Method, Apparatus, and System Providing Operator Controlled Mobility For User Equipment

• US 20100255849A1
• Filed: 10/29/2007
• Published: 10/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Ore, Ivan
• Granted Patent: US 9,398,493 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/450
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 Negotiating wireless communication parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access 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

A method for operator controlled mobility for user equipment is described. The method includes assigning a set of radio access technologies from a plurality of radio access technologies to a user equipment. The set of radio access technologies is assigned based at least in part on a subscribed level of service corresponding to the user equipment. An indication of the assigned set of radio access technologies is signaled to the user equipment. The user equipment generates a measurement report for a subset of a neighbor cell list. The subset represents radio access technologies in the neighbor cell list that are also in the set of assigned radio access technologies. The measurement report is transmitted to the base station. Apparatus are also described.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

Assigning at least one radio access technology from a plurality of radio access technologies to a user equipment based at least in part on a subscribed service class corresponding to the user equipment; and

signaling an indication of the assigned at least one radio access technology to the user equipment.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the user equipment is constrained to accessing only radio access technologies within the assigned at least one radio access technology.

3-35. -35. (canceled)

36. A computer program product comprising instructions for:

assigning at least one radio access technology from a plurality of radio access technologies to a user equipment based at least in part on a subscribed service class corresponding to the user equipment; and

signaling an indication of the assigned at least one radio access technology to the user equipment.

37. An apparatus comprising:

a processor configured to assign at least one radio access technology from a plurality of radio access technologies to a user equipment based at least in part on a subscribed service class corresponding to the user equipment; and

a transmitter configured to signal an indication of the assigned at least one radio access technology to the user equipment.

38. The apparatus of claim 37, further comprising circuitry configured to monitor the user equipment such that the user equipment is accessing only radio access technologies within the assigned at least one radio access technology.

39. The apparatus of claim 37, further comprising a processor configured to prioritize the assigned at least one radio access technology by likelihood to meet at least one service class criterion,

wherein the at least one service class criterion corresponds to the subscribed service class.

40. The apparatus of claim 39, wherein the at least one service class criterion comprises at least one of bandwidth requirements and quality of service requirements.

41. The apparatus of claim 37, further comprising a home location register configured to store service class subscription information.

42. The apparatus according to claim 37, wherein the processor is further configured to grant the user equipment temporary access to an unassigned radio access technology.

43. The apparatus according to claim 37, wherein the processor is further configured to initiate a connection of the user equipment to a radio access technology based at least upon a received measurement report from the user equipment of the assigned at least one radio access technology and the subscribed service class of the user equipment.

44. A method comprising:

receiving a prioritized set of assigned radio access technologies;

generating a measurement report for a subset of a neighbor cell list, wherein the subset represents radio access technologies in the neighbor cell list that are also in the set of assigned radio access technologies; and

transmitting the measurement report to a base station.

45. The method according to claim 44, wherein the set of assigned radio access technologies is prioritized by likelihood to meet at least one of bandwidth requirements and quality of service requirements.

46. A computer program product comprising instructions for:

receiving a prioritized set of assigned radio access technologies;

generating a measurement report for a subset of a neighbor cell list, wherein the subset represents radio access technologies in the neighbor cell list that are also in the set of assigned radio access technologies; and

transmitting the measurement report to a base station.

47. An apparatus comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a prioritized set of assigned radio access technologies;

a processor configured to generate a measurement report for a subset of a neighbor cell list, wherein the subset represents radio access technologies in the neighbor cell list that are also in the set of assigned radio access technologies; and

a transmitter configured to transmit the measurement report to a base station.

48. The apparatus according to claim 47, wherein the set of assigned radio access technologies is prioritized by likelihood to meet at least one service class criterion.

49. The apparatus according to claim 48, wherein the at least one service class criterion comprises at least one of bandwidth requirements and quality of service requirements.

50. The apparatus according to claim 47, wherein the subset being further restricted to those radio access technologies that are equivalent to a radio access technology with which the user equipment is currently connected.

51. The apparatus according to claim 47, wherein the subset is examined according to the prioritization order of the set of assigned radio access technologies.

52. The apparatus according to claim 47, wherein the processor is further configured to generate a measurement report for radio access technologies in the neighbor cell list that are not in the set of assigned radio access technologies, in response to detecting none of the assigned radio access technologies are available.

53. The apparatus according to claim 47, wherein the processor is further configured to generate a measurement report for radio access technologies in the neighbor cell list that are not in the set of assigned radio access technologies, in response to a determination that none of the assigned radio access technologies meet the at least one service class criterion.