COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

• US 20140187246A1
• Filed: 07/10/2012
• Published: 07/03/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Jha, Vivek, Sharma, Vivek
• Granted Patent: US 10,462,712 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/436
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/001 the frequencies being arranged in component carriers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0098 Signalling of the activation or deactivation of component carriers, subcarriers or frequency bands
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0064 of control information between different access points
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/08 Reselecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/08 User group management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/20 Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B

Abstract

A communication system is presented in which a base station operates a each of a plurality of cells using a respective component carrier. When the base station decides to configure a mobile telephone to use additional cells of the plurality of cells, a access control procedure is initiated to determine for each cell whether the configuration should be allowed.

Claims

1. Communication apparatus for a cellular communication system, the communication apparatus comprising:

means for operating a first cell using a first component carrier and at least one further cell using a further component carrier;

means for communicating with a mobile communication device operating in said first cell;

means for determining that an attempt should be made to configure said mobile communication device to communicate using the at least one further cell; and

means for transmitting a message to a communication entity of said communication system to initiate a procedure for checking whether configuration of said mobile communication device to communicate using the at least one further cell should be allowed;

means for receiving, from the communication entity, a message indicating, for each further cell, whether configuration of said mobile communication device to communicate using that further cell should be allowed; and

means for communicating with said mobile communication device to configure said mobile communication device to communicate using each further cell for which a respective indication that such configuration should be allowed has been received such that said mobile communication device is configured to communicate using each further cell for which a respective indication that such configuration should be allowed has been received, and said mobile communication device is not configured to communicate using each further cell for which a respective indication that such configuration should be allowed has not been received.

2. Communication apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said at least one further cell comprises at least one cell for which a closed subscriber group (CSG) has been defined, and wherein said message to initiate a procedure for checking whether configuration of said mobile communication device to communicate using the at least one further cell should be allowed comprises information identifying the CSG (CSG ID) of at least one said cell for which a closed subscriber group (CSG) has been defined.

3. Communication apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said at least one cell for which a CSG has been defined comprises at least one closed access mode cell.

4. Communication apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said at least one cell for which a CSG has been defined comprises at least one hybrid access mode cell.

5. Communication apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said message to initiate a procedure for checking whether configuration of said mobile communication device to communicate using the at least one further cell should be allowed comprises information identifying the CSG of each said hybrid access mode cell.

6. Communication apparatus according to claim 2 further comprising means for receiving, from said mobile communication device, a message indicating for each said CSG, whether or not said mobile communication device is a member of said CSG.

7. Communication apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said message to initiate a procedure for checking whether configuration of said mobile communication device to communicate using the at least one further cell should be allowed comprises information identifying each CSG that said message received from the mobile communication device indicates said mobile communication device is a member of.

8. Communication apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said at least on further cell comprises at least one open access mode cell.

9. Communication apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said communication entity comprises a mobility management entity (MME).

10. Communication apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said communication apparatus comprises a base station.

11. A communication entity of a cellular communication system in which communication apparatus operates each of a plurality of cells using a respective component carrier, wherein said plurality of said cells comprises a plurality of cells for which a closed subscriber group (CSG) has been defined, the communication entity comprising:

means for receiving a message to initiate a procedure for checking whether configuration of a mobile communication device to communicate using any of said cells should be allowed, said message comprising information identifying the CSG for each of the plurality of cells for which a closed subscriber group (CSG) has been defined;

means for determining, for each of said cells, whether configuration of a mobile communication device to communicate using said cell should be allowed;

and means for generating and transmitting a message indicating for each of said cells whether configuration of said mobile communication device to communicate using that cell should be allowed.

12. A communication entity according to claim 11 wherein said plurality of cells comprises at least one closed access mode cell.

13. A communication entity according to claim 12 wherein said determining means comprises means for performing an access control procedure for each said closed access mode cell and for determining whether configuration of a mobile communication device to communicate using that cell should be allowed based on said access control procedure.

14. A communication entity according to claim 11 wherein said plurality of cells comprises at least one hybrid access mode cell.

15. A communication entity according to claim 14 wherein said determining means comprises means for performing a membership verification procedure for each hybrid access mode cell (and/or each closed access mode cell) and for determining whether configuration of a mobile communication device to communicate using that cell should be allowed based on said membership verification.

16. A communication entity according to claim 11 wherein said plurality of cells comprises at least one open access mode cell.

17. A communication entity according to claim 11 wherein said determining means comprises means for performing an assessment of an operating charging policy for each of said cells and for determining whether configuration of a mobile communication device to communicate using that cell should be allowed based on said charging assessment.

18. A communication entity according to claim 11 wherein said message to initiate a procedure for checking whether configuration of a mobile communication device to communicate using any of said cells should be allowed comprises an access control request.

19. A communication entity according to claim 18 wherein said message indicating for each of said cells whether configuration of said mobile communication device to communicate using that cell should be allowed comprises an access control response message.

20. A communication entity according to claim 11 wherein said message to initiate a procedure for checking whether configuration of a mobile communication device to communicate using any of said cells should be allowed comprises a handover message.

21. A communication entity according to claim 20 wherein said message indicating for each of said cells whether configuration of said mobile communication device to communicate using that cell should be allowed comprises a handover request message.

22. A communication entity according to claim 11 wherein said generating and transmitting means is operable to transmit said message indicating for each of said cells whether configuration of said mobile communication device to communicate using that cell should be allowed to communication apparatus (e.g. a base station).

23. A communication entity according to claim 22 wherein said generating and transmitting means is operable to transmit said message indicating for each of said cells whether configuration of said mobile communication device to communicate using that cell should be allowed to a source communication apparatus (e.g. a base station) as part of a handover procedure.

24. A communication entity according to claim 22 wherein said generating and transmitting means is operable to transmit said message indicating for each of said cells whether configuration of said mobile communication device to communicate using that cell should be allowed to a target communication apparatus (e.g. a base station) as part of a handover procedure.

25. A communication entity according to claim 22 wherein said generating and transmitting means is operable to transmit said message indicating for each of said cells whether configuration of said mobile communication device to communicate using that cell should be allowed to a communication apparatus (e.g. a base station) as part of a carrier aggregation procedure.

26. Communication apparatus for a cellular communication system, the communication apparatus comprising:

means for communicating with a mobile communication device;

means for determining that an attempt should be made to handover communication with said communication device from said communication apparatus to target communication apparatus;

means for receiving an indication that said target communication apparatus operates a plurality of target cells each using a different respective component carrier, wherein said plurality of said target cells comprises a plurality of cells for which a closed subscriber group (CSG) has been defined;

means for obtaining an indication for each CSG as to whether or not said mobile communication device is a member of said CSG;

means for transmitting a message to a communication entity of said communication system to initiate a procedure for checking whether configuration of said mobile communication device to communicate using any of said target cells should be allowed, said message comprising information identifying each CSG for which a respective indication that said mobile communication device is a member has been obtained; and

means for communicating with said mobile communication device to complete said handover procedure for each said target cell for which configuration of said mobile communication device to communicate using that target cell is allowable.

27. Communication apparatus according to claim 26 wherein said receiving means is operable to receive said indication that said target communication apparatus operates a plurality of target cells each using a different respective component carrier is received from the mobile communication device.

28. Communication apparatus for a cellular communication system, the communication apparatus comprising:

means for operating each of a plurality of cells using a respective component carrier, wherein said plurality of said cells comprises at least one cell for which a closed subscriber group (CSG) has been defined;

means for communicating with a mobile communication device operating in at least one said cell for which a CSG has been defined of which the mobile communication device is a member;

means for obtaining an indication that CSG membership of at least one cell in which the mobile communication device is operating has expired for said mobile communication device; and

means for ceasing CSG based communication with said mobile communication device in each said cell for which said CSG membership has expired.

29. Communication apparatus according to claim 28 wherein said at least one cell for which said CSG membership has expired comprises a closed access mode cell.

30. Communication apparatus according to claim 28 wherein said at least one cell for which a CSG has been defined comprises at least one hybrid access mode cell and wherein said means for ceasing CSG based communication is operable to allow said mobile communication device to continue communicating in said at least one hybrid access mode cell as a non-CSG member.

31. Communication apparatus according to claim 28 further comprising means for generating a notification that said CSG based communication with said mobile communication device has ceased in each said cell for which said CSG membership has expired, and for transmitting said notification to a communication entity (e.g. a mobility management entity (MME)) of said communication system.

32. Communication apparatus according to claim 28 wherein said obtaining means is operable to receive said indication that CSG membership of at least one cell in which the mobile communication device is operating has expired for said mobile communication device from a (or the) communication entity (e.g. a mobility management entity (MME)) of said communication system.

33. Communication apparatus according claim 28 wherein said means for ceasing CSG based communication is operable to transfer communication with said mobile communication device from said at least one cell for which CSG membership has expired to at least one further of said plurality of cells, responsive to said membership expiry.

34. Communication apparatus for a cellular communication system, the communication apparatus comprising:

means for operating each of a plurality of cells using a respective component carrier;

means for communicating with a mobile communication device;

means for transmitting a message to a communication entity of said communication system to initiate a procedure for checking whether configuration of said mobile communication device to communicate using at least one of said cells should be allowed;

means for receiving, from the communication entity, a message indicating, for each cell represented by the message to initiate a procedure for checking whether configuration of said mobile communication device to communicate using at least one of said cells should be allowed; and

means for communicating with said mobile communication device to configure said mobile communication device to communicate using at least one cell for which a respective indication that such configuration should be allowed has been received.

35. A mobile communication device of a cellular communication system in which communication apparatus operates each of a plurality of cells using a respective component carrier, wherein said plurality of said cells comprises a plurality of cells for which a closed subscriber group (CSG) has been defined, the mobile communication device comprising:

means for receiving from said communication apparatus information identifying the CSG (CSG ID) for each of said plurality of cells for which a CSG has been defined;

means for determining from said received information identifying the CSG for each said cell whether or not said mobile communication device is a member of said CSG; and

means for generating and transmitting a message comprising, for each CSG, information identifying the CSG and information indicating the membership of said mobile communication device in said CSG.

36. A method performed by communication apparatus for a cellular communication system, the method comprising:

operating a first cell using a first component carrier and at least one further cell using a further component carrier;

communicating with a mobile communication device operating in said first cell;

determining that an attempt should be made to configure said mobile communication device to communicate using the at least one further cell; and

transmitting a message to a communication entity of said communication system to initiate a procedure for checking whether configuration of said mobile communication device to communicate using the at least one further cell should be allowed;

receiving, from the communication entity, a message indicating, for each further cell, whether configuration of said mobile communication device to communicate using that further cell should be allowed; and

communicating with said mobile communication device to configure said mobile communication device to communicate using each further cell for which a respective indication that such configuration should be allowed has been received such that said mobile communication device is configured to communicate using each further cell for which a respective indication that such configuration should be allowed has been received, and said mobile communication device is not configured to communicate using each further cell for which a respective indication that such configuration should be allowed has not been received.

37. A method performed by a communication entity of a cellular communication system in which communication apparatus operates each of a plurality of cells using a respective component carrier, wherein said plurality of said cells comprises a plurality of cells for which a closed subscriber group (CSG) has been defined, the method comprising:

receiving a message to initiate a procedure for checking whether configuration of a mobile communication device to communicate using any of said cells should be allowed, said message comprising information identifying the CSG for each of the plurality of cells for which a closed subscriber group (CSG) has been defined;

determining, for each of said cells, whether configuration of a mobile communication device to communicate using said cell should be allowed; and

generating and transmitting a message indicating for each of said cells whether configuration of said mobile communication device to communicate using that cell should be allowed.

38. A method performed by communication apparatus for a cellular communication system, the method comprising:

communicating with a mobile communication device;

determining that an attempt should be made to handover communication with said communication device from said communication apparatus to target communication apparatus;

receiving an indication that said target communication apparatus operates a plurality of target cells each using a different respective component carrier, wherein said plurality of said target cells comprises a plurality of cells for which a closed subscriber group (CSG) has been defined;

obtaining an indication for each CSG as to whether or not said mobile communication device is a member of said CSG;

transmitting a message to a communication entity of said communication system to initiate a procedure for checking whether configuration of said mobile communication device to communicate using any of said target cells should be allowed, said message comprising information identifying each CSG for which a respective indication that said mobile communication device is a member has been obtained; and

communicating with said mobile communication device to complete said handover procedure for each said target cell for which configuration of said mobile communication device to communicate using that target cell is allowable.

39. A method performed by communication apparatus for a cellular communication system, the method comprising:

operating each of a plurality of cells using a respective component carrier, wherein said plurality of said cells comprises at least one cell for which a closed subscriber group (CSG) has been defined;

communicating with a mobile communication device operating in at least one said cell for which a CSG has been defined of which the mobile communication device is a member;

obtaining an indication that CSG membership of at least one cell in which the mobile communication device is operating has expired for said mobile communication device; and

ceasing CSG based communication with said mobile communication device in each said cell for which said CSG membership has expired.

40. A method performed by communication apparatus for a cellular communication system, the method comprising:

operating each of a plurality of cells using a respective component carrier;

communicating with a mobile communication device;

transmitting a message to a communication entity of said communication system to initiate a procedure for checking whether configuration of said mobile communication device to communicate using at least one of said cells should be allowed;

receiving, from the communication entity, a message indicating, for each cell represented by the message to initiate a procedure for checking whether configuration of said mobile communication device to communicate using at least one of said cells should be allowed; and

communicating with said mobile communication device to configure said mobile communication device to communicate using at least one cell for which a respective indication that such configuration should be allowed has been received.

41. A method performed by a mobile communication device of a cellular communication system in which communication apparatus operates each of a plurality of cells using a respective component carrier, wherein said plurality of said cells comprises a plurality of cells for which a closed subscriber group (CSG) has been defined, the method comprising:

receiving from said communication apparatus information identifying the CSG (CSG ID) for each of said plurality of cells for which a CSG has been defined;

determining from said received information identifying the CSG for each said cell whether or not said mobile communication device is a member of said CSG; and

generating and transmitting a message comprising, for each CSG, information identifying the CSG and information indicating the membership of said mobile communication device in said CSG.