METHODS FOR ASSIGNING RADIO RESOURCES FOR MOBILE DEVICES CONNECTED TO A MOBILE COMMUNICATION MODULE AND RELATED SYSTEMS AND DEVICES

• US 20120275392A1
• Filed: 08/04/2011
• Published: 11/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Haddad, Wassim
• Granted Patent: US 8,804,619 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/329
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/005 Moving wireless networks

Abstract

Methods of assigning radio resources in a wireless communications network with user equipment are provided. The methods include connecting a user equipment unit to a vehicle having a mobile communication module associated therewith. The user equipment unit is authenticated at the vehicle and is associated with the user equipment unit with the vehicle. Connection credentials are received at the mobile communication module from the user equipment unit if the user equipment unit is authenticated and associated. At least one wireless interface is activated at the mobile communication module responsive to the received connection credentials. A local wireless connection is established between the user equipment unit and the mobile communication module associated with the vehicle using the at least one wireless interface. Related mobile communication modules and intermediary devices are also provided.

Claims

1. A method of assigning radio resources in a wireless communications network with user equipment, the method comprising:

connecting a user equipment unit to a vehicle having a mobile communication module associated therewith;

authenticating the user equipment unit at the vehicle and associating the user equipment unit with the vehicle;

receiving connection credentials at the mobile communication module from the user equipment unit if the user equipment unit is authenticated and associated;

activating at least one wireless interface at the mobile communication module responsive to the received connection credentials; and

establishing a local wireless connection between the user equipment unit and the mobile communication module associated with the vehicle using the at least one wireless interface.

2. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising establishing a wireless connection between the user equipment unit and a node of the wireless communications network through the mobile communication module associated with the vehicle.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein connecting the user equipment unit to the mobile communication module comprises connecting the user equipment unit and the mobile communication module using a wireless local area network (WLAN) connection.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein establishing the wireless connection between the user equipment unit and the node of the communications network further comprises establishing the wireless connection using a service provider associated with the user equipment unit.

5. The method of claim 2:

wherein the vehicle having the associated mobile communication module is moving along a path; and

wherein the mobile communication module is configured to establish wireless connections with at least two network nodes associated with different types of networks along the path.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising periodically providing information from the mobile communication module to a intermediary device positioned in the wireless communications network,

wherein the information includes at least location information associated with the mobile communication module, a speed of the vehicle, and a destination of the vehicle;

and

wherein the intermediary device is configured to control connectivity of the mobile communication module to nodes of the wireless communications network along the path.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the intermediary is configured to detect areas along the path that do not have any type of network coverage and to buffer a predetermined number of packets before the vehicle enters the detected areas so that the connection to the wireless communication system is not interrupted.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the intermediary device is configured to control connectivity by pre-provisioning potential nodes in the wireless communication system on the path.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the intermediary device is further configured to configure the at least one interface of the mobile communication module with the proper network parameters for the potential nodes on the path.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the user equipment unit comprises a first user

equipment unit and wherein the at least one wireless interface comprises first and second wireless interfaces, the method further comprising:

connecting a second user equipment unit to the vehicle;

authenticating the second user equipment unit at the vehicle and associating the second user equipment unit with the vehicle;

receiving connection credentials at the mobile communication module from the second user equipment unit if the user equipment unit is authenticated and associated;

activating the second wireless interface at the mobile communication module responsive to the received connection credentials; and

establishing a local wireless connection between the second user equipment unit and the mobile communication module associated with the vehicle using the second wireless interface.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising establishing a wireless connection between the second user equipment unit and a node of the communications network using a service provider associated with the second user equipment unit, the service provider associated with the second user equipment being different from a service provide associated with the first user equipment.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one wireless interface at the mobile communication module comprises a wireless local area network (WLAN) interface, an N-Generation interface, an LTE interface and/or 802.11p interface.

13. A intermediary device in a wireless communication system, the intermediary device comprising:

a radio transceiver configured to;

receive information associated with a mobile communication module associated with a vehicle moving along a path, wherein the information includes at least location information associated with the mobile communication module, a speed of the vehicle, and a destination of the vehicle; and

receive information associated with nodes of the wireless communications network along the path, the information including network traffic information associate with the nodes along the path; and

a processor configured to control connectivity of the mobile communication module to the nodes of the wireless communications network along the path of the vehicle based on the received information associated with the mobile communication module and associated with the nodes along the path.

14. The intermediary device of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to detect areas along the path that do not have any type of network coverage and to buffer a predetermined number of packets before the vehicle enters the detected areas so that the connection to the wireless communication system is not interrupted.

15. The intermediary device of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to control connectivity by pre-provisioning potential nodes in the wireless communication system on the path.

16. The intermediary device of claim 15, wherein the processor is further configured to configure at least one interface of the mobile communication module with proper network parameters for the potential nodes on the path.

17. A mobile communication module in a wireless communications network, the mobile communication module being associated with a vehicle, the mobile communication module comprising:

a radio transceiver configured to receive connection credentials from a user equipment unit plugged into the vehicle if the user equipment unit is authenticated; and

a processor configured to;

activate at least one wireless interface of the mobile communication module responsive to the received connection credentials; and

establish a local wireless connection between the user equipment unit and the mobile communication module associated with the vehicle using the at least one wireless interface.

18. The mobile communication module of claim 17, wherein the processor is further configured to establish a wireless connection between the user equipment unit and a node of the wireless communications network.

19. The mobile communication module of claim 18, wherein processor is further configured establish the wireless connection using a service provider associated with the user equipment unit.

20. The mobile communication module of claim 17, wherein the processor is further configured to periodically provide information from the mobile communication module to a intermediary device positioned in the wireless communications network,

wherein the information includes at least location information associated with the mobile communication module, a speed of the vehicle, and a destination of the vehicle;

and

wherein the intermediary device is configured to control connectivity of the mobile communication module to nodes of the wireless communications network along the path.

21. The mobile communications device of claim 17:

wherein the user equipment unit comprises a first user equipment unit and wherein the at least one wireless interface comprises first and second wireless interfaces;

wherein the radio transceiver is further configured to receive connection credentials at the mobile communication module from the second user equipment unit if the user equipment unit is authenticated; and

wherein the processor is further configured to;

activate the second wireless interface at the mobile communication module responsive to the received connection credentials; and

establish a local wireless connection between the second user equipment unit and the mobile communication module associated with the vehicle using the second wireless interface.

22. The mobile communications device of claim 21, wherein the processor is further configured to establish a wireless connection between the second user equipment unit and a node of the communications network using a service provider associated with the second user equipment unit, the service provider associated with the second user equipment being different from a service provide associated with the first user equipment.