MOBILE COMMUNICATION METHOD, RADIO BASE STATION, RADIO LINE CONTROL STATION, EXCHANGE STATION, AND INTEGRATION DEVICE

• US 20110105085A1
• Filed: 04/08/2009
• Published: 05/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NTT Docomo Incorporated (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation)
• Original Assignee: NTT Docomo Incorporated (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation)
• Inventors: Aoyagi, Kenichiro
• Granted Patent: US 8,611,860 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/411
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/06 based on traffic conditions

Abstract

A mobile communication method including: operating a radio base station in a closed state which limits a mobile station allowed to make an access by establishing an access right or in a semi-open state which does not limit an access by a mobile station; and switching the state of the radio base station between the closed state and the semi-open state when a predetermined condition is satisfied.

Claims

1. A mobile communication method with which a mobile station performs communication by accessing a radio base station, comprising:

a step A of causing the radio base station to operate in any of a closed state of restricting a mobile station permitted for access by setting an access right, and a semi-open state of not restricting access by the mobile station; and

a step B of switching a state of the radio base station between the closed state and the semi-open state when a predetermined condition is met.

2. The mobile communication method according to claim 1, wherein

in the step B, the state of the radio base station is switched to the closed state when the number of mobile stations accessing the radio base station operating in the semi-open state exceeds a predetermined number, and

in the step B, the state of the radio base station is switched to the semi-open state when the number of mobile stations accessing the radio base station operating in the closed state falls below a predetermined number.

3. The mobile communication method according to claim 1, further comprising:

a step C of counting the number of mobile stations that are located in a cell managed by the radio base station and in a cell around the cell and are provided with the access right to the radio base station, wherein

in the step B, the state of the radio base station operating in the semi-open state is switched to the closed state when the number of the mobile stations exceeds a predetermined number, and

in the step B, the state of the radio base station operating in the closed state is switched to the semi-open state when the number of the mobile stations falls below a predetermined number.

4. The mobile communication method according to claim 1, further comprising:

a step D of observing a congestion state in the radio base station, wherein

in the step B, the state of the radio base station operating in the semi-open state is switched to the closed state when occurrence of the congestion state in the radio base station is observed, and

in the step B, the state of the radio base station operating in the closed state is switched to the semi-open state when termination of the congestion state in the radio base station is observed.

5. The mobile communication method according to claim 1, wherein

in the step B, when the state of the radio base station operating in the semi-open state is switched to the closed state, a mobile station accessing the radio base station and being provided with no access right to the radio base station is instructed to perform any of release of a radio link, a handover to a different cell, and location registration with a different cell.

6. A radio base station,

wherein the radio base station is configured to operate in any of a closed state of restricting a mobile station permitted for access by setting an access right and a semi-open state of not restricting access by the mobile station,

the radio base station comprising a state switch configured to switch a state of the radio base station between the closed state and the semi-open state when a predetermined condition is met.

7. The radio base station according to claim 6, wherein

the state switch switches the state of the radio base station to the closed state when the number of mobile stations accessing the radio base station operating in the semi-open state exceeds a predetermined number, and

the state switch switches the state of the radio base station to the semi-open state when the number of mobile stations accessing the radio base station operating in the closed state falls below a predetermined number.

8. The radio base station according to claim 6, further comprising:

a counter configured to count the number of mobile stations that are located in a cell managed by the radio base station and in a cell around the cell and are provided with the access right to the radio base station, wherein

the state switch switches the state of the radio base station operating in the semi-open state to the closed state when the counted number of the mobile stations exceeds a predetermined number, and

the state switch switches the state of the radio base station operating in the closed state to the semi-open state when the number of the mobile stations falls below a predetermined number.

9. The radio base station according to claim 6, further comprising:

an observation unit configured to observe a congestion state in the radio base station, wherein

the state switch switches the state of the radio base station operating in the semi-open state, to the closed state when occurrence of the congestion state in the radio base station is observed, and

the state switch switches the state of the radio base station operating in the closed state, to the semi-open state when termination of the congestion state in the radio base station is observed.

10. The radio base station according to claim 6, wherein

when switching the state of the radio base station operating in the semi-open state to the closed state, the state switch instructs a mobile station accessing the radio base station and being provided with no access right to the radio base station, to perform any of release of a radio link, a handover to a different cell, and location registration with the different cell.

11. A radio network controller for housing a radio base station therein,

wherein the radio network controller is configured to operate in any of a closed state of restricting a mobile station permitted for access by setting an access right and a semi-open state of not restricting access by the mobile station,

the radio network controller comprising a state switch configured to switch a state of the radio base station between the closed state and the semi-open state when a predetermined condition is met.

12. An exchange for housing a radio base station therein,

wherein the exchange is configured to operate in any of a closed state of restricting a mobile station permitted for access by setting an access right and a semi-open state of not restricting access by the mobile station,

the exchange comprising a state switch configured to switch a state of the radio base station between the closed state and the semi-open state when a predetermined condition is met .

13. An integration device for housing a radio base station therein,

wherein the integration device is configured to operate in any of a closed state of restricting a mobile station permitted for access by setting an access right and a semi-open state of not restricting access by the mobile station,

the integration device comprising a state switch configured to switch a state of the radio base station between the closed state and the semi-open state when a predetermined condition is met.