Patents Assigned to Vodafone IP Licensing Limited
  • Patent number: 10194448
    Abstract: A mobile telecommunications network includes: a radio access network having radio means (2000) for wireless communication with a plurality of terminals (10) registered with the telecommunications network and control means (700) operable to control interaction of the terminals with the radio access network; and a core (2030) including a store of policy information comprising group policy data (2210) applicable to a group of the terminals and individual policy data applicable to respective ones of the terminals (10), and distribution means operable to provide to the control means associated with each of the terminals an indicator of the group policy data applicable to each of the terminals and the individual policy data applicable to each of the terminals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: VODAFONE IP LICENSING LIMITED
    Inventors: Walter Bindrim, John Moughton, Adam Pollard, David Fox, Peter Cosimini, Matthew Cheng, Christopher Pudney
  • Patent number: 10194416
    Abstract: A paging procedure of a mobile telecommunications system is modified to page a terminal using all the transceiver node cells in the coverage area allocated to the terminal that operate in the frequency bands indicated by frequency band capability data for the terminal, but not using the transceiver node cells in the coverage area allocated to the terminal that operate only in other ones of the frequency bands. In one embodiment a control entity is operable to initiate an initial paging procedure by paging based on the characteristic of the terminal obtained by the control entity, and to initiate a subsequent paging procedure if no paging response is received from the terminal. In another embodiment, coverage area allocation means allocates each of the transceiver node cells to one or more of the coverage areas in dependence upon on which of the frequency bands the cell is capable of communicating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: VODAFONE IP LICENSING LIMITED
    Inventors: Christopher David Pudney, Eric Bouton, Alexej Kulakov
  • Patent number: 10187913
    Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling the activation of a hotspot function of a User Equipment (UE) device. Methods are provided for assessing the suitability of a UE to act as a hotspot dependent on parameters such as quality of data connection, battery life, and use of the UE by the user. Where multiple UEs are in proximity to each other a comparison of the suitability of each UE may be made and only the most suitable devices activated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: VODAFONE IP LICENSING LIMITED
    Inventors: Mai Tran Le, Alan Law, Santiago Tenorio, Ricardo Batista, Naomi Lopez, Walter Bindrim
  • Patent number: 10159111
    Abstract: By first determining whether network conditions make it possible and necessary to assist the network in supporting communication devices in comparatively poor radio coverage, and then periodically determining what type of assistance would best improve the overall network performance, a cellular telecommunications network is dynamically adapted to improve overall network performance without requiring the introduction of new network equipment. In one example, the dynamic activation of the radio coverage assistance serves to reduce problems associated with users at the cell edge, resulting in improvements in overall cell capacity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignee: VODAFONE IP LICENSING LIMITED
    Inventors: Andrea De Pasquale, Inigo Guemes Cabrejas, Yannick Le Pezennec, Santiago Tenorio Sanz
  • Patent number: 10123377
    Abstract: By first determining whether network conditions make it possible and necessary to assist the network in supporting communication devices in comparatively poor radio coverage, and then periodically determining what type of assistance would best improve the overall network performance, a cellular telecommunications network is dynamically adapted to improve overall network performance without requiring the introduction of new network equipment. In one example, the dynamic activation of the radio coverage assistance serves to reduce problems associated with users at the cell edge, resulting in improvements in overall cell capacity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: VODAFONE IP LICENSING LIMITED
    Inventors: Andrea De Pasquale, Inigo Guemes Cabrejas, Yannick Le Pezennec, Santiago Tenorio Sanz
  • Publication number: 20180295498
    Abstract: System and method for providing cellular services to a roaming subscriber comprising a visited public land mobile network, VPLMN. At least one processor within the VPLMN. Memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to instantiate one or more network functions as software processes performing data plane packet processing within a network functions virtualisation, NFV, environment hosted by the VPLMN and associated with a home public land mobile network, HPLMN, wherein the network functions provide the roaming subscriber with network services associated with the HPLMN.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2016
    Publication date: October 11, 2018
    Applicant: VODAFONE IP LICENSING LIMITED
    Inventor: Adrian NEAL
  • Patent number: 10085185
    Abstract: A mobile telecommunications network includes: a core network (2020) having content processing means (2055) operable to provide a core network service relating to content, and a radio access network (700, 2003) having radio means for wireless communication with a terminal (10) registered with the telecommunications network, wherein the radio access network (700, 2003) includes a local source of content (1100), wherein the telecommunications network is arranged to provide the content processing means (2055) core network service in relation to the content of the local source (1100), and wherein synchronization means is provided to synchronize the provision of core network service in relation to the content of the local source (1100) with communications with the terminal (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: VODAFONE IP LICENSING LIMITED
    Inventors: Walter Gottfried Bindrim, Matthew Cheng, Ahmed Fouad Adel Ahmed Hafez
  • Patent number: 10009279
    Abstract: There is provided a method of data over a radio interface in a radio communication network based on a protocol layers model, the model comprising an IP layer on which IP packets are handled, wherein before the transmission of a determined IP packet, the method comprises: determining whether the IP packet is compressible under a predetermined condition and. if the IP packet is compressible under the predetermined condition, performing a compression of the IP packet. There are also provided a user equipment (UE) and a node adapted to perform the steps of a method according to the invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: VODAFONE IP LICENSING LIMITED
    Inventors: Clara Serrano Solsona, Santiago Tenorio Sanz, Cristina M Ayuso, Francisco Javier Dominguez Romero
  • Patent number: 9992670
    Abstract: Facilitating authentication on communication between a mobile terminal and a server is achieved. The communication is made through a Serving GPRS Support Node (SGSN) of a network in which the mobile terminal is operating. A Home Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) of the mobile terminal generates a ciphering key for encryption of packet-switched data between the mobile terminal and the server. As part of a message from a network entity in the Home PLMN to the SGSN in which the SGSN expects to receive the ciphering key, alternative data is communicated in place of the ciphering key. Secure communication between the mobile terminal and the server is performed by applying encryption using a ciphering key generated by a network entity in a Home PLMN of the mobile terminal in messages between the mobile terminal and the server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: VODAFONE IP LICENSING LIMITED
    Inventors: Christopher Pudney, Assen Mahaboob Khan Golaup, Nicholas Bone
  • Patent number: 9992732
    Abstract: The invention relates to operating a Machine-Type Communication (MTC) device for communication with a cellular radio network. A transmission is made from the MTC device to the cellular radio network to register the MTC device with the cellular radio network. The transmission includes a message from the MTC device to the cellular radio network, identifying the MTC device as an MTC device to the cellular radio network. Also, the MTC device has an associated HPLMN. An instruction is received at the MTC device from the network not to make a transmission from the MTC device for accessing the network. The instruction specifies a criteria for the MTC device's HPLMN or preferred list of networks. The MTC Device compares the criteria with the HPLMN associated with the MTC device and avoids making a transmission to access the network for a period of time based on the result comparing step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: VODAFONE IP LICENSING LIMITED
    Inventors: Nick Russell, Christopher David Pudney, Gavin Wong, Peter Robert Dawes, Robert Banks
  • Patent number: 9979530
    Abstract: A method for selecting a mode of service delivery to a mobile terminal using carrier aggregation across first and second base stations of a cellular network is provided. The selection being based on one or more of: a parameter of the service; and a parameter of the network architecture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: VODAFONE IP LICENSING LIMITED
    Inventors: Hisham Elshaer, Neil Scully, Luis Manuel Anaya Chamorro
  • Patent number: 9955364
    Abstract: A mobile telecommunications network includes a core and a radio access network having radio means for wireless communication with mobile terminals registered with the network, wherein the radio access network includes control means 700 operable to control the use of network resources by the mobile terminals. The control means processes control plane signalling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: VODAFONE IP LICENSING LIMITED
    Inventors: Dave Fox, Gavin Wong, Peter Cosimini, Christopher Pudney, Anthony Sammut, Assen Mahaboob Khan Golaup, John Moughton
  • Patent number: 9894540
    Abstract: Self-optimization for a base station within a cellular radio network is provided. The base station has a first communication interface for providing a service to mobile terminals and a second communication interface for communication with other network entities of the cellular radio network. A degradation in performance of the service provided over the first communication interface is detected. A reliability level for the second communication interface is identified and a Self-Organizing Network (SON) algorithm is implemented in dependence on the identified reliability level and in response to the detection of degradation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: VODAFONE IP LICENSING LIMITED
    Inventors: Anjulika Kaul, Assen Mahaboob Khan Golaup
  • Patent number: 9882857
    Abstract: A data processing method performed in a group messaging server of a mobile telecommunications network, the method comprising the steps of receiving an incoming message at the group messaging server from a remote user terminal, the message being for distribution to a group of users; storing details of the incoming message in a messaging log, the details comprising a message identifier received with the incoming message; identifying at least one recipient from the group of users to which the incoming message should be transmitted; transmitting an outgoing message to each of the at least one recipient, wherein the outgoing message comprises at least part of the incoming message and the message identifier; storing details of each outgoing message in the message log, the details comprising the message identifier; and processing the message log to identify groups of messages, wherein the groups of messages are identified by having a common message identifier, and generating charging data based on the groups of mess
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: Vodafone IP Licensing Limited
    Inventors: Jakub Nowicki, Phillip Carter, Oscar Gallego Gomez
  • Patent number: 9880258
    Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program are provided for estimating a characteristic static location of a user equipment in a wireless communication network comprising a plurality of network nodes for transmitting radio signals. Each network node has an associated cell corresponding to a predicted geographical coverage area of a corresponding transmitted radio signal. Location event data for the user equipment provides a cell-specific location for the user equipment at a point in time. A plurality of event frequencies is determined for the user equipment, each corresponding to a cumulative number of received location events locating the user equipment in a respective cell/sector in a given time interval. A characteristic static location is calculated using a combined measure of at least two non-zero values of the plurality of event frequencies corresponding respectively to at least two different cells or sectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: VODAFONE IP LICENSING LIMITED
    Inventor: Brendan Ludden
  • Patent number: 9866434
    Abstract: Present invention refers to a method system and devices for managing user registration of a service in a IMS network. The proposed solution allows optimizing the dimensioning of networks focusing on active users.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: Vodafone IP Licensing Limited
    Inventors: Rogelio Martinez Perea, Enrique Collado, Rafael Dominguez
  • Patent number: 9843920
    Abstract: Method and system of detecting traffic in a transport network comprising obtaining network usage records from a mobile network. Extracting cell information from the network usage records. Identifying the network usage records originating from moving handsets from the extracted cell information. Matching the identified network usage records with one or more transport routes. Matching each of the one or more transport routes with a transport mode using transport mode map data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: Vodafone IP Licensing Limited
    Inventors: Kevin Tristan Scarr, David Pollington, Nichola Jane Inglis Hickman, Damian Frederick Brennan, Daniel Richard Mays
  • Patent number: 9838878
    Abstract: Undesirable signalling traffic received at a telecommunications network is detected by establishing at least one statistical parameter in respect of signalling traffic received at the telecommunications network from at least one specific source and evaluating the established at least one statistical parameter against one or more predetermined statistical profiles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: Vodafone IP Licensing Limited
    Inventors: Oliver Sauder, Simon Sporton
  • Publication number: 20170332394
    Abstract: A self-organizing network engine for optimizing a telecommunications network is described. The telecommunications network may be a heterogeneous network with different hierarchical layers, such as macro cells and small cells. For example, the telecommunications network may include a macro cell with a small cell located inside the macro cell. The self-organizing network engine is configured to obtain traffic data describing traffic in the macro cell and in the small cell. The traffic data provides an indication of the load on each of the macro cell and the small cell and can be used to determine, for example, if the macro cell is overloaded and user devices need to be offloaded to the small cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2015
    Publication date: November 16, 2017
    Applicant: VODAFONE IP LICENSING LIMITED
    Inventor: Zhanhong LU
  • Patent number: 9807684
    Abstract: A machine-to-machine device is configured to execute an application and comprises a cellular network interface for wireless communication of data for the application with a cellular network. It has subscription information allowing it to register with more than one cellular network. The device may be registered with one cellular network, selected as having a received signal quality measurement of at least a predetermined level that is based upon a quality of service level defined by the application. It is also provided that the device may identify that a quality measurement for a packet-switched communication link fails to meet a predetermined level. In response, the machine-to-machine device may be deregistered from one cellular network and registered with another cellular network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: Vodafone IP Licensing Limited
    Inventor: Martin Bell