Apparatus, and associated method, for identifying radio network service availability
View Patent ↗Apparatus, and an associated method, for identifying availability of services in a radio network of a radio communication system. A system information message is generated at the radio access network that identifies the service availability of the radio network, such as by indicating the communication services supported by the network. The system information message, once generated, is communicated upon a broadcast control channel, or other appropriate channel, and delivered to a mobile node. The mobile node detects the system information message and determines the availability of services of the radio network therefrom. Selection of whether to register with the network is made responsive to whether the network supports the communication service that the mobile node intends to initiate.
1. Apparatus for facilitating identification of the communication services available via a radio network of a plurality of radio networks, a first radio network of the plurality providing at least a first service type and a second service type and in whose coverage area that a mobile node is positionable and a second radio network of the plurality providing only the first service type and in whose coverage area that the mobile node is simultaneously positionable, wherein a first broadcast control channel is associated with the first radio network and a second broadcast control channel is associated with the second radio network, said apparatus comprising:
a detector embodied at the mobile node, said detector for detecting communication on the first broadcast control channel and the second broadcast control channel, respectively of a system information message that includes values representative of the availability of both the first service type and the second service type via the radio network;
a service availability identifier adapted to receive indications of the values of the system information message detected by said detector, said service availability identifier for identifying the availability of both the first service type and the second service type via the radio network responsive to the indications of the representative values in the system information message; and
a network selector adapted to receive indications from said service availability identifier of identification of the availability of the first service type and the second service type via of the radio network, said network selector for selecting whether the mobile node shall attempt to perform attachment procedures to communicate with the radio network.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the values representative of the availability of both the first service type and the second service type included in the system information message detected by the detector comprises a field populated with a bitmap that identifies that the radio network provides a packet-data service.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the values representative of the availability of both the first service type and the second service type included in the system information message detected by the detector identify that the radio network provides an email service.
4. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the packet-data service of which the values included in the system information message detected by the detector identify whether the packet-data service is supported comprises an end-to-end General Packet Radio Service provided by a Global System for Mobile communications-compliant cellular communication system.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a channel list containing entries identifying the first and second broadcast control channels, said channel list accessible by said detector, said detector for detecting system information messages communicated upon each of the first and second broadcast channels responsive to identification thereof pursuant to access to said channel list.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the radio network comprises a data service node identified by an access point name and wherein the values representative of the availability of a service type included in the system information message detected by the detector identifies the access point name of the data service node.
7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the radio network supports General Packet Radio Service, wherein the data service node comprises a Serving GPRS Service Node, and wherein the values representative of the availability of a service type included in the system information message detected by the detector identifies an end-user service.
8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the end-user service comprises an email service.
9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the broadcast control channel comprises a packet broadcast control channel and wherein the system information message detectable by said detector comprises a packet system information message.
10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the radio network operates generally pursuant to a GSM/GPRS operating standard that defines a packet system information message and wherein the system information message that includes the values representative of the availability of a service type detectable by said detector comprises a packet system information message.
11. A method for facilitating identification to a mobile node of the communication services available via a radio network of a plurality of radio networks, a first radio network of the plurality providing at least a first service type and a second service type and in whose coverage area that the mobile node is positionable and a second radio network of the plurality providing only the first service type and in whose coverage area that the mobile node is simultaneously positionable, wherein a first broadcast control channel is associated with the first radio network and a second broadcast control channel is associated with the second radio network, said method comprising the operations of:
detecting, at the mobile node, communication on the first broadcast control channel and the second broadcast control channel, respectively, of a system information message that includes values representative of the availability of both the first service type and a second service type via the radio network;
identifying the availability of both the first service type and the second service type via the radio network responsive to the indications of the representative values included in the system information message detected during said operation of detecting; and
selecting whether to perform attachment procedures to communicate with the radio network when a network selector, responsive to an identification of the availability of the first service type and the second service type via the radio network.
12. The method of claim 11 wherein the values representative of the availability of both the first service type and a second service type contained in the system information message detected during said operation of detecting comprises a field populated with a bitmap that identifies that the radio network provides a packet data service.
13. The method of claim 11 wherein the radio network comprises a data service node identified by an access point name and wherein the values representative of the availability of a service type included in the system information message identifies the access point name of the data service node.
14. The method of claim 11 further comprising generating a system information message, the system information message including values representative of the availability of both the first service type and the second service type via the radio network, and transmitting on a broadcast channel into at least part of the coverage area the generated system information message.