Method and apparatus for location area updating in cellular communications

• US 20030040313A1
• Filed: 08/21/2001
• Published: 02/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Ostrup, Nils Peter, Hogan, William Damian
• Granted Patent: US 7,181,212 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/435.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/02 Access restriction performed under specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/10 using broadcasted information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/12 using downlink control channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/14 using user query or user detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/00 Affiliation to network, e.g. registration; Terminating affiliation with the network, e.g. de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/04 using triggered events
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

A radio access network provides information to a mobile radio terminal indicating a list of one or more geographic coverage areas from which the mobile radio terminal may or may not obtain service. In the preferred example embodiment, a “forbidden” list includes one or more geographic coverage areas from which the mobile radio terminal may not obtain service. The mobile checks the received information when considering whether to request service from a new geographic coverage area, and determines whether to select the geographic coverage area depending on that received information. Moreover, the mobile terminal consults that list to determine whether to perform a location area update procedure. In other words, if the list indicates that a new geographic coverage area should not be selected, the mobile terminal does not perform a location area update request in that new coverage area.

Claims

1. A method implemented in a mobile radio terminal for reducing signaling associated with the mobile radio terminal selecting a new geographic coverage area, comprising:

receiving from a radio access network information indicating a list of one or more geographic coverage areas from which the mobile radio terminal may or may not obtain service;

checking the received information when considering whether to request service from a new geographic coverage area; and

determining whether to select a geographic coverage area depending on the received information.

2. The method in claim 1, wherein the geographic coverage area is a location area, and wherein the information is received in a location area update accept messages in response to a location area update request message sent by the mobile terminal to the radio access network.

3. The method in claim 1, wherein the geographic coverage area is a location area, and wherein the information is received in a location area update rejection message in response to a location area update request message sent by the mobile terminal to the radio access network.

4. The method in claim 1, further comprising:

receiving updated information from the radio access network.

5. The method in claim 1, further comprising:

storing the list of one or more geographic coverage areas;

checking the stored list prior to performing a subsequent geographic coverage area update; and

determining whether to perform a location area update procedure based on the checked list.

6. The method in claim 1, wherein the radio access network is shared by first and second operators and the information indicates one or more geographic coverage areas belonging to one of the operators that does not provide service to the mobile radio terminal.

7. The method in claim 6, further comprising:

selecting a geographic coverage area belonging to the other of the operators.

8. The method in claim 1, wherein the geographic coverage area is a location area and the information includes a list of forbidden location areas for the mobile terminal, and wherein the mobile terminal does not perform a location area update for forbidden location areas on the list.

9. The method in claim 8, wherein the mobile terminal does not select cells in location areas that are on the list.

10. A method implemented in a cellular communications system including a radio access network for serving plural geographic coverage areas, comprising:

receiving a message from a mobile radio terminal, and

sending to the mobile radio terminal information indicating a list of the geographic coverage areas from which the mobile radio terminal may or may not request service.

11. The method in claim 10, wherein the mobile terminal uses the information to determine whether to perform a geographic coverage area update procedure.

12. The method in claim 10, wherein the mobile terminal uses the information to determine whether to select a geographic coverage area.

13. The method in claim 10, further comprising:

sending the information in a geographic coverage area update accept message in response to a geographic coverage area update request message sent by the mobile terminal.

14. The method in claim 13, further comprising:

updating the information in a subsequent geographic coverage area update message sent to the mobile terminal.

15. The method in claim 10, further comprising:

sending the information in a geographic coverage area update reject message in response to a first coverage area update request message sent by the mobile terminal.

16. The method in claim 10, wherein the radio access network is shared by first and second operators and the information indicates one or more geographic coverage areas belonging to one of the operators that does not provide service to the mobile radio terminal.

17. The method in claim 10, wherein the geographic coverage area is a location area, the method further comprising:

determining one or more groups identifying certain mobile terminals;

formulating a list of location areas corresponding to each of the groups; and

in response to the message received from the mobile terminal, forwarding one of the lists of location areas to the mobile terminal depending upon the group to which the mobile terminal belongs.

18. The method in claim 17, wherein the determining, formulating, and forwarding are performed in a core network coupled to the radio access network.

19. The method in claim 17, wherein each group represents mobile terminals belonging to a network operator.

20. The method in claim 17, wherein each group represents mobile terminals belonging to a mobile subscriber group.

21. The method in claim 17, further comprising:

determining an identifier associated with the mobile terminal;

analyzing the mobile terminal identifier to determine the group to which the mobile terminal belongs; and

sending the list of location areas corresponding to the determined group in response to the message received from the mobile terminal.

22. The method in claim 10, wherein the information is sent from a core network to the radio access network.

23. A location updating message transmitted from a radio access network over a radio interface to a mobile radio terminal, comprising:

a location updating message type field;

a location area identification field;

a mobile terminal identification field; and

a location area field indicating location areas that the mobile terminal may or may not select.

24. The location updating message format in claim 23, wherein the message is a location updating accept message.

25. The location updating message format in claim 23, wherein the message is a location updating reject message.

26. A location updating message transmitted from a mobile radio terminal to a radio access network over a radio interface, comprising:

a location updating message type field;

a mobile terminal identification field; and

a location area list indicator field indicating whether a location area list associated with the mobile terminal is requested to be sent to the mobile terminal.

27. A method for use in a cellular radio communications system including a core network coupled to a radio access network communicating information with mobile radio terminals over a radio interface, comprising:

storing a list of forbidden location areas for a group of mobile terminals;

receiving a communication from one of the mobile terminals in the group;

sending the list of forbidden location areas to the one mobile terminal;

the one mobile terminal receiving and storing the list of forbidden location areas; and

the one mobile terminal checking the list of forbidden location areas before selecting a location area.

28. The method in claim 27, wherein the one mobile terminal does not select a cell in a location area that is on the list of forbidden location areas.

29. The method in claim 27, wherein the one mobile terminal does not perform a location area update operation for a location area that is on the list of forbidden location areas.

30. The method in claim 27, wherein the radio access network is shared by first and second operators and the list of forbidden location areas indicates one or more location areas belonging to one of the operators that does not provide service to the mobile radio terminal

31. The method in claim 27, wherein the list is sent in response to a first location update message sent by the one mobile terminal after the mobile terminal powers up.

32. Apparatus for use in mobile radio terminal, comprising:

radio transceiving circuitry configured to receive from a radio access network information indicating a list of one or more geographic coverage areas from which the mobile radio terminal may or may not obtain service, and

electronic circuitry configured to perform the following tasks;

check the received information when considering whether to request service

from a new geographic coverage area, and determine whether to select a geographic coverage area depending on the received information.

33. The apparatus in claim 32, wherein the geographic coverage area is a location area, and the information is received in a location area update accept message in response to a first location area update request message sent by the mobile terminal to the radio access network.

34. The apparatus in claim 32, wherein the geographic coverage area is a location area, and wherein the information is received in a location area update rejection message in response to a location area update request message sent by the mobile terminal to the radio access network.

35. The apparatus in claim 32, wherein the electronic circuitry is further configured to store the list of one or more geographic coverage areas, to check the stored list prior to performing a subsequent geographic coverage area update, and to determine whether to perform a location area update based on the checked list.

36. The apparatus in claim 35, wherein the radio access network is shared by first and second operators and the information indicates one or more geographic coverage areas belonging to one of the operators that does not provide service to the mobile radio terminal, and wherein the electronic circuitry is further configured to select a geographic coverage area belonging to the other of the operators.

37. The apparatus in claim 35, wherein the geographic coverage area is a location area and the information includes a list of forbidden location areas for the mobile terminal.

38. The apparatus in claim 37, wherein the electronic circuitry is further configured to not select a cell in a location area that is on the list of forbidden location areas.

39. The apparatus in claim 37, wherein the electronic circuitry is further configured to not perform a location area update procedure for a location area that is on the list of forbidden location areas.

40. Radio access network apparatus for use in a cellular communications system including a radio access network serving plural geographic coverage areas, comprising:

radio transceiving circuitry configured to receive a message from a mobile radio terminal, and

data processing circuitry configured to provide information indicating a list of geographic coverage areas from which the mobile radio terminal may or may not request service.

41. The apparatus in claim 40, wherein the mobile terminal uses the information to determine whether to perform a location update procedure and whether to select a geographic coverage area.

42. The apparatus in claim 40, wherein the data processing circuitry is configured to provide the information in a geographic coverage area update accept message in response to an initial geographic coverage area update request message sent by the mobile terminal.

43. The apparatus in claim 40, wherein the data processing circuitry is configured to provide the information in a geographic coverage area update reject message in response to a geographic coverage area update request message sent by the mobile terminal.

44. The apparatus in claim 40, wherein the radio access network is shared by first and second operators and the information indicates one or more geographic coverage areas belonging to one of the operators that does not provide service to the mobile radio terminal.

45. The apparatus in claim 40, wherein the geographic coverage area is a location area and the data processing circuitry is configured to determine one or more groups identifying certain mobile terminals, formulate a list of location areas corresponding to each of the groups, and forward the list of location areas to a mobile terminal depending upon the group to which the mobile terminal belongs.

46. The apparatus in claim 45, wherein the electronic circuitry for performing the determining, formulating, and forwarding tasks is located in a core network coupled to the radio access network.

47. The apparatus in claim 45, wherein each group represents mobile terminals belonging to a network operator.

48. The apparatus in claim 45, wherein each group represents mobile terminals belonging to a mobile subscriber group.

49. The apparatus in claim 45, wherein the data processing circuitry is configured to determine an identifier associated with the mobile terminal, analyze the mobile terminal identifier to determine the group to which the mobile terminal belongs, and provide the list of location areas corresponding to the determined group in response to the message received from the mobile terminal.