Network controller messaging for release in an unlicensed wireless communication system

• US 8,090,371 B2
• Filed: 08/15/2008
• Issued: 01/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ribbon Communications Operating Company, Inc. (Ribbon Communications, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Kineto Wireless Incorporated (Ribbon Communications, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gallagher, Michael D., Mohammed, Jahangir, Baranowski, Joseph G., Shi, Jianxiong, Markovic, Milan, Elam, Thomas G., Kolderup, Kenneth M., Shekhar, Madhu C., Powell, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): MILLER, BRANDON J
• Application Number:
  US12/192,536
• Publication Number:
  US 20080299977A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,236 Days
• Field of Search: 455/448, 455/552.1, 455/422.1, 455/426.1, 455/432.1, 455/432.2, 455/435.1, 455436-446, 370/331, 370/338
• 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 method comprising:

at a network controller of a first unlicensed wireless communication system that communicatively couples a plurality of service regions of the first communication system to a licensed wireless second communication system, establishing a Transmission Control Protocol over IP (TCP/IP) connection between the network controller and a mobile station that is at a particular service region of the first communication system;

at the network controller, determining that an unlicensed session between the network controller and the mobile station in the particular service region of the first communication system needs to be released; and

sending a release message from the network controller to the mobile station at the particular service region over the TCP/IP connection to cause a release of the unlicensed session.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the licensed wireless communication system comprises a mobile switching center (MSC), wherein the network controller determines that the unlicensed session needs to be released after the network controller receives a clear command from the MSC.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising sending a clear complete message from the network controller to the MSC.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving, at the network controller, a release confirmation from the mobile station indicating that the mobile station has released voice channels and other resources allocated for the unlicensed session.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the release of the unlicensed session comprises a release of voice channels that the mobile station had allocated to the unlicensed session.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the release of the unlicensed session further comprises a release of resources other than the voice channels that the mobile station had allocated to the unlicensed session.

7. In a communication system that includes a licensed wireless communication system for communicatively connecting to a mobile station using a licensed wireless frequency and an unlicensed wireless communication system for communicatively connecting to the mobile station using an unlicensed wireless frequency, a non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a computer program for execution by an unlicensed wireless network controller, the computer program comprising sets of instructions for:

connecting the network controller to an unlicensed wireless base station, said base station communicatively coupled to the mobile station using the unlicensed wireless frequency;

establishing a Transmission Control Protocol over IP (TCP/IP) connection between the network controller and the mobile station; and

sending a release message from the network controller over the TCP/IP connection through the base station to command the mobile station to release an unlicensed session between the network controller and the mobile station.

8. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the computer program further comprises sets of instructions for receiving a release confirmation sent from the mobile station indicating that the mobile station has released voice channels and other resources allocated for the unlicensed session.

9. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the computer program further comprises sets of instructions for receiving a clear command from a mobile switching center (MSC) of the licensed wireless communication system.

10. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the computer program further comprises sets of instructions for sending a clear complete message to the MSC.

11. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the release of the unlicensed session comprises a release of voice channels that the mobile station has allocated to the unlicensed session.

12. A method comprising:

at a network controller of a first communication network that communicatively couples a plurality of service regions of the first communication network to a licensed wireless second communication network, establishing a Transmission Control Protocol over IP (TCP/IP) connection between the network controller and a telecommunication device that is at a particular service region of the first communication network;

at the network controller, determining that a set of resources for facilitating a communication session between the telecommunication device in the particular service region of the first communication network and the network controller needs to be released; and

sending a message from the network controller to the telecommunication device at the particular service region over the TCP/IP connection to cause a release of the set of resources.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said sending of the message comprises sending the message over a broadband interface to an access point of the first communication network for wirelessly coupling the telecommunication device at the particular service region to the network controller.

14. The method of claim 12 further comprising receiving, at the network controller, a release complete message from the telecommunication device when the set of resources have been released.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein said sending of the message to release the set of resources comprises sending a message to the telecommunication device for releasing voice channels allocated between the telecommunication device and the network controller.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein said determining that the set of resources for facilitating the communication session needs to be released comprises receiving, at the network controller, a message from the second communication network to initiate a disconnect of the communication session.

17. The method of claim 12 further comprising sending a message to the licensed wireless second communication network to initiate a release of a set of resources allocated for facilitating the communication session between the network controller and the second communication network before sending the message from the network controller to the telecommunication device.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the set of resources comprises a communication channel used to route communication session data between the telecommunication device at the particular service region and the second communication network through the network controller.

19. The method of claim 12 further comprising receiving, at the network controller, a release complete message from the telecommunication device.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the first communication network is an unlicensed wireless network, wherein the telecommunication device is a dual mode device comprising a first mode for communicating with the second communication network using licensed wireless frequencies and a second mode for communicating with the first communication network using unlicensed wireless frequencies.

21. The method of claim 12, wherein the telecommunication device comprises a device for communicatively coupling to a Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS) device.

22. A network controller of a first communication network, said network controller comprising:

a first interface for communicatively coupling to a plurality of service regions of the first communication network;

a second interface for communicatively coupling to a licensed wireless second communication network; and

circuits for;

(i) establishing a Transmission Control Protocol over IP (TCP/IP) connection between the network controller and a telecommunication device that is at a particular service region of the first communication network;

(ii) determining that a set of resources for facilitating a communication session between the telecommunication device in the particular service region of the first communication network and the network controller needs to be released; and

(iii) sending a message from the network controller to the telecommunication device at the particular service region over the TCP/IP connection to cause a release of the set of resources.

23. The network controller of claim 22, wherein the first interface communicatively couples the particular service region to the network controller through the Internet using Voice over IP (VoIP).

24. The network controller of claim 22, wherein the second interface communicatively couples the network controller to a mobile switching center (MSC) of the second communication network.

25. The network controller of claim 22, wherein the network controller determines that the set of resources needs to be released based on a message received from the second communication network over the second interface, said message for initiating a disconnect of the communication session.

26. The network controller of claim 22, wherein the network controller determines that the set of resources needs to be released based on a message received from the telecommunication device at the particular service region over the first interface, said message for initiating a disconnect of the communication session.