METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ESTABLISHING AN INTERFACE BETWEEN ACCESS POINTS

• US 20120106445A1
• Filed: 04/28/2011
• Published: 05/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Horn, Gavin Bernard, Song, Osok, Bao, Gang
• Granted Patent: US 8,867,439 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/20 between access points

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses are provided that facilitate establishing an interface for communications between access points. Where access points operate in a same local or enterprise network, an interface can be established via the local or enterprise network instead of (or in addition to) a wireless operator network. A source access point can determine an address over which to request establishment of the interface based at least in part on an identifier of a target access point. In another example, target access point can determine an address to provide to the source access point for establishing the interface based at least in part on an identifier of the source access point.

Claims

1. A method of wireless communication, comprising:

generating a request for an address of a target access point that includes an identifier based at least in part on determining that the target access point is a restricted access point; and

transmitting the request to the target access point.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifier is a closed subscriber group (CSG) identifier.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a network address from the target access point.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising receiving a label for the network address that indicates the network address as a local network address of the target access point.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising establishing an interface with the target access point based at least in part on the network address.

6. An apparatus for requesting access point information, comprising:

at least one processor configured to;

generate a request for an address of a target access point that includes an identifier based at least in part on determining that the target access point is a restricted access point; and

transmit the request to the target access point; and

a memory coupled to the at least one processor.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the identifier is a closed subscriber group (CSG) identifier.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to receive a network address from the target access point.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to receive a label for the network address that indicates the network address as a local network address of the target access point.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to establish an interface with the target access point based at least in part on the network address.

11. An apparatus for requesting access point information, comprising:

means for transmitting a request for an address of a target access point that includes an identifier based at least in part on determining that the target access point is a restricted access point; and

means for receiving a network address of the target access point.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the identifier is a closed subscriber group (CSG) identifier.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the means for receiving further receives a label for the network address that specifies the network address is a local network address of the target access point.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising means for establishing an interface with the target access point based at least in part on the network address.

15. A computer program product for requesting access point information, comprising:

a computer-readable medium, comprising;

code for causing at least one computer to generate a request for an address of a target access point that includes an identifier based at least in part on determining that the target access point is a restricted access point; and

code for causing the at least one computer to transmit the request to the target access point.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the identifier is a closed subscriber group (CSG) identifier.

17. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the computer-readable medium further comprises code for causing the at least one computer to receive a network address from the target access point.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the computer-readable medium further comprises code for causing the at least one computer to receive a label for the network address that indicates the network address as a local network address of the target access point.

19. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the computer-readable medium further comprises code for causing the at least one computer to establish an interface with the target access point based at least in part on the network address.

20. An apparatus for requesting access point information, comprising:

an address requesting component for transmitting a request for an address of a target access point that includes an identifier based at least in part on determining that the target access point is a restricted access point; and

an address receiving component for obtaining a network address of the target access point.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the identifier is a closed subscriber group (CSG) identifier.

22. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the address receiving component further obtains a label for the network address that specifies the network address is a local network address of the target access point.

23. The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising an interface establishing component for establishing an interface with the target access point based at least in part on the network address.

24. A method of wireless communication, comprising:

receiving a request for an address including an identifier from a source access point;

determining at least one of a plurality of assigned addresses to provide to the source access point based at least in part on the identifier; and

transmitting the at least one of the plurality of assigned addresses to the source access point.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the determining the at least one of the plurality of assigned addresses comprises determining a local network address for transmitting to the source access point, wherein the identifier matches an advertised CSG identifier.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the determining the at least one of the plurality of assigned addresses comprises determining a network address assigned by a wireless operator network for transmitting to the source access point, wherein the identifier is different from an advertised CSG identifier.

27. An apparatus for providing access point information, comprising:

at least one processor configured to;

receive a request for an address including an identifier from a source access point;

determine at least one of a plurality of assigned addresses to provide to the source access point based at least in part on the identifier; and

transmit the at least one of the plurality of assigned addresses to the source access point; and

a memory coupled to the at least one processor.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the at least one processor determines the at least one of the plurality of assigned addresses at least in part by determining a local network address for providing to the source access point, wherein the identifier matches an advertised CSG identifier.

29. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the at least one processor determines the at least one of the plurality of assigned addresses at least in part by determining a network address assigned by a wireless operator network for providing to the source access point, wherein the identifier is different from an advertised CSG identifier.

30. An apparatus for providing access point information, comprising:

means for receiving a request for an address including an identifier from a source access point; and

means for transmitting at least one of a plurality of assigned addresses to the source access point, wherein the means for transmitting determines the at least one of the plurality of assigned addresses based at least in part on the identifier.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the means for transmitting determines the at least one of the plurality of assigned addresses to be a local network address, wherein the identifier matches an advertised CSG identifier.

32. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the means for transmitting determines the at least one of the plurality of assigned addresses to be a wireless operator network address, wherein the identifier does not match an advertised CSG identifier.

33. A computer program product for providing access point information, comprising:

a computer-readable medium, comprising;

code for causing at least one computer to receive a request for an address including an identifier from a source access point;

code for causing the at least one computer to determine at least one of a plurality of assigned addresses to provide to the source access point based at least in part on the identifier; and

code for causing the at least one computer to transmit the at least one of the plurality of assigned addresses to the source access point.

34. The computer program product of claim 33, wherein the code for causing the at least one computer to determine determines a local network address for providing to the source access point, wherein the identifier matches an advertised CSG identifier.

35. The computer program product of claim 33, wherein the code for causing the at least one computer to determine determines a network address assigned by a wireless operator network for providing to the source access point, wherein the identifier is different from an advertised CSG identifier.

36. An apparatus for providing access point information, comprising:

an address request receiving component for obtaining a request for an address including an identifier from a source access point; and

an address providing component for transmitting at least one of a plurality of assigned addresses to the source access point, wherein the address providing component determines the at least one of the plurality of assigned addresses based at least in part on the identifier.

37. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the address providing component determines the at least one of the plurality of assigned addresses to be a local network address, wherein the identifier matches an advertised CSG identifier.

38. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the address providing component determines the at least one of the plurality of assigned addresses to be a wireless operator network address, wherein the identifier does not match an advertised CSG identifier.

39. A method of wireless communication, comprising:

receiving a plurality of addresses from a target access point;

determining at least one of the plurality of addresses to utilize in communicating with the target access point based at least in part on a received parameter; and

establishing an interface with the target access point using the at least one of the plurality of addresses.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the received parameter is a CSG identifier, further comprising comparing the CSG identifier to one or more local CSG identifiers.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the determining the at least one of the plurality of addresses comprises determining an address of the target access point with a label specifying a local network address, wherein the CSG identifier matches the one or more local CSG identifiers.

42. The method of claim 40, wherein the determining the at least one of the plurality of addresses comprises determining an address of the target access point with a label specifying a wireless operator network address, wherein the CSG identifier does not match the one or more local CSG identifiers.

43. An apparatus for receiving access point information, comprising:

at least one processor configured to;

receive a plurality of addresses from a target access point;

determine at least one of the plurality of addresses to utilize in communicating with the target access point based at least in part on a received parameter; and

establish an interface with the target access point using the at least one of the plurality of addresses; and

a memory coupled to the at least one processor.

44. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein the received parameter is a CSG identifier, and the at least one processor is further configured to compare the CSG identifier to one or more local CSG identifiers.

45. The apparatus of claim 44, wherein the at least one processor determines the at least one of the plurality of addresses having a label specifying local network address, wherein the CSG identifier matches the one or more local CSG identifiers.

46. The apparatus of claim 44, wherein the at least one processor determines the at least one of the plurality of addresses having a label specifying wireless operator network address, wherein the CSG identifier does not match the one or more local CSG identifiers.

47. An apparatus for receiving access point information, comprising:

means for receiving a plurality of addresses from a target access point; and

means for establishing an interface with the target access point based at least in part on determining at least one of the plurality of addresses to utilize in communicating with the target access point based at least in part on a received parameter.

48. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein the received parameter is a CSG identifier, and wherein the means for establishing compares the CSG identifier to one or more local CSG identifiers.

49. The apparatus of claim 48, wherein the means for establishing establishes the interface using the at least one of the plurality of addresses having a label specifying local network address, wherein the CSG identifier matches the one or more local CSG identifiers.

50. The apparatus of claim 48, wherein the means for establishing establishes the interface using the at least one of the plurality of addresses having a label specifying wireless operator network address, wherein the CSG identifier does not match the one or more local CSG identifiers.

51. A computer program product for receiving access point information, comprising:

a computer-readable medium, comprising;

code for causing at least one computer to receive a plurality of addresses from a target access point;

code for causing the at least one computer to determine at least one of the plurality of addresses to utilize in communicating with the target access point based at least in part on a received parameter; and

code for causing the at least one computer to establish an interface with the target access point using the at least one of the plurality of addresses.

52. The computer program product of claim 51, wherein the received parameter is a CSG identifier, and the computer-readable medium further comprises code for causing the at least one computer to compare the CSG identifier to one or more local CSG identifiers.

53. The computer program product of claim 52, wherein the code for causing the at least one computer to determine determines the at least one of the plurality of addresses having a label specifying local network address, wherein the CSG identifier matches the one or more local CSG identifiers.

54. The computer program product of claim 52, wherein the code for causing the at least one computer to determine determines the at least one of the plurality of addresses having a label specifying wireless operator network address, wherein the CSG identifier does not match the one or more local CSG identifiers.

55. An apparatus for receiving access point information, comprising:

an address receiving component for receiving a plurality of addresses from a target access point; and

an interface establishing component for requesting establishment of an interface with the target access point based at least in part on determining at least one of the plurality of addresses to utilize in communicating with the target access point based at least in part on a received parameter.

56. The apparatus of claim 55, wherein the received parameter is a CSG identifier, and wherein the interface establishing component compares the CSG identifier to one or more local CSG identifiers.

57. The apparatus of claim 56, wherein the interface establishing component requests establishment of the interface using the at least one of the plurality of addresses having a label specifying local network address, wherein the CSG identifier matches the one or more local CSG identifiers.

58. The apparatus of claim 56, wherein the interface establishing component requests establishment of the interface using the at least one of the plurality of addresses having a label specifying wireless operator network address, wherein the CSG identifier does not match the one or more local CSG identifiers.

59. A method of wireless communication, comprising:

receiving a plurality of addresses assigned by one or more network components;

receiving a request from a source access point for an address; and

providing the plurality of addresses to the source access point.

60. The method of claim 59, further comprising providing a label for at least a portion of the plurality of addresses to the source access point.

61. The method of claim 59, further comprising communicating a CSG identifier to the source access point with the plurality of addresses.

62. An apparatus for providing access point information, comprising:

at least one processor configured to;

receive a plurality of addresses assigned by one or more network components;

receive a request from a source access point for an address; and

provide the plurality of addresses to the source access point; and

a memory coupled to the at least one processor.

63. The apparatus of claim 62, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to provide a label for at least a portion of the plurality of addresses to the source access point.

64. The apparatus of claim 62, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to communicate a CSG identifier to the source access point with the plurality of addresses.

65. An apparatus for providing access point information, comprising:

means for receiving a plurality of addresses assigned by one or more network components;

means for receiving a request from a source access point for an address; and

means for providing the plurality of addresses to the source access point.

66. The apparatus of claim 65, wherein the means for providing further indicates a label for at least a portion of the plurality of addresses to the source access point.

67. The apparatus of claim 65, wherein the means for providing further communicates a CSG identifier to the source access point with the plurality of addresses.

68. A computer program product for providing access point information, comprising:

a computer-readable medium, comprising;

code for causing at least one computer to receive a plurality of addresses assigned by one or more network components;

code for causing the at least one computer to receive a request from a source access point for an address; and

code for causing the at least one computer to provide the plurality of addresses to the source access point.

69. The computer program product of claim 68, wherein the computer-readable medium further comprises code for causing the at least one computer to provide a label for at least a portion of the plurality of addresses to the source access point.

70. The computer program product of claim 68, wherein the computer-readable medium further comprises code for causing the at least one computer to communicate a CSG identifier to the source access point with the plurality of addresses.

71. An apparatus for providing access point information, comprising:

a network address component for receiving a plurality of addresses assigned by one or more network components;

an address request receiving component for obtaining a request from a source access point for an address; and

an address providing component for communicating the plurality of addresses to the source access point.

72. The apparatus of claim 71, wherein the address providing component further communicates a label for at least a portion of the plurality of addresses to the source access point.

73. The apparatus of claim 71, wherein the address providing component further communicates a CSG identifier to the source access point with the plurality of addresses.