Distributing shared network access information in a shared network mobile communications system

• US 20040053632A1
• Filed: 09/18/2002
• Published: 03/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Santoro, Pompeo, Nikkelen, Vincent Johannes Wilhelmus
• Granted Patent: US 7,245,918 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/522
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0066 of control information between different types of networks in order to establish a new radio link in the target network

Abstract

Shared network area (SNA) information is distributed using indicators that represent the SNA information. First SNA information for a first group of first network mobile subscribers is mapped to a first SNA indicator. Similarly, second shared access network information for a second group of second network mobile subscribers is mapped to the second SNA indicator. Those mappings are established in a core network node and sent to radio network nodes and stored for future use. For example, when a call connection is set up (or soon thereafter) with one of the first network mobile subscribers, the core network node sends the first SNA indicator to the radio network node setting up the connection. That node uses the first indicator to determine from its stored SNA mappings the network access restrictions for this subscriber. The network access restriction information is not sent—only the indicator. The retrieved information is used to ensure that the cell selected to establish the call connection is permitted based on the SNA information. If a handover is requested for the call connection from the first radio network node to a second radio network node, the first indicator is sent to the second radio network node and used to determine from its stored SNA mappings an allowed cell for the handover.

Claims

1. A method for use in a shared network mobile communications system including a first network associated with a first operator and a second network associated with a second operator, comprising:

generating mapping information that associates first shared network area (SNA) information for a first group of first network mobile subscribers with a first indicator and second shared network area (SNA) information for a second group of second network mobile subscribers with a second indicator, and

sending a message to or from a first radio network node relating to a call connection involving one of the first network subscribers that includes the first indicator to identify the first SNA information.

2. The method in claim 1, further comprising:

setting up the call connection involving using a first radio network node;

requesting a handover of the call connection to a second radio network node;

identifying the first SNA information to the second radio network node using the first indicator; and

selecting a cell for the handover based on the first SNA information.

3. The method in claim 1, wherein the first SNA information includes one or more SNA coverage areas in the shared network permitted for first subscribers and the second SNA information includes one or more SNA coverage areas in the shared network permitted for second subscribers.

4. The method in claim 3, wherein each SNA coverage area includes one or more location areas or cells.

5. The method in claim 4, further comprising:

generating location area (LA) mapping information that associates one or more location areas in each of the first and second networks with an SNA coverage area.

6. The method in claim 5, further comprising:

storing the SNA mapping information and the LA mapping information in the first radio network node.

7. The method in claim 1, wherein when the call connection is established or is being established, sending the first indicator from a core network node to the first radio network node.

8. The method in claim 1, wherein when the first network and second network operators compete in an SNA coverage area, restricting handover of the call connection to the competing SNA coverage area to an SNA coverage area controlled by the first network operator using the first SNA information.

9. The method in claim 1, wherein the first radio network node and a second radio network node are coupled to a core network node, the method further comprising:

the core network node receiving a handover request for the call connection from the first radio network node, and

the core network node sending a handover request message for the call connection to the second core network node including the first indicator.

10. The method in claim 1, wherein the first radio network node is coupled to a first core network node and a second radio network node is coupled to a different core network node, the method further comprising:

the first core network node receiving a handover request for the call connection from the first radio network node;

the first core network node sending a first handover request message for the call connection to the second core network node including the first indicator; and

the second core network node sending a second handover request message for the call connection to the second radio network node including the first indicator.

11. Apparatus for use in a shared network mobile communications system including a first network associated with a first operator and a second network associated with a second operator, comprising:

a first core network node configured to generate information that associates a first indicator with first shared network area (SNA) information for a first group of first network mobile subscribers and a second indicator with second shared network area (SNA) information for a second group of second network subscribers, and

a first radio access network node, in cooperation with the core network node, configured to send a message or receive a message relating to a call connection involving one of the first network subscribers that includes the first indicator to identify the first SNA information.

12. The apparatus in claim 11, the first radio access network node further configured to set up the call connection involving using a first radio network node, request a handover of the call connection to a second radio network node, identify the first SNA information to the second radio network node using the first indicator, and select a cell for the handover based on the first SNA information.

13. The apparatus in claim 11, wherein the first SNA information includes one or more SNA coverage areas in the shared network permitted for first subscribers and the second SNA information includes one or more SNA coverage areas in the shared network permitted for second subscribers.

14. The apparatus in claim 13, wherein each SNA coverage area includes one or more location areas or cells.

15. The apparatus in claim 14, wherein the core network node is configured to provide to the first radio network node location area (LA) mapping information that associates one or more location areas in each of the first and second networks with an SNA coverage area.

16. The apparatus in claim 15, wherein first radio network node is configured to store the SNA association information and the LA mapping information.

17. The method in claim 11, wherein when the call connection is established or is being established, the core network node is configured to send the first indicator to the first radio network node.

18. The method in claim 11, wherein the core network node is configured to provide to the first radio network node SNA mapping information that associates one or more SNA coverage areas in each of the first and second networks with a corresponding SNA indicator.

19. The apparatus in claim 11, wherein the first SNA information restricts a candidate handover location for the connection to an SNA coverage area controlled by the first network operator when the first network and second network operators compete in an SNA coverage area.

20. The apparatus in claim 11, wherein the first radio network node and a second radio network node are coupled to the core network node, the core network node configured to receive a handover request for the call connection from the first radio network node and send a handover request message for the call connection to the second core network node including the first indicator.

21. The apparatus in claim 11, wherein the first radio network node is coupled to the first core network node and the second radio network node is coupled to a second core network node, and

wherein the first core network node is configured to receive a handover request for the call connection from the first radio network node and send a first handover request message for the call connection to the second core network node including the first indicator, and

wherein the second core network node is configured to send a second handover request message for the call connection to the second radio network node including the first indicator.