Method and Apparatus for Setup and Release of User Equipment Context Identifiers in a Home Node B System

• US 20090262683A1
• Filed: 04/17/2009
• Published: 10/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Kineto Wireless Incorporated (Ribbon Communications, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Kineto Wireless Incorporated (Ribbon Communications, Inc.)
• Inventors: Tao, Patrick, Gupta, Rajeev, Gallagher, Michael D., Khetawat, Amit
• Application Number:
  US12/426,207
• Publication Number:
  US 20090262683A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5607 Radio
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5656 using the AAL2
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/222 using geographical location information, e.g. messages transmitted or received in proximity of a certain spot or area
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/104 Grouping of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/72 Subscriber identity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/73 Access point logical identity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0055 Transmission or use of information for re-establishing the radio link
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0066 of control information between different types of networks in order to establish a new radio link in the target network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/14 Reselecting a network or an air interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/04 using triggered events
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/12 Setup of transport tunnels
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/32 Release of transport tunnels
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/16 selectively restricting mobility data tracking
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/12 between access points and access point controllers

Abstract

Some embodiments are implemented in a communication system that includes a first communication system comprised of a licensed wireless radio access network and a core network, and a second communication system comprising a plurality of user hosted access points and a network controller. In some embodiments, each access point operates using short range licensed wireless frequencies to establish a service region. In some embodiments, the network controller communicatively couples the core network to the plurality of access points. The method covers the sending of a registration request for a user equipment from an access point to the network controller and receiving a registration accept response with a unique identifier for the user equipment allocated by the network controller.

Claims

1. In a communication system comprising (i) a first network comprising a licensed wireless radio access network and a core network and (ii) a second network comprising a plurality of user hosted access points for establishing service regions of the second network using short range licensed wireless frequencies and a network controller for communicatively coupling user equipment operating in the service regions to the core network, a method of registering a particular user equipment operating within a particular service region, the method comprising:

sending a registration request message from a particular access point associated with the particular service region to the network controller; and

at the particular access point, receiving a registration accept message from the network controller when the particular user equipment is permitted access to services of the second network, wherein said registration accept message comprises an identifier allocated by the network controller for uniquely identifying the particular user equipment from other user equipment operating within the plurality of service regions.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving an initial non-access stratum (NAS) message from the particular user equipment prior to passing the registration request message, wherein the initial NAS message identifies the particular user equipment as having camped in the service region of the particular access point.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising passing a Radio Access Network Application Part (RANAP) message to the network controller, wherein said RANAP message comprises the initial NAS message received from the particular user equipment for routing to the core network.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the initial NAS message is a location update message.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising sending a plurality of messages from the particular user equipment to the network controller, wherein each of said messages comprises the allocated identifier for identifying each of the messages as originating from the particular user equipment.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising sending a message to cause the network controller to release the identifier for the particular user equipment.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said message to cause the release of the identifier is sent by the particular access point when the particular access point loses a connection with the particular user equipment.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein said message to cause the release of the identifier is sent by the particular access point when the particular user equipment deregisters from the second network.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein passing the registration request message comprises passing an identity of the particular user equipment.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein passing the identity of the particular user equipment comprises passing an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) of the particular user equipment.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein passing the identity of the particular user equipment comprises passing a Temporary Mobile Subscriber Identity (TMSI) or Packet TMSI (PTMSI) of the particular user equipment.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the registration request message comprises a registration cause.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the registration cause specifies an emergency call request.

14. The particular access point of claim 1, wherein the particular access point is a Home Node B and the second network is a Home Node B Access Network.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the registration request message comprises receiving an identity of the particular user equipment.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein receiving the identity of the particular user equipment comprises receiving an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) of the particular user equipment.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein receiving the identity of the particular user equipment comprises receiving a Temporary Mobile Subscriber Identity (TMSI) of the particular user equipment.

15. In a communication system comprising (i) a first network comprising a licensed wireless radio access network and a core network and (ii) a second network comprising a plurality of user hosted access points for establishing service regions of the second network using short range licensed wireless frequencies and a network controller for communicatively coupling user equipment operating in the service regions to the core network, a method of registering a particular user equipment operating within a particular service region, the method comprising:

at the network controller, receiving a registration request message from a particular access point associated with the particular service region;

allocating an identifier that uniquely identifies the particular user equipment from other user equipment operating within the plurality of service regions when the particular user equipment is permitted access to services of the second network; and

sending a registration accept message comprising the allocated identifier to the particular access point.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising sending a location update message to the core network after sending the registration access message, said location update message to update the core network as to the location of the user equipment operating within the particular service region.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising receiving a message to cause the network controller to release the identifier for the particular user equipment.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said message to cause the release of the identifier is received by the network controller when the particular access point associated with the particular service region in which the user equipment operates loses a connection with the particular user equipment.

22. The method of claim 15, wherein the registration request message comprises a registration cause.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the registration cause specifies an emergency call request.

24. In a communication system comprising (i) a first network comprising a licensed wireless radio access network and a core network and (ii) a second network comprising a plurality of user hosted access points for establishing service regions of the second network using short range licensed wireless frequencies and a network controller for communicatively coupling user equipment operating in the service regions to the core network, a computer readable storage medium of a particular access point storing a computer program for registering a particular user equipment operating within a particular service region, the computer program executable by at least one processor, the computer program comprising:

a set of instructions for passing a registration request message from a particular access point associated with the particular service region to the network controller; and

a set of instructions for receiving a registration accept message from the network controller when the particular user equipment is permitted access to services of the second network, wherein said registration accept message comprises an identifier allocated by the network controller for uniquely identifying the particular user equipment from other user equipment operating within the plurality of service regions.

25. In a communication system comprising (i) a first network comprising a licensed wireless radio access network and a core network and (ii) a second network comprising a plurality of user hosted access points for establishing service regions of the second network using short range licensed wireless frequencies and a network controller for communicatively coupling user equipment operating in the service regions to the core network, a computer readable storage medium of the network controller storing a computer program for registering a particular user equipment operating within a particular service region, the computer program executable by at least one processor, the computer program comprising:

a set of instructions for receiving a registration request message from a particular access point associated with the particular service region;

a set of instructions for allocating an identifier that uniquely identifies the particular user equipment from other user equipment operating within the plurality of service regions when the particular user equipment is permitted access to services of the second network; and

a set of instructions for sending a registration accept message comprising the allocated identifier to the particular access point.