System and method of providing services when the mobile is home registered in a microcellular network and receives support from a macrocellular network
First Claim
1. In a communication system having a macrocellular communication network and first and second microcellular communication networks, the macrocellular communication network operable to communicate with mobile subscriber units according to a first wireless communication interface, the first and second microcellular communication networks operable to communicate with mobile subscriber units according to a further wireless communication interface other than said first wireless communication interface, the first microcellular communication network having a first mobility server that provides mobility management for mobile subscriber units roaming through the first microcellular communication network, an improvement of mobility-enhancing apparatus cooperable with the first mobility server for facilitating communication with a mobile subscriber unit which is home-registered in the first microcellular communication network but has roamed into the second microcellular communication network, said apparatus comprising:
- means for coupling the first and second microcellular communication networks to the macrocellular communication network;
a first storage device in the mobility server for storing location information representative of positioning of the mobile subscriber unit, said first storage device also for storing therein a corresponding relationship between microcellular identity information used by the first microcellular network to identify the mobile subscriber unit and macrocellular identity information used by the macrocellular network to identify the mobile subscriber unit; and
a first mobility manager provided in the mobility server and coupled to said first storage device and to the macrocellular network, said first mobility manager at least for updating the location information stored in said storage device to indicate whether the mobile subscriber unit is positioned within range of the first microcellular communication network and for receiving macrocellular network-generated mobility management data related to the mobile subscriber unit, the macrocellular network-generated mobility-management data generated when the mobile subscriber unit has roamed into the second microcellular communication network and used for the updating of the location information.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for facilitating communications with a roaming mobile subscriber unit which roams beyond a microcellular communication network, such as a Digital Electronic Cordless Telephone (DECT) system. A mobility server of the microcellular communication networks is coupled to a macrocellular communication network, such as a Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) network. Wide-area mobility management functions of the macrocellular communication network are provided to the microcellular communication network and are used to facilitate call routing to and from the roaming, mobile subscriber unit.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. In a communication system having a macrocellular communication network and first and second microcellular communication networks, the macrocellular communication network operable to communicate with mobile subscriber units according to a first wireless communication interface, the first and second microcellular communication networks operable to communicate with mobile subscriber units according to a further wireless communication interface other than said first wireless communication interface, the first microcellular communication network having a first mobility server that provides mobility management for mobile subscriber units roaming through the first microcellular communication network, an improvement of mobility-enhancing apparatus cooperable with the first mobility server for facilitating communication with a mobile subscriber unit which is home-registered in the first microcellular communication network but has roamed into the second microcellular communication network, said apparatus comprising:
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means for coupling the first and second microcellular communication networks to the macrocellular communication network; a first storage device in the mobility server for storing location information representative of positioning of the mobile subscriber unit, said first storage device also for storing therein a corresponding relationship between microcellular identity information used by the first microcellular network to identify the mobile subscriber unit and macrocellular identity information used by the macrocellular network to identify the mobile subscriber unit; and a first mobility manager provided in the mobility server and coupled to said first storage device and to the macrocellular network, said first mobility manager at least for updating the location information stored in said storage device to indicate whether the mobile subscriber unit is positioned within range of the first microcellular communication network and for receiving macrocellular network-generated mobility management data related to the mobile subscriber unit, the macrocellular network-generated mobility-management data generated when the mobile subscriber unit has roamed into the second microcellular communication network and used for the updating of the location information. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. In a method for communicating in a communication system having a macrocellular communication network and first and second microcellular communication networks, the macrocellular communication network operable to communicate with mobile subscriber units according to a first wireless communication interface, the first and second microcellular communication networks operable to communicate with mobile subscriber units according to a further wireless communication interface other than said first wireless communication interface, an improvement of a method for facilitating communication with a mobile subscriber unit which is home-registered in the first microcellular communication network but has roamed into the second microcellular communication network, said method comprising the steps of:
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storing location information representative of positioning of the mobile subscriber unit; providing to the first microcellular communication network macrocellular-generated mobility management data related to the mobile subscriber unit and generated by the macrocellular network when the mobile subscriber unit has roamed into the second microcellular communication network; and updating the location information stored during said step of storing responsive to reception of the macrocellular-generated mobility management data related to the mobile subscriber unit, including translating between microcellular identity information used by the first microcellular network to identify the mobile subscriber unit and macrocellular identity information used by the macrocellular network to identify the mobile subscriber unit.
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16. In a method for communicating with a mobile subscriber unit that is home-registered in a first microcellular network, the first microcellular network forming a portion of a communication system that also includes a macrocellular network and a second microcellular network, the macrocellular network operable to communicate with mobile subscriber units according to a first wireless communication interface, the first and second microcellular networks operable to communicate with mobile subscriber units according to a further wireless communication interface other than said first wireless communication interface, an improvement of a method for facilitating communication with the mobile subscriber unit when the mobile subscriber unit roams beyond the first microcellular network and into the second microcellular network, said method comprising the steps of:
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coupling the macrocellular network together with the first and second microcellular networks; providing mobility management functions existent in the macrocellular network to the first microcellular network; and utilizing the mobility management functions in the first microcellular network when the mobile subscriber unit roams into the second microcellular network, thereby to provide the first microcellular network with wide area mobility management, and thereby to facilitate the communication with the mobile subscriber unit, said utilizing step including translating between microcellular identity information used by the first microcellular network to identify the mobile subscriber unit and macrocellular identity information used by the macrocellular network to identify the mobile subscriber unit.
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17. An improvement of an apparatus for facilitating communication with a mobile subscriber unit in a communication system having a macrocellular communication network and having first and second microcellular communication networks, the macrocellular communication network operable to communicate with mobile subscriber units according to a first wireless communication interface, the first and second microcellular communication networks operable to communicate with mobile subscriber units according to a further wireless communication interface other than said first wireless communication interface, the mobile subscriber unit home-registered in the first microcellular communication network and operable at least to communicate with the first microcellular communication network when the mobile subscriber unit roams beyond the first microcellular communication network and into the second microcellular communication network, said apparatus comprising:
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means for coupling the macrocellular communication network together with the first and second microcellular communication networks; a mobility management function provider forming a portion of the macrocellular communication network, said mobility management function provider for providing mobility management functions existent in the macrocellular communication network to the first microcellular communication network by way of said coupling means; and a mobility server forming a portion of the first microcellular communication network, said mobility server for utilizing the mobility management functions when the mobile subscriber unit roams into the second microcellular communication network, thereby to provide the first microcellular communication network with wide area mobility management, and thereby to facilitate the communication with the mobile subscriber unit, said mobility server operable to translate between microcellular identity information used by the first microcellular network to identify the mobile subscriber unit and macrocellular identity information used by the macrocellular network to identify the mobile subscriber unit.
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Specification