User controlled base station selection

• US 8,588,776 B1
• Filed: 01/15/2009
• Issued: 11/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile Innovations LLC (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Vaughan, Gary Francis
• Primary Examiner(s): Prez-Gutirrez, Rafael
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fang, Keith
• Application Number:
  US12/354,093
• Time in Patent Office: 1,769 Days
• Field of Search: 4554351-444
• US Class Current: 455/435.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/365 by manual user interaction
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B

Abstract

A communication system for controlling with which base station a mobile station exchanges user communications. A first base station of a plurality of base stations with which the mobile station communicates is configured to receive a user selection from a user. The user selection indicates that the mobile station is near the first base station. In response to the user selection, the first base station transfers a notification message indicating that the mobile station is nearby the first base station. A communication control system receives the notification message from the first base station. In response to receiving the notification message, the communication control system transfers a control message for delivery to the mobile station to limit the mobile station to exchanging user communications only with the first base station. The first base station exchanges user communications with the mobile station.

Claims

1. A method of operating a communication system to control with which base station a mobile station exchanges user communications, the method comprising:

receiving a user selection from a user indicating that the mobile station is near a first base station of a plurality of base stations with which the mobile station communicates;

in response to the user selection, transferring a notification message indicating that the mobile station is nearby the first base station;

in response to the notification message, transferring a control message for delivery to the mobile station to limit the mobile station to exchanging user communications only with the first base station; and

exchanging user communications between the mobile station and the first base station.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first base station includes a user interface and wherein receiving the user selection comprises receiving the user selection from the user via the user interface.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein transferring the notification message comprises transferring the notification message from the first base station for delivery to a communication control system.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein transferring the control message comprises transferring the control message from the communication control system to the first base station and transferring the control message from the first base station to the mobile station.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising, in response to the user selection, identifying the mobile station from among a plurality of mobile stations in communication with the first base station.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising, in response to identifying the mobile station, transferring a confirmation request to the mobile station to confirm that the mobile station is nearby the first base station.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising receiving a confirmation from the user that the mobile station is nearby the first base station.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the method further comprises exchanging the user communications in a packet format between the first base station and a communication network, and wherein exchanging the user communications between the mobile station and the first base station comprises exchanging the communications in a non-packet format.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the packet format comprises a voice over Internet protocol format.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the non-packet format comprises a code division multiple access format.

11. A communication system for controlling with which base station a mobile station exchanges user communications, the communication system comprising:

a first base station of a plurality of base stations with which the mobile station communicates configured to receive a user selection from a user indicating that the mobile station is near the first base station, in response to the user selection, transfer a notification message indicating that the mobile station is nearby the first base station;

a communication control system configured to receive the notification message from the first base station, and in response, transfer a control message for delivery to the mobile station to limit the mobile station to exchanging user communications only with the first base station; and

the first base station further configured to exchange user communications with the mobile station.

12. The communication system of claim 11 wherein the first base station includes a user interface and wherein the user interface receives the user selection from the user.

13. The communication system of claim 12 wherein the communication control system is configured to transfer the control message to the first base station and the first base station is configured to transfer the control message to the mobile station.

14. The communication system of claim 11 wherein the communication control system is further configured to, in response to the receipt of the user selection, identify the mobile station from among a plurality of mobile stations in communication with the first base station.

15. The communication system of claim 14 wherein the communication control system is further configured to, in response to the identification of the mobile station, transfer a confirmation request to the mobile station to confirm that the mobile station is nearby the first base station.

16. The communication system of claim 15 wherein the communication control system is further configured to receive a user confirmation confirming that the mobile station is nearby the first base station.

17. The communication system of claim 11 wherein the first base station is further configured to exchange user communications in a packet format between the first base station and a communication network, and exchange the user communications with the mobile station in a non-packet format.

18. The communication system of claim 17 wherein the packet format comprises a voice over Internet protocol format.

19. The communication system of claim 18 wherein the non-packet format comprises a code division multiple access format.