Pico cell home mode operation

• US 20090061821A1
• Filed: 08/30/2007
• Published: 03/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cellco Partnership, Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cellco Partnership, Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Chen, Xuming, Ritter, Phillip Andrew
• Granted Patent: US 8,494,522 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/411
• 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 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B

Abstract

Identification of radio coverage of a mobile station (MS) via a pico cell, such as an IP-BTS in a user premises (e.g. residence or business customer location), enables a mobile/wireless service provider to differentiate between coverage under a pico cell and coverage under a macro network. In a disclosed example, when the MS requests registration/authentication through a pico cell, a related signaling message includes a pico cell identifier (pID). A home location register (HLR) is provisioned with a pID, so that the HLR can decide to accept or reject the registration/authentication requests. For example, if the particular MS is provisioned for services from a specific pico cell, the HLR will grant the registration/authentication and allow the network to process calls for the mobile station through the identified pico cell. This enables the provider to allow discounted services through pico cell, e.g. as a replacement for a landline.

Claims

1. A method of controlling communication service for a mobile station through a pico cell of a mobile wireless communication network, the mobile wireless communication network also including one or more macro cells, the method comprising steps of:

receiving a signaling message relating to a request of the mobile station to register with the mobile wireless communication network through the pico cell,

the signaling message including an identification of the mobile station and an identifier of the pico cell through which the mobile station requested to register with the network;

retrieving a profile record associated with the mobile station responsive to the identification, from among a plurality of profile records for customers;

determining whether or not the pico cell identifier included in the signaling message matches a pico cell identifier if any indicated by the profile record associated with the mobile station; and

granting or rejecting registration of the mobile station through the identified pico cell, respectively, based on a determination of whether or not the pico cell identifier included in the signaling message matches a pico cell identifier if any indicated by the profile record associated with the mobile station.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising granting or rejecting attempts at communications through the network via the pico cell for the mobile station, respectively, based of the granting or rejecting of the registration of the mobile station through the pico cell.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein:

the registration and attempts at communications through the network via the pico cell are granted based on matching of the pico cell identifier included in the signaling message and a pico cell identifier indicated by the profile record associated with the mobile station; and

the method further comprises billing a customer associated with the mobile station for the communications through the network via the pico cell in a manner different from billing for communications for other mobile stations through a macro cell of the mobile wireless communication network instead of the pico cell.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the billing for the communications through the network via the pico cell is competitive with a landline telephone service.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

a mobile directory number (MDN) is assigned to the mobile station; and

the retrieved profile record provides an association of the MDN to the identified pico cell.

6. A method of controlling communication service for a mobile station, through a mobile wireless communication network including one or more macro cells and one or more pico cells, the method comprising steps of:

receiving a signaling message relating to a request of the mobile station to register with a mobile wireless communication network through a base transceiver system of one the cells of the network;

retrieving a profile record associated with the mobile station responsive to the signaling message, from among a plurality of profile records for customers,

the retrieved profile record indicating that the mobile station is authorized for service only through an identified pico cell of the network;

determining whether or not a pico cell identifier if any included in the signaling message corresponds to the pico cell identified by the profile record associated with the mobile station; and

granting or rejecting registration of the mobile station through the base transceiver system, respectively, based on the determining of whether or not a pico cell identifier if any included in the signaling message corresponds to the pico cell identified by the profile record associated with the mobile station.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising granting or rejecting attempts at communications through the network for the mobile station via the base transceiver system, respectively, based of the granting or rejecting of the registration of the mobile station through the pico cell.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein:

the registration and attempts at communications through the network via the base transceiver system are granted based matching of a pico cell identifier included in the signaling message and a pico cell identifier indicated by the profile record associated with the mobile station, indicating that the mobile station authorized for service only through the identified pico cell is registering for communication through the identified pico cell; and

the method further comprises billing a customer associated with the mobile station for the communications through the network via the identified pico cell in a manner different from billing for communications for other mobile stations through a macro cell of the mobile wireless communication network.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the billing for the communications through the network via the identified pico cell is competitive with a landline telephone service.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein:

a mobile directory number (MDN) is assigned to the mobile station; and

the retrieved profile record provides an association of the MDN to the identified pico cell.

11. A system offering mobile communications services for mobile stations, one of the mobile stations being designated for home pico cell operation only, the system comprising:

a macro network providing wireless public mobile communications services, the macro network comprising macro cells for providing wireless communications with mobile stations and a mobile switching center for routing and controlling calls for mobile stations through the macro cells;

a plurality of pico cells installed in customer premises, each for wireless communications with one or more of the mobile stations;

a switch in communication with the pico cells for routing and controlling calls for mobile stations through the pico cells; and

an authentication node in signaling communication with mobile switching center and the switch, wherein the authentication node is configured for implementing functions comprising;

a) receiving a first signaling message relating to a request of the one mobile station to register with the mobile wireless communication network through a base transceiver system of one the pico cells, the first signaling message including a pico cell identifier of the one pico cell;

b) granting registration of the one mobile station through the base transceiver system of the one pico cell, responsive to a determination that the pico cell identifier in the first signaling message corresponds to a pico cell identified as a home pico cell for the one mobile station by a profile record associated with the one mobile station;

c) receiving a second signaling message relating to a request of the one mobile station to register with the mobile wireless communication network through a base transceiver system of one the macro cells; and

d) rejecting registration of the one mobile station through the base transceiver system of the one macro cell.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the authentication node is configured for implementing additional functions comprising:

e) receiving a third signaling message relating to a request of another mobile station to register with the mobile wireless communication network through a base transceiver system of the one pico cell, the third signaling message including the pico cell identifier of the one pico cell; and

f) rejecting registration of the other mobile station through the base transceiver system of the one pico cell, responsive to a determination that the pico cell identifier in the third signaling message does not correspond to a pico cell if any identified by a profile record associated with the other mobile station.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising a billing system configured to:

receive call detail records for calls of the one mobile station through the one pico cell and for calls of the other mobile station through the system; and

to process the received call detail records to generate communication service bills for respective customers associated with the one mobile station and the other mobile station, at different rates.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the billing system is configured to generate the bill for the respective customer associated with the one mobile station at a rate competitive with landline telephone service.