SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CELL SEARCH IN MULTI-TIER COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS

• US 20110111745A1
• Filed: 11/01/2010
• Published: 05/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Li, Ying, Park, Jungshin, Pi, Zhouyue, Son, Jung Je
• Application Number:
  US12/916,985
• Publication Number:
  US 20110111745A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/422.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

A mobile station capable of accessing a wireless network comprising a plurality of macro-base stations and a plurality of femto-base stations. The mobile station comprises: 1) a transceiver that communicates with the macro-base stations and femto-base stations; 2) a message processor coupled to the transceiver; and 3) a memory coupled to the message processor that stores a white list of CSGID values associated with at least one closed subscription group to which the mobile station subscribes. The message processor transmits to a first macro-base station a first control message that contains at least one CSGID value from the white list. The message processor receives from the first macro-base station a second control message that contains the information of at least one femto-base station (FBS) identifier associated with the at least one CSGID value. The mobile station uses the information of the at least one FBS identifier to access a first femto-base station associated with the at least one FBS identifier.

Claims

1. For use in a wireless network comprising macro-base stations and femto-base stations, a mobile station comprising:

a transceiver capable of communicating with the macro-base stations and femto-base stations of the wireless network;

a message processor coupled to the transceiver; and

a memory coupled to the message processor that stores a white list of CSGID values associated with at least one closed subscription group to which the mobile station is subscribed,

wherein the message processor is operable to transmit to a first macro-base station a first control message that contains at least one CSGID value from the white list and is further operable to receive from the first macro-base station a second control message that contains the information of at least one femto-base station (FBS) identifier associated with the at least one CSGID value.

2. The mobile station as set forth in claim 1, wherein the mobile station uses the information of at least one FBS identifier to access a first femto-base station associated with the at least one FBS identifier.

3. The mobile station as set forth in claim 1, wherein the first control message is one of:

1) a scanning request message,

     2) a neighbor request message, and

     3) a scanning report message with an indicator set to be for mobile station request neighbor information.

4. The mobile station as set forth in claim 1, wherein the second control message is one of:

1) a scanning response message and

     2) a neighbor list.

5. The mobile station as set forth in claim 1, wherein the information of the at least one FBS comprises at least one of:

1) a carrier frequency,

     2) a carrier frequency index,

     3) a preamble,

     4) a preamble index,

     5) a cell ID,

     6) a cell ID index, and

     7) a BSID and wherein the mobile station uses the information of the at least one FBS identifier to perform cell search for the first FBS.

6. For use in a mobile station that operates in a wireless network comprising macro-base stations and femto-base stations, a method of accessing a first femto-base station comprising the steps of:

retrieving from a memory in the mobile station a white list of CSGID values associated with at least one closed subscription group to which the mobile station is subscribed;

transmit to a first macro-base station a first control message that contains at least one CSGID value from the white list; and

receiving from the first macro-base station a second control message that contains the information of at least one femto-base station (FBS) identifier associated with the at least one CSGID value.

7. The method as set forth in claim 6, wherein the mobile station uses the information of the at least one FBS identifier to access a first femto-base station associated with the at least one FBS identifier.

8. The method as set forth in claim 6, wherein the first control message is one of:

1) a scanning request message,

     2) a neighbor request message, and

     3) a scanning report message with an indicator set to be for mobile station request neighbor information.

9. The method as set forth in claim 6, wherein the second control message is one of:

1) a scanning response message and

     2) a neighbor list.

10. The method as set forth in claim 6, wherein the information of the at least one FBS comprises at least one of:

1) a carrier frequency,

     2) a carrier frequency index,

     3) a preamble,

     4) a preamble index,

     5) a cell ID,

     6) a cell ID index, and

     7) a BSID and wherein the mobile station uses the information of the at least one FBS identifier to perform cell search for the first FBS.

11. For use in a wireless network capable of communicating with a plurality of mobile stations in a coverage area of the wireless network, a macro-base station capable of receiving from a first mobile station a first control message that contains at least one CSGID value from a white list of CSGID values associated with at least one closed subscription group to which the first mobile station is subscribed, wherein the macro-base station, in response to the first control message, is further capable of transmitting to the first mobile station a second control message that contains the information of at least one femto-base station (FBS) identifier associated with the at least one CSGID value.

12. The macro-base station as set forth in claim 11, wherein the mobile station uses the information of the at least one FBS identifier to access a first femto-base station associated with the at least one FBS identifier.

13. The macro-base station as set forth in claim 11, wherein the first control message is one of:

1) a scanning request message,

     2) a neighbor request message, and

     3) a scanning report message with an indicator set to be for mobile station request neighbor information.

14. The macro-base station asset forth in claim 11, wherein the second control message is one of:

1) a scanning response message and

     2) a neighbor list.

15. The macro-base station as set forth in claim 11, wherein the information of the at least one FBS comprises at least one of:

1) a carrier frequency,

     2) a carrier frequency index,

     3) a preamble,

     4) a preamble index,

     5) a cell ID,

     6) a cell ID index, and

     7) a BSID and wherein the mobile station uses the information of the at least one FBS identifier to perform cell search for the first FBS.

16. For use in a macro-base station of a wireless network capable of communicating with a plurality of mobile stations in a coverage area of the wireless network, a method comprising the steps of:

in the macro-base station, receiving from a first mobile station a first control message that contains at least one CSGID value from a white list of CSGID values associated with at least one closed subscription group to which the first mobile station is subscribed; and

in response to the first control message, transmitting from the macro-base station to the first mobile station a second control message that contains the information of at least one femto-base station (FBS) identifier associated with the at least one CSGID value.

17. The method as set forth in claim 16, wherein the mobile station uses the information of the at least one FBS identifier to access a first femto-base station associated with the at least one FBS identifier.

18. The method as set forth in claim 16, wherein the first control message is one of:

1) a scanning request message,

     2) a neighbor request message, and

     3) a scanning report message with an indicator set to be for mobile station request neighbor information.

19. The method as set forth in claim 16, wherein the second control message is one of:

1) a scanning response message and

     2) a neighbor list.

20. The method as set forth in claim 16, wherein the information of the at least one FBS comprises at least one of:

1) a carrier frequency,

     2) a carrier frequency index,

     3) a preamble,

     4) a preamble index,

     5) a cell ID,

     6) a cell ID index, and

     7) a BSID and wherein the mobile station uses the information of the at least one FBS identifier to perform cell search for the first FBS.