METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING ACCESS FOR A LIMITED SET OF MOBILE STATIONS TO A RESTRICTED LOCAL ACCESS POINT

• US 20100228859A1
• Filed: 05/30/2006
• Published: 09/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Larsson, Anders, Walldeen, Thomas, Bäckström, Martin
• Granted Patent: US 9,420,520 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/225
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1845 broadcast or multicast in a specific location, e.g. geocast protocols for adapting network applications to user terminal location H04L67/52; services specially adapted for wireless communication networks making use of the location of users or terminals H04W4/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/04 based on user or terminal location or mobility data, e.g. moving direction, speed
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/20 Selecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/06 De-registration or detaching

Abstract

The invention concerns methods, a device and computer program products for simplifying handover back to a restricted local access point from an unrestricted global access point as well as to a device implementing a restricted local access point for provision in a wireless network and a wireless network. In the network a restricted local access point hands over a mobile station to an unrestricted global access point and provides data enabling the restricted local access point to be identified as a candidate access point. A device for simplifying handover back determines that the restricted local access point is a candidate for further handover based on this data and informs the mobile station about the restricted local access point via the unrestricted glob access point. Thereby hand over may be considered also to the restricted local access point in addition to other surrounding access points.

Claims

1. Method of providing access for a limited registered set of mobile stations to a restricted local access point in a wireless network, comprising the steps of:

attracting mobile stations in an area covered by a restricted local access point, for each mobile station that is attracted, determining if the station belongs to the set, allowing access to the access point in case it does, and rejecting access to the access point in case it does not.

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein the step of attracting comprises sending a minimum link quality value level (ACCMIN) to all mobile stations in the covered area, where a link quality value that is determined for the restricted local access point by a mobile station has to exceed this level for the mobile station to be attracted.

3. Method according to claim 1, wherein the step of attracting comprises sending, to all mobile stations in the covered area, a network identity associated with the restricted local access point, which network identity is different than the network identity of a main part of the wireless network.

4. Method according to claim 1, wherein the step of attracting comprises sending an offset (CRO) to all mobile stations in the covered area, where the offset is added to a link quality value determined for the restricted local access point by a mobile station when comparing link quality values of different access points in the network and the link quality value with added offset has to be higher than or equal to link quality values of other access points for the mobile station to be attracted.

5. Method according to claim 1, wherein the step of determining if the mobile station belongs to the set comprises receiving an identifier of the mobile station, comparing the identifier with identifiers associated with mobile stations of the set and performing the steps of allowing or rejecting access in dependence of the result of the test.

6. Method according to claim 5, wherein the network is divided into different sectors the local restricted access point is associated with another sector than neighbouring access points of the network, the step of attracting comprises informing all mobile stations in the covered area of this sector and the step of rejecting comprises disallowing roaming into the sector.

7. Method according to claim 6, wherein there is more than one restricted local access point in the network, each being associated with a separate sector.

8. Method according to claim 7, wherein the mobile stations of the set may only access the sector of a corresponding restricted local access point.

9. Method according to claim 6, wherein there is more than one restricted local access point in the network, all being associated with the same sector.

10. Method according to claim 9, wherein all mobile stations of the set may access any restricted local access point of the sector.

11. Method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of registering a mobile station in a set.

12. Method according to claim 11, wherein the registering comprises receiving, in the restricted local access point, a mobile station identifier from a mobile station as it is turned on in the proximity of the restricted local access point.

13. Method according to claim 11, wherein the registering comprises receiving, in the restricted local access point, a mobile station identifier from a service device of the network.

14. Method according to claim 13, further comprising the step of receiving, at the restricted local access point, mobile station identifying information from the user of the access point and sending said information to the service device of the network.

15. Control device for a restricted local access point for provision in a wireless network, said restricted local access point being implemented by a device comprising a radio communication unit, said control device being arranged to order the radio communication unit to attract mobile stations in an area covered by the restricted local access point, for each mobile station that is attracted, determine if the station belongs to a limited registered set of mobile stations, allow access to the access point in case it does, and reject access to the access point in case it does not.

16. Control device according to claim 15, being further arranged to provide the radio communication unit with a minimum link quality value level (ACCMIN) to be sent all mobile stations in the covered area for attracting them, where a link quality value that is determined for the restricted local access point by a mobile station has to exceed this level for the mobile station to be attracted.

17. Control device according to claim 15, being further arranged to provide the radio communication unit with a network identity associated with the restricted local access point to be sent to all mobile stations in the covered area for attracting them, which network identity is different than the network identity of a main part of the wireless network.

18. Control device according to claim 15, being further arranged to provide the radio communication unit with an offset (CRO) to be to be sent all mobile stations in the covered area for attracting them, where the offset is added to a link quality value determined for the restricted local access point by a mobile station when comparing link quality values of different access points in the network and the link quality value with added offset has to be higher than or equal to link quality values of other access points for the mobile station to be attracted.

19. Control device according to claim 15, which when being arranged to determine if the station belongs to the set is further arranged to receive an identifier of the mobile station, compare the identifier with identifiers associated with mobile stations of the set and allow or reject access in dependence of the result of the test.

20. Control device according to claim 19, wherein the network is divided into different sectors, the local restricted access point is associated with another sector (LA1;

N2) than neighbouring access points of the network and the control device being further arranged to ordered the radio communication unit to inform all mobile stations in the covered area of this sector and when performing rejection is arranged to disallow roaming into the sector.

21. Control device according to claim 20, wherein there is more than one restricted local access point in the network, each being associated with a separate sector.

22. Control device according to claim 21, wherein the mobile stations of the set may only access the sector of the restricted local access point.

23. Control device according to claim 20, where there is more than one restricted local access point in the network, all being associated with the same sector (N2).

24. Control device according to claim 23, wherein all mobile stations of the set may access any restricted local access point of the sector.

25. Control device according to claim 15, wherein at least a part of the control device is provided in association with a traffic control unit provided in the network.

26. Control device according to claim 15, wherein at least a part of the control device is provided as a control unit in the device implementing the restricted local access point.

27. Control device according to claim 26, wherein the part of the control device in the device implementing the restricted local access point is further arranged to register a mobile station in the set through receiving a mobile station identifier from a mobile station as it is turned on in the proximity of the restricted local access point and storing this identifier.

28. Control device according to claim 26, wherein the part of the control device in the device implementing the restricted local access point is further arranged to register a mobile station in the set through receiving a mobile station identifier from a service centre of the network and storing this identifier.

29. Device implementing a restricted local access point for provision in a wireless network comprising a radio communication unit, and a control unit for the restricted local access point being arranged to order the radio communication unit to attract mobile stations in an area covered by the restricted local access point, for each mobile station that is attracted, determine if the station belongs to a limited registered set of mobile stations, allow access to the access point in case it does, and reject access to the access point in case it does not.

30. Wireless network comprising:

a number of unrestricted global access points, at least one device implementing a restricted local access point that comprises a radio communication unit, and a control device for the restricted local access point being arranged to order the radio communication unit to attract mobile stations in an area covered by the restricted local access point, for each mobile station that is attracted, determine if the station belongs to a limited registered set of mobile stations, allow access to the access point in case it does, and reject access to the access point in case it does not.

31. Computer program product for providing access for a limited registered set of mobile stations to a restricted local access point in a wireless network, comprising computer program code to make a control device for the restricted local access point perform, when the code is loaded into said device:

order a radio communication unit of the restricted local access point to attract mobile stations in an area covered by the restricted local access point, for each mobile station that is attracted, determine if the station belongs to a limited registered set of mobile stations, allow access to the access point in case it does, and reject access to the access point in case it does not.