IP Library Granted Patent US 12672057
Granted Patent B2
US 12672057 · App. 18/154,999 · Granted Jun 30, 2026

Cell selection, network selection, tracking area management, and paging for aerial operation

Inventors: Umesh Phuyal (San Diego, CA); Alberto Rico Alvarino (San Diego, CA); Stefano Faccin (San Ysidro, CA); Le Liu (San Jose, CA); Lenaig Genevieve Chaponniere (La Jolla, CA); Xiao Feng Wang (San Diego, CA)
Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
H04W48/20H04W4/90H04W48/16H04W60/04H04W68/005H04W84/06
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12672057
App. No.
18/154,999
Granted
Jun 30, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communication are described. In one example, an aerial user equipment (UE) may receive an indication of a priority for cell selection for aerial UEs from each cell in a set of cells and may select a cell from the set of cells based on the priority of each cell in the set of cells. In another example, an aerial UE may connect to a network available to aerial UEs and non-aerial UEs for auxiliary communications, when appropriate. In yet another example, when an aerial UE transitions to a new mission status, the aerial UE may transmit a tracking area update (TAU) if the aerial UE is connected to a cell in a tracking area that does not support the new mission status. In yet another example, a base station may page an aerial UE based on a mission status of the aerial UE.

Claims (32)

1 . A method for wireless communication at an aerial user equipment (UE), comprising:

receiving, from a first network entity, first system information comprising a first plurality of priorities of a first cell for cell selection for aerial UEs, wherein each priority of the first plurality of priorities corresponds to a first different mission status, of a plurality of mission statuses, of the aerial UE, each mission status of the plurality of mission statuses comprising an aerial state, a ground state, a pre-flight state, or a post-flight state and wherein the first plurality of priorities are based at least in part on the first cell being dedicated to the aerial UEs and supporting an aerial-UE-only spectrum, frequency band, carrier, or any combination thereof;

receiving, from a second network entity different from the first network entity, second system information comprising a second plurality of priorities of a second cell for cell selection for the aerial UEs, wherein each priority of the second plurality of priorities corresponds to a second different mission status, of the plurality of mission statuses, of the aerial UE, and wherein the second plurality of priorities are based at least in part on the second cell being available to the aerial UEs and non-aerial UEs and supporting a second spectrum, frequency band, carrier, or any combination thereof available to the aerial UEs and the non-aerial UEs;

identifying a mission status of the aerial UE;

selecting between the first cell or the second cell for communications based at least in part on a first priority of the first cell, a second priority of the second cell, and the mission status of the aerial UE;

identifying a change in the mission status of the aerial UE; and

determining, based at least in part on the change, whether to reselect the first cell or the second cell for communications based at least in part on a third priority of the first plurality of priorities of the first cell, a fourth priority of the second plurality of priorities of the second cell, and the mission status of the aerial UE.

2 . An apparatus for wireless communication at an aerial user equipment (UE), comprising:

one or more processors; and

a memory coupled with the one or more processors, with instructions stored in the memory, the instructions being executable by the one or more processors to cause the apparatus to:

receive, from a first network entity, first system information comprising a first plurality of priorities of a first cell for cell selection for aerial UEs, wherein each priority of the first plurality of priorities corresponds to a first different mission status, of a plurality of mission statuses, of the aerial UE, each mission status of the plurality of mission statuses comprising an aerial state, a ground state, a pre-flight state, or a post-flight state and wherein the first plurality of priorities are based at least in part on the first cell being dedicated to the aerial UEs and supporting an aerial-UE-only spectrum, frequency band, carrier, or any combination thereof;

receive, from a second network entity different from the first network entity, second system information comprising a second plurality of priorities of a second cell for cell selection for the aerial UEs, wherein each priority of the second plurality of priorities corresponds to a second different mission status, of the plurality of mission statuses, of the aerial UE, and wherein the second plurality of priorities are based at least in part on the second cell being available to the aerial UEs and non-aerial UEs and supporting a second spectrum, frequency band, carrier, or any combination thereof available to the aerial UEs and the non-aerial UEs;

identify a mission status of the aerial UE;

select the first cell or the second cell for communications based at least in part on a first priority of the first cell, a second priority of the second cell, and the mission status of the aerial UE;

identify a change in the mission status of the aerial UE; and

determine, based at least in part on the change, whether to reselect the first cell or the second cell for communications based at least in part on a third priority of the first plurality of priorities of the first cell, a fourth priority of the second plurality of priorities of the second cell, and the mission status of the aerial UE.

3 . An apparatus for wireless communication at an aerial user equipment (UE), comprising:

means for receiving, from a first network entity, first system information comprising a first plurality of priorities of a first cell for cell selection for aerial UEs, wherein each priority of the first plurality of priorities corresponds to a first different mission status, of a plurality of mission statuses, of the aerial UE, each mission status of the plurality of mission statuses comprising an aerial state, a ground state, a pre-flight state, or a post-flight state and wherein the first plurality of priorities are based at least in part on the first cell being dedicated to the aerial UEs and supporting an aerial-UE-only spectrum, frequency band, carrier, or any combination thereof;

means for receiving, from a second network entity different from the first network entity, second system information comprising a second plurality of priorities of a second cell for cell selection for the aerial UEs, wherein each priority of the second plurality of priorities corresponds to a second different mission status, of the plurality of mission statuses, of the aerial UE, and wherein the second plurality of priorities are based at least in part on the second cell being available to the aerial UEs and non-aerial UEs and supporting a second spectrum, frequency band, carrier, or any combination thereof available to the aerial UEs and the non-aerial UEs;

means for identifying a mission status of the aerial UE;

means for determining to use a first priority of the first cell from the first plurality of priorities of the first cell for cell selection based at least in part on the mission status of the aerial UE;

means for determining to use a second priority of the second cell from the second plurality of priorities of the second cell for cell selection based at least in part on the mission status of the aerial UE; and

means for selecting the first cell or the second cell for communications based at least in part on a first priority of the first cell, a second priority of the second cell, and the mission status of the aerial UE;

mean for identifying a change in the mission status of the aerial UE; and

means for determining, based at least in part on the change, whether to reselect the first cell or the second cell for communications based at least in part on a third priority of the first plurality of priorities of the first cell, a fourth priority of the second plurality of priorities of the second cell, and the mission status of the aerial UE.

4 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing code for wireless communication at an aerial user equipment (UE), the code comprising instructions executable by one or more processors to:

receive, from a first network entity, first system information comprising a first plurality of priorities of a first cell for cell selection for aerial UEs, wherein each priority of the first plurality of priorities corresponds to a first different mission status, of a plurality of mission statuses, of the aerial UE, each mission status of the plurality of mission statuses comprising an aerial state, a ground state, a pre-flight state, or a post-flight state and wherein the first plurality of priorities are based at least in part on the first cell being dedicated to the aerial UEs and supporting an aerial-UE-only spectrum, frequency band, carrier, or any combination thereof;

receive, from a second network entity different from the first network entity, second system information comprising a second plurality of priorities of a second cell for cell selection for the aerial UEs, wherein each priority of the second plurality of priorities corresponds to a second different mission status, of the plurality of mission statuses, of the aerial UE, and wherein the second plurality of priorities are based at least in part on the second cell being available to the aerial UEs and non-aerial UEs and supporting a second spectrum, frequency band, carrier, or any combination thereof available to the aerial UEs and the non-aerial UEs;

identify a mission status of the aerial UE;

select the first cell or the second cell for communications based at least in part on a first priority of the first cell, a second priority of the second cell, and the mission status of the aerial UE;

identify a change in the mission status of the aerial UE; and

determine, based at least in part on the change, whether to reselect the first cell or the second cell for communications based at least in part on a third priority of the first plurality of priorities of the first cell, a fourth priority of the second plurality of priorities of the second cell, and the mission status of the aerial UE.