# US 11,910,304 B2 · PLMN selection for massive IoT over satellite access > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,910,304 B2 - Document ID: US11910304B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/233,411 - Filed: 2021-04-16 - Published: 2022-10-20 - Granted: 2024-02-20 - Earliest claimed: 2021-04-16 - Assignees: QUALCOMM Incorporated - Applicants: QUALCOMM Incorporated - Inventors: Stephen William Edge - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11910304B2 ## CPC - H04B 7/18539: {Arrangements for managing radio, resources, i.e. for establishing or releasing a connection} - H04W 48/18: Selecting a network or a communication service - H04B 7/18513: {Transmission in a satellite or space-based system} - H04W 84/042: {Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems} - H04W 84/06: Airborne or Satellite Networks (space-based or airborne stations H04B7/185) - H04B: TRANSMISSION - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract A communication system including a UE, a base station, and a PLMN is disclosed. The UE may access a radio cell supported by a communication satellite. The UE may select a preferred PLMN for each of multiple potential geographic locations of the UE. The UE may transmit, to the base station via the radio cell and the communication satellite, an indication of the preferred PLMN for each of the multiple potential geographic locations of the UE. The base station may attempt to determine a current geographic location of the UE. The base station may determine a serving PLMN as the preferred PLMN for the current geographic location of the UE and may later determine a second PLMN if the current geographic location changes. The base station determination may not be visible to the UE which may reduce UE signaling and resource usage. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for supporting satellite wireless access by a user equipment (UE) to a serving public land mobile network (PLMN), the method performed by the UE, the method comprising: accessing a radio cell supported by a communication satellite; selecting a preferred PLMN for each of multiple potential geographic locations of the UE, one potential geographic location of the multiple potential geographic locations of the UE corresponding to a geographic location of the UE and other potential geographic locations of the multiple potential geographic locations of the UE being different than the geographic location of the UE; and transmitting, to a base station via the radio cell and the communication satellite, a message comprising an indication of the preferred PLMN for each of the multiple potential geographic locations of the UE including the other potential geographic locations of the UE different than the geographic location of the UE. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein for each of the multiple potential geographic locations of the UE, the indication of the preferred PLMN comprises a mobile network code (MNC). ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the indication of the preferred PLMN further comprises a mobile country code (MCC). ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein each of the multiple potential geographic locations comprises a country or an international area. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving system information via the radio cell indicating available PLMNs, the available PLMNs providing coverage to the multiple potential geographic locations of the UE, the system information including a mobile country code (MCC) and a mobile network code (MNC) for each of the available PLMNs; and selecting the preferred PLMN for each of the multiple potential geographic locations of the UE from among the available PLMNs. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein the multiple potential geographic locations of the UE are based on MCCs of the available PLMNs indicated in the system information. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving via the radio cell, in system information, a coverage indication indicating multiple geographic areas having coverage by the radio cell, wherein each of the multiple geographic areas comprises a country or an international area, wherein the multiple potential geographic locations of the UE are based on the multiple geographic areas indicated in the coverage indication. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein selecting the preferred PLMN includes selecting the preferred PLMN for each of the multiple potential geographic locations of the UE based on priority information located in a universal subscriber identity module (USIM) of the UE. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, from the base station, an additional indication of a serving PLMN, wherein the serving PLMN is based on the indication of the preferred PLMN and a current geographic location of the UE. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the base station is a terrestrial base station or is part of the communication satellite. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the communication satellite comprises a distributed unit (DU) and the base station comprises a terrestrial central unit (CU). ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the message comprising the indication of the preferred PLMN for each of the multiple potential geographic locations of the UE includes transmitting the message independent of the geographic location of the UE. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving system information indicating multiple available PLMNs including at least one PLMN associated with a first mobile country code (MCC) and one or more PLMNs associated with a second MCC, wherein transmitting the message comprising the indication of the preferred PLMN for each of the multiple potential geographic locations of the UE includes transmitting a first indication of a first preferred PLMN of the at least one PLMN and a second indication of a second preferred PLMN of the one or more PLMNS. ### Claim 14 A user equipment (UE), comprising: a transceiver; memory comprising instructions; and at least one processor configured to execute the instructions to cause the UE to: access a radio cell supported by a communication satellite; select a preferred public land mobile network (PLMN) for each of multiple potential geographic locations of the UE, one potential geographic location of the multiple potential geographic locations of the UE corresponding to a geographic location of the UE and other potential geographic locations of the multiple potential geographic locations of the UE being different than the geographic location of the UE; and transmit, via the transceiver to at least one of the radio cell or the communication satellite, a message comprising an indication of the preferred PLMN for each of the multiple potential geographic locations of the UE including the other potential geographic locations of the UE different than the geographic location of the UE. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The UE of claim 14, wherein for each of the multiple potential geographic locations of the UE, the indication of the preferred PLMN comprises a mobile network code (MNC). ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The UE of claim 15, wherein the indication of the preferred PLMN further comprises a mobile country code (MCC). ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The UE of claim 14, wherein each of the multiple potential geographic locations comprises a country or an international area. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The UE of claim 14, the at least one processor being further configured to cause the UE to: receive, via the transceiver, system information indicating available PLMNs, the available PLMNs providing coverage to the multiple potential geographic locations of the UE, the system information including a mobile country code (MCC) and a mobile network code (MNC) for each of the available PLMNs; and select the preferred PLMN for each of the multiple potential geographic locations of the UE from among the available PLMNs. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The UE of claim 18, wherein the multiple potential geographic locations of the UE are based on MCCs of the available PLMNs indicated in the system information. ### Claim 20 (depends on 14) The UE of claim 14, the at least one processor being further configured to cause the UE to: receive, via the transceiver, system information that includes a coverage indication indicating multiple geographic areas having coverage by the radio cell, wherein each of the multiple geographic areas comprises a country or an international area, wherein the multiple potential geographic locations of the UE are based on the multiple geographic areas indicated in the coverage indication. ### Claim 21 (depends on 14) The UE of claim 14, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to cause the UE to select the preferred PLMN for each of the multiple potential geographic locations of the UE using priority information comprised in a universal subscriber identity module (USIM) of the UE. ### Claim 22 An apparatus for wireless communication, comprising: memory comprising instructions; and at least one processor configured to execute the instructions to cause the apparatus to: access a radio cell supported by a communication satellite; select a preferred public land mobile network (PLMN) for each of multiple potential geographic locations of the apparatus, one potential geographic location of the multiple potential geographic locations of the apparatus corresponding to a geographic location of the apparatus and other potential geographic locations of the multiple potential geographic locations of the apparatus being different than the geographic location of the apparatus; and provide for transmission to at least one of the radio cell or the communication satellite a message comprising an indication of the preferred PLMN for each of the multiple potential geographic locations of the apparatus including the other potential geographic locations of the UE different than the geographic location of the apparatus. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The apparatus of claim 22, wherein for each of the multiple potential geographic locations of the apparatus, the indication of the preferred PLMN comprises a mobile network code (MNC). ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the indication of the preferred PLMN further comprises a mobile country code (MCC). ### Claim 25 (depends on 22) The apparatus of claim 22, wherein each of the multiple potential geographic locations comprises a country or an international area. ### Claim 26 (depends on 22) The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to cause the apparatus to: receive system information indicating available PLMNs, the available PLMNs providing coverage to the multiple potential geographic locations of the apparatus, the system information including a mobile country code (MCC) and a mobile network code (MNC) for each of the available PLMNs; and select the preferred PLMN for each of the multiple potential geographic locations of the apparatus from among the available PLMNs. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the multiple potential geographic locations of the apparatus are based on MCCs of the available PLMNs indicated in the system information. ### Claim 28 (depends on 22) The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to cause the apparatus to: receive system information that includes a coverage indication indicating multiple geographic areas having coverage by the radio cell, wherein each of the multiple geographic areas comprises a country or an international area, wherein the multiple potential geographic locations of the apparatus are based on the multiple geographic areas indicated in the coverage indication. ### Claim 29 (depends on 22) The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the selection of the preferred PLMN for each of the multiple potential geographic locations comprises using priority information comprised in a universal subscriber identity module (USIM). ### Claim 30 A user equipment (UE), comprising: means for accessing a radio cell supported by a communication satellite; means for selecting a preferred public land mobile network (PLMN) for each of multiple potential geographic locations of the UE, one potential geographic location of the multiple potential geographic locations of the UE corresponding to a geographic location of the UE and other potential geographic locations of the multiple potential geographic locations of the UE being different than the geographic location of the UE; and means for transmitting, to a base station via the radio cell and the communication satellite, a message comprising an indication of the preferred PLMN for each of the multiple potential geographic locations of the UE the other potential geographic locations of the UE different than the geographic location of the UE in a single message.