ACCESS CONTROL IN A MOBILE COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

• US 20070270152A1
• Filed: 12/01/2006
• Published: 11/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Vikberg, Jari Tapio, Nylander, Tomas, Lindqvist, Thomas Lars-Erik
• Granted Patent: US 7,941,144 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/445
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/04 based on user or terminal location or mobility data, e.g. moving direction, speed
• 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 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 88/12 Access point controller devices

Abstract

A method and radio network controller (RNC) in a radio access network (RAN) for controlling access to a cellular telecommunication system. Upon receiving an access request from a given user equipment (UE) through a given radio base station (RBS), the RNC retrieves authorization information from an access control database within the RAN. The authorization information indicates whether the given UE is authorized to access the system through the given RBS. The RNC alternatively grants access or denies access to the UE based on the retrieved authorization information. The RBS is particularly useful for controlling access through small cells with limited capacity.

Claims

1. A method of controlling access in a cellular telecommunication system having a radio access network (RAN) in communication with a core network (CN), said method comprising:

implementing access logic within the RAN for determining whether a given mobile user equipment (UE) is authorized to access the system through a given radio base station (RBS); and

alternatively granting access or denying access to the UE based on a determination by the access logic in the RAN.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of implementing access logic within the RAN includes:

providing an access control database in the RAN for storing an identifier for the given RBS, and for associating with the given RBS, a plurality of UE identifiers which are authorized to access the system through the given RBS; and

providing logic in a radio network controller (RNC) in the RAN, said logic causing the RNC to retrieve authorization information from the access control database upon receipt of an access request from the given UE sent through the given RBS, said access request including the identifier for the given RBS and an identifier for the given UE.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the step of alternatively granting access or denying access to the UE includes:

if the retrieved authorization information indicates the given UE is not authorized to access the system through the given RBS, rejecting the access request by the RNC without signaling to the CN; and

if the retrieved authorization information indicates the given UE is authorized to access the system through the given RBS, forwarding the access request by the RNC to the CN.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the given RBS is a Femto-RBS serving a femtocell smaller than a macrocell, said Femto-RBS having capacity to serve only a small predefined number of UEs identified in the access control database.

5. The method according to claim 4, further comprising controlling access through the macrocell within the CN.

6. The method according to claim 4, further comprising controlling access through the macrocell within the RNC, wherein the RNC is adapted to control access through the femtocell and to separately control access through the macrocell.

7. An apparatus for controlling access in a cellular telecommunication system having a radio access network (RAN) in communication with a core network (CN), said apparatus comprising:

means within the RAN for determining whether a given mobile user equipment (UE) is authorized to access the system through a given radio base station (RBS); and

means within the RAN for alternatively granting access or denying access to the UE based on a determination by the access logic in the RAN.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the means within the RAN for determining whether a given UE is authorized to access the system includes:

an access control database in the RAN for storing an identifier for the given RBS, and for associating with the given RBS, a plurality of UE identifiers which are authorized to access the system through the given RBS; and

access logic in a radio network controller (RNC) in the RAN, said access logic causing the RNC to retrieve authorization information from the access control database upon receipt of an access request from the given UE sent through the given RBS, said access request including the identifier for the given RBS and an identifier for the given UE.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the means for alternatively granting access or denying access includes:

means for rejecting the access request by the RNC without signaling to the CN, responsive to authorization information that indicates the given UE is not authorized to access the system through the given RBS; and

means for forwarding the access request by the RNC to the CN, responsive to authorization information that indicates the given UE is authorized to access the system through the given RBS.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the given RBS is a Femto-RBS serving a femtocell smaller than a macrocell, said Femto-RBS having capacity to serve only a small predefined number of UEs identified in the access control database.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising means within the CN for controlling access through the macrocell.

12. The apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising means within the RNC for controlling access through the macrocell, wherein the RNC is adapted to control access through the femtocell and to separately control access through the macrocell.

13. The apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising a second RNC for controlling access through the macrocell.

14. A radio network controller (RNC) in a radio access network (RAN) in a cellular telecommunication system, said RNC controlling access to a core network (CN) in communication with the RAN, said RNC comprising:

first communication means for receiving an access request from a given mobile user equipment (UE) through a given radio base station (RBS);

means responsive to receiving the access request, for retrieving authorization information from an access control database within the RAN, said authorization information indicating whether the given UE is authorized to access the CN through the given RBS; and

means for alternatively granting access or denying access to the UE based on the retrieved authorization information.

15. The RNC according to claim 14, wherein the means for alternatively granting access or denying access includes:

means for rejecting the access request without signaling to the CN, responsive to authorization information that indicates the given UE is not authorized to access the system through the given RBS; and

second communication means for forwarding the access request to the CN, responsive to authorization information that indicates the given UE is authorized to access the system through the given RBS.

16. The RNC according to claim 15, wherein the second communication means includes mapping means for synchronizing message sequence numbers for messages sent between the given UE and the CN.

17. A radio network controller (RNC) in a radio access network (RAN) in a cellular telecommunication system, said RNC controlling access to a core network (CN) in communication with the RAN, wherein the cellular telecommunication system includes macrocells and smaller femtocells, said RNC comprising:

means for controlling access through the macrocells, wherein access requests are forwarded to the CN for access decisions; and

means for controlling access through the femtocells, wherein access decisions are made in the RNC.

18. The RNC according to claim 17, wherein the means for controlling access through the femtocells includes:

first communication means for receiving an access request from a given mobile user equipment (UE) through a given radio base station (RBS);

means responsive to receiving the access request, for retrieving authorization information from an access control database within the RAN, said authorization information indicating whether the given UE is authorized to access the CN through the given RBS; and

means for alternatively granting access or denying access to the UE based on the retrieved authorization information.

19. The RNC according to claim 18, wherein the means for alternatively granting access or denying access includes:

means for rejecting the access request without signaling to the CN, responsive to authorization information that indicates the given UE is not authorized to access the system through the given RBS; and

second communication means for forwarding the access request to the CN, responsive to authorization information that indicates the given UE is authorized to access the system through the given RBS.

20. The RNC according to claim 19, wherein the second communication means includes mapping means for synchronizing message sequence numbers for messages sent between the given UE and the CN.

21. The RNC according to claim 17, wherein the cellular telecommunication system also includes microcells and picocells larger than the femtocells, and the means for controlling access through the macrocells also controls access through the mircocells and picocells, wherein access requests are forwarded to the CN for access decisions.