Apparatus, method and computer program product providing rat priority list for multi-rat mobile devices

A computer program product embodied on a tangible medium and comprising instructions that, when executed by at least one data processor, result in operations that comprise:

• determining in a wireless communication network a content of a multi-radio access technology priority list comprising n entries (n>1) prioritized from a highest priority radio access technology to a lowest priority radio access technology, where an entry for the highest priority radio technology comprises a measurement delay timer value;
• and
• sending the determined multi-radio access technology priority list to a user equipment.

A wireless network node, comprising at least one functional unit adapted to determine a content of a multi-radio access technology priority list comprising n entries (n>1) prioritized from a highest priority radio access technology to a lowest priority radio access technology, where an entry for the highest priority radio technology comprises a measurement delay timer value;

• and further comprising a wireless transceiver configured to send the determined multi-radio access technology priority list to a user equipment and to receive a measurement report from the user equipment.

A user equipment, comprising at least one transceiver adapted for wireless communication with a plurality of different radio access technologies, further comprising a control unit operatively coupled with a memory that stores information descriptive of a multi-radio access technology priority list comprising n entries (n>1) prioritized from a highest priority radio access technology to a lowest priority radio access technology, where an entry for the highest priority radio technology comprises a timer value;

• said control unit adapted to send measurement results to a wireless communications network for one of the n entries that is associated with a currently camped-on radio access technology and for one of the n entries that is associated with an active neighbor radio access technology;
• and further adapted to respond to detecting a loss of the highest priority radio access technology to initialize a timer to the timer value and to terminate further measurements from a cell associated with the highest priority radio access technology until the timer expires.

A method, comprising:

• storing information descriptive of a radio access technology priority list comprising n entries (n>1) prioritized from a highest priority radio access technology to a lowest priority radio access technology;
• and
• in response to being camped on a cell not associated with the highest priority radio access technology, initiating measurements of a cell associated with the highest priority radio access technology after a predetermined period of time elapses.