Pico-cell extension for cellular network

• US 9,674,679 B2
• Filed: 02/19/2016
• Issued: 06/06/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: O'Neil, Douglas, Sharer, Donna
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, DANH C
• Application Number:
  US15/048,971
• Publication Number:
  US 20160174053A1
• Time in Patent Office: 473 Days
• Field of Search: 455436, 4555501, 4555521, 370331
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/02 Processing of mobility data, e.g. registration information at HLR [Home Location Register] or VLR [Visitor Location Register]; Transfer of mobility data, e.g. between HLR, VLR or external networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/12 between access points and access point controllers

Abstract

A pico-cell is located within a facility. The pico-cell has a wireless protocol for carrying calls placed to and from mobile devices in the facility. A call distributor is in communication with the pico-cell and handles calls carried by the pico-cell. The call distributor includes an embedded wireless switch for routing calls to and from mobile devices in the facility using the wireless protocol.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a system comprising a processor, first call data from a first user equipment via a first picocell device of a wireless picocell extension network by employing an unlicensed mobile access protocol, wherein the receiving comprises receiving the first call data via an unlicensed mobile access protocol internet protocol security tunnel;

determining, by the system, aggregated call data based on combining the first call data with second call data received from a second user equipment via a second picocell device of the wireless picocell extension network; and

facilitating, by the system, a transmission of the aggregated call data to a network device of a cellular network.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

facilitating, by the system, control of an operation of the first picocell device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the facilitating the control comprises facilitating the control based on carrier frequency data indicative of a carrier frequency assigned to the first picocell device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the carrier frequency is a first carrier frequency and method further comprises:

selecting, by the system, the first carrier frequency from a band of carrier frequencies based on information indicative of a second carrier frequency utilized by a cell site that is determined to be located within a defined distance from the first picocell device.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

querying, by the system, a server device of the cellular network to determine a set of available carrier frequencies; and

selecting, by the system, the carrier frequency from the set of carrier frequencies based on information received from the server device as a function of the querying.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to determining that the first user equipment is within a coverage area of the first picocell device, facilitating, by the system, a population of a visitor location data store of the wireless picocell extension network with information associated with the first user equipment.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to determining that the first user equipment is within a coverage area of the first picocell device, facilitating, by the system, a population of a home location data store of the cellular network with information associated with the first user equipment.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the facilitating the population comprises facilitating the population with the information received from a customer data store that comprises customer data associated with devices authorized to access the first picocell device.

9. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, facilitate performance of operations, comprising;

receiving, over an unlicensed mobile access protocol internet protocol security tunnel, first call data from a first communication device that is authorized to access a first picocell device of a wireless picocell extension network, wherein the first call data is received by employing an unlicensed mobile access protocol;

determining combined data based on combining the first call data with second call data received from a second communication device coupled to a second picocell device of the wireless picocell extension network; and

facilitating a transfer of the combined data to a switch device of a cellular network.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the operations further comprise:

in response to determining that the first communication device is located within a coverage area of the first picocell device, directing, to a visitor location data store of the wireless picocell extension network, information associated with the first communication device.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the operations further comprise:

verifying that the first communication device is authorized to access the first picocell device based on information received from a home location data store.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein a portion of the home location data store is populated based on a customer enterprise database that is administered via an enterprise device associated with the wireless picocell extension network.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the switch device is coupled to the first picocell device via an extension bus.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the first picocell device is coupled to the extension bus via an Ethernet port.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the first picocell device is coupled to the extension bus via a broadband modem.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the switch device is coupled to the first picocell device via a local area network device.

17. A machine-readable storage medium comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processor facilitate performance of operations, comprising:

receiving, via an unlicensed mobile access protocol internet protocol security tunnel, first call data from a first communication device that is authorized to access a first picocell device of a wireless picocell extension network, wherein the first call data is received via an unlicensed mobile access protocol;

receiving, via the unlicensed mobile access protocol internet protocol security tunnel, second call data from a second communication device that is authorized to access a second picocell device of the wireless picocell extension network, wherein the second call data is received via the unlicensed mobile access protocol; and

aggregating the first call data with the second call data to generate aggregated data that is to be transferred to network device of a cellular network.

18. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the aggregated data is transferred to the network device via a public switched telephone network device.

19. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the aggregated data is transferred to the network device via a wide area network device.

20. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the operations further comprise:

in response to determining that the first user equipment is located within a coverage area of the first picocell device, populating a visitor location data store of a cellular switch device with information associated with the first user equipment.