Pico-cell extension for cellular network

• US 9,301,113 B2
• Filed: 10/21/2014
• Issued: 03/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: O'Neil, Douglas, Sharer, Donna
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, DANH C
• Application Number:
  US14/520,274
• Publication Number:
  US 20150038146A1
• Time in Patent Office: 525 Days
• Field of Search: 455/436, 455/550.1, 455/552.1, 370/331
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/02 Processing of mobility data, e.g. registration information at HLR [Home Location Register] or VLR [Visitor Location Register]; Transfer of mobility data, e.g. between HLR, VLR or external networks
• 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

A pico-cell is located within a facility. The pico-cell has a wireless protocol for carrying calls placed to and from mobile devices in the facility. A call distributor is in communication with the pico-cell and handles calls carried by the pico-cell. The call distributor includes an embedded wireless switch for routing calls to and from mobile devices in the facility using the wireless protocol.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a system comprising a processor, first call data from a first user equipment via a first picocell device of a wireless picocell extension network, wherein the receiving comprises receiving the first call data by employing a first communication protocol;

aggregating, by the system, a portion of the first call data with second call data received from a second user equipment via a second picocell device of the wireless picocell extension network; and

facilitating, by the system, a conversion of the first call data to third call data that is to be transmitted between the first picocell device and a cellular switch device of the wireless picocell extension network via a second communication protocol.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the system, control data from a base station controller device via an extension bus, wherein the control data is employable to control an operation of the first picocell device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the receiving the control data comprises receiving carrier frequency data indicative of a carrier frequency assigned to the first picocell device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

directing, by the system, the third call data from the first picocell device to the cellular switch device via an extension bus.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first call data is associated with a call and the method further comprises:

in response to determining that the first user equipment has moved from a first coverage area associated with the first picocell device to a second coverage area associated with the second picocell device, facilitating, by the system, a transfer of the call to the second picocell device.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to determining that the first user equipment is within a coverage area of the first picocell device, facilitating, by the system, population of a visitor location data store of the wireless picocell extension network with information associated with the first user equipment.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the conversion is a first conversion and the method further comprises:

facilitating, by the system, a second conversion of the second call data to fourth call data that is to be transmitted between the first picocell device and the cellular switch device via the second communication protocol.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the facilitating the transmission of the data comprises facilitating the transmission of the data to the home location data store via a wide area network device.

9. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, facilitate performance of operations, comprising;

verifying that a first communication device is authorized to access a first picocell device of a wireless picocell extension network;

determining combined data based on combining a portion of first call data, received from the first communication device via a first communication protocol, with second call data received from a second communication device coupled to a second picocell device of the wireless picocell extension network; and

facilitating a conversion of the combined data to third call data that is to be transferred between the first picocell device and a cellular switch device via a second communication protocol.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the operations further comprise:

in response to determining that the first communication device is located within a coverage area of the first picocell device, directing, to a visitor location data store of the wireless picocell extension network, information associated with the first communication device.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the verifying comprises verifying that the first communication device is authorized to access the first picocell device based on information received from a home location data store.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the cellular switch device is coupled to the first picocell device via an extension bus.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the cellular switch device is coupled to the first picocell device via a local area network device.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the first call data is associated with a call and the operations further comprise:

in response to a determination that the first communication device has moved from a first coverage area associated with the first picocell device to a second coverage area associated with the second picocell device, facilitating a transfer of the call from the first picocell device to the second picocell device.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the cellular switch device facilitates a routing of the third call data to a network device of a cellular network via a public switched telephone network device.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the cellular switch device facilitates a routing of the third call data to a network device of a cellular network via a wide area network device.

17. A computer readable storage device comprising executable instructions that, in response to execution, cause a system comprising a processor to perform operations, comprising:

determining first call data that is transmitted between a first user equipment and a first picocell device of a wireless picocell extension network by employing a first communication protocol;

aggregating the first call data with second call data transmitted between a second user equipment and a second picocell device of the wireless picocell extension network; and

facilitating a conversion of a portion of the first call data to third call data that is to be transmitted between the first picocell device and a cellular switch device of the wireless picocell extension network by employing a second communication protocol.

18. The computer readable storage device of claim 17, wherein the cellular switch device directs the third call data to a cellular network device via a public switched telephone network device.

19. The computer readable storage device of claim 17, wherein the cellular switch device directs the third call data to a cellular network device via a wide area network device.

20. The computer readable storage device of claim 17, wherein the operations further comprise:

in response to determining that the first user equipment is located within a coverage area of the first picocell device, populating a visitor location data store of the cellular switch device with information associated with the first user equipment.