IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,732,898
Granted Patent B2
US 12,732,898 · App. 18/387,880 · Granted Sep 8, 2026

Handling periodic PLMN search during unavailability period

Inventor: Marko Niemi (Oulu, FI)
Assignee: MEDIATEK SINGAPORE PTE. LTD.
H04W48/16H04W48/18H04W60/00
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,732,898
App. No.
18/387,880
Granted
Sep 8, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

In an aspect of the disclosure, a method, a computer-readable medium, and an apparatus are provided. The apparatus may be a UE. In certain configurations, the UE activates an unavailability period. The UE postpones one or more periodic attempts to perform a Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) search when the UE is in the unavailability period. The unavailability period may be activated by transmitting, to a network, a request message indicating a duration of the unavailability period. The request message may be a mobility registration update message or a UE-initiated deregistration message.

Claims (32)

1 . A method of wireless communication of a user equipment (UE), comprising:

in response to detecting an event at the UE, activating an unavailability period by transmitting, to a network, a request message indicating a duration of the unavailability period;

keeping a periodic attempt timer running during the unavailability period, wherein the periodic attempt timer is configured to trigger a Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) search; and

postponing one or more periodic attempts to perform the PLMN search upon determining that the UE is in the unavailability period, wherein the UE refrains from performing the PLMN search after the periodic attempt timer expires during the unavailability period.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the request message is a mobility registration update message.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the request message is a UE-initiated deregistration message.

4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, from the network, a response message indicating whether the UE is required to perform registration when the unavailability period ends; and

in response to the response message indicating that the UE is required to perform registration when the unavailability period ends, transmitting, to the network, a registration request message when the unavailability period ends.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the response message further indicates a periodic registration update time, and the periodic registration update time is longer than or equal to the duration of the unavailability period.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein expiration of the periodic attempt timer during the unavailability period does not trigger the UE to perform the PLMN search.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more periodic attempts to perform the PLMN search are postponed by:

when the periodic attempt timer expires during the unavailability period, attempting to perform periodic scan or attempting to access a home PLMN (HPLMN) or an equivalent PLMN (EHPLMN) only after the unavailability period ends.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more periodic attempts to perform the PLMN search are postponed by:

when the periodic attempt timer expires during the unavailability period, not attempting to perform periodic scan or attempting to access a home PLMN (HPLMN) or an equivalent PLMN (EHPLMN) during the unavailability period.

9 . An apparatus for wireless communication, the apparatus being a user equipment (UE), comprising:

a memory; and

at least one processor coupled to the memory, the processor being configured to:

in response to detecting an event at the UE, activate an unavailability period by transmitting, to a network, a request message indicating a duration of the unavailability period;

keep a periodic attempt timer running during the unavailability period, wherein the periodic attempt timer is configured to trigger a Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) search; and

postpone one or more periodic attempts to perform the PLMN search upon determining that the UE is in the unavailability period, wherein the UE refrains from performing the PLMN search after the periodic attempt timer expires during the unavailability period.

10 . The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the request message is a mobility registration update message.

11 . The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the request message is a UE-initiated deregistration message.

12 . The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive, from the network, a response message indicating whether the UE is required to perform registration when the unavailability period ends; and

in response to the response message indicating that the UE is required to perform registration when the unavailability period ends, transmit, to the network, a registration request message when the unavailability period ends.

13 . The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the response message further indicates a periodic registration update time, and the periodic registration update time is longer than or equal to the duration of the unavailability period.

14 . The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein expiration of the periodic attempt timer during the unavailability period does not trigger the UE to perform the PLMN search.

15 . The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the one or more periodic attempts to perform the PLMN search are postponed by:

when the periodic attempt timer expires during the unavailability period, attempting to perform periodic scan or attempting to access a home PLMN (HPLMN) or an equivalent PLMN (EHPLMN) only after the unavailability period ends.

16 . The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the one or more periodic attempts to perform the PLMN search are postponed by:

when the periodic attempt timer expires during the unavailability period, not attempting to perform periodic scan or attempting to access a home PLMN (HPLMN) or an equivalent PLMN (EHPLMN) during the unavailability period.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 8, 2023
From: NIEMI, MARKO
To: MEDIATEK SINGAPORE PTE. LTD.
Reel/Frame 065492/0304 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63385635 · Dec 1, 2022
Related Publication 20240187973A1 · Jun 6, 2024
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