# US 2021/0345210 A1 · Resolving Frequency Conflicts Among Multiple Network Operators

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- Number: US 2021/0345210 A1
- Document ID: US20210345210A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/480,767
- Filed: 2018-08-07
- Published: 2021-11-04
- Earliest claimed: 2018-08-07
- Assignees: Apple Inc.
- Applicants: Apple Inc.
- Inventors: Yuqin Chen; Dawei Zhang; Fangli Xu; Haijing Hu; Longda Xing; Murtaza A. Shikari; Sethuraman Gurumoorthy; Sree Ram Kodali; Srinivasan Nimmala; Srirang A. Lovlekar; Xu Ou
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210345210A1

## CPC

- H04W 36/008357: {Determination of target cell based on access point [AP] properties, e.g. AP service capabilities}
- H04W 36/10: Reselecting an access point controller
- H04W 48/20: Selecting an access point
- H04W 36/08: Reselecting an access point
- H04W 36/14: Reselecting a network or an air interface
- H04W 48/18: Selecting a network or a communication service
- H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72)

## Abstract

Apparatuses, systems, and methods for a wireless device avoiding reselection or handover to cells of different operators. The wireless device may attach to a first base station of a first network operator. The wireless device may determine that a neighboring base station is associated with a second network operator. Based on determining the neighboring base station is associated with the second network operator, the wireless device may exclude the third base station from handover or reselection.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An apparatus configured for inclusion in a wireless device, the apparatus comprising:
one or more processing elements, wherein the one or more processing elements are configured to:
communicate with a first base station of a first network operator;
measure a plurality of neighboring base stations, including a second base station of the first network operator and a third base station of a second network operator, wherein the second base station of the first network operator and the third base station of the second operator use overlapping frequencies;
decode a first system information block (SIB) of the third base station;
determine the third base station is associated with the second network operator based on decoding the first SIB;
based on determining the third base station is associated with the second network operator, exclude the third base station from handover or reselection; and
perform handover or reselection excluding the third base station.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said performing handover or reselection comprises performing handover, wherein said excluding the third base station from handover or reselection comprises excluding the third base station from a measurement report, and wherein the one or more processing elements are further configured to provide the measurement report to the first base station.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the one or more processing elements are further configured to:
perform handover to the second base station from the first base station based on the measurement report.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the measurement is associated with reselection, wherein the one or more processing elements are further configured to:
perform reselection to the second base station based on the measurement.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said decoding the first SIB of the third base station is performed before cell ranking of the plurality of neighboring base stations.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said decoding the first SIB of the third base station is performed during a reselection timer.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said decoding the first SIB of the third base station is performed during radio resource management (RRM) measurement.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said decoding the first SIB of the third base station is performed during a time to trigger (TTT) timer.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first SIB is SIB1.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said decoding the first SIB of the third base station is based on comparing a signal quality of the third base station to a signal quality threshold.

### Claim 11

A wireless device, comprising:
an antenna;
a radio coupled to the antenna; and
a processing element coupled to the radio, wherein the processing element is configured to:
attach to a first base station associated with a first network operator;
perform a neighbor cell search of a set of frequencies associated with the first network operator;
read a first information block (IB) of a second base station operating within the set of frequencies associated with the first network operator;
determine the second base station is associated with a second network operator, different from the first network operator;
based on determining the second station is associated with the second network operator, excluding the second base station for handover or reselection; and
perform handover or reselection to a third base station associated with the first network operator.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The wireless device of claim 11, wherein said reading the first 1B and said determining the second base station is associated with the second network operator is performed prior to a timer associated with reselection or handover.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The wireless device of claim 11, wherein said reading the first 1B is performed during a measurement process.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The wireless device of claim 11, wherein said reading the first 113 and said determining the second base station is associated with the second network operator is performed after starting a timer associated with reselection or handover.

### Claim 15 (depends on 11)

The wireless device of claim 11, wherein the first 113 is SIB 1.

### Claim 16

A method for operating a wireless device, the method comprising:
at the wireless device:
communicating with a first base station of a first network operator;
performing measurement of a plurality of neighboring base stations, including a second base station of the first network operator and a third base station of a second network operator, wherein the second base station of the first network operator and the third base station of the second operator share a same spectrum;
determining the third base station is associated with the second network operator;
based on determining the third base station is associated with the second network operator, excluding the third base station from reselection; and
performing reselection to the second base station based on excluding the third base station from reselection.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein determining the third base station is associated with the second network operator comprises reading system information block 1 (SIB1) of the third base station.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein said determining the third base station is associated with the second network operator is performed while performing measurement of the third base station.

### Claim 19 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein said determining the third base station is associated with the second network operator is performed after performing measurement of the third base station.

### Claim 20 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein said determining the third base station is associated with the second network operator comprises receiving a base station blacklist from the first network operator, wherein the base station blacklist includes the third base station.