SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ENABLING TRANSACTION OF FEMTO CELL INFORMATION FROM A HOST TERMINAL DEVICE TO A GUEST TERMINAL DEVICE

• US 20090098858A1
• Filed: 10/09/2008
• Published: 04/16/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Gogic, Aleksandar M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,380,169 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/411
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/37 Managing security policies for mobile devices or for controlling mobile applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/20 Selecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A method for managing access to a macro mobile operator core network (250) by a guest terminal device (225) through a femto cell (210), and more particularly through a femto cell (210) connected to the Internet (240). When a guest terminal seeks guest access to network services at a site for example while a guest at a person'"'"'s home, or a customer in a shop, or a traveler in a transportation station, access may be granted by information exchange between the proprietor of the site and the macro mobile operator core network (250). Access may be granted via the proprietor via a terminal device (220) connected wirelessly to the core network, or by any device connected to the Internet. Once access is granted, the guest terminal device (225) receives sufficient information to initiate communication with femto cells (210) in the proximity of the site, and thereby begin using Internet-based communication.

Claims

1. A method for managing core network access of a guest terminal device through at least one femto cell comprising:

storing information regarding at least one femto cell;

transferring said information regarding said femto cell to said guest terminal device;

authorizing at least one femto cell for use by said guest terminal device; and

establishing network access through said femto cell to said guest terminal device using said information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said storing information regarding at least one femto cell includes information received from a subscriber terminal device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein authorizing said guest terminal device to access said femto cell comprises transferring said information from said subscriber terminal device to said core network.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said establishing network access to said guest terminal device includes at least one of, access to Internet via broadband link, access to a core network-based application, access to an internet-based application.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said authorizing at least one femto cell for use by a guest terminal device includes a guest confirmation.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said storing information regarding at least one femto cell comprises at least one of, a field for at least one specific terminal identification serial number, a bit for storing a guest status authorization, a field for storing at least one timestamp, a field for storing at least one femto cell ID, a field for storing at least one femto constellation database entry.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said storing information regarding at least one femto cell comprises providing fields for storing at least one of, an SID, an NID, a femto ID, a Macro BS set, a Pilot Ec/Io threshold vector, a mean pilot phase vector, a pilot phase deviation vector.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said establishing at least one access database entry includes at least one of, an explicit deny characteristic entry, a carrier deny entry, a core network application deny entry, an internet address deny entry, an internet application deny entry.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said authorizing at least one femto cell for use by a guest terminal device includes at least one of, a restricted mode, a promiscuous mode, a tariff-free mode, a tariff mode, a time-based access limitation mode, a pre-authorized guest mode, a roaming mode for roaming between any number of authorized femto cells.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said establishing network access to said user equipment terminal includes access using at least one of, CDMA, TDMA, FDMA, GSM.

11. A wireless communication system for managing core network access of a guest terminal device through at least one femto cell comprising:

a core network computing platform for storing information regarding at least one femto cell;

a guest terminal for receiving said information regarding said femto cell; and

at least one said femto cell for conducting network communication through said femto cell with said guest terminal device.

12. The wireless communication system of claim 11, further comprising a subscriber terminal device for identifying at least one guest terminal device.

13. The wireless communication system of claim 12, wherein said core network computing platform for storing information regarding at least one femto cell includes information received from said subscriber terminal device.

14. The wireless communication system of claim 11, wherein said guest terminal for receiving said information comprises receiving said information from said core network.

15. The wireless communication system of claim 11, wherein said guest terminal for receiving said information includes receiving a guest confirmation.

16. The wireless communication system of claim 11, wherein said core network computing platform for storing information regarding at least one femto cell comprises storing at least one of, a field for at least one specific terminal identification serial number, a bit for a guest status authorization, a field for at least one timestamp, a field for storing at least one femto cell ID, a field for storing at least one femto constellation database entry.

17. The wireless communication system of claim 11, wherein said core network computing platform for storing information regarding at least one femto cell comprises storing at least one of, an SID, an NID, a femto ID, a Macro BS set, a Pilot Ec/Io threshold vector, a mean pilot phase vector, a pilot phase deviation vector.

18. The wireless communication system of claim 11, wherein said guest terminal for receiving said information regarding said femto cell includes receiving at least one of, a restricted mode, a promiscuous mode, a tariff-free mode, a tariff mode, a time-based access limitation mode, a pre-authorized guest mode, a roaming.

19. The wireless communication system of claim 11, wherein said femto cell for conducting network communication includes conducting network communication using at least one of, CDMA, TDMA, FDMA, GSM.

20. A computer program product comprising:

a computer readable medium comprising;

code for causing at least one computer to store information regarding at least one femto cell;

code for causing at least one computer to authorize at least one said femto cell for use by a guest terminal device; and

code for causing at least one computer to de-authorize network access session through said femto cell to said guest terminal device.

21. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein said storing information regarding at least one femto cell includes information received from a subscriber terminal device.

22. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein said computer readable medium further comprises code for causing at least one computer to transfer said information from said subscriber terminal device to said core network.

23. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein said authorizing at least one femto cell for use by a guest terminal device includes a guest confirmation.

24. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein said computer readable medium further comprises code for causing at least one computer to store at least one of, a field for at least one specific terminal identification serial number, a bit for storing a guest status authorization, a field for storing at least one timestamp, a field for storing at least one femto cell ID, a field for storing at least one femto constellation database entry.

25. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein said computer readable medium further comprises code for causing at least one computer to provide fields for storing at least one of, an SID, an NID, a femto ID, a Macro BS set, a Pilot Ec/Io threshold vector, a mean pilot phase vector, a pilot phase deviation vector.

26. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein said computer readable medium further comprises code for causing at least one computer to authorize at least one of, an explicit deny characteristic entry, a carrier deny entry, a core network application deny entry, an internet address deny entry, an internet application deny entry.

27. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein said computer readable medium further comprises code for causing at least one computer to authorize at least one of, a restricted mode, a promiscuous mode, a tariff-free mode, a tariff mode, a time-based access limitation mode, a pre-authorized guest mode, a roaming mode for roaming between any number of authorized femto cells.

28. An apparatus for managing core network access of a guest terminal device through at least one femto cell comprising:

means for storing information regarding at least one femto cell;

means for transferring said information regarding said femto cell to said guest terminal device;

means for authorizing at least one femto cell for use by said guest terminal device; and

means for establishing network access through said femto cell to said guest terminal device using said information.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, further comprising means for storing information received from a subscriber terminal device.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, further comprising means for transferring said information from said subscriber terminal device to said core network.

31. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein said means for establishing network access to said guest terminal device further comprise at least one means of, access to Internet via broadband link, access to a core network-based application, access to an internet-based application.