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

• US 9,078,117 B2
• Filed: 11/19/2013
• Issued: 07/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wang, Jin, Somasundaram, Shankar, Sammour, Mohammed, Mukherjee, Rajat P., Miller, James M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Qureshi, Afsar M
• Application Number:
  US14/084,329
• Publication Number:
  US 20140080451A1
• Time in Patent Office: 595 Days
• Field of Search: 370/338, 370/310, 370/278, 379/357.02, 455/436, 455/466, 455/519, 455/558, 709/206, 709/227
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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. An evolved NodeB (eNodeB) comprising a receiver, transmitter and a processor, wherein:

the transmitter is configured to transmit;

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

signaling from a network, the signaling including a plurality of allowed CSG IDs; and

the processor and receiver are configured to;

receive, from a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU), a request for access to the CSG cell based on the at least one indicator and on the CSG ID being included in the list of allowed CSG IDs.

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

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

a capacity of the CSG cell; and

whether emergency calls are allowed from all users.

3. The eNodeB of claim 1, wherein any allowed CSG ID on the allowed list of CSG IDs 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 eNodeB of claim 1, wherein the signaling includes information elements (IEs), and wherein the IEs are one-bit indicators.

5. The eNodeB of claim 1, wherein the transmitter is further configured to transmit to the WTRU, one or more temporary CSG IDs (TCSGIDs) to which the WTRU has access to, the one or more TCSGIDs being associated with permanent CSG IDs, and the TCSGIDs being dynamically configured, dynamically reconfigured or dynamically configured and reconfigured by the network.

6. The eNodeB 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 eNodeB of claim 1, wherein:

the transmitter is configured to transmit, from the network, additional signaling, the additional signaling including an update to the allowed CSG IDs.

8. The eNodeB of claim 7, wherein the update to the allowed CSG 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 CSG IDs for replacing the same in the stored list of allowed CSG IDs.

9. The eNodeB of claim 1, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit the list of allowed CSG IDs prior to receiving the request for access to the CSG cell.

10. The eNodeB of claim 1, wherein:

the receiver is configured to receive a handover request, the handover request including the CSG ID and a request for a handover command;

the transmitter is configured to transmit a handover command in response to the handover request; and

the processor is configured to perform a handover to the CSG cell.

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

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

13. A method implemented in an evolved NodeB (eNodeB), the method comprising:

transmitting 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

receiving, from a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU), a request for access to the CSG cell pursuant to the CSG ID corresponding to at least one CSG the WTRU is configured to access.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

transmitting, from a network prior to receiving the request for access to the CSG cell, a list of CSGs the WTRU is allowed to access.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

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

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

performing service continuity procedure to the CSG cell responsive to the service-continuity command.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the system information message further includes an operator code that identifies the operator of the cell.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the CSG indication is one-bit.

18. An evolved NodeB (eNodeB) comprising:

a transmitter configured to transmit 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 receiver configured to receive a request for access to the CSG cell pursuant to the CSG ID corresponding to at least one CSG the WTRU is configured to access.

19. The eNodeB of claim 18, wherein:

the transmitter is configured to transmit, from a network prior to the receiver receiving the request for access to the CSG cell, a list of CSGs the WTRU is allowed to access.

20. The eNodeB of claim 18, wherein:

the receiver is configured to receive a request, the request including the CSG ID and a request for service continuity;

the transmitter is further configured to transmit 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 responsive to the service-continuity command.

21. The eNodeB of claim 18, wherein the system information message includes an operator code that identifies the operator of the cell.

22. The eNodeB of claim 18, wherein the CSG indication is one-bit.

23. A Home Node B comprising:

a transmitter configured to transmit a system information message to one or more wireless transmit/receive units (WTRUs) that includes;

a closed subscriber group (CSG) indication that indicates that the Home Node B is a CSG cell; and

a CSG ID that identifies the CSG; and

a receiver configured to receive a message from the one or more WTRUs pursuant to the CSG ID being included in a list of allowed CSGs stored in the one or more WTRUs.

24. The Home Node B of claim 23, wherein:

the receiver is further configured to receive a handover request from the one or more WTRUs, the handover request including the CSG ID and a request for a handover command; and

the transmitter is further configured to transmit a handover command in response to the handover request.

25. The Home Node B of claim 23, wherein the transmitter is configured to:

transmit the list of allowed CSGs.