Controlling user equipments

• US 20060092897A1
• Filed: 11/01/2005
• Published: 05/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WSOU Investments, LLC (WSOU Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Jokinen, Harri, Pirila, Hannu I.
• Granted Patent: US 7,505,445 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/02 Access restriction performed under specific conditions

Abstract

A system and method controls the use of user equipments within an access network configured to allow user equipments to access a communication system in an environment, wherein wireless access to the communication system is restricted. The system includes a detector network configured for receiving requests for wireless access from user equipments and for detecting such user equipments that seek to use the detector network for communication instead of an allowed access network.

Claims

1. A system for controlling use of user equipments within an access network configured to allow said user equipments to access a communication system in an environment wherein wireless access to the communication system is restricted, the system comprising:

a detector network configured for receiving requests for wireless access from a plurality of user equipments and for detecting such user equipments that seek to use the detector network for communication instead of an allowed access network.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the allowed access network is configured to serve only a set of said plurality of user equipments that are in a predefined mode of operation.

3. A system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the detector network is configured to provide a preferred option for said wireless access for another set of said plurality of user equipments that are in the allowed access network and in a mode of operation that is other than the predefined mode of operation.

4. A system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the detector network is configured to provide better radio characteristics than the allowed access network.

5. A system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the detector network is configured to offer said wireless access for a user equipment through the detector network to a communication network to which said user equipment was connected to before the user equipment entered the allowed access network.

6. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the allowed access network comprises an access network provided on an aircraft.

7. A system as claimed in claim 1, comprising a controller for determination of signal strengths of different frequencies of available communication networks, each providing a plurality of access networks, for determining neighboring access networks for at least one of strongest access networks of each available communication network, and for selecting at least one common frequency for the neighboring access networks such that a first signal strength of the at least one frequency is relatively low compared to a second signal strength of the allowed access network.

8. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the communication system comprises a plurality of communication networks, wherein access networks of the communication networks and the allowed access network are provided in a form of cells of a cellular communication system.

9. A network for controlling use of user equipments within an access network configured to allow the user equipments to access a communication system in an environment wherein wireless access to the communication system is restricted, the network comprising:

a detector network covering at least partially an access area of an allowed access network and configured for receiving requests for wireless access from a plurality of user equipments and for detecting such user equipments that seek to use the detector network for communication instead of the allowed access network.

10. A controller for controlling use of user equipments within an access network configured to allow the user equipments to access a communication system in an environment wherein wireless access to the communication system is restricted, the controller configured to

control a detector network covering at least partially an area of an allowed access network,

analyze requests for wireless access from a plurality of user equipments, and

detect such user equipments that seek to use the detector network for communication instead of the allowed access network.

11. A method for controlling use of wireless user equipments within an access network, the method comprising:

receiving requests for wireless access from a plurality of user equipments within a first access network configured to allow the plurality of user equipments to access a communication system in an environment wherein said wireless access to the communication system is restricted; and

monitoring, by a detection network, for user equipments that are seeking for communication via another access network than the first access network based on wireless signals transmitted by the user equipments.

12. A method as claimed in claim 11, comprising serving, by the first access network, such a set of said plurality of user equipments that are in a predefined mode of operation.

13. A method as claimed in claim 12, comprising offering, by the detector network, an option for said wireless access for another set of the plurality of user equipments in the first access network and a mode of operation that is other than the predefined mode of operation.

14. A method as claimed in claim 13, comprising offering, by the detector network, better radio characteristics for wireless communication than what is offered by the first access network.

15. A method as claimed in claim 11, comprising offering, by the detector network, said wireless access for a user equipment through the detector network to a communication network to which said user equipment was connected to before the user equipment attached to the first access network.

16. A method as claimed in claim 11, comprising determining an identity of a user equipment accessing the detector network.

17. A method as claimed in claim 16, wherein said determining comprises determining the identity of the user equipment based on information from at least one of a subscriber data base and a passenger database.

18. A method as claimed in claim 11, comprising the step of directing a user equipment to seek for attachment with the first access network.

19. A method as claimed in claim 18, comprising determining signal strengths of different frequencies of available communication networks, each providing a plurality of access networks.

20. A method as claimed in claim 19, comprising the steps:

determining neighboring access networks for at least one of strongest access networks of each available communication network;

selecting at least one common frequency for the neighboring access networks such that a first signal strength of the at least one frequency is relatively low compared to a second signal strength of the first access network; and

determining, by the user equipment, that the first access network needs to be selected.

21. A method as claimed in claim 11, comprising controlling a user equipment through the first access network.

22. A method as claimed in claim 11, comprising wireless communication between a user equipment and a wireless access system of an aircraft.

23. A computer program embodied on a computer-readable medium, said program configured to control a computer to perform the steps of:

receiving requests for wireless access from a plurality of user equipments within a first access network configured to allow the plurality of user equipments to access a communication system in an environment wherein said wireless access to the communication system is restricted; and

monitoring, by a detection network, for user equipments that are seeking for communication via another access network that the first access network based on wireless signals transmitted by the user equipments.

24. A system for controlling use of wireless user equipments within an access network, the system comprising:

receiving means for receiving requests for wireless access from a plurality of user equipments within a first access network configured to allow the plurality of user equipments to access a communication system in an environment wherein said wireless access to the communication system is restricted; and

monitoring means for monitoring, by a detection network, for user equipments that are seeking for communication via another access network that the first access network based on wireless signals transmitted by the user equipments.