Method and apparatus for integrated wireless communications in private and public network environments

• US 20050059390A1
• Filed: 10/12/2004
• Published: 03/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sayers, Ian Leslie, Yang, Sheausong, Long, Paul Jan
• Granted Patent: US 7,486,966 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/425
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/16 Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/169 Special adaptations of TCP, UDP or IP for interworking of IP based networks with other networks protocols for interworking, protocol conversion H04L69/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/20 Control channels or signalling for resource management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/02 Processing of mobility data, e.g. registration information at HLR [Home Location Register] or VLR [Visitor Location Register]; Transfer of mobility data, e.g. between HLR, VLR or external networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/12 between access points and access point controllers

Abstract

A communication system formed by a private network that includes a private wireless network. The communication system includes a public wireless network using a public wireless protocol, such as GSM, and includes public networks, such as PSTN, ISDN and the Internet, using a wired protocol, such as 1P. The private network also includes a local area network (LAN) and the private network connects to the public networks using a wired packet protocol, such as IP. The public and private wireless networks operate with the same public wireless protocol, such as GSM, and the private wireless network additionally operates with a wired packet protocol, such as IP. The communication system permits users to operate freely in both public and private wireless networks using standard mobile stations while achieving high private network data rates. The communication system uses normal wireless handsets or other mobile or fixed stations without need for any modifications.

Claims

1. A method for operating a private base transceiver station, the private base transceiver station having at least one radio transceiver that communicates data and signaling information with a mobile station, the private base transceiver station also having a mobility management processing function and a call control processing function contained within it, the private base transceiver station also having an interface for connecting to a packet data network, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a call control message at the private base transceiver station and passing the call control message to the mobility management processing function resident within the private base transceiver station, without forwarding the call control message elsewhere, the call control message including a control function identifier and a mobile station identifier;

forwarding the call control message internally within the private base transceiver station to a packet network interface in the private base transceiver station, the packet network interface providing an interface for the private base transceiver station to communicate messages to other nodes; and

at the packet network interface, formatting an external control message intended for transmission via the packet network interface.

2. A method as in claim 1 wherein the call control message is of a type requesting a location update and the method additionally comprises:

reformatting the call control message as a registration request message at the packet network interface function, the registration request message specifying the mobile station identifier;

transmitting the registration request message to the packet network interface; and

receiving a confirmation message from the packet network interface, the confirmation message including a packet data network identifier for the mobile station,.

3. A method as in claim 2 additionally comprising:

before the step of transmitting the registration request message,

receiving a channel request message at the radio transceiver from the mobile station;

forwarding the channel request message to a radio resource function also resident within the private base transceiver station;

formatting an immediate channel assignment message within the radio resource function; and

forwarding the immediate channel assignment message to the radio transceiver for transmission to the mobile station.

4. A method as in claim 1 additionally establishing a connection for a mobile station initiated call, comprising the steps of:

receiving a call setup message from the mobile station at the transceiver within the private base transceiver station;

forwarding the call setup message to the mobility management function within the private base transceiver station, the call setup message indicating a called party number;

formatting an internal setup message in a connection management function within the private base transceiver station the call setup message indicating a called party number;

formatting an internal setup message in a connection management function within the private base transceiver station;

forwarding the internal setup message to the packet network interface function;

formatting a message requesting acknowledgment of the internal setup message; and

formatting a message requesting acknowledgment of the internal setup message; and

forwarding the message requesting acknowledgment to the packet data network interface.

5. A method as in claim 3 additionally comprising:

receiving a message confirming acknowledgment from the packet data network interface, the message indicating call parameters.

6. A method as in claim 4 additionally comprising:

sending a setup message from the private base transceiver station to the packet data network interface, the setup message including an indicator of the called party number to be used by the mobile station;

in response thereto, receiving at the packet data network interface, a call proceeding message;

forwarding the call proceeding message internally to the connection management function within the private base transceiver station; and

forwarding a call proceeding message from the connection management function to the mobility management function.

7. A method as in claim 1 additionally comprising functions for terminating a call further comprising the steps of:

receiving, from the packet data network interface, a setup message encapsulated in a data network message;

forwarding the setup message through an internal protocol stack as an internal setup message indicating a called party number and other configuration information to the connection management function in the private base transceiver station; and

sending an internal page request message from the connection management function to the radio resource function within the private base transceiver station.

8. A method as in claim 7 additionally comprising:

issuing, from the radio resource function, a paging request message;

transmitting the paging request message, via the transceiver, to the mobile station;

in response thereto, receiving a paging response message at the transceiver, the paging response message indicating a mobile station identifier;

forwarding the paging response message to the mobility management function, to initiate a begin call sequence.

9. A method as in claim 8 additionally comprising:

after the call setup message is received at the connection management function,

forwarding a begin call internal message from the connection management function to the packet interface function, the begin call message initiating a message requesting acknowledgment that includes the mobile station identifier and called party number;

receiving, from the packet data network interface, a message confirming acknowledgment indicating connection information; and

generating an internal accepted call message using the received message confirming acknowledgment, to establish an ability to receive a call.

10. A method as in claim 9 additionally comprising:

in response to receiving the accepted call message at the connection management function,

transmitting, via the transceiver, a setup message to the mobile station, the setup message indicating a called party number and channel number;

receiving, at the transceiver, a call confirmed message from the mobile station;

forwarding the call confirmed message to the connection management function;

generating an internal call confirmed message in the connection management function;

forwarding the internal call confirmed message to the packet network interface; and

transmitting an open channel message from the packet layer interface.

11. A method as in claim 1 wherein the call control messages indicate a handover of servicing the mobile station from a serving private base transceiver station to a target private base transceiver station, further comprising:

passing a handover request message from the connection management function within the private base transceiver station to the packet network interface;

generating a location request message indicating the private base transceiver station identifier and called party number;

transmitting the location request message to the packet network interface; and

receiving at packet network interface, a location confirmation message indicating handover processing information.

12. A method as in claim 11 additionally comprising:

forwarding a handover message over the packet network interface as a nonstandard packet data network message indicating a handover request; and

receiving, at the packet network interface, a handover acceptance message as a nonstandard packet data network message.

13. A method as in claim 12 additionally comprising:

upon receipt of a connection message at the packet network interface, the connection message received from the target private base transceiver station and reporting an allocation of resources,

bridging a release complete message received from the target private base transceiver station at the serving private base transceiver station from the packet layer interface to the layer for connection management;

bridging the release complete message from the layer for connection management to the processing layer for mobility management; and

forwarding a handover command from the processing layer for mobility management to the mobile station.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein

the external control messages causes a protocol address of the private base transceiver station associated with the mobile station identified by the mobile station identifier to be changed to a different protocol address of a different private base transceiver station.

15. A computer program product having computer program code for operating a private base transceiver station, the private base transceiver station having radio transceivers that communicate data and signaling information with a mobile station, the private base transceiver station also having a mobility management function and a call control function contained within, the private base transceiver station also being connected to a packet data network, comprising:

computer program code for receiving a call control message at the private base transceiver station and passing the call control message to the mobility management function resident within the private base transceiver station, without forwarding the call control message to a base station controller, the call control message including a control function identifier and a mobile station identifier;

computer program code for forwarding the call control message internally within the private base transceiver station to a packet interface function in the private base transceiver station, the packet interface function for connecting the private base transceiver station to the packet data network;

computer program code for formatting an external control message intended for transmission over the packet data network, the formatted external control message indicating an alias identifier corresponding to the mobile station identifier; and

computer program code for transmitting the external control message into the packet data network.

16. The computer program product of claim 15 wherein

the external control message causes a protocol address of the private base transceiver station associated with the mobile station identified by the mobile station identifier to be changed to a different protocol address of a different private base transceiver station.

17. A private base transceiver station having a radio transceiver function that communicates data and signaling information with a mobile station, the private base transceiver station also having a mobility management function and a call control processing function contained within the private base transceiver station also having a packet network interface for connecting to a packet data network, the private base transceiver station further comprising:

a transceiver operable to receive a call control message and to pass the call control message to the mobility management function resident within the private base transceiver station, without forwarding the call control message to a base station controller, the call control message including a control function identifier and a mobile station identifier;

a packet network interface layer operable to receive the forwarded call control message internally within the private base transceiver station, the packet network interface layer further operable to provide communication between the private base transceiver station and other nodes; and

a processor within the private base transceiver station, for formatting an external control message intended for transmission over the packet data network, the formatted external control message indicating an alias identifier corresponding to the mobile station identifier.

18. The private base transceiver station of claim 17 wherein the external control message causes a protocol address of the private base transceiver station associated with the mobile station identified by the mobile station identifier to be changed to a different protocol address of a different private base transceiver station.

19. A private base transceiver station, having a radio transceiver that communicates data and signaling information with a mobile station, the private base transceiver station also having a mobility management function and a call control function contained within it, the private base transceiver station further connected to a packet data network, comprising:

means for receiving a call control message at the private base transceiver station and for passing the call control message to the mobility management function resident within the private base transceiver station, without forwarding the call control message to a base station controller, the call control message including a control function identifier and a mobile station identifier;

means for forwarding the call control message internally within the private base transceiver station to a packet network interface in the private base transceiver station, the packet network interface operable to provide communication between the private base transceiver station and the packet data network;

means for, formatting an external control message intended for transmission over the packet data network, the formatted external control message indicating an alias identifier corresponding to the mobile station identifier; and

interface means, for connecting to the packet data network and transmitting the external control message into the packet data network.

20. The wireless communication system of claim 19 wherein

the external control message causes a protocol address of the private base transceiver station associated with the mobile station identified by the mobile station identifier to be changed to a different protocol address of a different private base transceiver station.