Abstract: Cellular mobile networks can include unlicensed-radio access networks, which comprise access point controllers connected via a fixed broadband network to access points that communicate with mobile stations via unlicensed radio. The access points are connected to the broadband network from any location by the subscriber. In order to alleviate the configuration required to enable handover each access point controller is assigned to a location area defined in the conventional cellular network. A mobile station entering the mini-cell of an access point sends the access point information concerning the location area for the last cell of conventional network it communicated with. With this information, the access point obtains from a memory the fixed broadband address of the access point controller assigned to this location area. The access point uses this address to establish a connection with the access point controller assigned to handle its current location.

Abstract: A method and radio network controller (RNC) in a radio access network (RAN) for controlling access to a cellular telecommunication system. Upon receiving an access request from a given user equipment (UE) through a given radio base station (RBS), the RNC retrieves authorization information from an access control database within the RAN. The authorization information indicates whether the given UE is authorized to access the system through the given RBS. The RNC alternatively grants access or denies access to the UE based on the retrieved authorization information. The RBS is particularly useful for controlling access through small cells with limited capacity.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a system for a packet switched handover and a domain switch for a wireless communications network comprising a user equipment (UE), a packet switched domain (701) and a circuit switched domain (702). The packet switched domain (701) comprises a source packet system (703) and a target packet system (704). The target packet system (704) comprises a radio access network (RAN1) portion (target BTS; BSC) and a first core network (CN1) portion (target SGSN). The circuit switched domain (702) comprises a second radio access network (RAN2) portion (target BTS; BSC) and a second core network (CN2) portion (MSC). The user equipment (UE) performs an attachment/registration/update procedure towards the second core network (CN2) portion and/or a signalling connection establishment before the handover between the source packet system (703) and the target packet system (704) is executed.

Abstract: An Unlicensed Mobile Access Network Controller (UNC) and method for providing an early indication of service failure to a mobile station registered with the UNC. When the UNC detects a network failure that prevents service to the mobile station, the UNC prohibits new registrations by other mobile stations, starts a timer, and monitors the network failure to determine if the failure clears. If the failure clears before the timer expires, new registrations are accepted from other mobile stations. However, if the timer expires before the failure clears, the UNC continues to prohibit new registrations from other mobile stations, and deregisters the mobile station when a network Keep Alive timer expires for the mobile station. When a plurality of mobile stations are registered with the UNC, the UNC deregisters the plurality of mobile stations one at a time as the network Keep Alive timer expires for each mobile station.

Abstract: A method and radio network controller (RNC) in a radio access network (RAN) for controlling access to a cellular telecommunication system. Upon receiving an access request from a given user equipment (UE) through a given radio base station (RBS), the RNC retrieves authorization information from an access control database within the RAN. The authorization information indicates whether the given UE is authorized to access the system through the given RBS. The RNC alternatively grants access or denies access to the UE based on the retrieved authorization information. The RBS is particularly useful for controlling access through small cells with limited capacity.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and system to limit redirections by using a redirection counter contained within the mobile station (MS 132) registration request (663 or 667). Once the redirection counter has exceeded a certain value for a MS (132), the unlicensed network controller (UNC 142) will reject any registration request from that MS (132). More specifically, the present invention provides a method for limiting redirections of mobile stations (132) in an unlicensed radio access network (102) by initializing a redirection counter (1206), including the redirection counter in a registration request (1208), and incrementing the redirection counter each time a re-direct response is received in response to the registration request (1212).

Abstract: A system, method, and arrangement for controlling access to a wireless communication network. When a User Equipment (UE) is denied access to the network through a first access point, the UE stores the Location Area Identity (LAI) utilized at the first access point on a list of forbidden LAIs in the UE. If the LAI stored by the UE is utilized at another access point where the UE is allowed access, the LAI at the other access point is dynamically changed to a second LAI that is not on the UE's list of forbidden LAIs. An access point database stores a table defining which UEs are allowed to utilize each access point. The database also stores a list of rejected LAIs for each UE. A radio network controller accesses the database to determine an allowed LAI, and changes the LAI at the other access points where the UE is allowed access.

Abstract: A method of performing congestion notification for a data transmission (10) from a sender (14) to a receiver (11) is described. Furthermore, nodes for such a transmission as well as methods of controlling such nodes are described. The data transmission involves a first node (12) and a second node (13) between said sender and receiver. The data packets pass from said second node to said first node towards said receiver. The method comprises: —sending (S82) a message (15) from said first node to said second node, said message relating to a decision on whether to notify said receiver of a congestion condition in said data transmission, —sending (S83) an explicit congestion notification (16) from said second node to said receiver if it is decided to notify said receiver of said congestion condition.

Abstract: In order to prevent a mobile terminated (MT) call to a user equipment (UE) from being lost by addressing a Location Area/Tracking Area (LA/TA) mismatch problem that could occur during a circuit switched (CS) Fallback, the method comprises the steps of: receiving a paging message from a mobility management entity, MME, where the paging message identifies suitable location areas, the paging message is sent because a first mobile switching center, MSC1, received a MT call request for the UE; determining that there are no 2G/3G cells belonging to the suitable location areas based on a current location of the UE; identifying a target 2G/3G cell in a location area associated with the current location of the UE but not part of the 2G/3G cells belonging to the suitable location areas; and enabling a signaling connection to be established between the UE and the first MSC1 via a second mobile switching center, MSC2, where the second MSC2 interfaces with a base station controller, BSC2, or a radio network controller, RN

Abstract: A method of performing CS (Circuit Switched) services over a LTE (Long Term Evolution) access comprises: performing CM (Connection Management) procedures via an AGW (Access Gateway); and performing MM (Mobility Management) procedures via a MME (Mobility Management Entity).

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for handling a paging request for a Circuit Switched session, when the paging request is intended for a terminal attached to a Packet Switched cell in a radio access network and having one or more ongoing Packet Switched sessions. The request is received at a node in the radio access or core network to establish a Circuit Switched session with the terminal whilst the terminal has one or more ongoing Packet Switched sessions. The importance of the ongoing Packet Switched session is determined at the node, and the paging request is rejected if any of the ongoing Packet Switched sessions is more important than the Circuit Switched session. The node may be a MME, an eNodeB or the terminal itself.

Abstract: A method for a cellular network (100) comprising cells (110) of a first kind controlled by corresponding base stations (111), and cells (120-122) of a second kind controlled by corresponding base stations (125-127). The second kind of cells are smaller than the first kind of cells (110). The network (100) comprises functions (140) for control of the base stations, and functions (150) for handing over the control of user terminals (123, 112) between base stations. The method is used when a call in a cell of the second kind (120-122) is handed over to a base station of the first kind. The method lets said control function (140) of the base station of the cell of the second kind send identifying information to the control function (140) of the base station (111) of the first kind, such that if the call is to be handed back to the original base station (125-127), the original base station can be found by the network.

Abstract: A method and Packet Mobile Switching Center (PMSC) for providing MSC-based services over a packet-switched network. An interface between a mobile station and the PMSC is used to transfer control plane and user plane information between the mobile station and the PMSC over the packet-switched network. In one embodiment, the PMSC includes a network controller for handling control plane information from a packet-switched core network and an interworking unit for handling user plane information from the packet-switched core network.

Abstract: The current invention relates to the registration of mobile stations in a mobile communications network. It has particular relevance to handovers and roaming between base stations of an unlicensed radio access network (110) and those of a conventional cellular network (120). As the cells in an unlicensed radio access network have a rather small size, it means that handover potentially can occur far more frequently than for a conventional cellular network. This can result in an undesired ‘ping-pong’ effect, i.e. that the mobile station is switching back and forth between two radio cells too frequently. The current invention reduces this effect by preventing the mobile station to register to the unlicensed radio access network during a modifiable period of time (306).

Abstract: A method of establishing a call to or from a mobile station (MS) operating in a Long Term Evolution (LTE) access network. An interface is established between the MS and a Packet Mobile Switching Center (PMSC), and the call is initiated after the network accepts a service request from the MS for an originating call, or after the MS is notified of a terminating call. The PMSC requests packet-switched domain resources from a Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCRF) and establishes a voice bearer channel with an endpoint in the network when the requested resources are available. The PMSC facilitates bidirectional voice traffic between the MS and the endpoint. The PMSC may also use the PCRF to modify the bearer. The PMSC then signals the MS to modify parameters for the established call.

Abstract: A method of determining a domain mode for a mobile station operating in either a circuit-switched domain or a packet-switched domain. A first domain mode is determined, and then a determination is made whether to rove from the first domain mode to a second domain mode. The determination may be made by a Packet Mobile Switching Center (PMSC) when, for example, the mobile station moves between Routing Areas. Alternatively, the mobile station may make the determination based, for example, on pre-provisioned selection criteria. The mobile station derives a Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN) based on a cell identifier of a current cell and uses the FQDN in a DNS query to obtain the IP address of the PMSC.

Abstract: A system and method in an unlicensed-radio access network for transporting a circuit-switched payload between an access network controller and a mobile station utilizing a packet-based transmission protocol. The controller sends to the mobile station, a channel activation message that includes a minimum acceptable sample size of the circuit-switched payload to be included in each packet. The mobile station determines whether it can support communications utilizing the minimum acceptable sample size, and if not, selects a larger sample size. The mobile station may send an acknowledgment message that indicates the sample size to be utilized. Alternatively, the mobile station begins transmitting packets, and the controller analyzes received packets to determine the sample size the mobile station is using. The controller then encodes transmissions to the mobile station utilizing the determined sample size.

Abstract: A method and system for handover of a mobile station (MS) to an unlicensed mobile access network controller (UNC) in an unlicensed mobile access network (UMAN). In one embodiment, the MS sends an unlicensed mobile access (UMA) radio resource (URR) Registration Request message to the UNC with one or more location identifiers for the MS. The location identifiers may include a GSM Cell Global Identity, an access point (AP) Radio Identity, a set of GPS coordinates, or an AP location. The UNC selects absolute radio frequency channel numbers (ARFCN) and base station identity codes (BSIC) values from a table based on the location identifiers and returns them to the MS in a URR Registration Accept message.

Abstract: A radio access network (24) comprises a radio network control node (26); a database (40); and a femto radio base station node (28f) serving a femtocell (Cf) of the radio access network. The femto radio base station node (28f) comprises a receiver (54) for receiving scanned cell information broadcast for one or more receivable cells of the radio access network, and a reporting unit (60). The reporting unit (60) provides the scanned cell information for the one or more receivable cells of the radio access network to the radio network control node (26). The radio network control node (60) is arranged, upon receipt of the scanned cell information, for providing configuration information to the femto radio base station node (for configuring the femto radio base station node) and for storing macro cell information for one or more receivable cells in the database (40). The macrocell information is stored in the database (40) in association with the femto radio base station node.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system and various methods for handover of a mobile station (MS) (300) out of an unlicensed mobile access network (UMAN). More specifically, the present invention provides a method for handover of a mobile station (MS) (300) out of an unlicensed mobile access network (UMAN) by receiving (402) a URR Handover Required message (312) containing one or more MS Target Cell Identifiers, selecting (404) one of the MS Target Cell Identifiers based on one or more UNC criteria, and sending a Handover Required message (314) containing the selected Target Cell Identifier The one or more UNC criteria comprise MS Priority, MS Registration Information, MS User Information, UNC Priority, UNC Static Target Cell List, UNC Dynamic Target Cell List, Operator Policies or Rules, Excluded Target Cell List (Black List), AP Based Target Cell List, Network Conditions, or any combination thereof.