Radio resources messaging for a mobile station in an unlicensed wireless communication system

• US 7,283,821 B2
• Filed: 09/12/2005
• Issued: 10/16/2007
• 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:
  US11/225,871
• Publication Number:
  US 20060079274A1
• Time in Patent Office: 764 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, 455/462, 455/458, 455/433, 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 comprising a mobile switching center (MSC);

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 third interface to support assigning a voice bearer channel for the mobile station to access voice bearer services of the licensed wireless communication system via the unlicensed wireless communication system, wherein the set of unlicensed RR messages includes;

an activate channel message received at the mobile station from the unlicensed network controller, said activate channel message sent from the unlicensed network controller to the mobile station in response to receiving an assignment request from the (MSC), said activate channel message triggering establishment of the voice bearer channel for the mobile station.

2. The mobile station of claim 1 wherein the set of unlicensed RR messages further includes:

an activate channel acknowledgment message sent by the mobile station to the unlicensed network controller in response to receiving the activate channel message.

5. The mobile station of claim 1 wherein said third interface uses Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP).

3. A mobile station, comprising:

a) a first wireless interface to access a telecommunications network employed by a licensed wireless communication system;

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 third interface to support paging the mobile station via the unlicensed network controller, wherein the set of unlicensed RR messages includes;

a PAGING REQUEST message received at the mobile station from the unlicensed network controller identifying the mobile station.

4. The mobile station of claim 3 wherein the set of unlicensed RR messages includes:

a PAGING RESPONSE message sent from the mobile station to the unlicensed network controller in response to receiving the unlicensed RR PAGING REQUEST.