MOBILE ACCESS IN A DIVERSE ACCESS POINT NETWORK

• US 20090088131A1
• Filed: 09/26/2008
• Published: 04/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Gholmieh, Aziz, Tenny, Nathan E., Grilli, Francesco, Nizri, Shlomo, Zreiq, Samer S.
• Granted Patent: US 8,588,738 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/410
• 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 base stations (BSs) of disparate access types is described herein. In some aspects, BS parameterization is provided to facilitate search and/or access to distinct types of network BSs. For instance, parameters can modify a likelihood of identifying or remaining coupled to restricted access (RA) BSs in a home Node B (HNB) deployment. In other aspects of the subject disclosure, a PLMN ID reserved for HNBs is provided comprising multiple region IDs. Where a UT identifies a home region, HNBs can be given preference over macro BSs. Additionally, the UT can keep track of HNBs and HNB regions that reject access to the UT, and implement a delay time to mitigate rapid signaling to foreign HNBs in a dense HNB deployment. Accordingly, the subject disclosure provides for more efficient UT access in heterogeneous access type networks.

Claims

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

obtaining a wireless signal comprising a network access request;

allowing or denying the network access request; and

transmitting a set of user terminal (UT) parameters that increases a probability that a UT will obtain and access a restricted access base station (RA BS) or decreases a probability that the UT will access a general access (GA) BS in favor of the RA BS.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting a priority hierarchy to a sector of the wireless network, the priority hierarchy indicates higher priority for one type of BS over another BS type, or a higher priority for one frequency channel over another frequency channel.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the priority hierarchy is a hierarchical cell structure (HCS), and wherein the HCS or at least one parameter of the set of parameters is transmitted via dedicated signaling to the UT.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting a parameter that establishes a low relative threshold below which a UT served by the RA BS searches for neighboring sectors of the wireless network.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting a parameter that establishes a low relative threshold below which a UT served by the RA BS re-selects to a neighboring sector of the wireless network.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting a parameter that establishes a low relative threshold below which a UT served by the RA BS searches for neighboring RA BSs that share a common frequency with the GA BS.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting a parameter that establishes a low relative threshold below which a UT served by the RA BS searches for neighboring RA BSs on different frequencies than utilized by the GA BS.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting a parameter that establishes a high relative threshold below which a UT served by the GA BS searches for RA BSs.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising obtaining a UT profile that indicates RA capabilities or subscription status of the UT and at least one of:

transmitting a set of parameters increasing a likelihood of accessing or handing off to the RA BS if the UT is an RA-authorized UT;

or

transmitting a set of parameters decreasing a likelihood of signaling the RA BS if the UT is a non RA-authorized UT.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the RA capabilities provided by the UT profile indicate a priority level for frequency channels employed by the RA or GA BS, the priority level is employed by at least one parameter of the set of parameters to weight a likelihood of searching for the RA or GA BS on the frequency channels.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining a profile of the UT at a sector of the wireless network;

identifying a home region ID of the UT from the profile; and

establishing a public land mobile network (PLMN) identifier (ID) reserved for RA BSs of the wireless network as an equivalent of a home PLMN ID of the UT if the sector and the UT'"'"'s home region share a common region ID.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

transmitting the reserved PLMN ID to the UT for BS acquisition if the sector shares the common region ID; and

refraining from transmitting the reserved PLMN ID to the UT if the sector does not share the common region ID.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining a home region ID or a closed subscriber group (CSG) ID of the UT; and

denying the network access request if the home region ID does not match a region ID of the sector or if the CSG ID is not included in a CSG listing of the sector.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising transmitting a parameter to the UT that establishes a delay time before expiration of which the UT refrains from at least one of:

registering on a sector having a PLMN ID reserved for RA BSs;

or

searching for sectors on a frequency reserved for RA BSs.

15. A base station, comprising:

a transceiver that obtains a wireless signal comprising a network access request;

a registration module that allows or denies the network access request; and

a selective access module that employs the transceiver to transmit a set of UT parameters to increase a probability that a UT will obtain and access an RA BS or to decrease a probability that the UT will access a GA BS.

16. The base station of claim 15, the set of parameters comprises a priority hierarchy configured for the UT, the priority hierarchy indicates at least one of:

higher access priority for RA BSs than for GA BSs if the UT is RA-capable;

or

higher access priority for GA BSs than for RA BSs if the UT is not RA-capable.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the priority hierarchy is an HCS, and wherein the selective access module transmits the HCS or at least one parameter of the set of parameters via dedicated signaling to the UT.

18. The base station of claim 15, the set of parameters comprises at least one parameter that establishes a low relative threshold below which a UT served by the RA BS searches for other sectors of the wireless network.

19. The base station of claim 15, the set of parameters comprises at least one parameter that establishes a low relative threshold below which a UT served by the RA BS adds another sector of the wireless network to an active handoff set.

20. The base station of claim 15, the set of parameters comprises at least one parameter that establishes a low relative threshold below which a UT served by the RA BS searches for other RA BSs that share a common frequency with the GA BS.

21. The base station of claim 15, the set of parameters comprises at least one parameter that establishes a high relative threshold below which a UT served by the GA BS searches for RA BSs.

22. The base station of claim 15, the set of parameters comprises at least one parameter that establishes a low relative threshold below which a UT served by the RA BS searches for neighboring RA BSs on different frequencies than utilized by the GA BS.

23. The base station of claim 15, further comprising a data query module that obtains a UT profile indicating RA BS capabilities of the UT, wherein the selective access module at least one of:

configures the transmitted set of parameters to increase a likelihood of obtaining and accessing the RA BS if the UT is a RA-capable UT;

or

configures the transmitted set of parameters to decrease a likelihood of signaling the RA BS if the UT is a non RA-capable UT.

24. The base station of claim 23, wherein the RA capabilities provided by the UT profile indicate a priority level for frequency channels employed by the RA or GA BS, the priority level is employed by at least one parameter of the set of parameters to weight a likelihood of searching for the RA or GA BS on the frequency channels.

25. The base station of claim 15, further comprising:

a data query module that obtains a profile of the UT;

an analysis module that identifies a home region ID of the UT from the profile and establishes a PLMN ID reserved for RA BSs as an equivalent of the UT'"'"'s home PLMN ID if the BS and the UT'"'"'s home region share a common region ID.

26. The base station of claim 25, the selective access module:

employs the transceiver to transmit the reserved PLMN ID to the UT for BS acquisition if the BS shares the common region ID; and

refrains from transmitting the reserved PLMN ID to the UT if the BS does not share the common region ID.

27. The base station of claim 15, further comprising an analysis module that obtains a home region ID or a CSG ID of the UT from a profile of the UT, wherein the registration module denies the network access request if the home region ID does not match a region ID of the sector or if the CSG ID is not included in a CSG listing of the sector.

28. The base station of claim 27, the set of parameters comprises at least one parameter configured to cause the UT to, for a specified delay period, refrain from at least one of:

register on a sector having a PLMN ID reserved for RA BSs;

or

search for sectors on a frequency reserved for RA BSs.

29. An apparatus that provides mobile access in a wireless network, comprising:

means for obtaining a wireless signal comprising a network access request;

means for allowing or denying the network access request; and

means for transmitting a set of UT parameters that increases a probability that a UT will obtain and access an RA BS or decreases a probability that the UT will access a GA BS.

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

a first module configured to obtain a wireless signal comprising a network access request;

a second module configured to allow or denies the network access request; and

a third module configured to transmit a set of UT parameters that increases a probability that a UT will obtain and access an RA BS or decreases a probability that the UT will access a GA BS.

31. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer-readable medium, comprising;

a first set of codes for causing a computer to obtain a wireless signal comprising a network access request;

a second set of codes for causing the computer to allow or deny the network access request; and

a third set of codes for causing the computer to transmit a set of UT parameters that increases a probability that a UT will obtain and access an RA BS or decreases a probability that the UT will access a GA BS.

32. A method of accessing a wireless network, comprising:

receiving a wireless signal transmitted by a wireless network BS;

obtaining a set of parameters configured to weight a probability of employing an RA or GA BS to interface with the wireless network; and

employing the set of parameters to implement communication with the network.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising obtaining a priority hierarchy from the set of parameters and prioritizing RA or GA BSs or prioritizing one or more frequency channels employed by RA or BS BSs based on the priority hierarchy and RA capabilities of a UT.

34. The method of claim 32, further comprising obtaining a parameter from the set of parameters that establishes a relatively low threshold below which a UT served by an RA BS searches for non RA BSs.

35. The method of claim 32, further comprising obtaining a parameter from the set of parameters that establishes a relatively low threshold below which a UT searches for BSs that utilize a frequency of the wireless network employed by GA BSs.

36. The method of claim 32, further comprising obtaining a parameter from the set of parameters that establishes a relatively high threshold below which a UT searches for a frequency of the wireless network employed by RA BSs.

37. The method of claim 32, further comprising obtaining RA-capabilities of a UT served by the wireless network and at least one of:

adjusting a parameter of the UT to increase a likelihood of obtaining and accessing RA BSs if the UT is a RA-capable UT;

or

adjusting a parameter of the UT to decrease a likelihood of searching for the RA BS if the UT is a non RA-capable UT.

38. The method of claim 32, further comprising at least one of:

obtaining a regional PLMN ID of the BS and a PLMN ID reserved for RA BSs as an equivalent of a home PLMN ID of a UT if the UT is RA-capable;

or

submitting the reserved PLMN ID and the regional PLMN ID to the BS in a request to access the wireless network.

39. The method of claim 39, further comprising at least one of:

obtaining access to the BS if the BS is a home RA BS of the UT;

or

obtaining a rejection to the request if the regional PLMN ID does not match the home regional ID of the UT.

40. The method of claim 39, further comprising at least one of:

recording the regional PLMN ID as a favored regional ID if access is obtained;

or

recording the regional PLMN ID as an excluded regional ID if the request is rejected.

41. The method of claim 40, further comprising increasing a threshold below which the UT searches for or accesses BSs on a frequency of the wireless network utilized by RA BSs if the regional PLMN ID of the BS is the favored regional ID.

42. The method of claim 40, further comprising refraining from searching for BSs on a frequency utilized for RA BSs for a delay period if the request is rejected.

43. A UT configured for accessing a wireless network, comprising:

a transceiver that obtains a wireless signal transmitted by a wireless network BS;

a signal processor that obtains a set of parameters configured to weight a probability of employing an RA or GA BS to interface with the wireless network; and

an access module that employs the set of parameters to implement communication with the network.

44. The UT of claim 43, further comprising a BS preference module that prioritizes RA or GA BSs, or prioritizes frequency channels employed by such BSs, based on a priority hierarchy obtained by the signal processor and based on RA capabilities of the UT.

45. The UT of claim 43, the signal processor further obtains a parameter from the set of parameters that establishes a relatively low threshold below which the UT searches for non RA BSs if the UT is served by an RA BS.

46. The UT of claim 43, the signal processor further obtains a parameter from the set of parameters that establishes a relatively low threshold below which the UT searches for BSs that utilize a frequency of the wireless network employed by GA BSs.

47. The UT of claim 43, the signal processor further obtains a parameter from the set of parameters that establishes a relatively high threshold below which the UT searches for a frequency of the wireless network employed by RA BSs.

48. The UT of claim 43, the signal processor further obtains RA-capabilities of the UT, wherein the UT further comprises a parameterization module that at least one of:

adjusts a parameter of the UT to increase a likelihood of obtaining and accessing RA BSs if the UT is a RA-capable UT;

or

adjusts a parameter of the UT to decrease a likelihood of signaling the RA BS if the UT is a non RA-capable UT.

49. The UT of claim 43, the signal processor further obtains a regional PLMN ID of the BS and a PLMN ID reserved for RA BSs as an equivalent of a home PLMN ID of the UT if the UT is RA-capable.

50. The UT of claim 43, the access module submits the reserved PLMN ID and the regional PLMN ID to the BS in a request to access the wireless network.

51. The UT of claim 44, further comprising an access tracking module that at least one of:

records the regional PLMN ID as a favored regional ID if the BS is a home RA BS of the UT;

or

records the regional PLMN ID as an excluded regional ID if the regional PLMN ID does not match the home regional ID of the UT.

52. The UT of claim 45, wherein a parameterization module increases a threshold below which the UT searches for or accesses BSs on a frequency of the wireless network utilized by RA BSs if the regional PLMN ID of the BS is the favored regional ID.

53. The UT of claim 45, further comprising a timing module that establishes a delay time over which the access module refrains from searching for BSs on a frequency utilized for RA BSs for a delay period if the request is rejected.

54. An apparatus for accessing a wireless network, comprising:

means for receiving a wireless signal transmitted by a wireless network BS;

means for obtaining a set of parameters configured to weight a probability of employing an RA or GA BS to interface with the wireless network; and

means for employing the set of parameters to implement communication with the network.

55. At least one processor configured for accessing a wireless network, comprising:

a first module configured to receive a wireless signal transmitted by a wireless network BS;

a second module configured to obtain a set of parameters configured to weight a probability of employing an RA or GA BS to interface with the wireless network; and

a third module configured to employ the set of parameters to implement communication with the network.

56. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer-readable medium, comprising;

a first set of codes for causing a computer to receive a wireless signal transmitted by a wireless network BS;

a second set of codes for causing the computer to obtain a set of parameters configured to weight a probability of employing an RA or GA BS to interface with the wireless network; and

a third set of codes for causing the computer to employ the set of parameters to implement communication with the network.