Patent Description:
Mobile terminals operating on a Long Term Evolution (LTE) air interface as specified by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) may utilize system information messages including System Information Blocks (SIB) and Master Information Blocks (MIB) to communicate with base stations. Different LTE system information messages may each contain a variety of important information essential to wireless communication on over an LTE air interface, such as channel bandwidth, network identities, cell identities and other information, paging configurations, power control information, cell search/measurement parameters, etc..

Analogous system information messages may be utilized for other Radio Access Technologies (RAT), such as the counterpart SIB and MIB in Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) and System Information (SI) messages in Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM).

A mobile terminal may require different system information messages (e.g. SIB, MIB, and SI) depending on the current state of the mobile terminal. For example, certain events such as cell selection, cell reselection, handover, measurement reporting, etc., may result in a need for a mobile terminal to obtain certain system information by receiving and decoding a given system information message over the wireless air interface. <CIT> discloses a system and method for acquisition of neighbour cell information. A serving cell receives a request for neighbour cell system information, and in response to the request, the serving cell transmits neighbour cell system information.

Preferred examples are described by the dependent claims.

In the following description, various embodiments of the invention are described with reference to the following drawings, in which:.

The following detailed description refers to the accompanying drawings that show, by way of illustration, specific details and embodiments in which the invention may be practiced.

The word "exemplary" is used herein to mean "serving as an example, instance, or illustration". Any embodiment or design described herein as "exemplary" is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments or designs.

The words "plural" and "multiple" in the description and the claims, if any, are used to expressly refer to a quantity greater than one. Accordingly, any phrases explicitly invoking the aforementioned words (e.g. "a plurality of [objects]", "multiple [objects]") referring to a quantity of objects is intended to expressly refer more than one of the said objects. The terms "group", "set", "collection", "series", "sequence", "grouping", "selection", etc., and the like in the description and in the claims, if any, are used to refer to a quantity equal to or greater than one, i.e. one or more. Accordingly, the phrases "a group of [objects]", "a set of [objects]", "a collection of [objects]", "a series of [objects]", "a sequence of [objects]", "a grouping of [objects]", "a selection of [objects]", "[object] group", "[object] set", "[object] collection", "[object] series", "[object] sequence", "[object] grouping", "[object] selection", etc., used herein in relation to a quantity of objects is intended to refer to a quantity of one or more of said objects. It is appreciated that unless directly referred to with an explicitly stated plural quantity (e.g. "two [objects]" "three of the [objects]", "ten or more [objects]", "at least four [objects]", etc.) or express use of the words "plural", "multiple", or similar phrases, references to quantities of objects are intended to refer to one or more of said objects.

It is appreciated that any vector and/or matrix notation utilized herein is exemplary in nature and is employed solely for purposes of explanation. Accordingly, it is understood that the approaches detailed in this disclosure are not limited to being implemented solely using vectors and/or matrices, and that the associated processes and computations may be performed with respect to sets, sequences, groups, etc., of data, observations, information, signals, etc..

Furthermore, it is appreciated that references to a "vector" may refer to a vector of any size or orientation, e.g. including a <NUM>×<NUM> vector (e.g. a scalar), a <NUM>×M/vector (e.g. a row vector), and an A/xl vector (e.g. a column vector). Similarly, it is appreciated that references to a "matrix" may refer to matrix of any size or orientation, e.g. including a 1x1 matrix (e.g. a scalar), a <NUM>×M matrix (e.g. a row vector), and an M×<NUM> matrix (e.g. a column vector).

As used herein, a "circuit" may be understood as any kind of logic (analog or digital) implementing entity, which may be special purpose circuitry or a processor executing software stored in a memory, firmware, hardware, or any combination thereof. Furthermore, a "circuit" may be a hard-wired logic circuit or a programmable logic circuit such as a programmable processor, for example a microprocessor (for example a Complex Instruction Set Computer (CISC) processor or a Reduced Instruction Set Computer (RISC) processor). A "circuit" may also be a processor executing software, for example any kind of computer program, for example a computer program using a virtual machine code such as for example Java. Any other kind of implementation of the respective functions which will be described in more detail below may also be understood as a "circuit". It is understood that any two (or more) of the described circuits may be combined into a single circuit with substantially equivalent functionality, and conversely that any single described circuit may be distributed into two (or more) separate circuits with substantially equivalent functionality. In particular with respect to the use of "circuitry" in the claims included herein, the use of "circuit" may be understood as collectively referring to two or more circuits.

A "processing circuit" (or equivalently "processing circuitry") as used herein is understood as referring to any circuit that performs an operation(s) on signal(s), such as e.g. any circuit that performs processing on an electrical signal or an optical signal. A processing circuit may thus refer to any analog or digital circuitry that alters a characteristic or property of an electrical or optical signal, which may include analog and/or digital data. A processing circuit may thus refer to an analog circuit (explicitly referred to as "analog processing circuit(ry)"), digital circuit (explicitly referred to as "digital processing circuit(ry)"), logic circuit, processor, microprocessor, Central Processing Unit (CPU), Graphics Processing Unit (GPU), Digital Signal Processor (DSP), Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), integrated circuit, Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), etc., or any combination thereof. Accordingly, a processing circuit may refer to a circuit that performs processing on an electrical or optical signal as hardware or as software, such as software executed on hardware (e.g. a processor or microprocessor). As utilized herein, "digital processing circuit(ry)" may refer to a circuit implemented using digital logic that performs processing on a signal, e.g. an electrical or optical signal, which may include logic circuit(s), processor(s), scalar processor(s), vector processor(s), microprocessor(s), controller(s), microcontroller(s), Central Processing Unit(s) (CPU), Graphics Processing Unit(s) (GPU), Digital Signal Processor(s) (DSP), Field Programmable Gate Array(s) (FPGA), integrated circuit(s), Application Specific Integrated Circuit(s) (ASIC), or any combination thereof. Furthermore, it is understood that a single a processing circuit may be equivalently split into two separate processing circuits, and conversely that two separate processing circuits may be combined into a single equivalent processing circuit.

As used herein, "memory" may be understood as an electrical component in which data or information can be stored for retrieval. References to "memory" included herein may thus be understood as referring to volatile or non-volatile memory, including random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), flash memory, solid-state storage, magnetic tape, hard disk drive, optical drive, etc., or any combination thereof. Furthermore, it is appreciated that registers, shift registers, processor registers, data buffers, etc., are also embraced herein by the "term" memory. It is appreciated that a single component referred to as "memory" or "a memory" may be composed of more than one different type of memory, and thus may refer to a collective component comprising one or more types of memory. It is readily understood that any single memory "component" may be distributed or/separated multiple substantially equivalent memory components, and vice versa. Furthermore, it is appreciated that while "memory" may be depicted, such as in the drawings, as separate from one or more other components, it is understood that memory may be integrated within another component, such as on a common integrated chip.

The term "base station" used in reference to an access point of a mobile communication network may be understood as a macro base station, micro base station, Node B, evolved NodeBs (eNB), Home eNodeB, Remote Radio Head (RRH), relay point, etc..

As used herein, a "cell" in the context of telecommunications may be understood as a sector served by a base station. Accordingly, a cell may be a set of geographically co-located antennas that correspond to a particular sectorization of a base station. A base station may thus serve one or more "cells" (or sectors), where each cell is characterized by a distinct communication channel. Furthermore, the term "cell" may be utilized to refer to any of a macrocell, microcell, femtocell, picocell, etc..

It is appreciated that the ensuing description may detail exemplary scenarios involving mobile device operating according to certain 3GPP (Third Generation Partnership Project) specifications, notably Long Term Evolution (LTE) and Long Term Evolution-Advanced (LTE-A). It is understood that such exemplary scenarios are demonstrative in nature, and accordingly may be similarly applied to other mobile communication technologies and standards, such as WLAN (wireless local area network), WiFi, UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System), GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications), Bluetooth, CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access), Wideband CDMA (W-CDMA), etc.. The examples provided herein are thus understood as being applicable to various other mobile communication technologies, both existing and not yet formulated, particularly in cases where such mobile communication technologies share similar features as disclosed regarding the following examples.

The term "network" as utilized herein, e.g. in reference to a communication network such as a mobile communication network, is intended to encompass both an access component of a network (e.g. a radio access network (RAN) component) and a core component of a network (e.g. a core network component).

As utilized herein, the term "radio idle mode" used in reference to a mobile terminal refers to a radio control state in which the mobile terminal is not allocated at least one dedicated communication channel of a mobile communication network. The term "radio connected mode" used in reference to a mobile terminal refers to a radio control state in which the mobile terminal is allocated at least one dedicated communication channel of a mobile communication network.

Unless explicitly specified, the terms "transmit" and "send" encompass both direct and indirect transmission/sending. Similarly, the term "receive" encompasses both direct and indirect reception unless explicitly specified.

Cells in conventional radio access networks (RAN), in particular cells operating in accordance with a network standard specified by the <NUM>rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), may transmit system information messages containing important information for proximate mobile terminals. Specific examples include Master Information Blocks (MIB) and System Information Blocks (SIB) for Long Term Evolution (LTE) and Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) networks and System Information (SI) messages in Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) networks. Mobile terminals operating on any such air interface may require parameters specified in such system information messages in order to perform a number of important operations, including camping/connecting to cells, performing uplink transmissions and downlink reception, performing cell and/or network searches and measurements, etc..

The various possible states of mobile terminals may affect the types of system information required by a given mobile terminal at a specific point in time. For example, a mobile terminal performing cell selection or reselection in radio idle mode may only need to read several basic system information messages from a newly selected serving cell in order to effectively camp thereon. In contrast, a mobile terminal in radio connected mode may need to read multiple further system information messages immediately following a handover in order to fulfill the requirements of a radio connected mode connection.

In addition to the aforementioned cell selection/reselection and handover cases, mobile terminals may need to read system information messages to obtain identification information of detected cells, such as during network (e.g. Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN)) and/or cells scans. A further particular case exists in LTE network configurations where a mobile terminal may be requested to identify a cell global identity (CGI) of a cell detected during e.g. measurement reporting. Accordingly, the mobile terminal may need to read System Information Block type <NUM> (SIB <NUM>) from the detected cell and provide the obtained CGI back to the mobile communication network, e.g. back to a current serving cell.

Mobile terminals may therefore experience a number of different scenarios in which system information messages must be read over the air interface. Accordingly, a mobile terminal may need to dedicate receiver and processing resources, in addition to supporting power resources, to perform reception and decoding of system information messages over the air interface. Such procedures may be time consuming and inherently in increased power usage, and may be common to mobile terminals operating according to numerous network standards, including the aforementioned LTE, UMTS, and GSM standards.

Accordingly, as opposed to requiring air interface access to obtain desired system information, a mobile terminal may be configured to locally store system information for one or more proximate cells, and may subsequently utilize the locally stored system information in the event that system information for one of the proximate cells is needed. Such may conserve power and result in faster acquisition of system information.

A server may be provided containing a database of system information corresponding to comprehensive set of cells. The server may be configured to, upon request by a participating mobile terminal, provide system information for one or more proximate cells relative to the mobile terminal. The server may be configured to determine which cells qualify as proximate cells, such as based on an indication from the mobile terminal specifying a current serving cell and/or location information. The server may identify one or more proximate cells based on such information and provide the connected system information for the proximate cells to the mobile terminal.

The system information stored in the database may be provided by one or more mobile terminals, where each participating mobile terminal may provide conventionally received system information to the database along with identification information of the cells corresponding to the system information.

The server may perform an association operation on the database in order to identify cells that are related, such as in identifying a list of one or more proximate cells for each stored cell in the database. The server may determine the proximate cell associations based on further information received from participating mobile terminals. For example, mobile terminals may receive system information over the air interface, which may be part of conventional mobile operations or may be triggered specifically in order to obtain system information to provide to the database. The mobile terminals may receive system information for a particular cell in addition to performing detection and/or measurements on other proximate cells, and may additionally transmit any obtained information of the detected and/or measured cells to the server along with system information of the particular cell. The detected proximate cells may therefore be considered "neighbor cells" of the particular cell. The server may then utilize the information of the detected and/or measured cells to associate the detected and/or measured cells with the particular cell as proximate cells as the particular cell. Additionally, the server may associate further cells as proximate cells of a given cell, such as neighbor cells of neighbor cells of the proximate cell. Accordingly, the term "proximate cells" as utilized herein in reference to a given cell may refer to neighbor cells of the given cell, neighbor cells of neighbor cells of the given,. etc., or cells that are identified for other reasons as being located in proximity to the given cell.

Accordingly, the server may build a system of proximate cell relationships between each cell stored in the database. Further information may be utilized in order to determine such neighbor cell relationships, including e.g. location information (e.g. from Global Positioning System (GPS) data)) provided by a participating mobile terminal.

According to the invention, a mobile terminal transmits information to the server that indicates a current serving cell of the mobile terminal (which may be e.g. explicit identification information of the current serving cell or implicit identification information of the serving cell, such as only location information). In response, the server may determine if system information for any proximate cells associated with the indicated current serving cell is stored in the database, and, if so, provide the system information for the proximate cells to the mobile terminal. The mobile terminal receives and locally stores the system information for the serving cells in case the system information is required at a later time. For example, the mobile terminal need to perform cell selection/reselection, handover, or cell reporting (e.g. CGI reporting) on one of the proximate cells, such as e.g. as a result of mobility of the mobile terminal. As opposed to needing to read the system information over the air interface from the proximate cell, thus utilizing resources, the mobile terminal may instead access the locally stored system information of the proximate cell, thereby allowing for faster acquisition of system information in addition to conserving power.

Participating mobile terminals may interact with the server using a dedicated application running on e.g. an application processor of the participating mobile terminals or using dedicated components in egg. a baseband modem of the participating terminals. Due to the limitation on uplink resources in radio idle mode, a mobile terminal may operate using a "handshake" procedure, as will be later detailed.

<FIG> shows a block diagram illustrating an internal configuration of mobile terminal <NUM> according to an aspect of the disclosure. Mobile terminal <NUM> may be configured to transmit information indicating a current serving cell of mobile terminal <NUM> to a server. Mobile terminal <NUM> may then be configured to receive system information for one or more proximate cells (e.g. neighbor) of the current serving cell and subsequently locally store the system information for the one or more proximate cells. Mobile terminal <NUM> may then be configured to identify a target cell, which may be e.g. a new serving cell of mobile terminal <NUM> following cell selection, cell reselection, handover, or e.g. a cell targeted for measurement or reporting by mobile terminal <NUM>, such as e.g. a cell targeted for CGI reporting. Mobile terminal <NUM> may access the locally stored system information to identify if the target cell is one of the one or more proximate cells, and, if the target cell is one of the one or more proximate target cells, mobile terminal <NUM> may retrieve the stored system information for the target cell and utilize the retrieved system information for the target cell to transmit or receive wireless data. Mobile terminal <NUM> may thus avoid reading system information over the air interface for the proximate cell, and may therefore acquire system information in reduced time as well as conserve power.

As illustrated in <FIG>, mobile terminal <NUM> may include antenna <NUM>, radio frequency (RF) transceiver <NUM>, baseband modem <NUM>, and application processor <NUM>, which may include memory <NUM> and SIB cache application <NUM>. As shown in in <FIG>, the aforementioned components of mobile terminal <NUM> may be implemented as separate components. However, it is appreciated that the architecture of mobile terminal <NUM> depicted in <FIG> is for purposes of explanation, and accordingly one or more of the aforementioned components of mobile terminal <NUM> may be integrated into a single equivalent component or divided into two separate components with collective equivalence. It is understood that mobile terminal <NUM> may have one or more additional components, such as additional hardware, software, or firmware elements. For example, mobile terminal <NUM> may further include various additional components including hardware, firmware, processors, microprocessors, memory, and other specialty or generic hardware/processors/circuits, etc., in order to support a variety of additional operations. Mobile terminal <NUM> may also include a variety of user input/output devices (display(s), keypad(s), touchscreen(s), speaker(s), external button(s), camera(s), microphone(s), etc.), peripheral device(s), memory, power supply, external device interface(s), subscriber identify module(s) (SIM) etc..

It is appreciated that the aforementioned components of mobile terminal <NUM>, in particular, RF transceiver <NUM>, baseband modem <NUM>, and application processor <NUM> may be implemented in a number of different manners, such as by hardware, firmware, software executed on hardware (e.g. a processor), or any combination thereof. Various option include analog circuit(s), digital circuit(s), logic circuit(s), processor(s), microprocessor(s), controller(s), microcontroller(s), scalar processor(s), vector processor(s), Central Processing Unit(s) (CPU), Graphics Processing Unit(s) (GPU), Digital Signal Processor(s) (DSP), Field Programmable Gate Array(s) (FPGA), integrated circuit(s), or Application Specific Integrated Circuit(s) (ASIC).

As will be detailed, in an aspect of the disclosure mobile terminal <NUM> may be a mobile terminal device having a radio processing circuit (RF transceiver <NUM>) and a baseband processing circuit (baseband modem <NUM>) adapted to interact with the radio processing circuit. Mobile terminal <NUM> may be configured to transmit communication data indicating a serving cell, the communication data intended for a server, receive system information of one or more proximate cells of the serving cell in response to the communication data, identify if system information of a target cell is included in the received system information of the one or more proximate cells, and if the system information of the target cell is included in the received system information of the one or more proximate cells, applying the received system information of the target cell to transmit or receive data.

In an abridged overview of the operation of mobile terminal <NUM>, mobile terminal <NUM> may be configured to receive and/or transmit wireless signals according to multiple different wireless access protocols or radio access technologies (RATs), including any one of, or any combination of, LTE (Long Term Evolution), WLAN (wireless local area network), WiFi, UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System), GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications), Bluetooth, CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access), Wideband CDMA (W-CDMA), etc. The RAT capabilities of mobile terminal <NUM> may be determined by one or more Subscriber Identity Modules (SIM) included in mobile terminal <NUM> (not explicitly shown in <FIG>). It is appreciated that separate components may be provided for each distinct type of compatible wireless signals, such as a dedicated LTE antenna, RF transceiver, and baseband modem for LTE reception and transmission and a dedicated WiFi antenna, RF transceiver, and baseband modem for WiFi reception and transmission. Alternatively, one or more components of mobile terminal <NUM> may be shared between different wireless access protocols, such as e.g. by sharing antenna <NUM> between multiple different wireless access protocols. In an exemplary aspect of disclosure, RF transceiver <NUM> and/or baseband modem <NUM> may be operate according to multiple mobile communication access protocols (i.e. "multi-mode"), and thus may be configured to support one or more of LTE, UMTS, and/or GSM access protocols.

Further according to the abridged overview of operation of mobile terminal <NUM>, RF transceiver <NUM> may receive radio frequency wireless signals via antenna <NUM>, which may be implemented as e.g. a single antenna or an antenna array composed of multiple antennas. RF transceiver <NUM> may include various reception circuitry elements, which may include e.g. analog circuitry, configured to process externally received signals, such as mixing circuity to convert externally received RF signals to baseband and/or intermediate frequencies. RF transceiver <NUM> may also include amplification circuitry to amplify externally received signals, such as power amplifiers (PAs) and/or Low Noise Amplifiers (LNAs), although it is appreciated that such components may also be implemented separately. RF transceiver <NUM> may additionally include various transmission circuitry elements configured to transmit internally received signals, such as e.g. baseband and/or intermediate frequency signals provided by baseband modem <NUM>, which may include mixing circuitry to modulate internally received signals onto one or more radio frequency carrier waves and/or amplification circuitry to amplify internally received signals before transmission. RF transceiver <NUM> may provide such signals to antenna <NUM> for wireless transmission. Further references herein to reception and/or transmission of wireless signals by mobile terminal <NUM> may thus be understood as an interaction between antenna <NUM>, RF transceiver <NUM>, and baseband modem <NUM> as detailed above. Although not explicitly depicted in <FIG>, RF transceiver <NUM> may be additionally be connected to application processor <NUM>.

<FIG> shows a block diagram illustrating an internal configuration of baseband modem <NUM> according to an aspect of the disclosure. Baseband modem <NUM> may include digital processing circuit(s) 106a (i.e. one or more digital processing circuits) and baseband memory 106b. Although not explicitly shown in <FIG>, baseband modem <NUM> may contain one or more additional components, including one or more analog circuits.

Digital processing circuit(s) 106a may be composed of various processing circuitry configured to perform baseband (herein also including "intermediate") frequency processing, such as Analog to Digital Converters (ADCs) and/or Digital to Analog Converters (DACs), modulation/demodulation circuitry, encoding/decoding circuitry, audio codec circuitry, digital signal processing circuitry, etc. Digital processing circuit(s) 106a may include hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software. Specifically, digital processing circuit(s) 106a of baseband modem <NUM> may include one or more logic circuits, processors, microprocessors, controllers, microcontrollers, scalar processors, vector processors, Central Processing Units (CPU), Graphics Processing Units (GPU) (including General-Purpose Computing on GPU (GPGPU)), Digital Signal Processors (DSP), Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGA), integrated circuits, Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASIC), etc., or any combination thereof. It is understood that a person of skill in the art will appreciate the corresponding structure disclosed herein, be it in explicit reference to a physical structure and/or in the form of mathematical formulas, prose, flow charts, or any other manner providing sufficient structure (such as e.g. regarding an algorithm). The components of baseband modem <NUM> may be detailed herein substantially in terms of functional operation in recognition that a person of skill in the art may readily appreciate the various possible structural realizations of baseband modem <NUM> using digital processing circuitry that will provide the desired functionality.

Baseband memory 106b may include volatile and/or non-volatile memory, including random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), flash memory, solid-state storage, magnetic tape, hard disk drive(s), optical drive(s), register(s), shift register(s), processor register(s), data buffer(s) etc., or any combination thereof. Baseband memory 106b may be configured to store software elements, which may be retrieved and executed using a processor component of digital processing circuitry 106a. Although depicted as a single component in <FIG>, baseband memory 106b may be implemented as one or more separate components in baseband modem <NUM>. Baseband memory 106b may also be partially or fully integrated with digital processing circuitry 106a.

Baseband modem <NUM> be configured to operate one or more protocol stacks, such as a GSM protocol stack, a UMTS protocol stack, an LTE protocol stack, etc. Baseband modem <NUM> may be "multimode" and may thus be configured to operate in accordance with multiple RATs by executing multiple protocol stack instances simultaneously. Digital processing circuitry 106a may therefore include a processor configured to execute program code in accordance with the protocol stacks of each associated RAT. Baseband memory 106a may be configured to store the aforementioned program code. Although not explicitly depicted in <FIG>, baseband modem <NUM> may be configured to control one or more further components of UE <NUM>, in particular one or more microphones and/or speakers, such as by providing output audio signals to one or more speakers and/or receiving input audio signals from one or more microphones.

The protocol stack(s) of baseband modem <NUM> may be configured to control operation of baseband modem <NUM>, such as in order to transmit and receive mobile communication signals using antenna <NUM>, RF transceiver <NUM>, and other audio components (e.g. audio transducers including microphone(s) and/or speaker(s))in accordance with the corresponding RAT(s).

Application processor <NUM> may be implemented as a Central Processing Unit (CPU), and may function as a controller for mobile terminal <NUM>. Application processor <NUM> may be configured to execute various applications and/or programs of mobile terminal <NUM>, such as e.g. applications corresponding to program code stored in a memory component of mobile terminal <NUM> (not explicitly shown in <FIG>). Application processor <NUM> may also be configured to control one or more further components of mobile terminal <NUM>, such as user input/output devices (display(s), keypad(s), touchscreen(s), speaker(s), external button(s), camera(s), microphone(s), etc.), peripheral devices, memory, power supply, external device interfaces, etc..

As shown in <FIG>, application processor <NUM> may include memory <NUM> in addition to e.g. one or more further memory components (not explicitly shown in <FIG>). Application processor <NUM> may utilize memory <NUM> to store data corresponding to e.g. applications executed on application processor <NUM>. As will be later detailed, application processor <NUM> may execute SIB cache application <NUM>, such as by retrieving program code corresponding to SIB cache application <NUM> from memory <NUM> and executing SIB cache application <NUM> as software. Application processor <NUM> may further be configured to control user input and/or output devices in accordance with the operation of SIB cache application <NUM>, such as to facilitate user interaction with SIB cache application <NUM>.

Although baseband modem <NUM> and application processor <NUM> are depicted separately in <FIG>, it is appreciated that this illustration is not limiting in nature. Accordingly, it is understood that baseband modem <NUM> and application processor <NUM> may be implemented separately, implemented together (i.e. as an integrated unit), or partially implemented together.

As previously indicated, mobile terminal <NUM> may be further configured to interact with a server. <FIG> shows a block diagram illustrating an internal configuration of SIB cache server <NUM> according to an aspect of the disclosure.

As illustrated in <FIG>, SIB cache server <NUM> may include processor 300a, memory 300c, and database 300b. Processor 300a may be an entity implementing digital logic circuitry in order to perform operations on data, such as according to program code (i.e. software) stored on a memory, e.g. memory 300c. Processor 300a may thus be e.g. a logic circuit(s), processor(s), scalar processor(s), vector processor(s), microprocessor(s), controller(s), microcontroller(s), Central Processing Unit(s) (CPU), Graphics Processing Unit(s) (GPU), etc., or any combination thereof.

SIB cache server <NUM> may store information in database <NUM>, such as system information (e.g. information contained in MIB, SIB, SI, etc.) of one or more cells of one or more radio access networks. SIB cache server <NUM> may additionally store further information of cells, such as cell identities (e.g. Physical Cell Identity (PCI), Primary Scrambling Code (PSC), etc.), measurement results, frequencies (i.e. system center frequencies, frequency bands, Absolute Radio Frequency Numbers (ARFCN), evolved ARFCNs (EARFCN), etc.), network identities (e.g. PLMN ID), RAT, and a list of proximate (i.e. neighbor) cells linked with stored system information for one or more of the proximate neighbor cells.

Processor 300a may control reception of system information for storage in database 300b, such as by receiving system information (i.e. information contained in system information messages received from a cell) and/or cell identity information (i.e. basic cell information obtained by detecting, synchronizing, and/or measuring a given cell) from a mobile terminal (as will be later detailed) and storing the received information in a corresponding location within database 300b, such as with other related cell information. System information may include cell global identity system information, such as the PLMN ID, Area Code, and/or Cell ID of a given cell contained in the primary system information message (e.g. SIB1 for LTE, MIB for UMTS, and SI Type <NUM> for GSM). System information may also include further system information from system information messages, which may be in encoded (i.e. the encoded system information message) or decoded (i.e. decoded parameters from a system information message).

Processor 300a may also be configured to identify one or more proximate cells, i.e. neighbor cells, for each cell stored in database 300b. As previously indicated, processor 300a may perform such proximate cell association using information received from participating mobile terminals, such as information obtained during neighbor cell measurements of a given serving cell, or using location information.

Processor 300a may also control information requests, such as by receiving information from a mobile terminal indicating a current serving cell of the requesting mobile terminal. Processor 300a may then access database 300b in order to retrieve system information, if any, of any proximate cells to the indicated current serving cell (based on the aforementioned association operations), and subsequently transmit the system information to the requesting mobile terminal.

As will be further detailed, SIB cache server <NUM> may include a memory (database 300b) and may be configured to receive neighbor cell identity information of one or more neighbor cells of a first cell, the neighbor cell identity information derived from a first mobile terminal, receive communication data indicating that the first cell is a serving cell of a second mobile terminal, the communication data derived from the second mobile terminal, identify one or more proximate cells of the first cell using the neighbor cell identity information, and transmit system information of the one or more proximate cells to the second mobile terminal.

Operation of mobile terminal <NUM> and SIB cache server <NUM>, in addition to the related interactions therebetween, will now be explained in further detail.

<FIG> shows network system <NUM>, which includes mobile communication network <NUM>, packet data network <NUM>, and network interface <NUM>. As shown in <FIG>, SIB cache server <NUM> may be included in packet data network <NUM>. Mobile communication network <NUM> may include base stations <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM>, which may be included in a radio access portion of mobile communication network <NUM>. Although not explicitly shown in <FIG>, mobile communication network <NUM> may also include a core network section, which may be connected to each of base stations <NUM>-<NUM>. Base stations <NUM>-<NUM> may therefore operate as an interface between mobile terminal <NUM> and the core network section of mobile communication network <NUM>. As shown in <FIG>, mobile terminal <NUM> may share air interfaces <NUM>-<NUM> with each of respective base stations <NUM>-<NUM>, where each of air interfaces <NUM>-<NUM> may provide mobile terminal <NUM> with a wireless access channel with each of respective base stations <NUM>-<NUM>.

Network interface <NUM> may operate as an interface between mobile communication network <NUM> and packet data network <NUM>, such as an interface between the core network section of mobile communication network <NUM> and packet data network <NUM>. For example, in accordance with an LTE configuration, network interface <NUM> may be an SGi interface between a Packet Data Network Gateway (PDN-GW) of the core network section of mobile communication network and packet data network <NUM>. Similar analogous architectures may also be provided for other RATs. Accordingly, network interface <NUM> may connect mobile communication network to packet data network <NUM>, to which SIB cache server <NUM> may be connected as shown in <FIG>. For example, packet data network <NUM> may include access to the internet, thereby allowing SIB cache server <NUM> to be connected to the internet and accordingly interacted with by mobile terminal <NUM> via mobile communication network <NUM>. SIB cache server <NUM> may therefore be accessible by substantially any mobile terminal with an active internet connection (e.g. worldwide).

Accordingly, mobile terminal <NUM> may interact with SIB cache server <NUM> via one (or more) of air interfaces <NUM>-<NUM>, base stations <NUM>-<NUM>, one or more core network components of mobile communication network <NUM>, network interface <NUM>, and packet data network <NUM>.

In an alternative exemplary aspect of the disclosure, SIB cache server <NUM> may be directly incorporated as a component of mobile communication network <NUM>, such as e.g. as a core component of mobile communication network <NUM>, and thus may be provided with a more direct path with mobile terminal <NUM> while still being available for straightforward access by multiple base stations, e.g. base stations <NUM>-<NUM>. Regardless of such alternative variations, it is appreciated the descriptions herein will be similarly applicable, as mobile terminal <NUM> may be provided with a connection to SIB cache server <NUM>. Such variations are thus embraced herein.

In a further alternative aspect of the disclosure, SIB cache server <NUM> may be incorporated as a component of one of base stations <NUM>-<NUM>. For purposes of explanation, SIB cache server <NUM> maybe locally incorporated as part of base station <NUM>, although it is appreciated that separate realizations of SIB cache server <NUM> may be implemented at one or more further base stations. SIB cache server <NUM> may be available to interact with any mobile terminals currently connected to base station <NUM>, and may assemble database 300b based on cell system and identity information received from mobile terminals connected to base station <NUM> over time. The cell identity and system information stored at SIB cache server <NUM> may therefore be limited based on location, as SIB cache server <NUM> may only be provided with cell identity and system information for cells located proximate to base station <NUM>. However, such may still prove valuable in identifying proximate cells to a mobile terminal connected to base station <NUM>. In such a scenario, SIB cache application <NUM> may be executed as part of baseband modem <NUM>, and may allow a more direct interface between mobile terminal <NUM> and SIB cache server <NUM> that is not required to pass through a core network section of mobile communication network <NUM> to packet data network <NUM>.

Mobile terminal <NUM> may include SIB cache application <NUM>, which may be e.g. software, dedicated to interact with SIB cache server <NUM>. For example, program code corresponding to SIB cache application <NUM> may be stored on memory <NUM> and may be executed by application processor <NUM> (or e.g. baseband memory 106b and digital processing circuit(s) 106a, respectively). Additionally, SIB cache application <NUM> may have access to memory <NUM> in order to store certain system and/or cell identity information. Memory <NUM> may thus be composed of a single dedicated memory component or multiple separate memory components. As will be detailed, SIB cache application <NUM> may be configured to interact with baseband modem <NUM>, such as by using Attention (AT) commands exchanged on an application processor-baseband modem interface, such as to exchange system and cell identity information.

Accordingly, mobile terminal <NUM> may utilize SIB cache application <NUM> in conjunction with baseband modem <NUM> to interact with SIB server <NUM> in order to retrieve target system information from SIB server <NUM>. Mobile terminal <NUM> may therefore avoid reading system information messages (i.e. MIB, SIB, SI, etc.) over the air interface in certain scenarios, e.g. if mobile terminal <NUM> has previously received the target system information from SIB server <NUM>. By avoiding the need to read system information messages over the air interface, mobile terminal <NUM> may improve power consumption, selection/reselection time, and CGI measurement reporting.

The operation of SIB cache application <NUM> as executed on application processor <NUM> may be summarized as follows:.

SIB cache server <NUM> may be configured to interact with mobile terminal <NUM> and one or more additional participating mobile terminals (e.g. mobile terminal <NUM> and <NUM>, which may both be configured substantially similarly to mobile terminal <NUM> with a corresponding baseband modem and application processor executing a respective instance of SIB cache application <NUM>). The operation of SIB cache server <NUM> as controlled by processor 300a may be summarized as follows:.

The operation of baseband modem <NUM> as controlled by digital processing circuit(s) 106a may be summarized as follows:.

Accordingly, mobile terminal <NUM> may avoid reading system information messages for a target cell in certain scenarios if mobile terminal <NUM> has previously obtained target cell system information from SIB cache server <NUM> (via baseband modem <NUM> and SIB cache application <NUM>). For example, SIB cache application <NUM> may periodically perform a "handshake" operation with SIB cache server <NUM>, where SIB cache application <NUM> indicates the current serving cell of mobile terminal <NUM> to SIB cache server <NUM> (such as e.g. explicitly according to cell identity information or implicitly according to location information of mobile terminal <NUM>). SIB cache server <NUM> may access database 300b to identify proximate cells for the indicated serving cell (i.e. using neighbor cells identified by participating mobile terminals as a result of cell search/measurement) and subsequently provide any stored cell identity and system information for the proximate cells to SIB cache application <NUM>. In particular for further cell system information, SIB cache server <NUM> may provide encoded system information messages to SIB cache application <NUM>, although it is appreciated that SIB cache server <NUM> may alternatively store system information in decoded form. SIB cache application <NUM> may provide the proximate cell identity and system information to baseband modem <NUM>, which may locally store the cell identity and system information in non-volatile memory of baseband memory 106b. If SIB cache server <NUM> provided any of the system information as encoded system information messages, baseband modem <NUM> may decode the system information messages to retrieve the system information contained in each system information message.

Accordingly, in the event that mobile terminal <NUM> requires system information for one of the proximate cells, the system information may be locally stored (e.g. in encoded or decoded form) at baseband modem 106b. Baseband modem 106b may retrieve the system information instead of reading the system information over the air interface, thus saving time and power. Such may be performed in e.g. radio idle mode or radio connected mode, as the system information is locally stored. However, it is appreciated that the mobile terminal <NUM> may only be able to perform the "handshake" while a network connection is active, such as either while mobile terminal <NUM> is in radio connected mode or while a secondary network connection, such as e.g. WiFi, is active. Both radio connected mode and a secondary network connection (e.g. WiFi or any another access technology offering Internet access) may allow SIB cache application <NUM> to exchange data with SIB cache server <NUM>, e.g. as packet data using either mobile communication or WiFi protocols (e.g. over the Internet using WiFi, which may be available regardless of mobile terminal <NUM> is an radio idle mode or radio connected mode). Mobile terminal <NUM> may therefore perform a handshake between SIB cache application <NUM> and SIB cache server <NUM> e.g. each time mobile terminal enters into radio connected mode and/or obtains a secondary network connection. Furthermore, mobile terminal <NUM> may perform such a handshake each time the serving cell of mobile terminal <NUM> changes, and/or each time the system information of a serving cell changes (according to a system information value tag included in the system information).

Mobile terminal <NUM> may also provide newly obtained cell identity and/or system information to SIB cache server <NUM> during such a handshake. For example, mobile terminal <NUM> may have read system information from a given cell, which may be the current serving cell of mobile terminal <NUM>, e.g. as the desired system information for the given cell was not locally stored at mobile terminal <NUM>. Mobile terminal <NUM> may have read serving cell global identity system information (PLMN ID, Area Code, and Cell ID) from the primary system information message (e.g. SIB1 for LTE, MIB for UMTS, or SI Type <NUM> for GSM) and optionally further serving cell system information (paging information, power control information, multimedia (e.g. evolved Multicast Broadcast Multicast Services (eMBMS)) information, cell search/measurement parameters, etc.) from one or more further system information messages. Alternatively or additionally, mobile terminal <NUM> may have read cell identity information for one or more cells, including one or more neighbor cells of the current serving cell. Baseband modem <NUM> may have obtained the cell identity and system information and provided the cell identity and system information to SIB cache application <NUM>. As previously indicated, baseband modem <NUM> may provide the further cell system information in encoded form, e.g. as encoded system information messages, or may provide the further cell system information in decoded form, e.g. as decoded system information. Upon entering radio connected mode or obtaining a secondary network connection (e.g. WiFi), SIB cache application <NUM> may perform a handshake with SIB cache server <NUM> in order to provide SIB cache server <NUM> with the cell identity and system information. SIB cache server <NUM> may store the cell identity and system information, such as by storing the system information with the given cell in addition to creating/updating a proximate cell list for the current serving cell based on the cell identity information provided for the one or more neighbor cells. SIB cache server <NUM> may then utilize the newly stored cell identity and system information to provide further participating mobile terminals with cell identity and system information.

Accordingly, the cell identity information and cell system information received by SIB cache server <NUM> may be applied for specific purposes. SIB cache server <NUM> may store system information (in e.g. either encoded or decoded form) in order to provide the system information for one or more proximate cells to a serving cell identified by a mobile terminal. SIB cache server <NUM> may utilize cell identity information to identify proximate cells for each cell stored in database 300b. For example, SIB cache server <NUM> may receive cell identity and system information for a given serving cell from mobile terminal <NUM>. SIB cache server <NUM> may also receive cell identity information for one or more neighbor cells of the given serving, which mobile terminal <NUM> may have obtained while performing cell search and/or measurement while connected to the given serving cell. SIB cache server <NUM> may thus determine that the one or more neighbor cells are neighbor cells of the given serving cell, and may thus provide system information for the one or more neighbor cells to a mobile terminal indicating that its current serving cell is the given serving cell. SIB cache server <NUM> may identify further cells than cells specifically identified as a neighbor cell of the given serving cell, such as neighbor cells of neighbor cells and/or cells located in geographical proximity. Accordingly SIB cache server <NUM> may provide system information for one or more proximate cells for a given serving cell to a mobile terminal in response to the mobile terminal indicating the given serving cell is the current serving cell of the mobile terminal, where the one or more proximate cells may include cells explicitly identified as neighbor cells (e.g. during cell search and/or measurement) by a reporting mobile terminal, neighbor cells of neighbor cells, other cells located in geographic proximity to the given serving cell, etc. SIB cache server <NUM> may therefore utilize cell identity information for reported neighbor cells in order to determine proximate cell relations for each cell stored in database 300b.

<FIG> shows signal flow chart <NUM> further illustrating the operation of and interaction between mobile terminal <NUM> and SIB cache server <NUM>. Signal flow chart <NUM> may be relevant in scenarios in which mobile terminal <NUM> has connected to a new serving cell.

In <NUM>, baseband modem <NUM> may connect to a new serving cell, which for purposes of explanation may be located at e.g. base station <NUM>. Accordingly, baseband modem <NUM> may read one or more system information messages of the new serving cell over the air interface, such as at least SIB1 (e.g. the primary system information message) and SIB2 in an LTE configuration. Baseband modem <NUM> may therefore obtain cell system information (cell global identity system information from SIB1 and further cell system information from SIB2 and any further read SIBs) for the new serving cell in addition to cell identity information for the serving cell obtained during connection to the serving cell, and may provide cell identity and system information for the serving cell to SIB cache application <NUM> at <NUM>. Baseband modem <NUM> may provide at least the physical cell identity, RAT, and system frequency (cell identity information) in addition to system information (cell global identity system information from SIB <NUM> including PLMN ID, Area Code, Cell ID and any further cell system information from other SIBs including paging information, power control information, multimedia (e.g. eMBMS) information, cell search/measurement parameters, etc.) obtained from the system information messages to SIB cache application <NUM>. As previously indicated, baseband modem <NUM> may provide the further cell system information in encoded or decoded form.

Baseband modem <NUM> may have additionally performed cell search and/or cell measurements, and may have detected one or more neighbor cells of the current serving cell, which may be e.g. further cells of base station <NUM>, cells of base stations <NUM> or <NUM>, or cells of additional base stations not explicitly shown in <FIG>. Baseband modem <NUM> may e.g. have performed cell search/measurement during the connection process to find a new serving cell (i.e. prior to <NUM>), or may have performed cell search/measurement after connecting to the new serving cell at <NUM>. Baseband modem <NUM> may thus have obtained cell identity information (physical cell identity, RAT, and system frequency) of one or more neighbor cells of the current serving cell. Baseband modem <NUM> may also have obtained measurement results of the one or more neighbor cells of the current serving cell. Baseband modem <NUM> may additionally provide the neighbor cell identity information to SIB cache application at <NUM> (or e.g. may have previously provided the neighbor cell identity information to SIB cache application <NUM>).

For example, baseband modem <NUM> may have detected neighbor cells located at base stations <NUM>-<NUM> during cell search and/or measurement. Baseband modem <NUM> may therefore provide cell identity information (physical cell identity, RAT, and system frequency) to SIB cache application <NUM>, which as will be detailed may be subsequently utilized by SIB cache server <NUM> to identify proximate cell relations for the current serving cell.

Optionally (not explicitly shown in <FIG>), baseband modem <NUM> may read system information for one or more neighbor cells over the air interface, although this operation may be limited by due to the extended durations of time required to read system information over the air interface. Baseband modem <NUM> may similarly provide the neighbor cell system information to SIB cache application <NUM> at <NUM>.

In <NUM>-<NUM>, baseband modem <NUM> (and by extension mobile terminal <NUM>) may be in an idle state, and accordingly SIB cache application <NUM> may not be able to immediately transmit the obtained cell identity and system information to SIB cache server <NUM>. Baseband modem <NUM> may enter into a connected state at <NUM>, and may accordingly be configured with uplink radio resources sufficient to transmit uplink data to mobile communication network <NUM>, i.e. over air interface <NUM> to base station <NUM> in accordance with the current serving cell.

SIB cache application <NUM> may then perform a handshake operation with SIB cache server <NUM> at <NUM>-<NUM> in order to both provide SIB cache server <NUM> with newly obtained cell identity and system information and retrieve proximate cell system information for one or more proximate cells of the new serving cell. It is appreciated that the handshake operation with SIB cache server <NUM> may alternatively involve only a serving cell update by SIB cache application <NUM> and reception of system information for proximate cells at SIB cache application <NUM> from SIB cache server <NUM> (and accordingly no exchange of neighbor cell identity or system information).

SIB cache application <NUM> may at <NUM> provide SIB cache server <NUM> with the cell identity and system information obtained by baseband modem <NUM>, e.g. the current serving cell identity and system information, neighbor cell identity information (if available), and neighbor cell system information (if available). For example, SIB cache application <NUM> may provide SIB cache server with the system information and cell identity information of the current serving cell at base station <NUM> in addition to the neighbor cell identity information and measurements of the one or more neighbor cells of base stations <NUM>-<NUM>.

SIB cache server <NUM> may at <NUM> update database 300b based on the received cell identity and system information. SIB cache server <NUM> may contain a list of cell entries, where each cell entry specifies cell identity information (physical cell identity, RAT, and system frequency), a list of proximate cells to the cell of the cell entry, and system information (cell global identity system information and/or further cell system information including PLMN ID, Area Code, Cell ID, paging information, power control information, multimedia (e.g. eMBMS) information, cell search/measurement parameters, etc.), which may also correspond to a list of available system information for each cell entry, i.e. identifying which types of system information are available for each cell entry. SIB cache server <NUM> may create each cell entry upon receiving cell identity and system information for a given cell from a participating mobile terminal (via the baseband modem and SIB cache application of the participating mobile terminal) and may update each cell entry based on new relevant cell identity and/or system information.

If a cell entry exists for the current serving cell at database 300b, SIB cache server <NUM> may store the system information provided for the current serving cell at <NUM> with previously obtained cell identity and system information for the current serving cell. Alternatively, if no cell entry exists for the current serving cell at database 300b, SIB cache server <NUM> may create a new cell entry for the current serving cell using the cell identity and system information.

In order to create useful cell entries, SIB cache server <NUM> may create and update a proximate cell list for each cell entry, where the proximate cell list identifies proximate cells of the cell of the cell entry. For example, the proximate cell list may identify other cell entries corresponding to the identified proximate cells stored in database 300b. SIB cache server <NUM> may assign the proximate cell list for each cell entry based on cell identity information provided by participating mobile terminals.

For example, SIB cache server <NUM> may utilize the neighbor cell identity information provided by SIB cache application at <NUM> for the one or more cells of base stations <NUM>-<NUM> in order to update the proximate cell list for the serving cell entry in database 300b. As mobile terminal <NUM> has detected the one or more cells of base stations <NUM>-<NUM> as neighbor cells of the current serving cell during cell search and/or measurement, SIB cache server <NUM> may identify the one or more indicated neighbor cells as neighbor cells of the current serving cell. Accordingly, SIB cache server <NUM> may include the one or more indicated neighbor cells in the proximate cell list for the current serving cell entry in database 300b. If a cell entry already exists for the current serving cell, SIB cache server <NUM> may e.g. add any of the one or more neighbor cells provided at <NUM> to the proximate cell list for the current serving cell entry.

As previously indicated, the proximate cell list may refer to cell entries in database 300b each respectively corresponding to a proximate cell identified in the proximate cell list. For example, the current serving cell of mobile terminal <NUM> may be Cell1, of base station <NUM> as previously detailed. Baseband modem <NUM> and SIB cache application may have reported Cell5, Cell6, and Cell7 (each located at one of base stations <NUM>-<NUM>, although such is purely exemplary) as neighbor cells of Cell1 based on cell search and/or measurement results.

Accordingly, SIB cache server <NUM> may ensure that Cell5, Cell6, and Cell7 are included in the proximate cell list for the Cell1 entry in database 300b. In addition to providing cell identity information for each of Cell5, Cell6, and Cell7, the proximate cell list for Cell1 may specify the location within database 300b of the Cell5, Cell6, and Cell7 entries. It is appreciated that the proximate cell list may alternatively specify only a memory location and/or index as opposed to explicitly identifying the proximate cells with cell identity information.

In addition, the proximate cell list for Cell1 may additionally contain Cell10 and Cell12, which may be located at one of base stations <NUM>-<NUM>. SIB cache server <NUM> may have received previous information, e.g. from additional participating mobile terminals, that Cell10 and Cell12 are neighbor cells of Cell1.

Furthermore, database 300b may already contain cell entries with system information for each of Cell5, Cell7, and Cell12, where the location of the cell entries for Cell5, Cell7, and Cell12 are specified by the proximate cell list for Cell1. Additional participating mobile terminals may have provided the system information for Cell5, Cell7, and Cell12 at previous points in time in which the participating mobile terminals read the system information for Cell5, Cell7, or Cell12 over the air interface.

Accordingly, database 300b may retrieve any stored system information for Cell5, Cell7, and Cell12 from the respective cell entries at <NUM>. SIB cache server <NUM> may then complete the handshake operation in <NUM> by providing SIB cache application <NUM> with the cell identity and system information for each of Cell5, Cell7, and Cell12.

SIB cache application <NUM> may receive the proximate cell system information for Cell5, Cell7, and Cell12 at <NUM>, which are the proximate cells of current serving cell Cell1 as associated by SIB cache server <NUM> for which SIB cache server <NUM> has stored system information.

SIB cache application <NUM> may provide baseband modem <NUM> with the proximate cell system information (and cell identity information) at <NUM>. Baseband modem <NUM> may store the proximate cell system information along with the cell identity information at <NUM>, such as in non-volatile memory of baseband memory 106b.

Accordingly, baseband modem <NUM> may have locally stored system information for Cell5, Cell7, and Cell12, which were identified as proximate cells for the current serving cell Cell1. Therefore, if baseband modem <NUM> needs to access system information for one of Cell5, Cell7, and Cell12, such as by cell selection/reselection, handover, or CGI measurement reporting, baseband modem <NUM> may simply read the system information from baseband memory 106b as opposed to reading the system information over the air interface. Mobile terminal <NUM> may then provide a Radio Resource Control (RRC) layer of a protocol stack executed at digital processing circuit(s) 106a with the system information. Mobile terminal <NUM> may therefore save power in addition to performing faster acquisition of system information.

SIB cache server <NUM> may perform further analysis in order to identify the proximate cell list for each cell entry. Such procedures may be performed e.g. by processor 300a. In addition to identifying neighbor cells explicitly indicated by participating mobile terminals, SIB cache server <NUM> may also identify neighbor cells of neighbor cells, or further such relationships, as proximate cells of a given cell.

SIB cache server <NUM> may utilize further information in order to identify proximate cells of a given cell. For example, mobile terminal <NUM> may provide SIB cache server <NUM> with a geographic location, such as obtained via Global Positioning System (GPS), specifying a past or current location of mobile terminal <NUM>. SIB cache server <NUM> may utilize this information in order to select proximate cells to mobile terminal <NUM>, such as based on geographic locations, which may be previously provided by participating mobile terminals along with neighbor cell identity information or provided directly to SIB cache server <NUM>, such as by programming known geographic locations of base stations into SIB cache server <NUM> by e.g. an operator. SIB cache server <NUM> may thus utilize this information in order to select proximate cells to mobile terminal <NUM>.

Accordingly, SIB cache application <NUM> may be further configured to only provide SIB cache server <NUM> with a geographic location, or a geographic location in addition to the current serving cell. SIB cache server <NUM> may be configured to select proximate cells for which to provide system information to SIB cache application <NUM> based on the provided geographic location, current serving cell (if specified), and other previously obtained geographic information associated cell entries in SIB cache server <NUM>.

SIB cache server <NUM> may be configured to select a certain amount of cells as proximate cells of a given cell. For example, SIB cache server <NUM> may be e.g. configured to select <NUM> cells, <NUM> cells, etc. to store in the proximate cell list for each cell entry. Alternatively, SIB cache server <NUM> may store more cells in the proximate cell list for a given cell and select a certain amount to provide to a participating mobile terminal. Such variations are additionally embraced herein.

SIB cache server <NUM> may also be configured to select a set of preferred proximate cells for a given cell from a larger set of proximate cells. For example, SIB cache server <NUM> may analyze measurement results stored in SIB cache server <NUM> and/or provided by mobile terminal <NUM> in order to select which cells to provide system information to mobile terminal <NUM> as proximate cells of the current serving cell. For example, mobile terminal <NUM> may have performed a cell search and detected cells Cell3, Cell5, and Cell8 while connected to Cell1 as a serving cell. SIB cache server <NUM> may have Cell3, Cell4, Cell5, and Cell8 as proximate cells for the current cell entry of Cell1. As mobile terminal <NUM> did not detect Cell4, SIB cache server <NUM> may provide system information only for Cell3, Cell5, and Cell8 (i.e. the detected cells) to mobile terminal <NUM> in <NUM>. Many such similar variations are possible.

SIB cache server <NUM> may additionally analyze cell measurement results, e.g. signal power, signal quality, and/or signal strength, in a similar manner. SIB cache server <NUM> may also analyze measurements provided by other participating mobile terminals to identify which proximate cells for a given cell entry are consistently reported in conjunction with strong measurements. SIB cache server <NUM> may thus be weighted towards providing system information for proximate cells with strong measurements to a requesting mobile terminal as opposed to proximate cells with weak measurements.

Many different criteria for proximate cells may thus be provided. The exact criteria may be configurable, such as by a user of mobile terminal <NUM> operating SIB cache application <NUM>. For example, the user may select a quantity of proximate cells for which to receive system information from SIB cache server <NUM> for any current serving cell, and/or may specify criteria such as cell detection and/or measurements results as indicated above.

As numerous mobile terminals may participate in providing SIB cache server <NUM> with cell identity and system information over time, validity measures may need to be implemented in order to ensure that system information has not expired before use. For example, in an LTE network configuration, system information retrieved from SIB blocks may be assumed valid if it is less than <NUM> hours old and the SystemInfoValueTag Information Element (IE) in SIB1 does not indicate a system information change. Validity measures may be implemented in SIB cache application <NUM>, baseband modem <NUM>, and/or SIB cache server <NUM> in order to ensure that retrieved system information is still valid before utilizing such retrieved system information as opposed to reading new system information over the air interface.

As previously indicated, baseband modem <NUM> may apply locally stored system information for proximate cells in the event that baseband modem <NUM> may need to acquire system information for one of the proximate cells. For example, after <NUM> in signal flow chart <NUM>, baseband modem <NUM> may switch to a different serving cell than the new serving cell in <NUM>, such as a result of handover or radio release into radio idle mode (resulting in cell selection). Accordingly, baseband modem <NUM> may need to read system information for the second serving cell, which may differ based on whether the switch was a result of handover or radio release.

Regardless, baseband modem <NUM> may need to read multiple system information messages from the second serving cell. In an LTE configuration, baseband modem <NUM> may need to read at least SIB1 and SIB2 if baseband modem <NUM> is connected to the second serving cell in radio idle mode and one or more additional SIBs if baseband modem <NUM> is connected to the second serving cell in radio connected mode.

As a result of the handshake procedure in <NUM>-<NUM> and local storage in <NUM>-<NUM>, baseband modem <NUM> may already have the system information for the second serving cell locally stored, i.e. as SIB cache server <NUM> identified the second serving cell a proximate cell of the original serving cell in <NUM> and subsequently provided SIB cache application <NUM> with system information for the second serving cell. However, baseband modem <NUM> may be unsure if the locally stored system information for the second serving cell is still valid, as the system information may have changed. Accordingly, in an LTE configuration assuming baseband modem <NUM> received SIB1, SIB2, and optionally one or more further SIBs of the second serving cell from SIB cache server <NUM>, baseband modem <NUM> may read SIB1 from the second serving cell over the air interface in order to read the SystemInfoValueTag IE from SIB <NUM>, which indicates whether system information has changed. Baseband modem <NUM> may compare the SystemInfoValueTag from the air interface-read SIB1 to the SystemInfoValueTag from the locally stored SIB1 of the second serving cell. If the SystemInfoValueTag IEs match, baseband modem <NUM> may determine that the system information has not changed, and may proceed to utilize information in locally stored SIB2 and any other further required locally stored SIBs as opposed to performing a fresh SIB reading over the air interface. However, if SystemInfoValueTag IEs do not match, baseband modem <NUM> may determine that the system information has changed, and accordingly the locally stored system information is invalid.

In certain cases, such as CGI reporting, the serving cell may instruct baseband modem <NUM> to identify the global identity, i.e. CGI, of a target cell. In accordance with an LTE configuration, baseband modem <NUM> may need the Cell ID, PLMN ID, and Tracking Area Code (TAC) provided in SIB1 (i.e. cell global identity system information) in order to determine the CGI of a target cell. Accordingly, performing such a validity check may not be useful, as baseband modem <NUM> may need to perform a fresh air interface read of SIB1 in order to perform the validity check, thereby obtaining the required information to identify the CGI of a target cell. However, SIB1 information, in particular Cell ID, PLMN ID, and TAC, may be substantially static and change very infrequently. Accordingly, while system information contained in other SIBs may change more frequently, in many cases it may be acceptable to assume that SIB1 information is static. Accordingly, in the case of CGI reporting baseband modem <NUM> may simply utilize a locally stored SIB1 for a CGI target cell without performing any validity check. Alternatively, baseband modem <NUM> may perform a validity check entirely based on time, such as by utilizing a timestamp associated with the locally stored SIB1 for the CGI target cell to evaluate whether the locally stored SIB1 is likely valid or invalid.

Further scenarios involving only reading of SIB <NUM>, such as for determining if a given cell is reserved or barred to evaluate suitability of a cell for connection, may utilize a similar procedure as detailed above regarding CGI reporting.

Timestamps may thus be utilized in addition to the aforementioned <NUM> hour time window and SystemInfoValueTag. For example, SIB cache server <NUM> may assign a timestamp to system information stored in database 300b, and may periodically remove system information with timestamps that are sufficiently old. Alternatively, SIB cache server <NUM> may evaluate system information before transmitting the system information to a requesting SIB cache application in order to determine whether the system information has expired based on an attached timestamp.

Signal flow chart <NUM> may also be relevant in scenarios in which system information of the current serving cell of mobile terminal <NUM> has changed, e.g. similarly to as introduced above regarding SystemInfoValueTag in SIB1 for an LTE configuration.

For example, as opposed to connecting to a new serving cell in <NUM>, baseband modem <NUM> may read SIB1 over the air interface from the current serving cell. Baseband modem <NUM> may determine that the SystemInfoValueTag in SIB1 has changed, thus signaling that system information in one or more SIBs has changed. Accordingly, baseband modem <NUM> may read one or more further SIBs and provide the system information to SIB cache application at <NUM>. Upon entering connected state in <NUM>, SIB cache application <NUM> may provide the new system information for the current serving cell to SIB cache server <NUM> in <NUM>. SIB cache server <NUM> may then update the cell entry for the current serving cell in database 300b. Accordingly, other participating mobile terminals requesting system information for the current serving cell (by way of proximate cell associations) may receive updated system information for the current serving cell.

Accordingly, handshake operations between SIB cache application <NUM> and SIB cache server <NUM> may occur in connected state (relative to baseband modem <NUM>) after a baseband modem <NUM> connects to a new serving cell and/or after a system information change for a current serving cell. It is noted that baseband modem <NUM> may connect to a new serving cell during either idle state or connected state, such as for cell selection/reselection or handover, respectively. Baseband modem <NUM> may in both aforementioned scenarios read system information from the new serving cell and provide the system information to SIB cache application <NUM> for transmission to SIB cache server <NUM>.

In addition to ensuring SIB cache server <NUM> has updated system information, it may be important for SIB cache application <NUM> to perform handshakes following new serving cell connections in order to ensure that baseband modem <NUM> has system information for relevant proximate cells to the new serving cell locally stored in baseband memory 106b. As SIB cache server <NUM> may have a different proximate cell list for each cell in database 300b, SIB cache application <NUM> may perform handshakes with SIB cache server <NUM> after each new serving cell connection in order to obtain system information for the most relevant proximate cells to the new serving cell to provide to baseband modem <NUM> for local storage. Such may result in a higher probability that any target cells identified by baseband modem <NUM> for system information acquisition (i.e. following cell selection/reselection, handover, or CGI reporting) correspond to locally stored system information at baseband modem <NUM>, thus avoiding the need for fresh air interface system information reading.

SIB cache application <NUM> may additionally periodically perform handshakes with SIB cache server <NUM> when baseband modem <NUM> is in radio connected mode and/or mobile terminal <NUM> has an active secondary network connection (e.g. WiFi). For example, SIB cache application <NUM> may perform handshakes with SIB cache server <NUM> in order to retrieve updated system information for any proximate cells of the current serving cell of baseband modem <NUM>. Additionally, SIB cache application <NUM> may perform handshakes with SIB cache server <NUM> in order to receive system information from SIB cache server <NUM> for any proximate cells that have been newly associated with the current serving cell, such as cells that have been added to the proximate cell list for the current serving cell entry since the last handshake. Such may ensure current system information for proximate cells is locally stored at baseband modem <NUM>.

It is appreciated that system information for proximate cells may be locally stored at non-volatile memory of baseband memory 106b, thus ensuring that the proximate cell system information is available following a power-down scenario.

<FIG> shows signal flow chart <NUM> further illustrating the operation of and interaction between mobile terminal <NUM> and SIB cache server <NUM>. Signal flow chart <NUM> may be relevant in scenarios in which mobile terminal <NUM> has obtained new neighbor cell identity information (and/or system information, if available).

Baseband modem <NUM> may obtain new neighbor cell identity information and/or measurements in <NUM>. For example, baseband modem <NUM> may perform cell measurements, a cell search, a PLMN search, etc., and accordingly detect one or more neighbor cells for the current serving cell of baseband modem <NUM>. Baseband modem <NUM> may execute <NUM> as part of standard procedures, or e.g. may explicitly trigger <NUM> in order to obtain neighbor cell identity and/or measurements for the purpose of updating SIB cache server <NUM>. Although not explicitly shown in <FIG>, baseband modem <NUM> may optionally in addition read system information for one or more neighbor cells over the air interface in order to provide the system information to SIB cache server <NUM>.

Baseband modem <NUM> may provide the obtained neighbor cell identity information and measurements (and cell system information, if available) to SIB cache application <NUM> in <NUM>. However, baseband modem <NUM> may be in an idle state following <NUM>, and accordingly SIB cache application <NUM> may not be able to perform a handshake with SIB cache server <NUM>. In <NUM>, baseband modem <NUM> may enter a connected state, and accordingly may be configured with uplink radio resources to transmit uplink data. SIB cache application <NUM> may accordingly perform a handshake with SIB cache server <NUM>. SIB cache application <NUM> may provide the neighbor cell identity information and measurements (and cell system information, if available) to SIB cache server <NUM> in <NUM>. SIB cache server <NUM> may utilize the neighbor cell identity information and measurements to update the proximate cell list for the current serving cell of baseband modem <NUM> in database 300b based on the received neighbor cell identity information and measurements in <NUM>. Additionally, SIB cache server <NUM> may update system information for the one or more neighbor cell entries if system information was provided by SIB cache application <NUM> for any of the neighbor cells.

As previously detailed, SIB cache server <NUM> may contain at database 300b a list of cell entries, where each cell entry corresponds to cell identity information, system information (cell global identity system information (PLMN ID, Area Code, Cell ID) and optionally further cell system information), a list of available system information, such as e.g. stored specific SIBs, and a proximate cell list. In order to effectively store the system information for a given cell, SIB cache server <NUM> may store the system information in encoded form, i.e. as a baseband or intermediate frequency signal before decoding and demodulation is performed. Accordingly, baseband modem <NUM> may provide, via SIB cache application <NUM>, entire system information messages in encoded form to SIB cache server <NUM> during handshake operations. Similarly, SIB cache server <NUM> may provide, via SIB cache application <NUM>, entire system information messages in encoded form to baseband modem <NUM>. Upon determining the need to utilize locally stored system information, baseband modem <NUM> may decode the encoded system information in order to acquire specific system information parameters contained therein.

Alternately, SIB cache server <NUM> may store system information in decoded form, such as by receiving system information messages from baseband modem <NUM> in decoded form.

The above disclosure details interactions between baseband modem <NUM> and SIB cache application <NUM> executed on application processor <NUM>. Such interaction may be facilitated through the use of Attention (AT) commands, such as AT commands to trigger a neighbor cell search at baseband modem <NUM>, AT commands to retrieve all detected neighbor cells from baseband modem <NUM>, AT commands to retrieve SIBs of a serving cell from baseband modem <NUM>, AT commands to update SIB cache in non-volatile memory of baseband memory 106b, etc..

<FIG> shows a flow chart illustrating method <NUM> for performing wireless communications according to the invention. In <NUM>, method <NUM> transmits communication data indicating a serving cell, the communication data intended for a server. In <NUM>, method <NUM> receives system information of one or more proximate cells of the serving cell in response to the communication data. Method <NUM> then determines if system information of a target cell is included in the received system information of the one or more proximate cells in <NUM>. In <NUM>, if the system information of the target cell is included in the received system information of the one or more proximate cells, method <NUM> applys the received system information of the target cell to transmit or receive wireless data.

In one or more further exemplary aspects of the disclosure, one or more of the features described above in reference to <FIG> may be further incorporated into method <NUM>. In particular, method <NUM> may be configured to perform further and/or alternate processes as detailed regarding mobile terminal <NUM>.

<FIG> shows a flow chart illustrating method <NUM> for performing wireless communications. In <NUM>, method <NUM> may receive neighbor cell identity information of one or more neighbor cells of a first cell, the neighbor cell identity information of the one or more
neighbor cells of the first cell derived from a first mobile terminal. Method <NUM> may then receive communication data from a second mobile terminal indicating that the first cell is a serving cell of the second mobile terminal in <NUM>. Method <NUM> may then identify one or more proximate cells of the first cell using the neighbor cell identity information in <NUM>. In <NUM>, method <NUM> may transmit system information of the one or more proximate cells to the second mobile terminal.

In one or more further exemplary aspects of the disclosure, one or more of the features described above in reference to <FIG> may be further incorporated into method <NUM>. In particular, method <NUM> may be configured to perform further and/or alternate processes as detailed regarding SIB cache server <NUM>.

<FIG> shows a flow chart illustrating method <NUM> for performing wireless communications between a first mobile terminal and a server. Method <NUM> may in <NUM> receive, at the server, first communication data comprising neighbor cell identity information for one or more neighbor cells of a first cell from a second mobile terminal. In <NUM>, method <NUM> may receive, at the server, second communication data from the first mobile terminal indicating that the first cell is a serving cell of the first mobile terminal. Method <NUM> may then identify, at the server, one or more proximate cell of the first cell using the neighbor cell identity information in <NUM>. In <NUM>, method <NUM> may receive, at the server, one or more proximate cell of the first cell using the neighbor cell identity information. In <NUM>, method <NUM> may determine, at the first mobile terminal, if system information of a target cell is included in the received system information of the one or more proximate cells. If the system information of the target cell is included in the received system information of the one or more proximate cells, method <NUM> may apply the received system information of the target cell at the first mobile terminal to transmit or receive wireless data in <NUM>.

In one or more further exemplary aspects of the disclosure, one or more of the features described above in reference to <FIG> may be further incorporated into method <NUM>. In particular, method <NUM> may be configured to perform further and/or alternate processes as detailed regarding mobile terminal <NUM> and/or SIB cache server <NUM>.

It is appreciated that implementations of methods detailed herein are demonstrative in nature, and are thus understood as capable of being implemented in a corresponding device. Likewise, it is appreciated that implementations of devices detailed herein are understood as capable of being implemented as a corresponding method. It is thus understood that a device corresponding to a method detailed herein may include a one or more components configured to perform each aspect of the related method.

Claim 1:
A mobile terminal device (<NUM>) comprising:
a radio processing circuit (<NUM>) configured to:
receive system information of a serving cell from the serving cell;
transmit communication data indicating a serving cell, including the received system information of the serving cell, the communication data intended for a server (<NUM>);
receive system information of one or more proximate cells (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) of the serving cell indicated by the communication data from the server (<NUM>); and
store the system information of the one or more proximate cells (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>);
the mobile terminal device (<NUM>) further comprising a baseband processing circuit (<NUM>) configured to:
determine, based on the stored system information of the one or more proximate cells (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) if system information of a target cell is included in the received system information of the one or more proximate cells (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>); and
if the system information of the target cell is included in the received system information of the one or more proximate cells (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>), apply the received system information of the target cell to control the radio processing circuit (<NUM>) to transmit or receive data.