Patent ID: 6032042
Filing Date: 2000-02-29
Classification: H04W

Abstract:
A cellular radio network, said network comprising:a primary network having a first location area configuration;a plurality of mobile radio stations, each capable of moving in said primary network from one location area to another and of automatically starting a location updating procedure in said cellular network each time a changeover from one location area of said primary network to another is observed;at least one other network having a second location area configuration differing from said first location area configuration;at least one base station of said primary network is arranged to transmit transmissions which contain a first locking code, wherein at least one base station of said at least one other network is arranged to transmit transmissions which contain a second locking code;at least some of said mobile radio stations being capable of moving in said at least one other network; andat least some of said mobile radio stations comprising a prevention means which, when activated by a user, temporarily prevents the respective mobile radio station from initiating automatic location updatings to other networks from the network used at the time of activation, whereinsaid prevention means is capable of distinguishing the location areas of said primary network and said at least one other network from each other by said locking codes,said prevention means is responsive to manual activation by said user for storing the locking code sent by the respective present network in a memory, andsaid prevention means is responsive to an observation of a change of location area for comparing said stored locking code with a locking code received from a base station of a new location area,a) for allowing location updating if the locking codes are identical, andfor preventing location updating if the locking codes are different or said base station of said new location area sends no locking code at all.