System and methods for increasing efficiency of a public land mobile network search in service acquisition on a multi-SIM wireless device

1. A method of improving service acquisition on a first subscriber identification module (SIM) of a multi-SIM wireless communication device having at least the first SIM associated with a first radio resource and a second SIM associated with a second radio resource, comprising:

detecting a condition triggering a public mobile land network (PLMN) selection associated with the first SIM;

receiving an indication that service acquisition settings of the first SIM are set to a manual mode;

determining whether a modem stack associated with the second SIM is in idle mode; and

in response to determining that the modem stack associated with the second SIM is in idle mode:

identifying timing of a power-saving mode cycle implemented by the modem stack associated with the second SIM; and

performing a PLMN search using the first and second radio resources.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein performing the PLMN search using the first and second radio resources comprises:

determining whether the first SIM supports multiple radio access technologies; and

in response to determining that the first SIM supports multiple radio access technologies:

assigning frequencies associated with a first one of the multiple radio access technologies to the first radio resource; and

assigning frequencies associated with a second one of the multiple radio access technologies to the second radio resource.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein performing the PLMN search using the first and second radio resources further comprises:

identifying frequencies associated with a single radio access technology supported by the first SIM in response to determining that the first SIM does not support multiple radio access technologies; and

determining whether the single radio access technology supported by the first SIM is also supported by the second SIM.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein performing the PLMN search using the first and second radio resources further comprises:

assigning a first portion of the identified frequencies to the first radio resource and a second portion of the identified frequencies to the second radio resource in response to determining that the single radio access technology supported by the first SIM is also supported by the second SIM.

5. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

scanning, by the first radio resource, frequencies associated with a first one of the multiple radio access technologies to identify channels that satisfy a signal strength threshold;

scanning, by the second radio resource during a sleep period of the power-saving mode cycle, frequencies associated with a second one of the multiple radio access technologies to identify channels that satisfy the signal strength threshold;

receiving a first group and a second group of identified PLMNs based on system information read from each channel identified by each of the first and second radio resource;

determining whether all assigned frequencies have been scanned;

generating a combined list of PLMNs based on the first and second groups of identified PLMNs in response to determining that all frequencies have been scanned; and

outputting the combined list of PLMNs.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein performing the PLMN search using the first and second radio resources comprises:

scanning, by the first radio resource, a first set of assigned frequencies to identify channels that satisfy a signal strength threshold;

scanning, by the second radio resource during a sleep period of the power-saving mode cycle, a second set of assigned frequencies to identify channels that satisfy the signal strength threshold;

receiving a first group and a second group of identified PLMNs based on system information read from each identified channel in the respective first set and second set of assigned frequencies;

determining whether all frequencies in the first and second sets of assigned frequencies have been scanned;

generating a combined list of PLMNs based on the first and second groups of identified PLMNs in response to determining that all frequencies in the first and second sets of assigned frequencies have been scanned; and

outputting the combined list of PLMNs.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

determining whether the modem stack associated with the second SIM is exiting idle mode;

stopping the scanning of the second set of assigned frequencies by the second radio resource in response to determining that the modem stack associated with the second SIM is exiting idle mode;

identifying a completed portion of the second set of assigned frequencies already scanned by the second radio resource, wherein the received second group of identified PLMNs is based on the system information read from the identified channels in the completed portion of the second set of assigned frequencies; and

adding a remaining unsearched portion of the second set of assigned frequencies to the first set of assigned frequencies, wherein an updated first set of assigned frequencies is created.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein scanning, by the first radio resource, the first set of assigned frequencies to identify frequency channels that satisfy a signal strength threshold comprises scanning the updated first set of assigned frequencies.

9. A wireless communication device, comprising:

a first radio resource associated with a first subscriber identification module (SIM);

a second radio resource associated with a second SIM; and

a processor coupled to the first and second SIMs and respective first and second radio resources, wherein the processor is configured to:

detect a condition triggering a public mobile land network (PLMN) selection associated with the first SIM;

receive an indication that service acquisition settings of the first SIM are set to a manual mode;

determine whether a modem stack associated with the second SIM is in idle mode; and

in response to determining that the modem stack associated with the second SIM is in idle mode:

identify timing of a power-saving mode cycle implemented by the modem stack associated with the second SIM; and

perform a PLMN search using the first and second radio resources.

10. The wireless communication device of claim 9 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine whether the first SIM supports multiple radio access technologies; and

in response to determining that the first SIM supports multiple radio access technologies:

assign frequencies associated with a first one of the multiple radio access technologies to the first radio resource; and

assign frequencies associated with a second one of the multiple radio access technologies to the second radio resource.

11. The wireless communication device of claim 10 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

identify frequencies associated with a single radio access technology supported by the first SIM in response to determining that the first SIM does not support multiple radio access technologies; and

determine whether the single radio access technology supported by the first SIM is also supported by the second SIM.

12. The wireless communication device of claim 11 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

assign a first portion of the identified frequencies to the first radio resource and a second portion of the identified frequencies to the second radio resource in response to determining that the single radio access technology supported by the first SIM is also supported by the second SIM.

13. The wireless communication device of claim 10 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

scan, by the first radio resource, frequencies associated with a first one of the multiple radio access technologies to identify channels that satisfy a signal strength threshold;

scan, by the second radio resource during a sleep period of the power-saving mode cycle, frequencies associated with a second one of the multiple radio access technologies to identify channels that satisfy the signal strength threshold;

receive a first group and a second group of identified PLMNs based on system information read from each channel identified by each of the first and second radio resource;

determine whether all assigned frequencies have been scanned;

generate a combined list of PLMNs based on the first and second groups of identified PLMNs in response to determining that all frequencies have been scanned; and

output the combined list of PLMNs.

14. The wireless communication device of claim 9 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

scan, by the first radio resource, a first set of assigned frequencies to identify channels that satisfy a signal strength threshold;

scan, by the second radio resource during a sleep period of the power-saving mode cycle, a second set of assigned frequencies to identify channels that satisfy the signal strength threshold;

receive a first group and a second group of identified PLMNs based on system information read from each identified channel in the respective first set and second set of assigned frequencies;

determine whether all frequencies in the first and second sets of assigned frequencies have been scanned;

generate a combined list of PLMNs based on the first and second groups of identified PLMNs in response to determining that all frequencies in the first and second sets of assigned frequencies have been scanned; and

output the combined list of PLMNs.

15. The wireless communication device of claim 14 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine whether the modem stack associated with the second SIM is exiting idle mode;

stop the scanning of the second set of assigned frequencies by the second radio resource in response to determining that the modem stack associated with the second SIM is exiting idle mode;

identify a completed portion of the second set of assigned frequencies already scanned by the second radio resource, wherein the received second group of identified PLMNs is based on the system information read from the identified channels in the completed portion of the second set of assigned frequencies; and

add a remaining unsearched portion of the second set of assigned frequencies to the first set of assigned frequencies, wherein an updated first set of assigned frequencies is created.

16. The wireless communication device of claim 15 , wherein the processor is further configured to scan the updated first set of assigned frequencies.

17. A wireless communication device, comprising:

means for detecting a condition triggering a public mobile land network (PLMN) selection associated with a first subscriber identification module (SIM), wherein the first SIM is associated with a first radio resource;

means for receiving an indication that service acquisition settings of the first SIM are set to a manual mode;

means for determining whether a modem stack associated with a second SIM is in idle mode, wherein the second SIM is associated with a second radio resource; and

in response to determining that the modem stack associated with the second SIM is in idle mode, means for:

identifying timing of a power-saving mode cycle implemented by the modem stack associated with the second SIM; and

performing a PLMN search using the first and second radio resources.

18. A non-transitory processor-readable medium having stored thereon processor-executable instructions configured to cause a wireless communication device processor to perform operations comprising:

detecting a condition triggering a public mobile land network (PLMN) selection associated with a first subscriber identification module (SIM), wherein the first SIM is associated with a first radio resource;

receiving an indication that service acquisition settings of the first SIM are set to a manual mode;

determining whether a modem stack associated with a second SIM is in idle mode, wherein the second SIM is associated with a second radio resource; and

in response to determining that the modem stack associated with the second SIM is in idle mode:

identifying timing of a power-saving mode cycle implemented by the modem stack associated with the second SIM; and

performing a PLMN search using the first and second radio resources.

19. The non-transitory processor-readable medium of claim 18 , wherein the stored processor-executable instructions are configured to cause the wireless communication device processor to perform operations such that performing the PLMN search using the first and second radio resources comprises:

determining whether the first SIM supports multiple radio access technologies; and

in response to determining that the first SIM supports multiple radio access technologies:

assigning frequencies associated with a first one of the multiple radio access technologies to the first radio resource; and

assigning frequencies associated with a second one of the multiple radio access technologies to the second radio resource.

20. The non-transitory processor-readable medium of claim 19 , wherein the stored processor-executable instructions are configured to cause the wireless communication device processor to perform operations such that performing the PLMN search using the first and second radio resources further comprises:

identifying frequencies associated with a single radio access technology supported by the first SIM in response to determining that the first SIM does not support multiple radio access technologies; and

determining whether the single radio access technology supported by the first SIM is also supported by the second SIM.

21. The non-transitory processor-readable medium of claim 20 , wherein the stored processor-executable instructions are configured to cause the wireless communication device processor to perform operations such that performing the PLMN search using the first and second radio resources further comprises:

assigning a first portion of the identified frequencies to the first radio resource and a second portion of the identified frequencies to the second radio resource in response to determining that the single radio access technology supported by the first SIM is also supported by the second SIM.

22. The non-transitory processor-readable medium of claim 19 , wherein the stored processor-executable instructions are configured to cause the wireless communication device processor to perform operations further comprising:

scanning, by the first radio resource, frequencies associated with a first one of the multiple radio access technologies to identify channels that satisfy a signal strength threshold;

scanning, by the second radio resource during a sleep period of the power-saving mode cycle, frequencies associated with a second one of the multiple radio access technologies to identify channels that satisfy the signal strength threshold;

receiving a first group and a second group of identified PLMNs based on system information read from each channel identified by each of the first and second radio resource;

determining whether all assigned frequencies have been scanned;

generating a combined list of PLMNs based on the first and second groups of identified PLMNs in response to determining that all frequencies have been scanned; and

outputting the combined list of PLMNs.

23. The non-transitory processor-readable medium of claim 18 , wherein the stored processor-executable instructions are configured to cause the wireless communication device processor to perform operations such that performing the PLMN search using the first and second radio resources comprises:

scanning, by the first radio resource, a first set of assigned frequencies to identify channels that satisfy a signal strength threshold;

scanning, by the second radio resource during a sleep period of the power-saving mode cycle, a second set of assigned frequencies to identify channels that satisfy the signal strength threshold;

receiving a first group and a second group of identified PLMNs based on system information read from each identified channel in the respective first set and second set of assigned frequencies;

determining whether all frequencies in the first and second sets of assigned frequencies have been scanned;

generating a combined list of PLMNs based on the first and second groups of identified PLMNs in response to determining that all frequencies in the first and second sets of assigned frequencies have been scanned; and

outputting the combined list of PLMNs.

24. The non-transitory processor-readable medium of claim 23 , wherein the stored processor-executable instructions are configured to cause the wireless communication device processor to perform operations further comprising:

determining whether the modem stack associated with the second SIM is exiting idle mode;

stopping the scanning of the second set of assigned frequencies by the second radio resource in response to determining that the modem stack associated with the second SIM is exiting idle mode;

identifying a completed portion of the second set of assigned frequencies already scanned by the second radio resource, wherein the received second group of identified PLMNs is based on the system information read from the identified channels in the completed portion of the second set of assigned frequencies; and

adding a remaining unsearched portion of the second set of assigned frequencies to the first set of assigned frequencies, wherein an updated first set of assigned frequencies is created.

25. The non-transitory processor-readable medium of claim 24 , wherein the stored processor-executable instructions are configured to cause the wireless communication device processor to perform operations such that scanning, by the first radio resource, the first set of assigned frequencies to identify frequency channels that satisfy a signal strength threshold comprises scanning the updated first set of assigned frequencies.