CONTROLLING RESELECTION IN A TELECOMMUNICATIONS NETWORK

• US 20100240368A1
• Filed: 07/10/2008
• Published: 09/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vodafone Intellectual Property Licensing Limited
• Original Assignee: Vodafone Intellectual Property Licensing Limited
• Inventors: Turk, John, Goia, Alessandro, Fox, David
• Granted Patent: US 8,229,432 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/435.300
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/04 Reselecting a cell layer in multi-layered cells
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/08 Reselecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/14 Reselecting a network or an air interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/1443 between licensed networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/32 by location or mobility data, e.g. speed data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/322 by location data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B

Abstract

A base station reselection method for a mobile terminal camped on a base station, which mobile terminal performs a cell reselection function in accordance with reselection parameters. The method characterised by according a different priority to respective radio resource types and varying the reselection parameters in dependence upon the radio resource type of the base station on which the mobile terminal is camped to cause the mobile terminal to preferentially reselect to a higher priority radio resource type when available. A further base station reselection method includes determining radio characteristics of at least one neighbouring base station at a frequency, characterised by varying the frequency at which said radio characteristics are determined in dependence upon the rate of movement of the mobile terminal.

Claims

1. A base station reselection method for a mobile terminal camped on a base station, which mobile terminal performs a cell reselection function in accordance with reselection parameters, the method comprising:

according a different priority to respective radio resource types and varying the reselection parameters in dependence upon the radio resource type of the base station on which the mobile terminal is camped to cause the mobile terminal to preferentially reselect to a higher priority radio resource type when available.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the radio resource types include respective frequency layers.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the radio resource types include respective radio access technologies.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the radio resource types each include a frequency layer and radio access technology combination.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the relationship between the priorities and the radio resource types is dependent upon the rate of movement of the mobile terminal.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the reselection parameters are such that the mobile terminal only reselects from a higher priority radio resource type to a lower priority radio resource type if the higher priority radio resource type is below an absolute quality threshold at the mobile terminal.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the mobile terminal only reselects if the higher priority radio resource type is below the absolute quality threshold at the mobile terminal for a measurement period, which measurement period is set in dependence upon the priority of the base station on which the mobile terminal is camped.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the reselection parameters are such that the mobile terminal only reselects from a higher priority radio resource type to a lower priority radio resource type if the lower priority radio resource type is above an absolute quality threshold at the mobile terminal.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the mobile terminal only reselects if the lower priority radio resource type is above the absolute quality threshold at the mobile terminal for a measurement period, which measurement period is set in dependence upon the priority of the base station on which the mobile terminal is camped.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the reselection parameters are such that the mobile terminal only measures the quality of neighbouring base stations when the radio quality of the base station at the mobile terminal is below an absolute threshold, which absolute threshold is set in dependence upon the priority of the base station on which the mobile terminal is camped.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the reselection parameters are such that the mobile terminal only reselects from a lower priority radio resource type to a higher priority radio resource type if the higher priority radio resource type is above an absolute quality threshold at the mobile terminal.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the quality threshold depends on the priority of the base station on which the mobile terminal is camped.

20. The mobile terminal of claim 1 wherein the radio resource types include respective frequency layers.

22. The mobile terminal of claim 20, wherein the radio resource types each include a frequency layer and radio access technology combination.

2. (canceled)

7. (canceled)

8. (canceled)

14. (canceled)

16. (canceled)

18. A mobile terminal which camps on a base station in use and which mobile terminal performs a cell reselection function in accordance with reselection parameters, the mobile terminal comprising:

a computer that accords a different priority to respective radio resource types and varies the reselection parameters in dependence upon the radio resource type of the base station on which the mobile terminal is camped to cause the mobile terminal to preferentially reselect to a higher priority radio resource type when available.

21. The mobile terminal of claim 18, wherein the radio resource types include respective radio access technologies.

23. The mobile terminal of claim 18, wherein the relationship between the priorities and the radio resource types is dependent upon the rate of movement of the mobile terminal.

24. The mobile terminal of any one of claims 18, wherein the relationship between the priorities and the radio resource types is dependent upon the capabilities of the mobile terminal.

26. The mobile terminal of claim 18, wherein the reselection parameters are such that the mobile terminal only reselects from a higher priority radio resource type to a lower priority radio resource type if the higher priority radio resource type is below an absolute quality threshold at the mobile terminal.

27. The mobile terminal of claim 26, wherein the mobile terminal only reselects if the higher priority radio resource type is below the absolute quality threshold at the mobile terminal for a measurement period, which measurement period is set in dependence upon the priority of the base station on which the mobile terminal is camped.

28. The mobile terminal of claim 18, wherein the reselection parameters are such that the mobile terminal only reselects from a higher priority radio resource type to a lower priority radio resource type if the lower priority radio resource type is above an absolute quality threshold at the mobile terminal.

30. The mobile terminal of claim 18, wherein the reselection parameters are such that the mobile terminal only measures the quality of neighbouring base stations when the radio quality of the base station at the mobile terminal is below an absolute threshold, which absolute threshold is set in dependence upon the priority of the base station on which the mobile terminal is camped.

32. The mobile terminal of claim 18, wherein the reselection parameters are such that the mobile terminal only reselects from a lower priority radio resource type to a higher priority radio resource type if the higher priority radio resource type is above an absolute quality threshold at the mobile terminal.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein the quality threshold depends on the priority of the base station on which the mobile terminal is camped.

19. (canceled)

25. (canceled)

29. (canceled)

31. (canceled)

33. (canceled)

35-40. -40. (canceled)