Systems, methods, and computer program products for managing access to femtocell coverage

• US 10,051,549 B2
• Filed: 07/24/2017
• Issued: 08/14/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Fan, James, Liu, Cheng P., Kuo, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Dinh P
• Application Number:
  US15/657,577
• Publication Number:
  US 20170325154A1
• Time in Patent Office: 386 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5061 Pools of addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/04 Reselecting a cell layer in multi-layered cells
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/36 due to handover
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/14 using user query or user detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/11 Allocation or use of connection identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B

Abstract

Systems, methods, and computer program products are disclosed for managing access to a femtocell coverage area. An exemplary method includes storing in a memory component a first identifier corresponding to a subscribed service of a communication device and a second identifier corresponding to a user of the communication device, and granting access to the femtocell coverage area using the second identifier.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

granting, by a femtocell access system comprising a processor, using a first identifier corresponding to a service to which a first communication device is subscribed, the first communication device temporary access to a femtocell to facilitate obtaining a second identifier, wherein the femtocell is associated with a femtocell coverage area;

generating, by the femtocell access system, a second identifier request comprising a plurality of second identifiers, wherein the plurality of second identifiers comprise the second identifier;

sending, by the femtocell access system, using the first identifier, the second identifier request to the first communication device;

in response to the second identifier request, receiving, by the femtocell access system, during the temporary access, second identifier response from the first communication device, wherein the second identifier response comprises of the second identifier selected by a user of the first communication device from the plurality of second identifiers of the second identifier request sent to the first communication device by the femtocell access system; and

granting, by the femtocell access system, the first communication device access to the femtocell to facilitate local routing of communications between the first communication device and a second communication device located within the femtocell coverage area, wherein the local routing of the communications occurs within the femtocell coverage area, and wherein the second identifier selected by the user of the first communication device is used for the local routing.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the service to which the first communication device is subscribed is provided by a macrocell network operated by a mobile network operator.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the mobile network operator is associated with the femtocell coverage area.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the femtocell coverage area is independent of the mobile network operator.

5. The method of the claim 1, wherein the first identifier comprises a macrocell access identifier used to access the service to which the first communication device is subscribed.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the second identifier is associated with the user of the first communication device and is independent of the first communication device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein granting the first communication device the temporary access to the femtocell is in response to receiving information related to the first communication device indicating that the first communication device is within the femtocell coverage area.

8. A femtocell access system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory that stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising

granting, using a first identifier corresponding to a service to which a first communication device is subscribed, the first communication device temporary access to a femtocell to facilitate obtaining a second identifier, wherein the femtocell is associated with a femtocell coverage area,

generating a second identifier request comprising a plurality of second identifiers, wherein the plurality of second identifiers comprise the second identifier,

sending, using the first identifier, the second identifier request to the first communication device,

in response to the second identifier request, receiving, from the first communication device, during the temporary access, a second identifier response from the first communication device, wherein the second identifier response comprises the second identifier selected by a user of the first communication device from the plurality of second identifiers of the second identifier request sent to the first communication device by the femtocell access system, and

granting the first communication device access to the femtocell to facilitate local routing of communications between the first communication device and a second communication device located within the femtocell coverage area, wherein the local routing of the communications occurs within the femtocell coverage area, and wherein the second identifier selected by the user of the first communication device is used for the local routing.

9. The femtocell access system of claim 8, wherein the service to which the first communication device is subscribed is provided by a macrocell network operated by a mobile network operator.

10. The femtocell access system of claim 9, wherein the mobile network operator is associated with the femtocell coverage area.

11. The femtocell access system of claim 9, wherein the femtocell coverage area is independent of the mobile network operator.

12. The femtocell access system of claim 8, wherein the first identifier comprises a macrocell access identifier used to access the service to which the first communication device is subscribed.

13. The femtocell access system of claim 8, wherein the second identifier is associated with the user of the first communication device and is independent of the first communication device.

14. The femtocell access system of claim 8, wherein granting the first communication device the temporary access to the femtocell is in response to receiving information related to the first communication device indicating that the first communication device is within the femtocell coverage area.

15. A computer-readable storage device comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor of a femtocell access system, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

granting, using a first identifier corresponding to a service to which a first communication device is subscribed, the first communication device temporary access to a femtocell to facilitate obtaining a second identifier, wherein the femtocell is associated with a femtocell coverage area;

generating a second identifier request comprising a plurality of second identifiers, wherein the plurality of second identifiers comprise the second identifier;

sending, using the first identifier, the second identifier request to the first communication device;

in response to the second identifier request, receiving, from the first communication device, during the temporary access, a second identifier response from the first communication device, wherein the second identifier response comprises the second identifier selected by a user of the first communication device from the plurality of second identifiers of the second identifier request sent to the first communication device by the femtocell access system; and

granting the first communication device access to the femtocell to facilitate local routing of communications between the first communication device and a second communication device located within the femtocell coverage area, wherein the local routing of the communications occurs within the femtocell coverage area, and wherein the second identifier selected by the user of the first communication device is used for the local routing.

16. The computer-readable storage device of claim 15, wherein the service to which the first communication device is subscribed is provided by a macrocell network operated by a mobile network operator, and wherein the mobile network operator is associated with the femtocell coverage area.

17. The computer-readable storage device of claim 15, wherein the service to which the first communication device is subscribed is provided by a macrocell network operated by a mobile network operator, and wherein the femtocell coverage area is independent of the mobile network operator.

18. The computer-readable storage device of claim 15, wherein the first identifier comprises a macrocell access identifier used to access the service to which the first communication device is subscribed.

19. The computer-readable storage device of claim 15, wherein the second identifier is associated with the user of the first communication device and is independent of the first communication device.

20. The computer-readable storage device of claim 15, wherein granting the first communication device the temporary access to the femtocell is in response to receiving information related to the first communication device indicating that the first communication device is within the femtocell coverage area.