Network controller messaging for paging in an unlicensed wireless communication system

• US 20080318599A1
• Filed: 08/18/2008
• Published: 12/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ribbon Communications Operating Company, Inc. (Ribbon Communications, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Kineto Wireless Incorporated (Ribbon Communications, Inc.)
• Inventors: Baranowski, Joseph G., Mohammed, Jahangir, Shi, Jianxiong, Shekhar, Madhu C., Elam, Thomas G., Powell, Mark, Kolderup, Kenneth M., Gallagher, Michael D., Markovic, Milan
• Granted Patent: US 7,668,558 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/458
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0272 Virtual private networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/04 using triggered events
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/30 Connection release
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/16 WPBX [Wireless Private Branch Exchange]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/12 Access point controller devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/06 between gateways and public network devices

Abstract

An unlicensed wireless service is adapted to generate the interface protocols of a licensed wireless service to provide transparent transition of communication sessions between a licensed wireless service and an unlicensed wireless service. In one embodiment, a mobile station includes level 1, level 2, and level 3 protocols for licensed wireless service and an unlicensed wireless service. An indoor base station and indoor network controller provide protocol conversion for the unlicensed wireless service into a standard base station controller interface of the licensed wireless service.

Claims

1-20. -20. (canceled)

21. A method of paging a telecommunication device via an unlicensed wireless communication system comprising a service region and an unlicensed network controller communicatively coupled to the service region, the method comprising:

a) establishing a link via an interface between the unlicensed network controller and a telecommunication network employed by a licensed wireless communication system whose services are accessed by the telecommunication device via the unlicensed network controller;

b) receiving a paging message at the unlicensed network controller from the licensed wireless communication system, wherein the paging message identifies the telecommunication device; and

c) at the unlicensed network controller, exchanging a set of unlicensed messages with the telecommunication device, wherein the set of unlicensed messages includes;

an unlicensed paging request message sent from the unlicensed network controller to the identified telecommunication device.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said interface is one of a group comprising an A-interface and a Gb-interface.

23. The method of claim 21 further comprising the unlicensed network controller ignoring the paging request when the unlicensed network controller finds no record of the telecommunication device.

24. The method of claim 21 further comprising the unlicensed network controller ignoring the paging request when the unlicensed network controller finds a record of the telecommunication device but the telecommunication device is inactive.

25. The method of claim 21 further comprising:

a) at the network controller, receiving an unlicensed paging response message after sending the paging request message to the identified telecommunication device; and

b) forwarding the contents of the paging response message by the unlicensed network controller to the telecommunication network employed by the licensed wireless communication system.

26. In a communication system that includes a licensed wireless communication system for communicatively connecting to a telecommunication device using a licensed wireless frequency and an unlicensed wireless communication system for communicatively connecting to the telecommunication device using an unlicensed wireless frequency, a computer readable storage medium of an unlicensed wireless network controller, said computer readable medium storing a computer program for execution by the unlicensed network controller, the computer program comprising sets of instruction for:

a) receiving a paging message from a telecommunication network employed by a licensed wireless communication system whose services are accessed by the telecommunication devices via the unlicensed network controller, wherein the paging message identifies a telecommunication device; and

b) sending a paging request message to the identified telecommunication device.

27. The computer readable storage medium of claim 26, wherein said computer program further comprises sets of instructions for:

a) receiving an unlicensed paging response message from the identified telecommunication device; and

b) forwarding the contents of the paging response to the telecommunication network employed by the licensed wireless communication system.

28. A network controller of a first communication system for communicatively coupling a plurality of service regions of the first communication system to a licensed wireless second communication system, the network controller comprising:

a) a first network interface comprising a broadband access network;

b) a second network interface for sending messages to and receiving messages from a telecommunication device through a particular service region, the interface including a plurality of layers implemented over the broadband network interface;

c) a third network interface, for connecting the network controller to the licensed wireless second communication system; and

d) circuits for handling a set of messages transmitted over the second interface to support paging of one or more telecommunication devices via the first wireless communications system.

29. The network controller of claim 28, wherein the network controller is for receiving a paging message from the second wireless communication system over the third interface, the paging message identifying a particular telecommunication device.

30. The network controller of claim 28, wherein the set of messages comprises a paging request message sent from the network controller to an identified telecommunication device.

31. The network controller of claim 28, wherein the set of messages further comprises a paging response message received at the network controller from the identified telecommunication device, wherein contents of the paging response message are forwarded by the network controller to the second licensed wireless communication system.

32. In a communication system that includes a licensed wireless communication system for communicatively connecting to a telecommunication device using a licensed wireless frequency and an unlicensed wireless communication system for communicatively connecting to the telecommunication device using an unlicensed wireless frequency, a computer readable storage medium storing a computer program for execution by an unlicensed wireless network controller, the computer program comprising sets of instruction for:

a) establishing a link via an interface with a telecommunication network employed by the licensed wireless communication system whose services are accessed by the telecommunication device via the unlicensed network controller;

b) receiving a paging message from the licensed wireless communication system, wherein the paging message identifies the telecommunication device; and

c) exchanging a set of messages with the telecommunication device, wherein the set of messages includes a paging request message sent to the identified telecommunication device.

33. The computer readable storage medium of claim 32, wherein said interface is one of a group comprising an A-interface and a Gb-interface.

34. The computer readable storage medium of claim 32, wherein the computer program further comprises a set of instructions for ignoring the paging request when the unlicensed network controller finds no record of the telecommunication device.

35. The computer readable storage medium of claim 32, wherein the computer program further comprises a set of instructions for ignoring the paging request when the unlicensed network controller finds a record of the telecommunication device but the telecommunication device is inactive.

36. The computer readable storage medium of claim 32, wherein the computer program further comprises sets of instructions for:

a) receiving an unlicensed paging response message from identified the telecommunication device after exchanging the paging request message with the identified telecommunication device; and

b) forwarding the contents of the paging response message to the telecommunication network employed by the licensed wireless communication system.