IP Library Granted Patent US 12,477,453
Granted Patent B2
US 12,477,453 · App. 18/288,088 · Granted Nov 18, 2025

Methods and apparatus for steering a wireless/transmit receive unit between multiple wireless networks

Inventors: Guanzhou Wang (Brossard, CA); Tezcan Cogalan (London, GB); Alain Mourad (Ascot, GB); Atle Monrad (Froland, NO); Saad Ahmad (Montreal, CA); Ulises Olvera-Hernandez (Saint-Lazare, CA); Anuj Sethi (Ottawa, CA)
Assignee: InterDigital Patent Holdings, Inc.
H04W48/18H04W48/16
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 12,477,453
App. No.
18/288,088
Granted
Nov 18, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method implemented in a Wireless Transmit/Receive Unit, WTRU, for selecting a local network for the WTRU to join includes storing steering of roaming, SoR, information for a plurality of local service hosting networks, wherein the SoR information includes an indication of a priority order in a list of network identifiers, switching to an access mode for network searching, searching for a local service hosting network to join from among the plurality of local service hosting networks, and selecting a local service hosting network to join based on the indication of the priority order in the list of network identifiers. The method may further include updating the SoR information during any one or more of a periodic procedure or a mobility registration procedure.

Claims (32)

1 . A wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) comprising circuitry, the WTRU circuitry configured to:

receive, from non-access stratum signaling, steering of roaming (SoR) information for a plurality of local service networks, wherein the SoR information comprises an indication of a priority order in a list of network identifiers;

search for a local service network with which to connect from among the plurality of local service networks;

select a local service network with which to connect based on the indication of a priority order of a network identifier in the list of network identifiers, wherein the selected local service network corresponds to a time period and a geographic area, and

register with the selected local service network.

2 . The WTRU of claim 1 , wherein the WTRU circuitry is further configured to connect to the selected local service network.

3 . The WTRU of claim 1 , wherein the WTRU circuitry is further configured to search for a local service network after switching from a Public Land Mobile Network operating mode to a stand-alone non-public network access mode.

4 . The WTRU of claim 1 , wherein the SoR information is provided by a Public Land Mobile Network.

5 . The WTRU of claim 1 , wherein the WTRU is configured to search for a local service network with which to connect from among a plurality of stand-alone non-public networks.

6 . The WTRU of claim 1 , wherein the WTRU is further configured to update the SoR information during any one or more of a periodic procedure or a mobility registration procedure.

7 . The WTRU of claim 1 , wherein the time period is a time period during which a corresponding local service network is considered valid or available for joining.

8 . The WTRU of claim 1 , wherein the geographic area comprises an area within which the local service network is available.

9 . The WTRU of claim 1 , wherein the WTRU is configured to select a local service network with which to connect using a network selector function of the WTRU circuitry.

10 . A method performed by a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) to select a local service network, the method comprising:

receiving, from a non-access stratum, steering of roaming (SoR) information for a plurality of local service networks, wherein the SoR information comprises an indication of a priority order in a list of network identifiers;

searching for a local service network with which to connect from among the plurality of local service networks;

selecting a local service network with which to connect based on the indication of a priority order of a network identifier in the list of network identifiers, wherein the selected local service network is corresponds to a time period and a geographic area, and

registering with the selected local service network.

11 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising connecting to the selected local service network.

12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein searching for a local service network with which to connect is performed after switching from a Public Land Mobile Network operating mode to a stand-alone non-public network access mode.

13 . The method of claim 10 , wherein receiving the SoR information comprises receiving the SoR information from a Public Land Mobile Network.

14 . The method of claim 10 , wherein searching for a local service network with which to connect comprises searching from among a plurality of a stand-alone non-public networks.

15 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the method further comprises updating the SoR information during any one or more of a periodic procedure or a mobility registration procedure.

16 . The method of claim 10 , wherein selecting a local service network with which to connect comprises selecting the time period which a corresponding local network is considered valid or available for joining.

17 . The method of claim 10 , wherein selecting a local service network with which to connect comprises selecting the geographic area within which the local service network is available.

18 . The method of claim 10 , wherein selecting a local service network with which to connect comprises using a network selector function of the WTRU to select a local service network.

19 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon, which when executed by a processor, performs a method comprising:

receiving, from a non-access stratum, steering of roaming (SoR) information for a plurality of local service networks, wherein the SoR information comprises an indication of a priority order in a list of network identifiers;

searching for a local service network with which to connect from among the plurality of local service networks;

selecting a local service network with which to connect based on the indication of a priority order of a network identifier in the list of network identifiers, wherein the selected local service network is corresponds to a time period and a geographic area, and

registering with the selected local service network.

20 . The non-transient computer-readable medium of claim 19 , wherein the method further comprises connecting to the selected local service network.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 25, 2023
From: WANG, GUANZHOU; COGALAN, TEZCAN; MOURAD, ALAIN; MONRAD, ALTE; AHMAD, SAAD; OLVERA-HERNANDEZ, ULISES; SETHI, ANUJ
To: IDAC HOLDINGS, INC.
Reel/Frame 065338/0050 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 25, 2023
From: IDAC HOLDINGS, INC.
To: INTERDIGITAL PATENT HOLDINGS, INC.
Reel/Frame 065347/0001 →
Continuity (3)
Provisional Application 63275004 · Nov 3, 2021
Provisional Application 63181016 · Apr 28, 2021
Related Publication 20240205811A1 · Jun 20, 2024
References Cited (26)
US 10834571B1 · Yau et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 12256322B2 · Jeong · 2025 [cited by examiner]
US 20160183178A1 · Marimuthu · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20200236527A1 · Sood · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 20220312306A1 · Matolia · 2022 [cited by examiner]
US 20220312360A1 · Kuppelur · 2022 [cited by examiner]
US 20230319700A1 · Prabhakar · 2023 [cited by examiner]
US 20240205811A1 · Wang · 2024 [cited by examiner]
US 20240297687A1 · Raghavan · 2024 [cited by examiner]
EP 2088723A1 · 2009 [cited by examiner]
EP 3846545A1 · 2021 [cited by examiner]
WO WO2018197790A1 · 2018 [cited by examiner]
WO WO2019017689A1 · 2019 [cited by examiner]
WO WO2021217163A1 · 2021 [cited by examiner]
WO WO2024172564A1 · 2024 [cited by examiner]
3GPP TR 23.700-07 V1.2.0, “3rd Generation Partnership Project; Technical Specification Group Services and System Aspects; Study on enhanced support of non-public networks (Release 17)”, Nov. 2020, 247 pages. [cited by applicant]
3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), R3-210637, “SNPN and Service Provider (SP) separation”, 3GPP TSG-RAN WG3 #111-e, Jan. 25, 2021-Feb. 5, 2021, 8 pages. [cited by applicant]
3GPP TR 22.844, “Study on 5G Networks Providing Access to Localized Services”, V0.2.0, Mar. 2021, 7 pages. [cited by applicant]
Qualcomm: “Update to FS_PALS use case: Automatic discovery and selection of 3rd party provider services over Hosting network access”. 3GPP Draft; S1-210194r7. 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), Mobile Competence… [cited by applicant]
3GPP TS 23.501, “System Architecture for the 5G System”, Stage 2, V16.7.0, Dec. 2020, 20 pages. [cited by applicant]
“3 Generation Partnership Project; Technical Specification Group Services and System Aspects; Service accessibility (Release 16)”, 3GPP Standard; Technical Specification; 3GPP TS 22.011, 3rd Generation Partnership Proje… [cited by applicant]
Nokia et al: “Overview of Non-Public Networks”,3GPP Draft; R2-1909305 Npnintro, 3rd Generationpartnership Project (3GPP), Mobile Competence Centre , 650, Route Des Lucioles ; F-06921 Sophia-Antipolis Cedex ;Francevol. R… [cited by applicant]
3GPP TS 23.122, “Non-Access-Stratum (NAS) functions related to Mobile Station (MS) in idle mode”, V16.8.0, Dec. 2020, 6 pages. [cited by applicant]
3GPP TS 23.502, “Procedures for the 5G System”, V16.7.1, Stage 2, Jan. 2021, 438 pages. [cited by applicant]
International Search Report for PCT/US2022/0206026 dated Jul. 21, 2022. [cited by applicant]
3GPP SP-200799, “Study on 5G Networks Providing Access to Localized Services,” 3GPP TSG SA Meeting #89e, Sep. 15-21, 2020, 3 pages. [cited by applicant]