Method and apparatus for routing of emergency services for unauthorized user equipment in a home Node B system

• US 8,041,335 B2
• Filed: 04/17/2009
• Issued: 10/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ribbon Communications Operating Company, Inc. (Ribbon Communications, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Kineto Wireless Incorporated (Ribbon Communications, Inc.)
• Inventors: Tao, Patrick, Gupta, Rajeev, Gallagher, Michael D., Khetawat, Amit
• Primary Examiner(s): MIS, DAVID C
• Application Number:
  US12/426,211
• Publication Number:
  US 20090264095A1
• Time in Patent Office: 914 Days
• Field of Search: 455/403, 455/404.1, 455/404.2
• US Class Current: 455/404.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5607 Radio
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5656 using the AAL2
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/222 using geographical location information, e.g. messages transmitted or received in proximity of a certain spot or area
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/104 Grouping of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/72 Subscriber identity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/73 Access point logical identity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0055 Transmission or use of information for re-establishing the radio link
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0066 of control information between different types of networks in order to establish a new radio link in the target network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/14 Reselecting a network or an air interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/04 using triggered events
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/12 Setup of transport tunnels
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/32 Release of transport tunnels
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/16 selectively restricting mobility data tracking
• 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

Some embodiments are implemented in a communication system that includes a first communication system comprised of a licensed wireless radio access network and a core network, and a second communication system comprising a plurality of user hosted access points and a network controller. In some embodiments, each access point operates using short range licensed wireless frequencies to establish a service region. In some embodiments, the network controller communicatively couples the core network to the plurality of access points. The method enables an unauthorized user equipment to call from an access point it is not allowed to use for emergency purposes. The method receives at an access point a service request from an unauthorized user equipment with an establishment cause of emergency call. The method sends a registration request to the network controller. The method sends a message to the core network indicating the location of the user equipment.

Claims

1. In a communication system comprising (i) a first network comprising a licensed wireless radio access network and a core network and (ii) a second network comprising a plurality of user hosted access points for establishing service regions of the second network using short range licensed wireless frequencies and a network controller for communicatively coupling user equipment operating in the service regions to the core network, a method of enabling emergency calling at a particular access point for a particular user equipment that is not authorized for services of the second network at a service region associated with the particular access point, the method comprising:

at the particular access point, receiving a service request message from the user equipment indicating an establishment cause of emergency call;

sending a registration request message to the network controller, wherein said registration request message comprises an identity of the particular user equipment and an indicator to indicate that said unauthorized particular user equipment requests emergency calling; and

after registering said particular user equipment with the network controller, sending a message for routing by the network controller to the core network, said message comprising location information for the core network to identify a location from which the emergency call originates.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said location information comprises a service area identity (SAI) assigned to the service region associated with the particular access point.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said location information is used by the core network to identify a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) that serves a location identified by the location information.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising sending a deregister message to the network controller at a completion of the emergency call, said deregister message for deregistering the particular user equipment from the second network.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving an identity of the particular user equipment prior to sending the registration request message.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said identity of the particular user equipment is at least one of an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) and a Temporary Mobile Subscriber Identity (TMSI).

7. The method of claim 1, wherein sending the message for routing by the network controller comprises sending a Radio Access Network Application Part (RANAP) message comprising a first header, wherein the RANAP message is encapsulated in a second header.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the second header allows the network controller to allocate resources for emergency calling without needing to decode the encapsulated RANAP message.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving a registration accept message at the particular access point prior to sending the message for routing to the core network, said registration accept message enabling the particular user equipment to perform emergency calling from the service region associated with the particular access point.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the particular access point is a Home Node B and the second network is a Home Node B Access Network.

11. In a communication system comprising (i) a first network comprising a licensed wireless radio access network and a core network and (ii) a second network comprising a plurality of user hosted access points for establishing service regions of the second network using short range licensed wireless frequencies and a network controller for communicatively coupling user equipment operating in the service regions to the core network, a method of enabling emergency calling at the network controller to enable a particular user equipment that is not authorized for services of the second network to perform an emergency call, the method comprising:

at the network controller, receiving a registration request message comprising an identity of the particular user equipment and an indicator to indicate that said unauthorized particular user equipment requests emergency calling;

after registering said particular user equipment, receiving a message comprising location information for the core network to identify a location from which the emergency call originates; and

forwarding said message to the core network to establish an emergency call.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said location information comprises a service area identity (SAI) assigned to a service region of the second network in which the particular user equipment is operating.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein said location information is used by the core network to identify a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) that serves a location identified by the location information.

14. The method of claim 11 further comprising deregistering the particular user equipment at a completion of the emergency call to prevent further access to services of the second network by the particular user equipment.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein receiving the message comprising the location information comprises receiving a Radio Access Network Application Part (RANAP) message comprising a first header, wherein the RANAP message is encapsulated in a second header.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising allocating resources for emergency calling at the network controller based on information in the second header without decoding the encapsulated RANAP message.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein forwarding said message comprises forwarding the RANAP message without the second header.

18. The method of claim 11 further comprising sending a registration accept message to enable the particular user equipment to perform emergency calling.

19. In a communication system comprising (i) a first network comprising a licensed wireless radio access network and a core network and (ii) a second network comprising a plurality of user hosted access points for establishing service regions of the second network using short range licensed wireless frequencies and a network controller for communicatively coupling user equipment operating in the service regions to the core network, a computer readable storage medium of a particular access point storing a computer program for enabling emergency calling at the particular access point for a particular user equipment that is not authorized for services of the second network at a service region associated with the particular access point, the computer program executable by at least one processor, the computer program comprising:

a set of instructions for receiving a service request message from the user equipment indicating an establishment cause of emergency call;

a set of instructions for sending a registration request message to the network controller, wherein said registration request message comprises an identity of the particular user equipment and an indicator to indicate that said unauthorized particular user equipment requests emergency calling; and

a set of instructions for sending a message for routing by the network controller to the core network, said message comprising location information for the core network to identify a location from which the emergency call originates.

20. In a communication system comprising (i) a first network comprising a licensed wireless radio access network and a core network and (ii) a second network comprising a plurality of user hosted access points for establishing service regions of the second network using short range licensed wireless frequencies and a network controller for communicatively coupling user equipment operating in the service regions to the core network, a computer readable storage medium of the network controller storing a computer program for enabling emergency calling at the network controller to enable a particular user equipment that is not authorized for services of the second network to perform an emergency call, the computer program executable by at least one processor, the computer program comprising:

a set of instructions for receiving a registration request message comprising an identity of the particular user equipment and an indicator to indicate that said unauthorized particular user equipment requests emergency calling;

a set of instructions for receiving a message after registering said particular user equipment, said message comprising location information for the core network to identify a location from which the emergency call originates; and

a set of instructions for forwarding said message to the core network to establish the emergency call.