Communicating cell restriction status information between radio access network nodes

• US 8,165,587 B2
• Filed: 02/07/2008
• Issued: 04/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Dahlen, Anders, Buchmayer, Mats, Israelsson, Martin, Wahlqvist, Mattias
• Primary Examiner(s): Gelin, Jean
• Application Number:
  US12/866,315
• Publication Number:
  US 20100323662A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,538 Days
• Field of Search: 455/432.1, 455/432.3, 455/433, 455/434, 455/435.1, 455/435.2, 455/435.3, 455/436, 455/438, 455/439, 455/442, 455/410, 455/411, 370/331, 370/329
• US Class Current: 455/439
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/02 Access restriction performed under specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/20 between access points

Abstract

A cellular radio communications network includes a core network coupled to a radio access network (RAN) that has multiple RAN nodes for communication with mobile radio terminals. Each of the multiple RAN nodes serves one or more cells. At least one cell associated with a first RAN node is in a restricted or reserved access state in which access to the one cell is restricted for at least some mobile radio terminals. The first RAN node sends a message to a second RAN node to inform the second RAN node of that restricted access cell. The fact that the restricted status of the one cell has changed is detected. A global message tha is not related to a specific mobile terminal is generated that includes information that the restricted status of the one cell has changed. The first RAN node sends the global message to the second RAN node to inform the second RAN node of the change in the restricted status of the one cell.

Claims

1. A method in a cellular radio communications network including a core network coupled to a radio access network (RAN) having multiple RAN nodes for communicating with mobile radio terminals, each of the multiple RAN nodes serving one or more cells, the method comprising:

establishing that at least one cell associated with a first RAN node is in a restricted or reserved access state in which access to the one cell is restricted for at least some mobile radio terminals;

sending, by the first RAN node, a message to a second RAN node to inform the second RAN node of that restricted access cell;

determining that the restricted status of the one cell has changed;

generating a global message not related to a specific mobile terminal that includes information that the restricted status of the one cell has changed; and

sending, by the first RAN node, the global message to the second RAN node to inform the second RAN node of the change in the restricted status of the one cell.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

upon detecting that access in the at least one cell is to be restricted, sending, by the first RAN node, a global message to the second RAN node to inform the second RAN node of the restricted status of the one cell.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein at least some mobile radio terminals have an access class associated with accessing service via one or more cells in the cellular radio communications network, the method further comprising:

receiving and storing, at the first RAN node, information indicating the access class for at least one of the mobile radio terminals.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the first RAN node uses the access class information in determining what cell or cells are available for access and handover of a connection involving one of the mobile radio terminals.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

for a handover of a connection involving one of the at least some mobile radio terminals, forwarding, from the first RAN node corresponding to a source RAN node for the connection to the second RAN node corresponding to a target RAN node for the connection, information indicating the access class of the mobile radio terminal involved in the connection.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

for a handover of a connection involving one of the at least some mobile radio terminals, forwarding, from the first RAN node corresponding to a source RAN node for the connection to the second RAN node corresponding to a target RAN node for the connection, information indicating whether the connection is an emergency call or includes an emergency bearer.

7. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

using access class status information to steer handover of a connection involving one of the mobile radio terminals to a handover target cell that uses a radio access technology different than the radio access technology used in a handover source cell.

8. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

using access class status information to steer an idle mobile radio terminal to camp on a cell based on an access class of the idle mobile radio terminal.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the cellular radio communications network is a Long Term Evolution (LTE) type network and the first and second RAN nodes are enhanced Node Bs (eNBs).

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the cellular radio communications network is a Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) type network and the first and second RAN nodes are Radio Network Controllers (RNCs).

11. A radio access network (RAN) node for use in a cellular radio communications network including a core network coupled to a radio access network (RAN) having multiple RAN nodes for communicating with mobile radio terminals, each of the multiple RAN nodes serving one or more cells, the RAN node comprising one or more circuits operative to:

establish that at least one cell associated with the RAN node is in a restricted or reserved access state in which access to the one cell is restricted for at least some mobile radio terminals;

send a message to another RAN node to inform the other RAN node of that restricted access cell;

determine that the restricted status of the one cell has changed;

generate a global message not related to a specific mobile terminal that includes information that the restricted status of the one cell has changed; and

send the global message to the other RAN node to inform the other RAN node of the change in the restricted status of the one cell.

12. The RAN node of claim 11, the RAN node circuits being further operative to:

send a global message to the other RAN node to inform the other RAN node of the restricted status of the one cell upon detecting that access in the at least one cell is to be restricted.

13. The RAN node of claim 12, wherein at least some mobile radio terminals have an access class associated with accessing service via one or more cells in the cellular radio communications network, the RAN node circuits being further operative to receive and store information indicating the access class for at least one of the mobile radio terminals.

14. The RAN node of claim 13, wherein the RAN node circuits are operative to use the access class information in determining what cell or cells are available for access and handover of a connection involving one of the mobile radio terminals.

15. The RAN node of claim 14, wherein for a handover of a connection involving one of the at least some mobile radio terminals, the RAN node circuits are operative to forward to a target RAN node for the connection information indicating the access class of the mobile radio terminal involved in the connection.

16. The RAN node of claim 14, wherein for a handover of a connection involving one of the at least some mobile radio terminals, the RAN node circuits are operative to forward to a target RAN node for the connection information indicating whether the connection is an emergency call or includes an emergency bearer.

17. The RAN node of claim 14, wherein the RAN node circuits are operative to use access class status information to steer handover of a connection involving one of the mobile radio terminals to a handover target cell using a radio access technology different than the radio access technology used in a handover source cell.

18. The RAN node of claim 14, wherein the RAN node circuits are operative to use access class status information to steer an idle mobile radio terminal to camp on a cell based on an access class of the idle mobile radio terminal.

19. The RAN node of claim 11, wherein the cellular radio communications network is a Long Term Evolution (LTE) type network and the RAN nodes are enhanced Node Bs (eNBs).

20. The RAN node of claim 11, wherein the cellular radio communications network is a Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) type network and the RAN nodes are Radio Network Controllers (RNCs).