ATTACHMENT OF A MOBILE TERMINAL TO A RADIO ACCESS NETWORK

• US 20160212691A1
• Filed: 08/28/2013
• Published: 07/21/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2013
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: HUANG, Kaiyuan, ROELAND, Dinand, RAYMENT, Stephen
• Granted Patent: US 10,257,775 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/10 Scheduling measurement reports ; Arrangements for measurement reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/20 Selecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/00 Affiliation to network, e.g. registration; Terminating affiliation with the network, e.g. de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A method and apparatus for determining whether to allow attachment of a mobile terminal to a Radio Access Network. A selection function node receives an indication that the mobile terminal has requested to attach to the Radio Access Network. A determination is made of a property of a radio connection on both an uplink and a downlink between the mobile terminal and the RAN. On the basis of the determined property, a further determination is made as to whether to allow attachment of the mobile terminal to the RAN.

Claims

1. A method of determining whether to allow attachment of a mobile terminal to a Radio Access Network, the method comprising, at a selection function node:

receiving an indication that the mobile terminal has requested to attach to the Radio Access Network;

determining a property of a radio connection on both an uplink and a downlink between the mobile terminal and the Radio Access Network; and

on the basis of the determined property, determining whether to allow attachment of the mobile terminal to the Radio Access Network.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the Radio Access Network is a Wireless Local Area Network.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the property is a property measured between the mobile terminal and an Access Point located in the Wireless Local Area Network.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the property is selected from any of delay, Round Trip Time, packet loss, signal strength, Received Signal Strength Indicator and Signal to Noise Ratio.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the property is determined by measuring a property of packets sent from a node in the Radio Access Network to the mobile terminal and returned from the mobile terminal to the node in the Radio Access Network.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the selection function node is located in a core network.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising, prior to determining the property of a radio connection between the mobile terminal and the Radio Access Network, determining that the property should be determined.

8. A system for determining whether to allow attachment of a mobile terminal to a Radio Access Network, the system comprising:

an access node in the Radio Access Network, the access node arranged to receive from the mobile terminal a request to attach to the Radio Access Network;

the access node being further arranged to determine a property of a radio connection on both an uplink and a downlink between the mobile terminal and the access node; and

the system further comprising a selection function node arranged to, on the basis of the determined property, determine whether to allow attachment of the mobile terminal to the Radio Access Network.

9. A selection function node for use in a communication network, the selection function node comprising:

a receiver for receiving an indication that a mobile terminal has requested to attach to a Radio Access Network;

a processor arranged to determine a property of a radio connection on both an uplink and a downlink between the mobile terminal and the Radio Access Network;

the processor being further arranged to determine whether to allow attachment of the mobile terminal to the Radio Access Network; and

a transmitter for indicating to a node in the Radio Access Network whether the mobile terminal may attach to the Radio Access Network.

10. The selection function node according to claim 9, wherein the Radio Access Network is a Wireless Local Area Network and the node in the Radio Access Network is an Access Point.

11. The selection function node according to claim 9, wherein the property is selected from any of delay, Round Trip Time, packet loss, signal strength, Received Signal Strength Indicator and Signal to Noise Ratio.

12. The selection function node according to claim 9, wherein the selection function node is located in a core network.

13. The selection function node according to claim 9, wherein the processor is further arranged to, prior to determining a property of a radio connection between the mobile terminal and the Radio Access Network, determine that the property should be determined.

14. An access node for use in a Radio Access Network, the access node comprising:

a first receiver for receiving from a mobile terminal a request to attach to the Radio Access Network;

a first transmitter for sending a packet to the mobile terminal;

the first receiver being arranged to receive a response packet sent from the mobile terminal;

a processor for determining, on the basis of properties of the sent packet and the response packet, a property of a radio connection between the mobile terminal and the access node;

a second transmitter for sending an indication of the property to a selection function node; and

a second receiver for receiving from the selection function node a message indicating whether to allow attachment of the mobile terminal to the Radio Access Network.

15. A mobile terminal for use in a communication network, the mobile terminal comprising:

a transmitter for sending to an access node in a Radio Access Network a request to attach to the Radio Access Network;

a receiver for receiving from the access node a packet;

the transmitter being further arranged to send to the access node a response packet, the received packet and the response packet being usable by a further node to determine a property of a radio connection between the mobile terminal and the access node;

the receiver being further arranged to receive from the access node an indication that the mobile terminal may attach to the Radio Access Network.

20. A vessel or vehicle comprising a mobile terminal according to claim 15.

16-19. -19. (canceled)