Method and system for registering an unlicensed mobile access subscriber with a network controller

• US 20060099935A1
• Filed: 03/31/2005
• Published: 05/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Michael D. Gallagher, Rajeev Gupta
• Original Assignee: Kineto Wireless Incorporated (Ribbon Communications, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gupta, Rajeev, Gallagher, Michael D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,873,015 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/414.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/14 Reselecting a network or an air interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/32 by location or mobility data, e.g. speed data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/14 using user query or user detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/065 involving selection of the user mobility server
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

Redirection of mobile subscriber registrations using location information is described. In one embodiment, the invention includes establishing a data communications connection with a mobile station at a data communications network controller, receiving location information from the mobile station, and redirecting the mobile station to a different network controller based on the received location information.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

establishing a data communications connection with a mobile station at a data communications network controller;

receiving location information from the mobile station; and

redirecting the mobile station to a different network controller based on the received location information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein establishing a connection comprises establishing a transmission control protocol (TCP) connection.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein establishing a connection comprises establishing a registration.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein establishing a connection comprises receiving a registration request, the registration request including the location information.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising communicating data over the established connection and wherein receiving location information comprises receiving location information from the mobile station after communicating data.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

comparing the received location information to location information for available network controllers;

selecting a network controller based on the comparing; and

wherein redirecting comprises sending an address for the selected network controller to the mobile station.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein sending an address comprises sending an address in response to a registration request.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving location information comprises receiving an identification of a cell of a cellular communications system.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein redirecting comprises redirecting the mobile station to a network controller associated with the identified cell of the cellular communications system.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the data communications connection is through a wireless access point having a wireless connection with the mobile station and wherein receiving location information comprises receiving an identification of the wireless access point and wherein redirecting comprises redirecting the mobile station to a network controller associated with the wireless access point.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein selecting a network controller comprises determining a location for the identified connected wireless access point, and identifying a cellular communications cell that serves locations near the determined location of the connected wireless access point, and wherein selecting comprises selecting a network controller that is correlated with the identified cellular communications cell.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising evaluating the received location information to determine whether the received location information is sufficient to support location services, and, if so, then indicating to the mobile station that location services are available.

13. A network controller comprising:

an interface to communicate with a mobile station over an established data communications connection and to receive location information from the mobile station; and

a processor to apply the location information to select a network controller for the mobile station and to formulate a redirection message to redirect the mobile station to the selected network controller.

14. The network controller of claim 13, wherein the connection comprises a registration.

15. The network controller of claim 13, wherein the interface receives a registration request to establish the connection, the registration request including the location information.

16. The network controller of claim 13, further comprising:

a memory to store a table of location information for available network controllers and wherein the processor compares the received location information to location information in the table to select a network controller.

17. The network controller of claim 16, wherein the data communications connection is through a wireless access point having a wireless connection with the mobile station, wherein the location information comprises an identification of the wireless access point and wherein the table associates network controllers with wireless access points.

18. A method comprising:

establishing a data communications connection at a mobile station with a data communications network controller;

sending location information to the network controller; and

receiving a redirection message from the network controller to a different network controller in response to sending the location information.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein establishing a connection comprises establishing a registration.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein sending location information is performed after establishing a registration.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein sending location information comprises sending a registration request, the registration request including the location information.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein the connection is through a wireless access point, the method further comprising obtaining the location information based on receiving transmissions from a cellular communications system.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein sending location information comprises sending an identification of a cell of a cellular communications system.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein receiving a redirecting message comprises receiving a redirection to a network controller associated with the identified cell of the cellular communications system.

25. The method of claim 18, wherein the data communications connection is through a wireless access point having a wireless connection with the mobile station and wherein sending location information comprises sending an identification of the wireless access point and receiving a redirection message comprises receiving a redirection to a network controller associated with the wireless access point.

26. The method of claim 18, further comprising sending a registration request to the different network controller.

27. A mobile station comprising:

a transmitter to send location information to a data communications network controller using an established data communications connection with the network controller; and

a receiver to receive a redirection message from the network controller to a different network controller in response to sending the location information.

28. The mobile station of claim 27, wherein the established data communications connection comprises a registration.

29. The mobile station of claim 27, wherein the connection is through a wireless access point, the receiver further to obtain the location information based on receiving transmissions from a cellular communications system.