User equipment (UE) assisted system database update

• US 7,058,405 B2
• Filed: 04/12/2004
• Issued: 06/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Inventors: Chandra, Arty, Chitrapu, Prabhakar R., Menon, Narayan Parappil
• Primary Examiner(s): GELIN, JEAN ALLAND
• Application Number:
  US10/822,502
• Publication Number:
  US 20040192327A1
• Time in Patent Office: 785 Days
• Field of Search: 455/436, 455/437, 455/442, 455/443, 455/439, 455/422.1, 455/446, 455/432.3, 455/432.1, 455/435.1, 455/435.2, 455/438, 370/328, 370/331, 370/335, 370/332
• US Class Current: 455/436
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/246 Connectivity information discovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/248 Connectivity information update
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A user equipment (UE) operating in a wireless system having at least one base station, communicates with base stations in neighboring wireless systems and conveys information regarding these neighboring wireless systems to the base station of its wireless system, which updates and stores this information for use in handover of UEs. The BS may also obtain updates directly from the base stations of neighboring wireless systems which may include a diversity of systems such as WLANS, Bluetooth, UMTS, GPRS, etc., and provide to UEs a list of those wireless systems which the UEs need not provide updates to the BS providing the list.

Claims

1. In a wireless communication system comprising a plurality of wireless local area networks (WLANs), each WLAN having a plurality of resident user equipments (UEs) communicating with a base station (BS) residing within the WLAN, a method for updating a WLAN database maintained by each BS, the method comprising:

each resident UE transmitting its geo-location information to the BS within the WLAN;

communicating by at least one UE with neighboring base stations of neighboring WLANs;

updating the WLAN database at the BS to include the geo-location information of neighboring WLANs; and

approximating coverage area of neighboring WLANs according to the geo-location information in the updated system database.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the BS verifying the integrity of the information transmitted by any UE.

3. The method of claim 1, where the neighboring WLAN provides coverage which does not overlap coverage of the resident WLAN.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

the UE receiving traffic loading information from neighboring base stations; and

updating the WLAN database at the BS to include traffic loading information of neighboring WLANs.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the neighboring WLANs have different radio access technology.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising the UE providing the BS with information including radio access technology of neighboring WLANs.

7. The method of claim 1, where said UE sends information which includes signal power levels of the neighboring WLANs.

8. The method of claim 1, where the UE sends the geo-location information responsive to being authenticated by the BS.

9. The method of claim 1, where the UE transmits the geo-location information together with a message authentication code.

10. The method of claim 1, where the UE encrypts information sent to the BS.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

the base station alerting the UE as to neighboring WLANs known by the base station for reducing traffic due to multiple UEs sending similar information.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the receiving UE limits reports on neighboring base stations to those base stations that are not included in the alert received from its associated base station.