COMMUNICATING VIA A FEMTO ACCESS POINT WITHIN A WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM

• US 20120113862A1
• Filed: 11/04/2010
• Published: 05/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Santhanam, Arvind V., Paladugu, Karthika, Hande, Prashanth
• Granted Patent: US 9,544,943 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/254
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/14 Reselecting a network or an air interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B

Abstract

In an embodiment, a user of a wireless communications device (WCD) is notified when operating in a serving area of a FEMTO access point (AP). In another embodiment, the WCD can notify an application server (AS) that the WCD is served by the FEMTO AP. In another embodiment, the AS can set a service level for a server-arbitrated communication session (CS) based on the FEMTO AP serving status of participating WCDs. In another embodiment, the FEMTO AP can determine to use a downlink control or signaling channel to transmit data to the WCD. In another embodiment, based on its serving FEMTO AP status, the WCD can (i) modify its participation level in the CS and/or (ii) selectively track usage. In another embodiment, the WCD or FEMTO AP can measure performance parameters of the CS to determine whether to trigger a handoff of the WCD to a different AP.

Claims

1. A method of obtaining cell-specific information in a wireless communications system, comprising:

receiving a periodic overhead message from a given access point (AP), the periodic overhead message configured to indicate that the given AP corresponds to a FEMTO AP;

determining the given AP to be the FEMTO AP based on the periodic overhead message received; and

responsive to the determination, notifying a user of a wireless communications device that the wireless communications device is operating in a serving area of the FEMTO AP.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the periodic overhead message is a System Information Broadcast 20 message if the wireless communications system implements a Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (W-CDMA) protocol, an Access Point Identification message if the wireless communications system implements a CDMA2000 protocol, or a proprietary message that does not conform to a wireless communication protocol implemented by the wireless communications system.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification corresponds to an audio alert, a vibration alert and/or a visual alert.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the wireless communications device is currently connected to a macro AP during the receiving step.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

in response to the receiving step, prompting the user to decide whether to transition to the FEMTO AP; and

obtaining an indication from the user in response to the prompting step.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the user-prompt corresponds to the notification.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

handing off from the macro AP to the FEMTO AP based on the received indication from the user.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the notification is provided after a handoff to indicate that the wireless communications device is currently served by the FEMTO AP.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the notifying step occurs immediately following the determining step irrespective of whether the wireless communications device is in an idle mode or a connected mode.

10. A method of setting up a communication session to be arbitrated by an application server in a wireless communications system, comprising:

determining that a current serving access point (AP) of a wireless communications device corresponds to a FEMTO AP;

configuring at least one message to request initiation of the communication session to be arbitrated by the application server and to indicate that the wireless communications device is being served by a FEMTO AP; and

transmitting the configured at least one message to the application server.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the determining step is based on information contained in a periodically transmitted overhead message from the FEMTO AP.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the determining, configuring and transmitting steps are performed by an originating wireless communications device of the communication session.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the configured at least one message corresponds to a communication session setup request message that requests initiation of the communication session and has a field set to indicate that originating wireless communication device is served by a FEMTO AP.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the determining, configuring and transmitting steps are performed by a target wireless communications device of the communication session.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the configured at least one message corresponds to an acknowledgment to a communication session setup announce message that announces the communication session to the target wireless communications device and has a field set to indicate that target wireless communication device is served by a FEMTO AP.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein, responsive to the determining step, the transmitting step transmits the configured at least one message on a reverse-link shared access channel instead of setting up a traffic channel (TCH) on which to transmit the configured at least one message.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the reverse-link shared access channel corresponds to a random access channel (RACH) in WCDMA networks.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the transmitting step transmits the configured at least one message on the reverse-link access channel as a mobile-originated (MO) Data-over-Signaling (DoS) message in 1xEV-DO networks.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the wireless communications device performing the determining, configuring and transmitting steps is configured to use the reverse-link shared access channel exclusively for initial communication session setup message transmissions so long as the wireless communications device is served by the FEMTO AP based on an expectation that the FEMTO AP is associated with less physical-layer resource contention as compared to a macro AP.

20. The method of claim 10, wherein the determining, configuring and transmitting steps are performed by an originating wireless communications device of the communication session.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the configured at least one message corresponds to a communication session setup request message that requests initiation of the communication session and has a field set to indicate that originating wireless communication device is served by a FEMTO AP.

22. The method of claim 10, wherein the determining, configuring and transmitting steps are performed by a target wireless communications device of the communication session.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the configured at least one message corresponds to an acknowledgment to a communication session setup announce message that announces the communication session to the target wireless communications device and has a field set to indicate that target wireless communication device is served by a FEMTO AP.

24. A method of participating in a communication session to be arbitrated by an application server in a wireless communications system, comprising:

during the communication session, determining that a current serving access point (AP) of a wireless communications device corresponds to a FEMTO AP;

configuring at least one signaling message related to the communication session to indicate to the application server that the wireless communications device is being served by a FEMTO AP; and

transmitting the configured at least one signaling message to the application server.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the determining step is based on information contained in a periodically transmitted overhead message from the FEMTO AP.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the determining step occurs after the wireless communications device hands off from a macro AP to the FEMTO AP.

27. A method of supporting a communication session arbitrated by an application server in a wireless communications system, comprising:

receiving at least one message from each of a plurality of wireless communication devices that is associated with the communication session to be arbitrated by the application server and indicates that the respective wireless communication devices are each being served by a FEMTO access point (AP); and

supporting the communication session with a first service level, the first service level corresponding to an augmented version of a second service level, the second service level associated with communication sessions that are not accompanied by an indication that one or more participating wireless communication devices are being served by a FEMTO AP.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the plurality of wireless communications devices include an originating wireless communications device and at least one target wireless communications device.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein at least one message from the originating wireless communications device corresponds to a communication session setup request message that requests initiation of the communication session and has a field set to indicate that originating wireless communication device is served by a FEMTO AP.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein at least one message from at least one target wireless communications device corresponds to an acknowledgment to a communication session setup announce message that announces the communication session to the at least one target wireless communications device and is configured to indicate that the at least one target wireless communication device is served by a FEMTO AP.

31. The method of claim 27,

wherein the receiving and supporting steps are performed during an initial set-up of the communication session,

wherein the communication session is initially set-up with the second service level based on at least one of the plurality of wireless communications devices not being served by the FEMTO AP, and

wherein the receiving step is performed at least in part after the initial set-up of the communication session such that the supporting step corresponds to a transition of the communication session from the second service level to the first service level when the application server is notified that each of the plurality of wireless communication services is now served by the FEMTO AP.

32. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

receiving at least one supplemental message from one or more of the plurality of wireless communications devices that indicates that the one or more wireless communications devices are no longer being served by the FEMTO AP; and

transitioning support of the communication session from the first service level to the second service level.

33. The method of claim 27, wherein the first service level, as compared to the second service level, is characterized by (i) higher-audio quality during the communication session (ii) higher-video quality during the communication session, and/or (iii) cheaper service rates.

34. A method of setting up a communication session to be arbitrated by an application server in a wireless communications system, comprising:

receiving data, at a given FEMTO access point (AP), for transmission to a target wireless communications device with no traffic channel (TCH) or dedicated physical channel resources;

determining to transmit the received data to the target wireless communications device on a downlink control channel based on the target wireless communications device'"'"'s serving AP corresponding to a FEMTO AP; and

transmitting the received data to the target wireless communications device on the downlink control channel.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the determining step determines to transmit the received data on the downlink control channel instead of setting up a TCH on which to transmit the received data to the target wireless communications device as the wireless communications device is served by the FEMTO AP.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein the received data includes a communication session setup announce message that announces the communication session to the target wireless communications device.

37. The method of claim 34, wherein the downlink control channel corresponds to a forward access channel (FACH) in WCDMA networks.

38. The method of claim 34, wherein the transmitting step transmits the received data on the downlink control channel as a mobile-terminated (MT) Data-over-Signaling (DoS) message in 1xEV-DO networks.

39. A method of communicating in a wireless communications system, comprising:

participating, at a wireless communications device, in a server-arbitrated communication session within a serving area of a first access point (AP) of a first type, a participation level of the wireless communications device corresponding to a first level of participation that is associated with APs of the first type;

handing off the wireless communications device from the first AP to a second AP of a second type; and

upon determining that the wireless communications device has handed off from the first AP to the second AP, transitioning the participation level of the wireless communications device from the first level of participation to a second level of participation that is associated with APs of the second type.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the first AP of the first type corresponds to a macro AP and the second AP of the second type corresponds to a FEMTO AP.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the second level of participation is an augmented version of the first level of participation.

42. The method of claim 39, wherein the first AP of the first type corresponds to a FEMTO AP and the second AP of the second type corresponds to a macro AP.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein the first level of participation is augmented version of the second level of participation.

44. The method of claim 39, wherein the transitioning step includes notifying a user of the wireless communications device of the transition.

45. A method of tracking usage in a wireless communications system, comprising:

participating in a server-arbitrated communication session at a wireless communications device; and

selectively tracking usage, at the wireless communications device, of one or more services that are associated with the server-arbitrated communication session based at least in part on whether the wireless communications device is determined to be served by a FEMTO access point (AP) or a non-FEMTO AP when the usage occurs.

46. The method of claim 45, further comprising:

displaying, to a user of the wireless communications device, information related to the selectively tracked usage during the server-arbitrated communication session.

47. The method of claim 45, further comprising:

displaying, to a user of the wireless communications device, information related to the selectively tracked usage after the server-arbitrated communication session is terminated.

48. The method of claim 45, wherein the selectively tracking usage step tracks a duration of the server-arbitrated communication session supported by the FEMTO AP or APs and separately tracks the duration of the server-arbitrated communication session supported by the non-FEMTO AP or APs.

49. The method of claim 45, wherein the selectively tracking usage step tracks an application-specific usage of one or more applications that are associated with the server-arbitrated communication session based on whether an application-specific usage occurs when the wireless communications device is supported by the FEMTO AP or APs or by the non-FEMTO AP or APs.

50. A method of triggering a network-ordered handoff of a wireless communications device, comprising:

exchanging messages related to a server-arbitrated communication session between the wireless communications device and a serving FEMTO access point (AP);

measuring one or more performance parameters associated with the server-arbitrated communication session;

determining whether performance for the server-arbitrated communication session is sufficient based on the measured performance parameters; and

selectively triggering a handoff of the wireless communications device from the serving FEMTO AP to a different AP based on the determining step.

51. The method of claim 50, wherein the exchanging, measuring, determining and selectively triggering steps are performed at the wireless communications device.

52. The method of claim 51, wherein the one or more performance parameters correspond to one or more application-layer performance parameters.

53. The method of claim 52, wherein the one or more application-layer performance parameters include (i) an error rate measurement associated with the server-arbitrated communication session, (ii) an outage duration (OD) of the server-arbitrated communication session, (iii) a rate at which the wireless communications device is being charged for usage related to the server-arbitrated communication session, (iv) the wireless communication device'"'"'s status as floor-holder or listener of the server-arbitrated communication session, (v) a priority of a user of the wireless communications device, (vi) delay jitter, and/or (vii) any combination thereof.

54. The method of claim 53, wherein the measuring step includes:

configuring Real-time Control Protocol (RTCP) for Real-time Transport Protocol (RTP) media at the wireless communications device with at least one target wireless communications device and/or an application server that is arbitrating the server-arbitrated communication session; and

determining end-to-end packet error rate (PER) and/or latency performance based feedback from the at least one target wireless communications device and/or the application server.

55. The method of claim 53, wherein the measuring step includes:

receiving, at the wireless communications device, one or more Real-time Control Protocol (RTCP) reports that include an estimated performance of a link to Gateway General Packet Radio Services (GPRS) Support Node (GGSN); and

determining packet error rate (PER) on the link between GGSN and the wireless communications device and/or latency performance based on the RTCP reports received from the GGSN.

56. The method of claim 55, wherein the receiving step includes:

configuring the GGSN to act as a RTCP proxy agent;

configuring the GGSN to read Internet Protocol (IP) packets received from the wireless communications device to identify that the packets contain Real-time Transport Protocol (RTP) data; and

configuring the GGSN to estimate the performance of the link between the GGSN and the wireless communications device based on the received Internet Protocol (IP) packets from wireless communication device, and to include the estimated performance of the link in the RTCP reports, which can be recognized by the a RTP application source on the wireless communications device.

57. The method of claim 52, wherein the determining step includes:

evaluating (i) one or more application layer performance thresholds, (ii) one or more user preferences towards the handoff, (iii) and/or a timer-based hysteresis on estimated application performance metrics to determine whether the handoff is necessary.

58. The method of claim 52, wherein the selectively triggering step includes:

configuring a pilot strength measurement report to indicate that a pilot signal of the FEMTO AP is artificially low; and

transmitting the pilot strength measurement report to the FEMTO AP to trigger the handoff.

59. The method of claim 52, wherein the selectively triggering step includes:

transmitting a message to the FEMTO AP to explicitly request the FEMTO AP to order the handoff.

60. The method of claim 51, wherein the exchanging, measuring, determining and selectively triggering steps are performed at the serving FEMTO AP.

61. The method of claim 60, wherein the one or more performance parameters correspond to one or more network performance parameters.

62. The method of claim 61, wherein the one or more network performance parameters include an estimate of bandwidth on a link between the serving FEMTO AP and an associated FEMTO gateway.

63. The method of claim 62, wherein the measuring step includes:

periodically estimating a bandwidth of a link between the FEMTO AP and a FEMTO gateway.

64. The method of claim 63, wherein the periodically estimating step performs a bandwidth estimation based on a Packet Pair algorithm and/or a CaPProbe algorithm.

65. The method of claim 61, wherein the one or more network performance parameters include a packet error rate (PER) and/or latency on a link between the serving FEMTO AP and an associated FEMTO gateway.

66. The method of claim 60, wherein the determining step includes:

evaluating (i) one or more application layer performance thresholds, (ii) one or more user preferences towards the handoff, (iii) and/or a timer-based hysteresis on estimated application performance metrics to determine whether the handoff is necessary.

67. The method of claim 60, wherein the selectively trigging step includes:

sending an explicit order to the wireless communications device to instruct the wireless communications device to perform the handoff.

68. The method of claim 60, wherein the selectively triggering step includes:

reducing a transmission power level of the FEMTO AP'"'"'s pilot signal to indirectly cause one or more wireless communications devices served by the FEMTO AP to perform the handoff.

69. The method of claim 60, wherein the selectively triggering step selects between (i) sending an explicit order to the wireless communications device to instruct the wireless communications device to perform the handoff and (ii) reducing a transmission power level of the FEMTO AP'"'"'s pilot signal to indirectly cause one or more wireless communication devices served by the FEMTO AP to perform the handoff based on whether the one or more network performance parameters indicate performance degradation is present at the FEMTO AP that is specific to the wireless communications device or affects multiple wireless communications devices served by the FEMTO AP.

70. A wireless communications device configured to obtain cell-specific information in a wireless communications system, comprising:

means for receiving a periodic overhead message from a given access point (AP), the periodic overhead message configured to indicate that the given AP corresponds to a FEMTO AP;

means for determining the given AP to be a FEMTO AP based on the received periodic overhead message; and

means for, responsive to the determination, notifying a user of the wireless communications device that the wireless communications device is operating in a serving area of a FEMTO AP.

71. A wireless communications device configured to set up a communication session to be arbitrated by an application server in a wireless communications system, comprising:

means for determining that a current serving access point (AP) of the wireless communications device corresponds to a FEMTO AP;

means for configuring at least one message to request initiation of the server-arbitrated communication session to be arbitrated by the application server and to indicate that the wireless communications device is being served by a FEMTO AP; and

means for transmitting the configured at least one message to the application server.

72. A wireless communications device configured participate in a communication session to be arbitrated by an application server in a wireless communications system, comprising:

means for, during the communication session, determining that a current serving access point (AP) of a wireless communications device corresponds to a FEMTO AP;

means for configuring at least one signaling message related to the communication session to indicate to the application server that the wireless communications device is being served by a FEMTO AP; and

means for transmitting the configured at least one signaling message to the application server.

73. An application server configured to support a communication session in a wireless communications system, comprising:

means for receiving at least one message from each of a plurality of wireless communication devices that is associated with the communication session to be arbitrated by the application server and indicates that the respective wireless communication devices are each being served by a FEMTO access point (AP); and

means for supporting the communication session with a first service level, the first service level corresponding to an augmented version of a second service level, the second service level associated with communication sessions that are not accompanied by an indication that one or more participating wireless communication devices are being served by a FEMTO AP.

74. A FEMTO access point (AP) configured to set up a communication session to be arbitrated by an application server in a wireless communications system, comprising:

means for receiving data for transmission to a target wireless communications device with no traffic channel (TCH) or dedicated physical channel resources;

means for determining to transmit the received data to the target wireless communications device on a downlink control channel based on the target wireless communications device'"'"'s serving AP corresponding to a FEMTO AP; and

means for transmitting the received data to the target wireless communications device on the downlink control channel.

75. A wireless communications device configured to communicate in a wireless communications system, comprising:

means for participating in a server-arbitrated communication session within a serving area of a first access point (AP) of a first type, a participation level of the wireless communications device corresponding to a first level of participation that is associated with APs of the first type;

means for handing off the wireless communications device from the first AP to a second AP of a second type; and

means for, upon determining that the wireless communications device has handed off from the first AP to the second AP, transitioning the participation level of the wireless communications device from the first level of participation to a second level of participation that is associated with APs of the second type.

76. A wireless communications device configured to track usage in a wireless communications system, comprising:

means for participating in a server-arbitrated communication session at a wireless communications device; and

means for selectively tracking usage of one or more services that are associated with the server-arbitrated communication session based at least in part on whether the wireless communications device is determined to be served by a FEMTO access point (AP) or a non-FEMTO AP when the usage occurs.

77. A network communications entity configured to trigger a network-ordered handoff of a wireless communications device, comprising:

means for exchanging messages related to a server-arbitrated communication session between the wireless communications device and a serving FEMTO access point (AP);

means for measuring one or more performance parameters associated with the server-arbitrated communication session;

means for determining whether performance for the server-arbitrated communication session is sufficient based on the measured performance parameters; and

means for selectively triggering a handoff of the wireless communications device from the serving FEMTO AP to a different AP based on the determination.

78. The network communications entity of claim 77, wherein the network communications entity corresponds to the serving FEMTO AP.

79. The network communications entity of claim 77, wherein the network communications entity corresponds to the wireless communications device.

80. A wireless communications device configured to obtain cell-specific information in a wireless communications system, comprising:

logic configured to receive a periodic overhead message from a given access point (AP), the periodic overhead message configured to indicate that the given AP corresponds to a FEMTO AP;

logic configured to determine the given AP to be a FEMTO AP based on the received periodic overhead message; and

logic configured to notify a user of the wireless communications device that the wireless communications device is operating in a serving area of a FEMTO AP, responsive to the determination.

81. A wireless communications device configured to set up a communication session to be arbitrated by an application server in a wireless communications system, comprising:

logic configured to determine that a current serving access point (AP) of the wireless communications device corresponds to a FEMTO AP;

logic configured to configure at least one message to request initiation of the communication session to be arbitrated by the application server and to indicate that the wireless communications device is being served by a FEMTO AP; and

logic configured to transmit the configured at least one message to the application server.

82. A wireless communications device configured participate in a communication session to be arbitrated by an application server in a wireless communications system, comprising:

logic configured to determine that a current serving access point (AP) of a wireless communications device corresponds to a FEMTO AP, during the communication session

logic configured to configure at least one signaling message related to the communication session to indicate to the application server that the wireless communications device is being served by a FEMTO AP; and

logic configured to transmit the configured at least one signaling message to the application server.

83. An application server configured to support a communication session in a wireless communications system, comprising:

logic configured to receive at least one message from each of a plurality of wireless communication devices that is associated with the communication session to be arbitrated by the application server and indicates that the respective wireless communication devices are each being served by a FEMTO access point (AP); and

logic configured to support the communication session with a first service level, the first service level corresponding to an augmented version of a second service level, the second service level associated with communication sessions that are not accompanied by an indication that one or more participating wireless communication devices are being served by a FEMTO AP.

84. A FEMTO access point (AP) configured to set up a communication session to be arbitrated by an application server in a wireless communications system, comprising:

logic configured to receive data for transmission to a target wireless communications device with no traffic channel (TCH) or dedicated physical channel resources;

logic configured to determine to transmit the received data to the target wireless communications device on a downlink control channel based on the target wireless communications device'"'"'s serving AP corresponding to a FEMTO AP; and

logic configured to transmit the received data to the target wireless communications device on the downlink control channel.

85. A wireless communications device configured to communicate in a wireless communications system, comprising:

logic configured to participate in a server-arbitrated communication session within a serving area of a first access point (AP) of a first type, a participation level of the wireless communications device corresponding to a first level of participation that is associated with APs of the first type;

logic configured to hand off the wireless communications device from the first AP to a second AP of a second type; and

logic configured to, upon determining that the wireless communications device has handed off from the first AP to the second AP, transition the participation level of the wireless communications device from the first level of participation to a second level of participation that is associated with APs of the second type.

86. A wireless communications device configured to track usage in a wireless communications system, comprising:

logic configured to participate in a server-arbitrated communication session at a wireless communications device; and

logic configured to selectively track usage of one or more services that are associated with the server-arbitrated communication session based at least in part on whether the wireless communications device is determined to be served by a FEMTO access point (AP) or a non-FEMTO AP when the usage occurs.

87. A network communications entity configured to trigger a network-ordered handoff of a wireless communications device, comprising:

logic configured to exchange messages related to a server-arbitrated communication session between the wireless communications device and a serving FEMTO access point (AP);

logic configured to measure one or more performance parameters associated with the server-arbitrated communication session;

logic configured to determine whether performance for the server-arbitrated communication session is sufficient based on the measured performance parameters; and

logic configured to selectively trigger a handoff of the wireless communications device from the serving FEMTO AP to a different AP based on the determination.

88. The network communications entity of claim 87, wherein the network communications entity corresponds to the serving FEMTO AP.

89. The network communications entity of claim 87, wherein the network communications entity corresponds to the wireless communications device.

90. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by a wireless communications device configured to obtain cell-specific information in a wireless communications system, cause the wireless communications device to perform operations, the instructions comprising:

program code to receive a periodic overhead message from a given access point (AP), the periodic overhead message configured to indicate that the given AP corresponds to a FEMTO AP;

program code to determine the given AP to be a FEMTO AP based on the received periodic overhead message; and

program code to notify a user of the wireless communications device that the wireless communications device is operating in a serving area of a FEMTO AP, responsive to the determination.

91. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by a wireless communications device configured to set up a communication session to be arbitrated by an application server in a wireless communications system, cause the wireless communications device to perform operations, the instructions comprising:

program code to determine that a current serving access point (AP) of the wireless communications device corresponds to a FEMTO AP;

program code to configure at least one message to request initiation of the communication session to be arbitrated by the application server and to indicate that the wireless communications device is being served by a FEMTO AP; and

program code to transmit the configured at least one message to the application server.

92. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by a wireless communications device configured participate in a communication session to be arbitrated by an application server in a wireless communications system, cause the wireless communications device to perform operations, the instructions comprising:

program code to determine that a current serving access point (AP) of a wireless communications device corresponds to a FEMTO AP, during the communication session;

program code to configure at least one signaling message related to the communication session to indicate to the application server that the wireless communications device is being served by a FEMTO AP; and

program code to transmit the configured at least one signaling message to the application server.

93. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by an application server configured to support a communication session in a wireless communications system, cause the application server to perform operations, the instructions comprising:

program code to receive at least one message from each of a plurality of wireless communication devices that is associated with the communication session to be arbitrated by the application server and indicates that the respective wireless communication devices are each being served by a FEMTO access point (AP); and

program code to support the communication session with a first service level, the first service level corresponding to an augmented version of a second service level, the second service level associated with communication sessions that are not accompanied by an indication that one or more participating wireless communication devices are being served by a FEMTO AP.

94. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by a FEMTO access point (AP) configured to set up a communication session to be arbitrated by an application server in a wireless communications system, cause the FEMTO AP to perform operations, the instructions comprising:

program code to receive data for transmission to a target wireless communications device with no traffic channel (TCH) or dedicated physical channel resources;

program code to determine to transmit the received data to the target wireless communications device on a downlink control channel based on the target wireless communications device'"'"'s serving AP corresponding to a FEMTO AP; and

program code to transmit the received data to the target wireless communications device on the downlink control channel.

95. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by a wireless communications device configured to communicate in a wireless communications system, cause the wireless communications device to perform operations, the instructions comprising:

program code to participate in a server-arbitrated communication session within a serving area of a first access point (AP) of a first type, a participation level of the wireless communications device corresponding to a first level of participation that is associated with APs of the first type;

program code to hand off the wireless communications device from the first AP to a second AP of a second type; and

program code to, upon determining that the wireless communications device has handed off from the first AP to the second AP, transition the participation level of the wireless communications device from the first level of participation to a second level of participation that is associated with APs of the second type.

96. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by a wireless communications device configured to track usage in a wireless communications system, cause the wireless communications device to perform operations, the instructions comprising:

program code to participate in a server-arbitrated communication session at a wireless communications device; and

program code to selectively track usage of one or more services that are associated with the server-arbitrated communication session based at least in part on whether the wireless communications device is determined to be served by a FEMTO access point (AP) or a non-FEMTO AP when the usage occurs.

97. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by a network communications entity configured to trigger a network-ordered handoff of a wireless communications device, cause the network communications entity to perform operations, the instructions comprising:

program code to exchange messages related to a server-arbitrated communication session between the wireless communications device and a serving FEMTO access point (AP);

program code to measure one or more performance parameters associated with the server-arbitrated communication session;

program code to determine whether performance for the server-arbitrated communication session is sufficient based on the measured performance parameters; and

program code to selectively trigger a handoff of the wireless communications device from the serving FEMTO AP to a different AP based on the determination.

98. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 97, wherein the network communications entity corresponds to the serving FEMTO AP.

99. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 97, wherein the network communications entity corresponds to the wireless communications device.