Method and apparatus for steering idle mobile stations

• US 20060128392A1
• Filed: 12/14/2004
• Published: 06/15/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Turina, Dalibor, Wahlberg, Ulrik
• Granted Patent: US 7,328,010 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/452.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/06 based on traffic conditions

Abstract

Idle mobile stations are steered to a particular cell or service area to accommodate subscriber preferences or restrictions, subscription services, or network operator preferences or restrictions and/or to accomplish load redistribution or other network management functions. Multiple idle mobile station steering factors are considered. Steering may be accomplished using a variety of techniques such as rejecting registration attempts in certain cells and accepting those attempts in others and adjusting cell broadcast parameters.

Claims

1. A method for distributing idle mobile stations between service areas, where each idle mobile stations is in a state where the mobile station selects a service area to receive service based on one or more parameters provided by one or both of a first broadcast signal in a first service area or a second broadcast signal in a second service area, comprising:

determining a first steering factor associated with individual ones of the idle mobile stations;

determining a second different steering factor associated with one or both of the first service area and the second service area; and

steering idle mobile stations to register with the first service area or the second service area based on the first and second steering factors.

2. The method in claim 1, wherein another service area offering a same set of services as the first service area is preferred over another service area that does not offer a same set of services as the first service area.

3. The method in claim 1, wherein determining the first steering factor includes determining whether a roaming restriction applies to one of the idle mobile stations for the first service area or the second service area.

4. The method in claim 3, wherein the steering includes denying registration to the one idle mobile station in a roaming restricted service area.

5. The method in claim 3, wherein determining the second steering factor includes determining that an overload situation exists in one of the first service area or the second service area.

6. The method in claim 5, wherein the steering includes denying registration to the one idle mobile station in an overloaded service area.

7. The method in claim 5, further comprising:

determining a third steering factor related to a load condition in the first service area or a load condition in the second service area,

wherein the steering is based on the first, second, and third steering factors.

8. The method in claim 7, wherein if the determined load for the first service area or the second service area needs reducing, instructing adjustment of one or more parameters in one or both of the first and second broadcast messages in order to steer idle mobile stations to register with a service area other than the loaded service area.

9. The method in claim 3, wherein roaming restrictions are determined based on a subscription associated with each of the idle mobile stations or based on a subscription history of one or more idle mobile stations.

10. The method in claim 1, wherein the steering includes steering idle mobile stations to register with a service area using a particular radio access technology.

11. Apparatus for distributing idle mobile stations between service areas, where each idle mobile stations is in a state where the mobile station selects a service area to receive service based on one or more parameters provided by one or both of a first broadcast signal in a first service area or a second broadcast signal in a second service area, comprising:

means for determining a first steering factor associated with individual ones of the idle mobile stations;

means for determining a second different steering factor associated with one or both of the first service area and the second service area; and

means for steering idle mobile stations to register with the first service area or the second service area based on the first and second steering factors.

12. The apparatus in claim 11, wherein another service area offering a same set of services as the first service area is preferred over another service area that does not offer a same set of services as the first service area.

13. The apparatus in claim 11, wherein the means for determining the first steering factor is configured to determine whether a roaming restriction applies to one of the idle mobile stations for the first service area or the second service area.

14. The apparatus in claim 13, wherein the means for steering includes means for denying registration to the one idle mobile station in a roaming restricted service area.

15. The apparatus in claim 13, wherein the means for determining the second steering factor is configured to determine that an overload situation exists in one of the first service area or the second service area.

16. The apparatus in claim 15, wherein the means for steering includes means for denying registration to the one idle mobile station in an overloaded service area.

19. The apparatus in claim 14, wherein if the determined load for the first or the second service area exceeds a threshold or needs reducing, the apparatus includes means for instructing adjustment of one or more parameters in one or both of the first and second broadcast messages in order to steer idle mobile stations to register with a service area other than the loaded service area.

20. The apparatus in claim 11, wherein the means for steering is configured to steer idle mobile stations to register with a service area using a particular radio access technology.

17. The apparatus in claim 17, further comprising:

means for determining a third steering factor related to a load condition in the first service area or the second service area,

wherein the means for steering is configured to steer idle mobile stations based on the first, second, and third steering factors.

18. The apparatus in claim 17, wherein if the determined load for the first service area or the second service area needs reducing, the means for steering includes means for instructing adjustment of one or more parameters in one or both of the first and second broadcast messages in order to steer idle mobile stations to register with a service area other than the loaded service area.