Device network and methods concerning cordless telecommunication

• US 6,301,483 B1
• Filed: 11/10/1998
• Issued: 10/09/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/11/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Israelsson, Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): Hunter, Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRAN, PABLO N
• Application Number:
  US09/188,389
• Time in Patent Office: 1,064 Days
• Field of Search: 455/445, 455/432, 455/433, 455/435, 455/67.1, 455/425, 455/405, 455/465, 455/462, 455/437, 455/434, 455/406-408, 455/414, 455/422, 455/443, 455/444, 455/438, 455/436, 455/439-440, 455/552, 455/553, 455/515, 455/550, 455/166.2, 379/220, 379/207, 379/230, 379/219, 379/221
• US Class Current: 455/462
• 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 8/12 between location registers or mobility servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/16 WPBX [Wireless Private Branch Exchange]

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method of updating the home node of a cordless terminal as well as a private telecommunication network, a means for handling cordless terminals or mobility server and a server where such a method is realized. A geographical area within which a cordless terminal is able to uphold radio contact with a mobility server is defined as the geographical area of that mobility server and each cordless terminal has one mobility server as home node. The network, means for handling cordless terminals and server determine a measure of the time the cordless terminal has been located in a geographical area of a new mobility server other than an old mobility server to which the terminal belongs, (step 92) and sets the cordless terminal as belonging to the new mobility server, (step 100), if the measure exceeds a threshold, (step 96).

Claims

1. A method of updating to which means for handling cordless terminals a cordless terminal belongs in a private telecommunication network, where a geographical area within which a cordless terminal is able to uphold radio contact with a means for handling cordless terminals, via a base station connected to that means for handling cordless terminals, is defined as the geographical area of that means for handling cordless terminals, and wherein each cordless terminal belongs to one means for handling cordless terminals, said method comprising the steps of:

determining a measure of the time the cordless terminal has been located in a geographical area of a new means for handling cordless terminals other than an old means for handling cordless terminals to which the terminal belongs, wherein the new means for handling cordless terminals measures the time the cordless terminal has been located in the geographical area of the new means for handling cordless terminals; and

setting the cordless terminal as belonging to the new means for handling cordless terminals if the measure exceeds a threshold.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the measure is the actual time the cordless terminal is registered as being located in the geographical area of the new means for handling cordless terminals and the method further comprises the step of:

comparing the time with the threshold, where the threshold is set as a percentage of the time the cordless terminal has been switched on in the network during a measurement interval.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the measure is the actual time the cordless terminal is registered as being located in the geographical area of the new means for handling cordless terminals and the method further comprises the step of:

comparing the time with a threshold, where the threshold is set as a percentage of a measurement interval.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the threshold used for one means for handling cordless terminals is weighted in relation to thresholds used for other means for handling cordless terminals in the network.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of setting further comprises the steps of:

recording the terminal as belonging to the new means for handling cordless terminals in a second register means, wherein the second register means is associated with the new means for handling cordless terminals and keeps track of all cordless terminals belonging to the new means for handling cordless terminals;

changing a setting of the terminal from being set as belonging to the old means for handling cordless terminals to being set as belonging to the new means for handling cordless terminals in at least one first register means, wherein the at least one first register means keeps track of to which means for handling cordless terminals all cordless terminals in the network belong; and

deleting a registration of the terminal as belonging to the old means for handling cordless terminals in a second register means associated with the old means for handling cordless terminals.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of setting further comprises the step of:

recording the terminal as belonging to the new means for handling cordless terminals in a third register means, wherein cordless terminals associated with the geographical area in which the cordless terminal is presently located are registered in the third register means.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of recording is preceded by the step of:

copying information concerning said terminal from the second register means associated with the old means for handling cordless terminals to the second register means associated with the new means for handling cordless terminals.

8. A telecommunication network comprising:

at least two means for handling cordless terminals, each such means being connected to at least one respective base station for communication with at least one cordless terminal in order to handle connections set up to and from as well as to handle functions available to said cordless terminal, where a geographical area within which a cordless terminal is able to uphold radio contact with a means for handling cordless terminals via a base station connected to that means for handling cordless terminals is defined as the geographical area of that means for handling cordless terminals and each cordless terminal belongs to one means for handling cordless terminals;

means for determining a measure of the time a cordless terminal has been located in a geographical area of a new means for handling cordless terminals other than an old means for handling cordless terminals to which said terminal belongs, wherein the new means for handling cordless terminals includes the means for determining a measure of time; and

means for setting the cordless terminal as belonging to the new means for handling cordless terminals if the measure exceeds a threshold.

9. The network of claim 8, wherein the measure is the actual time the cordless terminal is registered as being located in the geographical area of the new means for handling cordless terminals and the means for determining a measure comprises means for comparing the time with the threshold, where the threshold is set as a percentage of the time the cordless terminal has been switched on in the network during a measurement interval.

10. The network of claim 8, wherein the measure is the actual time the cordless terminal is registered as being located in the geographical area of the new means for handling cordless terminals and the means for determining a measure comprises means for comparing the time with the threshold, where the, threshold is set as a percentage of a measurement interval.

11. The network of claim 9, wherein the means for setting further comprises;

means for first recording of the terminal as belonging to the new means for handling cordless terminals, which means for first recording is arranged for connection to a second register means associated with the new means for handling cordless terminals and comprising information about all terminals belonging to the new means for handling cordless terminals;

means for changing a setting of the terminal from being set as belonging to the old means for handling cordless terminals to being set as belonging to the new means for handling cordless terminals, which means for setting is arranged for connection to at least one first register means keeping track of to which means for handling cordless terminals all cordless terminals in the network belong; and

means for deleting a registration of the terminal as belonging to the old means for handling cordless terminals, which means for deleting is arranged for connection to a second register means associated with the old means for handling cordless terminals, in order to change registration of the cordless terminal.

12. The network of claim 11, wherein the means for setting comprises means for second recording of the terminal as belonging to the new means for handling cordless terminals, which means for second recording is arranged for connection to a third register means containing information about cordless terminals located in the geographical area of a means for handling cordless terminals in whose geographical area the cordless terminal is currently located, in order to set the terminal as belonging to the new means for handling cordless terminals in the third register means.

13. The network of claim 11, wherein the means for first recording comprises means for copying information concerning the terminal from the second register means associated with the old means for handling cordless terminals to the second register means associated with the new means for handling cordless terminals.

14. A means for handling cordless terminals arranged for connection in a private telecommunication network that comprises at least said means for handling cordless terminals and another means for handling cordless terminals, where each such means is arranged for connection to at least one respective base station for communication with at least one cordless terminal in order to handle connections set up to and from as well as to handle functions available to said cordless terminal;

where a geographical area, within which a cordless terminal is able to uphold radio contact with a means for handling cordless terminals via a base station connected to that means for handling cordless terminals, is defined as the geographical area of that means for handling cordless terminals and each cordless terminal belongs to one means for handling cordless terminals,

wherein the means for handling cordless terminals comprises

means for determining a measure of the time a cordless terminal has been located in a geographical area of a new means for handling cordless terminals other than an old means for handling cordless terminals to which said terminal belongs, wherein the new means for handling cordless terminals includes the means for determining a measure of time; and

means for setting the cordless terminal as belonging to the new means for handling cordless terminals if the measure exceeds a threshold.

15. A server for connection in a private telecommunication network comprising at least two means for handling cordless terminals, each such means being connected to at least one respective base station for communication with at least one cordless terminal in order to handle connections set up to and from as well as to handle functions available to said cordless terminal, where a geographical area, within which a cordless terminal is able to uphold radio contact with a means for handling cordless terminals via a base station connected to that means for handling cordless terminals, is defined as the geographical area of that means for handling cordless terminals and each cordless terminal belongs to one means for handling cordless terminals;

said server comprising;

means for determining a measure of the time a cordless terminal has been located in a geographical area of a new means for handling cordless terminals other than the old means for handling cordless terminals to which said terminal belongs, wherein the new means for handling cordless terminals includes the means for determining a measure of time; and

means for setting the cordless terminal as belonging to the new means for handling cordless terminals if the measure exceeds a threshold.

16. A method of updating to which means for handling cordless terminals a cordless terminal belongs in a private telecommunication network, where a geographical area within which a cordless terminal is able to uphold radio contact with a means for handling cordless terminals via a base station connected to that means for handling cordless terminals is defined as the geographical area of that means for handling cordless terminals and each cordless terminal belongs to one means for handling cordless terminals, said method comprising the steps of:

determining a measure of the time the cordless terminal has been located in a geographical area of a new means for handling cordless terminals other than an old means for handling cordless terminals to which the terminal belongs; and

setting the cordless terminal as belonging to the new means for handling cordless terminals if the measure exceeds a threshold.

17. A telecommunication network comprising:

at least two means for handling cordless terminals, each such means being connected to at least one respective base station for communication with at least one cordless terminal in order to handle connections set up to and from as well as to handle functions available to said cordless terminal, wherein a geographical area, within which a cordless terminal is able to uphold radio contact with a means for handling cordless terminals via a base station connected to that means for handling cordless terminals, is defined as the geographical area of that means for handling cordless terminals and each cordless terminal belongs to one means for handling cordless terminals;

means for determining a measure of the time a cordless terminal has been located in a geographical area of a new means for handling cordless terminals other than an old means for handling cordless terminals to which said terminal belongs; and

means for setting the cordless terminal as belonging to the new means for handling cordless terminals if the measure exceeds a threshold.

18. A means for handling cordless terminals arranged for connection in a private telecommunication network that comprises at least said means for handling cordless terminals and another means for handling cordless terminals, where each such means is arranged for connection to at least one respective base station for communication with at least one cordless terminal in order to handle connections set up to and from as well as to handle functions available to said cordless terminal, where a geographical area, within which a cordless terminal is able to uphold radio contact with a means for handling cordless terminals via a base station connected to that means for handling cordless terminals, is defined as the geographical area of that means for handling cordless terminals and each cordless terminal belongs to one means for handling cordless terminals,

wherein the means for handling cordless terminals comprises:

means for determining a measure of the time a cordless terminal has been located in a geographical area of a new means for handling cordless terminals other than an old means for handling cordless terminals to which said terminal belongs; and

means for setting the cordless terminal as belonging to the new means for handling cordless terminals if the measure exceeds a threshold.

19. A server for connection in a private telecommunication network comprising at least two means for handling cordless terminals, each such means being connected to at least one respective base station for communication with at least one cordless terminal in order to handle connections set up to and from as well as to handle functions available to said cordless terminal, where a geographical area, within which a cordless terminal is able to uphold radio contact with a means for handling cordless terminals via a base station connected to that means for handling cordless terminals, is defined as the geographical area of that means for handling cordless terminals and each cordless terminal belongs to one means for handling cordless terminals;

said server comprising;

means for determining a measure of the time a cordless terminal has been located in a geographical area of a new means for handling cordless terminal belongs; and

means forgetting the cordless terminal as belonging to the new means for handling cordless terminals if the measure exceeds a threshold.

20. In a network including a first and second mobility server, each mobility server including a home data base and a visitor data base, a method for registering a cordless terminal comprising the steps of:

registering the cordless terminal in the home data base of the first mobility server;

registering the cordless terminal in the visitor data base of the second mobility server;

determining an amount of time that the cordless terminal has been located in a geographical area associated with the second mobility server; and

registering the cordless terminal in the home data base of the second mobility server if the amount of time exceeds a threshold.