Communication method of a mobile terminal and method of advertising to a mobile terminal

• US 8,548,504 B2
• Filed: 01/25/2011
• Issued: 10/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Jang, Kyung Hun, Kwon, Tae Soo, Choi, Hyun Ho, Lim, Jong Bu, Shin, Won Jae
• Primary Examiner(s): AJIBADE AKONAI, OLUMIDE
• Application Number:
  US13/013,617
• Publication Number:
  US 20110306324A1
• Time in Patent Office: 980 Days
• Field of Search: 455/432.3, 455/435.1, 455436-444, 455446-450, 455/456.1, 455/456.3, 455/456.5, 455/456.6, 455/7, 455/11.1, 455/452.2, 455/515, 455/434, 370/328, 370/329, 370/330, 370/331, 370/338
• US Class Current: 455/456.3
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42348 Location-based services which utilize the location information of a target
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4878 Advertisement messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0061 of neighbour cell information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/14 using user query or user detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B

Abstract

A communication method of a macro base station including reporting information about a broadcast channel section in order to identify a femtocell in the macrocell, is provided. The macro base station receives position information of a mobile terminal and a request for information about neighboring femto base stations from the mobile terminal, when the mobile terminal identifies an accessible femto base station in the broadcast channel section. The macro base station generates a list of the neighboring femto base stations and information about the neighboring femto base stations based on the position information of the mobile terminal, and transmits the list and the information about the neighboring femto base stations to the mobile terminal.

Claims

1. A communication method of a macro base station, the method comprising:

reporting, to at least one femto base station in a macrocell of the macro base station, information about a broadcast channel section used to identify a femtocell in the macrocell;

receiving from a mobile terminal position information of the mobile terminal and a request for information about neighbor femto base stations of the mobile terminal, when the mobile terminal identifies an accessible femto base station in the broadcast channel section;

generating a list of the neighbor femto base stations and information about the neighbor femto base stations based on the position information of the mobile terminal; and

transmitting the list of the neighbor femto base stations and the information about the neighbor femto base stations to the mobile terminal.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting connection information to enable the mobile terminal to access a femto base station selected by the mobile terminal.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the broadcast channel section is set in a downlink broadcast channel of the macrocell at a preset cycle.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the information about the neighbor femto base stations comprises information about a shop in which each of the femto base stations is located or information about a discount policy of a connection service offered by each of the femto base stations.

5. A communication method of a mobile terminal, the method comprising:

detecting a broadcast channel section used to identify a femtocell in a macrocell;

identifying a femto base station accessible to the mobile terminal based on a measurement of an intensity of a signal of the broadcast channel section;

transmitting, to a macro base station, position information of the mobile terminal and a request for information about the accessible femto base station;

receiving a list of neighbor femto base stations of the mobile terminal and information about the neighbor femto base stations from the macro base station; and

selecting a femto base station based on the list and the information about the neighbor femto base stations.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the detecting of the broadcast channel section is performed when a femtocell exploration mode of the mobile terminal is set to on.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the identifying of the accessible femto base station is performed by comparing a preset threshold value with the measured intensity of the signal of the broadcast channel section.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the selected femto base station is selected based on preferences of a user of the mobile terminal.

9. The method of claim 5, further comprising receiving connection information to enable access to the selected femto base station from the macro base station.

10. The method of claim 5, wherein the broadcast channel section is set in a downlink broadcast channel of the macrocell at a preset cycle.

11. The method of claim 5, wherein the information about the neighbor femto base stations comprises information about a shop in which the femto base stations are located, respectively, or comprises information about a discount policy of a connection service offered by each respective femto base station.

12. A communication method of a femto base station, the method comprising:

receiving, by the femto base station from a macro base station, a report about a broadcast channel section used to identify a femtocell in a macrocell of the macro base station;

setting, by the femto base station, a signal in the broadcast channel section to report existence of a femtocell of the femto base station within the macrocell; and

connecting, by the femto base station, to a mobile terminal that detects the broadcast channel section to identify the femtocell of the femto base station within the macrocell.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising setting, by the femto base station, the signal in the broadcast channel section to report existence of the femtocell of the femto base station within the macrocell upon receipt of the report about the broadcast channel section.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored therein program instructions to cause a processor to execute a communication method of a macro base station, the method comprising:

reporting, to at least one femto base station in a macrocell of the macro base station, information about a broadcast channel section used to identify a femtocell in the macrocell;

receiving from a mobile terminal position information of the mobile terminal and a request for information about neighbor femto base stations of the mobile terminal, when the mobile terminal identifies an accessible femto base station in the broadcast channel section;

generating a list of the neighbor femto base stations and information about the neighbor femto base stations based on the position information of the mobile terminal; and

transmitting the list of the neighbor femto base stations and the information about the neighbor femto base stations to the mobile terminal.