Transmission of filtering/filtered information over the Iur interface

• US 20070202877A1
• Filed: 12/08/2006
• Published: 08/30/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Hogan, William
• Granted Patent: US 8,380,205 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/436
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0066 of control information between different types of networks in order to establish a new radio link in the target network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/10 Reselecting an access point controller
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/30 by measured or perceived connection quality data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/302 due to low signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/04 based on user or terminal location or mobility data, e.g. moving direction, speed

Abstract

In a radio access network, a drift radio network controller (DRNC) [26₂] transmits to a serving radio network controller (SRNC) [26₁] either (1) a filtering rule for a candidate cell [so that the serving radio network controller (SRNC) can generate a measurement list for a user equipment unit having a connection controlled by the serving radio network controller (SRNC)], or (2) a list of cells qualifying [according to filtering rules stored at and applied by the drift radio network controller (DRNC)] for inclusion in the measurement list for the user equipment unit. The filtering rule provides criteria useful for determining whether the candidate cell qualifies for inclusion in the measurement list of cells for the user equipment unit. If the candidate cell is a shared cell or cell for which the user equipment unit otherwise has permission for usage, the candidate cell qualifies for inclusion in the measurement list for the user equipment unit. On the other hand, if the candidate cell is a unshared cell for which the user equipment unit has no permission for usage, the candidate cell does not qualify for inclusion in the measurement list for the user equipment unit. The filtering rule itself can take various forms, and the filtering rule-bearing Iur message can have various formats possibly with transmission economizing features of the invention. In one mode of the invention, the drift radio network controller (DRNC) may itself apply the filtering rule to determine whether the candidate cell qualifies for the measurement list. In a hybrid mode, filtering functions are initially performed by the serving radio network controller (SRNC) and subsequently performed by the drift radio network controller (DRNC).

Claims

1. For use in a telecommunications system having a serving radio network controller (SRNC) which controls a connection with a user equipment unit and a drift radio network controller (DRNC), a method comprising transmitting from the drift radio network controller (DRNC) to the serving radio network controller (SRNC) a filtering rule for a candidate cell, the filtering rule providing criteria for determining whether the candidate cell qualifies for inclusion in a measurement list of cells for the user equipment unit.

70. The method of claim 1, further comprising, after the transmitting of the filtering rule from the drift radio network controller (DRNC), using at another node the criteria of the filtering rule to generate the measurement list of cells for the user equipment unit.

71. The method of claim 1, further comprising, after the transmitting of the filtering rule from the drift radio network controller (DRNC), using at the serving radio network controller (SRNC) the criteria of the filtering rule to generate the measurement list of cells for the user equipment unit.

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21. For use in a telecommunications system having a serving radio network controller (SRNC) which controls a connection with a user equipment unit and a drift radio network controller (DRNC), a method comprising:

setting up a radio link for the connection with the user equipment unit in a selected cell controlled by the drift radio network controller (DRNC);

transmitting from the drift radio network controller (DRNC) to the serving radio network controller (SRNC) a filtering rule for a candidate cell, the filtering rule providing criteria for determining whether the candidate cell qualifies for inclusion in a measurement list of cells for the user equipment unit;

then subsequently

receiving at the serving radio network controller (SRNC) an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) for the user equipment unit; and

using the international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) to check at least one of the following;

(1) whether the measurement list for the user equipment unit should be updated to delete the candidate cell;

(2) whether the radio link for the selected cell should be removed.

72. The method of claim 21, further comprising, after the transmitting of the filtering rule from the drift radio network controller (DRNC), using at another node the criteria of the filtering rule to generate the measurement list of cells for the user equipment unit.

73. The method of claim 21, further comprising, after the transmitting of the filtering rule from the drift radio network controller (DRNC), using at the serving radio network controller (SRNC) the criteria of the filtering rule to generate the measurement list of cells for the user equipment unit.

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29. A telecommunications system comprising:

a serving radio network controller (SRNC) which controls a connection with a user equipment unit;

a drift radio network controller (DRNC) which transmits to the serving radio network controller (SRNC) a filtering rule for a candidate cell, the filtering rule providing criteria for determining whether the candidate cell qualifies for inclusion in a measurement list of cells for the user equipment unit.

74. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein, after the transmitting of the filtering rule from the drift radio network controller (DRNC), the serving radio network controller (SRNC) uses the criteria of the filtering rule to generate the measurement list of cells for the user equipment unit.

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63. A telecommunications system comprising:

a serving radio network controller (SRNC) which controls a connection with a user equipment unit;

a drift radio network controller (DRNC);

wherein the serving radio network controller (SRNC) sets up a radio link for the connection with the user equipment unit in a selected cell controlled by the drift radio network controller (DRNC);

wherein the drift radio network controller (DRNC) transmits to the serving radio network controller (SRNC) a filtering rule for a candidate cell, the filtering rule providing criteria for determining whether the candidate cell qualifies for inclusion in a measurement list of cells for the user equipment unit;

wherein upon receiving an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) for the user equipment unit;

one of the serving radio network controller (SRNC) and the drift radio network controller (DRNC) uses the international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) to check at least one of the following;

(1) whether the measurement list for the user equipment unit should be updated to delete the candidate cell;

(2) whether the radio link for the selected cell should be removed.

75. The apparatus of claim 63, wherein, after the transmitting of the filtering rule from the drift radio network controller (DRNC), the serving radio network controller (SRNC) uses the criteria of the filtering rule to generate the measurement list of cells for the user equipment unit.

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76. A method for determining whether to include a neighboring cell into a measurement list of a user equipment in a mobile a communications system, the communications system comprising a radio access network with a radio network controller adapted to choose a selected cell to which to handover the user equipment to based on measured signal strength results for cells in the measurement list, the communications system further comprising a core network, the radio network controller being connected to the core network, the method comprising the steps of

determining in the core network a subscriber group information for the user equipment according to a subscriber identity of the user equipment,

sending the subscriber group information from the core network to the access node,

determining a filtering rule for the neighboring cell in the access node, and

including the neighboring cell into the measurement list for the user equipment according to the result of the filtering rule for the subscriber group information.