Signaling in a mobile cellular communication network with pooled MSCs

• US 20050054348A1
• Filed: 08/02/2004
• Published: 03/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Turina, Klaus, Papadimitriou, Dimitris, Kuster, Josephus
• Granted Patent: US 7,440,745 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/453
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/088 among core entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/00 User notification, e.g. alerting and paging, for incoming communication, change of service or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/14 Backbone network devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/14 between access point controllers and backbone network device

Abstract

To achieve an efficient and flexible routing of signaling messages between a core network and an access network in a mobile communication cellular network, it is proposed to provide a pool of mobile switching apparatuses between the core network and the access network. Each mobile switching apparatus in the pool (10) comprises a signaling unit (32) adapted to issue a paging message to the access network for connection establishment to a mobile terminal. Further, according to the present invention it is proposed to provide each mobile switching apparatus in the pool (10) with a relay unit (28) adapted to receive a paging response from the access network. Further, the relay unit (28) is adapted to determine a mobile switching apparatus in the pool (10) of mobile switching apparatuses handling the paging response.

Claims

1-44. -44. (Canceled)

45. In a mobile cellular network, a method of controlling communications between an access node and a mobile switching apparatus in a pool of different mobile switching apparatuses, said method comprising the steps of:

selecting the mobile switching apparatus from the pool in view of specific service capabilities of the different mobile switching apparatuses; and

communicating with the selected mobile switching apparatus.

55. In a mobile cellular network, an access node adapted to control communications with a mobile switching apparatus in a pool of different mobile switching apparatuses, said access node comprising:

a mobile switching apparatus selection unit for selecting the mobile switching apparatus from the pool in view of specific service capabilities of the different mobile switching apparatuses;

a pool controller interface unit for interacting with the mobile switching apparatus selection unit and with at least one of a pool controller, a pool data base, and a capability database; and

an access node control unit for controlling communications to at least one linked base transceiver station and to the selected mobile switching apparatus;

wherein the mobile switching apparatus selection unit is connected to the access node control unit and to the pool controller interface unit.

58. A mobile cellular communication system, comprising:

a pool of different mobile switching apparatuses;

a base transceiver station;

at least one of a pool controller, a pool data base, and a capability database;

an access node adapted to control communications with a selected mobile switching apparatus in the pool of different mobile switching apparatuses, said access node comprising;

a mobile switching apparatus selection unit for selecting the mobile switching apparatus from the pool in view of specific service capabilities of the different mobile switching apparatuses;

a pool controller interface unit for interacting with the mobile switching apparatus selection unit and with at least one of a pool controller, a pool data base, and a capability database; and

an access node control unit for controlling communications to at least one linked base transceiver station and to the selected mobile switching apparatus;

wherein the access node is connected to the pool, to the base transceiver station, and to at least one of the pool controller, the pool data base, and the capability database.

59. A computer program product directly loadable into an internal memory of a controller of an access node of a communications system, comprising software code portions for performing the following steps when the computer program product is run on a processor of the controller:

selecting a mobile switching apparatus from a pool of different mobile switching apparatuses in view of specific service capabilities of the different mobile switching apparatuses; and

communicating with the selected mobile switching apparatus.

60. In a mobile cellular network, an access node adapted to control communications with a mobile switching apparatus in a pool of different mobile switching apparatuses, said access node comprising:

means for selecting the mobile switching apparatus of the pool in view of specific service capabilities of the different mobile switching apparatuses; and

means for communicating with the selected mobile switching apparatus.

68. A mobile cellular communication system, comprising:

a pool of different mobile switching apparatuses;

a base transceiver station;

at least one of a pool controller, a pool data base, and a capability database; and

an access node adapted to control communications with a selected mobile switching apparatus in the pool of different mobile switching apparatuses, said access node comprising;

means for selecting the mobile switching apparatus of the pool in view of specific service capabilities of the different mobile switching apparatuses; and

means for communicating with the selected mobile switching apparatus;

wherein the access node is connected to the pool, to the base transceiver station, and to at least one of the pool controller, the pool data base, and the capability database.