IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,641,533
Granted Patent B2
US 12,641,533 · App. 18/249,592 · Granted May 26, 2026

Mobile network selection method and apparatus, mobile user equipment, and storage medium

Inventors: Xu Chen (Beijing, CN); Yi Jiang (Beijing, CN)
Assignees: China Mobile Communication Co., Ltd Research Institute; China Mobile Communications Group Co., Ltd.
H04W48/20H04W48/10H04W84/042
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,641,533
App. No.
18/249,592
Granted
May 26, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A mobile network selection method, device, mobile user equipment and a storage medium are provided. The method includes when a mobile user equipment supporting a Closed Access Group CAG function automatically selects a mobile network, determining, by a Non-Access Stratum NAS function of the mobile user equipment according to information in a Universal Subscriber Identity Module USIM of the mobile user equipment, whether to allow the mobile user equipment to access a CAG cell of a Public Land Mobile Network PLMN; when the mobile user equipment receives a broadcast message of a CAG cell and the mobile user equipment is allowed to access the CAG cell of the PLMN, selecting, by the NAS function, a mobile network corresponding to a PLMN identifier indicated in the broadcast message of the CAG cell.

Claims (35)

1 . A mobile network selection method, comprising:

when a mobile user equipment supporting a Closed Access Group (CAG) function automatically selects a mobile network, determining, by a Non-Access Stratum (NAS) function of the mobile user equipment according to information in a Universal Subscriber Identity Module (USIM) of the mobile user equipment, whether to allow the mobile user equipment to access a CAG cell of a Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN);

when the mobile user equipment receives a broadcast message of a CAG cell and the mobile user equipment is allowed to access the CAG cell of the PLMN, selecting, by the NAS function, a mobile network corresponding to a PLMN identifier indicated in the broadcast message of the CAG cell; and

sending an identifier of a selectable PLMN and a corresponding CAG selection policy to an Access Stratum (AS) function of the mobile user equipment by the NAS function, wherein the CAG selection policy is used for the AS function to select a CAG cell,

wherein sending the identifier of the selectable PLMN and the corresponding CAG selection policy to the AS function of the mobile user equipment by the NAS function comprises:

sending third information to the AS function by the NAS function, the third comprising information of a CAG cell allowed to access.

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

reading the information from the USIM by the NAS function when there is no CAG information on the mobile user equipment.

3 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the CAG cell allowed to access is a CAG cell associated with the selectable PLMN.

4 . A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having stored thereon a computer program, wherein when the computer program is executed by a processor, the processor implements the steps of the method according to claim 1 .

5 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein determining, according to information in the USIM of the mobile user equipment, whether to allow the mobile user equipment to access the CAG cell of the PLMN comprises:

in case that the USIM has first information associated with an identifier of a home PLMN (HPLMN) indicating that the mobile user equipment is allowed to access the CAG cell of the PLMN, determining that the mobile user equipment is allowed to access the CAG cell of the HPLMN.

6 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein determining, according to information in the USIM of the mobile user equipment, whether to allow the mobile user equipment to access the CAG cell of the PLMN comprises:

in case that the USIM has a first identifier associated with a designated PLMN identifier, determining that the mobile user equipment is allowed to access the CAG cell of a PLMN corresponding to the designated PLMN identifier.

7 . A mobile user equipment, comprising a processor and a memory configured to store a computer program executable by the processor,

wherein the processor is configured to execute the steps of the method according to claim 1 when the computer program is executed by the processor.

8 . The mobile user equipment according to claim 7 , wherein when the computer program is executed by the processor, the processor is further configured to execute following:

reading the information from the USIM by the NAS function when there is no CAG information on the mobile user equipment.

9 . The mobile user equipment according to claim 7 , wherein the CAG cell allowed to access is a CAG cell associated with the selectable PLMN.

10 . The mobile user equipment according to claim 7 , wherein determining, according to information in the USIM of the mobile user equipment, whether to allow the mobile user equipment to access the CAG cell of the PLMN comprises:

in case that the USIM has first information associated with an identifier of a home PLMN (HPLMN) indicating that the mobile user equipment is allowed to access the CAG cell of the PLMN, determining that the mobile user equipment is allowed to access the CAG cell of the HPLMN.

11 . The mobile user equipment according to claim 7 , wherein determining, according to information in the USIM of the mobile user equipment, whether to allow the mobile user equipment to access the CAG cell of the PLMN comprises:

in case that the USIM has a first identifier associated with a designated PLMN identifier, determining that the mobile user equipment is allowed to access the CAG cell of a PLMN corresponding to the designated PLMN identifier.

12 . A mobile user equipment, comprising a processor and a communication interface, wherein, a Non-Access Stratum (NAS) function of the mobile user equipment executes the following through the processor:

determining, according to information in a Universal Subscriber Identity Module (USIM) of the mobile user equipment, whether to allow the mobile user equipment to access a Closed Access Group (CAG) cell of a Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN); and

selecting, by the NAS function, a mobile network corresponding to a PLMN identifier indicated in a broadcast message of a CAG cell when the mobile user equipment receives the broadcast message of the CAG cell and the mobile user equipment is allowed to access the CAG cell of the PLMN; and

sending an identifier of a selectable PLMN and a corresponding CAG selection policy to an Access Stratum (AS) function of the mobile user equipment by the NAS function, wherein the CAG selection policy is used for the AS function to select a CAG cell,

wherein sending the identifier of the selectable PLMN and the corresponding CAG selection policy to the AS function of the mobile user equipment by the NAS function comprises:

sending third information to the AS function by the NAS function, the third comprising information of a CAG cell allowed to access.

13 . The mobile user equipment according to claim 12 , wherein the NAS function of the mobile user equipment further executes the following through the processor:

reading the information from the USIM by the NAS function when there is no CAG information on the mobile user equipment.

14 . The mobile user equipment according to claim 12 , wherein determining, according to information in the USIM of the mobile user equipment, whether to allow the mobile user equipment to access the CAG cell of the PLMN comprises:

in case that the USIM has first information associated with an identifier of a home PLMN (HPLMN) indicating that the mobile user equipment is allowed to access the CAG cell of the PLMN, determining that the mobile user equipment is allowed to access the CAG cell of the HPLMN.

15 . The mobile user equipment according to claim 12 , wherein determining, according to information in the USIM of the mobile user equipment, whether to allow the mobile user equipment to access the CAG cell of the PLMN comprises:

in case that the USIM has a first identifier associated with a designated PLMN identifier, determining that the mobile user equipment is allowed to access the CAG cell of a PLMN corresponding to the designated PLMN identifier.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 20, 2023
From: CHEN, XU; JIANG, YI
To: CHINA MOBILE COMMUNICATION CO., LTD RESEARCH INSTITUTE; CHINA MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS GROUP CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 063384/0579 →
Priority Claims (1)
CN 202011228741.7 · Nov 6, 2020 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230397099A1 · Dec 7, 2023
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