IP Library Granted Patent US 9,955,413
Granted Patent B2
US 9,955,413 · App. 15/129,796 · Granted Apr 24, 2018

Roaming network access method and apparatus

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,955,413
App. No.
15/129,796
Granted
Apr 24, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide a roaming network access method and apparatus, where the method includes: searching, by user equipment, for at least one available network in a roaming area; acquiring, by the user equipment, historical roaming information, where the historical roaming information is used to record information about a network to which a registration attempt has been made when a user roams; adjusting, by the user equipment, a priority of the at least one found available network according to the historical roaming information; and successively selecting, by the user equipment in descending order of an adjusted priority of the at least one found available network, the at least one found available network as a registration attempt network, and attempting to register with the registration attempt network.

Claims (104)

1. A roaming network access method, comprising:

searching, by user equipment, for at least one available network in a roaming area;

acquiring, by the user equipment, historical roaming information, wherein the historical roaming information is information about a network to which a registration attempt has been made when the user equipment roams;

adjusting, by the user equipment, a priority of the at least one found available network according to the historical roaming information; and

successively selecting, by the user equipment in descending order of an adjusted priority of the at least one found available network, the at least one found available network as a registration attempt network, and attempting to register with the registration attempt network;

wherein the historical roaming information comprises: a first roaming network list used to record information about a successfully registered network when the user equipment roams; and

wherein adjusting, by the user equipment, a priority of the at least one found available network according to the historical roaming information comprises:

determining, by the user equipment, whether the at least one found available network is recorded in the first roaming network list; and if the at least one found available network is recorded in the first roaming network list, retaining or increasing the priority of the at least one found available network; and

wherein after attempting to register with the registration attempt network, the method further comprises:

determining, by the user equipment, whether the registration is successful; and

if it is determined that the user equipment is not successfully registered with the registration attempt network, determining, by the user equipment, whether the registration attempt network is recorded in the first roaming network list, and when it is determined that the registration attempt network is recorded in the first roaming network list, deleting a record of the registration attempt network from the first roaming network list; or

if it is determined that the user equipment is successfully registered with the registration attempt network, determining, by the user equipment, whether the registration attempt network is recorded in the first roaming network list, and when it is determined that the registration attempt network is not recorded in the first roaming network list, adding a record of the registration attempt network to the first roaming network list.

2. A roaming network access method, comprising:

searching, by user equipment, for at least one available network in a roaming area;

acquiring, by the user equipment, historical roaming information, wherein the historical roaming information is information about a network to which a registration attempt has been made when the user equipment roams;

adjusting, by the user equipment, a priority of the at least one found available network according to the historical roaming information; and

successively selecting, by the user equipment in descending order of an adjusted priority of the at least one found available network, the at least one found available network as a registration attempt network, and attempting to register with the registration attempt network;

wherein the historical roaming information comprises: a second roaming network list used to record information about an unsuccessfully registered network when the user equipment roams; and

wherein adjusting, by the user equipment, a priority of the at least one found available network according to the historical roaming information comprises:

setting, by the user equipment, a priority of a network that is in the at least one found available network and is recorded in the second roaming network list to be lower than a priority of a network not recorded in the second roaming network list; and

wherein after attempting to register with the registration attempt network, the method further comprises:

determining, by the user equipment, whether the registration is successful; and

if it is determined that the user equipment is not successfully registered with the registration attempt network, determining, by the user equipment, whether the registration attempt network is recorded in the second roaming network list, and when it is determined that the registration attempt network is not recorded in the second roaming network list, adding a record of the registration attempt network to the second roaming network list; or

if it is determined that the user equipment is successfully registered with the registration attempt network, determining, by the user equipment, whether the registration attempt network is recorded in the second roaming network list, and when it is determined that the registration attempt network is recorded in the second roaming network list, deleting a record of the registration attempt network from the second roaming network list.

3. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

storing the historical roaming information in a non-volatile memory of the user equipment.

4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein:

a backup of the historical roaming information is stored in a cloud; and

acquiring, by the user equipment, historical roaming information comprises:

detecting, by the user equipment, whether the historical roaming information is stored in the non-volatile memory of the user equipment,

if the historical roaming information is not stored in the non-volatile memory of the user equipment, acquiring, by the user equipment, the historical roaming information stored in the cloud, or

if the historical roaming information is stored in the non-volatile memory of the user equipment, synchronizing, by the user equipment, the historical roaming information to the cloud.

5. The method according to claim 4 , further comprising:

after the historical roaming information is updated, synchronizing, by the user equipment, the historical roaming information to the cloud.

6. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

storing the historical roaming information in a subscriber identity module.

7. The method according to claim 6 , further comprising:

storing the historical roaming information in a historical roaming information elementary file (EF) in the subscriber identity module.

8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein:

the historical roaming information EF comprises a valid time; and

the method further comprises: when the valid time expires, deleting the historical roaming information from the historical roaming information EF.

9. A roaming network access apparatus, comprising:

a storage device, configured to store program data;

a processor, configured to execute the program data to:

search for at least one available network in a roaming area,

acquire historical roaming information, wherein the historical roaming information is information about a network to which a registration attempt has been made when the apparatus roams, and

adjust, according to the historical roaming information acquired by the acquiring module, a priority of the available network found by the searching module; and

a communications unit, configured to successively select, in descending order of a priority that is of the at least one found available network and is adjusted by the adjusting module, the at least one found available network as a registration attempt network, and attempt to register with the registration attempt network;

wherein the historical roaming information comprises: a first roaming network list used to record information about a successfully registered network when the apparatus roams; and

the processor is further configured to determine whether the at least one found available network is recorded in the first roaming network list; and if the at least one found available network is recorded in the first roaming network list, retain or increase the priority of the at least one found available network; and

wherein the processor is further configured to:

after the attempt to register with the registration attempt network is made by the communications unit, determine whether the registration is successful; and

if it is determined that the apparatus is not successfully registered with the registration attempt network, determine whether the registration attempt network is recorded in the first roaming network list, and when it is determined that the registration attempt network is recorded in the first roaming network list, delete a record of the registration attempt network from the first roaming network list; or

if it is determined that the apparatus is successfully registered with the registration attempt network, determine whether the registration attempt network is recorded in the first roaming network list, and when it is determined that the registration attempt network is not recorded in the first roaming network list, add a record of the registration attempt network to the first roaming network list.

10. A roaming network access apparatus, comprising:

a storage device, configured to store program data;

a processor, configured to execute the program data to:

search for at least one available network in a roaming area,

acquire historical roaming information, wherein the historical roaming information is information about a network to which a registration attempt has been made when the apparatus roams, and

adjust, according to the historical roaming information acquired by the acquiring module, a priority of the available network found by the searching module; and

a communications unit, configured to successively select, in descending order of a priority that is of the at least one found available network and is adjusted by the adjusting module, the at least one found available network as a registration attempt network, and attempt to register with the registration attempt network;

wherein the historical roaming information comprises: a second roaming network list used to record information about an unsuccessfully registered network when the apparatus roams; and

the processor is further configured to set a priority of a network that is in the at least one found available network and is recorded in the second roaming network list to be lower than a priority of a network not recorded in the second roaming network list; and

wherein the processor is further configured to:

after the attempt to register with the registration attempt network is made by the communications unit, determine whether the registration is successful; and

if it is determined that the apparatus is not successfully registered with the registration attempt network, determine whether the registration attempt network is recorded in the second roaming network list, and when it is determined that the registration attempt network is not recorded in the second roaming network list, add a record of the registration attempt network to the second roaming network list; or

if it is determined that the apparatus is successfully registered with the registration attempt network, determine whether the registration attempt network is recorded in the second roaming network list, and when it is determined that the registration attempt network is recorded in the second roaming network list, delete a record of the registration attempt network from the second roaming network list.

11. The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the historical roaming information is stored in a non-volatile memory of the apparatus.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein:

a backup of the historical roaming information is stored in a cloud; and

the processor is further configured to:

detect whether the historical roaming information is stored in the non-volatile memory of the apparatus, and

if the historical roaming information is not stored in the non-volatile memory of the apparatus, acquire the historical roaming information stored in the cloud, or

if the historical roaming information is stored in the non-volatile memory of the apparatus, synchronize the historical roaming information to the cloud.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

after the historical roaming information is updated, synchronize the historical roaming information to the cloud.

14. The apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the apparatus is capable of being inserted with a subscriber identity module or comprises a subscriber identity module, and the historical roaming information is stored in the subscriber identity module.

15. The method according to claim 2 , further comprising:

storing the historical roaming information in a non-volatile memory of the user equipment.

16. The method according to claim 15 , wherein:

a backup of the historical roaming information is stored in a cloud; and

acquiring, by the user equipment, historical roaming information comprises:

detecting, by the user equipment, whether the historical roaming information is stored in the non-volatile memory of the user equipment,

if the historical roaming information is not stored in the non-volatile memory of the user equipment, acquiring, by the user equipment, the historical roaming information stored in the cloud, or

if the historical roaming information is stored in the non-volatile memory of the user equipment, synchronizing, by the user equipment, the historical roaming information to the cloud.

17. The method according to claim 16 , further comprising:

after the historical roaming information is updated, synchronizing, by the user equipment, the historical roaming information to the cloud.

18. The method according to claim 2 , further comprising:

storing the historical roaming information in a subscriber identity module.

19. The method according to claim 18 , further comprising:

storing the historical roaming information in a historical roaming information elementary file (EF) in the subscriber identity module.

20. The method according to claim 19 , wherein:

the historical roaming information EF comprises a valid time; and

the method further comprises: when the valid time expires, deleting the historical roaming information from the historical roaming information EF.

21. The apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the historical roaming information is stored in a non-volatile memory of the apparatus.

22. The apparatus according to claim 21 , wherein:

a backup of the historical roaming information is stored in a cloud; and

the processor is further configured to:

detect whether the historical roaming information is stored in the non-volatile memory of the apparatus, and

if the historical roaming information is not stored in the non-volatile memory of the apparatus, acquire the historical roaming information stored in the cloud, or

if the historical roaming information is stored in the non-volatile memory of the apparatus, synchronize the historical roaming information to the cloud.

23. The apparatus according to claim 22 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

after the historical roaming information is updated, synchronize the historical roaming information to the cloud.

24. The apparatus according to claim 10 wherein the apparatus is capable of being inserted with a subscriber identity module or comprises a subscriber identity module, and the historical roaming information is stored in the subscriber identity module.

Assignments (3)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Mar 11, 2019
From: HUAWEI DEVICE (DONGGUAN) CO.,LTD.
To: HUAWEI DEVICE CO.,LTD.
Reel/Frame 048555/0951 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 5, 2017
From: HUAWEI DEVICE CO., LTD.
To: HUAWEI DEVICE (DONGGUAN) CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 043750/0393 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 30, 2017
From: TAN, GUANZHONG; DANG, SHUJUN; YAO, SONGPING; JIN, HUI
To: HUAWEI DEVICE CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 042531/0706 →