Provisioning communication nodes

• US 9,055,511 B2
• Filed: 10/06/2008
• Issued: 06/09/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Gupta, Rajarshi, Palanigounder, Anand, Ulupinar, Fatih, Horn, Gavin B., Agashe, Parag A., Chen, Jen Mei, Deshpande, Manoj M., Balasubramanian, Srinivasan, Nanda, Sanjiv, Song, Osok
• Primary Examiner(s): RAMPURIA, SHARAD K
• Application Number:
  US12/246,388
• Publication Number:
  US 20090093232A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,437 Days
• Field of Search: 455/436, 455/458, 455/518, 455/432.3, 455/435, 455/426, 4554321-4353, 455410-411, 455/444, 370/352, 370/328, 370/401, 370/338, 370/311, 709/225
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/101 Access control lists [ACL]
• 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 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 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B

Abstract

Provisioning and access control for communication nodes involves assigning identifiers to sets of nodes where the identifiers may be used to control access to restricted access nodes that provide certain services only to certain defined sets of nodes. In some aspects provisioning a node may involve providing a unique identifier for sets of one or more nodes such as restricted access points and access terminals that are authorized to receive service from the restricted access points. Access control may be provided by operation of a restricted access point and/or a network node. In some aspects, provisioning a node involves providing a preferred roaming list for the node. In some aspects, a node may be provisioned with a preferred roaming list through the use of a bootstrap beacon.

Claims

1. A method of communication, comprising:

determining a network identifier for a plurality of access points that are configured to provide at least one service only to a set of at least one access terminal, wherein the network identifier uniquely identifies the plurality of access points within a cellular operator network;

assigning a unique device identifier to each access point of the plurality of access points; and

sending the network identifier to each access point in the plurality of access points.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of access points are associated with a common closed subscriber group.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the network identifier is text-based.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein each access point of the plurality of access points is restricted to not provide, for at least one other access terminal, at least one of the group consisting of:

signaling, data access, registration, and service.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the network identifier comprises receiving a request for a network identifier and determining whether the network identifier is already in use by at least one other access point.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein, if the requested network identifier is already in use by the at least one other access point, sending the network identifier comprises sending a response to the request that comprises a network identifier that is not in use by any other access point.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein each access point of the plurality of access points provides different services for the set of at least one access terminal than for at least one other access terminal.

8. An apparatus for communication, comprising:

one or more hardware processor comprising;

means for determining a network identifier for a plurality of access points that are configured to provide at least one service only to a set of at least one access terminal, wherein the network identifier uniquely identifies the plurality of access points within a cellular operator network;

means for assigning a unique device identifier to each access point of the plurality of access points; and

means for sending the network identifier to each access point in the plurality of access points.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the plurality of access points are associated with a common closed subscriber group.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the network identifier is text-based.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein each access point of the plurality of access points is restricted to not provide, for at least one other access terminal, at least one of the group consisting of:

signaling, data access, registration, and service.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein determining the network identifier comprises receiving a request for a network identifier and determining whether the network identifier is already in use by at least one other access point.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein, if the requested network identifier is already in use by the at least one other access point, sending the network identifier comprises sending a response to the request that comprises a network identifier that is not in use by any other access point.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein each access point of the plurality of access points provides different services for the set of at least one access terminal than for at least one other access terminal.

15. An apparatus for communication, comprising:

a provisioning controller configured to determine a network identifier for a plurality of access points that are configured to provide at least one service only to a set of at least one access terminal, wherein the network identifier uniquely identifies the plurality of access points within a cellular operator network;

an assigning controller configured to assign a unique device identifier to each access point of the plurality of access points; and

a communication controller configured to send the network identifier to each access point in the plurality of access points.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the plurality of access points are associated with a common closed subscriber group.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the network identifier is text-based.

18. A computer-program product, comprising:

non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising codes for causing a computer to;

determine a network identifier for a plurality of access points that are configured to provide at least one service only to a set of at least one access terminal, wherein the network identifier uniquely identifies the plurality of access points within a cellular operator network;

assign a unique device identifier to each access point of the plurality of access points; and

send the network identifier to each access point in the plurality of access points.

19. A method of communication, comprising:

receiving a network identifier for a plurality of access points at an access point, wherein each access point of the plurality of access points is configured to provide at least one service only to a set of at least one access terminal, and wherein the network identifier uniquely identifies the plurality of access points within a cellular operator network; and

transmitting the network identifier over-the-air.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the plurality of access points are associated with a common closed subscriber group.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the network identifier is text-based.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein each access point of the plurality of access points is restricted to not provide, for at least one other access terminal, at least one of the group consisting of:

signaling, data access, registration, and service.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein each access point of the plurality of access points provides different services for the set of at least one access terminal than for at least one other access terminal.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein the network identifier is received in response to a request for the network identifier.

25. An apparatus for communication, comprising:

one or more hardware processor comprising;

means for receiving a network identifier for a plurality of access points at an access point, wherein each access point of the plurality of access points is configured to provide at least one service only to a set of at least one access terminal, and wherein the network identifier uniquely identifies the plurality of access points within a cellular operator network; and

means for transmitting the network identifier over-the-air.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the plurality of access points are associated with a common closed subscriber group.

27. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the network identifier is text-based.

28. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein each access point of the plurality of access points is restricted to not provide, for at least one other access terminal, at least one of the group consisting of:

signaling, data access, registration, and service.

29. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein each access point of the plurality of access points provides different services for the set of at least one access terminal than for at least one other access terminal.

30. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the network identifier is received in response to a request for the network identifier.

31. An apparatus for communication, comprising:

a provisioning controller configured to receive a network identifier for a plurality of access points at an access point, wherein each access point of the plurality of access points is configured to provide at least one service only to a set of at least one access terminal, and wherein the network identifier uniquely identifies the plurality of access points within a cellular operator network; and

a communication controller configured to transmit the network identifier over-the-air.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the plurality of access points are associated with a common closed subscriber group.

33. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the network identifier is text-based.

34. A computer-program product, comprising:

non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising codes for causing a computer to;

receive a network identifier for a plurality of access points at an access point, wherein each access point of the plurality of access points is configured to provide at least one service only to a set of at least one access terminal, and wherein the network identifier uniquely identifies the plurality of access points within a cellular operator network; and

transmit the network identifier over-the-air.