# US 12,772,159 B2 · Network selection method and apparatus, terminal, and network-side device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,772,159 B2 - Document ID: US12772159B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/606,647 - Filed: 2024-03-15 - Published: 2024-07-04 - Granted: 2026-10-20 - Earliest claimed: 2021-09-16 - Assignees: Vivo Mobile Communication Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Vivo Mobile Communication Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Huan Li; Xiaowan Ke; Zhenhua Xie - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12772159B2 ## CPC - H04W 48/18: Selecting a network or a communication service - H04W 84/042: {Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems} - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract This application discloses a network selection method and apparatus, a terminal, and a network-side device. The network selection method in embodiments of this application includes: obtaining, by a terminal, network selection policy information, where the network selection policy information includes a network identifier of at least one network and a network selection condition corresponding to the at least one network, and the at least one network includes at least one non-public network; and determining, based on the network selection condition corresponding to the at least one network, a target network to be accessed, where the network selection condition includes at least one of the following: time information, location information, and service parameter information. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A network selection method, comprising: obtaining, by a terminal, network selection policy information, wherein the network selection policy information comprises a network identifier of at least one network and a network selection condition corresponding to the at least one network, and the at least one network comprises at least one non-public network; and determining, by the terminal based on the network selection condition corresponding to the at least one network, a target network to be accessed, wherein the network selection condition comprises at least one of the following: time information, or location information, wherein the determining, by the terminal based on the network selection condition corresponding to the at least one network, a target network to be accessed comprises: determining, by the terminal based on a first priority order, that a first network meeting the network selection condition is the target network, wherein the first priority order represents an order of priorities of networks, and the priorities of the networks comprise priorities of at least two of the following: a network with which the terminal is previously registered, a network to which the terminal has subscribed, a network in a network list controlled by a user, a network in a network list controlled by a credential holder, a network in a group comprised in a group identifier GIN list controlled by the credential holder, and a second network, wherein the second network is a network allowed to be accessed other than an accessible network configured for the terminal. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The network selection method according to claim 1, wherein the determining, by the terminal based on the network selection condition corresponding to the at least one network, a target network to be accessed comprises: determining, by the terminal based on a second priority order comprised in a UE route selection policy (URSP), that a first network meeting the network selection condition is the target network, wherein the second priority order represents an order of priorities of networks. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The network selection method according to claim 1, wherein there are a plurality of first networks, and the determining that a first network meeting the network selection condition is the target network comprises: determining, by the terminal, the target network based on signal measurement results of the plurality of first networks; and/or determining, by the terminal, the target network based on priority information of the plurality of first networks. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The network selection method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises: when the network selection condition of the target network is no longer met, determining, by the terminal based on the first priority order, a third network that meets the network selection condition, wherein the third network is a public network or a non-public network. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The network selection method according to claim 2, wherein the method further comprises: when the network selection condition of the target network is no longer met, determining, by the terminal based on the second priority order, a third network that meets the network selection condition, wherein the third network comprises a public network or a non-public network. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The network selection method according to claim 1, wherein the target network is a non-public network, and the method further comprises: determining, by the terminal based on the first priority order, a fourth network to be accessed that meets the network selection condition, wherein the fourth network is a public network; or the target network is a public network, and the method further comprises: determining, by the terminal based on the first priority order, a fourth network to be accessed that meets the network selection condition, wherein the fourth network is a non-public network. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The network selection method according to claim 2, wherein the target network is a non-public network, and the method further comprises: determining, by the terminal based on the second priority order, a fourth network to be accessed that meets the network selection condition, wherein the fourth network is a public network; or the target network is a public network, and the method further comprises: determining, by the terminal based on the second priority order, a fourth network to be accessed that meets the network selection condition, wherein the fourth network is a non-public network. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The network selection method according to claim 1, wherein the network selection policy information is carried by at least one of the following: the network list controlled by the user; the network list controlled by the credential holder; the group identifier GIN list controlled by the credential holder; the UE route selection policy (URSP); a registration accept message; a session establishment accept message; or a non-access stratum (NAS) message. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The network selection method according to claim 1, wherein after the obtaining, by a terminal, network selection policy information, the method further comprises: activating a conditional non-public network access mode; or, wherein before the determining a target network to be accessed, the method further comprises: activating a non-public network access mode, and determining that the target network to be accessed is a non-public network; or deactivating a non-public network access mode, and determining that the target network to be accessed is a public network. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The network selection method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises: when the network selection condition of the target network is no longer met, deactivating a non-public network access mode, wherein the target network is a non-public network; or when the network selection condition of the target network is no longer met, activating a non-public network access mode, wherein the target network is a public network. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The network selection method according to claim 1, wherein the network selection condition comprises the location information, location information in a network selection condition of a fifth network comprises a target area, and before the determining that a first network meeting the network selection condition is the target network, the method further comprises: when the terminal is located in the target area, determining, by the terminal, that the fifth network is the first network meeting the network selection condition. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The network selection method according to claim 1, wherein the target network comprises at least one of the following: a standalone non-public network (SNPN), a public network integrated non-public network (PNI-NPN), or a public network; or, wherein the network selection policy information is preconfigured in the terminal or comes from a network device in a home network of the terminal or a device of a service provider to which the terminal belongs. ### Claim 13 (depends on 2) The network selection method according to claim 2, wherein the obtaining, by a terminal, network selection policy information comprises: obtaining, by the terminal, URSPs from a plurality of service providers; and obtaining, by the terminal, the network selection policy information based on priority information of the plurality of URSPs; wherein the priority information of the plurality of URSPs comprises: a priority of a URSP of a service provider corresponding to a home network of the terminal is higher than priorities of URSPs of other service providers. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) A non-transitory readable storage medium, wherein the non-transitory readable storage medium stores a program or instructions, and when the program or instructions are executed by a processor, the steps of the network selection method according to claim 1 are implemented. ### Claim 15 A network selection method, comprising: sending, by a network-side device, network selection policy information to a terminal, wherein the network selection policy information comprises a network identifier of at least one network and a network selection condition corresponding to the at least one network, the at least one network comprises at least one non-public network, the network selection condition corresponding to the at least one network is used by the terminal to determine a target network to be accessed, and the network selection condition comprises at least one of the following: time information, or location information, wherein the time information indicates that the network is selectable by the terminal at a time described by the time information, and the location information indicates that the network is selectable by the terminal when the terminal is at a location described by the location information. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The network selection method according to claim 15, wherein the network selection policy information is carried by at least one of the following: a network list controlled by a user; a network list controlled by a credential holder; a group identifier GIN list controlled by the credential holder; a UE route selection policy (URSP); a registration accept message; a session establishment accept message; or a non-access stratum (NAS) message. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The network selection method according to claim 15, wherein the target network comprises at least one of the following: a standalone non-public network (SNPN), a public network integrated non-public network (PNI-NPN), or a public network. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) A network-side device, comprising a processor, a memory, and a program or instructions stored in the memory and capable of running on the processor, wherein when the program or instructions are executed by the processor, the steps of the network selection method according to claim 15 are implemented. ### Claim 19 A terminal, comprising a processor, a memory, and a program or instructions stored in the memory and capable of running on the processor, wherein the program or instructions, when executed by the processor, causes the terminal to perform: obtaining network selection policy information, wherein the network selection policy information comprises a network identifier of at least one network and a network selection condition corresponding to the at least one network, and the at least one network comprises at least one non-public network; and determining, based on the network selection condition corresponding to the at least one network, a target network to be accessed, wherein the network selection condition comprises at least one of the following: time information, or location information, wherein the determining, based on the network selection condition corresponding to the at least one network, a target network to be accessed comprises: determining, based on a first priority order, that a first network meeting the network selection condition is the target network, wherein the first priority order represents an order of priorities of networks, and the priorities of the networks comprise priorities of at least two of the following: a network with which the terminal is previously registered, a network to which the terminal has subscribed, a network in a network list controlled by a user, a network in a network list controlled by a credential holder, a network in a group comprised in a group identifier GIN list controlled by the credential holder, and a second network, wherein the second network is a network allowed to be accessed other than an accessible network configured for the terminal.