APPARATUS, SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MANAGING WIRELESS SERVICE TO A WIRELESS COMMUNICATION DEVICE

• US 20080153497A1
• Filed: 02/26/2008
• Published: 06/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Inventors: KALHAN, Amit
• Granted Patent: US 8,619,706 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/436
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/10 adapted for operation in multiple networks, e.g. multi-mode access points
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

A detecting base station detects a wireless communication device by intercepting an uplink communication signal intended for an originating base station. In response to the detection of the wireless communication device, the detecting base station sends a message to the core network. The detecting base station includes a mobile communication device detector configured to intercept the uplink communication signal transmitted from the wireless communication device to the originating base station of a communication network. A network interface within the detecting base station is configured to send a device proximity message to the communication network where the device proximity message is based on the proximity of the wireless communication device to the detecting base station. The device proximity message may be a handoff request, distance, or other information that is derived or otherwise related to the intercepted uplink communication signal.

Claims

1. A detecting base station comprising:

a mobile communication device detector configured to intercept a communication signal transmitted from a wireless communication device to an originating base station connected to a core network; and

a network interface configured to send a device proximity message to the core network, the device proximity message based on a proximity of the wireless communication device to the detection base station.

2. The detecting base station of claim 1, wherein the device proximity message comprises a request to establish wireless service from the detecting base station to the wireless communication device.

3. The detecting base station of claim 1, wherein the device proximity message indicates the proximity.

4. The detecting base station of claim 1, wherein the communication signal has a carrier frequency not assigned to the detecting base station for wireless communication service.

5. The detecting base station of claim 1, wherein the communication signal is modulated using a pseudorandom code not assigned to the detecting base station for wireless communication service.

6. The detecting base station of claim 1, wherein the detecting base station provides has a wireless service area smaller than an originating wireless service area of the originating base station.

7. The detecting base station of claim 6, wherein the wireless service area of the detecting base station is a femtocell and the originating wireless service area is a macrocell.

8. The detecting base station of claim 1, wherein the network interface is further configured to send the proximity message when the proximity is below a proximity threshold.

9. The detecting base station of claim 1, wherein the mobile communication device detector comprises an uplink receiver configured to receive the communication signal transmitted from the wireless communication device.

10. The detecting base station of claim 9, wherein the network interface is further configured to send the device proximity message based on a received power level of the communication signal.

11. The detecting base station of claim 10, further comprising a downlink receiver configured to receive a downlink signal comprising control data for the wireless communication device, the controller further configured to generate the device proximity message based, at least partially, on the control data and the received power level of the communication signal.

12. The detecting base station of claim 11, wherein the control data comprises a power level indicator, the controller configured to determine the proximity of the multi-mode wireless communication device to the access point, at least partially on the power level indicator and the received power level of the uplink signal.

13. A femtocell base station comprising:

an uplink receiver configured to receive an uplink signal transmitted from a wireless communication device to a macrocell base station in an uplink channel assigned to the macrocell base station for communicating with the wireless communication device;

a controller configured to generate a handoff request based on at least the detection of the uplink signal; and

a network interface configured to send the handoff request to a core network connected to the macrocell base station to initiate a handoff of the wireless communication device from the macrocell base station to the femtocell base station.

14. The femtocell base station of claim 13, wherein the femtocell base station provides wireless service within a femtocell and the macrocell base station provides wireless service within a macrocell larger than, and at least partially overlapping,the femtocell.

15. The femtocell base station of claim 13, wherein the controller generates the handoff request based on a proximity of the wireless communication device to the femtocell base station.

16. The femtocell base station of claim 15, wherein the controller generates the handoff request based on determination that the proximity is less than a proximity threshold.

17. The femtocell base station of claim 15, wherein the controller determines the proximity based on a power level of the uplink signal.

18. The femtocell base station of claim 15, wherein the controller determines the proximity based on a time delay between the transmission of the uplink signal from the wireless communication device and a reception time of the uplink signal at the femtocell base station.

19. A method performed at a detecting base station configured to communicate with a wireless communication device, the method comprising:

receiving an uplink signal transmitted from a wireless communication device to a originating base station in an uplink channel assigned to the originating station for communicating with the wireless communication device;

generating a handoff request based on at least the detection of the uplink signal; and

sending the handoff request to a core network connected to the originating base station to initiate a handoff of the wireless communication device from the originating base station to the detecting base station.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein detecting base station is a femtocell base station providing wireless service within a femtocell and the originating base station is a macrocell base station providing wireless service within a macrocell larger than, and at least partially overlapping, the femtocell.