Targeted user equipment-base station communication link

• US 10,172,078 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2018
• Issued: 01/01/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oceus Networks Inc.
• Original Assignee: Oceus Networks Inc.
• Inventors: Graffagnino, Vincent Charles, Stiles, Kevin Dean
• Primary Examiner(s): Sivji, Nizar
• Application Number:
  US15/942,208
• Publication Number:
  US 20180288687A1
• Time in Patent Office: 277 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/10 using broadcasted information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/20 Selecting an access point

Abstract

A mobile device can receive information blocks from one or more base stations, which can be emitted by the base stations within a particular radio band. The mobile device can identify base stations in an exclusivity state. The mobile device can establish a communication link with one of the base stations in the exclusivity state. In some cases, the mobile device can establish a communication link with the base stations that is in an exclusivity state and that matches a cell identifier stored on the mobile device.

Claims

1. A method for establishing a communication link between a user equipment and a base station of a UE-base station pair, the method comprising:

scanning one or more frequency bands for broadcast signals;

receiving at a user equipment (UE), first information blocks from a plurality of base stations;

determining a strength and quality of a signal from each of the plurality of base stations based on the first information blocks;

receiving at the UE, second information blocks from the plurality of base stations, wherein the UE stores a cell identifier identifying a particular base station that is part of a UE-base station pair that also includes the UE;

identifying at least one base station of the plurality of base stations that is broadcasting an exclusivity parameter indicating that the at least one base station is not available for connection based on the second information blocks;

determining that a cell identifier identifying the at least one base station matches the cell identifier identifying the particular base station that is part of the UE-base station pair;

determining that the strength and quality of the signal from the at least one base station satisfies a signal strength and quality threshold; and

initiating a request to connect to the at least one base station based on identifying the at least one base station is broadcasting the exclusivity parameter, determining that the cell identifier identifying the at least one base station matches the cell identifier identifying the particular base station that is part of the UE-base station pair, and determining that the strength and quality of the signal from the at least one base station satisfies the signal strength and quality threshold.

2. A method for establishing a communication link with a base station, the method comprising:

receiving broadcast signals from one or more base stations;

identifying at least one base station of the one or more base stations that is broadcasting an exclusivity parameter indicating that the at least one base station is not available for connection; and

initiating a request to connect to the at least one base station based at least in part on the exclusivity parameter, a determination that a base station identifier identifying the at least one base station matches a base station identifier identifying a particular base station that is part of a UE-base station pair, and a determination that a strength and quality of at least one broadcast signal of the broadcast signals from the at least one base station satisfies a signal strength and quality threshold.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

identifying a first base station of the one or more base stations that is not broadcasting the exclusivity parameter; and

determining not to initiate a request to connect to the first base station based on absence of the exclusivity parameter.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising reviewing the broadcast signals to identify the base station identifier corresponding to the at least one base station.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising reviewing the broadcast signals to identify the strength and quality of the at least one broadcast signal from the at least one base station.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the broadcast signals comprise bandwidth information for the one or more base stations at a particular frequency band, wherein the determination that the strength and quality of the at least one broadcast signal from the at least one base station satisfies the signal strength and quality threshold is based at least in part on the bandwidth information.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the request to connect to the at least one base station comprises a request for a primary communication link, wherein the primary communication link enables a UE within a network that is accessible via the at least one base station to communicate with other devices within the network that is accessible via the at least one base station.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the request to connect is a second request to connect, wherein the method further comprises:

initiating a first request to connect to the at least one base station, wherein the first request comprises a request for a preliminary communication link between the UE and the at least one base station based at least in part on the determination that the strength and quality of the at least one broadcast signal from the at least one base station satisfies the signal strength and quality threshold, wherein the preliminary communication link does not enable the UE to communicate with the other devices within the network that is accessible via the at least one base station.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein the initiating the request to connect comprises providing the at least one base station with an access identifier, wherein the at least one base station uses the access identifier to determine whether to permit a UE within a network that is accessible via the at least one base station to connect to the at least one base station.

10. The method of claim 2, wherein each of the one or more base stations transmits the broadcast signals over overlapping frequency bands.

11. The method of claim 2, further comprising determining that the at least one base station is in an exclusivity state based at least in part on the broadcast signals.

12. A system for establishing a communication link between a user equipment (UE) and a base station of a UE-base station pair, the system comprising:

a UE configured to;

receive broadcast signals from one or more base stations;

identify at least one base station of the one or more base stations that is broadcasting an exclusivity parameter indicating that the at least one base station is not available for connection; and

initiate a request to connect to the at least one base station based on the exclusivity parameter, a determination that a base station identifier identifying the at least one base station matches a base station identifier identifying a particular base station that is part of a UE-base station pair that is associated with the UE, and a determination that a strength and quality of at least one broadcast signal from the at least one base station satisfies a signal strength and quality threshold.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the UE is further configured to:

identify a first base station of the one or more base stations that is not broadcasting the exclusivity parameter; and

determine not to initiate a request to connect to the first base station based on absence of the exclusivity parameter.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the request to connect to the at least one base station is a second request, wherein the second request is for a primary communication link that enables the UE to communicate with other devices within a network that is accessible via the at least one base station, wherein the UE is further configured to:

initiate a first request to connect to the at least one base station prior to the second request, wherein the first request comprises a request for a preliminary communication link between the UE and the at least one base station based at least in part on the determination that the strength and quality of the at least one broadcast signal from the at least one base station satisfies the signal strength and quality threshold, wherein the preliminary communication link does not enable the UE to communicate with the other devices within the network that is accessible via the at least one base station.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein to initiate the request to connect, the UE is further configured to provide the at least one base station with an access identifier, wherein the at least one base station uses the access identifier to determine whether to permit the UE to connect to the at least one base station.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein each of the one or more base stations transmits the broadcast signals over overlapping frequency bands.