Mobile station ciphering configuration procedure in an unlicensed wireless communication system

• US 7,197,309 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2005
• Issued: 03/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ribbon Communications Operating Company, Inc. (Ribbon Communications, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Kineto Wireless Incorporated (Ribbon Communications, Inc.)
• Inventors: Baranowski, Joseph G., Mohammed, Jahangir, Shi, Jianxiong, Shekhar, Madhu C., Elam, Thomas G., Powell, Mark, Kolderup, Kenneth M., Gallagher, Michael D., Markovic, Milan
• Primary Examiner(s): Eng; George
• Assistant Examiner(s): Miller; Brandon J.
• Application Number:
  US11/227,784
• Publication Number:
  US 20060025143A1
• Time in Patent Office: 559 Days
• Field of Search: 455/448, 455/446, 455/432.2, 455/422.1, 455/426.1, 455/435.1, 455/552.1, 455/445, 455/436, 370/331
• US Class Current: 455/436
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0272 Virtual private networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/04 using triggered events
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/30 Connection release
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/16 WPBX [Wireless Private Branch Exchange]
• 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 88/12 Access point controller devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/06 between gateways and public network devices

Abstract

An unlicensed wireless service is adapted to generate the interface protocols of a licensed wireless service to provide transparent transition of communication sessions between a licensed wireless service and an unlicensed wireless service. In one embodiment, a mobile station includes level 1, level 2, and level 3 protocols for licensed wireless service and an unlicensed wireless service. An indoor base station and indoor network controller provide protocol conversion for the unlicensed wireless service into a standard base station controller interface of the licensed wireless service.

Claims

1. A mobile station, comprising:

a) a first wireless interface to access a licensed wireless communication network;

b) a second wireless interface to access an unlicensed wireless communication network via an unlicensed wireless base station using an unlicensed radio frequency;

c) a third interface to communicate with an unlicensed wireless network controller communicatively coupled to the base station via a broadband network; and

d) circuits for handling a set of unlicensed radio resource (RR) messages transmitted over the second interface to support ciphering configuration, wherein the set of unlicensed RR messages include;

an unlicensed RR cipher mode command message received at the mobile station from the unlicensed network controller, said unlicensed RR cipher mode command containing cipher mode setting information.

2. The mobile station of claim 1 wherein upon receiving the cipher mode command, the mobile station:

a) stores the cipher mode setting information; and

b) sends an unlicensed RR cipher mode complete message in response to receiving said unlicensed RR cipher mode command message.

3. The mobile station of claim 2 wherein the mobile station uses the cipher mode setting information to enable ciphering if a call is subsequently handed over from the unlicensed wireless communication system to the licensed wireless communication system.

4. The mobile station of claim 1 wherein the cipher mode command message received by the mobile station includes an identity request.

5. The mobile station of claim 2 wherein the moble station includes the mobile station international mobile equipment identity software version (IMEISV) information in the cipher mode complete message.

6. The computer readable medium of a mobile station, said computer medium storing a set of instructions, which when executed by the mobile station causes the mobile station to:

a) access a licensed wireless communication system using a licensed wireless frequency;

b) access an unlicensed wireless communication system using an unlicensed wireless frequency, wherein said unlicensed wireless communication system comprises an unlicensed wireless network controller serving the unlicensed region;

c) receive an unlicensed radio resource (RR) cipher mode command message containing cipher mode setting information for the unlicensed network controller, and

d) utilize the cipher mode setting information to enable ciphering of a call if the call is subsequently handed over from the unlicensed wireless communication system to the licensed wireless communication system.

7. The computer readable medium of claim 6 further storing a set of instructions, which when executed by the mobile station, causes the mobile station to:

a) store the cipher mode setting information; and

b) send an unlicensed RR cipher mode complete message in response to receiving said unlicensed RR cipher mode command message.

8. The computer readable medium of claim 6 wherein the cipher mode command message includes an identity request.

9. The computer readable medium of claim 7 further storing a set of instructions, which when executed by the mobile station, causes the mobile station to include international mobile equipment identity software version (IMEISV) information in the cipher mode complete message.

10. A method of operating a mobile station in a communication system having a licensed wireless communication system and an unlicensed wireless communication system, the unlicensed wireless communication system having an unlicensed region served by an unlicensed wireless network controller, the method comprising:

a) at the mobile station, receiving a cipher mode command sent from the unlicensed wireless network controller, said cipher mode command containing cipher mode setting;

b) storing the cipher mode setting in the mobile station;

c) using the cipher mode setting to enable ciphering of a call if the call is subsequently handed over from the unlicensed wireless communication system to the licensed wireless communication system.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said cipher mode command includes an identity request.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

sending a cipher mode complete message from the mobile station to the unlicensed wireless network controller.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

including the mobile station international mobile equipment identity software version (IMEISV) in said cipher mode complete message.

14. A computer readable medium of a mobile station, the mobile station operating in a communication system having a licensed wireless communication system and an unlicensed wireless communication system, the unlicensed wireless communication system having an unlicensed region served by an unlicensed wireless network controller, said computer readable medium storing a set of instructions, which when executed by the mobile station causes the mobile station to:

a) receive a cipher mode command sent from the unlicensed wireless network controller, said cipher mode command containing cipher mode setting;

b) store the cipher mode setting;

c) utilize the cipher mode setting to enable ciphering of a call in the call is subsequently handed over from the unlicensed wireless communication system to the licensed wireless communication system.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 14 wherein said cipher mode command includes an identity request.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 15 further storing a set of instructions, which when executed by the mobile station, causes the mobile station to:

send a cipher mode complete message to the unlicensed wireless network controller.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 16 further storing a set of instructions, which when executed by the mobile station, causes the mobile station to:

include the mobile station international mobile equipment identity software version (IMEISV) in said cipher mode complete message.