Telecommunication system for relaying cellular coverage

• US 10,244,568 B2
• Filed: 10/13/2015
• Issued: 03/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vodafone IP Licensing Limited (Vodafone Group PLC)
• Original Assignee: Vodafone IP Licensing Limited (Vodafone Group PLC)
• Inventors: Murray, Eric, Cosimini, Peter, Del Bo, Marco Angelo Pietro, Monedero, Javier, Elbasyouny, Tarek, Vazquez, Maria
• Primary Examiner(s): Elliott, IV, Benjamin H
• Application Number:
  US15/518,540
• Publication Number:
  US 20170245311A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,260 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/033 of the user plane, e.g. user's traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/26 Cell enhancers or enhancement, e.g. for tunnels, building shadow
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/22 using selective relaying for reaching a BTS [Base Transceiver Station] or an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/12 Setup of transport tunnels
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/047 using dedicated repeater stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements

Abstract

A cellular telecommunications network architecture is described where certain UEs are configured to assist the network to improve coverage in regions of poor radio conditions. In certain embodiments, appropriate UEs are selected to act as a dynamic, out-of-band coverage extensions. Network performance can thereby be improved when serving users at the cell edge (or in other poor radio condition regions of a cell). Data from UEs connected to those assisting UEs is encrypted to allow secure transit of data without requiring modification to the RAN or Core Network.

Claims

1. A cellular communication device configured to provide an aggregator function, the cellular communication device comprising

a radio system for establishing a wireless connection to a cellular radio area network;

a base station radio system configured to act as a base station for establishing cellular wireless connections with one or more other cellular communication devices; and

a security function configured to establish a secure connection with a cellular core network, via a cellular radio area network to which the radio system has established a wireless connection;

wherein the secure connection is utilized to carry data from and to the base station radio system and is carried, at least in part, by a further secure connection between a base station of the macro radio area network and a macro security gateway of the core network, and using an aggregator Access Point Name (APN) of the cellular core network used only by devices providing aggregator functions, to an aggregator security gateway of the cellular core network, the aggregator APN providing access to the aggregator security gateway.

2. A cellular communication device according to claim 1, wherein the radio system and the base station radio system operate according to the same cellular standard.

3. A cellular communication device according to claim 2, wherein the cellular standard is LTE.

4. A cellular communication device according to claim 1, wherein the secure connection is established to a security gateway of the cellular core network.

5. A cellular communication device according to claim 1, wherein the secure connection is utilized to carry S1 communication links between the base station radio system and the cellular core network.

6. A communications network for providing cellular communications to mobile devices, the network comprising,

a cellular macro radio area network;

a cellular core network connected to the macro radio area network,

a cellular communication device comprising

a radio system having a cellular wireless connection to the macro radio area network;

a base station radio system configured to act as a base station for establishing cellular wireless connections with one or more other cellular communication devices;

a security function having a secure connection with the cellular core network via the cellular wireless connection to the cellular macro radio area network;

wherein the secure connection is utilized to carry data from and to the base station radio system and wherein the communications system is configured such that the secure connection is carried, at least in part, by a further secure connection between a base station of the macro radio area network and a macro security gateway of the cellular core network, and using an aggregator Access Point Name (APN) of the cellular core network used only by devices providing aggregator functions, to an aggregator security gateway of the core network, the aggregator APN providing access to the aggregator security gateway.

7. A communications network according to claim 6, wherein the secure connection is established to an aggregator security gateway of the cellular core network.

8. A communication network according to claim 6, wherein the security function utilizes the IPSec security protocol.

9. A method of communication between an aggregator device and a cellular core network, the method comprising the steps of

establishing a cellular connection from a base station radio subsystem of the aggregator device to a mobile device, wherein the aggregator device acts as a base station in the connection;

establishing a cellular connection from a radio device of the aggregator device to a base station of a macro cellular radio area network; and

establishing a secure connection between a security function of the aggregator device and the cellular core network via the macro cellular radio area network, wherein the secure connection is utilized to carry data from and to the base station radio subsystem of the aggregator device and is carried, at least in part, by a further secure connection between a base station of the macro radio area network and a macro security gateway of the core network, and using an aggregator Access Point Name (APN) of the cellular core network used only by devices providing aggregator functions, to an aggregator security gateway of the cellular core network, the aggregator APN providing access to the aggregator security gateway.

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein the secure connection is established to an aggregator security gateway of the core network.

11. A method according to claim 9, wherein the secure connection from the aggregator to the cellular core network is established using the IPSec protocol.

12. A method according to claim 9, wherein the secure connection is utilized to carry S1 communication links between the base station radio subsystem of the aggregator device and the cellular core network.

13. A method according to claim 9, wherein the secure connection enables direct addressing of the base station radio subsystem of the aggregator device from the cellular core network.