Method and device for switching between networks

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9907001-B2
Application number	US-201514700966-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 30, 2015
Priority date	Oct 31, 2012
Publication date	Feb 27, 2018
Grant date	Feb 27, 2018

Abstract

A method and device for switching between networks, where the method includes, if a notification that a signal of a first operator network is lost is received from a user equipment (UE), sending a temporary operational profile (OP) request to a remote management platform of a second operator network; receiving a temporary OP and a validity period of the temporary OP; instructing the UE to detect signal strength of the first operator network, and accessing the second operator network using the temporary OP; and before the validity period of the temporary OP expires, if it is determined according to the signal strength of the first operator network that the signal of the first operator network is recovered, re-accessing the first operator network.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for switching between networks comprising:
determining a second operator network is available when a signal of a first operator network is lost by a user equipment (UE);
sending a temporary operational profile (OP) request to a remote management platform of the second operator network, wherein the temporary OP request carries reason information for sending the temporary OP request;
receiving a temporary OP and a validity period of the temporary OP from the remote management platform;
detecting a signal strength of the first operator network;
accessing the second operator network using the temporary OP; and
re-accessing the first operator network before the validity period of the temporary OP expires and when the signal of the first operator network has recovered.

2. The method for switching between networks according to claim 1 , wherein the validity period of the temporary OP is based on the reason information.

3. The method for switching between networks according to claim 1 , wherein after detecting the signal strength of the first operator network, the method further comprises:
sending a temporary OP update request to the remote management platform when the validity period of the temporary OP expires without receipt of a notification from the UE that the signal of the first operator network is recovered;
receiving a temporary OP update response from the remote management platform, wherein the temporary OP update response carries a new temporary OP or a new validity period that is allocated by the remote management platform; and
continuing to use the second operator network using the new temporary OP or according to the new validity period.

4. The method for switching between networks according to claim 1 , wherein re-accessing the first operator network comprises:
activating an OP of the first operator network;
deactivating the temporary OP allocated by the second operator network;
starting a delete timer, wherein the delete timer is used to set a deletion period required for detecting whether the first operator network is stable; and
re-accessing the first operator network using the OP of the first operator network.

5. The method for switching between networks according to claim 4 , wherein after starting the delete timer, the method further comprises:
re-accessing the second operator network using the temporary OP when a notification that the signal of the first operator network is lost is received from the UE before both the deletion period and the validity period of the temporary OP expire; and
stopping the delete timer.

6. The method for switching between networks according to claim 4 , wherein after starting the delete timer, the method further comprises:
deleting the temporary OP allocated by the second operator network when the deletion period has expired, the validity period of the temporary OP has not expired, and the signal of the first operator network has not been lost; and
sending a temporary OP deletion request to the remote management platform, and wherein the temporary OP deletion request instructs the remote management platform to delete the temporary OP.

7. The method for switching between networks according to claim 4 , wherein after starting the delete timer, the method further comprises:
not sending a temporary OP update request to the remote management platform of the second operator network when the validity period of the temporary OP expires prior to the deletion period; and
stopping the delete timer.

8. The method for switching between networks according to claim 1 , wherein after detecting the signal strength of the first operator network, the method further comprises re-accessing the first operator network after the validity period of the temporary OP expires and when the signal of the first operator network has recovered.

9. An apparatus, comprising:
a memory comprising instructions; and
a processor coupled to the memory, wherein the processor, when executing the instructions, is configured to:
determine a second operator network is available when a signal of a first operator network is lost by a user equipment (UE);
send a temporary OP request to a remote management platform of the second operator network;
receive a temporary OP and a validity period of the temporary OP from the remote management platform;
detect a signal strength of the first operator network;
access the second operator network using the temporary OP;
re-access the first operator network before the validity period of the temporary OP expires and when that the signal of the first operator network has recovered;
send a temporary OP update request to the remote management platform when the validity period expires and the signal of the first operator network has not recovered;
receive a temporary OP update response from the remote management platform, wherein the temporary OP update response carries a new temporary OP or a new validity period that is allocated by the remote management platform; and
continue to use the second operator network using the new temporary OP according to the new validity period.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the temporary OP request carries reason information for sending the temporary OP request, and wherein the validity period of the temporary OP is based on the reason information.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein re-accessing the first operator network comprises:
activating an OP of the first operator network;
deactivating the temporary OP allocated by the second operator network;
starting a delete timer, wherein the delete tinier is used to set a deletion period required for detecting whether the first operator network is stable; and
re-accessing the first operator network using the OP of the first operator network.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the processor is further configured to;
determine that the signal of the first operator network is lost before both the deletion period and the validity period of the temporary OP expires;
deactivate the OP of the first operator network;
activate the temporary OP allocated by the second operator network;
re-access the second operator network using the temporary OP; and
stop the delete timer.

13. The apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
delete the temporary OP allocated by the second operator network when the deletion period has expired, the validity period of the temporary OP has not expired, and the signal of the first operator network has not been lost; and
send a temporary OP deletion request to the remote management platform, wherein the temporary OP deletion request instructs the remote management platform to delete the temporary OP.

14. An apparatus, comprising:
a memory comprising instructions; and
a processor coupled to the memory, wherein the processor, when executing the instructions, is configured to:
determine a second operator network is available when a signal of a first operator network is lost by a user equipment (UE);
send a temporary operational profile (OP) request to a remote management platform of the second operator network;
receive a temporary OP and a validity period of the temporary OP from the remote management platform;
detect a signal strength of the first operator network;
access the second operator network using the temporary OP; and
re-access the first operator network before the validity period of the temporary OP expires and when the signal of the first operator network is recovered, wherein re-accessing the first operator network comprises:
a

Assignees

• Huawei Device Dongguan Co Ltd

Inventors

• Jin Hui
• Xue Guodong

Classifications

• H04W36/14 Primary

  Reselecting a network or an air interface · CPC title

• H04W48/16

  Discovering, processing access restriction or access information · CPC title

• H04W36/16

  Performing reselection for specific purposes · CPC title

• H04W48/18

  Selecting a network or a communication service · CPC title

• H04W48/02

  Access restriction performed under specific conditions · CPC title