# US 10,374,960 B2 · Apparatus, systems and methods for network selection with priority class > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,374,960 B2 - Document ID: US10374960B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/605,413 - Filed: 2017-05-25 - Published: 2017-11-30 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2016-05-25 - Assignees: Apple Inc. - Applicants: Apple Inc. - Inventors: Qin Zhang; Longda Xing - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10374960B2 ## CPC - H04L 47/24: Traffic characterised by specific attributes, e.g. priority or QoS - H04W 48/14: using user query {or user detection} - H04W 48/16: Discovering, processing access restriction or access information - H04W 48/18: Selecting a network or a communication service - H04W 84/042: {Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems} - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract Described herein are apparatus, systems and methods for enhanced PLMN selection using priority class information. A method may comprise, at a user equipment (“UE”), identifying a plurality of networks, each network having an assigned priority class indicator, identifying a first network of the plurality of networks as having a first priority class indicator, identifying a second network of the plurality of networks as having the first priority class indicator, identifying the first priority class indicator as the highest priority class of the assigned priority class indicators, and selecting between the first network and the second network based a quality characteristic. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method, comprising: at a user equipment (“UE”): identifying a plurality of networks, each network having an assigned priority class indicator; identifying a first network of the plurality of networks as having a first priority class indicator; determining whether a second network of the plurality of networks has the first priority class indicator; determining whether the first priority class indicator is a highest priority class of the assigned priority class indicators; and when the first network and the second network both have the first priority class indicator and the first priority class indicator is the highest priority class, selecting between the first network and the second network based on a quality characteristic. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the quality characteristic includes one of a measured quality of signal or an expected quality of service. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the measured quality of the signal includes one of a data rate, a voice quality, a received signal strength indicator (“RSSI”), or a channel quality indicator (“CQI”). ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the priority class indicator is stored within a priority class field of an elementary file of the UE. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein the EF is one of an equivalent home public land mobile network (“EHPLMN”), a user controlled PLMN selector (“UPLMN”) and an operator controlled PLMN selector (“OPLMN”). ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: camping on the selected one of the first and second networks. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: when the first and second networks are not available, identifying a third network having the first priority class indicator; and camping on the third network. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, further comprising: when the third network is not available, identifying a fourth network that has a second priority class indicator that is a lower priority than the first priority class indicator. ### Claim 9 A user equipment (“UE”) device, comprising: a non-transitory memory having a program stored thereon; and a processor, wherein execution of the program causes the processor to perform operations comprising: identifying a plurality of networks, each network having an assigned priority class indicator; identifying a first network of the plurality of networks as having a first priority class indicator; determining whether a second network of the plurality of networks has the first priority class indicator; determining whether the first priority class indicator is a highest priority class of the assigned priority class indicators; and when the first network and the second network both have the first priority class indicator and the first priority class indicator is the highest priority class, selecting between the first network and the second network based on a quality characteristic. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The UE of claim 9, wherein the quality characteristic includes one of a measured quality of signal or an expected quality of service. ### Claim 11 A method, comprising: at a user equipment (“UE”): determining, by the UE, a Mobile Country Code (“MCC”) and an assigned priority class indicator associated with a first network on which the UE is currently camped; identifying one or more networks having the same MCC as the first network, including the assigned priority class indicator of each of the one or more networks; when the assigned priority class indicator of at least one of the one or more networks has a higher priority than the assigned priority class indicator of the first network, performing a network search for the at least one of the one or more networks; and when the assigned priority class indicator of at least one of the one or more networks has a same priority as the assigned priority class indicator of the first network, determining a quality characteristic of the first network and the at least one of the one or more networks and performing a network reselection based on the quality characteristic of the first network and the at least one of the one or more networks. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising: when the assigned priority class indicator of all of the one or more networks has a lower priority than the assigned priority class indicator of the first network, remaining camped on the first network. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the quality characteristic is based on a quality of service parameter. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the quality characteristic is based on a type of radio access technology (RAT) of the network. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the quality characteristic is based on operating experience of the UE with the network. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the quality characteristic is based on operating experiences of a plurality of UEs with the network. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising: identifying a further network having a different MCC that is available for camping by the UE; selecting the further network for camping only after determining none of the networks having the MCC of the first network are available for camping. ### Claim 18 A user equipment (“UE”) device, comprising: a non-transitory memory having a program stored thereon; and a processor, wherein execution of the program causes the processor to perform operations comprising: determining a Mobile Country Code (“MCC”) and an assigned priority class indicator associated with a first network on which the UE is currently camped; identifying one or more networks having the same MCC as the first network, including the assigned priority class indicator of each of the one or more networks; when the assigned priority class indicator of at least one of the one or more networks has a higher priority than the assigned priority class indicator of the first network, performing a network search for the at least one of the one or more networks; when the assigned priority class indicator of all of the one or more networks has a same or lower priority than the assigned priority class indicator of the first network, remaining camped on the first network; when the assigned priority class indicator of at least one of the one or more networks has a same priority as the assigned priority class indicator of the first network, determining a quality characteristic of the first network and the at least one of the one or more networks; and performing a network reselection based on the quality characteristic of the first network and the at least one of the one or more networks. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The UE of claim 18, wherein the quality characteristic is based on a quality of service parameter.