EQUIVALENT HOME ID FOR MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS

• US 20090086672A1
• Filed: 09/26/2008
• Published: 04/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Gholmieh, Aziz, Tenny, Nathan E., Grilli, Francesco, Nizri, Shlomo, Zreiq, Samer S.
• Application Number:
  US12/239,509
• Publication Number:
  US 20090086672A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/329
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/32 Hierarchical cell structures
• 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 48/14 using user query or user detection

Abstract

Facilitating user terminal (UT) access to wireless networks having disparate types of base stations (BSs) is described herein. By way of example, a distinct identifier (ID) can be reserved for a particular type of network access point (e.g. restricted or general access, full or fractional re-use, transmit power, cell size, etc.). The distinct ID can be broadcast by such access points, identifying the access point type. In some aspects, the distinct ID can be unicast to a terminal that is within a predetermined region of the network. Thus, at least within such region, the terminal can be directed to search for or handoff to a preferred type of access point (such as a home Node B). In such aspects, by providing regional-specific access, the subject disclosure can significantly reduce overhead signaling outside a home region where a home or preferred access point is expected to be found.

Claims

1. A method of providing regional access in a wireless network, comprising:

obtaining subscriber profile information pertaining to a user terminal (UT);

extracting data representing a network region from the information;

comparing the network region to data associated with a cell of a wireless network; and

submitting an identifier associated with selected access points of the wireless network to the UT if the network region matches a network region of the cell.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing the identifier as an equivalent of a public land mobile network (PLMN) identifier (ID) of a network operator associated with the UT.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifier is a specialized PLMN ID associated with the selected access points, and the selected access points are home Node Bs (HNBs).

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising obtaining the subscriber profile information upon receiving a network access request from the UT.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising employing a closed subscriber group (CSG) of the cell to verify whether the UT is authorized to access the wireless network via the cell.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising denying network access to the UT if the UT is not authorized to access the cell, and submitting a delay parameter to the UT that requires the UT to ignore access points associated with the identifier for a delay period.

7. The method of claim 1, extracting data representing a network region further comprises obtaining Regional Subscription Data (RSD) associated with the UT, the RSD identifies the selected access points.

8. The method of claim 1, extracting data representing a network region further comprises obtaining a Regional Zone Code (RZC) that supports area restricted roaming.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising verifying that the UT is associated with an active subscription that allows service from at least one of the selected access points.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising submitting a parameterization set that increases a likelihood that the UT searches for, accesses or hands off to at least one of the selected access points, or decreases a likelihood that the UT searches for, access or hands off to access points of a different type than the selected access points.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising obtaining the subscriber profile information via a signaling interface to an operator'"'"'s core network.

12. An apparatus that provides selective regional access to a wireless network, comprising:

a query module that obtains subscriber profile information pertaining to a UT;

an analysis module that extracts data representing a network region from the information, and compares the extracted network region to data associated with a cell of a wireless network; and

a communication processor that submits an identifier associated with selected access points of the wireless network to the UT if the network region matches a region of the cell.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, the communication processor establishes the identifier as an equivalent of a PLMN ID of a network operator associated with the UT.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein:

the selected access points comprise an HNB network, a fractional re-use network, a sub-macro power network or a sub-macro cell network; and

the identifier is a PLMN ID reserved for access points of the HNB, fractional re-use, sub-macro power or sub-macro cell, respectively, network.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a registration module that extracts an ID of the UT from an access request included in a wireless signal initiated by the UT, and submits the ID to the query module to obtain the subscriber profile information.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the registration module verifies whether the UT is authorized to obtain service from the cell by comparing the ID of the UT to a CSG associated with the cell.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the registration module verifies whether the UT is associated with an active subscription related to the selected access points.

18. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a restriction module that submits a delay parameter to the UT if the UT is not authorized to access the cell, the delay parameter requires the UT to ignore access points associated with the identifier for a delay period.

19. The apparatus of claim 12, the analysis module extracts RSD that identifies the selected access points from the subscriber profile information.

20. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein:

the analysis module extracts an RZC related to area restricted roaming from the subscriber profile information; and

the communication processor compares an RZC of the cell to the extracted RZC to determine whether the network region matches the network region of the cell.

21. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a selective access module that submits a set of parameters to the UT that increases a probability that the UT will search for, access or hand off to at least one of the selected access points, or decreases a probability that the UT will search for, access or hand off to macro network base stations.

22. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a signaling interface to components of a core mobile communication network, the query module obtains the subscriber profile information via the signaling interface.

23. An apparatus that provides regional access in a wireless network, comprising:

means for obtaining subscriber profile information pertaining to a UT;

means for extracting data representing a network region from the information;

means for comparing the network region to data associated with a cell of a wireless network; and

means for submitting an identifier associated with selected access points of the wireless network to the UT if the network region matches a network region of the cell.

24. At least one processor configured to provide regional access in a wireless network, comprising:

a first module configured to obtain subscriber profile information pertaining to a UT;

a second module configured to extract data representing a network region from the information;

a third module configured to compare the network region to data associated with a cell of a wireless network; and

a fourth module configured to submit an identifier associated with selected access points of the wireless network to the UT if the network region matches a network region of the cell.

25. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer-readable medium, comprising;

a first set of codes for causing a computer to obtain subscriber profile information pertaining to a UT;

a second set of codes for causing the computer to extract data representing a network region from the information;

a third set of codes for causing the computer to compare the network region to data associated with a cell of a wireless network; and

a fourth set of codes for causing the computer to submit an identifier associated with selected access points of the wireless network if the network region matches a network region of the cell.

26. A method for obtaining regional access to a wireless network, comprising:

obtaining an identifier associated with a particular type of wireless network access point; and

selecting an access point associated with the identifier to access the wireless network if a current region of a requesting device matches a region of the selected access point.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising employing the identifier as an equivalent PLMN ID of a mobile operator.

28. The method of claim 26, further comprising maintaining a set of home region IDs associated with subscription-based wireless services, the home region IDs define one or more geographic or network regions in which the wireless services are available or are preferred.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising verifying that the identifier is one of the set of home region IDs.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising conditioning accessing the wireless network on the identifier matching one of the set of home region IDs.

31. The method of claim 26, further comprising tracking a cell ID of the selected access point if an access request to such access point is denied.

32. The method of claim 26, further comprising employing a delay parameter to refrain from searching for or signaling access points associated with the identifier for a delay period defined by the delay parameter if an access request to one of the select access points is denied.

33. The method of claim 26, further comprising switching to a cell hierarchy level utilized at least in part by base stations of the wireless network other than the particular type of access points if the access request is denied.

34. The method of claim 26, further comprising storing a cell ID of the at least one select access point if an access request to such access point is approved.

35. The method of claim 26, further comprising tracking a position location of a requesting UT if accessing the wireless network is approved, and correlating the position location with a permissible access location to the select access points.

36. The method of claim 26, further comprising obtaining a set of parameters that weights a likelihood of searching for, accessing or handing off to the particular type of access points in lieu of an access point of the wireless network not associated with the identifier.

37. A UT configured to obtain regional access to a wireless network, comprising:

a signal processor that obtains an identifier associated with a particular type of wireless network access point; and

an access module that selects an access point associated with the identifier to access the wireless network if a region in which the UT is located matches a region of the selected access point.

38. The UT of claim 37, further comprising a filtering module that references the identifier against a set of home region IDs associated with one or more geographic or network regions that provide subscription-based services or preferred services to the UT.

39. The UT of claim 38, the identifier is a registration area identifier, location area identifier (LAI), a routing area identifier (RAI), a tracking area ID (TAI), or an RZC of the wireless network.

40. The UT of claim 38, wherein the filtering module employs the identifier as an equivalent of a network operator PLMN ID if the identifier matches one of the set of home region IDs.

41. The UT of claim 37, further comprising a connectivity tracking module that records at least one of:

a cell ID or location data of the access point if the access request is denied;

or

a cell ID or location data of the access point if the access request is approved.

42. The UT of claim 37, further comprising a timing module that imposes a delay time on subsequent signaling to access points associated with the identifier if the access request is denied.

43. The UT of claim 37, further comprising a location tracking module that obtains an access location of the UT if the access request is approved or is denied.

44. The UT of claim 43, wherein a connectivity tracking module correlates the access location to at least one of:

a restricted access location if the request is denied;

or

a current registration area if the request is approved.

45. The UT of claim 37, further comprising a parsing module that scans a received wireless signal initiated at the selected access point for data identifying whether a Registration Area associated with such access point is a restricted registration area or general access registration area.

46. The UT of claim 37, wherein the access module searches, accesses or hands off to an access point not associated with the identifier after determining that access points associated with the identifier are not currently suitable for communication with the wireless network.

47. The UT of claim 46, the access module searches for inter-frequency or intra-frequency cells utilized by access points associated with the identifier before determining that access points associated with the identifier are not currently suitable for the communication.

48. An apparatus configured to obtain regional access to a wireless network, comprising:

means for obtaining an identifier associated with a particular type of wireless network access point; and

means for selecting an access point associated with the identifier to access the wireless network if a current region of a requesting device matches a region of the selected access point.

49. At least one processor configured to obtain regional access to a wireless network, comprising:

a first module configured to obtain an identifier associated with a particular type of wireless network access point; and

a second module configured to select an access point associated with the identifier to access the wireless network if a current region of a requesting device matches a region of the selected access point.

50. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer-readable medium, comprising;

a first set of codes for causing a computer to obtain an identifier associated with a particular type of wireless network access point; and

a second set of codes for causing the computer to select an access point associated with the identifier to access the wireless network if a current region of a requesting device matches a region of the selected access point.