Network and method for sharing radio access nodes between core networks

• US 20040105429A1
• Filed: 09/09/2003
• Published: 06/03/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Flyström, Tuomo, Anckar, Lars, Salo, Jari, Anttalainen, Pekka, Jokinen, Antti, Kaasinen, Jyrki
• Granted Patent: US 7,986,971 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/10 adapted for operation in multiple networks, e.g. multi-mode access points
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/12 Access point controller devices

Abstract

The invention concerns a method for radio communication in a cellular radio network having a radio access network and a core network (CN), the method comprising connecting at least two different core networks to one radio access network (RAN), and sharing at least one network element (RNC, BTS) of the radio access network (RAN) between the at least two different core networks.

Claims

1. A method for radio communication in a cellular radio network having a radio access network (RAN) and a core network (CN), the radio access network (RAN) comprising at least a radio network controller (RNC) and a plurality of base stations (BTS), the method comprising

connecting at least two different core networks (CN₁, CN₂) to one radio access network (RAN), and

sharing at least one base station (BTS) of the radio access network (RAN) between the at least two different core networks (CN₁, CN₂) by using a first frequency to establish a first cell at the base station (BTS) for one of the at least two different core networks (CN₁, CN₂) and using a second frequency to establish a second cell at the base station for another one of the at least two different core networks (CN₁, CN₂).

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the at least two different core networks (CN₁, CN₂) belong to different network operators.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the method comprises sharing also a radio network controller (RNC) of the radio access network (RAN) between the at least two different core networks (CN₁, CN₂).

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the method comprises forming a base station cell by creating at least three different sectors, and wherein the sharing of a base station comprises using a first sector (S1) of the cell for one of the at least two different core networks (CN₁, CN₂) and using a second sector (S1) of the cell for another one of the at least two different core networks (CN₁, CN₂).

5. A method according to claims 1 and 3, wherein the method comprises creating a routing table in the radio network controller (RNC), the routing table creating an allocation between traffic at the base station (BTS) and that core network (CN₁) of the at least two core networks (CN₁, CN₂) to which the traffic is intended.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein the core network (CN₁) comprises first network elements (MSC) for circuit switched communication and second network elements (SGSN) for packet switched communication and the routing table creates an allocation (LAC) between circuit switched traffic at the base station (BTS) and the first network elements of that core network (CN₁) of the at least two core networks (CN₁, CN₂) to which the traffic is intended and an allocation (RAC) between packet switched traffic at the base station (BTS) and the second network elements of that core network (CN₁) of the at least two core networks (CN₁, CN₂) to which the traffic is intended.

7. A cellular radio network comprising at least two different core networks (CN₁, CN₂) and one radio access network (RAN) connected to each of the at least two core networks (CN₁, CN₂), the radio access network (RAN) comprises at least a radio network controller (RNC) and a plurality of base stations (BTS), and each core network (CN₁, CN₂) comprises network elements, and at least one base station (BTS) of the radio access network (RAN) is configured to be used by each of the at least two different core networks (CN₁, CN₂), wherein the base station (BTS) comprises a transceiver (RX/TX) for transceiving at a first frequency to establish a first cell for one of the at least two different core networks (CN₁, CN₂) and for transceiving at a second frequency to establish a second cell for another one of the at least two different core networks (CN₁, CN₂).

8. A cellular radio network according to claim 7, wherein the at least two different core networks (CN₁, CN₂) belong to different network operators.

9. A cellular radio network according to claim 7, wherein further a radio network controller (RNC) of the radio access network (RAN) is configured to be used by each of the at least two different core networks (CN₁, CN₂).

10. A cellular radio network according to claim 9, wherein the radio network controller (RNC) comprises a routing table, the routing table creating an allocation between traffic at the base station (BTS) and that core network (CN₁) of the at least two core networks (CN₁, CN₂) to which the traffic is intended.

11. A radio network controller (RNC) comprising:

means (12, 14) for connecting to at least two different core networks (CN₁, CN₂),

means (11) for connecting to a plurality of base stations (BTS),

allocation means (10, 14) for creating an allocation between traffic to and from one of the plurality of base stations (BTS) and the two different core networks (CN₁, CN₂), wherein the allocation means (14) further comprises a determination of a certain first frequency used at the base station to correspond to a certain one (CN₁) of the at least two core networks (CN₁, CN₂) to which the traffic is intended, and a determination of a certain second frequency used at the base station to correspond to a certain other one (CN₂) of the at least two core networks (CN₁, CN₂) in order to allocate the traffic from one of the plurality of base stations (BTS) to either one of the at least two core networks (CN₁, CN₂) based on the frequency used at the base station.

12. A base station (BTS) comprising a transceiver (RX/TX) for transceiving at a first frequency to establish a first cell, the communication of which is intended for one (CN₁) of at least two different core networks (CN₁, CN₂) and for transceiving at a second frequency to establish a second cell, the communication of which is intended for another one (CN₂) of the at least two different core networks (CN₁, CN₂).

13. A base station (BTS) according to claim 12, wherein the transceiver is arranged to transceive at the first frequency using a first code (MNC) corresponding to the one (CN₁) of the at least two different core networks (CN₁, CN₂) and at the second frequency using a second code (MNC) corresponding to the another one (CN₂) of the at least two different core networks (CN₁, CN₂).

14. A method for radio communication in a cellular radio network having a radio access network (RAN) and a core network (CN), the method comprising

connecting at least two different core networks (CN₁, CN₂) to one radio access network (RAN), and

sharing at least one network element (RNC, BTS) of the radio access network (RAN) between the at least two different core networks (CN₁, CN₂), wherein the at least two different core networks (CN₁, CN₂) belong to different network operators.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein the method comprises sharing a base station (BTS) of the radio access network (RAN) between the at least two different core networks (CN₁, CN₂).

16. A method according to claim 14, wherein the method comprises sharing a radio network controller (RNC) of the radio access network (RAN) between the at least two different core networks (CN₁, CN₂).

17. A method according to any of claims 14-16, wherein the sharing comprises using the at least one network element (RNC, BTS) in communication between each of the core networks (CN₁, CN₂) and subscriber devices (MS) of each of the core networks.

18. A method according to claim 15, wherein sharing a base station comprises using a first frequency to establish a first cell for one of the at least two different core networks (CN₁, CN₂) and using a second frequency to establish a second cell for another one of the at least two different core networks (CN₁, CN₂).

19. A method according to claim 15, wherein the method comprises forming a base station cell by creating at least three different sectors, and wherein the sharing of a base station comprises using a first sector (S1) of the cell for one of the at least two different core networks (CN₁, CN₂) and using a second sector (S1) of the cell for another one of the at least two different core networks (CN₁, CN₂).

20. A method according to claims 15 and 16, wherein the method comprises creating a routing table in the radio network controller (RNC), the routing table creating an allocation between traffic at the base station (BTS) and that core network (CN₁) of the at least two core networks (CN₁, CN₂) to which the traffic is intended.

21. A method according to claim 20, wherein the core network (CN₁) comprises first network elements (MSC) for circuit switched communication and second network elements (SGSN) for packet switched communication and the routing table creates an allocation (LAC) between circuit switched traffic at the base station (BTS) and the first network elements of that core network (CN₁) of the at least two core networks (CN₁, CN₂) to which the traffic is intended and an allocation (RAC) between packet switched traffic at the base station (BTS) and the second network elements of that core network (CN₁) of the at least two core networks (CN₁, CN₂) to which the traffic is intended.

22. A cellular radio network comprising at least two different core networks (CN₁, CN₂) and one radio access network (RAN) connected to each of the at least two core networks (CN₁, CN₂), the radio access network (RAN) and each core network (CN₁, CN₂) comprises network elements (RNC, BTS, MSC, GSN), and at least one network element (RNC, BTS) of the radio access network (RAN) is configured to be used by each of the at least two different core networks (CN₁, CN₂), wherein the at least two different core networks (CN₁, CN₂) belong to different network operators.

23. A cellular radio network according to claim 22, wherein the at least one network element is base station (BTS) of the radio access network (RAN).

24. A cellular radio network according to claim 22, wherein the at least one network element is a radio network controller (RNC) of the radio access network (RAN).

25. A cellular radio network according to claim 23, wherein the base station comprises a transceiver for transceiving at a first frequency to establish a first cell for one of the at least two different core networks (CN₁, CN₂) and for transceiving at a second frequency to establish a second cell for another one of the at least two different core networks (CN₁, CN₂).

26. A cellular radio network according to claims 23 and 24, wherein the radio network controller (RNC) comprises a routing table, the routing table creating an allocation between traffic at the base station (BTS) and that core network (CN₁) of the at least two core networks (CN₁, CN₂) to which the traffic is intended.

27. A radio network controller (RNC) comprising:

means (12, 14) for connecting to at least two different core networks (CN₁, CN₂), wherein the at least two different core networks (CN₁, CN₂) belong to different network operators, and

means (11) for connecting to a plurality of base stations (BTS).

28. A base station (BTS) comprising a first cell, the communication of which is intended for one (CN₁) of at least two different core networks (CN₁, CN₂) that belong to different network operators and a second cell, the communication of which is intended for another one (CN₂) of the at least two different core networks (CN₁, CN₂).

29. A method for radio communication in a cellular radio network having a radio access network (RAN) and a core network (CN), the radio access network (RAN) comprising at least a radio network controller (RNC) and a plurality of base stations (BTS), the method comprising

connecting at least two different core networks (CN₁, CN₂) to one radio access network (RAN), and

sharing at least one base station (BTS) of the radio access network (RAN) between the at least two different core networks (CN₁, CN₂) by

establishing a first cell at the base station (BTS) for one of the at least two different core networks (CN₁, CN₂) and using a first code (MNC) in the first cell corresponding to the one (CN₁) of the at least two different core networks (CN₁, CN₂), and

establishing a second cell at the base station (BTS) for another one of the at least two different core networks (CN₁, CN₂) and using a second code (MNC) in the second cell corresponding to the another one (CN₂) of the at least two different core networks (CN₁, CN₂).

30. A method according to claim 29, wherein the at least two different core networks (CN₁, CN₂) belong to different network operators.

31. A method according to claim 29, wherein the method comprises sharing also a radio network controller (RNC) of the radio access network (RAN) between the at least two different core networks (CN₁, CN₂).

32. A method according to claim 31, wherein the method comprises storing at the radio network controller sharing determination to route the first cell traffic to the one (CN₁) of the at least two different core networks (CN₁, CN₂) based on the first code (MNC) and to route the second cell traffic to the another one (CN₂) of the at least two different core networks (CN₁, CN₂) based on the second code (MNC).

33. A method according to claim 32, wherein the method comprises creating a routing table in the radio network controller (RNC), the routing table storing the sharing determination by creating an allocation between traffic at the base station (BTS) and that core network (CN₁) of the at least two core networks (CN₁, CN₂) to which the traffic is intended.

34. A cellular radio network comprising at least two different core networks (CN₁, CN₂) and one radio access network (RAN) connected to each of the at least two core networks (CN₁, CN₂), the radio access network (RAN) comprises at least a radio network controller (RNC) and a plurality of base stations (BTS), and each core network (CN₁, CN₂) comprises network elements, and at least one base station (BTS) of the radio access network (RAN) is configured to be used by each of the at least two different core networks (CN₁, CN₂), wherein the base station (BTS) comprises a transceiver (RX/TX) to establish a first cell at the base station (BTS) for one of the at least two different core networks (CN₁, CN₂) by using a first code (MNC) in the first cell corresponding to the one (CN₁) of the at least two different core networks (CN₁, CN₂) and to establish a second cell at the base station (BTS) for another one of the at least two different core networks (CN₁, CN₂) by using a second code (MNC) in the second cell corresponding to the another one (CN₂) of the at least two different core networks (CN₁, CN₂).

35. A cellular radio network according to claim 34, wherein the at least two different core networks (CN₁, CN₂) belong to different network operators.

36. A cellular radio network according to claim 34, wherein further a radio network controller (RNC) of the radio access network (RAN) is configured to be used by each of the at least two different core networks (CN₁, CN₂).

37. A cellular radio network according to claim 36, wherein the radio network controller (RNC) comprises sharing determination for routing the first cell traffic to the one (CN₁) of the at least two different core networks (CN₁, CN₂) based on the first code (MNC) and for routing the second cell traffic to the another one (CN₂) of the at least two different core networks (CN₁, CN₂) based on the second code (MNC).

38. A cellular radio network according to claim 37, wherein the radio network controller (RNC) comprises a routing table for storing the sharing determination, the routing table creating an allocation between traffic at the base station (BTS) and that core network (CN₁) of the at least two core networks (CN₁, CN₂) to which the traffic is intended.

39. A radio network controller (RNC) comprising:

means (12, 14) for connecting to at least two different core networks (CN₁, CN₂),

means (11) for connecting to a plurality of base stations (BTS),

allocation means (10, 14) for creating an allocation between traffic to and from one of the plurality of cells and the two different core networks (CN₁, CN₂), wherein the allocation means (14) further comprises a determination of a certain first code (MNC) used in a first cell to correspond to a certain one (CN₁) of the at least two core networks (CN₁, CN₂) to which the traffic is intended, and a determination of a certain second code (MNC) used in a second cell to correspond to a certain other one (CN₂) of the at least two core networks (CN₁, CN₂) in order to allocate the traffic from one of the plurality of cells to either one of the at least two core networks (CN₁, CN₂) based on the code used in the cell.