Patent ID: 9491699
Filing Date: 2016-11-08
CPC Classification: H04W,Y02D

Claim Text:
1. A method for saving energy in operating first and second mobile communication networks by invoking an energy saving operational mode corresponding to a combination of the first and second mobile communication networks, wherein the first mobile communication network comprises a first radio access network for covering a geographic area and a first core network, wherein the geographic area is also covered by a second radio access network of the second mobile communication network, the second mobile communication network comprising a second core network, the method comprising: operating the first radio access network in a first operational mode for peak time usage of the first mobile communication network and operating the second radio access network in the first operational mode for peak time usage of the second mobile communication network; and invoking, at least partly during off-peak time usage of the first and second mobile communication networks, the energy saving operational mode corresponding to the combination of the first and second mobile communication networks, wherein during the energy saving operational mode, the coverage and capacity requirements in the geographic area are ensured by the combination of the first and second mobile communication networks, and wherein an overall time of the energy saving operational mode corresponding to the combination of the first and second mobile communication networks is allocated between: wherein operation of the first radio access network in the second operational mode consumes less power than operation of the first radio access network in the first operational mode and operation of the second radio access network in the second operational mode consumes less power than operation of the second radio access in the first operational mode; wherein with respect to the geographic area, at least the first radio access network and the second radio access network as well as at least parts of the first and second core networks are shared network components of a network sharing operation of the first and second mobile communication networks; and wherein with respect to the geographic area and during the energy saving operational mode corresponding to the combination of the first and second mobile communication networks, the first radio access network and the second radio access network are commonly operated to form a logically different mobile communication network in the geographic area, wherein for a subscriber of the first or the second mobile communication network using the logically different mobile communication network within the geographic area, a roaming procedure is invoked.