METHOD FOR CELL RESELECTION AND CELL HANDOVER IN A WIRELESS COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

• US 20140179321A1
• Filed: 06/04/2012
• Published: 06/26/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonica SA
• Original Assignee: Telefonica SA
• Inventors: Cucala Garcia, Luis
• Granted Patent: US 9,277,469 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/436
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0061 of neighbour cell information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0094 Definition of hand-off measurement parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/08 Reselecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/20 for optimising the interference level
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/385 of the core network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/20 Selecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B

Abstract

A method for cell reselection and cell handover in a wireless communication system.

The method comprises performing a cell reselection or handover between a user equipment connected to a radio access node and a neighbor cell, said neighbor cell having a subscriber list of subscribed user equipments.

Said user equipment is not in said subscriber list and the method further comprises:

• • a. generating, said radio access node, a closed subscriber group (CSG) list containing said user equipment and at least one neighbor cell detected;
  • b. communicating, said radio access node, said CSG list to a management entity;
  • c. reporting, said management entity, to said at least one neighbor cell included in said CSG list an invited neighbor subscriber group list, or INSG list, containing said authorised user equipment; and
  • d. performing said cell reselection or handover between said authorised user equipment and the neighbor cell if said authorised user equipment is included in said INSG list.

Claims

1. A method for cell reselection and cell handover in a wireless communication system, comprising performing said cell reselection or handover between a user equipment connected to a radio access node and a neighbor cell as a function of at least signal emission power, said neighbor cell having a subscriber list of subscribed user equipments, wherein the method is characterised in that said user equipment is not in said subscriber list and in that the method further comprises:

a) generating, said radio access node, a closed subscriber group list, or CSG list, containing at least said user equipment as an authorised user equipment and at least one neighbor cell detected by said radio access node and/or by said authorised user equipment;

b) communicating, said radio access node, said CSG list to a management entity;

c) reporting, said management entity, to said at least one neighbor cell included in said CSG list an invited neighbor subscriber group list, or INSG list, containing said authorised user equipment; and

d) performing said cell reselection or handover between said authorised user equipment and said at least one neighbor cell if said authorised user equipment is included in said INSG list of said neighbor cell.

2. A method as per claim 1, wherein said CSG list comprises a plurality of neighbor cells and/or a plurality of user equipments connected to said radio access node.

3. A method as per claim 1, comprising said user equipment generating at least one neighbor whitelist with at least one neighbor cell detected while connected to said radio access node.

4. A method as per claim 3, wherein said user equipment has a radio access node whitelist with the radio access nodes that can be connected to, and has a plurality of said neighbor whitelists, each one associated to each radio access node of said radio access node whitelist.

5. A method as per claim 3, comprising detecting said at least one neighbor cell if the signal emission power of said neighbor cell is above a given threshold.

6. A method as per claim 5, comprising determining said signal emission power by measuring the Reference Signal Received Power and/or the Reference Signal Received Quality.

7. A method as per claim 1, comprising, each neighbor cell, admitting connections from user equipments of its subscriber list and from user equipments included in the INSG list received at c), indicating this capability by at least broadcasting a Neighbor Friendly CSG indicator, or NF CSG indicator, with a value of true.

8. A method as per claim 7, comprising, each neighbor cell, further admitting connections from user equipments not included neither in said subscriber list nor in said INSG list.

9. A method as per claim 1, wherein said intermediate entity is a Home Subscriber Server.