UTILIZING BROADCAST SIGNALS TO CONVEY RESTRICTED ASSOCIATION INFORMATION

• US 20090129338A1
• Filed: 11/12/2008
• Published: 05/21/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Gorokhov, Alexei, Agashe, Parag A., Bhushan, Naga, Ulupinar, Fatih, Khandekar, Aamod, Prakash, Rajat, Horn, Gavin B.
• Granted Patent: US 8,848,656 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/331
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0007 for multicast or broadcast services, e.g. MBMS multicast or broadcast application services H04W4/06; resource management for broadcast services H04W72/30; connection management for selective distribution or broadcast H04W76/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0061 of neighbour cell information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/08 Reselecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• 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 48/10 using broadcasted information

Abstract

Systems and methodologies are described that facilitate transmitting access point types and/or restricted association parameters using broadcast signals, such as beacons, pilot signals, etc. The type or restricted association information can be indicated by one or more intrinsic aspects of the signal, such as specified parameters. In addition, the type or information can be indicated by one or more extrinsic signal aspects, such as frequency, interval, periodicity, etc. Using this information, a mobile device can determine whether an access point implements restricted association. If so, the mobile device can request an access point or related group identifier before determining whether to establish connection therewith. The identifier can be verified against a list of accessible access points and/or groups to make the determination.

Claims

1. A method for determining cell information for reselection in a wireless communication network, comprising:

determining a restricted association indicator from a broadcast signal received from an access point;

obtaining a group identifier related to the access point from the broadcast signal based at least in part on the restricted association indicator; and

establishing communication with the access point based at least in part on determining the group identifier as present in a list of accessible group identifiers.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein establishing communication with the access point comprises performing cell reselection to the access point in idle mode or connected mode.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein establishing communication with the access point comprises transmitting a connection establishment request to the access point

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the restricted association indicator is based at least in part on evaluating one or more extrinsic aspects of the broadcast signal.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the one or more extrinsic aspects include an interval at which subsequent broadcast signals are received from the access point.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the broadcast signal is a beacon signal repeatedly transmitted by the access point at the interval.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the restricted association indicator is comprised within the broadcast signal as one or more parameters thereof.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining whether the access point is a femtocell or macrocell based at least in part on the restricted association indicator.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the access point is a femtocell and the group identifier is relates to a group of femtocells having a common service provider.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising obtaining a sector identifier of the access point from the broadcast signal on a subsequent communication establishment attempt.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising requesting subsequent communication establishment based at least in part on the sector identifier.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the group identifier is text based.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the restricted association indicator indicates the access point is restricted regarding providing signaling, data access, registration, and/or service.

14. A wireless communications apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor configured to;

receive a broadcast signal from an access point;

determine a restricted association indicator from the broadcast signal;

receive an identification of a group related to the access point from the broadcast signal based at least in part on the restricted association indicator; and

communicate with the access point based at least in part on determining the identification as present in a list of preferred access point groups; and

a memory coupled to the at least one processor.

15. A wireless communications apparatus that facilitates communicating with an access point in a wireless network, comprising:

means for determining a restricted association indicator from a broadcast signal received from an access point;

means for determining an identification of a group related to the access point from the broadcast signal based at least in part on the restricted association indicator; and

means for communicating with the access point based at least in part on the identification of the group.

16. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer-readable medium comprising;

code for causing at least one computer to determine a restricted association indicator from a broadcast signal received from an access point;

code for causing the at least one computer to obtain a group identifier related to the access point from the broadcast signal based at least in part on the restricted association indicator; and

code for causing the at least one computer to establish communication with the access point based at least in part on determining the group identifier as present in a list of accessible group identifiers.

17. An apparatus, comprising:

a restricted association indicator identifier that determines a restricted association indicator from a broadcast signal received from an access point;

an access point identifier determiner that obtains an access point group identification related to the access point from the broadcast signal based at least in part on the restricted association indicator; and

a cell reselector that establishes communication with the access point based at least in part on determining the identification as present in a list of preferred access point groups.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the cell reselector establishes communication with the access point by performing cell reselection to the access point in idle mode or connected mode

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the cell reselector establishes communication with the access point by transmitting an access request to the access point

20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the restricted association indicator identifier determines the restricted association indicator based at least in part on evaluating one or more extrinsic aspects of the broadcast signal.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the one or more extrinsic aspects include an interval at which subsequent broadcast signals are received from the access point.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the broadcast signal is a beacon signal repeatedly transmitted by the access point at the interval.

23. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the restricted association indicator identifier determines the restricted association indicator from one or parameters comprised within the broadcast signal.

24. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the restricted association indicator identifier obtains a sector identifier of the access point from the broadcast signal on a subsequent communication establishment attempt.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the cell reselector requests subsequent communication establishment based at least in part on the sector identifier.

26. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the restricted association indicator indicates the access point is restricted regarding providing signaling, data access, registration, and/or service.

27. A method for specifying access point information in broadcasts signals transmitted over a wireless communication network, comprising:

determining an access point type;

generating a broadcast signal that identifies the access point based at least in part on the access point type; and

transmitting the broadcast signal repeatedly over the wireless network according to the access point type.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising including an access point group identifier in the broadcast signal.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein transmitting the broadcast signal is performed at an interval indicative of the access point type.

30. The method of claim 27, wherein transmitting the broadcast signal is performed at a frequency range indicative of the access point type.

31. The method of claim 27, wherein the access point type is specified within the broadcast signal.

32. The method of claim 27, wherein the access point type indicates whether the access point implements restricted association regarding providing signaling, data access, registration, and/or service to one or more mobile devices.

33. A wireless communications apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor configured to;

receive a type of the wireless communications apparatus;

generate a broadcast signal that identifies the wireless communications apparatus based at least in part on the type; and

transmit the broadcast signal repeatedly over a wireless network to identify the type; and

a memory coupled to the at least one processor.

34. A wireless communications apparatus that facilitates indicating restricted association in wireless communications, comprising:

means for receiving a type of the wireless communications apparatus;

means for generating a broadcast signal that identifies the wireless communications apparatus based at least in part on the type; and

means for transmitting the broadcast signal repeatedly over a wireless network according to the type.

35. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer-readable medium comprising;

code for causing at least one computer to determine an access point type;

code for causing the at least one computer to generate a broadcast signal that identifies the access point based at least in part on the access point type; and

code for causing the at least one computer to transmit the broadcast signal repeatedly over the wireless network according to the access point type.

36. An apparatus, comprising:

a restricted association specifier that specifies a restricted association indicator related to a determined type of the apparatus; and

a broadcast signal generator that creates a broadcast signal based at least in part on the restricted association indicator; and

a transmitter that repeatedly transmits the broadcast signal over the wireless network according to the restricted association indicator.

37. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the broadcast signal generator includes an access point group identifier in the broadcast signal.

38. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the transmitter transmits the broadcast signal at an interval indicative of the restricted association indicator.

39. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the transmitter transmits the broadcast signal at a frequency range indicative of the restricted association indicator.

40. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the broadcast signal generator includes the restricted association indicator within the broadcast signal.

41. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the restricted association specifier indicates whether the apparatus implements restricted association regarding providing signaling, data access, registration, and/or service to one or more mobile devices.