METHOD AND DEVICE FOR ENABLING WIRELESS ACCESS TO WIRELESS COMMUNICATION TERMINALS

• US 20190037627A1
• Filed: 02/19/2016
• Published: 01/31/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: LATIF, Sajjadul, LU, Chenguang, LARAQUI, Kim
• Granted Patent: US 11,743,956 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0453 Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/15 Setup of multiple wireless link connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/10 adapted for operation in multiple networks, e.g. multi-mode access points
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

The invention relates to a multi-carrier base station and a method performed at the multi-carrier base station configured to enable wireless access to wireless communication terminals. In an aspect, a device is provided configured to provide wireless communication access to wireless communication terminals. The device comprises a Base Transceiver Station (BTS), configured to be connectable to a core network, a tethering access point, and at least one antenna. The BTS is configured to provide at least a first carrier via the at least one antenna for Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) wireless access, and further to provide the tethering access point via a wired connection with at least a second carrier exclusively used by the tethering access point for 3GPP access. Moreover, the tethering access point is configured to provide non-3GPP wireless access via the at least one antenna.

Claims

1. A method performed at a multi-carrier base station configured to enable wireless access to wireless communication terminals, comprising:

providing a first set of the wireless communication terminals with at least a first carrier for Third Generation Partnership Project, 3GPP, wireless access; and

providing a tethering access point via a wired connection with at least a second carrier exclusively used by the tethering access point for 3GPP access, the tethering access point being configured to act as a non-3GPP wireless access point for a second set of the wireless communication terminals.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing the tethering access point with said at least one first carrier for 3GPP access, wherein at least part of capacity of the at least one first carrier is shared between the tethering access point and the first set of the wireless communication terminals.

3. The method of claim 1, the provision of the at least one first carrier and the at least one second carrier further comprising:

providing the at least one first carrier and the at least one second carrier via a radio frequency front end of the multi-carrier base station.

4. The method of claim 1, the provision of the at least one first carrier and the at least one second carrier further comprising:

providing the at least one first carrier to the first set of the wireless communication terminals via a radio frequency front end of the multi-carrier base station; and

providing the at least one second carrier to the tethering access point at baseband frequency.

5. A device configured to provide wireless communication access to wireless communication terminals, the device comprising:

a base transceiver station, BTS, configured to be connectable to a core network;

a tethering access point;

at least one antenna;

the BTS being configured to provide at least a first carrier via the at least one antenna for Third Generation Partnership Project, 3GPP, wireless access;

the BTS further being configured to provide the tethering access point via a wired connection with at least a second carrier exclusively used by the tethering access point for 3GPP access; and

the tethering access point being configured to provide non-3GPP wireless access via the at least one antenna.

6. The device of claim 5, the BTS comprising:

a modem configured to be connectable to the core network;

a processing unit configured to process baseband signals received from, and transmitted to, the modem; and

a radio frequency front end, RF-FE, module configured to convert said at least a first and a second carrier at baseband received from the processing unit to radio frequency and further to convert said at least a first and a second carrier at radio frequency into baseband to be sent to the processing unit.

7. The device of claim 5, the BTS comprising:

a modem configured to be connectable to the core network;

a processing unit configured to process baseband signals received from, and transmitted to, the modem, and further to provide the tethering access point with said at least a second carrier at baseband; and

a radio frequency front end, RF-FE, module configured to convert said at least a first carrier at baseband received from the processing unit to radio frequency and further to convert said at least a first carrier at radio frequency into baseband to be sent to the processing unit.

8. The device of claim 7, the tethering access point further being configured to:

convert said at least a second carrier at baseband received from the processing unit to radio frequency and further to convert said at least a second carrier at radio frequency into baseband to be sent to the processing unit.

9. The device of claim 5, the tethering access point comprising:

a 3GPP access module configured to receive said at least a second carrier;

a non-3GPP access module configured to provide non-3GPP wireless access to the second set of wireless communication terminals via the at least one antenna; and

a tethering module to provide connectivity between the 3GPP access module and the a non-3GPP access module for tethering the second set of wireless communication terminals to the tethering access point.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein at least the 3GPP access module of the tethering access point is implemented within the processing unit.

11. The device of claim 5, the tethering access point further being configured to:

receive said at least one first carrier for 3GPP access, wherein at least part of capacity of the at least one first carrier is shared between the tethering access point and the first set of the wireless communication terminals.

12. The device of claim 5, further comprising:

a power amplifier arranged in a transmit path configured to amplify signals to the first set of wireless communication terminals; and

a low noise amplifier arranged in a receive path configured to amplify signals from the first set of wireless communication terminals.

13. (canceled)

14. (canceled)

15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising a computer program product including instructions to cause at least one processor to:

provide a first set of wireless communication terminals with at least a first carrier for Third Generation Partnership Project, 3GPP, wireless access; and

provide a tethering access point via a wired connection with at least a second carrier exclusively used by the tethering access point for 3GPP access, the tethering access point being configured to act as a non-3GPP wireless access point for a second set of wireless communication terminals.