Network search method and terminal device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12004072-B2
Application number	US-201917432834-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 23, 2019
Priority date	Feb 23, 2019
Publication date	Jun 4, 2024
Grant date	Jun 4, 2024

Abstract

A network search method includes receiving, by a terminal device, a user operation, where the user operation requests communication with a network device by using a 5th Generation (5G) access technology; and when a cell with which the terminal device currently registers is a non-allowed area, searching for a second cell, where the second cell is an allowed area, so that the terminal device communicates with the network device in the second cell by using the 5G access technology. Therefore, when actively initiating a service, the terminal device in the non-allowed area may actively search for a cell that is an allowed area, to communicate with the network device by using the 5G access technology.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
receiving a user operation in a user interface of a terminal device requesting communication with a network device by using a 5 th Generation (5G) access technology; and
searching, in response to the user operation in the user interface of the terminal device, for a second cell comprising an allowed area when a first cell with which the terminal device is currently registered comprises a non-allowed area.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising performing communication with the network device in the second cell by using the 5G access technology when the second cell is found.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising performing communication with the network device by using any one of a 4 th Generation (4G) access technology, a 3 rd Generation (3G) access technology, a 2.5 th Generation (2.5G) access technology, or a 2 nd Generation (2G) access technology when the second cell is not found.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising adding one or more cells comprising the first cell, one or more tracking areas comprising a tracking area to which the first cell belongs, or the one or more cells and the one or more tracking areas to a temporary prohibition list, wherein the one or more cells and the one or more tracking areas belong to the non-allowed area.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising deleting the one or more cells and the one or more tracking areas from the temporary prohibition list after communication between the terminal device and the network device ends or when a service request times out.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving a service area list from the network device, wherein the service area list indicates the non-allowed area or the allowed area.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising searching for a third cell comprising the allowed area after entering an idle state.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising initiating mobility registration to request camping on the third cell when the third cell is found.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the terminal device is allowed to actively initiate communication with a network when the terminal device is in the allowed area, and wherein the terminal device is not allowed to actively initiate a service request or session management signaling other than a priority service to obtain a user service when the terminal device is in the non-allowed area.

10. An apparatus, comprising:
a memory comprising a computer-executable instruction; and
one or more processors coupled to the memory and configured to execute the instruction to cause the apparatus to be configured to:
receive a user operation in a user interface of the apparatus requesting communication with a network device by using a 5 th Generation (5G) access technology; and
search, in response to the user operation in the user interface of the apparatus, for a second cell comprising an allowed area when a first cell with which the apparatus is currently registered comprises a non-allowed area.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the instruction further causes the apparatus to be configured to communicate with the network device in the second cell by using the 5G access technology when the second cell is found.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the instruction further causes the apparatus to be configured to communicate with the network device by using any one of a 4 th Generation (4G) access technology, a 3 rd Generation (3G) access technology, a 2.5 th Generation (2.5G) access technology, or a 2 nd Generation (2G) access technology when the second cell is not found.

13. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the instruction further causes the apparatus to be configured to add one or more cells comprising the first cell, one or more tracking areas comprising a tracking area to which the first cell belongs, or the one or more cells and the one or more tracking areas to a temporary prohibition list, and wherein the one or more cells and the one or more tracking areas belong to the non-allowed area.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the instruction further causes the apparatus to be configured to delete the one or more cells and the one or more tracking areas from the temporary prohibition list after communication between the apparatus and the network device ends or when a service request times out.

15. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the instruction further causes the apparatus to be configured to receive a service area list from the network device, and wherein the service area list indicates the non-allowed area or the allowed area.

16. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the instruction further causes the apparatus to be configured to search for a third cell comprising the allowed area after entering an idle state.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the instruction further causes the apparatus to be configured to initiate mobility registration to request camping on the third cell when finding the third cell.

18. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the apparatus is allowed to actively initiate communication with a network when the apparatus is in the allowed area, and wherein the apparatus is not allowed to actively initiate a service request or session management signaling other than a priority service to obtain a user service when the apparatus is in the non-allowed area.

19. An apparatus, comprising:
a communications bus configured to be communicatively coupled to a memory and to receive a computer program from the memory; and
one or more processors coupled to the communications bus and configured to invoke the computer program to cause a terminal device on which the apparatus is installed to:
receive a user operation in a user interface of the terminal device requesting communication with a network device by using a 5 th Generation (5G) access technology; and
search, in response to the user operation in the user interface of the terminal device, for a second cell comprising an allowed area when a first cell with which the terminal device is currently registered comprises a non-allowed area.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to invoke the computer program to cause the terminal device on which the apparatus is installed to communicate with the network device in the second cell by using the 5G access technology when the second cell is found.

21. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
initiating, in response to the user operation and by an application processor, a service request; and
sending, by the application processor to a communications processor, the service request to instruct the communications processor to search for the second cell comprising the allowed area.

22. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving the user operation comprises making a call, opening a browser, or sending information.

Assignees

• Huawei Tech Co Ltd

Inventors

• Wei Zhenrong
• Shen Li
• Li Yong

Classifications

• H04W48/04 Primary

  based on user or terminal location or mobility data, e.g. moving direction, speed · CPC title

• H04W36/0011

  for data sessions of end-to-end connection · CPC title

• H04W48/16

  Discovering, processing access restriction or access information · CPC title

• H04W48/12

  using downlink control channel · CPC title

• H04W48/20

  Selecting an access point · CPC title