaining module 201 is specifically
configured to obtain the MCC of the roaming area according to a
PLMN supported by a camped-on emergency service cell.
[0091] Optionally, the obtaining module 201 is specifically
configured to obtain the MCC of the roaming area according to an
obtained schedule and/or flight information of the user.
[0092] Optionally, the searching module 202 is specifically
configured to:
[0093] obtain, by means of screening, at least one network that
matches the MCC from the preferential roaming list, to generate an
available preferential roaming list; and select a network in the
available preferential roaming list one by one and search for the
selected network.
[0094] Optionally, the searching module 202 is specifically
configured to:
[0095] select the network that matches the MCC from the
preferential roaming list;
[0096] obtain a frequency band that matches the selected network;
and
[0097] search for the selected network according to the selected
network and the obtained frequency band that matches the selected
network.
[0098] Based on the foregoing embodiment, the preferential roaming
list is at least one of the following: an operator controlled
public land mobile network OPLMN, a user controlled public land
mobile network UPLMN, and historical roaming information, where the
historical roaming information is used to record a network that the
user has successfully registered with and/or has failed to register
with during roaming.
[0099] FIG. 3 is another schematic structural diagram of a roaming
network access apparatus according to an embodiment of the present
invention. As shown in FIG. 3, a roaming network access apparatus
300 provided in this embodiment of the present invention includes
components such as an input unit 301, a processor unit 302, an
output unit 303, a communications unit 304, a storage unit 305, a
peripheral interface 306, and a power supply 307. These components
communicate with each other by using one or more buses. A person
skilled in the art may understand that the structure of the roaming
network access apparatus 300 shown in FIG. 3 does not constitute a
limitation to the present invention, and the structure may be a bus
structure or a star structure, and may also include more or fewer
components than those shown in FIG. 3, or some components may be
combined, or a different component deployment may be used. In this
embodiment of the present invention, the roaming network access
apparatus 300 may be any mobile or portable communications device,
including, but not limited to: a mobile phone, a mobile computer, a
tablet, a personal digital assistant (Personal Digital Assistant,
PDA), a media player, a smart television, a combination of two or
more of the foregoing items, and the like.
[0100] The input unit 301 is configured to implement interaction
between a user and the roaming network access apparatus 300 and/or
information input to the roaming network access apparatus 300. For
example, the input unit 301 may receive digital or character
information entered by a user, so as to generate signal input
related to user settings or function control. In a specific
embodiment of the present invention, the input unit 301 may be a
touch panel, or may be another human-computer interaction interface
such as a physical input key or a microphone, or may be another
external information capturing apparatus such as a camera. The
touch panel, also referred to as a touchscreen or a touchscreen,
may collect a touch operation motion performed by a user on the
touch panel or an operation motion approaching the touch panel
performed by a user, for example, an operation motion performed by
a user on or near the touch panel by using any suitable object or
accessory such as a finger or a stylus, and a corresponding
connection apparatus is driven according to a preset program.
Optionally, the touch panel may include two parts: a touch
detection apparatus and a touch controller. The touch detection
apparatus detects a touch operation of a user, converts the
detected touch operation to an electrical signal, and sends the
electrical signal to the touch controller; and the touch controller
receives the electrical signal from the touch detection apparatus,
converts the electrical signal to touch point coordinates, and then
sends the touch point coordinates to the processor unit 302. The
touch controller may also receive and execute a command sent by the
processor unit 302. In addition, the touch panel may be implemented
by using multiple types of touch panels, such as a resistive touch
panel, a capacitive touch panel, an infrared (Infrared) touch
panel, or a surface acoustic wave touch panel. In other embodiments
of the present invention, the physical input key used by the input
unit 301 may include, but is not limited to one or more of the
following: a physical keyboard, a function key (such as a volume
control key and a switch key), a trackball, a mouse, a joystick,
and the like. A microphone-form input unit may collect an audio
entered by a user or an environment and convert the audio to a
command that is in a form of an electrical signal and that can be
executed by the processor unit 302.
[0101] In some other embodiments of the present invention, the
input unit 301 may also be various types of sensors, for example, a
Hall element, configured to detect physical quantities of the
roaming network access apparatus 300, such as a force, torque, a
pressure, a stress, a location, a shift, a speed, an acceleration,
an angle, an angular velocity, revolutions, a rotational speed, and
a time when a working state changes, and convert the physical
quantities to electric quantities for detection and control. Other
sensors may include a gravity sensor, a tri-axis accelerometer, a
gyroscope, and the like.
[0102] The processor unit 302 is a control center of the roaming
network access apparatus 300, and is to be connected to various
parts of the entire roaming network access apparatus 300 by using
various interfaces and lines. By running or executing a software
program and/or module stored in the storage unit 305, and invoking
data stored in the storage unit 305, the processor unit 302
implements various functions and/or data processing of the roaming
network access apparatus 300. The processor unit 302 may include an
integrated circuit (Integrated Circuit, IC for short), for example,
the processor unit 302 may include a single packaged IC or multiple
packaged ICs having a same function or different functions. For
example, the processor unit 302 may include only a central
processing unit (Central Processing Unit, CPU for short), or may be
a combination of a GPU, a digital signal processor (Digital Signal
Processor, DSP for short), and a control chip (such as a baseband
chip) in the communications unit 304. In this embodiment of the
present invention, the CPU may be a single computing core, or may
include multiple computing cores.
[0103] The communications unit 304 is configured to implement
communication between the roaming network access apparatus 300 and
another device; and a data packet may be received or sent by using
the communications unit 304. The communications unit 304 may
include communications modules such as a wireless local area
network (, wireless LAN for short) module, a Bluetooth module, a
baseband (Base Band) module; and a radio frequency (RF for short)
circuit corresponding to the communications modules, configured to
perform wireless LAN communication, Bluetooth communication,
infrared communication, and/or cellular communications system
communication, for example, Wideband Code Division Multiple Access
(W-CDMA for short) and/or High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA
for short). The communications module is configured to control
communication between components in the roaming network access
apparatus 300, and may support direct memory access.
[0104] In different embodiments of the present invention, the
communications modules in the communications unit 304 are generally
presented in a form of integrated circuit chips, and may be
combined selectively, and the communications unit 304 does not need
to include all the communications modules and corresponding antenna
groups. For example, the communications unit 304 may include only
the baseband chip, an RF chip, and a corresponding antenna, so as
to provide a communication function in a cellular communications
system. By means of a radio communications connection, such as
wireless LAN access or WCDMA access, established by the
communications unit 304, the roaming network access apparatus 300
may be connected to a cellular network or the Internet. In some
optional embodiments of the present invention, the communications
module in the communications unit 304, such as the baseband module,
may be integrated into the processor unit 302; an APQ+MDM series
platform provided by Qualcomm is a typical example.
[0105] The output unit 303 includes, but is not limited to: a video
output unit and an audio output unit. The video output unit is
configured to output texts, images, and/or videos. The video output
unit may include a display panel, for example, a display panel
configured by using an LCD (liquid crystal display), an OLED
(organic light-emitting diode), and a field emission display (FED
for short), or the like. Alternatively, the video output unit may
include a reflective display such as an electrophoretic display, or
a display using a technology of interferometric modulation of
light. The video output unit may include a single display or
multiple displays of different sizes. In a specific embodiment of
the present invention, the touch panel used by the foregoing input
unit 301 may be also used as a display panel of the output unit
303. For example, after detecting a touch gesture operation on the
touch panel or a gesture operation approaching the touch panel, the
touch panel sends the gesture to the processor unit 302 to
determine a type of a touch event, and then the processor unit 302
provides a corresponding visual output on the display panel
according to the type of the touch event. Although in FIG. 3, the
input unit 301 and the output unit 303 are used as two separate
components to implement input and output functions of the roaming
network access apparatus 300, in some embodiments, the touch panel
and the display panel may be integrated to implement the input and
output functions of the roaming network apparatus 300. For example,
the video output unit may display various graphical user interfaces
(GUIs for short) to serve as virtual control components, which
include, but are not limited to: a window, a scroll bar, an icon,
and a clipbook, to help a user perform an operation in a touch
manner.
[0106] In a specific embodiment of the present invention, the video
output unit includes a filter and an amplifier, configured to
filter and amplify a video generated by the processor unit 302. The
audio output unit includes a digital-to-analog converter,
configured to convert an audio signal generated by the processor
unit 302 from a digital format to an analog format.
[0107] The storage unit 305 may be configured to store a software
program and module. By running the software program and module
stored in the storage unit 305, the processor unit 302 performs
various functional applications of the roaming network access
apparatus 300 and implements data processing. The storage unit 305
mainly includes a program storage area and a data storage area. The
program storage area may store an operating system, and an
application program required by at least one function, for example,
a sound playback function and an image display function. The data
storage area may store data (such as audio data and an address
book) created according to use of the roaming network access
apparatus 300, and the like. In a specific embodiment of the
present invention, the storage unit 305 may include a volatile
memory, such as a non-volatile random access memory (NVRAM for
short), a phase change RAM (PRAM for short), and a magetoresistive
RAM (MRAM for short), and may further include a non-volatile
memory, such as at least one magnetic disk storage component, an
electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM for
short), and a flash memory component such as a NOR flash memory or
a NAND flash memory. The non-volatile memory stores an operating
system and an application program that are executed by the
processor unit 302. The processor unit 302 loads a to-be-run
program and data from the non-volatile memory to a memory and
stores digital content in a mass storage apparatus. The operating
system includes various components and/or drivers configured to
control and manage routine system tasks such as memory management,
storage device control, and power management, and facilitate
communication between a variety of software and hardware. In this
embodiment of the present invention, the operating system may be
the Android system of Google, the iOS system developed by Apple or
the Windows operating system developed by Microsoft, or may be an
embedded operating system such as Vxworks.
[0108] The application program includes any application installed
on the roaming network access apparatus 300, including but not
limited to: a browser, an email, an instant messaging service, word
processing, keyboard virtualization, a window widget, encryption,
digital right management, speech recognition, speech copy,
positioning (such as a function provided by a Global Positioning
System), music playback, and the like.
[0109] For example, in this embodiment of the present invention,
the storage unit 305 stores program data, and the processor unit
302 executes the program data to obtain an MCC of a roaming area.
The communications unit 304 is further configured to obtain a
preferential roaming list from a network server, where the
preferential roaming list is used to indicate information about at
least one network that a user preferentially attempts to register
with when the user is roaming. Optionally, the storage unit 305 may
store the preferential roaming list. The processor unit 302
executes the program data stored in the storage unit 305, so as to
select a network that matches the MCC from the preferential roaming
list obtained by the communications unit 304 or from the
preferential roaming list stored in the storage unit 305; the
communications unit 304 is further configured to: search for the
selected network according to the network that matches the MCC and
that is selected by the processor unit 302, and each time a network
is found by the searching, attempt to register with the found
network.
[0110] Further, optionally, the storage unit 305 stores program
data, and the processor unit 302 executes the program data, so as
to obtain the MCC of the roaming area according to a PLMN supported
by a camped-on emergency service cell, or obtain the MCC of the
roaming area according to an obtained schedule and/or flight
information of the user.
[0111] The power supply 307 is configured to supply power to
different components of the roaming network access apparatus 300 to
maintain operation of the components. It is generally understood
that, the power supply may be a built-in battery such as a common
lithium-ion battery and a NiMH battery, and may also include an
external power supply that directly supplies power to the roaming
network access apparatus 300, such as an AC adapter. In some
embodiments of the present invention, the power supply 307 may have
a boarder definition, for example, the power supply 307 may include
a power management system, a charging system, a power fault
detection circuit, a power converter or inverter, a power status
indicator (such as a light emitting diode), and any other component
associated with electrical energy generation, management, and
distribution of the roaming network access apparatus 300.
[0112] It should be noted that the term "and/or" in this
specification describes only an association relationship for
describing associated objects and represents that three
relationships may exist. For example, A and/or B may represent the
following three cases: Only A exists, both A and B exist, and only
B exists. In addition, the character "/" in this specification
generally indicates an "or" relationship between the associated
objects. In the foregoing embodiments, the description of each
embodiment has respective focuses. For a part that is not described
in detail in an embodiment, refer to related descriptions in other
embodiments. In addition, the relational terms such as first and
second are used only to differentiate an entity from another
entity, and do not require or imply any actual relationship or
sequence between these entities.
[0113] A person of ordinary skill in the art may understand that
all or some of the steps of the method embodiments may be
implemented by a program instructing related hardware. The program
may be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. When the
program runs, the steps of the method embodiments are performed.
The foregoing storage medium includes: any medium that can store
program code, such as a ROM, a RAM, a magnetic disk, or an optical
disc.
[0114] Finally, it should be noted that the foregoing embodiments
are merely intended for describing the technical solutions of the
present invention, and reference or a combination may be made
between the technical solutions provided in each embodiment.
Although the present invention is described in detail with
reference to the foregoing embodiments, persons of ordinary skill
in the art should understand that they may still make modifications
to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments
or make equivalent replacements to some or all technical features
thereof, without departing from the scope of the technical
solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.
* * * * *