US 6,148,203 A · Method for registering a communication device for communication service

Abstract

A communication device (100) contains a plurality of bandmaps in a memory (102). Upon powering up the device, the device first scans frequencies listed in a learned bandmap (104). If no suitable carrier signals are detected, the device scans the frequencies listed in a present regional bandmap (106), and this scan may be repeated several times. Upon failing to detect a suitable carrier at any of the frequencies listed in the present regional bandmap, the device alternates between scanning the present regional bandmap and segments of a world wide bandmap (108), which is a comprehensive list of all possible frequencies at which the device may operate. If a carrier is detected indicating the device is in a new region, the regional bandmap corresponding to the new region is set to be used as the present regional bandmap.

Claims11

Dependent claims

A method for registering a communication device for communication service, comprising:

providing a world wide bandmap in the communication device, the world wide bandmap comprising a list of all frequencies at which the communication device may find a primary control channel (PCCH);
providing a plurality of regional bandmaps in the communication device, each regional band map comprising a subset of frequencies of the world wide bandmap for use in a particular region;
providing a learned bandmap in the communication device, the learned bandmap containing a list of most recently accessed PCCHs, and derived from a present regional bandmap;
powering up the communication device;
scanning the learned bandmap in an attempt to find a PCCH;
scanning the present regional bandmap in an attempt to find a PCCH after scanning the learned bandmap without successfully locating any PCCHs;
selecting a next subset of frequencies from the world wide bandmap after scanning the present regional bandmap without successfully locating any PCCHs;
and
scanning the next subset of frequencies in an attempt to find a PCCH.

6 more elements

A method of finding a primary control channel (PCCH) in a wireless communication system, the method to be performed by a wireless communication device upon being powered up, the wireless communication device having stored in a memory a world wide bandmap containing all frequencies at which PCCHs can be transmitted, and a plurality of regional bandmaps, each regional bandmap containing a subset of the frequencies listed in the world wide bandmap, and corresponding to a particular region of the world, the method comprising:

scanning a present regional bandmap in an attempt to locate a PCCH, the present regional bandmap being the most recently used regional bandmap prior to the wireless communication device being powered up;
selecting a subset of frequencies from the world wide bandmap, excluding frequencies included in the present regional bandmap;
scanning the subset of frequencies after scanning the present regional bandmap without successfully locating any PCCHs;
and
repeating the scanning the present regional bandmap, selecting a subset of frequencies from the world wide bandmap, where a next subset is selected, and scanning the next subset of frequencies, the repeating being performed at least once.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method for registering a communication device for communication service

Life of this patent

Method for registering a communication device for communication service

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims11