Wireless communication method and apparatus for performing home node-B identification and access restriction

• US 8,335,199 B2
• Filed: 12/05/2011
• Issued: 12/18/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mukherjee, Rajat P., Sammour, Mohammed, Somasundaram, Shankar, Miller, James M., Wang, Jin
• Primary Examiner(s): Qureshi, Afsar M.
• Application Number:
  US13/311,055
• Publication Number:
  US 20120083273A1
• Time in Patent Office: 379 Days
• Field of Search: 370310-492, 379/357.02, 375/211, 455 59-567
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/104 Grouping of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0033 with transfer of context information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/08 User group management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/02 Access restriction performed under specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/14 using user query or user detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/11 Allocation or use of connection identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/183 Processing at user equipment or user record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/186 Processing of subscriber group data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B

Abstract

A method and a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU), including a universal subscriber identity module (USIM), for identifying a closed subscriber group (CSG) cell are disclosed. The WTRU receives a broadcast from a cell including a cell identifier (ID). If the cell ID is associated with a CSG cell, the WTRU determines whether the CSG ID is programmed in the USIM. The cell broadcast may include a single bit information element (IE) indicating that the cell is a CSG cell. If the cell ID is a CSG ID, the cell ID may further include a plurality of fields which indicate at least one of a country, a region, an operator, and a home evolved Node-B (HeNB) number. The cell broadcast may further include a bit indicating whether the CSG cell is public or private. The cell broadcast may further include a bit indicating that emergency calls are allowed from all users.

Claims

1. A method implemented in a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU), the method comprising:

receiving a system information message from a cell that includes;

a closed subscriber group (CSG) indication that indicates that the cell is a CSG cell; and

a CSG ID that identifies the CSG; and

an operator code that identifies the operator of the cell; and

transmitting a message to the CSG cell on a condition that the CSG ID is included in a list of allowed CSGs stored in the WTRU.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the CSG indication is one-bit.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the list of allowed CSGs from a network prior to transmitting the message to the CSG cell.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting a handover request that includes the CSG ID and a request for a handover command;

receiving a handover command in response to the handover request; and

performing a handover to the CSG cell in response to the handover command.

5. A wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a system information message from a cell that includes;

a closed subscriber group (CSG) indication that indicates that the cell is a CSG cell; and

a CSG ID that identifies the CSG; and

an operator code that identifies the operator of the cell; and

a transmitter configured to transmit a message to the CSG cell on a condition that the CSG ID is included in a list of allowed CSGs stored in the WTRU.

6. The WTRU of claim 5, wherein the CSG indication is one-bit.

7. The WTRU of claim 5, wherein the receiver is further configured to:

receive the list of allowed CSGs from a network prior to transmitting the message to the CSG cell.

8. The WTRU of claim 5, wherein:

the transmitter is further configured to transmit a handover request that includes the CSG ID and a request for a handover command;

the receiver is further configured to receive a handover command in response to the handover request; and

the WTRU further comprises a processor configured to perform a handover to the CSG cell in response to the handover command.

9. A method implemented in a closed subscriber group (CSG) cell, the method comprising:

transmitting a system information message to one or more wireless transmit/receive units (WTRUs) that includes;

a closed subscriber group (CSG) indication that indicates that the cell is a CSG cell; and

a CSG ID that identifies the CSG; and

an operator code that identifies the operator of the cell; and

receiving a message from the one or more WTRUs on a condition that the CSG ID is included in a list of allowed CSGs stored in the one or more WTRUs.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the CSG indication is one-bit.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving a handover request from the one or more WTRUs that includes the CSG ID and a request for a handover command; and

transmitting a handover command in response to the handover request.

16. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

transmitting the list of allowed CSGs.

12. A Home Node B comprising:

a transmitter configured to transmit a system information message to one or more wireless transmit/receive units (WTRUs) that includes;

a closed subscriber group (CSG) indication that indicates that the Home Node B is a CSG cell; and

a CSG ID that identifies the CSG; and

an operator code that identifies the operator of the cell; and

a receiver configured to receive a message from the one or more WTRUs on a condition that the CSG ID is included in a list of allowed CSGs stored in the one or more WTRUs.

13. The Home Node B of claim 12, wherein the CSG indication is one-bit.

14. The Home Node B of claim 12, wherein:

the receiver is further configured to receive a handover request from the one or more WTRUs that includes the CSG ID and a request for a handover command; and

the transmitter is further configured to transmit a handover command in response to the handover request.

15. The Home Node B of claim 12, wherein the transmitter is configured to:

transmit the list of allowed CSGs.