# US 9,432,924 B1 · Preferred roaming list distribution over wireless local area networks > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,432,924 B1 - Document ID: US9432924B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 13/461,457 - Filed: 2012-05-01 - Granted: 2016-08-30 - Earliest claimed: 2012-05-01 - Assignees: Sprint Communications Company L.P. - Applicants: Jasinder Pal Singh; Keith E. Moll; Chandiramohan Vasudevan - Inventors: Jasinder Pal Singh; Keith E. Moll; Chandiramohan Vasudevan - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9432924B1 ## CPC - H04W 48/18: Selecting a network or a communication service - H04W 8/205: {Transfer to or from user equipment or user record carrier} - H04W 8/245: {from a network towards a terminal} - H04W 84/12: WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks] - H04W 88/06: adapted for operation in multiple networks {or having at least two operational modes}, e.g. multi-mode terminals - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract Systems, methods, and software for providing a preferred roaming list (PRL) to a wireless communication device are provided herein. In one example, a method of operating a wireless local area network (WLAN) device is presented. The method includes receiving a request for network access to the WLAN from a wireless communication device, identifying a PRL for the wireless communication device responsive to at least the request, where the wireless communication device can use the PRL to access a cellular communication service. The method also includes transferring the PRL to the wireless communication device. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of operating a wireless local area network (WLAN) device, the method comprising: providing a WLAN for wireless communication devices to access communication services of a cellular communication network over the WLAN; receiving at least a preferred roaming list (PRL) provided by the cellular communication network that indicates access parameters for at least one roaming cellular communication network other than the cellular communication network; receiving a request for network access to the WLAN from a first wireless communication device having the cellular communication network as a home network provider; selecting the PRL for the first wireless communication device responsive to at least the request and information associated with the first wireless communication device, wherein selecting the PRL comprises processing the information associated with the first wireless communication device comprising a geographic location of the WLAN device, a device type of the first wireless communication device, and a cellular network operator associated with the first wireless communication device to select the PRL from among a plurality of preferred roaming lists; and transferring the PRL provided by the cellular communication network to the first wireless communication device over the WLAN, wherein the first wireless communication device can employ the access parameters indicated in the PRL to access the at least one roaming cellular communication network. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein transferring the PRL to the first wireless communication device comprises transferring the PRL to the first wireless communication device over the WLAN during registration of the first wireless communication device with the WLAN. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving a first indicator of the device type and a second indicator of the cellular network operator from the first wireless communication device over the WLAN. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: determining the geographic location of the WLAN device and providing at least the geographic location of the WLAN device to a PRL server of the cellular communication network; and receiving at least the PRL in response to providing at least the geographic location, wherein the PRL server of the cellular communication network selects the PRL based at least on the geographic location of the WLAN device. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first wireless communication device receives the PRL and responsively updates a PRL configuration in the first wireless communication device according to the PRL. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the request for the network access to the WLAN from the first wireless communication device comprises receiving a selection of a service set identifier (SSID) associated with the WLAN device from among a plurality of service set identifiers presented by the WLAN device; and wherein selecting the PRL for the first wireless communication device comprises selecting the PRL based on at least the selection of the SSID being associated with the cellular communication network. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the first wireless communication device selects the SSID for the network access based on at least identifying the cellular communication network as the home network provider of the first wireless communication device. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the request for the network access to the WLAN from the first wireless communication device comprises receiving an indicator of a service set identifier (SSID) from the first wireless communication device; and wherein selecting the PRL for the first wireless communication device comprises providing the SSID to a PRL server of the cellular communication network and responsively receiving the PRL that is selected by the PRL server from among a plurality of preferred roaming lists based on at least the SSID. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the WLAN device comprises a WLAN router configured to provide Internet access over the cellular communication network to the first wireless communication device over the WLAN. ### Claim 10 A wireless local area network (WLAN) device, comprising: a communication interface configured to provide a WLAN for wireless communication devices to access communication services of a cellular communication network over the WLAN; the communication interface configured to receive at least a preferred roaming list (PRL) provided by the cellular communication network that indicates access parameters for at least one roaming cellular communication network other than the cellular communication network; the communication interface configured to receive a request for network access to the WLAN from a first wireless communication device having the cellular communication network as a home network provider; a processing system configured to select the PRL for first wireless communication device responsive to at least the request and information associated with the first wireless communication device, wherein the processing system is configured to process the information associated with the first wireless communication device comprising a geographic location of the WLAN device, a device type of the first wireless communication device, and a cellular network operator associated with the first wireless communication device to select the PRL from among a plurality of preferred roaming lists; and the communication interface configured to transfer the PRL provided by the cellular communication network to the first wireless communication device over the WLAN, wherein the first wireless communication device can employ the access parameters in the PRL to access the at least one roaming cellular communication network. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The WLAN device of claim 10, comprising: the communication interface configured to transfer the PRL to the first wireless communication device over the WLAN during registration of the first wireless communication device with the WLAN. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The WLAN device of claim 10, comprising: the communication interface configured to receive a first indicator of the device type and a second indicator of the cellular network operator from the first wireless communication device over the WLAN. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The WLAN device of claim 10, comprising: the processing system configured to determine the geographic location of the WLAN device and provide at least the geographic location of the WLAN device for delivery to a PRL server of the cellular communication network; and the processing system configured to receive the PRL transferred by the PRL server in response to providing at least the geographic location, wherein the PRL server of the cellular communication network selects the PRL based at least on the geographic location of the WLAN device. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The WLAN device of claim 10, wherein the first wireless communication device receives the PRL and responsively updates a PRL configuration in the first wireless communication device according to the PRL. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The WLAN device of claim 10, comprising: the communication interface configured to receive from the first wireless communication device a selection of a service set identifier (SSID) associated with the WLAN device from among a plurality of service set identifiers presented by the WLAN device; and wherein the processing system is configured to select the PRL based at least on the selection of the SSID being associated with the cellular communication network. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The WLAN device of claim 15, wherein the first wireless communication device selects the SSID for the network access based on at least identifying the cellular communication network as the home network provider of the first wireless communication device. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The WLAN device of claim 10, comprising: the communication interface configured to receive a service set identifier (SSID) from the first wireless communication device; and the processing system configured to provide the SSID to a PRL server of cellular communication network and responsively receive the PRL that is selected by the PRL server from among a plurality of preferred roaming lists based on at least the SSID. ### Claim 18 (depends on 10) The WLAN device of claim 10, comprising: a WLAN router configured to provide Internet access over the cellular communication network to the first wireless communication device over the WLAN.