Method and apparatus for supporting home Node B services

• US 9,572,089 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2008
• Issued: 02/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: InterDigital Patent Holdings, Inc. (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: InterDigital Patent Holdings, Inc. (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Inventors: DiGirolamo, Rocco, Cave, Christopher R., Marinier, Paul, Pani, Diana, Pelletier, Benoit, Terry, Stephen E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Magloire, Vladimir
• Assistant Examiner(s): Zewari, Sayed T
• Application Number:
  US12/239,253
• Publication Number:
  US 20090104905A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,063 Days
• Field of Search: 455/432.1, 455/432.2, 455/432.3, 455/434, 455/458, 455/456.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 11/0093 Neighbour cell search
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/12 using downlink control channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/003 locating network equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B

Abstract

A method and apparatus for supporting home Node B (HNB) services are disclosed. A wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) receives HNB access restriction information from an HNB and accesses the HNB if an access to the HNB is allowed based on the HNB access restriction information. The HNB access restriction information may be a closed subscriber group identity (CSG ID), a status bit indicating whether an HNB cell is available or not, an identity of WTRUs that are allowed to access the HNB, information indicating whether an access to a cell is barred or not. The WTRU may trigger measurements for cell reselection even though signal strength on a currently connected cell is above a threshold. The measurement may be triggered manually, periodically, under the instruction from the network, or based on a neighbor cell list including information about HNB cells located nearby.

Claims

1. A method for receiving home Node B (HNB) services, the method comprising:

a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) receiving access restriction information from a Node B, wherein the access restriction information comprises an indication that a cell is reserved for future extension, and wherein the access restriction information comprises information capable of being interpreted by the WTRU and other WTRUs;

the WTRU receiving a closed subscriber group (CSG) broadcast that indicates that the cell is reserved for a CSG, wherein the CSG broadcast is configured to be interpreted by the WTRU and to be unable to be interpreted by the other WTRUs;

the WTRU interpreting the CSG broadcast; and

the WTRU ignoring the indication that the cell is reserved for future extension and trying to connect to the Node B based on the interpretation of the CSG broadcast that indicates that the cell is reserved for the CSG.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the WTRU receiving a closed subscriber group identity (CSG ID).

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the CSG ID is included in a system information block (SIB) broadcast by the Node B.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the CSG broadcast comprises a status bit indicating whether the cell is available or not.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the WTRU supports HNB services, and wherein the other WTRUs do not support HNB services.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the CSG broadcast is included in a system information block (SIB) broadcast by the Node B.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the other WTRUs comprise legacy WTRUs.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the indication that the cell is reserved for future extension indicates that the legacy WTRUs are barred from accessing the cell and that the legacy WTRUs are not allowed to use a frequency of the cell for future cell reselections.

17. The method of claim 7, wherein the WTRU is a Release 8 (R8) WTRU.

9. A wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) for receiving home Node B (HNB) services, the WTRU comprising:

a transceiver configured to transmit and receive signals; and

a controller configured to;

receive access restriction information from a Node B, wherein the access restriction information comprises an indication that a cell is reserved for future extension, and wherein the access restriction information comprises information capable of being interpreted by the WTRU and other WTRUs,

receive a closed subscriber group (CSG) broadcast that indicates that the cell is reserved for a CSG, wherein the CSG broadcast is configured to be interpreted by the WTRU and to be unable to be interpreted by the other WTRUs,

interpret the CSG broadcast, and

ignore the indication that the cell is reserved for future extension and try to connect to the Node B based on the interpretation of the CSG broadcast that indicates that the cell is reserved for the CSG.

10. The WTRU of claim 9, wherein the controller is configured to receive a closed subscriber group identity (CSG ID).

11. The WTRU of claim 10, wherein the controller is configured to receive, via the transceiver, the CSG ID in a system information block (SIB) broadcast by the Node B.

12. The WTRU of claim 9, wherein the CSG broadcast comprises a status bit indicating whether the cell is available or not.

13. The WTRU of claim 9, wherein the WTRU supports HNB services, and wherein the other WTRUs do not support HNB services.

14. The WTRU of claim 9, wherein the controller is configured to receive, via the transceiver, the CSG broadcast in a system information block (SIB) broadcast by the Node B.

15. The WTRU of claim 9, wherein the other WTRUs comprise legacy WTRUs.

16. The WTRU of claim 15, wherein the indication that the cell is reserved for future extension indicates that the legacy WTRUs are barred from accessing the cell and that the legacy WTRUs are not allowed to use a frequency of the cell for future cell reselections.

18. The WTRU of claim 15, wherein the WTRU is a Release 8 (R8) WTRU.

19. A method comprising:

sending access restriction information to a plurality of wireless transmit/receive units (WTRUs), wherein the access restriction information comprises an indication that a cell is reserved for future extension, and wherein the access restriction information comprises information capable of being interpreted by the plurality of WTRUs;

sending a closed subscriber group (CSG) broadcast that indicates that the cell is reserved for a CSG, wherein the CSG broadcast is configured to be interpreted by at least one WTRU of the plurality of WTRUs and to be unable to be interpreted by at least one other WTRU of the plurality of WTRUs; and

accepting the at least one WTRU of the plurality of WTRUs that is allowed to camp based on the interpretation of the access restriction information and the CSG broadcast that indicates that the cell is reserved for the CSG.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising sending a closed subscriber group identity (CSG ID).

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the CSG broadcast comprises a status bit indicating whether the cell is available or not.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the status bit is set based on at least one WTRU being camped on the cell, uplink or downlink load status, or backhaul load.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein the at least one other WTRU is a legacy WTRU.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein the indication that the cell is reserved for future extension indicates that legacy WTRUs are barred from accessing the cell and that the legacy WTRUs are not allowed to use a frequency of the cell for future cell reselections.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein an intra-frequency cell reselection indicator is used to tailor cell selection and reselection.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the intra-frequency cell reselection indicator is used to bar an entire frequency, if the cell is on a separate frequency.

27. The method of claim 19, wherein the at least one WTRU is a Release 8 (R8) WTRU, and wherein the at least one other WTRU is a legacy WTRU.

28. A Node B comprising:

a transceiver configured to transmit and receive signals; and

a controller configured to;

send, via the transceiver, access restriction information to a plurality of wireless transmit/receive units (WTRUs), wherein the access restriction information comprises an indication that a cell is reserved for future extension, and wherein the access restriction information comprises information capable of being interpreted by the plurality of WTRUs,

send, via the transceiver, a closed subscriber group (CSG) broadcast that indicates that the cell is reserved for a CSG, wherein the CSG broadcast is configured to be interpreted by at least one WTRU of the plurality of WTRUs and to be unable to be interpreted by at least one other WTRU of the plurality of WTRUs, and

accept the at least one WTRU of the plurality of WTRUs that is allowed to camp based on the interpretation of the access restriction information and the CSG broadcast that indicates that the cell is reserved for the CSG.

29. The Node B of claim 28, wherein the controller is further configured to send a closed subscriber group identity (CSG ID).

30. The Node B of claim 28, wherein the CSG broadcast comprises a status bit indicating whether the cell is available or not.

31. The Node B of claim 30, wherein the status bit is set based on at least one WTRU being camped on the cell, uplink or downlink load status, or backhaul load.

32. The Node B of claim 28, wherein the at least one other WTRU is a legacy WTRU.

33. The Node B of claim 28, wherein the indication that the cell is reserved for future extension indicates that legacy WTRUs are barred from accessing the cell and that legacy WTRUs are not allowed to use a frequency of the cell for future cell reselections.

34. The Node B of claim 33, wherein the at least one WTRU is a Release 8 (R8) WTRU, and wherein the at least one other WTRU is a legacy WTRU.

35. The Node B of claim 33, wherein the controller is configured to send an intra-frequency cell reselection indicator to tailor cell selection and reselection.

36. The Node B of claim 35, wherein the intra-frequency cell reselection indicator is used to bar an entire frequency, if an HNB cell is on a separate frequency.