REDIRECTION OF IP-CONNECTED RADIO BASE STATION TO CORRECT CONTROL NODE

• US 20070105527A1
• Filed: 10/03/2006
• Published: 05/10/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Vikberg, Jari, Nylander, Tomas, Teder, Paul Mihkel
• Granted Patent: US 7,817,997 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/403
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/30 Types of network names
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4511 using domain name system [DNS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/101 Access control lists [ACL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/24 Cell structures
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/32 Hierarchical cell structures
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/06 Testing, supervising or monitoring using simulated traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/10 Reselecting an access point controller
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/02 Access restriction performed under specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/00 Affiliation to network, e.g. registration; Terminating affiliation with the network, e.g. de-registration
• 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 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/22 Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/00 Wireless network protocols or protocol adaptations to wireless operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]
• 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 88/085 : Access point devices with remote components
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/12 : between access points and access point controllers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/22 : between access point controllers

Abstract

Methods and apparatus enable a femto radio base station (28_f), initially connected to a first or default radio network controller node (26₁), to be redirected/reconnected to a second or correct radio network controller node (26₂) for use as an active radio network controller node for the femto radio base station (28_f). The redirection/reconnection is accomplished by using location-indicative information obtained from a user equipment unit (30) which is in radio communication with the femto radio base station (28_f). The technique of redirection is particularly valuable when the femto radio base station (28_f) does not have its own receiver for ascertaining the radio access network (RAN) environment.

Claims

1. A method of operating a radio access network comprising:

connecting a femto radio base station to a first radio network controller node of the radio access network;

providing, from the femto radio base station, information obtained from a user equipment unit in communication with the femto radio base station to the first radio network controller node;

using the information obtained from the user equipment unit to determine a second radio network controller node to replace the first radio network controller node as an active radio network controller node for the femto radio base station.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising instructing the femto radio base station to utilize the second radio network controller node rather than the first radio network controller node as the active radio network controller node.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first radio network controller node is a default radio network controller node, and further comprising preconfiguring the femto radio base station to connect to the first radio network controller node.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the information obtained from the user equipment unit and provided to the first radio network controller node by the femto radio base station is one of (1) location area identity (LAI) obtained from the user equipment unit when the user equipment unit performs a location area update upon the user equipment unit entering a cell of the femto radio base station;

and (2) routing area identity (RAI) obtained from the user equipment unit when the user equipment unit performs a routing area update upon the user equipment unit entering a cell of the femto radio base station.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

the first radio network controller node configuring the user equipment unit to enable the user equipment unit to detect at least one cell on a specified frequency, the specified frequency being used both by the femto radio base station and a macro radio base station;

using the user equipment unit for detecting at least one cell on the specified frequency;

providing cell identification information for the at least one detected cell as the information obtained from the user equipment unit in communication with the femto radio base station to the first radio network controller node.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

the first radio network controller node configuring the user equipment unit to enable the user equipment unit to operate on different frequencies for detecting at least one cell;

using the user equipment unit for detecting at least one cell;

providing cell identification information for the at least one detected cell as the information obtained from the user equipment unit in communication with the femto radio base station to the first radio network controller node.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of configuring the user equipment unit to enable the user equipment unit to operate on different frequencies comprises a trial and error changing of a monitored set for the user equipment unit.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

the first radio network controller node directing the user equipment unit to operate in accordance with a first location strategy;

if the first location strategy supplies insufficient information for locating the femto radio base station, the first radio network controller node directing the user equipment unit to operate in accordance with a second location strategy.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the first strategy comprises the first radio network controller node configuring the user equipment unit to enable the user equipment unit to detect at least one cell on a specified frequency, and wherein the second strategy comprises the first radio network controller node configuring the user equipment unit to enable the user equipment unit to operate on different frequencies for detecting at least one cell.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the different frequencies comprise one or both of frequencies for inter-frequency cells and frequencies for inter-radio access technology (RAT) cells.

11. A femto radio base station configured to connect to a first radio network controller node of the radio access network and thereafter to provide location-indicative information obtained from a user equipment unit in communication with the femto radio base station to the first radio network controller node, and configured thereafter upon receiving redirection information based on the location-indicative information to replace the first radio network controller node with a second radio network controller node as an active radio network controller node for the femto radio base station.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the first radio network controller node is a default radio network controller node, and wherein the femto radio base station is preconfigured to connect to the first radio network controller node.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the location-indicative information obtained from the user equipment unit and provided to the first radio network controller node via the femto radio base station is one of (1) location area identity (LAI) obtained from the user equipment unit when the user equipment unit performs a location area update upon the user equipment unit entering a cell of the femto radio base station;

and (2) routing area identity (RAI) obtained from the user equipment unit when the user equipment unit performs a routing area update upon the user equipment unit entering a cell of the femto radio base station.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the location-indicative information obtained from the user equipment unit is cell identification information detected by the user equipment unit.

15. A radio network controller node of a radio access network, the radio network controller node being configured to use location-indicative information obtained from a user equipment unit in communication with a femto radio base station to determine which other radio network controller node the femto radio base station should use as its active radio network controller node.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the radio network controller node is configured for instructing the femto radio base station to utilize the second radio network controller node as the active radio network controller node.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the information obtained from the user equipment unit and provided to the radio network controller node by the femto radio base station is one of (1) location area identity (LAI) obtained from the user equipment unit when the user equipment unit performs a location area update upon the user equipment unit entering a cell of the femto radio base station;

and (2) routing area identity (RAI) obtained from the user equipment unit when the user equipment unit performs a routing area update upon the user equipment unit entering a cell of the femto radio base station.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the first radio network controller node is further configured to instruct the user equipment unit to detect at least one cell, and wherein the location-indicative information obtained from the user equipment unit in communication with the femto radio base station comprises cell identification information for the at least one detected cell.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the first radio network controller node is further configured to instruct the user equipment unit to detect at least one cell on a specified frequency, the specified frequency being used both by the femto radio base station and a macro radio base station, and wherein the location-indicative information obtained from the user equipment unit in communication with the femto radio base station comprises cell identification information for the at least one detected cell.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the first radio network controller node is further configured to instruct the user equipment unit to detect at least one cell by operating on different frequencies;

and wherein the location-indicative information obtained from the user equipment unit in communication with the femto radio base station comprises cell identification information for the at least one detected cell.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the first radio network controller node is configured to enable the user equipment unit to operate on a trial and error approach for changing of a monitored set for the user equipment unit.

22. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the first radio network controller node is arranged for directing the user equipment unit to operate in accordance with a first location strategy and is further arranged, if the first location strategy supplies insufficient information for locating the femto radio base station, for directing the user equipment unit to operate in accordance with a second location strategy.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the first strategy comprises the first radio network controller node configuring the user equipment unit to enable the user equipment unit to detect at least one cell on a specified frequency, and wherein the second strategy comprises the first radio network controller node configuring the user equipment unit to enable the user equipment unit to operate on different frequencies for detecting at least one cell.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the different frequencies comprise one or both of frequencies for inter-frequency cells and frequencies for inter-radio access technology (RAT) cells.