Method and system for enabling connection of a mobile communication terminal to a radio communication network

• US 8,787,906 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2007
• Issued: 07/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telecom Italia S.p.A.
• Original Assignee: Telecom Italia S.p.A.
• Inventors: Buracchini, Enrico, Trogolo, Alessandro, Goria, Paolo
• Primary Examiner(s): Gonzalez, Amancio
• Application Number:
  US12/450,518
• Publication Number:
  US 20100103873A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,671 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.2, 455/437, 455/436, 455/435, 455/434, 455/435.2, 455/456.1, 379/142.05, 717/170, 370/252, 370/328
• US Class Current: 455/434
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/10 using broadcasted information

Abstract

A method for enabling connection of a mobile communication terminal to a radio communication network, comprising broadcasting through a geographic area information about available radio access networks available in the geographic area, the information being intended to be used by the mobile communication terminal for determining which radio access networks cover a current mobile communication terminal location within the geographic area. The information includes an identifier of at least one radio access network available in the geographic area, and, associated with the identifier of the at least one radio access network, data adapted to determine an extent of coverage of the geographic area by that radio access network.

Claims

1. A method for enabling connection of a mobile communication terminal to a radio communication network, comprising:

broadcasting through a geographic area, a message comprising a respective information block about each radio access network available in said geographic area, said information block intended for use by the mobile communication terminal for determining which radio access networks cover a current mobile communication terminal location within said geographic area,

wherein each said information block comprises an identifier of one radio access network available in said geographic area, and, associated with said identifier of the one radio access network, data indicating an extent of coverage of the geographic area by that radio access network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said message comprises a list of radio access networks available in said geographic area.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said data indicating an extent of coverage of the geographic area by that radio access network comprise one among:

geographic coordinates of at least one geographic point in said geographic area, and

an indication of length.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said geographic coordinates of at least one geographic point define a geographic position of a center of a circle, and said indication of length defines a radius of the circle, said circle describing the extent of coverage of the geographic area by that radio access network.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein said data indicating an extent of coverage of the geographic area by that radio access network comprise geographic coordinates of at least two geographic points, defining vertex of a polygon describing the extent of coverage of the geographic area.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said data of each information block indicating an extent of coverage of the geographic area by that radio access network comprises an indication that the radio access network covers one of the whole geographic area and a portion of the geographic area.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said identifier of the radio access network is in the form of a string of characters.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said broadcasting comprises exploiting one among:

an out-band broadcast communication channel, located in a frequency band external to licensed bands assigned to the radio access networks present in said geographic area of interest, and an in-band broadcast communication channel, located in a frequency band within licensed bands assigned to the radio access networks present in said geographic area of interest.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said broadcast communication channel is defined as a logical channel of one of the radio access networks present in said geographic area of interest.

10. A radio communication network comprising a network function able to control broadcasting through a geographic area, a message comprising a respective block of information about each available radio access network available in said geographic area, said information block intended for use by a mobile communication terminal for determining which radio access networks cover a current mobile communication terminal location within said geographic area,

wherein each said information block comprises an identifier of one radio access network available in said geographic area, and, associated with said identifier of the one radio access network, data indicating an extent of coverage of the geographic area by that radio access network.

11. The radio communication network of claim 10, wherein said message comprises a list of radio access networks available in said geographic area.

12. The radio communication network of claim 11, wherein said data indicating an extent of coverage of the geographic area by that radio access network comprise one among:

geographic coordinates of at least one geographic point in said geographic area, and

an indication of length.

13. The radio communication network of claim 12, wherein said geographic coordinates of at least one geographic point define a geographic position of a center of a circle, and said indication of length defines a radius of the circle, said circle describing the extent of coverage of the geographic area by that radio access network.

14. The radio communication network of claim 12, wherein said data indicating an extent of coverage of the geographic area by that radio access network comprise geographic coordinates of at least two geographic points, defining vertex of a polygon describing the extent of coverage of the geographic area.

15. The radio communication network of claim 11, wherein said data of each information block indicating an extent of coverage of the geographic area by that radio access network comprise an indication that the radio access network covers one of the whole geographic area and a portion of the geographic area.

16. The radio communication network of claim 11, wherein said identifier of the radio access network is in the form of a string of characters.

17. The radio communication network of claim 11, wherein, for said broadcasting, one among the following is exploited:

an out-band broadcast communication channel, located in a frequency band external to licensed bands assigned to the radio access networks present in said geographic area of interest, or

an in-band broadcast communication channel, located in frequency band within licensed bands assigned to the radio access networks present in said geographic area of interest.

18. The radio communication network of claim 17, wherein said broadcast communication channel is defined as a logical channel of one of the radio access networks present in said geographic area of interest.

19. A mobile communication terminal, comprising:

a receiver adapted to receive, from a radio communication network, a message comprising a respective information block broadcast through a geographic area about each radio access network available in said geographic area, said information block intended for use by a mobile communication terminal for determining which radio access networks cover a current mobile communication terminal location within said geographic area,

wherein each said information block comprises an identifier of one radio access network available in said geographic area, and, associated with said identifier of the one radio access network, data indicating an extent of coverage of the geographic area by that radio access network.

20. A radio base station of a radio communication network, comprising:

a transmitter adapted to broadcast, through a geographic area, a message comprising a respective information block about each available radio access network available in said geographic area, said information block intended for use by a mobile communication terminal for determining which radio access networks cover a current mobile communication terminal location within said geographic area,

wherein each said information block comprises an identifier of one radio access network available in said geographic area, and, associated with said identifier of the one radio access network, data indicating an extent of coverage of the geographic area by that radio access network.

21. The radio base station of claim 20, wherein said message comprises a list of radio access networks available in said geographic area.

22. The radio base station of claim 20, wherein said data indicating an extent of coverage of the geographic area by that radio access network comprise one among:

geographic coordinates of at least one geographic point in said geographic area, and

an indication of length.

23. The radio base station of claim 22, wherein said geographic coordinates of at least one geographic point define a geographic position of a center of a circle, and said indication of length defines a radius of the circle, said circle describing the extent of coverage of the geographic area by that radio access network.

24. The radio base station of claim 22, wherein said data indicating an extent of coverage of the geographic area by that radio access network comprise geographic coordinates of at least two geographic points, defining vertex of a polygon describing the extent of coverage of the geographic area.

25. The radio base station of claim 20, wherein, for said broadcast, one among the following is exploited:

an out-band broadcast communication channel, located in a frequency band external to licensed bands assigned to the radio access networks present in said geographic area of interest, or

an in-band broadcast communication channel, located in a frequency band within licensed bands assigned to the radio access networks present in said geographic area of interest.