Apparatus and method for wireless device
View Patent ↗A wireless device is arranged to switch the radio access technology it is using. The wireless device disconnects from using a first radio access technology and at least attempts to connect to use a second radio access technology. It is determined that the wireless device should revert to using the first radio access technology. At expiry of a predetermined period of time after the determining, the wireless device is caused to cease using or attempting to use the second radio access technology and to revert to using the first radio access technology.
1. A method of switching radio access technology used by a wireless device, the method comprising:
causing the wireless device to disconnect from using a first radio access technology and to at least attempt to connect to use a second radio access technology provided by a second network that is not the same as the first network and is not recorded in the wireless device as being equivalent to the first network;
determining by the wireless device that the wireless device should revert to using the first radio access technology; and,
at expiry of a predetermined period of time after the determining, causing the wireless device to cease using or attempting to use the second radio access technology and to revert to using the first radio access technology by causing the wireless device to carry out a higher priority search of networks at expiry of the predetermined period of time;
wherein the wireless device is initially connected to a first network that provides the first radio access technology and stores information concerning the first network before the wireless device disconnects from using the first radio access technology, and
wherein the wireless device uses the stored information concerning the first network to reconnect back to the first network at expiry of the predetermined period of time.
2. A method of switching radio access technology used by a wireless device, the method comprising:
causing the wireless device to disconnect from using a first radio access technology and to at least attempt to connect to use a second radio access technology, wherein one of the first and second radio access technologies is LTE network technology;
causing the wireless device to determine that the wireless device should revert to using the first radio access technology; and,
at expiry of a predetermined period of time after the determining, causing the wireless device to cease using or attempting to use the second radio access technology and to revert to using the first radio access technology by reselecting a cell that uses the first radio access technology at expiry of the predetermined period of time;
wherein the wireless device is initially connected to a first network that provides the first radio access technology and stores information concerning the first network before the wireless device disconnects from using the first radio access technology,
wherein the wireless device uses the stored information concerning the first network to reconnect back to the first network at expiry of the predetermined period of time, and
wherein the second radio access technology is provided by the same first network or by a network that is recorded in the wireless device as being equivalent to the first network.
3. A method according to claim 2 , wherein the information concerning the first network is stored in a memory of the wireless device.
4. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second networks providing the respective first and second radio access technologies is a public land mobile network, the first radio access technology uses LTE network technology, and the second radio access technology provides circuit switched services.
5. Apparatus for a wireless device, the apparatus comprising:
at least one processor;
and at least one memory including computer program code;
the at least one memory and the computer program code being configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to:
cause the wireless device to disconnect from using a first radio access technology and to at least attempt to connect to use a second radio access technology provided by a second network that is not the same as a first network and is not recorded in the wireless device as being equivalent to the first network;
cause the wireless device to determine that the wireless device should revert to using the first radio access technology; and,
at expiry of a predetermined period of time after the determining, cause the wireless device to cease using or attempting to use the second radio access technology and to revert to using the first radio access technology by carrying out a higher priority search of networks at expiry of the predetermined period of time;
wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, such that the wireless device is initially connected to the first network that provides the first radio access technology and the wireless device stores in a memory information concerning the first network before the wireless device disconnects from using the first radio access technology, and uses the stored information concerning the first network to reconnect back to the first network at expiry of the predetermined period of time.
6. Apparatus for a wireless device, the apparatus comprising:
at least one processor;
and at least one memory including computer program code;
the at least one memory and the computer program code being configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to:
cause the wireless device to disconnect from using a first radio access technology and to at least attempt to connect to use a second radio access technology, wherein one of the first and second radio access technologies is LTE network technology;
determine by the wireless device that the wireless device should revert to using the first radio access technology; and,
at expiry of a predetermined period of time after the determining, cause the wireless device to cease using or attempting to use the second radio access technology and to revert to using the first radio access technology;
wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, such that the wireless device is initially connected to a first network that provides the first radio access technology and the wireless device stores information concerning the first network before the wireless device disconnects from using the first radio access technology,
wherein the wireless device uses the stored information concerning the first network to reconnect back to the first network at expiry of the predetermined period of time, and
wherein the second radio access technology is provided by the same first network or by a network that is recorded in the wireless device as being equivalent to the first network and such that the wireless device reverts back to using the first radio access technology by reselecting a cell that uses the first radio access technology at expiry of the predetermined period of time.
7. Apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, such that the information concerning the first network is stored in a memory of the wireless device.
8. Apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, such that the wireless device is capable of using LTE network technology on a public land mobile network as the first radio access technology, and using a radio access technology that provides circuit switched services on a public land mobile network as the second radio access technology.
9. Apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the apparatus comprises one or more components of the wireless device.
10. A method according to claim 2 , wherein the network or networks providing the first and second radio access technologies is a public land mobile network, the first radio access technology uses LTE network technology, and the second radio access technology provides circuit switched services.
11. Apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, such that the wireless device is capable of using LTE network technology on a public land mobile network as the first radio access technology, and using a radio access technology that provides circuit switched services on a public land mobile network as the second radio access technology.
12. Apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the apparatus comprises one or more components of the wireless device.