ACCESS CLASS BASED PICOCELL

• US 20110021192A1
• Filed: 07/24/2009
• Published: 01/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Okmyanskiy, Anton, Pazhyannur, Rajesh, Grayson, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 8,433,325 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/435.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0033 with transfer of context information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/04 using triggered events
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/20 Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B

Abstract

Systems and methods for managing radio access point infrastructure such as picocells. A user equipment registration request is received at a node that manages a plurality of radio access points and enables connectivity with macro mobile communication services supplied by a service provide. In response to the user equipment request, a user equipment policy request is generated and sent to a policy database. A user equipment policy associated with the user equipment is received from the policy database, and thereafter user equipment traffic is treated in accordance with the user equipment policy.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving a user equipment registration request at a node that manages a plurality of radio access points and enables connectivity with macro mobile communication services supplied by a macro service provider;

generating and sending a user equipment policy request to a policy database;

receiving from the policy database a user equipment policy associated with the user equipment; and

thereafter treating user equipment traffic in accordance with the user equipment policy,

wherein the user traffic passes between user equipment and one of the plurality of radio access points, and

wherein the policy database is managed by an enterprise other than the macro service provider.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the user equipment registration request is received from a Home Node B radio access point.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending from the node a user equipment accept message to one of the radio access points, the user equipment accept message including the user equipment policy.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing the user equipment policy at one of the radio access points.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a radio access point register request from one of the plurality of radio access points.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising, sending a query to the policy database in response to the radio access point register request.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising receiving a policy regarding the enterprise in which the node is deployed from the policy database.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising sending a radio access point register accept message to the one of the radio access points, the radio access point register accept message including the policy.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the user equipment policy indicates the availability of a differentiated service for the user equipment and configuration settings for different classes of service.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the differentiated service classes includes at least one of optimal routing or increased bandwidth.

11. A system, comprising:

a radio access point controller;

a plurality of radio access points in communication with the radio access point controller; and

a policy database in communication with the radio access point controller,

wherein the radio access point controller is configured to;

receive a user equipment registration request;

in response to the user equipment registration request, send a user equipment policy request to the policy database;

receive from the policy database a user equipment policy associated with the user equipment; and

thereafter treat user equipment communications traffic in accordance with the user equipment policy,

wherein the radio access point controller is configured to communicate with a gateway that is configured to communicate with macro mobile communication service infrastructure.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the gateway is a Home Node B gateway.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the Home Node B gateway operates, at least in part, in accordance with 3^rd Generation Partnership project (3GPP) Technical Specification 25.469.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the plurality of radio access points are Home Node B devices.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the policy database lists IMSI values for which differentiated services are available and service class for each IMSI.

16. Logic encoded in one or more tangible media for execution and when executed operable to:

receive a user equipment registration request;

in response to the user equipment registration request, send a user equipment policy request to a policy database;

receive from the policy database a user equipment policy associated with the user equipment; and

thereafter treat user equipment communications traffic in accordance with the user equipment policy,

wherein the logic is encoded in a radio access point controller that is in communication with a radio access point gateway that is in communication with macro mobile communication infrastructure.

17. The logic of claim 16, wherein the logic is further operable to support communication with a Home Node B gateway.

19. The logic of claim 16, wherein the logic is further operable to receive a radio access point register request.

20. The logic of claim 19, wherein the radio access point register request conforms to 3^rd Generation Partnership project (3GPP) Technical Specification 25.469.

18. The logic of 16, wherein the logic is further operable to operate, at least in part, in accordance with 3^rd Generation Partnership project (3GPP) Technical Specification 25.469.