Method, apparatus and computer program product for providing closed subscriber group access control

• US 8,977,262 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2008
• Issued: 03/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Solutions and Networks US LLC (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Dalsgaard, Lars, Koskela, Jarkko T., Sebire, Benoist Pierre
• Primary Examiner(s): MILLER, BRANDON J
• Application Number:
  US13/120,947
• Publication Number:
  US 20110183647A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,356 Days
• Field of Search: 455/435.1, 455436-444, 455/432.1, 455/434
• US Class Current: 455/435.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 11/0086 Search parameters, e.g. search strategy, accumulation length, range of search, thresholds code acquisition in DSSS H04B1/7075
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 11/0093 Neighbour cell search
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/104 Grouping of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• 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 48/04 based on user or terminal location or mobility data, e.g. moving direction, speed

Abstract

An apparatus for providing closed subscriber group access control may include a processor. The processor may be configured to maintain a non-access register including an identifier of a communication cell associated with a closed subscriber group to which a communication device associated with the non-access register does not have access rights, and enable subsequent communication with another communication cell based on the other communication cell not being identified in the non-access register. A corresponding method and computer program product are also provided.

Claims

1. A method for a communication device comprising:

maintaining a non-access register for said communication device including an identifier of a communication cell within a mobile network for long-term evolution and associated with a closed subscriber group to which the communication device does not have access rights; and

enabling subsequent communication with another communication cell based on the another communication cell not being identified in the non-access register;

wherein maintaining the non-access register comprises;

updating of the non-access register by the communication device by monitoring attempts of the communication device to access communication cells,

storing identifiers of each communication cell to which access is denied based on the communication cell to which access is denied being associated with the closed subscriber group, and

updating the non-access register based on changes in status with respect to accessibility of the closed subscriber group.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising maintaining an access register for said communication device including an identifier of each closed subscriber group communication cell to which the communication device has access rights.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein enabling subsequent communication comprises allowing subsequent attempts to access a cell identified in the access register.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein enabling subsequent communication comprises blocking attempts to access a cell identified in the non-access register.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein storing the identifiers comprises storing the identifiers for a predetermined period of time.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein storing the identifiers for the predetermined period of time comprises storing the identifiers for a time period provided by a network device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the changes in status with respect to accessibility of the closed subscriber group comprise at least one of:

change of access requirements of a cell identified in the non-access register and associated with the closed subscriber group, and

change of access rights of the communication device to the closed subscriber group.

8. A computer program product comprising at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable program code instructions stored therein, the computer-executable program code instructions comprising:

first program code instructions for maintaining a non-access register for a communication device including an identifier of a communication cell within a mobile network for long-term evolution and associated with a closed subscriber group to which the communication device associated with the non-access register does not have access rights; and

second program code instructions for enabling subsequent communication with another communication cell based on the another communication cell not being identified in the non-access register;

wherein maintaining the non-access register comprises;

updating of the non-access register by the communication device by monitoring attempts of the communication device to access communication cells,

storing identifiers of each communication cell to which access is denied based on the communication cell to which access is denied being associated with the closed subscriber group, and

updating the non-access register based on changes in status with respect to accessibility of the closed subscriber group.

9. A communication device comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code,

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the communication device to perform at least the following;

maintain a non-access register including an identifier of a communication cell within a mobile network for long-term evolution and associated with a closed subscriber group to which the communication device does not have access rights; and

enable subsequent communication with another communication cell based on the another communication cell not being identified in the non-access register;

wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the communication device to maintain the non-access register comprising;

updating of the non-access register by monitoring attempts of the communication device to access communication cells,

storing identifiers of each communication cell to which access is denied based on the communication cell to which access is denied being associated with the closed subscriber group, and

updating the non-access register based on changes in status with respect to accessibility of the closed subscriber group.

10. The communication device of claim 9, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured, with the at least one processor, to maintain an access register including an identifier of each closed subscriber group communication cell to which the communication device has access rights.

11. The communication device of claim 10, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to enable subsequent communication via allowing subsequent attempts to access a cell identified in the access register.

12. The communication device of claim 10, wherein the changes in status with respect to accessibility of the closed subscriber group comprise at least one of:

change of access requirements of a cell identified in the non-access register and associated with the closed subscriber group, and

change of access rights of the communication device to the closed subscriber group.

13. The communication device of claim 9, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to enable subsequent communication via blocking attempts to access a cell identified in the non-access register.

14. The communication device of claim 9, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to store the identifiers by storing the identifiers for a predetermined period of time.

15. The communication device of claim 14, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to store the identifiers for the predetermined period of time by storing the identifiers for a time period provided by a network device.