Method and apparatus for reducing successive pre-registration attempts by access terminals

An access terminal, comprising:

• a wireless communication interface having multi-mode capabilities to communicate over a first access network and a second access network;
• a processing circuit coupled to the wireless communication interface, the processing circuit adapted to
• start a timer after a pre-registration with the second access network is performed by the access terminal via the first access network;
• prevent additional pre-registrations with the second access network prior to expiration of the timer unless an abort condition occurs;
• and
• perform a second pre-registration prior to the expiration of the timer if an abort condition occurs.

An access terminal, comprising:

• means for starting a timer after a pre-registration with a second access network is performed by the access terminal via a first access network;
• means for preventing additional pre-registrations with the second access network prior to expiration of the timer unless an abort condition occurs;
• and
• means for performing a second pre-registration prior to the expiration of the timer if an abort condition has occurred.

A method operational in an access point of a first access network, comprising:

• obtaining a first pre-registration zone identifier, where the first pre-registration zone identifier identifies a group of access points within the first access network;
• obtaining a secondary pre-registration zone list that includes zone identifiers associated with the first pre-registration zone identifier;
• and
• advertising the first pre-registration zone identifier and the secondary pre-registration zone list to one or more access terminals in a cell covered by the access point.

An access point, comprising:

• a wireless network interface to communicate with access terminals in a cell within a first access network;
• a network interface to communicate with a second access network;
• and
• a processing circuit coupled to the wireless network interface and the network interface, the processing circuit adapted to
• obtain a first pre-registration zone identifier, where the pre-registration zone identifier identifies a group of access points within the first access network;
• obtain a secondary pre-registration zone list that includes zone identifiers associated with the first pre-registration zone identifier;
• and
• advertise the first pre-registration zone identifier and the secondary pre-registration zone list to one or more access terminals in a cell covered by the access point.

An access point, comprising:

• means for obtaining a first pre-registration zone identifier, where the pre-registration zone identifier identifies a group of access points within a first access network;
• means for obtaining a secondary pre-registration zone list that includes zone identifiers associated with the first pre-registration zone identifier;
• and
• means for advertising the first pre-registration zone identifier and the secondary pre-registration zone list to one or more access terminals in a cell covered by the access point.

A method operational in a network server of a first access network, comprising:

• grouping a plurality of cells in a first access network into one or more cell groups;
• associating a first cell group with a first pre-registration zone;
• generating a secondary zone list for the first pre-registration zone, where the secondary zone list excludes the first pre-registration zone;
• and
• distributing the first pre-registration zone and the secondary zone list to access points within the cells for the first cell group.

A network server, comprising:

• an intra-network interface to communicate with access points within a first access network;
• an inter-network interface to communicate with a second access network;
• and
• a processing circuit coupled to the intra-network interface and the inter-network interface, the processing circuit adapted to
• group a plurality of cells in a first access network into one or more cell groups;
• associate a first cell group with a first pre-registration zone;
• generate a secondary zone list for the first pre-registration zone, where the secondary zone list excludes the first pre-registration zone;
• and
• distribute the first pre-registration zone and the secondary zone list to access points within the cells for the first cell group.

A network server, comprising:

• means for grouping a plurality of cells in a first access network into one or more cell groups;
• means for associating a first cell group with a first pre-registration zone;
• means for generating a secondary zone list for the first pre-registration zone, where the secondary zone list excludes the first pre-registration zone;
• and
• means for distributing the first pre-registration zone and the secondary zone list to access points within the cells for the first cell group.

A method for deploying access points and pre-registration zones within a first access network, comprising:

• advertising a first pre-registration zone identifier from a first group of access points;
• advertising a second pre-registration zone identifier from a second group of access points;
• and
• deploying a third group of access points to form a boundary zone between the first group of access points and the second group of access points.