Method, Apparatus and Computer Program Product for Providing Closed Subscriber Group Access Control

• US 20110183647A1
• Filed: 09/26/2008
• Published: 07/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Solutions and Networks US LLC (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Sebire, Benoist Pierre, Dalsgaard, Lars, Koskela, Jarkko T.
• Granted Patent: US 8,977,262 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/411
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 11/0086 Search parameters, e.g. search strategy, accumulation length, range of search, thresholds code acquisition in DSSS H04B1/7075
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 11/0093 Neighbour cell search
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/104 Grouping of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• 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 4/08 User group management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/02 Access restriction performed under specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/04 based on user or terminal location or mobility data, e.g. moving direction, speed

Abstract

An apparatus for providing closed subscriber group access control may include a processor. The processor may be configured to maintain a non-access register including an identifier of a communication cell associated with a closed subscriber group to which a communication device associated with the non-access register does not have access rights, and enable subsequent communication with another communication cell based on the other communication cell not being identified in the non-access register. A corresponding method and computer program product are also provided.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

maintaining a non-access register including an identifier of a communication cell associated with a closed subscriber group to which a communication device associated with the non-access register does not have access rights; and

enabling subsequent communication with another communication cell based on the other communication cell not being identified in the non-access register.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising maintaining an access register including an identifier of each closed subscriber group communication cell to which the communication device has access rights.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein enabling subsequent communication comprises blocking attempts to access a cell identified in the non-access register and allowing subsequent attempts to access a cell identified in the access register.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein maintaining the non-access register comprises monitoring attempts by the communication device to access communication cells and storing identifiers of each communication cell to which access is denied based on the communication cell to which access is denied being associated with the closed subscriber group.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein storing the identifiers comprises storing the identifiers for a predetermined period of time.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein storing the identifiers for the predetermined period of time comprises storing the identifiers for a time period provided by a network device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein maintaining the non-access register comprises updating the non-access register based on changes in status with respect to accessibility of the closed subscriber group.

4. (canceled)

9. A computer program product comprising at least one computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable program code instructions stored therein, the computer-executable program code instructions comprising:

first program code instructions for maintaining a non-access register including an identifier of a communication cell associated with a closed subscriber group to which a communication device associated with the non-access register does not have access rights; and

second program code instructions for enabling subsequent communication with another communication cell based on the other communication cell not being identified in the non-access register.

10. (canceled)

11. (canceled)

12. (canceled)

13. (canceled)

14. (canceled)

15. (canceled)

16. (canceled)

17. An apparatus comprising a processor configured to:

maintain a non-access register including an identifier of a communication cell associated with a closed subscriber group to which a communication device associated with the non-access register does not have access rights; and

enable subsequent communication with another communication cell based on the other communication cell not being identified in the non-access register.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the processor is further configured to maintain an access register including an identifier of each closed subscriber group communication cell to which the communication device has access rights.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the processor is configured to enable subsequent communication via blocking attempts to access a cell identified in the non-access register and allowing subsequent attempts to access a cell identified in the access register.

21. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the processor is configured to maintain the non-access register by monitoring attempts by the communication device to access communication cells and storing identifiers of each communication cell to which access is denied based on the communication cell to which access is denied being associated with the closed subscriber group.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the processor is configured to store the identifiers by storing the identifiers for a predetermined period of time.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the processor is configured to store the identifiers for the predetermined period of time by storing the identifiers for a time period provided by a network device.

24. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the processor is configured to maintain the non-access register by updating the non-access register based on changes in status with respect to accessibility of the closed subscriber group.

20. (canceled)

25. (canceled)

26. (canceled)