Network for a cellular communication system and a method of operation therefor

1. A network for a cellular communication system, the network comprising:

a plurality of access points supporting cells within a region having a number of entry points, each access point having an individual proxy address of a proxy address space and being associated with a common network address of a network address space, the proxy address space being a local address space of an address proxy and the network address space being a network wide address space;

a gateway access point covering an entry point to the region, the gateway access point having a first address of the network address space and comprising:

means for detecting a remote station entering the region via the entry point,

means for determining a first access point of the plurality of access points as a handover access point for the remote station, the first access point having a first proxy address of the proxy address space;

means for transmitting a binding message to the address proxy, the binding message comprising an indication of the first access point;

the address proxy comprising:

means for receiving the binding message from the gateway access point,

means for establishing a first binding between the common network address and the first proxy address for the remote station in response to the binding message,

forwarding means for receiving data for the remote station and forwarding the data to the first access point in response to the first binding.

2. The communication network of claim 1 wherein the common network address is identical to the first network address.

3. The communication network of claim 1 wherein

at least one of the first access point and a second access point of the plurality of access points comprises means for transmitting a binding update message to the address proxy in response to a handover of the remote station from the first access point to the second access point, the binding update comprising at least an indication of the second access point; and

the address proxy is arranged to:

establish a second binding between the common network address and the second proxy address for the remote station in response to the binding update message, and

forward data for the remote station to the second access point in response to the second binding.

4. The communication network of claim 3 wherein the address proxy is arranged to delete the first binding in response to receiving an indication of a handover completion for the remote station.

5. The communication network of claim 1 wherein the gateway access point comprises:

means for detecting the remote station exiting the region via the entry point,

means for transmitting a binding release message to the address proxy; and

the address proxy comprises:

means for receiving the binding release message from the gateway access point, and

means for terminating the first binding in response to the binding release message.

6. The communication network of claim 1 wherein the gateway access point comprises:

means for selecting the first access point from the plurality of access points; and

means for transmitting an indication of the first access point to the remote station.

7. The communication network of claim 1 wherein the gateway access point is arranged to support a handover of the remote station from a cell external to the region to a cell supported by the first access point by supporting a temporary handover of the remote station from the cell external to the region to the gateway access point followed by a handover from the gateway access point to the first access point.

8. The communication network of claim 1 wherein the gateway access point and the plurality of access points support underlay cells of a macrocell layer.

9. The communication network of claim 1 wherein the gateway access point is arranged to transmit a first pilot signal using a same frequency as for a second pilot signal of a neighbour macrocell; and wherein the first access point is arranged to not transmit any pilot signal using the same frequency.

10. The communication network of claim 1 wherein the gateway access point is arranged to transmit a first pilot signal which is included in a neighbour list of a macro-cell covering at least the entry point.

11. The communication network of claim 1 wherein the indication of the first access point in the binding message is an indication of the first proxy address.

12. The communication network of claim 1 wherein the binding message comprises a first identity indication and the access proxy is arranged to associate the binding with the first indication and to select the first binding for forwarding data to the remote station from a plurality of bindings in response to the first indication and a second identity indication associated with the data for the remote station; wherein the identity indication is at least one of a remote station identity indication and a communication identity indication for a communication supported by the remote station.

13. The communication network of claim 1 wherein the network address space is a radio network controller address space.

14. The communication network of claim 1 wherein the network address space is a Signalling Point Code address space of a Signalling System 7 protocol.

15. The communication network of claim 1 wherein the network is a Universal Mobile Telecommunication System, UMTS, network.

16. The communication network of claim 15 wherein the address proxy is comprised in a core network of the UMTS network.

17. The communication network of claim 15 wherein the first binding associates a Message Transfer Part level 3 User Adaptation, M3UA, common network address and a Signalling Connection Control Part User Adaptation, SUA, proxy address.

18. The communication network of claim 15 wherein the plurality of access points are coupled to the address proxy via an Iu interface and the first proxy address is an Iu Radio Network Controller address for the first target point.

19. A method of operation for a network of a cellular communication system including:

a plurality of access points supporting cells within a region having a number of entry points, each access point having an individual proxy address of a proxy address space and being associated with a common network address of a network address space, the proxy address space being a local address space of an address proxy and the network address space being a network wide address space;

a gateway access point covering an entry point to the region, the gateway access point having a first address of the network address space; and

an address proxy;

wherein the method comprises:

the gateway access point performing the steps of:

detecting a remote station entering the region via the entry point,

determining a first access point of the plurality of access points as a handover access point for the remote station, the first access point having a first proxy address of the proxy address space,

transmitting a binding message to the address proxy, the binding message comprising an indication of the first access point; and

the address proxy performing the steps of:

receiving the binding message from the gateway access point,

establishing a first binding between the common network address and the first proxy address for the remote station in response to the binding message,

receiving data for the remote station, and

forwarding the data to the first access point in response to the first binding.