METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ENABLING CONNECTION OF A MOBILE COMMUNICATION TERMINAL TO A RADIO COMMUNICATION NETWORK

• US 20100103873A1
• Filed: 03/30/2007
• Published: 04/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telecom Italia S.p.A.
• Original Assignee: Telecom Italia S.p.A.
• Inventors: Buracchini, Enrico
• Granted Patent: US 8,787,906 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/10 using broadcasted information

Abstract

A method for enabling connection of a mobile communication terminal (110) to a radio communication network, comprising broadcasting through a geographic area (100) information about available radio access networks available in the geographic area, the information being intended to be used by the mobile communication terminal for determining which radio access networks cover a current mobile communication terminal location within the geographic area. The information includes an identifier of at least one radio access network available in the geographic area, and, associated with the identifier of the at least one radio access network, data adapted to determine an extent of coverage of the geographic area by that radio access network.

Claims

1. A method for enabling connection of a mobile communication terminal (110) to a radio communication network, comprising:

broadcasting through a geographic area (100) information about radio access networks available in said geographic area, said information being intended to be used by the mobile communication terminal for determining which radio access networks cover a current mobile communication terminal location within said geographic area,

wherein

said information includes an identifier of at least one radio access network available in said geographic area, and, associated with said identifier of the at least one radio access network, data adapted to determine an extent of coverage of the geographic area by that radio access network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one radio access network includes a list of radio access networks available in said geographic area.

3. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein said data adapted to determine an extent of coverage of the geographic area by that radio access network include geographic coordinates of at least one geographic point in said geographic area.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said data adapted to determine an extent of coverage of the geographic area by that radio access network include an indication of length.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said geographic coordinates of at least one geographic point define a geographic position of a center of a circle, and said indication of length defines a radius of the circle, said circle describing the extent of coverage of the geographic area by that radio access network.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein said data adapted to determine an extent of coverage of the geographic area by that radio access network include geographic coordinates of at least two geographic points, defining vertex of a polygon describing the extent of coverage of the geographic area.

7. The method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein in case the radio access network covers the whole geographic area, said data adapted to determine an extent of coverage of the geographic area by that radio access network includes an indication that the radio access network covers the whole geographic area.

8. The method of any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein said identifier of the radio access network is in the form of a string of characters.

9. The method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein said broadcasting includes exploiting an out-band broadcast communication channel, located in a frequency band external to licensed bands assigned to the radio access networks present in said geographic area of interest.

10. The method of any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein said broadcasting includes exploiting an in-band broadcast communication channel, located in a frequency band within licensed bands assigned to the radio access networks present in said geographic area of interest.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said broadcast communication channel is defined as a logical channel of one of the radio access networks present in said geographic area of interest.

12. A radio communication network comprising a network function (215) adapted to control the broadcasting through a geographic area (100) of information about available radio access networks available in said geographic area, said information being intended to be used by a mobile communication terminal (110) for determining which radio access networks cover a current mobile communication terminal location within said geographic area,

wherein

said information includes an identifier of at least one radio access network available in said geographic area, and, associated with said identifier of the at least one radio access network, data adapted to determine an extent of coverage of the geographic area by that radio access network.

13. The radio communication network of claim 12, wherein said at least one radio access network includes a list of radio access networks available in said geographic area.

14. The radio communication network of claim 12 or 13, wherein said data adapted to determine an extent of coverage of the geographic area by that radio access network include geographic coordinates of at least one geographic point in said geographic area.

15. The radio communication network of claim 14, wherein said data adapted to determine an extent of coverage of the geographic area by that radio access network include an indication of length.

16. The radio communication network of claim 15, wherein said geographic coordinates of at least one geographic point define a geographic position of a center of a circle, and said indication of length defines a radius of the circle, said circle describing the extent of coverage of the geographic area by that radio access network.

17. The radio communication network of claim 14, wherein said data adapted to determine an extent of coverage of the geographic area by that radio access network include geographic coordinates of at least two geographic points, defining vertex of a polygon describing the extent of coverage of the geographic area.

18. The radio communication network of any one of claims 12 to 17, wherein in case the radio access network covers the whole geographic area, said data adapted to determine an extent of coverage of the geographic area by that radio access network includes an indication that the radio access network covers the whole geographic area.

19. The radio communication network of any one of claims 12 to 18, wherein said identifier of the radio access network is in the form of a string of characters.

20. The radio communication network of any one of claims 12 to 19, wherein for said broadcasting an out-band broadcast communication channel is exploited, located in a frequency band external to licensed bands assigned to the radio access networks present in said geographic area of interest.

21. The radio communication network of any one of claims 12 to 19, wherein for said broadcasting an in-band broadcast communication channel is exploited, located in a frequency band within licensed bands assigned to the radio access networks present in said geographic area of interest.

22. The radio communication network of claim 21, wherein said broadcast communication channel is defined as a logical channel of one of the radio access networks present in said geographic area of interest.

23. A mobile communication terminal adapted to receive, from a radio communication network, information broadcast through a geographic area (100) about available radio access networks available in said geographic area, said information being intended to be used by a mobile communication terminal for determining which radio access networks cover a current mobile communication terminal location within said geographic area,

wherein

said mobile communication terminal includes a receiver adapted to receive said information including an identifier of at least one radio access network available in said geographic area, and, associated with said identifier of the at least one radio access network, data adapted to determine an extent of coverage of the geographic area by that radio access network.

24. A radio base station of a radio communication network, adapted to broadcast, through a geographic area, information about available radio access networks available in said geographic area, said information being intended to be used by a mobile communication terminal for determining which radio access networks cover a current mobile communication terminal location within said geographic area,

wherein

said information includes an identifier of at least one radio access network available in said geographic area, and, associated with said identifier of the at least one radio access network, data adapted to determine an extent of coverage of the geographic area by that radio access network.

25. The radio base station of claim 24, wherein said at least one radio access network includes a list of radio access networks available in said geographic area.

26. The radio base station of claim 24 or 25, wherein said data adapted to determine an extent of coverage of the geographic area by that radio access network include geographic coordinates of at least one geographic point in said geographic area.

27. The radio base station of claim 26, wherein said data adapted to determine an extent of coverage of the geographic area by that radio access network include an indication of length.

28. The radio base station of claim 27, wherein said geographic coordinates of at least one geographic point define a geographic position of a center of a circle, and said indication of length defines a radius of the circle, said circle describing the extent of coverage of the geographic area by that radio access network.

29. The radio base station of claim 26, wherein said data adapted to determine an extent of coverage of the geographic area by that radio access network include geographic coordinates of at least two geographic points, defining vertex of a polygon describing the extent of coverage of the geographic area.

30. The radio base station of any one of claims 24 to 29, wherein in case the radio access network covers the whole geographic area, said data adapted to determine an extent of coverage of the geographic area by that radio access network includes an indication that the radio access network covers the whole geographic area.

31. The radio base station of any one of claims 24 to 30, wherein said identifier of the radio access network is in the form of a string of characters.

32. The radio base station of any one of claims 24 to 31, wherein for said broadcast an out-band broadcast communication channel is exploited, located in a frequency band external to licensed bands assigned to the radio access networks present in said geographic area of interest.

33. The radio base station of any one of claims 24 to 32, wherein for said broadcast an in-band broadcast communication channel is exploited, located in a frequency band within licensed bands assigned to the radio access networks present in said geographic area of interest.

34. The radio base station of claim 33, wherein said broadcast communication channel is defined as a logical channel of one of the radio access networks present in said geographic area of interest.