Methods and Arrangements in a Mobile Telecommunications Network

• US 20100214955A1
• Filed: 10/18/2007
• Published: 08/26/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Goldbeck-Lowe, Tomas, Larsson, Tony, Rune, Johan, Pettersson, Mattias
• Granted Patent: US 8,467,300 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/254
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/10 using broadcasted information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

The basic concept of the present invention is to utilize the terminal as an auxiliary information collector in networks where the regular network-based information collection is not possible and/or for providing information that complements the information that the network-based Access Awareness Entity collects by itself. The terminal collects information related to the access network directly, through retrieval of explicitly available information, and indirectly, through measurements and statistics. The collected information is delivered to the network-based Access Awareness Entity.

Claims

1. An information collector in a mobile terminal, wherein the collector is adapted to collect information associated with one or more access networks that are available to the mobile terminal, said mobile terminal including a processing circuit configured as said information collector, and wherein said information collector is configured to communicate the collected information or a subset of the collected information to a network based Access Awareness Entity that is configured to use the collected information for access network selection or network services adaptation, based on the current conditions of the mobile terminal or another mobile terminal, in terms of access network capabilities and terminal capabilities.

2. The information collector according to claim 1, wherein the information collector is adapted to receive an order from the Access Awareness Entity to collect the information associated with the one or more access networks.

3. The information collector according to claim 1, wherein it is adapted to continuously collect information associated with the one or more access networks.

4. The information collector according to claim 1, wherein said information collector is configured to indicate information collection capabilities of the mobile terminal to the Access Awareness Entity.

5. The information collector according to claim 1, wherein the information collector is configured to communicate the collected information to the Access Awareness Entity responsive to changes in the information being collected.

6. The information collector according to claim 1, wherein the collected information is at least one of information relating to the type of interface used in the mobile terminal, information extracted from system information broadcast in the access network, Quality of Service information, information comprising data received through measurements, and information comprising accumulated statistics.

7. A mobile telecommunication network based Access Awareness Entity that configured to use information associated with one or more access networks that are available to a mobile terminal, for access network selection or network services adaptation, based on the current conditions of the mobile terminal, in terms of access network capabilities and terminal capabilities, and wherein the Access Awareness Entity includes a processing circuit that is configured to detect that collection and transfer to the Access Awareness Entity of said information is not being supported by an access network to which the mobile terminal is connected, or has been connected, and to receive said information from the mobile terminal.

8. The access Awareness Entity according to claim 7, wherein it said Access Awareness Entity is configured to order the mobile terminal to collect said information related to one or more of the access networks.

9. The access Awareness Entity according to claim 8, wherein said Access Awareness Entity is configured to combine the information associated with the one or more access networks received from the mobile terminal with information collected by the Access Awareness Entity.

10. The access Awareness Entity according to claim 7 wherein said Access Awareness Entity is configured to receive an indication of information collection capabilities of the mobile terminal from the mobile terminal.

11. The access Awareness Entity according to claim 10, wherein said Access Awareness Entity is configured to order the mobile terminal to collect information in accordance with the indicated information collection capabilities of the mobile terminal.

12. The access Awareness Entity according to claim 7, wherein the collected information is at least one of information relating to the type of interface used in the mobile terminal, information extracted from system information broadcast in the access network, Quality of Service information, information comprising data received through measurements, and information comprising accumulated statistics.

13. A method for collecting information in a mobile terminal, wherein the collected information is associated with the access network or networks that are available to the mobile terminal, the method comprising the steps of:

collecting information associated with one or more of the access networks; and

communicating the collected information or a subset of the collected information to a network based Access Awareness Entity that is configured to use the collected information for access network selection or network services adaptation, based on the current conditions of the mobile terminal or another mobile terminal, in terms of access network capabilities and terminal capabilities.

14. The method according to claim 13, comprising the further step of:

receiving an order from the Access Awareness Entity to collect the information associated with one or more of the access networks.

15. The method according to claim 14, comprising the further step of:

continuously collecting information associated with one or more of the access networks.

16. The method according to claim 13, comprising the further step of:

sending an indication of information collection capabilities of the mobile terminal to the Access Awareness Entity.

17. The method according to claim 13, comprising the further step of:

communicating the collected information to the Access Awareness Entity responsive to changes in the information being collected.

18. The method according to claim 17, comprising the further step of storing the collected information.

19. A method in a mobile telecommunication network based Access Awareness Entity that is configured to use information associated with one or more an access network networks that are available to a mobile terminal, for access network selection or network services adaptation, based on the current conditions of the mobile terminal, in terms of access network capabilities and terminal capabilities, the method comprising the steps of:

detecting that collection and transfer to the Access Awareness Entity of said information is not being supported by an access network to which the mobile terminal is connected, or has been connected; and

receiving said information from the mobile terminal.

20. The method according to claim 19, further comprising the step of:

ordering the mobile terminal to collect information related to one or more of the access networks.

21. The method according to claim 19, it further comprising the step of:

combining the information received from the mobile terminal with information collected by the Access Awareness Entity.

22. The method according to claim 19, comprising the further step of:

receiving information indicating the collection capabilities of the mobile terminal from the mobile terminal.

23. The method according to claim 22, comprising the further step of:

adapting the ordering of the mobile terminal to collect information in accordance with the received indication of the information collection capabilities of the mobile terminal.