System and methods for cooperative network acquisition on a multi-SIM wireless device

1. A method of acquiring service on a multi-subscriber identification module (SIM) wireless device coupled to at least a first SIM and a second SIM, the method comprising:

gaining control of a radio resource by the first SIM, wherein the radio resource is shared between the first and second SIMs;

identifying available radio frequency (RF) channels that satisfy a signal strength threshold;

ranking the identified RF channels;

determining whether a highest ranked RF channel belongs to a public land mobile network (PLMN) associated with the second SIM;

in response to determining that the highest ranked RF channel belongs to a PLMN associated with the second SIM:

suspending acquisition on the first SIM;

waking the second SIM from an idle mode; and

automatically attempting acquisition of service on the highest ranked RF channel via the second SIM; and

performing normal PLMN selection and camping for the first and second SIMs in response to determining that the highest ranked RF channel does not belong to a PLMN associated with the second SIM.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining whether service on the highest ranked RF channel was successfully acquired via the second SIM; and

camping the second SIM on a cell broadcasting the highest ranked RF channel in response to determining that service on the highest ranked RF channel was successfully acquired via the second SIM.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising resuming acquisition on the first SIM in response to determining that service on the highest ranked RF channel was successfully acquired via the second SIM, wherein resuming acquisition comprises omitting the RF channel on which the second SIM is camped.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining whether the highest ranked RF channel belongs to a PLMN associated with the first SIM; and

camping the first SIM on a cell broadcasting the highest ranked RF channel in response to determining that the highest ranked RF channel belongs to a PLMN associated with the first SIM.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining whether the highest ranked RF channel belongs to a PLMN associated with the second SIM comprises:

accessing a preferred PLMN list associated with the second SIM; and

identifying a first preferred PLMN in the preferred PLMN list associated with the second SIM;

reading a PLMN identifier from a broadcast control channel (BCCH) on the highest ranked RF channel; and

determining whether the PLMN identifier read from the BCCH matches the first preferred PLMN in the preferred PLMN list associated with the second SIM.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein identifying available RF channels that satisfy a signal strength threshold comprises identifying available RF channels that satisfy a signal strength threshold based on an acquisition database, wherein the acquisition database contains entries comprise:

PLMN identifiers corresponding to RF channels previously acquired on the first SIM and the second SIM;

absolute radio frequency channel numbers (ARFCNs) of the previously acquired RF channels; and

signal strength measurements of the previously acquired RF channels.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein identifying available RF channels that satisfy a signal strength threshold comprises:

performing a power scan on all available frequency bands; and

identifying, within the frequency bands, RF channels that satisfy a predetermined minimum radio signal strength indicator (RSSI) value.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein performing a power scan on all available frequency bands comprises:

identifying supported frequency bands associated with the first SIM;

identifying supported frequency bands associated with the second SIM; and

generating a combined list of available frequency bands, wherein the combined list is accessible to the first and second SIMs.

9. A wireless device, comprising:

a radio resource shared between a first subscriber identification module (SIM) and a second SIM; and

a processor coupled to the radio resource, wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to:

gain control of the radio resource by the first SIM;

identify available radio frequency (RF) channels that satisfy a signal strength threshold;

rank the identified RF channels;

determine whether a highest ranked RF channel belongs to a public land mobile network (PLMN) associated with the second SIM;

in response to determining that the highest ranked RF channel belongs to a PLMN associated with the second SIM:

suspend acquisition on the first SIM;

wake the second SIM from an idle mode; and

automatically attempt acquisition of service on the highest ranked RF channel via the second SIM; and

perform normal PLMN selection and camping for the first and second SIMs in response to determining that the highest ranked RF channel does not belong to a PLMN associated with the second SIM.

10. The wireless device of claim 9 , wherein the processor is further configured with processor-executable instructions to:

determine whether service on the highest ranked RF channel was successfully acquired via the second SIM; and

camp the second SIM on a cell broadcasting the highest ranked RF channel in response to determining that service on the highest ranked RF channel was successfully acquired via the second SIM.

11. The wireless device of claim 10 , wherein the processor is further configured with processor-executable instructions to resume acquisition on the first SIM in response to determining that service on the highest ranked RF channel was successfully acquired via the second SIM, wherein resuming acquisition comprises omitting the RF channel on which the second SIM is camped.

12. The wireless device of claim 9 , wherein the processor is further configured with processor-executable instructions to:

determine whether the highest ranked RF channel belongs to a PLMN associated with the first SIM; and

camp the first SIM on a cell broadcasting the highest ranked RF channel in response to determining that the highest ranked RF channel belongs to a PLMN associated with the first SIM.

13. The wireless device of claim 9 , wherein the processor is further configured with processor-executable instructions to determine whether the highest ranked RF channel belongs to a PLMN associated with the second SIM by:

accessing a preferred PLMN list associated with the second SIM; and

identifying a first preferred PLMN in the preferred PLMN list associated with the second SIM;

reading a PLMN identifier from a broadcast control channel (BCCH) on the highest ranked RF channel; and

determining whether the PLMN identifier read from the BCCH matches the first preferred PLMN in the preferred PLMN list associated with the second SIM.

14. The wireless device of claim 9 , wherein the processor is further configured with processor-executable instructions to identify available RF channels that satisfy a signal strength threshold based on an acquisition database, wherein the acquisition database contains entries that comprise:

PLMN identifiers corresponding to RF channels previously acquired on the first SIM and the second SIM;

absolute radio frequency channel numbers (ARFCNs) of the previously acquired RF channels; and

signal strength measurements of the previously acquired RF channels.

15. The wireless device of claim 9 , wherein the processor is further configured with processor-executable instructions to identify available RF channels that satisfy a signal strength threshold by:

performing a power scan on all available frequency bands; and

identifying, within the frequency bands, RF channels that satisfy a predetermined minimum radio signal strength indicator (RSSI) value.

16. The wireless device of claim 15 , wherein the processor is further configured with processor-executable instructions to perform a power scan on all available frequency bands by:

identifying supported frequency bands associated with the first SIM;

identifying supported frequency bands associated with the second SIM; and

generating a combined list of available frequency bands, wherein the combined list is accessible to the first and second SIMs.

17. A wireless device, comprising:

means for gaining control of a radio resource by a first subscriber identification module (SIM) and a second SIM, wherein the radio resource is shared between the first SIM and a second SIM;

means for identifying available radio frequency (RF) channels that satisfy a signal strength threshold;

means for ranking the identified RF channels;

means for determining whether a highest ranked RF channel belongs to a public land mobile network (PLMN) associated with the second SIM;

means for suspending acquisition on the first SIM, waking the second SIM from an idle mode, and automatically attempting acquisition of service on the highest ranked RF channel via the second SIM in response to determining that the highest ranked RF channel belongs to a PLMN associated with the second SIM; and

means for performing normal PLMN selection and camping for the first and second SIMs in response to determining that the highest ranked RF channel does not belong to a PLMN associated with the second SIM.

18. The wireless device of claim 17 , further comprising:

means for determining whether service on the highest ranked RF channel was successfully acquired via the second SIM; and

means for camping the second SIM on a cell broadcasting the highest ranked RF channel in response to determining that service on the highest ranked RF channel was successfully acquired via the second SIM.

19. The wireless device of claim 18 , further comprising:

means for resuming acquisition on the first SIM in response to determining that service on the highest ranked RF channel was successfully acquired via the second SIM, wherein means for resuming acquisition comprises means for omitting the RF channel on which the second SIM is camped.

20. The wireless device of claim 17 , further comprising:

means for determining whether the highest ranked RF channel belongs to a PLMN associated with the first SIM; and

means for camping the first SIM on a cell broadcasting the highest ranked RF channel in response to determining that the highest ranked RF channel belongs to a PLMN associated with the first SIM.

21. The wireless device of claim 17 , wherein means for determining whether the highest ranked RF channel belongs to a PLMN associated with the second SIM comprises:

means for accessing a preferred PLMN list associated with the second SIM; and

means for identifying a first preferred PLMN in the preferred PLMN list associated with the second SIM;

means for reading a PLMN identifier from a broadcast control channel (BCCH) on the highest ranked RF channel; and

means for determining whether the PLMN identifier read from the BCCH matches the first preferred PLMN in the preferred PLMN list associated with the second SIM.

22. The wireless device of claim 17 , wherein means for identifying available RF channels that satisfy a signal strength threshold comprises means for identifying available RF channels that satisfy a signal strength threshold based on an acquisition database, wherein the acquisition database contains entries comprise:

PLMN identifiers corresponding to RF channels previously acquired on the first SIM and the second SIM;

absolute radio frequency channel numbers (ARFCNs) of the previously acquired RF channels; and

signal strength measurements of the previously acquired RF channels.

23. The wireless device of claim 19 , wherein means for identifying available RF channels that satisfy a signal strength threshold comprises:

means for performing a power scan on all available frequency bands; and

means for identifying, within the frequency bands, RF channels that satisfy a predetermined minimum radio signal strength indicator (RSSI) value.

24. The wireless device of claim 23 , wherein means for performing a power scan on all available frequency bands comprises:

means for identifying supported frequency bands associated with the first SIM;

means for identifying supported frequency bands associated with the second SIM; and

means for generating a combined list of available frequency bands, wherein the combined list is accessible to the first and second SIMs.

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

gaining control of a radio resource by a first subscriber identification module (SIMS), wherein the radio resource is shared between the first SIM and a second SIM;

identifying available radio frequency (RF) channels that satisfy a signal strength threshold;

ranking the identified RF channels;

determining whether a highest ranked RF channel belongs to a public land mobile network (PLMN) associated with the second SIM; and

in response to determining that the highest ranked RF channel belongs to a PLMN associated with the second SIM:

suspending acquisition on the first SIM;

waking the second SIM from an idle mode; and

automatically attempting acquisition of service on the highest ranked RF channel via the second SIM; and

performing normal PLMN selection and camping for the first and second SIMs in response to determining that the highest ranked RF channel does not belong to a PLMN associated with the second SIM.

26. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 25 , wherein the stored processor-executable instructions are configured to cause the wireless device processor to perform operations further comprising:

determining whether service on the highest ranked RF channel was successfully acquired via the second SIM; and

camping the second SIM on a cell broadcasting the highest ranked RF channel in response to determining that service on the highest ranked RF channel was successfully acquired via the second SIM.

27. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 26 , wherein the stored processor-executable instructions are configured to cause the wireless device processor to perform operations further comprising resuming acquisition on the first SIM in response to determining that service on the highest ranked RF channel was successfully acquired via the second SIM, wherein resuming acquisition comprises omitting the RF channel on which the second SIM is camped.

28. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 25 , wherein the stored processor-executable instructions are configured to cause the wireless device processor to perform operations further comprising:

determining whether the highest ranked RF channel belongs to a PLMN associated with the first SIM; and

camping the first SIM on a cell broadcasting the highest ranked RF channel in response to determining that the highest ranked RF channel belongs to a PLMN associated with the first SIM.

29. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 25 , wherein the stored processor-executable instructions are configured to cause the wireless device processor to perform operations such that determining whether the highest ranked RF channel belongs to a PLMN associated with the second SIM comprises:

accessing a preferred PLMN list associated with the second SIM; and

identifying a first preferred PLMN in the preferred PLMN list associated with the second SIM;

reading a PLMN identifier from a broadcast control channel (BCCH) on the highest ranked RF channel; and

determining whether the PLMN identifier read from the BCCH matches the first preferred PLMN in the preferred PLMN list associated with the second SIM.

30. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 25 , wherein the stored processor-executable instructions are configured to cause the wireless device processor to perform operations such that identifying available RF channels that satisfy a signal strength threshold comprises identifying available RF channels that satisfy a signal strength threshold based on an acquisition database, wherein the acquisition database contains entries comprise:

PLMN identifiers corresponding to RF channels previously acquired on the first SIM and the second SIM;

absolute radio frequency channel numbers (ARFCNs) of the previously acquired RF channels; and

signal strength measurements of the previously acquired RF channels.

31. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 25 , wherein the stored processor-executable instructions are configured to cause the wireless device processor to perform operations such that identifying available RF channels that satisfy a signal strength threshold comprises:

performing a power scan on all available frequency bands; and

identifying, within the frequency bands, RF channels that satisfy a predetermined minimum radio signal strength indicator (RSSI) value.

32. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 31 , wherein the stored processor-executable instructions are configured to cause the wireless device processor to perform operations such that performing a power scan on all available frequency bands comprises:

identifying supported frequency bands associated with the first SIM;

identifying supported frequency bands associated with the second SIM; and

generating a combined list of available frequency bands, wherein the combined list is accessible to the first and second SIMs.