Private cellular network with a public network interface and a wireless local area network extension

• US 20030139180A1
• Filed: 04/19/2002
• Published: 07/24/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Jain, Rahul, Chandra, Rupak, McIntosh, Chris P., Lu, Priscilla Marilyn
• Application Number:
  US10/126,250
• Publication Number:
  US 20030139180A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/426.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/062 Pre-authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/069 using certificates or pre-shared keys
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/04 Large scale networks; Deep hierarchical networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

A communication system (100) and method for coupling a wireless local area network (WLAN 128) to a public network (102) to enable communication between User Equipment terminals (UEs 130) associated with the WLAN and the public network. The public network (102) can include a GSM (110) and/or a 3G-network (114). The WLAN (128) can include a HiperLAN, HiperMAN, or 802.11 network. Preferably, the communication is voice communication, and the system (100) is configured to enable the UEs (130) to access supplementary services provided by the public network (102). Subscriber and security information for the UEs (102) can be provided to the public network (102) from a SIM (134) associated with each UE, or from an identity module (138) comprising either a private memory with information stored therein, or a card holder/reader holding cards with subscriber and security information for one or more UEs. Optionally, the system (100) further includes a private cellular network (122) the WLAN (128) also enables communication between the UEs (130) and the private cellular network.

Claims

1. A communication system comprising:

a public cellular network; and

at least one Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) coupled to the public cellular network, the WLAN configured to facilitate communication between User Equipment terminals (UEs) and the public cellular network.

2. A communication system according to claim 1, wherein the public cellular network comprises a Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) network coupled to a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN).

3. A communication system according to claim 2, wherein the public cellular network further comprises a third-generation mobile communications (3G) network coupled to the GSM network and to the Internet, and wherein the WLAN is configured to facilitate communication between UEs and the GSM network and the 3G-network.

4. A communication system according to claim 2, further comprising a private cellular network coupled to the GSM network via a private A-link, and wherein the WLAN is coupled to the private cellular network to facilitate communication between the UEs and mobile stations associated with the private cellular network.

5. A communication system according to claim 1, wherein the public cellular network comprises a third-generation mobile communications (3G) network.

6. A communication system according to claim 5, wherein the public cellular network further comprises a Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) network, and wherein the WLAN is configured to facilitate communication between UEs and the GSM network and the 3G-network.

7. A communication system according to claim 2, further comprising a private cellular network coupled to the 3G-network, and wherein the WLAN is coupled to the private cellular network to facilitate communication between the UEs and mobile stations associated with the private cellular network.

8. A communication system according to claim 1, further comprising a private branch exchange (PBX), and wherein the WLAN is coupled to the PBX to facilitate communication between the UEs and telephones associated with the PBX.

9. A communication system according to claim 1, further comprising a Remote Authentication Dial In User Service (RADIUS) server to authenticate UEs accessing the communication system through the WLAN and to authorize access to the communication system.

10. A communication system according to claim 9, further comprising:

a plurality of WLANs;

a home location registry (HLR) and visitor location registry (VLR) coupled to the RADIUS server; and

wherein the RADIUS server is adapted to provide roaming capabilities for the UEs among the plurality of WLANs.

11. A communication system according to claim 10, wherein the RADIUS server is coupled to the HLR and VLR through a VLR/RADIUS (VRAD) interface.

12. A communication system according to claim 1, wherein the communication between the UEs and the public cellular network facilitated by the WLAN includes voice communication.

13. A communication system according to claim 12, wherein the UE comprises a computer program to enable the UE to control supplementary services for the UEs provided by the public wireless network.

14. A communication system according to claim 13, wherein the supplementary services provided include supplementary services from the group consisting of:

Voice Group Call Service;

Voice Broadcast Service;

Service definition Line Identification Supplementary Services;

Call Forwarding Supplementary Services;

Call Waiting and Call Hold Supplementary Services;

Multiparty call conferencing;

Closed User Group Supplementary Services;

Advice of Charge Supplementary Services;

Call Barring Supplementary Services;

Unstructured Supplementary Service Data;

Explicit Call Transfer;

Completion of Calls to Busy Subscriber;

Short Message Service; and

Follow Me.

15. A communication system according to claim 12, wherein the UE comprises a computer program to enable the UE to control value added services for the UEs provided by the public wireless network.

16. A communication system according to claim 15, wherein the supplementary services provided include supplementary services from the group consisting of:

e-mail, calender, and wireless inventory;

calender; and

wireless inventory.

17. A communication system according to claim 1, wherein the WLAN is compatible with a communication standard selected from a group consisting of:

High Performance Local Area Network (HiperLAN/1);

High Performance Local Area Network (HiperLAN/2);

High Performance Metropolitan Access Network (HiperMAN); and

Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers 802.11 (IEEE 802.11).

18. A communication system according to claim 1, wherein the WLAN is coupled to the public cellular network via an interface selected from a group consisting of:

IubisWLAN interfaces;

IuPSWLAN interfaces;

AbisWLAN interfaces;

AWLAN interfaces;

BTSWLAN interfaces; and

NodeBWLAN interfaces.

19. In a communication system including a public cellular network having a Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) network coupled to a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), and a third-generation mobile communications (3G) network coupled to the GSM network and to the Internet, and a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) coupled to the GSM network and the 3G-network, a method of enabling a plurality of User Equipment terminals (UEs) to communicate with the public cellular network via the WLAN, the method comprising steps of:

receiving in the WLAN call information for one of the plurality of UEs;

providing subscriber identification and security information for the UE to an authentication server in the communication system; and

coupling the UE to the public cellular network over the WLAN.

20. A method according to claim 19, wherein the communication between the UEs and the public cellular network facilitated by the WLAN includes voice communication.

21. A method according to claim 19, wherein the UE further comprises a computer program to control supplementary services for the UEs provided by the public cellular network, and wherein the method further includes the step of accessing supplementary services for the UE provided by the public cellular network.

22. A method according to claim 19, wherein the UE further comprises a computer program to control supplementary services for the UEs provided by the public cellular network, and wherein the method further includes the step of accessing value added services for the UE provided by the public cellular network.

23. A method according to claim 19, wherein the UE comprises a memory system having subscriber identification and security information stored therein, and wherein the step of providing subscriber identification and security information for the UE to an authentication server in the communication system comprises the step of providing subscriber identification and security information from the memory system.

24. A method according to claim 19, wherein the UE is coupled to a card holder/reader holding a subscriber identity module (SIM), and wherein the step of providing subscriber identification and security information for the UE to an authentication server in the communication system comprises the step of reading subscriber identification and security information stored in the card held in the card holder/reader.

25. A communication system comprising:

a public network including;

a Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) network coupled to a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN); and

a third-generation mobile communications (3G) network coupled to the GSM network and to the Internet,

a private network including a private cellular network; and

at least one Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers 802.11 (802.11) network coupled to the public network and the private network, the 802.11 network configured to facilitate communication between a plurality of User Equipment terminals (UEs) and terminals coupled to the public network and the private network.

26. A communication system according to claim 25, wherein the communication between the UEs and the public cellular network facilitated by the 802.11 network includes voice communication.

27. A communication system according to claim 25, wherein the UEs associated with the 802.11 network comprise a computer program to enable the UEs to control supplementary services provided by the public network and the private network.

28. A communication system according to claim 25, wherein the UEs include low-power unregulated transceivers.

29. A communication system according to claim 25, wherein the terminals coupled to the public network and the private network include telephones, GSM mobile stations, and 3G UEs.

30. A communication system according to claim 25, wherein the private network further comprises a private branch exchange (PBX), and wherein the terminals coupled to the private network include PBX telephones.

31. A communication system according to claim 25, further comprising a Remote Authentication Dial In User Service (RADIUS) server to authenticate UEs accessing the communication system through the 802.11 network and to authorize access to the communication system.

32. A communication system according to claim 31, further comprising:

a plurality of 802.11 networks;

a home location registry (HLR) and visitor location registry (VLR) coupled to the RADIUS server; and

wherein the RADIUS server is adapted to provide roaming capabilities for the UEs among the plurality of 802.11 networks.

33. A communication system according to claim 25, wherein the private cellular network includes a mobile switching center (MSC), and wherein the 802.11 network is coupled to the public network through the MSC.

34. A communication system according to claim 33, wherein the 3G-network includes a Radio Network Controller (RNC) and wherein the 802.11 network is coupled to the RNC via an Iubis802.11 interface.

35. A communication system according to claim 33, wherein the 3G-network includes a node B and wherein the 802.11 network is coupled to the node B via an NodeB802.11 interface.

36. A communication system according to claim 33, wherein the 3G-network includes a third-generation Gateway General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) Support Node (3G-GGSN), and wherein the 802.11 network is coupled to the 3G-GGSN via an IuPS802.11 interface, the Internet and a Gi interface.

37. A communication system according to claim 33, wherein the 3G-network includes a GPRS Serving GPRS Support Node (GPRS-SGSN) and wherein the 802.11 network is coupled to the GPRS-SGSN via an IuPS802.11 interface.

38. A communication system according to claim 32, wherein the 3G-network includes a third-generation Serving GPRS Support Node (3G-SGSN) and wherein the 802.11 network is coupled to the 3G-SGSN via the GPRS-SGSN and the IuPS802.11 interface.

39. A communication system according to claim 33, wherein the GSM includes a Base Transceiver Station (BTS) and wherein the 802.11 network is coupled to the BTS via an BTS.11 interface.

40. A communication system according to claim 33, wherein the GSM includes a Base Station Controller (BSC) and wherein the 802.11 network is coupled to the BSC via an Abis802.11 interface.

41. A communication system according to claim 33, wherein the GSM includes a Mobile Switching Center (MSC) and wherein the 802.11 network is coupled to the MSC via an A802.11 interface.

42. A communication system according to claim 33, wherein the 802.11 network further comprises a number of access points coupled to the MSC of the private cellular network through a local area network (LAN), and wherein the private network is configured to facilitate communication between terminals connected to the LAN and the public network and the private network.