Cell access control method and user equipment

• US 9,215,633 B2
• Filed: 03/28/2013
• Issued: 12/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Qiu, Yong
• Primary Examiner(s): Lai, Andrew
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ganguly, Sumitra
• Application Number:
  US13/852,803
• Publication Number:
  US 20130294406A1
• Time in Patent Office: 992 Days
• Field of Search: 370/331, 455/411, 455/517
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0077 of access information of target access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/12 using downlink control channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/20 Selecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B

Abstract

A cell access control method and a user terminal are provided, the method includes: obtaining, by a user equipment (UE), cell access information through a pilot channel and/or a synchronization channel; determining a current cell is a macro base station cell or an HNB cell according to the cell access information; determining, when the current cell is an HNB cell, whether the UE is allowed to access the HNB cell according to HNB information of the cell access information, if the UE is allowed to access the HNB cell, performing the access processing, if the UE is not allowed to access the HNB, abandoning the access. A UE is provided accordingly.

Claims

1. A cell access control method, comprising:

receiving, by a user equipment (UE), cell identifier information through a synchronization channel;

reading, by the UE, a broadcast message including home eNodeB (HNB) information when a cell is determined to be an HNB cell in accordance with the cell identifier information received through the synchronization channel; and

accessing, by the UE, the HNB cell when the UE is determined to be allowed to access the HNB cell in accordance with the HNB information included in the broadcast message.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

comparing, by the UE, the HNB information included in the broadcast message with HNB information stored in a UE memory; and

determining, by the UE, that the UE is allowed to access the HNB cell when the HNB information stored in the UE memory corresponds to the HNB information included in the broadcast message.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the HNB information stored in the UE memory includes information of at least one HNB cell that allows the UE to access the at least one HNB cell.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the HNB information stored in the UE memory is inputted into the UE through an input device and is stored in the UE memory by the UE.

5. A cell access control method, comprising:

sending, by an access point, cell identifier information to a user equipment (UE) through a synchronization channel;

sending, by the access point, a broadcast message including home eNodeB (HNB) information to the UE, the broadcast message being read by the UE when a cell is determined by the UE to be an HNB cell in accordance with the cell identifier information sent by the access point through the synchronization channel; and

implementing, by the access point, an access processing initiated by UE when the UE is determined to be allowed to access the HNB cell in accordance with the HNB information included in the broadcast message.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the UE is determined to be allowed to access the HNB cell by comparing the HNB information included in the broadcast message with HNB information stored in a UE memory, and determining that the HNB information stored in the UE memory corresponds to the HNB information included in the broadcast message.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the HNB information stored in the UE memory includes information of at least one HNB cell that allows the UE to access the at least one HNB cell.

8. A user equipment (UE), comprising:

a transceiver configured to receive cell identifier information through a synchronization channel;

wherein the transceiver is further configured to read a broadcast message including home eNodeB (HNB) information when a cell is determined to be an HNB cell in accordance with the cell identifier information received through the synchronization channel; and

a processor configured to access the HNB cell when the UE is determined to be allowed to access the HNB cell in accordance with the HNB information included in the broadcast message.

9. The UE according to claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to compare the HNB information included in the broadcast message with HNB information stored in a UE memory, and determine the UE is allowed to access the HNB cell when the HNB information stored in the UE memory corresponds to the HNB information included in the broadcast message.

10. The UE according to claim 9, wherein the HNB information stored in the UE memory includes information of at least one HNB cell that allows the UE to access the at least one HNB cell.

11. The UE according to claim 9, wherein the HNB information stored in the UE memory is inputted into the UE through an input device and is stored in the UE memory by the UE.

12. An access point, comprising:

a transmitter, configured to send cell identifier information to a user equipment (UE) through a synchronization channel, and to send a broadcast message including home eNodeB (HNB) information to the UE, the broadcast message being read by the UE when a cell controlled by the access point is determined to be an HNB cell in accordance with the cell identifier information sent by the transmitter through the synchronization channel; and

a processor, configured to implement an access processing of the UE when the UE is determined to be allowed to access the HNB cell in accordance with the HNB information included in the broadcast message.

13. The access point of claim 12, wherein the UE is determined to be allowed to access the HNB by comparing the HNB information included in the broadcast message with HNB information stored in a UE memory, and determining that the HNB information stored in the UE memory corresponds to the HNB information included in the broadcast message.

14. The access point of claim 13, wherein the HNB information stored in the UE memory includes information of at least one HNB that allows the UE to access the at least one HNB.