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

• US 8,654,750 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2012
• Issued: 02/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wang, Jin, Somasundaram, Shankar, Sammour, Mohammed, Mukherjee, Rajat, Miller, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Qureshi, Afsar M
• Application Number:
  US13/675,535
• Publication Number:
  US 20130072161A1
• Time in Patent Office: 462 Days
• Field of Search: 455/73, 455/411, 455/422, 455/434, 455/435.1, 455/436, 455/445, 455/446, 455/67.14, 455/519, 455/558, 455/525, 455/567, 370310-401, 375/211, 379/357.02
• 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, for restricting access to a closed subscriber group, CSG, cell, the method comprising:

receiving a message from a CSG cell, the message including a CSG identifier (ID), and at least one indicator, and the at least one indicator including a CSG indication that the cell is a CSG cell;

storing the received CSG ID;

receiving signaling from a network, the signaling including a plurality of allowed CSG IDs and information elements (IEs);

storing a list of the allowed CSG IDs; and

attempting to communicate with the CSG cell based on the at least one indicator and on a condition that the received CSG ID is included in the list of allowed CSG IDs.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more of the at least one indicator indicates any of:

whether the CSG cell is a private CSG cell or a public cell;

a capacity of the CSG cell; and

whether emergency calls are allowed from all users.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the received CSG ID includes a plurality of fields that indicate at least one of a country, a region, an operator, and a home evolved Node-B (HeNB) number.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the IEs are one-bit indicators.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

maintaining, at the WTRU, a list of associations between permanent CSG IDs and corresponding temporary CSG IDs (TCSGIDs) to which the WTRU has access to, the TCSGIDs being dynamically configured, dynamically reconfigured or dynamically configured and reconfigured by the network.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the CSG ID includes a combination of a tracking area (TA) ID, a cell ID and a home evolved Node-B (HeNB) ID.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

updating the list of allowed CSG IDs responsive to the signaling.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the updating the list of allowed CSD IDs comprises any of:

adding an allowed CSG ID to the stored list of allowed CSG IDs;

removing one or more CSG IDs from the stored list of allowed CSG IDs;

adding an allowed CSG ID to the stored list of allowed CSG IDs and removing one or more CSG IDs from the stored list of allowed CSG IDs;

or replacing the stored list of allowed CSG IDs with a new list of allowed CSD IDs.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the list of allowed CSG IDs prior to attempting to communicate with the CSG cell.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting a handover request, the handover request including 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.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the message further includes an operator code that identifies the operator of the CSG cell.

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

13. A wireless transmit/receive unit, WTRU, comprising a receiver, transmitter, memory and a processor, wherein:

the receiver is configured to receive;

a message from a cell, the message including a closed subscriber group (CSG) identifier (ID) and at least one indicator, the at least one indicator being a one-bit indication that the cell is a CSG cell; and

signaling from a network, the signaling including a plurality of allowed CSG IDs and information elements (IEs);

the memory is configured to store a list of the allowed CSG IDs; and

the processor and transmitter are configured to;

attempt to communicate with the CSG cell based on the at least one indicator and on a condition that the received CSG ID is included in the list of allowed CSG IDs.

14. The WTRU of claim 13, wherein one or more of the at least one indicator indicates any of:

whether the CSG cell is a private CSG cell or a public cell;

a capacity of the CSG cell; and

whether emergency calls are allowed from all users.

15. The WTRU of claim 13, wherein the received CSG ID includes a plurality of fields that indicate at least one of a country, a region, an operator, and a home evolved Node-B (HeNB) number.

16. The WTRU of claim 13, wherein the IEs are one-bit indicators.

17. The WTRU of claim 13, wherein the memory is configured to maintain a list of associations between permanent CSG IDs and corresponding temporary CSG IDs (TCSGIDs) to which the WTRU has access to, the TCSGIDs being dynamically configured, dynamically reconfigured or dynamically configured and reconfigured by the network.

18. The WTRU of claim 13, wherein the CSG ID includes a combination of a tracking area (TA) ID, a cell ID and a home evolved Node-B (HeNB) ID.

19. The WTRU of claim 13, wherein:

the receiver is configured to receive, from the network, additional signaling, the additional signaling including an update to the allowed CSG IDs; and

the processor and the memory are configured to update the list of allowed CSG IDs responsive to the update to the allowed CSG IDs.

20. The WTRU of claim 19, wherein the update to the allowed CSD IDs comprises any of:

an allowed CSG ID not in the stored list of allowed CSG IDs;

an indication to remove one or more CSG IDs from the stored list of allowed CSG IDs;

a combination of an allowed CSG ID not in the stored list of allowed CSG IDs and an indication to remove one or more CSG IDs from the stored list of allowed CSG IDs;

or a new plurality of allowed CSD IDs for replacing the same in the stored list of allowed CSG IDs.

21. The WTRU of claim 13, wherein the receiver is configured to receive the list of allowed CSG IDs prior to attempting to communicate with the CSG cell.

22. The WTRU of claim 13, wherein:

the transmitter is configured to transmit a handover request, the handover request including the CSG ID and a request for a handover command;

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

the processor is configured to perform a handover to the CSG cell in response to the handover command.

23. The WTRU of claim 13, wherein the message further includes an operator code that identifies the operator of the CSG cell.

24. The WTRU of claim 13, wherein the CSG indication is one-bit.

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

receiving a system information message from a cell, wherein the system information message includes a closed subscriber group (CSG) indication and a CSG identifier (CSG ID), wherein the CSG indication indicates the cell is a CSG cell, and wherein the CSG ID identifies the CSG; and

attempting to access the CSG cell on a condition that the CSG ID corresponds to at least one CSG the WTRU is configured to access.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

receiving, from a network prior to attempting to access the CSG cell, a list of CSGs the WTRU is allowed to access; and

configuring the WTRU with the list of CSGs.

27. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

transmitting a request, the request including the CSG ID and a request for service continuity;

receiving a service-continuity command in response to the request; and

performing service continuity procedure to the CSG cell in response to the service-continuity command.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein the system information message further includes an operator code that identifies the operator of the CSG.

29. The method of claim 25, wherein the CSG indication is one-bit.

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

a receiver configured to receive a system information message from a cell, wherein the system information message includes a closed subscriber group (CSG) indication and a CSG identifier (CSG ID), wherein the CSG indication indicates the cell is a CSG cell, and wherein the CSG ID identifies the CSG; and

a processor and a transmitter configured to access the CSG cell on a condition that the CSG ID corresponds to at least one CSG the WTRU is configured to access.

31. The WTRU of claim 30, wherein:

the receiver is configured to receive, from a network prior to the transmitter attempting to access the CSG cell, a list of CSGs the WTRU is allowed to access; and

the processor is configured to configure the WTRU with the list of CSGs.

32. The WTRU of claim 30, wherein:

the transmitter is configured to transmit a request, the request including the CSG ID and a request for service continuity;

the receiver is further configured to receive a service-continuity command in response to the request; and

the processor, the transmitter, and the receiver are further configured to perform a service continuity procedure to the CSG cell in response to the service-continuity command.

33. The WTRU of claim 30, wherein the system information message includes an operator code that identifies the operator of the cell.

34. The WTRU of claim 30, wherein the CSG indication is one-bit.