Mobile communication network

• US 6,925,074 B1
• Filed: 11/22/2000
• Issued: 08/02/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Furtenback, Ros-Marie, Gjärdman, Jan A., Hänström, Martin, Vikberg, Jari T., Nylander, Tomas, Hallenstål, Magnus
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Chau
• Assistant Examiner(s): WAHBA, ANDREW W
• Application Number:
  US09/717,121
• Time in Patent Office: 1,714 Days
• Field of Search: 370/328, 370/329, 370/338, 370/349, 370/352, 370/401, 370/465, 370/466, 370/469
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/1446 wherein at least one of the networks is unlicensed
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/20 Manipulation of established connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/12 between location registers or mobility servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/105 PBS [Private Base Station] network H04W84/12 - H04W84/16 take precedence
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

A mobile telecommunications network is proposed with an access network portion (10) having several base station systems (101) that can communicate with a core network portion (20). The base station systems are adapted to communicate with mobile terminals (1) over a licensed public mobile network air interface and with the core network portion over a predetermined network interface. The network also includes at least one local base station system (104, 105, 106) that is arranged to communicate with the core network portion over the predetermined network interface. This local base station system is further adapted to communicate with mobile terminals over an unlicensed radio interface (11). The local base station system makes use of an existing fixed network based on IP.

Claims

1. A mobile telecommunications network including an access network portion and a core network portion, wherein said access network portion includes an access control part arranged to communicate with said core network portion over a predetermined licensed mobile network interface, wherein said access network portion further includes at least one base station part arranged to communicate with mobile terminals over an unlicensed radio interface and

a fixed broadband network;

connecting said access control part and said at least one base station part,

wherein said access network portion is arranged to relay upper layer messages between a mobile terminal and said core network portion in a transparent manner over said unlicensed radio interface, wherein said upper layer messages include mobility management messages and above.

2. A network as claimed in claim 1, wherein said unlicensed radio interface uses broadband radio.

3. A network as claimed in claim 1, wherein said unlicensed radio interface is a Bluetooth interface.

4. A mobile telecommunications network including an access network portion and a core network portion, wherein said access portion includes a plurality of base station systems for communicating with mobile terminals over a licensed public mobile network air interface, said base station systems being arranged to communicate with said core network portion over a predetermined mobile network interface, wherein said network includes at least one local base station system arranged to communicate with said core network portion over said predetermined mobile network interface and further adapted to communicate with mobile terminals over an unlicensed radio interface, wherein said local base station system is arranged to relay upper layer messages between said mobile terminals and said core network substantially transparently,

wherein said local base station system includes at least one local base station for communicating with mobile terminals over said unlicensed radio interface and a local base station controller connected to said at least one local base station and adapted to communicate with said core network portion over said predetermined network interface,

wherein said local base station is connected to said local base station controller through a fixed broadband network,

wherein said fixed network is an IP-based network, and upper layer messages exchanged between said mobile terminals and said core network portion are relayed between said local base station and said local base station controller by tunnelling through said IP-based network.

5. A network as claimed in claim 4, wherein said fixed network is an ATM-based network.

6. A network as claimed in claim 4, wherein said unlicensed radio interlace uses broadband radio.

7. A network as claimed in claim 4, wherein said unlicensed radio interlace is a Bluetooth interface.

8. A method of registering a base station that is adapted to communicate with mobile terminals through an unlicensed radio link with an access network controller that provides access to a core network of a public mobile telecommunications network through a fixed network interposed between said base station and said access network controller, said method including the steps of:

receiving a connection request including an unlicensed radio device identifier from said base station through said fixed network,

authenticating said unlicensed radio device identifier,

selecting a base station identifier and reserving at least one communication port on said fixed network for communication with said base station,

transmitting a response to said connection request including an interface address for said reserved port and said base station identifier,

checking for said base station identifier in communication requests through said interface address and reserved port prior to permitting communication.

9. A method as claimed in claim 8, further including the steps of:

communicating a connection maintenance time interval to said base station, and releasing said reserved port if a connection is not established within said time interval.