Dynamic building of monitored set

• US 7,613,444 B2
• Filed: 04/28/2006
• Issued: 11/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktienbolaget L.M. Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Lindqvist, Thomas Lars Erik, Vikberg, Jari Tapio, Nylander, Tomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Ly; Nghi H
• Application Number:
  US11/380,824
• Publication Number:
  US 20070254620A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,285 Days
• Field of Search: 455/403, 455/422.1, 455/443, 455/444, 455/434
• US Class Current: 455/403
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/04 Reselecting a cell layer in multi-layered cells
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/12 using downlink control channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/12 between access points and access point controllers

Abstract

A radio access network (24) comprises a radio network control node (26); a database (40); and a femto radio base station node (28_f) serving a femtocell (C_f) of the radio access network. The femto radio base station node (28_f) comprises a receiver (54) for receiving scanned cell information broadcast for one or more receivable cells of the radio access network, and a reporting unit (60). The reporting unit (60) provides the scanned cell information for the one or more receivable cells of the radio access network to the radio network control node (26). The radio network control node (60) is arranged, upon receipt of the scanned cell information, for providing configuration information to the femto radio base station node (for configuring the femto radio base station node) and for storing macro cell information for one or more receivable cells in the database (40). The macrocell information is stored in the database (40) in association with the femto radio base station node.

Claims

1. A radio access network comprising:

a radio network control node;

femto radio base station node serving a femtocell of the radio access network;

a database configured to identify a user equipment unit allowed to access the femtocell;

wherein the femto radio base station node comprises;

a receiver configured to receive, from one or more receivable cells of the radio access network, scanned cell information broadcast for one or more receivable cells of the radio access network;

a reporting unit configured to report the scanned cell information for the one or more receivable cells of the radio access network to the radio network control node;

wherein the radio network control node is arranged to provide macrocell information obtained from the scanned cell information to the data base, and wherein the radio network control node is further arranged, when a user equipment unit in connected mode enters a macrocell of the radio access network, for consulting the database to determine which femtocells of the radio access network are to be included in a monitored set for the user equipment unit.

2. The radio access network of claim 1, wherein the macrocell information is stored in the database in association with the femto radio base station node.

3. The radio access network of claim 1, wherein the scanned cell information comprises frequency information, scrambling code information, and cell identification information for the one or more receivable cells.

4. The radio access network of claim 3, wherein the configuration information includes the scanned cell information and an identifier of a neighboring cell to the femtocell, and wherein the neighbor cell is one of an intra-frequency WCDMA cell, and inter-frequency WCDMA cell, and a GSM cell.

5. The radio access network of claim 1, wherein the radio network control node is arranged for storing macrocell information for the one or more receivable cells which are macrocells.

6. The radio access network of claim 1, wherein the configuration information includes information sufficient for supporting handover from the femtocell to an overlaying macrocell.

7. The radio access network of claim 1, wherein the database resides at a node which is distinct from the femto radio base station node and the radio network control node.

8. The radio access network of claim 1, wherein the radio network control node controls both the femtocell and a macrocell.

9. The radio access network of claim 1, wherein the radio network control node is further arranged, upon receipt of the scanned cell information, for providing configuration information to the femto radio base station node for use in configuring the femto radio base station node and for storing macro cell information for one or more receivable cells in the database.

10. The radio access network of claim 9, wherein the radio network control node is further arranged for performing a handover or serving radio network controller (SRNC) relocation towards a femtocell in the monitored set, and wherein in conjunction with the handover or serving radio network controller (SRNC) relocation the radio network control node obtains information from the database to comply with protocols over one or more interfaces.

20. The radio access network of claim 9, wherein the radio network control node is further arranged for performing a handover or serving radio network controller (SRNC) relocation towards a femtocell in the monitored set, and wherein in conjunction with the handover or serving radio network controller (SRNC) relocation the radio network control node obtains information from the database to comply with protocols over one or more interfaces.

11. A radio network control (RNC) node of a radio access network which, upon receipt from a femtocell radio base station node of scanned cell information for one or more cells of the radio access network, the scanned cell information being receivable from one or more receivable cells of the radio access network by a receiver of the femto radio base station node, provides macrocell information obtained from the scanned cell information to a data base, and wherein the radio network control node is further arranged, when a user equipment unit in connected mode enters a macrocell of the radio access network, to consult the database to determine which femtocells of the radio access network are to be included in a monitored set for the user equipment unit.

12. The radio network control (RNC) node of claim 11, wherein the radio network control node stores the macrocell information in the database in association with the femto radio base station node.

13. The radio network control (RNC) node of claim 11, wherein the scanned cell information comprises frequency information, scrambling code information, and cell identification information for the one or more receivable cells.

14. The radio network control (RNC) node of claim 13, wherein the configuration information includes the scanned cell information and an identifier of a neighboring cell to the femtocell, and wherein the neighbor cell is one of an intra-frequency WCDMA cell, and inter-frequency WCDMA cell, and a GSM cell.

15. The radio network control (RNC) node of claim 11, wherein the radio network control node is arranged for storing macrocell information for the one or more receivable cells which are macrocells.

16. The radio network control (RNC) node of claim 11, wherein the configuration information includes information sufficient for supporting handover from the microcell to an overlaying macrocell.

17. The radio network control (RNC) node of claim 11, wherein the database resides at a node which is distinct from the femto radio base station node and the radio network control node.

18. The radio network control (RNC) node of claim 11, wherein the radio network control node controls both the femtocell and a macrocell.

19. The radio network control (RNC) node of claim 11, wherein the radio network control node is further arranged, upon receipt of the scanned cell information, to provide configuration information to the femto radio base station node for configuring the femto radio base station node.

21. A method of operating a radio access network, the radio access network comprising a radio network control node and a femto radio base station node serving a femtocell of the radio access network, the method comprising:

at the femto radio base station node receiving scanned cell information broadcast for one or more receivable cells of the radio access network;

providing the scanned cell information for the one or more receivable cells of the radio access network to the radio network control node and, upon receipt of the scanned cell information by the radio network control node;

providing macrocell information obtained from the scanned cell information to the data base; and

when a user equipment unit in connected mode enters a macrocell of the radio access network, consulting the database to determine which femtocells of the radio access network are to be included in a monitored set for the user equipment unit.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising storing the macrocell information in the database in association with the femto radio base station node.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the scanned cell information comprises frequency information, scrambling code information, and cell identification information for the one or more receivable cells.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the configuration information includes the scanned cell information and an identifier of a neighboring cell to the femtocell, and wherein the neighbor cell is one of an intra-frequency WCDMA cell, and inter-frequency WCDMA cell, and a GSM cell.

25. The method of claim 21, further comprising storing macrocell information for the one or more receivable cells which are macrocells.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein the configuration information includes information sufficient for supporting handover from the microcell to an overlaying macrocell.

27. The method of claim 21, further comprising locating the database resides at a node which is distinct from the femto radio base station node and the radio network control node.

28. The method of claim 21, further comprising using the radio network to control node to control both the femtocell and a macrocell.

29. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

providing configuration information to the femto radio base station node for configuring the femto radio base station node; and

storing macro cell information for one or more receivable cells in a database.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising performing a handover or serving radio network controller (SRNC) relocation towards a femtocell in the monitored set, and in conjunction with the handover or serving radio network controller (SRNC) relocation obtaining information from the database to comply with protocols over one or more interfaces.