Closed user group service in a mobile communication system

• US 20020131407A1
• Filed: 03/07/2002
• Published: 09/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Muhonen, Ahti
• Granted Patent: US 7,197,034 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/185 with management of multicast group membership
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/189 in combination with wireless systems selective distribution or broadcast in wireless communication networks H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2044 Group features, e.g. closed user group
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/38 Graded-service arrangements, i.e. some subscribers prevented from establishing certain connections queuing arrangements H04Q3/64
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42017 Customized ring-back tones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/436 Arrangements for screening incoming calls , i.e. evaluating the characteristics of a call before deciding whether to answer it based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; diversion H04M3/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/20 Manipulation of established connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/40 for selective distribution or broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/186 Processing of subscriber group data

Abstract

A method and apparatus for providing closed user group service in a packet radio system, which comprises at least one network and at least one group comprising a plurality of subscribers. The closed user group access conditions for at least one subscriber are determined in the network, the access conditions comprise at least one of the following conditions:

right to communicate with parties outside the group,

right to communicate with at least one member of the group without communicating with all members of the group.

The access conditions are checked when packets are being sent to/from the subscriber. The packets are transferred if the access conditions allow the transmission.

Claims

1. A method of providing closed user group service in a mobile communication system enabling packet-switched data services and comprising at least one network element controlling point to multipoint packet services and at least one group comprising a plurality of group subscribers, the method comprising:

determining for said network element closed user group access conditions for at least one subscriber belonging to the group, said access conditions comprising at least one of the following conditions;

right to send/receive packets to/from parties outside the group,

right to send/receive packets to/from a part of the group substantially simultaneously without communicating with all members of the group,

checking said access conditions in said network element when packets are being sent to/from at least one subscriber, and

transferring packets from said network element to desired addresses if said access conditions allow the transmission.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the addresses that are allowed are determined in said access conditions.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein outgoing and incoming access conditions separately are determined in said access conditions.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein adjacent packets are transferred without rechecking said access conditions after first packet, in response to the checking of said access conditions of the first packet and the source and the destination addresses in the adjacent packets being the same as in the first packet.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein a group is selected for the subscriber during the activation of data transfer arrangement for a mobile station of the subscriber, and

the access conditions of the selected group are used when packets to/from the subscriber are being sent until the data transfer arrangement is deactivated or reconfigured.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein

the data transfer arrangement is packet data protocol PDP context.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the used group is identified when data packets are being sent, and

the access conditions of the identified group are used for the data packets.

8. A mobile telecommunications system providing packet-switched data services and comprising at least one network element controlling point to multipoint packet services and at least one group comprising a plurality of group subscribers, wherein the network comprises means for determining closed user group access conditions for at least one subscriber belonging to the group, said access conditions comprising at least one of the following conditions:

right to send/receive packets to/from parties outside the group,

right to send/receive packets to/from a part of the group substantially simultaneously without communicating with all members of the group,

said network element is configured to check said access conditions when packets are being sent to/from at least one subscriber and

said network element is configured to transfer packets to desired addresses if said access conditions allow the transmission.

9. A mobile telecommunications system according to claim 8, wherein said access conditions comprise allowed addresses and/or separate conditions for outgoing and incoming packets.

10. A mobile telecommunications system according to claim 8, wherein said network element is configured to transfer adjacent packets without rechecking said access conditions after first packet, in response to the checking of said access conditions of the first packet and the source and the destination addresses in the adjacent packets being the same as in the first packet.

11. A mobile telecommunications system according to claim 8, wherein said network element is configured to select a group for the subscriber during the activation of data transfer arrangement for a mobile station of the subscriber, and

said network element is configured to use the access conditions of the selected group when packets to/from the subscriber are being sent until the data transfer arrangement is deactivated or reconfigured.

12. A mobile telecommunications system according to claim 11, wherein the data transfer arrangement is packet data protocol PDP context.

13. A mobile telecommunications system according to claim 8, wherein said network element is configured to identify the used group when data packets are being sent, and

said network element is configured to use the access conditions of the identified group for the data packets.

14. A network element controlling point to multipoint packet services in a packet radio system, wherein said network element comprises means for determining access conditions for at least one subscriber belonging to at least one closed user group, said access conditions comprising at least one of the following conditions:

right to send/receive packets to/from parties outside the group,

right to send/receive packets to/from a part of the group substantially simultaneously without communicating with all members of the group,

said network element comprises means for checking said access conditions when packets are being sent to/from at least one subscriber and

said network element is configured to send packets if said access conditions allow the transmission.