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  Handover between mobile communication networksUSPTO Application #: 20060194582Title: Handover between mobile communication networks Abstract: The invention provides a method of handover from an active network to a selected one of a plurality of potential other networks. In addition to the overall solution, the solution proposed has several individual aspects. All subsidiary aspects are related to the common problem mentioned above and sharing the underlying common solution concept of implementing a system in which selective handover is possible and in which a list of available other networks provided by an active network can be handled and selection made by a terminal, so that neighbor cell information can be transmitted based on expressed terminal preferences. (end of abstract) Agent: Scully Scott Murphy & Presser, PC - Garden City, NY, US Inventor: David Cooper USPTO Applicaton #: 20060194582 - Class: 455436000 (USPTO) Related Patent Categories: Telecommunications, Radiotelephone System, Zoned Or Cellular Telephone System, Handoff The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060194582. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention is concerned with handover of a call between mobile communication networks. The present invention is particularly concerned with handover between UMTS networks and GSM networks but is also applicable to handover between different GSM networks and different cellular mobile communication networks generally. [0003] 2. Description of the Related Art [0004] In current GSM systems, it is possible for a user to select manually among a plurality of available GSM networks when a mobile device (User Equipment) is off line. It is also possible for the User Equipment to select a network automatically from among the available networks based on preferences stored in the User Equipment, normally in the SIM card. However, when a call is in progress, this selection is not possible. In the present specification, the term User Equipment is intended to encompass any equipment capable of communicating with a network; this will typically be a mobile telephone, but may be, for example, a dedicated data, facsimile, E-mail or video communication device or combination device. [0005] During call progress, the majority of the User Equipment's radio resource are involved in the active call and so it is not possible to scan broadly for available networks. To enable a mobile device to move between cells, while a call is in progress, the network supplies a limited list of adjacent cells, normally confined to cells provided by the same network provider and permits the mobile device to make limited investigation of signal strength from the neighboring cells. In the event that the mobile device finds a stronger signal from another cell, it can signal a change to the other cell. [0006] According to above prior method, it is not impossible to hand over between mobile communication networks while call is in progress. [0007] It has been appreciated that it would be desirable to enable User Equipment to select a preferred one of a plurality of available networks while a call is in progress. This would be particularly beneficial when handing over from a UMTS network to a selected GSM network', but would also be useful, particularly when traveling outside the User Equipment's home network territory, to enable handover between preferred "foreign" networks. [0008] It has been appreciated that, although this is not normally done, it would be possible for an active network to supply a list of cells not only belonging to the active network, but also including cells of other network providers. This potentially offers a solution to the problem mentioned above, and may be provided independently in an aspect of the invention. [0009] However, to implement the system, the network provider would have to supply a significant amount of information concerning other network providers' cells. Therefore, the above mentioned potential solution has the attendant problem that the list of available cells may become too large in practical terms for the User Equipment to investigate during an active call, and this may degrade performance of the network. This solution may therefore be undesirable for many network providers. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0010] It is an object of the present invention is to provide a method capable of handing over between mobile communication networks while call is in progress. [0011] Pursuant to the invention, an improved solution has been proposed. According to the first main aspect of the invention, the invention provides a method of facilitating handover from an active network with which User Equipment is in communication to another network. According to the present invention, the active network provides a list of available other networks to the User Equipment. User Equipment selects among the available networks based on preference information and signals to the active network at least one preferred other network. The active network provides neighbor cell information for the at least one preferred other network to the User Equipment. [0012] In this way, the User Equipment may signal a preferred network to the active network and then the active network may transmit cell information for only the preferred network(s) to that User Equipment. [0013] The preference information may be stored in the User Equipment, preferably in the SIM card. The preference information may include a list of networks which are "black listed" with which the User Equipment is not able to connect. The preference information may also include a list of networks which are "white listed" with which communication is preferred. The white list may include partner networks of the home network provider. The preference information may include an explicit "gray list" of networks which are to be tried in the absence of a "white listed" network; alternatively, networks which are not explicitly in the white list or black list may be deemed to be in the gray list. Multiple levels of preference may be stored. Preferably, the method includes storing in the User Equipment a list of available networks based on information supplied by the active network. This feature, using information supplied by a network rather than that obtained by a (relatively lengthy) search performed by the User Equipment, offers advantages. [0014] The method may include incrementally adding to or deleting from the list of available networks stored in the User Equipment. This feature avoids the need to re-transmit a complete list, thereby allowing shorter messages to be used. [0015] Using the method of claim 1, it becomes possible for a network to send different neighbor cell information to different terminals (User Equipment), based on preferences expressed by the terminals and not solely dependent on the area in which the terminals are located. [0016] The signalling of available networks by an active network, the first step in the method of claim 1, is of itself a useful step as it provides a terminal with information concerning available networks without the terminal having to search. [0017] The signalling by a terminal to an active network with which the terminal is in communication of a preferred (other) network (effectively the second step in the method of claim 1) in itself provides useful information to the active network. [0018] The invention extends to methods of operating terminals and to methods of operating networks, terminals and network for implementing any the above aspects. [0019] In a first preferred implementation, the active network is a UMTS network and the list of available networks comprises a list of available GSM networks. This implementation facilitates handover from UMTS to a selected GSM network. [0020] In a second implementation, the active network is a GSM network (or a UMTS network) provided by an active network provider and the list of available networks comprises a list of other GSM networks (or UMTS networks) provided by other network providers. This facilitates handover within a communication system between network providers. [0021] The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate examples of the present invention. Continue reading... Full patent description for Handover between mobile communication networks Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Handover between mobile communication networks patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Handover between mobile communication networks or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Method for preventing wireless local area network from frequent network selection interaction Next Patent Application: Method of mobility support for wireless networks Industry Class: Telecommunications ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Handover between mobile communication networks patent info. 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